November 2023 - Page 2 of 3 - Friends of Socialist China

China-Australia relations take major step towards a return to normality

Relations between China and Australia took a major step towards a return to normality with a November 4-7 visit by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang. The visit ended the effective freeze on high-level exchanges between the two countries, as a result of the adoption of anti-China policies by right-wing governments in Canberra, and follows the return to office of the Australian Labor Party, led by Albanese, in the May 2022 general election.

Meeting Prime Minister Albanese on November 6, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China and Australia have embarked on the right path of improving relations. He noted:

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the visit by Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Your visit is a journey to retrace history and plan for the future. Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, China and Australia have resumed exchanges in various fields and embarked on the right path of improving relations.”

Xi said China and Australia are both Asia-Pacific countries and important members of the G20, with no historical grievances or fundamental conflicts of interest, but every reason to be partners of mutual trust and mutual achievement, calling on the two sides to keep to the right direction of bilateral relations amid the profound changes in the world.

In the stormy waters of the global crisis, countries are not riding on more than 190 small boats, but instead on a big boat with a common destiny, he added.

China and Australia should follow the trend of the times, proceed from the common interests of the two countries, pursue a bilateral relationship that features treating each other on an equal footing, seeking common ground while shelving differences and mutually beneficial cooperation.

In remarks that might be taken as an oblique reference to Australia’s participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, along with the United States, Japan and India, and the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal with the United States and Britain, Xi said that in the Asia-Pacific region, China does not engage in exclusive cliques, bloc politics, or camp confrontation. Small cliques can neither solve the major challenges facing the world nor adapt to the drastic changes in today’s world. He urged vigilance against and opposition to those attempts to throw the region into chaos.

Prime Minister Albanese said it was a great honor to pay an official visit to China on this historic occasion of the 50th anniversary of Mr. Whitlam’s visit to China. In recent years, China has made remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation and development. Australia and the world have benefited significantly from China’s long-term, stable, and sustained development.

Albanese said the two sides should respect each other, be equal and benefit each other, stay in communication, enhance understanding and cooperation, and achieve win-win results. He said the Chinese people have the right to development, and he is always optimistic about China’s economy.

As Australia and China have different political systems, it is normal for differences to occur, but they should not be allowed to define the relationship. Australia and China share extensive common interests, and dialogue and cooperation is the right choice, he said.

He added that Australia adheres to the one-China policy and stands ready to work with China to promote the steady development of bilateral relations.

A joint statement agreed by the two nations likewise noted that Albanese had undertaken an “official visit to China from November 4 to 7, 2023, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister, the Hon. Edward Gough Whitlam.”

Both sides welcomed the successful recommencement of the Annual Leaders’ Meeting between Premier Li and Prime Minister Albanese.

They reaffirmed their support for their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and reiterated the importance of a stable, constructive bilateral relationship. The two sides reiterated the importance of the 1972 Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People’s Republic of China and Australia and restated their commitment to their respective national policies and positions contained therein, including mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, stable development, and Australia’s commitment to its one-China Policy. They agreed that both nations could grow the bilateral relationship and uphold their respective national interests if they navigated their differences wisely.

While Prime Minister Albanese’s visit does not resolve all the issues complicating the relations between Australia and China, and does not represent a fundamental shift on the part of Canberra, it nevertheless represents a noteworthy step forward and a not insignificant breach in the united front of the Anglo-Saxon imperialist powers (or ‘Five Eyes’) against China. This finds symbolic reflection in Australia’s agreement to China’s preferred choice of framing the visit around the 50th anniversary of the first ever visit of an Australian Prime Minister.

Gough Whitlam, who remains a highly respected figure in China, was the longest-serving leader of the Australian Labor Party and served as Australia’s Prime Minister from December 1972 to November 1975. Whitlam established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China within three weeks of his becoming Prime Minister. He also withdrew Australian troops from the Vietnam War and ended military conscription, established diplomatic relations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, ended Australian colonial rule in Papua New Guinea, began the process of land reform for the First Nations (granting the first set of title deeds to lands to the Gurindji people), and introduced universal health care and free university education.

His policies earned him the ire not only of the Australian right wing but also of the British and US imperialists, with the latter especially fearing for the future of their Pine Gap spy base and surveillance centre, after Whitlam learned that he had been deceived as to its true purpose. As a result, he was removed from office in a constitutional coup fronted by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, but with the active involvement of the Nixon-Kissinger administration in the US, the CIA, Britain’s MI6, and key figures in Buckingham Palace, including the present monarch, Charles III.

And whilst it is the anniversary of Whitlam’s China visit as Prime Minister that is presently being marked, one reason why he was able to move towards the establishment of diplomatic relations with China with such rapidity is that, previously, in July 1971, he had already visited the country at the head of an Australian Labor Party delegation, which was also joined by political advisers, China specialists and journalists. This trip, during which he met with Premier Zhou Enlai (he was also to meet with Chairman Mao Zedong on his 1973 visit), was also criticised in some quarters for its potential negative impact on Australia’s relations with the United States. However, it later became known that just as Whitlam’s delegation was leaving Beijing, US National Security Adviser, Henry Kissinger, was arriving to arrange President Nixon’s own visit to China, which took place in February 1972.

The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency and by the Whitlam Institute, which is housed within Western Sydney University.

China, Australia embark on right path of improving ties: Xi

BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Beijing on Monday, saying China and Australia have embarked on the right path of improving relations.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the visit by Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Your visit is a journey to retrace history and plan for the future. Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, China and Australia have resumed exchanges in various fields and embarked on the right path of improving relations,” Xi told Albanese.

From the perspective of self-interest, the world is small and crowded, with risks and competition all the time. From the perspective of shared destiny, the world is vast and broad, with opportunities and cooperation everywhere. In the stormy waters of the global crisis, countries are not riding on more than 190 small boats, but instead on a big boat with a common destiny, Xi said.

This serves the common interests of the two countries and peoples, meets the common expectations of countries in the region, and helps the international community better respond to the risks and challenges brought about by the changes unseen in a century, Xi said.

Xi stressed that at present, the global economy is facing increasingly destabilizing, uncertain, and unpredictable factors, and the economies of all countries are facing considerable challenges. In the face of a complex external environment, the Chinese economy has withstood pressure, stabilized its size, and improved its quality.

“China’s development still has a sound foundation and many favorable conditions. With its steady development, China will bring valuable certainty to the uncertain world economy. China cannot develop in isolation from the world, and the world needs China for its development,” Xi said.

China’s impassioned plea for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict

China, which this month holds the rotating chair of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), has made a further impassioned plea for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.

Addressing an emergency UNSC meeting on November 10, China’s permanent representative to the UN, Zhang Jun said that the call for a ceasefire was by no means a diplomatic statement, “It is the only hope for the people of Gaza to survive.”

Referring to the United States, in particular, which has repeatedly vetoed calls for a ceasefire, he added that China calls on “all parties, especially the major power that has a unique influence on the parties, to put aside all geopolitical considerations and double standards and focus all efforts on the goal of a ceasefire and an end to the fighting. We urge Israel to curb the intensifying settler violence in the West Bank so as to avoid… the spread of conflict.”

Zhang Jun added that: “When tens of thousands of people, including more than 4,000 children, have lost their lives; when more than 1.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes; when 2.3 million people continue to be cut off from water, electricity, fuel, food and medicine; and when hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and UN facilities have been frequently targeted, this is not only a humanitarian crisis, but, as described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a crisis of humanity.”

He went in to say that earlier in the day he had met with representatives of Palestine and other Arab countries as well as from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

“From our conversation, I was deeply struck by the pain they have deep in their hearts, by their hope for the resumption of peace, and by their expectation for the Council to take effective actions.”

“In the face of all this, the world must speak out together: Enough is enough,” Zhang said, adding that “the Security Council must do away with the obstruction and interference of some members and take immediate, responsible, and meaningful action to uphold justice and maintain peace.”

Zhang also expressed grave concern over and strong opposition to the clear violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.

“We urge an end to the collective punishment of civilians… We call on Israel to immediately lift the siege and completely remove restrictions on livelihood supplies, especially fuel delivery to humanitarian and medical institutions and livelihood facilities.”

Noting that over the past two weeks, just over 500 trucks had entered Gaza, Zhang described this as “but a drop in the bucket for the people of Gaza who are struggling on the brink of death.”

Turning to the post-conflict scenario, with Israel threatening to reoccupy Gaza, Zhang said: “These days, we also hear frequent discussions about the day after for Gaza. Regarding this, it must be pointed out that no arrangement for Gaza can be imposed on the Palestinian people… The future of Palestine must be and can only be decided by the Palestinian people themselves.”

The following article was originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) — Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.

“A ceasefire and an end to the fighting cannot be delayed. A ceasefire is by no means a diplomatic statement. It is the only hope for the people of Gaza to survive,” Zhang told the UN Security Council emergency meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli situation.

Noting that the current round of conflict has been going on for 35 days and the situation continues to deteriorate, he said: “We call on all parties, especially the major power that has a unique influence on the parties, to put aside all geopolitical considerations and double standards and focus all efforts on the goal of a ceasefire and an end to the fight. We urge Israel to curb the intensifying settler violence in the West Bank so as to avoid the concurring hotspot and the spread of conflict.”

“When tens of thousands of people, including more than 4,000 children, have lost their lives; when more than 1.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes; when 2.3 million people continue to be cut off from water, electricity, fuel, food and medicine; and when hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and UN facilities have been frequently targeted, this is not only a humanitarian crisis, but, as described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a crisis of humanity,” he added.

Zhang said he met with representatives of Palestine and other Arab countries and those from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation earlier in the day.

“From our conversation, I was deeply struck by the pain they have deep in their hearts, by their hope for the resumption of peace, and by their expectation for the Council to take effective actions,” he said.

Stressing the importance of protecting civilians, the envoy said, “We condemn all violence and attacks against civilians. We express our grave concern over and strong opposition to the clear violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.”

“We urge an end to the collective punishment of civilians. We demand the safety and humanitarian needs of hostages be guaranteed and call for diplomatic efforts to facilitate their early release,” he added.

More than 1,300 children and their families are trapped in the rubble with their lives at stake, Zhang said, adding, “We support the Council to take emergency actions in this regard to facilitate a sustained truce of multiple days and an immediate opening of a green corridor for specialized agencies and equipment to enter Gaza to carry out search and rescue operations, so as to do our utmost to save children.”

The Council should also respond to the joint appeal made by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Marwan Jilani, Director General of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, to establish a medical evacuation mechanism so that pregnant women and the seriously injured and sick in Gaza can be transferred and treated promptly, he continued.

Zhang also called for the delivery of supplies to resume, noting it “cannot be delayed.”

“We call on Israel to immediately lift the siege and completely remove restrictions on livelihood supplies, especially fuel delivery to humanitarian and medical institutions and livelihood facilities,” he said.

Over the past two weeks, just over 500 trucks have entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing, a drop in the bucket for the people of Gaza who are struggling on the brink of death, Zhang said. “All crossings into Gaza should be utilized, and the Kerem Shalom crossing should be opened as soon as possible.”

“These days, we also hear frequent discussions about the day after for Gaza. Regarding this, it must be pointed out that no arrangement for Gaza can be imposed on the Palestinian people,” said the ambassador, adding that “No solution to the current situation can deviate from the two-state solution. The future of Palestine must be and can only be decided by the Palestinian people themselves.”

The ambassador pledged that China, as president of the Security Council for November, would continue to work with the international community to bring an early end to the fighting and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

China supports a peaceful coexistence between the Palestinians and the Israelis and long-term peace and security in the Middle East, he said.

The US steps up its ‘chip war’ against socialist China

In this article, which was originally published in Fighting Words, journal of the US Communist Workers League, Chris Fry notes the new anti-China sanctions introduced by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on October 17, focused on advanced computer chips manufactured by the Nividia company.

Fry notes that Raimondo claimed that this was directed solely at the Chinese military, yet she also stated that the goal was to limit China’s “access to advanced semiconductors that could fuel breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and sophisticated computers.”

Previously, at an October 15 Senate hearing she had described recent technological breakthroughs by the Chinese telecom giant Huawei as “incredibly disturbing”.

The article notes: “Up until these imperialist sanctions, socialist China had obtained its semiconductor and other tech designs from a complex global network. Facing this US blockade, the Chinese government began a robust campaign to develop its own semiconductor design capabilities. With this new Huawei success, it appears that socialist China has made a massive breakthrough.”

Turning to the question of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Fry notes that it presents opportunities for greater profits in a capitalist society, but the inherent contradictions of the capitalist mode of production also leads to “the ‘bust’ part of the capitalist cycle – recessions and depressions.”

Moreover, the capitalist class fears that artificial intelligence could be used under socialism to greatly enhance the coordination and accuracy of scientific planning.

The article concludes: “The imperialist ruling class is keenly aware of the danger of this, not only in its economic competition with socialist China, but also with the example of a powerful and prosperous socialist China lighting a revolutionary beacon to the global working class as to the possibilities with a new social system.”

On October 17th, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced new bans on the giant tech company Nvidia from sales of its advanced computer chips, particularly its advanced H800 and A800 products.

Raimondo claimed that this move was directed solely against the Chinese military. According to an October 18 CNN report, she said in August on her visit to China: “the administration was “laser-focused” on slowing the advancement of China’s military. She emphasized that Washington had opted not to go further in restricting chips for other applications.”

But on October 17 Raimondo made clear that the target of these sanctions against socialist China is much wider:

“… the goal was to limit China’s ‘access to advanced semiconductors that could fuel breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and sophisticated computers’.”

China’s Foreign Ministry quickly responded:

“The US needs to stop politicizing and weaponizing trade and tech issues and stop destabilizing global industrial and supply chains,” spokesperson Mao Ning told a press briefing. “We will closely follow the developments and firmly safeguard our rights and interests.”

China has decided to cut off the U.S. from supplies of germanium and gallium, essential for manufacturing semiconductors.

Keith Bennett: The Belt and Road Initiative is a key component of Marxist internationalism in the 21st century

The following is the closing speech given by our co-editor Keith Bennett at our webinar held on November 4, marking 10 years of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Keith refers to the recent Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, held in Beijing, where President Xi Jinping said in his opening speech: “We have learned that humankind is a community with a shared future. China can only do well when the world is doing well. When China does well, the world will get even better.”

The BRI, Keith notes, is concerned with development, modernization and globalization. And there are two fundamentally different approaches to these questions in today’s world. It is not a coincidence that the approach to these questions that represents and embodies the interests of the overwhelming majority of countries, and the overwhelming majority of the people in every country, should be put forward by the world’s leading socialist country. Nor is it a coincidence that it is above all the world’s leading imperialist country that announces a supposed alternative to the BRI every few months, none of which achieve any traction or any concrete result.

Regarding globalization, in the western countries, the prevailing discourse, from much of both the left and the right, tends to assert that China has wholeheartedly embraced the model of globalization advanced by the major capitalist powers. This is so far from reality as to suggest that those who advance it are either ignorant or malicious.

A White Paper issued by China’s State Council on October 10 makes clear that the fruits of economic globalization have until now been dominated by a small group of developed countries. Rather than contributing to common prosperity at a global level, it continues, globalization has widened the wealth gap between the rich and poor, between developed and developing countries, and within the developed countries themselves. Many developing countries have benefited little from economic globalization and even lost their capacity for independent development. Certain countries, it notes, have practiced unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism.

Keith argues that, grounded as it is in the stand, viewpoint, and method of Marxism, the BRI is based on and inherits not only the Silk Roads of antiquity, but also the diplomatic history of socialist China as well as the standpoint and practice of the international working-class movement more generally, particularly since the establishment of workers states.

First, on behalf of Friends of Socialist China, I’d like to thank all those who registered for, attended, and supported our webinar today.

Special thanks go to our brilliant speakers who, from five continents, have shared their insights with us on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Thanks also to our co-organisers, the International Manifesto Group, as well as our sponsors, Connolly Books, Critical Theory Workshop, Geopolitical Economy Research Group, Geopolitical Economy Report, Hampton Institute, International Action Center, Iskra Books, Kawsachun News, Peace, Land and Bread, Pivot to Peace, and Veterans for Peace – China Working Group.

It is 10 years since President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative and therefore a good time to take stock and make an initial summing up. Last month, I was privileged to be seated in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People to listen to President Xi open the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, his speech being followed by those of President Putin and the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Argentina, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

As President Xi noted, in the course of its first decade, Belt and Road cooperation has extended from its initial focus on the Eurasian landmass to Africa, Latin America and elsewhere. Indeed, more than 150 countries and over 30 international organisations have signed Belt and Road cooperation documents. Through this process, he explained, belt and road cooperation has progressed from ‘sketching the outline’ to ‘filling in the details’, and blueprints have been turned into real projects.

Xi Jinping said that over the past decade, “we have learned that humankind is a community with a shared future. China can only do well when the world is doing well. When China does well, the world will get even better.”

President Xi, in my view, expresses things here with such simplicity and clarity, making it sound like obvious common sense, that it might seem that this is acceptable to all and that nobody could possibly disagree with it.

But this is far from the case. The BRI is concerned with development, modernization and globalization. And there are two fundamentally different approaches to these questions in today’s world. It is not a coincidence that the approach to these questions that represents and embodies the interests of the overwhelming majority of countries, and the overwhelming majority of the people in every country, should be put forward by the world’s leading socialist country. Nor is it a coincidence that it is above all the world’s leading imperialist country that announces a supposed alternative to the BRI every few months, none of which achieve any traction or any concrete result.

Comrade Liu Jianchao, the Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, spelled matters out clearly in a recent article, where he wrote:

“The vision of building a human community with a shared future and the three global initiatives are scientific. They encapsulate the stances, viewpoints, and methods of Marxism, reflecting the hallmarks of Marxism, and demonstrating salient theoretical character. Underpinned by dialectical and historical materialism, the vision and the three global initiatives reveal the laws governing the development of human society and its future direction.”

Careful study of the White Paper released by the Information Office of China’s State Council on October 10, to coincide with the tenth anniversary and the Beijing Forum, can help to understand this more concretely. And all the documents to which I refer may be read in full on our website, along with useful introductions.

The White Paper again makes clear that whilst the BRI has been launched by China, it belongs to the world and benefits the whole of humanity.

“Irrespective of size, strength and wealth, all countries participate on equal terms.”

Making very clear the distinction between the socialist and imperialist approaches to such questions, it notes that the type of development advanced by the BRI diverges from, “the exploitative colonialism of the past, avoids coercive and one-sided transactions, rejects the centre-periphery model of dependency, and refuses to displace crisis onto others or exploit neighbours for self-interest.”

The same point was made even more forcefully by President Xi Jinping in his report to the 20^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October last year, where he stated:

“In pursuing modernization, China will not tread the old path of war, colonization and plunder taken by some countries. That brutal and blood-stained path of enrichment at the expense of others caused great suffering for the people of developing countries.”

These words of President Xi surely acquire even greater relevance and poignancy today in the face of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and the courageous resistance of the Palestinian people, a veritable 21^st century Warsaw Ghetto. On one hand, the United States, Britain, France and Germany, aid and abet the genocide and even seek to curtail and deny their own peoples’ right to protest. On the other hand, socialist China, along with the overwhelming majority of the countries of the world, principally the Global South, and as seen in the recent United Nations General Assembly vote, stand for peace, an end to the war of aggression, and for the long overdue realization of the national rights to an independent state of the Palestinian people.

And the same fundamental distinction with regard to which road to take informs socialist China’s approach to globalization. In the western countries, the prevailing discourse, from much of both the left and the right, tends to assert that China has wholeheartedly embraced the model of globalization advanced by the major capitalist powers. This is so far from reality as to suggest that those who advance it are either ignorant or malicious. Or quite possibly both.

The White Paper is clear that the fruits of economic globalization have until now been dominated by a small group of developed countries. Rather than contributing to common prosperity at a global level, it continues, globalization has widened the wealth gap between the rich and poor, between developed and developing countries, and within the developed countries themselves. Many developing countries have benefited little from economic globalization and even lost their capacity for independent development. Certain countries, it notes, have practiced unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism.

But just as, in their day, Marx and Engels could not endorse, but rather repudiated and stood against, the Luddite approach which, faced with the undoubted depredations and cruelties of the industrial revolution, sought to reverse the objective course of historical progress, China, unlike some, does not reject globalization. But it stands for a different globalization. Economic globalization, the White Paper insists, remains an irreversible trend. It is unthinkable for countries to return to a state of seclusion or isolation. But economic globalization must undergo adjustments in both form and substance.

The focus of BRI, it explains, is precisely on contributing to a form of globalization that generates common prosperity and that brings benefits particularly to developing countries. Thus, while the BRI is open to all, it is neither accident nor coincidence that the majority of its participants are developing countries. The developing countries as a whole all seek to leverage their collective strength to address such challenges as inadequate infrastructure, lagging industrial development, and insufficient capital, technologies and skills, so as to promote their economic and social development.

Grounded as it is therefore in the stand, viewpoint, and method of Marxism, it should be clear that the BRI is based on and inherits not only the Silk Roads of antiquity, but also the diplomatic history of socialist China as well as the international standpoint and practice of the international working-class movement more generally, particularly since the establishment of workers states, the constitution of the working class as the ruling class.

It resonates, for example, with China’s building of the Tazara railway in Zambia and Tanzania in the 1970s. With the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence put forward by Premier Zhou Enlai in 1954 and the Ten Principles adopted by the Afro-Asian Conference held in the Indonesian city of Bandung the following year.

As far back as 1921, even before the official formation of the USSR, Lenin’s government concluded treaties with Afghanistan, Persia and Turkiye, which provided for mutual support, aid in the financial, technical, personnel and other fields, and especially for support in their struggles to win and maintain independence from colonial and imperial powers.

This in turn built on the deliberations of the Second Congress of the Communist International, held in 1920, which established the absolute duty of the working-class movement to support the struggles of the colonial and oppressed countries and peoples for liberation and for independence against imperialism.

The Belt and Road Initiative, and the other global initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping, are the 21^st century inheritance and expression of this Marxist theory and practice. The difference is that today it is becoming a material force that is progressively uniting and mobilizing the majority of humanity. This is a major part of why President Xi constantly reminds us that we are presently witnessing changes unseen in a century. That is since the birth of the first workers’ state.

In Friends of Socialist China, we will continue to pay the closest attention to these developments. Thank you again for your support today and we hope to continue working with you.

The US has its own BRI: the Bomb and Ruin Initiative

The following article by Carlos Martinez, originally published in Global Times, compares the records of China and the US in terms of their engagement with the Global South. Specifically, Carlos summarises the impact of the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) over the course of its first decade, and contrasts this with the effect of the US’s equivalent projects.

While several US-led global infrastructure projects have been announced (such as the Build Back Better World and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor), none of these have made any meaningful progress as yet. However, “if we look at the actual history and reality of US foreign policy, it becomes clear that the US does actually have its own BRI: the Bomb and Ruin Initiative.”

From Iraq to Palestine to Venezuela to Syria to Ukraine to Zimbabwe and beyond, the US uses war, proxy war, destabilisation, sanctions and coercion, “spreading death and destruction in pursuit of its own selfish economic and political interests,” while China cooperates with the countries of the world on the basis of respect, equality and common interest in pursuit of a global community of shared future.

The article is based on a speech given at a webinar themed Third Belt and Road Forum: Together for Common Development and Shared Prosperity, organised by the Pakistan-based Friends of the Belt and Road Forum, the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies and the Centre for BRI and China Studies, which took place on Tuesday 7 November.

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has attracted a great deal of attention recently, particularly with the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation having taken place in Beijing last month.

Since it was announced a decade ago, the BRI has already become the world’s largest platform for international cooperation, with more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations participating across five continents. A trillion dollars have been spent or committed on projects that are increasingly transforming the development prospects for dozens of countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

A number of these projects have already been delivered. The Chinese-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, for example, is the largest infrastructure project carried out in Kenya since its independence. The China-Laos Railway, completed in 2021, has turned Laos from a land-locked country into a land-linked country, thereby stimulating trade, employment, economic opportunities and living standards. The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway – the first high-speed rail system in Indonesia – has reduced the journey time from 3.5 hours to 45 minutes.

The BRI is becoming green. The prominent Norwegian environmentalist Erik Solheim, former minister of the environment, stated at a webinar hosted by Friends of Socialist China on November 4 that the BRI has become the most important global project in terms of green, sustainable development.

Does the US – the world’s largest economy in nominal GDP terms – have an equivalent to the China-proposed BRI? A few such projects have been announced, to much fanfare. The Build Back Better World (B3W) was unveiled in 2021. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was announced in September this year. But these initiatives are yet to experience any manifestation in reality – and it’s tempting to wonder if they ever will.

But if we look at the actual history and reality of US foreign policy, it becomes clear that the US does actually have its own BRI: the Bomb and Ruin Initiative.

The Bomb and Ruin Initiative started in earnest in 1950 with the launch of the Korean War, in which an estimated four million people were killed. The initiative continued with the Vietnam War, the brutal 1965 coup in Indonesia, the coups and proxy wars in Guatemala, Angola, Brazil, Chile, Mozambique, Argentina, Nicaragua, Grenada, just to name a few.

The flagship Bomb and Ruin Initiative project this century so far has been the illegal war on Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed. The country was flattened and its development set back by decades.

China has taken a significantly different approach with respect to Iraq. Indeed Iraq is one of the major recipients of infrastructure investment under the BRI, with a vast array of bridges, roads and railways being constructed, alongside energy and telecommunications infrastructure. China is committed to building some 7,000 schools in Iraq.

Iraq of course is best known for its abundance of oil – certainly that has been a central motivating factor for a century of British and American interference – but these days China is leading the investment in Iraq’s growing solar energy industry. The world can look forward to the day when Iraq is an advanced, prosperous country, and a green energy superpower.

In Iraq, the contrast between the BRI and the Bomb and Ruin Initiative is quite stark. So much so that there’s a popular saying: “America bombs, China builds.”

This contrast is emblematic of the US’ and China’s role in the world in general.

The US has brought misery and destruction to Afghanistan, that long-suffering country, with a 20-year war and occupation, and now cruel sanctions put in place to prevent the country from getting back on its feet.

The US and its allies bombed Libya into the Stone Age, turning it from a relatively prosperous country – with the highest Human Development Index in Africa – into a failed state.

The US has been a key player in fomenting and perpetuating the devastating war in Syria, supporting the emergence of terrorist groups in a strategy of regime change, and then using the presence of those same groups as a justification for its own uninvited and unwanted military presence in the country.

About two weeks ago, the US responded to attacks on its illegal Syrian facilities not by dismantling the facilities but by carrying out air strikes against Syrian government sites.

It’s no secret that the US is the driving force behind the war in Ukraine. The essential character of this conflict is a proxy war to weaken Russia.

With the sponsorship and total support of the US, Israel is showing no regard at all for the people of Gaza. Already more than 10,000 people have been killed. The UN has called it a “children’s graveyard.” The people of the world want a ceasefire; China, Russia, Brazil and many others have called for a ceasefire. But the US – along with its most dependable ally, Britain – is standing in the way.

The US gets criticized for not building enough infrastructure. However, the US is building plenty of infrastructure of war and aggression: 800 overseas military bases; the stationing of nuclear-enabled missiles and warplanes in Japan, Guam and South Korea, along with tens of thousands of US troops; the placement of the THAAD so-called missile defence system in Guam and South Korea; the AUKUS trilateral nuclear pact between the US, UK and Australia. When it comes to the project of containing and encircling China, the US has no problem with building infrastructure.

The stark difference between China’s BRI and the US’ BRI is clear for all to see.

The US is pursuing a hegemonic, imperialist project; a Project for a New American Century. It is spreading death and destruction in pursuit of its own selfish economic and political interests.

Meanwhile, China is pursuing what it calls a global community of shared future – described by President Xi Jinping as “an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity, charting a bright future for human development.”

This is an inspiring, democratic and inclusive vision that is rapidly gaining broad support around the globe.

Prachanda: China’s successes building socialism provide great encouragement to the peoples of the world

In this episode of the CGTN series Leaders Talk, recorded on September 25, two days after the opening of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Li Tongtong interviews Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Prime Minister of Nepal, known as Prachanda.

Noting that Prachanda is now serving his third term as Prime Minister, Li notes that the first of his many visits to China was to attend the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics during his first term. Now, 15 years later, he is in China for the opening of the Asian Games, having moved up his speaking slot at the United Nations General Assembly session in New York to be present. Nepal set a record with more than 250 of its athletes competing in the games this time and Prachanda observes that the 2008 Olympics showcased China’s progress to the world. And now the Asian Games show that China has taken another leap forward.

Prachanda says that he has met President Xi Jinping five times and finds him a very sincere and visionary leader. Topics he had discussed with him this time included the common interests of the two countries, how to better facilitate China’s support and help to Nepal, for example in aviation, railway, road and transmission line connectivity, as well as climate change, poverty reduction and friendly relations between the two peoples.

The Nepalese Prime Minister, who is also the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), says that the glorious history of the Communist Party of China (CPC), since its founding in 1921, has seen it amass a wealth of experience. As a result, it has achieved a great success in building a new model of socialism, namely socialism with Chinese characteristics. This has provided great encouragement to and made a positive impact on communist parties and people who want development and social justice around the world. They all want to learn from China’s experience.

The friendship between Nepal and China, Prachanda observes, has deep roots and one example of their special relations is that Nepal is the only country to have diplomatic representation in Xizang (Tibet), which Prachanda went on to visit as the last stop of his visit. Its consulate in Lhasa is one of five Nepali consulates in China, more than it has in any other country.

Whilst the number of people engaged in agricultural production in Nepal is gradually decreasing, Prachanda explains that his country is still primarily an agricultural one. So China’s experience and assistance in the agricultural field is very meaningful and important for Nepal. He always aim to study agricultural matters each time he visits China and this time he is focusing on how Nepal can enhance its agricultural production through the adoption of modern technologies.

Turning Nepal from a landlocked to a land-linked country is another key priority and in this respect Chinese experts are now engaged in active feasibility studies for the construction of a China/Nepal railway. Prachanda dismisses allegations of a ‘debt trap’ or the idea that a rail link could somehow pose a a security threat to other countries as baseless.

Irrespective of international, regional or domestic changes, he insists, his country’s position on relations with China will not change or be allowed to change. Nepal has always pursued a foreign policy of independence and non-alignment. It is resolute in defending its national sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. Nepal has never wavered or capitulated under pressure and it never will.

Guided by the United Nations Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, Nepal firmly believes that all countries are equal, that no country should be allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of others, and that all countries have the right to decide on their own affairs.

Asked finally about his use of the name Prachanda, he said he adopted it when he was leading the revolutionary struggle. But he also used it during the peace process. He is more recognised by this name than by his original name and he will continue to use it as it symbolises both revolution and peace.

The full interview is embedded below.

Zhang Weiwei: the BRI is built on socialist concepts of discussing together, building together and benefiting together

The following is the text of a speech given by Professor Zhang Weiwei (Director of the China Institute at Fudan University, and author of several important books about China, including The China Wave: Rise of a Civilizational State) at the webinar Building a multipolar world – Ten years of the Belt and Road Initiative, held on Saturday 4 November.

Professor Zhang outlines the founding principles and broad historic significance of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He notes that the foundations for the BRI were laid during the two stages of China’s rise – the first three decades of socialist construction from 1949 to 1978, followed by the accelerated industrialisation and modernisation of the Reform and Opening Up period – and that both these stages were indispensable in allowing China to break from the US-dominated peripheral-central world order and emerge as an economic leader in its own right.

The BRI is a manifestation of this leadership. It is a “hard power” project, with China providing goods, experience and technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to developing countries, and a “soft power” project, with the socialist principles of “discussing together, building together, and benefiting together” guiding the BRI’s development. Zhang observes that these principles are rooted in China’s consultative democracy and can-do spirit, and have been tested and proven in China’s own modernisation process.

A short report of the webinar can be found on China Daily.

The event stream can be viewed on YouTube.

Hello, comrades and friends,

It’s a great pleasure to speak at this webinar on Building a multipolar world – Ten years of the BRI. I will make three observations:

First, on the rise of socialist China. Indeed, it’s remarkable than with 7 decades of unremitting effort, China has become the world’s largest economy by PPP, and the largest trading nation, with the largest middle income group, and largest consumer market.

This historic transformation can be divided into roughly two stages, the first stage, in the first three decades, under the leadership of Chairman Mao, China laid political, economic and social foundations for its rise.

Then the second stage, from 1978, economic take-off, roughly, “one decade, one Industrial Revolution”. China achieved a miracle of the “Four Industrial Revolutions in One” within four decades or so, and now it is in the premier frontier of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (big data, AI and quantum technologies, etc).

Second, on the Chinese break from the peripheral-central world order and becoming the first super-large socialist country that has meaningfully broken the yoke of dependency on the West.

Internally, China has completely eradicated extreme poverty, achieved medical insurance for all, pension for all, and China now has a higher literacy rate than the US, and higher life expectancy than the US (2 years longer, 2021).

Externally, China has become simultaneously the largest partner for the peripheral countries and center countries in terms of trade, investment, financial resources and technologies. That’s why we rightly predicted in 2018 that US will lose its trade war and tech war against China.

Third, all this has paved the way for the launch of the BRI by President Xi Jinping ten years ago and for its stunning success so far. Its success has to do with what may be called the BRI’s hard power and soft power.

Hard power: China is the only country capable of providing goods, experience and technologies of the Four Industrial Revolutions to the developing countries, and China has helped Africa build 6,000 kilometers of railways and 6,000 kilometers of highways. Many landlocked countries are no longer landlocked, many countries without railways are now with railways. Many people who could not afford smart phones now have smart phones and their countries have 4G or even 5G networks.

China is often capable of providing total solutions to industrialization in developing countries. For instance, China completed a comprehensive petro-chemical production package from scratch for countries like Chad, Sudan and Turkmenistan. Being the world’s largest consumer market, China can accommodate a large number of goods from developing countries. For instance, with the completion of the China-Laotian railway, China has become the largest market for the famous Thai fruit durian, a jump of 65% since the railway was built. Now the durian trade alone created 3 billion dollar business for Thailand and the Chinese consumers benefited from this trade.

Soft power: the motto of the BRI is gòngshāng gòngjiàn gòngxiǎng (共商共建共享) or “discussing together, building together and benefiting together”. These ideas are very socialist and have been tested repeatedly within China’s successful process of modernization.

Discussing together originates from China’s consultative democracy (in both high politics and low politics).

Building together originates from the Chinese can-do spirit. Many Africans described the Western projects in Africa as NATO (No Action, Talk Only) whereas Chinese projects are action-oriented, and once consensus is reached by the parties concerned, actions immediately follow suit.

Benefiting together means, China-aid projects aside, the BRI is not a charity, and most BRI projects are commercially viable ones and win-win for all the parties concerned.

In short, these well tested ideas and practices are guided by a deep-rooted Chinese philosophical belief. If the Western belief can be described as “divide and rule”, then the Chinese one is “unite and prosper”. We practice it at home with stunning success and now we promote it in the BRI, and it’s also working well.

In conclusion, the hard power and the soft power are still gaining momentum as shown in China’s rise and the BRI’s success, and this will surely encourage more and more countries in the Global South to work together in a meaningful way to change the unipolar global order to a multipolar one.

Li Qiang: SCO represents the shared aspiration of regional countries for friendship, security and development

The 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, on October 26.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang joined fellow leaders, including Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, the Indian foreign minister, and the Pakistani foreign minister from member states, together with Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko and Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, from two of the SCO’s observer states. The meeting was hosted by Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov.

In his speech to the meeting, Premier Li said that looking back at the founding aspiration of the SCO, its members were brought together to ensure that regional affairs are decided by regional countries through consultation, without interference from those outside the region. He added:

“Twenty-two years ago, the SCO was founded in response to the shared aspiration of regional countries for promoting friendship, safeguarding security and pursuing development. Today, the Organisation has grown from the original ‘Shanghai Five’ to nine member states, three observer states, and 14 dialogue partners. SCO member states now account for nearly half of the world’s population and about one quarter of the global GDP.”

Li offered four proposals on deepening SCO cooperation. First, the SCO members should jointly solidify the regional security barrier, firmly reject external interference, improve the organisation’s mechanism of coping with security threats and challenges as soon as possible, and crack down on the ‘three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism’ as well as transnational organised crimes.

Second, SCO members should jointly promote the speedy economic recovery, cooperate to build safe and efficient transportation systems, continuously promote trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation, and maintain steady and smooth industrial supply chains.

Third, the members should jointly enhance the Belt and Road cooperation. The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation has been successfully held, and the Belt and Road has become the most popular international public goods and the largest international cooperation platform in the past 10 years.

The SCO members should reinforce the alignment of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with the member states’ respective development strategies, push forward the construction of major economic corridors, and develop well the SCO Development Bank.

Fourth, the SCO member states should jointly promote the understanding and amity among their people, and continue to deepen cooperation in areas including education, culture and tourism, and sports.

Li Qiang also held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

Meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on October 25, he said that China is willing to further align its development strategies with Russia, promote synergy between the Belt and Road cooperation and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), maintain the growth momentum of cooperation on trade and investment, deepen cooperation in the field of energy, and enhance connectivity and trade liberalisation and facilitation.

On October 26, he met with Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, and Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene, Li said that China stands ready to work with Mongolia to firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and to strengthen cooperation with Mongolia in such fields as port connectivity, economy and trade, and green development, to further expand the pie of common interests, so as to achieve win-win results.

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Mongolia under the SCO and other multilateral frameworks to better safeguard their common interests and build a community with a shared future for humanity, Li added.

For his part, Oyun-Erdene said that Mongolia stands ready to work with China to strengthen border port capacity building and connectivity, promote the Belt and Road cooperation, deepen cooperation in areas including trade, railway, green development, tourism, and culture, and deepen multilateral cooperation, so as to lift Mongolia-China relations to a higher level.

In his meeting with Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, Li noted that President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met twice this year and reached a series of important consensuses. China, he stressed, will continue to firmly support Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and will strongly oppose any external forces interfering in Iran’s internal affairs.

Mokhber said that China is a comprehensive strategic partner of Iran and the two countries enjoy a long history of friendship. Iran appreciates China’s assistance for its economic and social development and is firmly committed to deepening Iran-China relations.

Meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda, Li said that China is willing to strengthen the synergy of development strategies with Tajikistan, continue to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, give full play to industrial complementarity, expand trade and investment, strengthen cooperation in such fields as transport infrastructure, civil aviation, green economy and digital economy, and deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges in sports, culture, education and between regions so as to help the development and revitalisation of the two countries.

The two sides, he added, should maintain close coordination in multilateral areas, implement the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit, strengthen cooperation within the United Nations, the SCO, and other frameworks, uphold the common interests of the two countries and safeguard international equity and justice.

For his part, Rasulzoda said that Tajikistan-China relations have a long history, profound foundation and rich connotation. Noting that Tajikistan appreciates China’s strong support for its economic and social development over the years, he said that his country is willing to work with China to consolidate traditional friendship, promote the Belt and Road cooperation, deepen cooperation in such fields as industry, agriculture, transportation, energy, infrastructure, and digital economy, and push for further in-depth development of bilateral relations.

Tajikistan stands ready to work with China to promote all-round cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, deepen coordination within the frameworks of the United Nations and the SCO, and promote regional peace and prosperity, he added.

The following day, Li met with the Prime Minister of Belarus, Roman Golovchenko. He said that, under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, bilateral relations have achieved leap-forward development in recent years.

China stands ready to push for deeper synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Belarus’ strategy for social and economic development and jointly build the China-Belarus Great Stone Industrial Park and other key projects.

He called on both sides to tap the potential of cooperation in such areas as trade in services and scientific and technological innovation, strengthen people-to-people and cultural cooperation, and push forward their all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership. The two sides should strengthen communication and coordination within the SCO and other multilateral mechanisms to make greater contribution to regional and world peace, stability, and development.

Golovchenko said that Belarus firmly supports China in safeguarding its core interests. Belarus is ready to strengthen cooperation with China within multilateral frameworks such as the SCO to jointly boost the multipolarisation of the world, he added.

Prior to the Heads of Government meeting, Li Qiang also paid a bilateral visit to Kyrgyzstan on October 25. In his meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Li said Kyrgyzstan is an important neighbour of China, adding that in May, President Xi Jinping and President Japarov lifted bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era and jointly announced the building of a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future of good neighbourliness and shared prosperity, which, constitutes a milestone in their history of bilateral relations and cooperation.

The Chinese side, Li added, is willing to deepen political mutual trust with the Kyrgyz side, always firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interest, further align their development strategies, deepen the integration of economic benefits, and continue to improve the quality and efficiency of bilateral cooperation.

And China is also willing to reinforce communication and coordination with the Kyrgyz side on regional and international affairs, speed up the implementation of the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit, closely coordinate within such multilateral mechanisms as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and safeguard the common interest of developing countries and international equity and justice, he added.

President Japarov said that the Kyrgyz side stands ready to deepen cooperation with China within the framework of China-Central Asia cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, jointly combat the ‘three forces’ of terrorism, separatism and extremism, effectively address traditional and non-traditional security challenges, and promote regional security and development.

The following reports were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

Regional affairs should be decided without external interference: Chinese premier

BISHKEK, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) — Looking back at the founding aspiration of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), its members were brought together to ensure that regional affairs are decided by regional countries through consultation, without interference from those outside the region, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Thursday.

During his speech at the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO Member States, Li called for jointly building a security barrier in the region and resolutely resisting external interference.

In his speech, Li said the SCO summit in July this year further reached important consensus, and identified key tasks on carrying forward the Shanghai Spirit and building a closer SCO community with a shared future, adding that China is willing to work with all parties to implement the spirit of the summit.

At the Samarkand summit last year, President Xi Jinping stressed the necessity to uphold political trust, win-win cooperation, equality between nations, openness and inclusiveness and equity and justice, which is the key to the success of the SCO’s development and growth, Li added.

Looking forward to the future, SCO members should keep in mind the founding aspiration and uphold the key to success, Li said, stressing that guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, SCO members should work together and make mutual achievements, advance cooperation in various fields in a solid way, and inject more certainty and positive energy into peace and development of the region and the world.

Li offered four proposals on deepening SCO cooperation. First, the SCO members should jointly solidify regional security barrier, firmly reject external interference, improve the organization’s mechanism of coping with security threats and challenges as soon as possible, and crack down on the “three forces” of terrorism, separatism and extremism as well as transnational organized crimes.

Second, SCO members should jointly promote the speedy economic recovery, cooperate to build safe and efficient transportation systems, continuously promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and maintain steady and smooth industrial supply chains.

Fourth, the SCO member states should jointly promote the understanding and amity among their people, and continue to deepen cooperation in areas including education, culture and tourism, and sports.

Leaders including Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, Indian foreign minister, Pakistani foreign minister attended the meeting, together with Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko and Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, leaders of two observer states. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov hosted the meeting.

The SCO is committed to carrying forward the Shanghai Spirit, said participants of the meeting, adding that since its founding 22 years ago, the SCO has continuously developed, with its global influence ever increasing.

They agreed to implement the consensus reached at the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO, jointly combat the “three forces” of terrorism, separatism and extremism and transnational organized crimes, strengthen cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, transportation, agriculture, energy, finance, high and new technology, environmental protection and green development, promote Belt and Road cooperation, improve infrastructure connectivity, and deepen people-to-people exchanges in such fields as tourism and education.

They also agreed to strengthen institutional building of the SCO, practice true multilateralism, jointly safeguard regional security and promote regional prosperity, and help make the international system more inclusive and sustainable.

The Chinese premier and other leaders of the SCO member states attending the meeting signed and issued a joint communique, and approved a series of SCO cooperation documents and resolutions on economy and trade, railways and institution building, among other areas.

Humor in the headlines over China in Latin America

The following article by Roger D. Harris, originally published in Orinoco Tribune presents a biting, satirical critique of the Washington Post’s portrayal of China’s growing influence in Latin America, particularly highlighting Honduras’s diplomatic pivot towards Beijing.

The piece contrasts US indignation at Honduras’s recognition of the People’s Republic of China with the US’s own longstanding adherence to the One China policy. The author also observes that China’s engagement with the countries of the region – offering trade, aid and investment, whilst maintaining a strict policy of non-interference and mutual benefit – is a breath of fresh air, certainly compared to the US’s record (which, in the case of Honduras, includes engineering a coup to depose the elected leftist government of Manuel Zelaya in 2009).

Western media and politicians have been warning about the threat of China’s growing influence in Latin America for some time now, and the author cites a Financial Times article warning that a proposed deepwater port in Peru is “large enough to be used by Beijing’s navy to resupply warships.”

Harris responds sarcastically: “If a few hundred more deals like this were transacted and subsequently somehow weaponized, the Chinese could remotely in the distant future be on their way to create the equivalent of what BBC calls the complete arc of US military bases that presently surround China… China may soon export fortune cookies with subversive messages or, more threatening yet, launch another weather balloon over the Pacific.”

In truth, China’s growing engagement with Latin America is a welcome development, and the US’s hostility to it is not based on any concern for the wellbeing of the region’s population, but rather forms part of a systematic campaign of anti-China propaganda.

In a break from its hysterical coverage of the existential threat posed by Donald Trump, the Washington Post – house organ of the Democratic National Committee – cautions us of the other menace, China. “When the leader of this impoverished Central American country visited Beijing in June,” we are warned, “China laid out the warmest of welcomes.”

Apparently in a grave threat to US national security, the president of Honduras attended a state banquet and actually ate Chinese food. What next for the country the Post affectionately describes as “long among the most docile of US regional partners?”

Honduras changes its China policy

In a classic example of do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do diplomacy, the US was miffed when Honduras recognized the People’s Republic of China as the sole representative of China in March. Curiously, the US implemented its one-China policy 44 years ago.

Today, a mere baker’s dozen of the world’s countries still recognize Taiwan as sovereign. Among them, Guatemala will switch Chinas if president-elect Bernardo Arévalo is allowed to assume office in January. Another holdout, Haiti, literally does not have an elected government of its own but may soon be receiving a US-sponsored occupying army.

China has emerged as South America’s leading and the wider Latin American region’s second largest trading partner, with over twenty states joining Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. This provides a substitute to monopolar dependence on commerce with Uncle Sam. Russia, too, has been pushing under the greenback curtain. The BRICS+ alliance with China and Russia also includes Brazil and Argentina among others.

“US aid and investments throughout the region are historically seen as slow in coming,” the Post explains as the cause for the trade and diplomatic shifts seen in the region and reflected in Honduras.

The Post hastens to add with a straight face that US investments come with “significant stipulations on human rights and democracy.” Supporting this ridiculous claim, the Post notes: “Honduras, long known for violence and corruption, has been subject to particular US scrutiny.”

The Post, it should be noted, proudly runs the tagline “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” So they should know what form the “particular” US scrutiny took.

Tellingly omitted from the Post’s story is mention of the 2009 US-backed coup that deposed the democratically elected president of Honduras, Manual Zelaya. In her memoirs, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took credit for preventing Zelaya’s return to his elected post. That was in the original hardcover version of the vanity book. The subsequent paperback expunged the boast.

Rejecting call for ceasefire means killing more civilians

The following article from China Daily, written by EU bureau chief Chen Weihua, expresses outrage at those countries refusing to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Noting the horrific number of deaths from Israel’s bombing campaign, including thousands of children, the author writes: “Leaders who have refused to call for immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip have become an accomplice to war crimes.”

The US in particular “has been an enabler of the humanitarian crisis”, vetoing UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire, and voting against Jordan’s motion at the UN General Assembly – which 120 countries voted in favour of, with only 12 countries voting against.

Chen Weihua notes British PM Rishi Sunak’s continuing opposition to a ceasefire, and points out that Sunak is clearly out of step with the British public – “as demonstrated by the half a million people pouring into the streets in London in support of Palestine and calling for a ceasefire.”

The author draws the obvious conclusion:

History will prove that those who refused to call for immediate ceasefire have blood on their hands.

Leaders who have refused to call for immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip have become an accomplice to war crimes as a total of 8,805 people, including 3,650 children and 2,252 women, have been killed in Israel’s bombardments over the past three weeks. The numbers are rising rapidly.

The situation has become so dire that UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, said on Tuesday that “Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children. It’s a living hell for everyone else”.Almost half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are children.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees, told the UN Security Council on Monday that the entire population of Gaza is becoming “dehumanized”. He decried Israel’s “collective punishment” and said that a cease-fire has become a matter of life and death for the 2.3 million people.

The reckless, brutal bombing in densely populated areas has been truly appalling. On Tuesday, Israel claimed that it eliminated a Hamas official during its air strike in Jabalia refugee camp. No one knows whether the Hamas official was actually killed, but for sure dozens of innocent people, including children, were reportedly killed in the raid.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday denounced Israel’s bombing around the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, the main cancer facility in Gaza where services are no longer functional after Israel severed electricity supply (along water, food and medicine supplies) to Gaza, and restricted the entry of medicine and other supplies. In some hospitals in Gaza, doctors had to operate patients in the hallways, without anesthesia.

Despite the tragedy playing out in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed global calls for a ceasefire or temporarily halt the fighting to enable emergency aid deliveries of food, medicine, drinking water and fuel. This is despite the warning by International Criminal Court’s Prosecutor Karim Khan that blocking humanitarian aid could be a war crime.

The US administration has been an enabler of the humanitarian crisis. The Huff-Post reported on Oct 13 that US State Department officials instructed staff to make sure press materials do not include three specific phrases: “de-escalation/cease-fire”, “end to violence/bloodshed “and “restoring calm”.

The US is one of the 14 countries which last Friday voted against Jordan’s motion at the UN General Assembly, calling for a sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities. An overwhelming 120 countries, including China, voted for the motion in a powerful message by the international community.

Washington has fully endorsed Israel’s military operations in Gaza. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was speaking at a Senate hearing for $14.3 billion in military assistance to Israel when he was disrupted by angry protesters, not once but multiple times with their palms painted “bloody” red and repeatedly yelling “cease-fire now” and “you have blood on your hands”.

The US insists that a “cease-fire will only benefit Hamas”. But for the rest of the world, a cease-fire will help save countless, innocent lives in Gaza.

The White House’s indifference to the suffering of Palestinian people is shocking. US President Joe Biden challenged the accuracy of the death toll in Gaza instead of condemning the slaughtering of civilians, prompting the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza to publish the full list of names with ID numbers of the more than 6,000 people killed.

Calling for a cease-fire has also become politically incorrect in parts of Europe. Paul Bristow, a Conservative MP, was fired on Monday from his government job at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology after urging British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to call for a “permanent cease-fire” in Gaza.

But like US leaders, Sunak was also alone as demonstrated by the half a million people pouring into the streets in London on Saturday in support of Palestine and calling for a cease-fire.

History will prove that those who refused to call for immediate cease-fire have blood on their hands.

Pakistani, Kazakh and Nepalese leaders conclude successful China visits

Pakistan Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev concluded their recent visits to China, to attend the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, with visits to Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, prior to their returning home. Both leaders met with Ma Xingrui, a Political Bureau member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee as well as party secretary for the autonomous region.

The Pakistan Prime Minister offered the Friday prayers at the historic Hang Yang Grand Bazaar Mosque in Urumqi and prayed for the progress and prosperity of the country as well as the Muslim Ummah. He specially prayed for the oppressed people of Gaza and for their deliverance from suffering. Kakar also addressed students and faculty at Xinjiang University in Urumqi, saying:

“In Pakistan, we say a good neighbour is a treasure. In this regard, we are very fortunate to have China as a good brother, good neighbour, good partner, and good friend.”

In his discussions, Kazakh President Tokayev focused on the economic ties between the four border regions of Kazakhstan and Xinjiang. The share of Xinjiang exceeds 40% of the total trade volume between Kazakhstan and China. In six months this year, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Xinjiang increased by 87%, reaching US$8.5 billion, he noted.

“We will encourage Kazakh tourists to travel to China to explore natural beauty and your achievements in socio-economic development,” he said, adding:

“Since ancient times, Xinjiang has been famous for its substantial cultural development. Local creative teams deservedly enjoy international recognition. We support the full development of creative exchanges and mutual tours, which will undoubtedly help strengthen the ties of good neighbourliness and friendship.”

These visits underscore the growing importance attached by China to both neighbourhood and subnational diplomacy. They also highlight the fact that the leaders of neighbouring countries reject the western propaganda falsely alleging religious persecution and denial of national rights in China’s border regions.

In similar vein, Nepalese Prime Minister Prachanda concluded his eight-day official visit to China in September, which began with attending the opening of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, with a visit to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, also known as Xizang. After visits to the ancient Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple in the capital Lhasa, Prachanda visited visited Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake, which are considered holy by Hindus. He told the Nepali national news agency RSS that provisions would be made for pilgrims and tourists from Nepal, India and other countries to visit Kailash and Manasarovar through the Nepali route.

The following articles were originally published by the Pakistani newspaper The News, Kazakhstan’s Astana Times and the Press Trust of India (PTI, reprinted by various Indian newspapers).

PM in rare visit to Xinjiang in China

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Friday departed for Pakistan on the completion of his five-day visit to China. At the Urumqi International Airport, the prime minister was seen off by the Standing Member of Communist Party of China Illizat Ahmetjan, and senior officers of the Chinese government and Pakistan’s Embassy. On the last leg of the visit, the prime minister visited Urumqi and met Member Politburo of CPC’s Central Committee Ma Xingrui, besides addressing the students at Xinjiang University.

The prime minister offered the Friday prayers at the historic Hang Yang Grand Bazaar Mosque in Urumqi and prayed for the progress and prosperity of the country as well as the Muslim Ummah. He specially prayed for the oppressed people of Gaza and for their deliverance from suffering. Kakar also addressed students and faculty at Xinjiang University in Urumqi.

“In Pakistan, we say a good neighbor is a treasure. In this regard, we are very fortunate to have China as a good brother, good neighbor, good partner, and good friend.

Meanwhile, President Xi Jinping has extended support to Pakistan and urged a secure environment for Chinese institutions and personnel.

During a meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on the sidelines of the Third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on Thursday, Xi said, “It is hoped that Pakistan will ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Pakistan.” The longtime allies reaffirmed their “unwavering” partnership, vowing to further strengthen strategic communication and bilateral cooperation, reports the international media.

Xi Jinping holds talks with President of Colombia Gustavo Petro

Gustavo Petro, the first ever left-wing President of Colombia, paid a state visit to China, October 24-26, at the invitation of Xi Jinping.

The two leaders held talks on the afternoon of October 25 and announced the elevation of the China-Colombia relationship to a strategic partnership.

Xi Jinping noted that the establishment of the strategic partnership between China and Colombia is the result of the longtime efforts of all sectors of the two countries, and also a natural manifestation of mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides. It should be cherished by both sides and continuously enriched and developed.

China is ready to work with Colombia to advance the strategic partnership to bring greater benefits to the two peoples and inject positive energy into world peace and development. He further stressed that China supports Colombia’s independent exploration of a development path suited to its national conditions, supports the peace process in the country, and hopes that Colombia can realize comprehensive, enduring, and sustainable peace at an early date.

China-Colombia relations are based on equality, mutual benefit and win-win results. Colombia is welcome to join the big family of the Belt and Road cooperation at an early date to achieve common development and prosperity. And China also welcomes Colombia to join the Global Clean Energy Cooperation Partnership proposed by China and share the green development opportunities.

Xi Jinping congratulated Colombia on taking over the rotating presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in 2025. He pointed out that China attaches great importance to developing relations with CELAC and is ready to continue to support the regional integration process in Latin America and the Caribbean, and work with CELAC to take the 10th anniversary of the China-CELAC Forum next year as an opportunity to promote the steady and long-term development of China-CELAC relations in the new era.

Gustavo Petro said he is glad to visit China again after many years. Today’s China and the world have undergone great changes, and the theory and practice of China’s revolution and development are deeply enlightening. Colombia attaches great importance to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) put forward by President Xi Jinping. With the establishment of the Colombia-China strategic partnership, Colombia is ready to synergise its geographical advantage and development strategies with the BRI, strengthen cooperation with China in infrastructure, clean energy and other fields, welcome Chinese companies’ investment in Colombia, and promote more balanced development of bilateral trade relations. This will help Colombia advance its domestic peace process and realise the peace, stability and employment growth that its people have longed for, and enhance regional and global connectivity.

The Colombian side is also ready to maintain communication with China on the Palestine-Israel situation, and work for an early solution to end the hostilities. Colombia supports the development of the CELAC-China Forum and is willing and ready to take its rotating presidency of CELAC in 2025 as an opportunity to actively promote the continuous development of CELAC-China relations.

After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents on industrial investment, trade, digital economy, green development, agriculture, science and technology, education, culture, and inspection and quarantine, among others.

The following article was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

On the afternoon of October 25, 2023, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People with President of Colombia Gustavo Petro who is on a state visit to China. The two heads of state announced the elevation of the China-Colombia relationship to a strategic partnership.

Xi Jinping pointed out that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Colombia 43 years ago, bilateral relations have stood the test of international changes and maintained sound momentum of development. The two sides have shown mutual understanding and support on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, made solid progress in cooperation across the board, and increasingly deepened friendship between the two peoples. The establishment of the strategic partnership between China and Colombia is the result of the longtime efforts of all sectors of the two countries, and also a natural manifestation of mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides. It should be cherished by both sides and continuously enriched and developed. China is ready to work with Colombia to advance the China-Colombia strategic partnership to bring greater benefits to the two peoples and inject positive energy into world peace and development.

A slap in the face for the Israeli security system

We are pleased to publish the below article by Fouad Baker from the Foreign Affairs Department of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). The DFLP is a Marxist-Leninist party and an important component of the Palestinian national liberation movement.

Fouad addresses the significance of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, launched by Hamas and other sections of the Palestinian resistance on October 7, from a number of angles. He notes that:

“The Israelis called the ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ operation a terrorist operation, ignoring the fact that they are the occupiers of lands belonging to the Palestinian people. If they want real peace in the Middle East, they must end the occupation.

“The Palestinian operation exposed the weakness of Israeli intelligence that failed to discover the resistance plan despite all the support from the USA, and the failure of Israel’s surveillance and espionage programmes… The operation’s success was down to the full coordination between the Palestinian resistance factions working in complete secrecy.”

In an important observation regarding not just the regional but also the wider international significance of the operation, he writes:

“It was a move to prevent the Arab regimes from signing peace agreements with Israel and derail American attempts to build economic blocs in the region to besiege China, Iran, and Russia – the most recent of which is the India-Middle East-Europe ‘corridor’.”

The India-Middle East-Europe ‘corridor’ (IMEC) was unveiled at September’s G-20 Summit in the Indian capital New Delhi at the instigation of the United States and a handful of others, including France, Germany, Italy, the European Union, and India, and is the latest attempt by the imperialist powers to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Fouad’s article was written on October 8, just one day after the launch of the Al Aqsa Flood, and obviously Gaza and the wider region have been convulsed by tumultuous events since then. However, the information and analysis he presents retains its relevance and validity.

We thank the comrades of the New Worker, weekly paper of the New Communist Party (NCP) of Britain, for sharing their sub-editing of the article for clarity and style.

Additionally, on October 14, Friends of Socialist China attended on invitation a briefing and discussion meeting on the current situation organised by the DFLP. The meeting was held over Zoom with the participation of communist and other left-wing parties and organisations from around 25 countries.

No one expected that this would be the response of the Palestinian resistance to the plan of the fascist and racist Israeli occupation government based on Judaisation, displacement, expansion of settlements, annexation of lands, storming the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinian camps in the West Bank, administrative arrests, and the liquidation of the Palestinian cause and the national rights of the Palestinian people.

Although Israel possesses the latest technologies, its security system failed to protect the settlers living on stolen Palestinian land. A number of Palestinian resistance fighters were able to cross the border fence separating the Gaza Strip and the settlements killing dozens of settlers and taking others prisoner back to the Gaza Strip.

Some 5,000 missiles were fired from the Gaza Strip towards these illegal settlements, which paralysed the Israeli ‘Iron Dome’ and the Israeli security system. The joint Palestinian operations room, which includes all the Palestinian factions, took part in this military operation. The most prominent of which were Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The news was greeted with astonishment in the West Bank. Astonishment at the success of the military operation carried out by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip. Celebratory marches in Palestinian cities in the occupied territories soon led to clashes with Israeli troops.

Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in towns throughout the West Bank and an Israeli police station was torched in Jerusalem.

The Palestinian resistance called the attack on the Israeli settlements located on the border of the Gaza Strip ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’.

The offensive was designed to regain the initiative and block Saudi-Israeli normalisation, which aims to liquidate the Palestinian cause and deprive them of their national rights. Rights which include the right of the refugees to return to their land, ending the Israeli occupation, establishing an independent Palestinian state.

The Israelis called the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation a terrorist operation, ignoring the fact that they are the occupiers of lands belonging to the Palestinian people. If they want real peace in the Middle East, they must end the occupation.

The Palestinian operation exposed the weakness of Israeli intelligence that failed to discover the resistance plan despite all the support from the USA, and the failure of Israel’s surveillance and espionage programmes such as their Pegasus spyware which they’ve also sold to some Arab regimes.

The operation’s success was down to the full coordination between the Palestinian resistance factions working in complete secrecy.

The Palestinian bet on using paragliders to penetrate the border fence in the Gaza Strip to destroy Israeli tanks and open the way to the advance towards the illegal settlements worked.

The emergence of a qualitative development in the work of the Palestinian resistance, which transformed primitive rockets and simple shells into semi-precise missiles that reach deep into Israel enabled it to capture Israeli soldiers to use in negotiations for the release of the Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli prisons for decades.

The Al-Aqsa Flood operation was launched only after all diplomatic means had been exhausted. It was a specific confrontation due to the racist policy implemented by the Israeli occupation government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. It was a move to prevent the Arab regimes from signing peace agreements with Israel and derail American attempts to build economic blocs in the region to besiege China, Iran, and Russia – the most recent of which is the India-Middle East-Europe ‘corridor’.

The Israeli response to the Palestinian offensive has been to bomb the Gaza Strip including residential tower blocks and other civilian targets resulting in over 250 Palestinian martyrs and hundreds more wounded.

But the fascist Israeli government wants to avoid a long and multi-fronted conflict as it knows that any military operation that crosses the red line will ignite the Middle East in defence of the Palestinian people, as happened in the October War of 1973.

In the occupied territories, the refugee camps in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan and the Palestinian communities in Europe the people are rallying behind the defence of the Gaza Strip. Support is coming from Iraq, Yemen and Syria and the Lebanese resistance has already intervened.

Around the world social networking sites are ablaze with congratulations to the Palestinians for this qualitative military operation while the Arabs took to the streets with fireworks and sweets to celebrate a Palestinian victory that has not been seen since the birth of Israel in 1948.

Those who think that the Palestinian people can be fobbed of with email messages of support or agree to becoming political pawns of the great powers are only fooling themselves. The deluded are those who think that the Palestinian people will accept political settlements that do not meet demands that recognise their legitimate national rights. And the most delusional are those who think that peace in the Middle East can be achieved without real justice and an end to the Israeli occupation of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Just as the Battle of Saif al-Quds in Gaza in 2021 ended a stage in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Al-Aqsa Flood operation opened a new page in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

China hands over new parliament building to Zimbabwe

On Thursday October 26, the Chinese government handed over to Zimbabwe a new parliament building that was constructed and funded by China. The building, which photographs show to have been built in a distinct Zimbabwean national style, was handed over to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at a ceremony attended by government officials, diplomats, Chinese embassy officials, and others.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Mnangagwa said that the building is a pivot point around which a new administrative capital will be built.

These excellent relations date back to the Zimbabwean people’s armed struggle to overthrow the racist and colonial regime and win national independence. China fully supported that struggle. President Mnangagwa himself was one of those who were trained in guerilla warfare in China.

The timing of the handover of the parliament building was very apposite as it came the day after Anti-Sanctions Day. October 25 was designated as Anti-Sanctions Day by the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) in response to the sanctions placed on Zimbabwe, and other anti-imperialist, independent countries, by leading imperialist powers such as the United States and Britain. According to Zimbabwean Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, addressing an Anti-Sanctions Day rally in the capital, Harare:

“Since 2001, we estimate that Zimbabwe has lost or missed over 150 billion US dollars through frozen assets, trade embargoes, export and investment restrictions from potential bilateral donor support, development loans, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank balance of payment support, and commercial loans.”

A meeting was also held in New York to express solidarity with the Zimbabwean people on this occasion. It was organised by the December 12 Movement (D12), a revolutionary nationalist organisation that has maintained close ties with Zimbabwe and its ruling ZANU-PF party for many years. While three members of D12 were in Zimbabwe to take part in the anti-sanctions activities there, veteran member Colette Pean told the New York gathering that settlers had stolen 86% of Zimbabwe’s land. Despite the sanctions, Zimbabwe has built hydroelectric dams and shared development projects equally among its 10 provinces.

US and other capitalists now want to grab Zimbabwe’s large lithium reserves, vital to making batteries for electric cars. But December 12th Movement member Vinson Verdree said Zimbabwe won’t let its lithium be stolen. The country will build a battery plant and other facilities to process the raw material.

The timing of China’s handover of the new parliament to Zimbabwe therefore underlines its utter rejection of universal sanctions.

This was also made clear in the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference on October 25. The Global Times newspaper asked spokesperson Mao Ning:

“During the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly this year, leaders of many African countries condemned Western countries for abusing sanctions and interfering in internal affairs of African countries. Today, October 25, is the Anti-Sanctions Day declared by the Southern African Development Community (SADC). African countries have called on the West to lift illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe as soon as possible. What’s China’s comment?”

She replied: “The 39th SADC Summit held in 2019 named October 25 as the Anti-Sanctions Day and called on the US and some other Western countries and organisations to remove sanctions on Zimbabwe. Today, on the occasion of the fifth Anti-Sanctions Day, we noted that multiple African countries have once again strongly called for lifting the sanctions. China supports that.

“The unlawful sanctions of the US and some Western countries on Zimbabwe, which have lasted for over two decades, have seriously violated the country’s sovereignty, infringed upon the development right of the Zimbabwean people, and disrupted the international political and economic order and the global governance system.

“China, as always, firmly supports Zimbabwe in opposing external interference and keeping to its own development path. We once again urge the few countries and organisations to listen to the international call for justice, lift the unlawful sanctions on Zimbabwe as soon as possible, take responsible and concrete steps to help the country develop its economy and improve people’s wellbeing, and play a constructive role in promoting world peace and development.”

The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency and the US publication Struggle/La Lucha.

China hands over Zimbabwe’s new parliament building

HARARE, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) — The Chinese government on Thursday handed over to Zimbabwe a new parliament building that was constructed and funded by China through a grant.

Tang Wenhong, vice chairman of China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and head of a visiting Chinese delegation, officially handed over the majestic building to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa at a ceremony attended by government officials, diplomats, and Chinese embassy officials, among others.

The new parliament building, with a combined floor area of 33,000 square meters, is a pivot point around which a new administrative capital will be built, said Mnangagwa in his address at the ceremony.

“The new parliament building, which stands as one of the most magnificent and modern buildings in our country, signifies the excellent relations that exist between Zimbabwe and the People’s Republic of China. The attention to detail and high standards of workmanship exhibited in this project are indeed commendable,” Mnangagwa said.

Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe recognizes the development milestones achieved by China and its quest for global peace and a shared future for mankind.

Tang, in his address at the ceremony, said the project is a vivid manifestation of the cooperation between Zimbabwe and China.

Both sides have achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, health, education and other fields, setting a model for South-South cooperation, Tang said.

Western powers hypocritical in smearing China on Xinjiang but neglecting Palestinians’ suffering

On 18 October 2023, the UK ambassador to the UN, James Kariuki, read a joint statement about putative human rights violations in Xinjiang at the Third Committee of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The statement – which was signed by Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, North Macedonia, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Marshall Islands, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tuvalu, Ukraine, the US and UK – repeated the various now-familiar tropes about the treatment of Xinjiang’s Uyghur population: “arbitrary detention and systematic use of invasive surveillance on the basis of religion and ethnicity”, forced labour, forced sterilisation and more.

At the same session, Pakistan, on behalf of 72 countries, made a statement explicitly supporting China’s position on Xinjiang-, Hong Kong- and Tibet-related issues, strongly opposing the politicisation of human rights, double standards, and interference in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.

Meanwhile Venezuela, on behalf of 19 members of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, made a joint statement to support China’s position and to fiercely criticise the Western powers’ outrageous double standards in the field of human rights, racial discrimination and unilateral coercive measures.

The following article, originally carried in Global Times on 19 October, summarises ambassador Zhang Jun’s contribution to the session, in which he resolutely rebuffs the slanders thrown by the imperialist countries and their hangers-on. Observing that the whole narrative around Xinjiang is aimed entirely at weakening and maligning China, Zhang noted the astounding irony of accusing China of anti-Muslim discrimination at a time when Gaza is facing a ferocious assault and the same countries throwing accusations at China are at the same time impeding a ceasefire in the Middle East.

Zhang further addressed the rise in racism and Islamophobia in the Western world:

It is the UK that has seen a rise in racism in recent years. It is the US that is known for committing genocide against Native Americans. Its hypocrisy and double standards on the Israeli-Palestinian issue have also aroused anger among Muslims worldwide. It is some European countries that, under the guise of freedom of speech, condone the desecration of Koran and fuel Islamophobia. The list goes on and on! Your hypocrisy, darkness, and evil are the biggest obstacles to the progress of the international human rights cause.

With the countries of the Global South, including the vast majority of Muslim-majority countries, showing their support for China, it’s abundantly clear that “the political plot to destabilize Xinjiang and contain China has long been seen through by the world and has already completely failed”.

China strongly opposed the US, UK, and a small number of other nations’ attempts to misuse the UN platform to incite conflict and baselessly defame China after they groundlessly blamed China on topics related to the country’s Xinjiang region at a session of the UN General Assembly. Analysts said that the world has once again witnessed the hypocrisy and political motivations of the US and some other Western nations as they claim to “care about” Muslims in China’s Xinjiang area, who live peacefually, while turning a blind eye to the pain of the people in Gaza.

On Wednesday, James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, represented some countries and delivered a joint statement at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, in which they alleged China has “violated” human rights of Muslims minorities in the country’s Xinjiang region.

Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, strongly refuted these accusations and stated that the bad habits of a few countries like the UK and the US remain unchanged, as they once again abused the Third Committee of the General Assembly to provoke confrontation and groundlessly accuse China, which China firmly opposes and strongly rejects.

“I want to seriously tell a few countries like the UK and the US that the various lies and deceptions about Xinjiang cannot deceive the world. Currently, Xinjiang enjoys social stability and harmony, economic prosperity and development, and religious harmony. These are basic facts that any unbiased person can see clearly,” Zhang said.

No matter what political performance the US, UK and some countries put on or how desperately they try to rally other countries, their political plot to destabilize Xinjiang and contain China has long been seen through by the world and has already completely failed, said Zhang.

While refuting lies about China’s Xinjiang region, Ambassador Zhang also warned that a few countries like the UK and the US that using human rights issues as an excuse to accuse and attack China cannot cover up their own blemishes.

“It is the UK that has seen a rise in racism in recent years… It is the US that is known for committing genocide against Native Americans… Its hypocrisy and double standards on the Israeli-Palestinian issue have also aroused anger among Muslims worldwide. It is some European countries that, under the guise of freedom of speech, condone the desecration of Koran and fuel Islamophobia… This list can go on and on! Your hypocrisy, darkness, and evil are the biggest obstacles to the progress of the international human rights cause,” Zhang added.

It is not uncommon to see the US and other Western nations take advantage of international forums, particularly the UN Assembly, to “siege” China by spotlighting “human rights” issues in China’s Xinjiang. Their goal is to keep these topics the focus in the international media and to continue stigmatizing China, analysts said.

“China has invited foreign diplomats, reporters, professors, and individuals from a variety of fields to see what actually happened in the Xinjiang region with their own eyes for the past few years. These individuals have then come out to debunk lies propagated by anti-China forces in the US and other nations,” Jia Chunyang, an expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.

“Do the US and other Western countries sincerely care about the welfare of Muslims across the world? The response is ‘no,'” Jia brought out the worsening discrimination toward Muslims living in the US.

Additionally, the US and some Western nations ignore the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip while voicing their “concerns” for Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region – this amply demonstrates that their true priorities are to use the Xinjiang topic to contain China rather than to genuinely care about the lives of the people living there, analysts said.

Also on Wednesday, the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza, according to media reports.

The US’ biased stance on the current situation in the Middle East fully exposed its hypocrisies and its practices of politicizing and instrumentalizing human rights, Wang Jiang, an expert at the Institute of China’s Borderland Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, told the Global Times.

The West and the US have historically contributed to the human rights cause, but what they are doing now completely contradicts the ideas and perspectives that were first introduced about human rights. The US and certain other Western nations have various standards on human rights for other nations, as well as for adversaries and allies, and which standard they employ depends on their own political requirements, Wang said.

Ambassador Zhang on Wednesday also criticized the US and some Western countries’ politicization of human rights, noting that such actions are “completely unpopular.”

On Wednesday, the representative of Oman, on behalf of the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, made a joint statement in support of China. In the meeting held the previous day, developing countries and friendly nations actively spoke in support of China.

China aims to establish diplomatic relations with Bhutan soon

Considerable progress has been made towards the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bhutan following a visit to Beijing by Bhutanese Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji.

Bhutan is a small Himalayan kingdom bordering both China and India, with a population of a little over 727,000 and a territory of 14,824 square miles. Its border with China is undelineated and the purpose of Dorji’s visit was for boundary talks. This, however, is not the reason for the failure to establish diplomatic relations to date. Despite the unresolved territorial issue, China and Bhutan concluded an agreement in 1998 on border peace and tranquillity, the first bilateral agreement between the two countries. Rather, the issue has been that India long maintained an effective protectorate, or in effect a neo-colonial relationship, with regard to Bhutan’s foreign relations. India, in turn, acquired this jurisdiction from British colonialism on obtaining its own independence. Thus, it was only in 1968 that Bhutan established its first diplomatic relations with any country – with India, followed by Bangladesh in 1973. It only began the process of establishing further diplomatic relations with other countries in 1983 and still does not have formal relations with any of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

It was only in 2007 that India finally made a move towards formally recognising Bhutan’s right to independently develop its foreign relations. In February 2007, the “Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty” was revised. Whereas the Treaty of 1949, in Article 2 stated: “The Government of India undertakes to exercise no interference in the internal administration of Bhutan. On its part the Government of Bhutan agrees to be guided by the advice of the Government of India in regard to its external relations,” the revised treaty states, “In keeping with the abiding ties of close friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and India, the Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan and the Government of the Republic of India shall cooperate closely with each other on issues relating to their national interests. Neither government shall allow the use of its territory for activities harmful to the national security and interest of the other.” Given India’s complex regional alignments, this can still function as a pretext for Indian interference and a constraint on Bhutanese independence and sovereignty.

During Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji’s visit, his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in an October 25 meeting, told him that, China is ready to conclude boundary negotiations and establish diplomatic relations with Bhutan as soon as possible. Wang said China and Bhutan are linked by mountains and rivers and enjoy a profound traditional friendship, adding that the conclusion of boundary negotiations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries fully serves the long-term and fundamental interests of Bhutan.

He also said that China has always placed neighborhood diplomacy at the top of its overall diplomatic architecture, and China respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries.

Tandi Dorji thanked China for its strong support and assistance to Bhutan, saying that Bhutan firmly upholds the one-China principle.

The following day, Dorji met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who said that although the two countries have not yet established diplomatic relations, they have long maintained friendly exchanges.

“China always respects Bhutan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is willing to strengthen exchanges at all levels and in all fields, expand practical cooperation on the economy, trade, culture and tourism, and accelerate the boundary demarcation process and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Bhutan to bring more benefits to the two countries and the two peoples,” he added.

Tandi Dorji said that both sides have firm determination and a sincere desire to demarcate their boundaries and establish diplomatic relations at an early date. Bhutan is willing to maintain the sound momentum of cooperation with China in all fields and push for the greater development of bilateral ties.

The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

China aims to establish diplomatic relations with Bhutan soon: FM

BEIJING, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) — China is ready to conclude boundary negotiations and establish diplomatic relations with Bhutan as soon as possible, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday.

Wang, also member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Bhutanese Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji who is in China for boundary talks.

Wang said China and Bhutan are linked by mountains and rivers and enjoy a profound traditional friendship, adding that the conclusion of boundary negotiations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries fully serves the long-term and fundamental interests of Bhutan.

“The two sides should seize historical opportunities, complete the important process as soon as possible, and designate and develop the friendly relations between the two countries in legal form,” said Wang.

Wang also said that China has always placed neighborhood diplomacy at the top of its overall diplomacy architecture, and China respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries.

Tandi Dorji thanked China for its strong support and assistance to Bhutan, saying that Bhutan firmly upholds the one-China principle.

He said, “Bhutan is willing to work with China to strive for an early settlement of the boundary question and advance the political process of establishing diplomatic ties.”

He said that Bhutan greatly appreciates and supports the China-proposed global initiatives — the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) — which bring benefits to all parties, especially neighboring countries, including Bhutan.

Chinese vice president meets Bhutan’s foreign minister

BEIJING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Tuesday met with visiting Bhutanese Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji in Beijing. Both sides agreed to accelerate the boundary demarcation process and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Han said that China and Bhutan are friendly neighbors sharing mountains and rivers. He said that although the two countries have not yet established diplomatic relations, they have long maintained friendly exchanges.

He said the two countries have promoted positive progress in bilateral ties in recent years, following the resumption of boundary negotiations. Strengthening that friendship and expanding cooperation are in the fundamental interests of the two countries and in the expectations of the two peoples.

Tandi Dorji said that the Bhutanese government attaches great importance to the development of relations with China and abides firmly by the one-China principle. Both sides have firm determination and a sincere desire to demarcate their boundaries and establish diplomatic relations at an early date. Bhutan is willing to maintain the sound momentum of cooperation with China in all fields and push for the greater development of bilateral ties.

Senator Mushahid Hussain honoured with Silk Road award at BRI forum

Pakistan Senator Mushahid Hussain was one of three recipients, the others coming from Uganda and Russia, of the inaugural Silk Road News Award. The presentations were made on October 19, during the Media Cooperation Forum of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, held in Beijing. The award was presented in recognition of his work to promote the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In his acceptance speech, Mushahid, who currently chairs the Defence Committee in the Pakistan Senate, quoted Chairman Mao, that “an idea becomes a material force when it is grasped by millions and millions of people.” He also took the opportunity to refer to the situation in Gaza, which he denounced as genocide, adding that the western powers were complicit in Israel’s crimes.

Senator Mushahid, who also chairs the Pakistan-China Institute and is a member of our advisory group, has devoted his life to the promotion of Pakistan-China friendship, since first visiting the country as a teenager in 1970. He will be a speaker at our forthcoming webinar on ten years of the Belt and Road Initiative on Saturday November 4.

We take this opportunity to congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition and award.

The following article originally appeared in the Pakistani daily newspaper Express Tribune.

Senator Mushahid Hussain on Thursday was awarded the Silk Road Award during the Media Cooperation Forum on the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) in Beijing. The recognition was for his contributions to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The award ceremony took place on the sidelines of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum and was presented by Information and Communication of the Communist Party of China Chief of Media Li Shulei, who is also a member of the party’s top policymaking political bureau.

In his acceptance speech, Senator Mushahid said he was honoured to receive the first-ever ‘Silk Road News Award.’ He extended the achievement to the people of Pakistan. Two other recipients of this prestigious award were from Uganda and Russia. They were chosen from among 4,485 participants representing 80 countries.

The senator acknowledged China’s enduring support and consistent investment in projects like CPEC. Furthermore, he also highlighted the importance of BRI, stating that it represents a new platform for international economic cooperation and is the most significant development and diplomatic initiative of the 21st century.

The core of such an initiative, he added, is people-to-people connectivity and Pakistan-China relations, especially the role of media, think tanks, academia, youth, and NGOs, working towards a more ‘open, inclusive, and interconnected world’.

Quoting Chairman Mao, Senator Hussain said, “An idea becomes a material force when it is grasped by millions and millions of people,” referring to BRI as a “material force in the world,” bringing benefits and opportunities to a global audience.

Middle East situation

While addressing the international atmosphere in Gaza, the senator expressed his concerns about the Middle East and referred to it as ‘genocide in Gaza,’ where the West’s support of Israel’s crimes is complicit in the ongoing conflict. He criticised the West’s stance on human rights and democracy, calling it ‘double standards’.

Mushahid showed his solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians, terming the situation as a ‘struggle between the oppressed and oppressors’. BRI is a path forward, based on connectivity and cooperation, with CPEC serving as a guarantor for a better future for Pakistan and its people, he added. He encouraged taking ownership of CPEC to ensure its successful conclusion.

Challenge of fake news

Hussain concluded by addressing the challenge of fake news, falsehoods, and fiction, describing them as the most significant threats to the BRI. He called for a collective and cooperative approach among BRI countries on the media front, emphasizing that a “collective voice” would be a potent force multiplier.

The ceremony was attended by Vice Ministers for International Communication from the Publicity and International Departments of the Communist Party of China. It was hosted by ‘People’s Daily’ at its headquarters and attended by the President and Editor-in-Chief of ‘People’s Daily,’ the official organ of the Communist Party of China, along with 200 journalists from over 60 countries.

Xi Jinping bilateral dialogues with leaders from Vietnam, Laos and Brazil

Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his bilateral dialogues with high-level visitors on the sidelines of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) with three meetings in the morning of October 20.

Meeting with Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng, Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Vietnam have supported each other in their respective struggles for national liberation, forming a deep and enduring comrades-plus-brothers friendship. Both nations are moving ahead with their respective causes of socialist modernisation, seeing each other as a priority in their respective foreign policies and considering each other’s development as an opportunity for their own development. In the face of a changing international landscape and arduous tasks of domestic development, both countries should stay true to the original aspiration of carrying forward traditional friendship, bear in mind the shared ideals and mission, move forward hand in hand along the path of socialism to build a community of a shared future with strategic significance, and ensure that bilateral relations will always stay on the fast track of win-win cooperation and joint development.

For his part, Võ Văn Thưởng said that President Xi’s speech at the opening of the forum was visionary, encompassing both strategic planning and specific measures, showcasing the role of China as a major country and the role of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as a major party. It will have a significant impact in guiding future international cooperation and global development. Vietnam admires the significant achievements of the CPC in theoretical and practical innovation. President Xi’s governance philosophy has been inspiring to the party and government of Vietnam. Vietnam views China’s development as an opportunity and supports socialist China in developing itself and achieving its goal of building a strong China as scheduled. The Vietnamese side believes that China will make a greater contribution to world peace and development.

Meeting with General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, Xi Jinping pointed out that the past 10 years have seen steady and important progress in building a China-Laos community with a shared future. To build such a community in a world of transformation and turbulence, with accelerated changes unseen in a century, has even greater value and strategic significance for the times, and has an exemplary and guiding role to play.

The Chinese leader emphasised that adhering to the Party leadership and the socialist direction is an essential feature of China-Laos relations. The two parties of China and Laos should continue to deepen political mutual trust, enhance governance capability, and strengthen communication and cooperation in such fields as politics and law enforcement security. The two sides need to tap deep into the potential of the China-Laos Railway, steadily advance the development of the China-Laos Economic Corridor, with a focus on development along the railroad, and actively advance the regional connectivity development outlook, to create a model for Belt and Road cooperation in the region. China will continue to provide assistance for Laos’ economic development to the best of its ability, encourage more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, import more quality agricultural products from Laos, and expand bilateral cooperation in such fields as energy and mining. Laos will assume the rotating chairmanship of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year, and China is ready to support Laos in playing a greater role in regional and international affairs.

Thongloun Sisoulith congratulated China on successfully hosting the third BRF, and said that the current cooperation between Laos and China in various fields is being successfully advanced, and Laos sincerely thanks China for providing precious help in its economic and social development over the years. The construction and successful operation of the Laos-China Railway has greatly promoted the economic development of the country and has brought positive changes to the Lao people’s life. A new five-year action plan on building a Laos-China community with a shared future to be signed this time will further consolidate friendly cooperative relations between the two parties and two countries.

Xi Jinping also met with the President of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies Arthur Lira. He pointed out that during President Lula da Silva’s successful state visit to China this spring, they had a fruitful meeting and reached important common understandings on steering China-Brazil relations into a new era. China and Brazil are respectively the largest developing countries in the eastern and western hemispheres and emerging major countries with global influence. In the face of a world of change and disorder, the two sides should firmly support and echo each other. China supports Brazil’s hosting of the G20 Leaders’ Summit and the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change next year and is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Brazil.

Xi Jinping emphasised that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Brazil strategic partnership, and next year the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two sides. Building on past achievements, China-Brazil relations have much more to accomplish.

Lira noted that Brazil-China relations are in a good shape, and cooperation with China has vigorously promoted Brazil’s economic and social development and increased Brazil’s employment and production capacity. China’s success is of great significance to the world, and China has always been an important partner of Brazil in development. He added that as the rotating president of the G20 next year, Brazil will step up communication and collaboration with China, and play its due role. He looks forward to welcoming President Xi Jinping’s visit to Brazil on that occasion.

The following reports were originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Xi Jinping Meets with Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng

On the morning of October 20, 2023, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People with Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng who is in China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF).

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Vietnam have supported each other in their respective struggles for national liberation, forming a deep and enduring comrades-plus-brothers friendship. Both nations are moving ahead with their respective causes of socialist modernization, seeing each other as a priority in their respective foreign policies and considering each other’s development as an opportunity for their own development. In the face of a changing international landscape and arduous tasks of domestic development, both countries should stay true to the original aspiration of carrying forward traditional friendship, bear in mind the shared ideals and mission, move forward hand in hand along the path of socialism to build a community of a shared future with strategic significance, and ensure that bilateral relations will always stay on the fast track of win-win cooperation and joint development.

The Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future

On 10 October 2023, China’s State Council Information Office released an important white paper: The Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future. The document presents the achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) since its announcement in September 2013.

A significant number of historic infrastructure projects in the developing world have already been built within the framework of the BRI. For example, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway is the largest infrastructure project carried out in Kenya since independence. The China-Laos Railway – an electrified railway directly connecting Kunming (in China’s southwestern Yunnan province) to Vientiane, the capital of Laos – was completed in 2021. The white paper notes:

“As an important part of the central section of the pan-Asia railway network, the China-Laos Railway has helped Laos to realize its long-cherished dream of becoming a land-linked country from a landlocked one. It has promoted transport, investment, logistics and tourism, and injected new impetus into the economic development of Laos and areas along the line. By August 31, 2023, the railway had recorded a total of 20.79 million passenger trips and carried 25.22 million tonnes of cargo. It has become a safe and efficient international passageway connecting Laos with its neighbouring countries and regions and generating mutual benefits.”

The Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway – the first high-speed rail system in Indonesia – has achieved an operational speed of 350 km per hour, reducing the journey time between these important cities from 3.5 hours to 45 minutes.

A huge number of energy production and distribution projects have been built as part of the BRI, connecting China, Russia, Mongolia, Central Asia, Pakistan and further afield.

The white paper makes it very clear that, while the BRI was launched by China, “it belongs to the world and benefits the whole of humanity”, and that “irrespective of size, strength and wealth, all countries participate on an equal footing.” The aim is not to travel the well-trodden path of imperialist modernisation but rather to build a global community of shared future – “an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity, charting a bright future for human development.”

This is a model of development and international relations that “diverges from the exploitative colonialism of the past, avoids coercive and one-sided transactions, rejects the centre-periphery model of dependency, and refuses to displace crisis onto others or exploit neighbours for self-interest. Instead, it aims to achieve win-win outcomes and shared development and prosperity.”

Rather than competing with other initiatives, the BRI has successfully integrated and cooperated with many other strategies including Russia’s Eurasian Economic Union framework, Kazakhstan’s Bright Road economic policy, Indonesia’s Global Marine Fulcrum initiative, Vietnam’s Two Corridors and One Economic Circle plan, South Africa’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, and Egypt’s Suez Canal Corridor Project.

“By June 2023, China had signed more than 200 BRI cooperation agreements with more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations across five continents, yielding a number of signature projects and small-scale yet impactful projects.”

The document notes that the fruits of economic globalisation have hitherto been dominated by a small group of developed countries. Rather than contributing to common prosperity at a global level, globalisation “has widened the wealth gap between rich and poor, between developed and developing countries, and within developed countries. Many developing countries have benefited little from economic globalisation and even lost their capacity for independent development, making it hard for them to access the track of modernisation. Certain countries have practiced unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism, hampering economic globalisation and threatening a global economic recession.”

The focus of the BRI is precisely on contributing to a form of globalisation that generates common prosperity, that brings benefits particularly to developing countries. As such, “most participants are developing countries, all seeking to leverage collective strengths to address challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, lagging industrial development, limited industrialisation, insufficient capital and technology, and a shortage of skilled workers, to promote their own economic and social development.”

Hence the BRI stands in defence of greater globalisation and economic integration, but in a form that is beneficial to all. It stands against certain concepts that have become popular in the West recently – “decoupling” and “derisking” – which seek to impede global cooperation, exchanges and mutual learning. “In a world full of uncertainties and instabilities, all countries should urgently bridge differences through dialogue, oppose rifts with unity, and promote development through cooperation.”

Especially in the last few years, the BRI has embraced green and low-carbon development, “emphasising respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respecting the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth.” Hence for example China pledged in 2021 to stop building new coal-fired power stations overseas, and is actively building financing mechanisms to encourage sustainable energy and infrastructure.

The document also discusses progress made under the BRI in numerous fields that are largely overlooked, for example cooperation in public health, digital governance and people-to-people exchanges and tourism.

All in all, “the BRI has become the world’s largest platform for international cooperation” and is providing a springboard for progress and prosperity throughout the world.

We publish the full text of the white paper below. It can also be downloaded as a PDF. It was first published in English on Xinhua.

Note that Friends of Socialist China and the International Manifesto Group are holding a webinar – Building a multipolar world: Ten years of the Belt and Road Initiative – on Saturday 4 November 2023, featuring an array of interesting speakers including Erik Solheim (President, Green Belt and Road Institute), Professor Zhang Weiwei (Director, China Institute, Fudan University), Li Jingjing (Journalist and political commentator, CGTN), Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi (Political analyst, Iran), Senator Mushahid Hussain (Chair, Pakistan-China Institute), Martin Jacques (Author, When China Rules the World), Fred M’membe (President, Socialist Party Zambia), Camila Escalante (Editor, Kawsachun News), Keith Bennett (Co-editor, Friends of Socialist China) and Radhika Desai (Convenor, International Manifesto Group). Registration is free via Eventbrite.

The Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future

The State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China

Preamble

Over two millennia ago, inspired by a sincere wish for friendship, our ancestors travelled across grasslands and deserts to create a land Silk Road connecting Asia, Europe and Africa, leading the world into an era of extensive cultural exchanges. More than 1,000 years ago, our ancestors set sail and braved the waves to open a maritime Silk Road linking the East and the West, beginning a new phase of closer communication among peoples.

Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes were not only routes for trade but also roads for cultural exchanges. They made a great contribution to human progress. In the 1980s, the United Nations and some countries began to envisage the Eurasian Land Bridge, the Silk Road Initiative, and other plans, reflecting a common wish to engage in communication and cooperation.

In March 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the vision of a global community of shared future; in September and October that year, he raised the initiatives of joining with others to build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI). The Belt and Road Initiative is a creative development that takes on and carries forward the spirit of the ancient silk routes – two of the great achievements in human history and civilization. It enriches the ancient spirit with the zeitgeist and culture of the new era, and provides a platform for building a global community of shared future.

Clare Daly: ‘derisking’ from China would be suicidal for European industry

In this episode of the CGTN program Dialogue, Xu Qinduo interviews Clare Daly, the outspoken, anti-imperialist member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland on the EU’s attitude towards the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as on China.

Clare notes that the recent resolution on Gaza adopted by the European parliament, which she and her colleague Mick Wallace voted against, did not address the root causes of the conflict or the crimes, including ethnic cleansing and genocide, perpetrated by the Israeli apartheid state. The EU and the United States, she notes, are complicit in Israeli genocide and that makes them equally culpable in international law.

On Ukraine, she is not presently hopeful of prospects for peace. Rather she fears that working class Ukrainian men will continue to be killed in the interests of western arms companies who seek to perpetuate the conflict.

Asked about the moves to expand NATO to Asia, possibly starting with the establishment of an office in Tokyo, Clare responds that she has said before that the last bite of a dying snake is the most dangerous. US hegemony is in decline and there is no going back on this. But in its lashing out in desperation it is very dangerous. In this regard, she cites President Biden’s recent demand for US$100 bn for not only Israel and Ukraine but Taiwan as well. She feels that the US managed to provoke Russia and now seeks to do the same to China over Taiwan. However, she believes that Chinese diplomacy is more measured and the country will not walk into a similar trap.

Asked what impressed her most on her recent visit to China, she says there is not enough time to recount all the amazing things she saw. China, she notes, has built whole cities, but in Dublin it has not been possible to build even one metro station in 30 years. Ireland does not have a single high-speed train and neither does the US. Unfortunately, the EU has been following the US in seeking to restrict relations with China under the guise of ‘derisking’ and similar terms. Such a policy, she notes, if followed through, would be suicidal for European industry. In the face of these provocations, Clare advises China to continue with its diplomatic overtures and says she can think of nothing that China should be doing differently.

Within this situation, Clare asserts that Ireland has a special role to play. The EU is largely made up of former colonising powers or former socialist countries. Ireland, however, was colonised. It knows what it is like to be oppressed. Therefore, Ireland can be a voice for neutrality, non-alignment, multilateral cooperation and international solidarity.

The full interview with Clare Daly MEP is embedded below.