Month: November 2024

Xi Jinping visit to Peru and Brazil strengthens pivotal China-Latin America relationship

In the following article, commissioned by China Daily, Carlos Martinez provides a brief overview of Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Latin America, where he attended the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, paid a state visit to Peru, attended the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and paid a state visit to Brazil.

Carlos highlights the significance of the newly-inaugurated Chancay Port, which is set to provide enormous economic benefit not only to Peru but all the countries of the region, and which will substantially strengthen Latin American integration and trans-Pacific trade relationships.

Carlos contrasts the mutually-beneficial relationship between China and Latin America – and indeed the Global South more generally – with that between the US and Latin America, the US’s supposed “back yard”. China’s approach of respect for sovereignty, support for development, and non-interference in other countries’ affairs “stands in stark contrast to the neoliberal hegemony of the ‘Washington Consensus’, with its wars, destabilisation, unilateral sanctions, economic coercion, blackmail, tariffs, nuclear bullying, military alliances and overseas military bases.”

A version of this article is expected to appear in China Daily Global Edition in the coming days.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Lima, Peru, on 14 November to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and to pay a state visit at the invitation of Peruvian President Peru Dina Boluarte Zegarra.

While in Peru, Xi participated by video link in the opening of the Chancay Port, about 48 miles north of Lima. Chancay is a deep-water port with 15 berths, capable of accommodating some of the world’s largest ships. A shared project of China and Peru, built as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), it will serve as a crucial gateway linking Latin America and Asia, as well as promoting Latin American economic integration. Furthermore, it is Latin America’s first smart, green, low-carbon port, featuring advanced technologies such as automated cranes and electric driverless trucks.

With the opening of the port, average transportation time from South America to the Asian market will be reduced from 35 to 25 days. The Chancay Port will be a major boost for the regional economy, will create vast numbers of jobs, and will help to reduce poverty and inequality. In Peru alone, the port is expected to generate an additional 4.5 billion US dollars of revenue – just under 2 percent of the country’s GDP – and to create thousands of jobs.

Given that Peru shares borders with Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia, the port will serve as the starting point of a land-sea corridor between China and Latin America, giving rise to a dramatic increase in trade, investment, cooperation and friendship.

On 17 November, President Xi travelled from Peru to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the 19th G20 Summit and to pay a state visit at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Particularly under the Workers Party (PT) governments of Lula and Dilma Rousseff, China-Brazil relations have gone from strength to strength in recent years. China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner for the last 15 years, and is a major investor in Brazilian industry and agriculture. Furthermore, Brazil is the largest supplier of agricultural imports to China.

At the conclusion of their bilateral meeting on 20 November, Presidents Xi and Lula announced that China Brazil ties would be elevated to a “community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet”. Furthermore, the two sides will cooperate closely to align Brazil’s development strategy with the BRI.

Far from treating Brazil simply as a source of primary goods, China is increasingly cooperating with the Latin American giant on green energy, digital innovation, economic diversification, advanced infrastructure and industrial modernisation.

Unlike the West, which has always jealously guarded its technological supremacy, China’s vision of a global community of shared future involves encouraging sustainable development and modernisation throughout the Global South. With China’s support, the countries of Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific are starting to break the chains of underdevelopment that were imposed by the colonial and imperialist powers.

Aside from the growing economic relationship, Xi Jinping wrote in a signed article in Brazilian media that “China and Brazil, embracing our roles and responsibilities as major countries, have contributed to a multipolar world, promoted greater democracy in international relations, and injected positive energy into global peace and stability”.

China and Brazil have taken the lead in trying to reach a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and are aligned on attempting to bring about an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Both countries are pursuing sustainable development and modernisation, and both support a fair globalisation characterised by equality and common prosperity. In short, this is a relationship that is not only of great benefit to the two countries, but to the world as a whole.

In his speech at the G20 Summit, President Xi made a powerful call to “see the world as one community with a shared future, and shoulder our responsibility for history, take historical initiative and move history forward”. He insisted on the crucial importance of addressing global inequality, of supporting developing countries to achieve modernisation and pursue sustainable development, of supporting developing countries to adopt and integrate digital technologies, and of cooperating globally to tackle the environmental crisis.

The speech resonated loudly with the peoples of the Global South in particular. Xi’s words were a clear reiteration of China’s global vision of peace and common prosperity – which stands in stark contrast to the neoliberal hegemony of the ‘Washington Consensus’, with its wars, destabilisation, unilateral sanctions, economic coercion, blackmail, tariffs, nuclear bullying, military alliances and overseas military bases.

As the great Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro wrote in 2004, “China has objectively become the most promising hope and the best example for all Third World countries … an important element of balance, progress and safeguarding of world peace and stability”.

For that reason, the US is desperate to throw a spanner in the works; to disrupt the growing ties between China and Latin America, and between China and the Global South more generally. In October, Biden’s trade representative Katherine Tai said she “would encourage our friends in Brazil to look at the risks” of closer ties to China, hinting that the US would punish such unacceptable behaviour.

Shortly after the inauguration of the Chancay Port, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken turned up in Peru to announce a deal for 6 billion dollars’ worth of decades-old trains – presumably an unfortunate attempt to show that the US still has something to offer. A report in South China Morning Post remarked: “as Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the US$3.5 billion Chancay port in Peru this month that promises to jump-start exports in the region and create a gateway to China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken oversaw a ceremony just a few miles away to give US$6 million in 1980s diesel locomotives to the Andean nation… One was about the future, the other about the past.”

Donald Trump meanwhile is packing his cabinet with both China hawks and Latin America hawks, and will likely be even more aggressive in pressuring countries to toe the US line on China.

Such tactics will not work. The Financial Times reported on 20 November that “Joe Biden is losing to Xi Jinping in battle for Latin America”, noting that China is meeting the region’s enormous need for infrastructure investment.

The days of the Monroe Doctrine – enshrining the entire American super-continent as the US’s “sphere of influence” – are over. The nations of Latin America are asserting their sovereignty and are joining hands with the peoples of the world to reject hegemony and to create a future of global peace and common prosperity.

China’s global vision benefits all humanity

November 28, 2024, marked the 10th anniversary of Chinese President Xi Jinping first proposing the idea of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Marking the anniversary, in a front-page article, China Daily noted that, “many scholars and officials have been impressed by how Beijing has showcased distinct Chinese characteristics, style and ethos in its diplomacy, and how it has been working on building the image of a confident, self-reliant, open and inclusive major country with a global vision over the past 10 years.”

It went on to quote our co-editor Keith Bennett, who spoke to the paper during his recent visit to Beijing, as saying that the Chinese characteristics of the country’s major country diplomacy include a number of components, including commitment to peace, dialogue, equality, mutual respect, non-interference and win-win cooperation.

“The Chinese policies are not based solely on the narrow national interest, or interest at the expense of other countries”, but instead have a global vision and “are for the benefit of all of humanity,” Keith noted.

The following article was first published by China Daily.

As President Xi Jinping wrapped up his trip to Latin America last week, observers noted that the year 2024 has been special for marking the 10th anniversaries of a range of landmark events, such as China’s hosting of the 2014 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Beijing and the founding of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Following these memorable moments, Thursday also marks the 10th anniversary of another landmark event in China’s foreign policy history — Xi’s proposing of the idea of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Many scholars and officials have been impressed by how Beijing has showcased distinct Chinese characteristics, style and ethos in its diplomacy, and how it has been working on building the image of a confident, self-reliant, open and inclusive major country with a global vision over the past 10 years.

In the eyes of Keith Bennett, a London-based senior analyst on international relations and co-editor of the Friends of Socialist China platform, the Chinese characteristics of the country’s major country diplomacy include a number of components, such as the country’s commitment to peace, dialogue, equality, mutual respect, noninterference and win-win cooperation.

“The Chinese policies are not based solely on the narrow national interest, or interest at the expense of other countries”, but instead have a global vision and “are for the benefit of all of humanity,” he said.

On Nov 28, 2014, Xi stated in his speech at the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs that China “must have a major country diplomacy with its own characteristics”.

In March 2016, the concept of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics was for the first time clearly stated in the annual Government Work Report.

Analysts said the concept has been developed in the past decade and has seen its theoretical architecture greatly taking shape and its supporting pillars being built.

The Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs held in December last year identified the theme of China’s external work as building a community with a shared future for mankind, which is also the noble goal pursued by China in conducting major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

The conference decided that the current and future work on foreign affairs should follow the principles of “self-confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation” — the guidelines of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

“The concept helps to explain the definition and the underlying logic of China’s diplomacy,” said Chen Xulong, a professor of multilateral diplomacy and United Nations’ reform studies at the University of International Business and Economics.

The concept calls for the country to act as a major country should, shoulder its duties, meet the challenges, and make contributions to global governance, he said.

“A range of outstanding, distinct qualities of Chinese culture have been endorsed by this concept, including the consistent pursuit of a peaceful rise, objecting to hegemony and subscribing to innovation,” he added.

In an article published in January in Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrote that “major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era builds on and carries forward New China’s diplomacy”.

“China has become a responsible major country with enhanced international influence, stronger capacity to steer new endeavors and greater moral appeal,” he wrote.

“Head-of-state diplomacy has played an important and irreplaceable role in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era”, he added.

At a bilateral meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru, on Nov 15, Chilean President Gabriel Boric brought a copy of the fourth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, one of Xi’s books.

Boric presented the book to Xi and invited him to sign it.

Nadia Helmy, an associate professor of political science at Beni Suef University in Egypt and an expert on Chinese politics and Asian affairs, said, “We find that China has achieved fruitful diplomatic results, as the diplomacy of the Chinese head of state, Comrade Xi Jinping, played a strategic guiding role.”

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics “led China to achieve tangible achievements in the field of Beijing’s foreign policy and international relations, (and) brought China closer to assuming the forefront of the global scene”, she wrote in an article published in January.

She listed some main points of China’s major country diplomacy, such as “maintaining justice while seeking to achieve common interests at the political and economic levels”, “sincere and friendly international relations with the developing countries” and “building a new type of relations between major countries”.

Regarding his expectations for China’s major country diplomacy in the next 10 years and beyond, Bennett, the London-based international relations analyst, said that China is expected to win more support and more understanding from more countries, as there is “quite a strong contrast” between “the worldview and practice of China and the worldview and practice of most other major powers”.

China-facilitated reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran continues to make progress

The reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which was facilitated by China last year, continues to make progress despite imperialist attempts to derail it, which would see Saudi Arabia return to the tawdry path of the ‘Abraham Accords’, recognise Israel and also return to confrontation with Tehran and other contingents of the ‘Axis of Resistance’.

In a significant step, with important regional ramifications, the second meeting of the China-Saudi Arabia-Iran Trilateral Joint Committee was held in the Saudi city of Riyadh on November 19, 2024, to follow up on the implementation of the Beijing Agreement of April 2023. All three countries were represented at deputy foreign minister level.

Saudi Arabia and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to all provisions of the Beijing Agreement as well as their continued efforts to consolidate good-neighbourly and friendly relations between the two countries by adhering to the United Nations Charter, the Charter of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and international law, including respecting national sovereignty, independence and security. Saudi Arabia and Iran welcomed the continued positive role of China and held that China’s support and follow-up to the implementation of the Beijing Agreement is of great importance.

They noted that the current escalation of regional tensions will have serious consequences for regional and global security. Against this backdrop, it is very important for senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran to engage in contacts, meetings, and mutual visits. The participating parties appreciated the progress made in consular services between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which enabled more than 87,000 Iranian pilgrims to perform Hajj, and more than 25,000 Iranian pilgrims to perform Umrah rituals with ease and security in the first ten months of 2024. (Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca [the most sacred city in Islam], Saudi Arabia, which all Muslims are required to perform at least once in their lives if they are able. It takes place in a ten-day period, starting on 1 and ending on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and last month of the Islamic [lunar] calendar. The Umrah is also a pilgrimage to Mecca but, unlike Hajj, may be undertaken at any time of the year.)

The three countries also called for an immediate end to the Israeli military operations in both Palestine and Lebanon, condemn the Israeli attack and its violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, and call for ensuring the unimpeded flow of humanitarian and relief aid to Palestine and Lebanon. And they reaffirmed their support for a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni issue in accordance with internationally recognised principles and under the auspices of the United Nations.

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

The second meeting of the China-Saudi Arabia-Iran Trilateral Joint Committee was held in Riyadh on November 19, 2024, to follow up on the implementation of the Beijing Agreement. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Eng. Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji, with the participation of the Chinese delegation headed by Vice Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Deng Li and the Iranian delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran for Political Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi.

Saudi Arabia and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to all provisions of the Beijing Agreement, and their continued efforts to consolidate good-neighborly and friendly relations between the two countries by adhering to the United Nations Charter, the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and international law, including respecting national sovereignty, independence and security. Saudi Arabia and Iran welcomed the continued positive role of China and held that China’s support and follow-up to the implementation of the Beijing Agreement is of great importance.

China stressed its readiness to continue to support and encourage the steps taken by Saudi Arabia and Iran towards developing their relations in various fields.

The three countries welcomed the continuous progress in Saudi Arabia-Iran relations, which provides opportunities for direct exchanges between the two countries at all levels and across all sectors. The current escalation of regional tensions will have serious consequences for regional and global security. Against this backdrop, it is very important for senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran to engage in contacts, meetings, and mutual visits. The participating parties appreciated the progress made in consular services between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which enabled more than 87,000 Iranian pilgrims to perform Hajj, and more than 25,000 Iranian pilgrims to perform Umrah rituals with ease and security in the first ten months of 2024. They also appreciated the convening of the first meeting of the Saudi-Iranian Joint Media Committee, and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies and the Institute of Political and International Studies of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Saudi Arabia and Iran also expressed their readiness to sign a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, and the three countries look forward to expanding trilateral cooperation in economic, political and other fields.

The three countries call for an immediate end to the Israeli military operations in both Palestine and Lebanon, condemn the Israeli attack and its violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, and call for ensuring the unimpeded flow of humanitarian and relief aid to Palestine and Lebanon. The three countries hold that the ongoing cycle of violence and escalation poses a serious threat to the security of the region and the world, including maritime security.

The three countries reaffirm their support for a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni issue in accordance with internationally recognized principles under the auspices of the United Nations.

Interview: Socialism holds its ground and grows stronger with China’s contribution

In a recent interview with the Global Times, Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez discusses China’s development over the past 75 years and the role it plays in the world today.

The interview discusses the forthcoming Chinese translation of Carlos’s book The East is Still Red – Chinese Socialism in the 21st Century, and its significance for Chinese readers:

I hope Chinese readers will feel encouraged to know that there are people in the UK, Europe and the US that oppose the new cold war; that oppose the campaign of containment and encirclement against China; that stand for peace and multipolarity; and that want to see close cooperation in pursuit of peace, prosperity, ecological conservation and a sustainable future for our shared planet. The concepts of “common prosperity” and “building a community with a shared future for mankind” have relevance and resonance among progressive circles in the West.

In response to the question of what the Western left can learn from China, Carlos notes that “China is taking extraordinary, unprecedented steps forward on poverty alleviation, renewable energy, biodiversity protection and more”. These are successes of the global socialist movement, and the Western left can learn and take inspiration from them.

Addressing the “China threat” theory, Carlos points out that China’s record is remarkably peaceful:

China has not been at war for many decades. It does not maintain a global infrastructure of hegemony, unlike the US, which has over 800 overseas military bases, in addition to troop and weapons deployments around the world… On the global stage, China stands consistently and firmly for peace. It has put forward detailed and viable proposals for peace in Ukraine and Gaza. So where is the threat?

Editor’s Note: Recently, an English-language collection of essays, People’s China at 75 – The Flag Stays Red, was launched to examine China’s trajectory since 1949. British author and independent political commentator Carlos Martinez (Martinez) was one of its co-editors. Martinez has been trying to help Western people better understand China’s development in its different phases and aspects. In a recent interview with Global Times (GT) reporters Xia Wenxin and Xu Jiatong, Martinez shared his view on China’s marvellous successes over the past 75 years, as well as its contributions to the world, including to the socialist movement.

GT: When we interviewed you last year, your book The East is Still Red – Chinese Socialism in the 21st Century (hereafter, The East is Still Red) had just come out and gained international attention. Now, the Chinese version of the book is about to come out. How do you feel about this? What do you hope Chinese readers can grasp from this book?

Martinez: I’m very excited and honored that The East is Still Red will be published in Chinese. Although the book was written primarily for the Western audience so that they could come to understand modern China better, I hope it will be useful for some Chinese people to see how Marxists in the West view China and how Chinese socialism becomes an inspiration to the global socialist movement.

I think the analysis of the West’s vicious anti-China propaganda will be interesting for Chinese readers, who may struggle to understand the reasons for the West’s hostility and its slander campaign in relation to Xinjiang, Tibet (Xizang), Hong Kong and other affairs.

And I hope Chinese readers will feel encouraged to know that there are people in the UK, Europe and the US that oppose the new cold war; that oppose the campaign of containment and encirclement against China; that stand for peace and multipolarity; and that want to see close cooperation in pursuit of peace, prosperity, ecological conservation and a sustainable future for our shared planet. The concepts of “common prosperity” and “building a community with a shared future for mankind” have relevance and resonance among progressive circles in the West.

GT: This year marks the 75th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Which aspect of China’s development during this period has impressed you the most? How do you view China’s contribution to the world in the past 75 years?

Martinez: The founding of the PRC constituted a profound turning point for the Chinese people after thousands of years of feudalism and then a century of invasion, domination, unequal treaties, chaos, warlord rule and intense poverty. Living standards have risen continuously since 1949. Life expectancy has risen from around 35 to 78 – several years above the global average.

China has advanced from being a very poor and technologically backward country to being a global leader in science and technology. It has eliminated extreme poverty. It is making by far the greatest contribution to the struggle against climate breakdown. It has leaped from a “low” Human Development Index (HDI) 30 years ago to a “high” HDI today and is on the cusp of moving into the “very high” group. It is building its own path to modernization.

Looking at the global scale, China has provided crucial support to national liberation movements and countries in the Global South. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence continue to provide a framework for relations between countries, particularly developing countries. Via the Belt and Road Initiative and other initiatives, China is sharing its infrastructure development expertise and providing a means for the countries of Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the Caribbean and the Pacific to break out of underdevelopment.

And, of course, China is a force for peace. Its foreign policy is based on negotiated solutions to problems, the pursuit of peace, mutual benefit and global friendship. This is a very important contribution to the world.

GT: In a recent article, you urged the Western left to “learn a great deal from China” and “take a great deal of inspiration from it.” Could you please elaborate on this?

Martinez: China, along with the other socialist countries, is building socialism. So, people around the world who support the process of building socialism should seek to learn from China. The people of China are “taking part in the practice of changing reality,” and they are the trailblazers of the left globally, so we should learn from them.

Furthermore, China is taking extraordinary, unprecedented steps forward on poverty alleviation, renewable energy, biodiversity protection and more. In my view, the successes in those areas are successes of the global socialist movement, and the Western left could take inspiration from them. 

In 1989, Deng Xiaoping said that “so long as socialism does not collapse in China, it will always hold its ground in the world.” Thirty-five years later, socialism is still holding its ground in the world, and growing in strength, thanks in no small part to China.

GT: What are the common misunderstandings about China and its development in the West? Why could China’s development lead some in the West to the sense of being “threatened”?

Martinez: The notion of China as a threat to some people in the West is patently absurd. Unlike the NATO countries, China’s record is remarkably peaceful. China has not been at war for many decades. It does not maintain a global infrastructure of hegemony, unlike the US, which has over 800 overseas military bases, in addition to troop and weapons deployments around the world. Of the nuclear powers, China is the only one to maintain a consistent policy of no first use and to pledge never to use – or threaten to use – nuclear weapons against a non-nuclear state.

China is accused of aggression in the South China Sea, and yet there is not a single instance of China preventing normal, non-military navigation. Regarding the Taiwan question, China’s position of working toward peaceful reunification has not meaningfully changed in many decades, and the one-China principle is recognized by the majority of the world’s countries. 

On the global stage, China stands consistently and firmly for peace. It has put forward detailed and viable proposals for peace in Ukraine and Gaza. So where is the threat? This “threat” seems to be unacceptable to those working toward a Project for a New American Century, and therefore, they slander China and wage a propaganda war against it.

GT: You have been introducing the real China to your audience in the West. What do you think is an effective narrative for China to tell its story to the world?

Martinez: On the basis that “actions speak louder than words,” I think China should continue what it’s doing.

Its progress on environmental issues – becoming the world’s first renewable energy superpower and blazing a trail on biodiversity protection and water management – is very inspiring to people around the world who are concerned with preventing climate breakdown.

China’s successes in poverty alleviation and improving the living standards of its people are also drawing admiration. And China’s orientation toward peace and its principled positions in international relations are opening people’s eyes. 

Increasingly, people are coming to reject the relentless anti-China propaganda they’re fed.

China takes forward the legacy of the October Revolution

On Saturday October 26, the Newport and Gwent Valleys [South Wales] branch of the Communist Party of Britain (CPB) organized a very successful fund-raising social to celebrate the anniversary of the 1917 October Socialist Revolution. It was attended by members and supporters of the CPB, the Young Communist League and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), along with other friends from the labour, trade union and progressive movements. The more formal part of the afternoon was chaired and introduced by CPB General Secretary Robert Griffiths. Short videos were shown of the 1945 victory parade in Moscow marking the triumph over Nazi fascism and of the famed African-American artist and revolutionary Paul Robeson singing the Soviet national anthem. Following this, Robert introduced the guest speaker, Keith Bennett from Friends of Socialist China.

We publish below the main body of Keith’s talk.

The October Revolution was a truly great event in world history – one that remains worthy of celebration. The account given by the US communist journalist John Reed has a highly apposite title – ‘Ten Days that Shook the World’.

Indeed, this was a revolution that not only shook but changed the world forever. Even though the Soviet Union itself tragically no longer exists, after the October Revolution nothing was ever the same again or could ever be the same again.

The Soviet Union represented the first sustained attempt by working people to hold and maintain power. Throughout its lifetime there were both great achievements as well as some significant mistakes.

But whatever the mistakes or shortcomings, the Soviet Union was the first country to legislate for the equality of women and men. The first to guarantee universal and free education and health care. The first to ensure full employment and the right to paid annual holidays for all workers and farmers.

Entire nationalities were provided with a written script for the first time. Visiting Soviet Uzbekistan in the 1980s, I learned how that vast republic went from some two percent literacy to universal literacy in barely a couple of decades.

Above all, the Soviet Union bore the brunt of the World Anti-Fascist War in Europe, sacrificing the lives of 27 million of its citizens to defeat Nazism.

Support from the Soviet Union played a vital role in the dismantling of the old colonial empires and the victory of the national liberation movements.

And the threat of the Soviet example played a significant role in forcing the ruling class in this and other major capitalist countries to make concessions to the working class in the form of the ‘welfare state’.

Some years ago, when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister, the Tories, who, of course had bitterly opposed the creation of the NHS, took to deriding it as “Stalinist”. On first consideration, this might seem to be a risible and ridiculous claim. Nevertheless, it expresses a certain truth that such gains for working people did indeed flow in no small measure from the fear of the ruling class that their populations might follow the Soviet road.

That mistakes were made, and even crimes committed, in the course of building socialism in the USSR is undeniable. But, whilst detailed assessment of these is not possible today, what we really must do is place them in a context where the imperialist ruling class was never reconciled to the existence of the Soviet Union and the threat it posed. Not the military threat claimed by the cold warriors, but the threat of a good example. In that sense, it is reasonable to conclude that, throughout its entire history, the Soviet Union never enjoyed even a single day of true peace.

We were, however, told that, with the collapse of the Soviet Union there would at last be a ‘peace dividend’. No more wars.

Instead, we got the exact opposite. No peace dividend but rather austerity and the rolling back of the welfare state. And above all, we entered a period of constant and endless wars. In former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen, Somalia, and elsewhere. Through to today’s appalling genocide in Palestine, and the spiraling conflict throughout the region, as well as NATO’s proxy war in Ukraine.

And this brings me to the question of China.

The October Revolution was by no means a simple national phenomenon. Rather it inaugurated an entirely new period of world history – that of the long transition (with all its victories and setbacks) from capitalism to socialism on a worldwide scale.

In his last published article, ‘Better Fewer But Better’, Lenin turned to consideration as to whether the Soviet state could survive – a matter about which he was never sanguine. But he concluded on a note of revolutionary optimism that:

“In the last analysis, the outcome of the struggle will be determined by the fact that Russia, India, China, etc., account for the overwhelming majority of the population of the globe. And during the past few years it is this majority that has been drawn into the struggle for emancipation with extraordinary rapidity, so that in this respect there cannot be the slightest doubt what the final outcome of the world struggle will be. In this sense, the complete victory of socialism is fully and absolutely assured.”

In a very real sense, therefore, the liberation of China, and the founding of the People’s Republic, whose 75th anniversary we have just celebrated, arose from the October Revolution. In his 1949 article, ‘On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship’, Mao Zedong explained:

Continue reading China takes forward the legacy of the October Revolution

Keir Starmer dares to lecture President Xi on human rights?!

As we reported last week, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held his first in-person meeting with President Xi Jinping on November 18 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. As we noted in our introduction to that report, “much of the goodwill generated by the meeting would have been spoiled by Starmer’s tactless and undiplomatic behaviour in publicly raising a number of contentious issues”.

In the video embedded below, Andy Boreham, a journalist from New Zealand who lives in Shanghai and speaks fluent Mandarin, reports on the meeting, observing that Britain is not in a position to lecture China on human rights, given its shameful support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its repression of British citizens who express solidarity with the Palestinian people, including Asa Winstanley and Craig Murray.

Mr Starmer, you have absolutely no right to lecture anyone on human rights.

Andy notes that Starmer also raised the case of Jimmy Lai, who is charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and to publish seditious material. Andy points out that “Lai used his influence and money to try to destabilize China. He’s now facing the legal consequences of his actions – consequences he’d face in any country, including the UK.”

The video also takes up the story that appeared in the Western media that Chinese officials “kicked out” British journalists when Starmer raised the issue of human rights. Andy explains that it’s standard practice for journalists to only be allowed to attend the first few minutes of meetings between world leaders, before the discussion of substantive issues begins, and this is exactly what happened in this instance.

The video was first posted on the Reports on China YouTube channel.

Fu Cong: Can the deaths of 44,000 people not win even a little bit of sympathy from the US?

In a move that underlined both its shameful and criminal support for the genocide of the Palestinian people, as well as its increasing isolation in the international community, on November 20, the United States yet again vetoed a resolution in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The resolution was jointly presented by the current ten non-permanent UNSC members: Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Republic of [South] Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Switzerland. Four of the five permanent members – Britain, China, France and Russia – also voted in favour of the resolution. It failed to pass due to the single vote of the United States, which, along with the other permanent members, holds the power of veto.

In a heartfelt and eloquent statement following the vote, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong stated:

“The US single use of veto has shattered the Gazan people’s hope for survival and pushed them further into darkness and desperation… We cannot imagine how the vote today, as well as the Council’s failure to respond to the Gaza conflict over the past 13 months, can escape the harsh judgment of history.”

He continued:

“In the future, when looking back, people will find it hard to believe… Now, nearly 44,000 people have been killed in Gaza, and the US still do not hesitate to use its veto. 44,000. This is not just a number. Behind it could be a child, a nursing mother, or a breadwinner of a family. The loss of each and every one of them means eternal pain for the surviving relatives. People cannot help but ask: do Palestinian lives mean nothing? Can the deaths of 44,000 people not win even a little bit of sympathy from the United States?…

“In the future, when looking back, people will surely feel indignant. Israel has flagrantly breached every red line of international humanitarian law, with its actions causing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. But even as a famine is about to break out in Gaza, the United States always seems to be able to find justification to defend Israel… People never knew before how low one could stoop in terms of double standard. No wonder people feel angry.”

The next day, the UNSC held a briefing on Syria. Chinese Ambassador Geng Shuang noted:

“Over the past month, Israel has continued to carry out air strikes against Syria, causing heavy casualties. The actions by Israel gravely violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. China expresses its strong condemnation… China calls on the parties concerned to effectively respect the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Syria and immediately cease their illegal military actions against Syria.”

He continued: “The rising tensions in Lebanon recently have caused an influx of more than 500,000 refugees into Syria, further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation there. China applauds the positive actions taken by the UN agencies in their efforts to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to those in need. We welcome the Syrian Government’s decision to extend the authorisation for the relevant border crossings and commend the Government’s efforts in making proper arrangements to host refugees… China reiterates that the unilateral sanctions imposed against Syria by certain countries should be lifted without delay, and the illegal plundering of Syrian resources [principally of Syrian oil by the United States] should stop forthwith, in order to create favourable conditions for the Syrian economy to recover and develop.”

Geng Shuang concluded: “China firmly supports the Syrian Government in its efforts to fight terrorism. We call on the international community to reject double standard in accordance with international law and Council resolutions and join hands in the spirit of zero tolerance to support the Syrian Government in combating terrorist forces within its borders.”

Earlier, at a UNSC meeting prior to the vote on the Gaza resolution, held on November 18, Ambassador Fu Cong had stated:

“Over the past 13 months, the conflict in Gaza and the situation in the Middle East have continued to take the most prominent place on the Security Council’s agenda. We considered the issue frequently, yet the situation continued to worsen. We adopted resolutions requesting an immediate ceasefire, yet a ceasefire remains elusive to this day. Instead, the fighting has only intensified. We unanimously requested the protection of civilians, yet we saw that international humanitarian law seemed to exist in name only, with tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians deprived of their lives in collective punishment. Time and again, we requested expanding humanitarian assistance, yet Israel repeatedly cut off humanitarian supplies and attacked humanitarian assistance personnel. We made countless warnings against the spillover of the conflict, yet we saw reckless adventurism and the constantly spreading flames of war. We have to painfully admit that on the Palestinian question, the Security Council has failed to effectively discharge its duties and has failed to respond to the expectations of the international community, which one can say is most disappointing.

“However, it needs to be pointed out that the unsatisfactory performance of the Security Council is not caused by differences between some countries and some others, but rather due to the fact that one permanent member has been on the opposite side of the international community. Had it not been for the repeated exercise of the veto by the US or its claim that Security Council resolutions are not binding, the Security Council would not have been so weak and incompetent. Had it not been for the continued provision of weapons by the US, the war would not have lasted for so long and would not have caused such massive destruction.”

China’s representative further expressed “grave concerns over reports that Israel is seeking to station its military in Gaza for the long term, build its so-called buffer zone, and even rebuild settlements. We reiterate that any acts to change the population or territory of Gaza are unacceptable. The future governance arrangement for Gaza should be determined independently by the Palestinian people. The illegal settlements in the West Bank erode the foundation for establishing an independent state of Palestine. The dangerous attempts to annex the West Bank will completely bury the prospects of peace in the Middle East. The international community must firmly reject them.”

An article by columnist Alex Lo, published in the South China Morning Post on November 22, carried the subtitle, “Disgraceful veto of draft ceasefire resolution by US coincides with arrest warrants by International Criminal Court for Israeli pair [Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Gallant] on war crimes.”

Continue reading Fu Cong: Can the deaths of 44,000 people not win even a little bit of sympathy from the US?

Podcast: Keith Bennett on the past, present and future of the People’s Republic of China

We embed below an interview with our co-editor Keith Bennett produced by Spectre – a Scottish-based communist podcast.

In conversation with Nathan Hennebry, recorded on November 20, 2024, Keith outlines the origins of his own interest in China and how Friends of Socialist China has developed over the last three years.  They go on to discuss a range of topics, including the history of the Chinese revolution, how socialist democracy is practiced in China and the relationship of ‘yellow peril’ Sinophobia to the new Cold War.

Keith’s interview, and Spectre’s other podcasts, can also be listened to across a variety of media.

Xi Jinping meets with Mexican President Sheinbaum and Bolivian President Arce

Among the bilateral meetings that Chinese President Xi Jinping held with his counterparts on the sidelines of the recent 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit, held in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, particular significance should be attached to those with two of Latin America’s progressive leaders.

On November 18, President Xi met with Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, the recently elected President of Mexico.

Xi said that China and Mexico should continue to enhance exchanges, renew friendship, make good use of the highly complementary nature of the two economies, constantly advance practical cooperation and push for all-round development of bilateral relations in the new era. He once again congratulated Sheinbaum on becoming the first female president in the history of Mexico, and recalled his visit to Mexico in 2013, which he said had left a deep and unforgettable impression.

Sheinbaum expressed her pleasure in meeting Xi, noting that she fully agrees with Xi’s assessment of the relationship between the two countries. Although Mexico and China are far apart in distance, their ties are very close. She also expressed her gratitude for China’s generous and sincere assistance during Mexico’s difficult times, such as the hurricane disaster, which is testament to the friendship between the two peoples.

The following day, Xi met with Bolivian President Luis Arce and called on China and Bolivia to align the Belt and Road Initiative with Bolivia’s 2025 development plan.

Noting that China and Bolivia are good friends and good brothers, Xi said that bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum of development in recent years. China supports Bolivia in independently exploring a development path suited to its national conditions and is willing to take the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Bolivia next year as an opportunity to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen strategic mutual trust, expand win-win cooperation and lead the China-Bolivia strategic partnership to a new level.

The Chinese leader stressed that the two sides should strengthen exchanges between governments, legislatures and political parties as well as at local level, carry out in-depth exchanges on governance experience, and expand cooperation in infrastructure construction, plateau agriculture, green development and digital economy.

They should also deepen coordination within multilateral mechanisms, including the United Nations and BRICS, to promote unity, self-improvement and common development among Global South countries, he said, adding that China supports the integration of Latin America and stands ready to work with Bolivia to strengthen the building of such mechanisms as the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum.

Hailing the profound and brotherly friendship between Bolivia and China, Arce expressed gratitude to China for helping Bolivia in its fight against COVID-19 and its efforts to promote Bolivia’s economic and social development. China has made remarkable accomplishments in its modernisation process under Xi’s leadership, providing valuable experiences and guidance for the development of Bolivia and other countries, he added.

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

Xi calls for all-round development of China-Mexico relations in new era

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China and Mexico should continue to enhance exchanges, renew friendship, make good use of the highly complementary nature of the two economies, constantly advance practical cooperation and push for all-round development of bilateral relations in the new era.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo on the sidelines of the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit.

Continue reading Xi Jinping meets with Mexican President Sheinbaum and Bolivian President Arce

China and Brazil working to shape a just, multipolar world order

In the following article, published in China Daily on 19 November 2024, Efe Can Gürcan describes the history of the G20 and argues that Brazil’s presidency of the organisation – and its leadership of the G20 summit that took place this week – “could produce a pivotal transformation in the G20, placing stronger emphasis on Global South perspectives”.

Efe notes the complemenarities of Brazil and China’s development strategies. For example: “Brazil’s Ecological Transition Plan, which has garnered global attention for its ambitious goals and strongly resonates with China’s shared vision of an ecological civilization.” Meanwhile, China is Brazil’s largest trading partner, and Brazil is China’s principal source of agricultural imports.

On foreign policy issues, “both countries, as BRICS members, share similar positions … including on the Palestine and the Ukraine crises, and both advocate for a multipolar world based on fairness and justice.” As such, “by engaging more closely with China, Brazil could amplify its role in shaping a just, multipolar world order and in bringing the Global South’s voice to the forefront”.

The results of the G20 summit and the bilateral meetings between Presidents Xi Jinping and Lula da Silva certainly support the vision Efe outlines. Xi and Lula announced on Wednesday the elevation of their countries’ bilateral ties to a “community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet”, and committed to deepening coordination between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Brazil’s development strategies.

The two “agreed that the relationship is at its best period in history, is growing stronger in global, strategic and long-term significance, and has become an exemplar of common progress, solidarity and cooperation between major developing countries” and that “China and Brazil should also step forward to their historic missions of leading efforts to safeguard the common interests of Global South countries and making the international order more just and equitable”, as reported by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China and Brazil’s blossoming relationship is based on mutual respect, friendship and solidarity, and a shared determination to struggle against poverty, against war, for sustainable development, and for a multipolar world. This is a relationship that is not only of great benefit to the two countries, but to the world as a whole.

Dr Efe Can Gürcan is currently a Visiting Scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and is a member of the Friends of Socialist China Britain Committee.

With the theme “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet”, Brazil’s G20 presidency provides a unique chance to shape the global agenda at a pivotal time. This role is far from ceremonial — unlike organizations with a permanent secretariat or founding charter, the G20 relies on the country holding the presidency to set priorities, coordinate initiatives, and drive forward discussions. This time, Brazil’s leadership will steer this global forum, which represents over 85 percent of the world’s GDP, three-quarters of international trade, and two-thirds of the global population.

The G20’s history is rooted in responses to the crises of Western-led global capitalism. It emerged initially as a meeting of finance ministers in 1999. The G20 was a response to the devastating 1998 Asian financial crisis, which underscored how global economic turbulence could cascade across borders — especially impacting the developing world. Although the concept of a forum like the G20 emerged within Western circles, G7 leaders initially resisted it, preferring smaller, more private summits to maintain focus and control. Yet, the global call for a more inclusive cooperation mechanism grew louder in 2008, when the US-triggered global financial crisis exposed the limits of Western countries’ ability to stabilize markets and respond to crises alone. Holding its first summit of heads of state in 2008, the G20 ultimately evolved into a “crisis steering group”, which convenes the world’s largest economies, including emerging players that can no longer be sidelined in addressing global problems. As such, the G20’s purpose has expanded beyond finance to encompass pressing global issues such as climate change, economic inequality and sustainable development. Brazil, a key actor in Latin America’s historic “Pink Tide”, a leader in South-South cooperation and champion of multipolarity, is positioned to make the G20 more inclusive and effective in addressing these global challenges.

While the G7 — a smaller, more exclusive club of the wealthiest Western nations — was originally conceived to steer global governance, its legitimacy has waned over time. Its elitist composition, reflective of narrow Western interests, has led to criticism that it excludes key emerging economies. The G7’s exclusive nature was further cemented when it expelled Russia following the 2014 Ukraine crisis, reinforcing its status as a Western bloc rather than a truly global coalition aligned with the common destiny of humanity. The G20, on the other hand, includes a broader array of voices, providing a necessary balance and inclusivity in tackling today’s complex, borderless challenges, such as climate change and inequality.

Brazil’s leadership could produce a pivotal transformation in the G20, placing stronger emphasis on Global South perspectives and potentially transforming it from a North-South platform into a more democratic South-North forum. Brazil’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable development has been formalized in Brazil’s Ecological Transition Plan, which has garnered global attention for its ambitious goals and strongly resonates with China’s shared vision of an ecological civilization. In 2023, Brazil generated an impressive 91 percent of its electricity from clean sources, far surpassing global averages and even its own target of 84 percent by 2030. It also reduced Amazon deforestation to a six-year low, making strides in preserving the planet’s largest rainforest.

Beyond environmental leadership, Brazil is advocating for progressive reforms to reduce inequality and increase global governance inclusivity. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has proposed a 2-percent billionaire tax to combat global inequality and will likely renew his call for reforms to the United Nations, pushing for a more effective and representative Security Council, especially in light of recent failures to address urgent global crises, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The proposals exhibit a striking synergy with China’s Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative.

Meanwhile, Brazil’s continued economic stability and leadership status are closely tied to its relationship with China. China is Brazil’s largest export destination, and from 2007 to 2023, Chinese foreign direct investment in Brazil totaled $73.3 billion, with significant investment in Brazil’s electricity sector, which is crucial given Brazil’s recent energy challenges. China is also one of Brazil’s top agricultural export destinations, vital for an agribusiness sector that makes up almost 25 percent of Brazil’s GDP. President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Brazil during the G20 summit is an opportune moment to further enhance these economic ties and potentially encourage Brazil’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative. Indeed, recent developments ahead of President Xi’s visit, such as Brazil’s offer to allow Shanghai-based satellite manufacturer SpaceSail access to a space base in the northeast of the country, hint at Brazil’s increasing openness to closer cooperation with China. Despite Brazil’s new tariffs imposed on Asian imports of iron, steel and fiber optic cable in October, this gesture toward collaboration shows Brazil’s recognition of China’s strategic importance.

The collaboration potential of the two countries strongly resonates in broader Latin America, where inadequate infrastructure and weak connectivity remain significant obstacles to regional development. The infrastructure gap in Latin America is vast, requiring an estimated $250 billion in investment annually. Brazil, as Latin America’s largest economy, has historically led efforts to promote infrastructure connectivity through the now-defunct Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America within the Union of South American Nations. However, sustaining Brazil’s own growth and supporting regional development will require more resources than Brazil currently has due to economic and political challenges that have affected its capacity since the mid-2010s. Chinese cooperation through the BRI could be key in meeting these infrastructure needs. Brazil’s hesitance to formally join the BRI risks stalling not only its infrastructure progress but also its role as a regional leader and its economy’s competitiveness on the global stage.

One cannot but notice a strong synergy between Brazil and China’s foreign policy objectives. Both countries, as BRICS members, share similar positions on major international issues, including the Palestine and the Ukraine crises, and both advocate for a multipolar world based on fairness and justice. This alignment complements Brazil’s G20 agenda, reinforcing its commitment to South-South cooperation and to building a community with a shared future for mankind. By engaging more closely with China, Brazil could amplify its role in shaping a just, multipolar world order and in bringing the Global South’s voice to the forefront.

London meeting celebrates Xinjiang’s remarkable diversity, modern infrastructure and green development

On Tuesday 19 November, Friends of Socialist China held an event in London (and online) to report back on recent delegations to Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Each of the respondents shared impressions and experiences from their respective visits to the region, alongside giving cultural and historical context, and geopolitical analysis highlighting the reasons why Xinjiang in particular is at the centre of the propaganda campaign as part of the New Cold War the Western states are waging against the People’s Republic of China. 

The event, which was held at the Marx Memorial Library, featured a panel discussion with David Peat (editor of Iskra Books), Ali Al-Assam (founder and secretary of the NewsSocial Cooperative), and Roger McKenzie (International Editor of the Morning Star and vice president of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament). The panel was chaired by Rashida Islam.

The first presentation, by David Peat, reported back from a commercial delegation in September 2024 arranged by China National Tourism Organisation. This trip was arranged for a large group of European travel agents to encourage international tourism in Xinjiang. Alongside historical and demographic information about the region, David highlighted the diversity of the peoples, the beautiful landscapes, the modern infrastructure and green development, and the many other charms that can be found in Xinjiang. Also discussed was China’s policy of using international and domestic tourism to support the development of regions within the country – to counteract the economic sanctions, and to promote and preserve Intangible Cultural Heritage, including of China’s 56 ethnic minorities, many of which live in the region.

Ali Al-Assam reported back from his visit in June-July 2024, as part of a political delegation. Ali’s contribution focussed on the reality of multinational society in Xinjiang – which stretches back thousands of years – with comparative comments based on his own experience of the struggle for socialism in Iraq.

Roger McKenzie, who attended the same delegation as Ali Al-Assam, gave an account of the extreme disconnect in the preconceptions of people in the West compared to his experiences of everyday life in Xinjiang. He also described the profound impact that the progress in celebrating diversity and fostering socialist internationalism had on him, particularly in relation to Xinjiang’s multicultural society.

Each of the delegates highlighted the substantial and ongoing development of the region, which is improving the livelihoods of its diverse population. It was also indicated that the continuing propaganda campaign has ultimately failed in its aim of causing destabilisation, but it had been effective in colouring the impressions of large sections of Western populations, including parts of the ‘progressive’ movement. As such, the speakers stressed that we must be vigilant with regard to ongoing and new attempts to seed division in the region, and counter the propaganda in our communities. 

Embedded below is a video of the event, which was live-streamed on the Friends of Socialist China YouTube channel.

Xi Jinping meets Keir Starmer in Brazil

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held his first in person meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping on November 18, on the sidelines of the G20 summit, being held in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. The two men had previously held a telephone conversation on August 23.

In his opening remarks, borrowing from the British Labour Party’s stated policy goals, Xi noted that the new government was “working to fix the foundations of the economy and rebuild Britain.” He added that while the two countries differ in history, culture, values, and social systems, they share extensive common interests and enjoy vast space for cooperation in such areas as trade and investment, clean energy, financial services, healthcare and people’s well-being, which should be further expanded to better benefit both peoples.

Starmer responded by saying that, in advancing their shared goals, his approach would be consistent, respectful and pragmatic.  The Prime Minister’s office’s read out of the meeting, added: “On climate, in particular, both said that this should be high on the agenda and there was more work to be done to accelerate global progress towards net zero. Both the UK and China have an important role to play in support of the global clean power transition.”

The British Prime Minister welcomed the recent visit to Beijing and Shanghai by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, looked forward to the planned China visit by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, planned for early next year, and expressed hope for the resumption of full, high-level bilateral engagement with China, which has been interrupted over recent years.

However, much of the goodwill generated by the meeting would have been spoiled by Starmer’s tactless and undiplomatic behaviour in publicly raising a number of contentious issues, in particular the case of Jimmy Lai, publisher of the former scurrilous newspaper, Apple Daily, who has been described by the Chinese Embassy in London as, “one of the most notorious anti-China elements bent on destabilising Hong Kong…  Jimmy Lai was a major plotter and instigator of the anti-China riots in Hong Kong. He blatantly colluded with external forces in jeopardising national security, solicited foreign support, and committed various sinful deeds.”

It is, of course, an act of the most revolting and blatant hypocrisy for Starmer, who has defended and abetted Israeli genocide in Gaza, the most egregious violation of human rights in the world at present, and who continues to do so; and whose government is engaged in a brutal campaign of politically motivated persecution and attempted intimidation of journalists who dare to point out the truth of what is happening in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East, such as Richard Medhurst, Sarah Wilkinson and Asa Winstanley, to accuse the leaders of other countries of abuses of human rights or violations of press freedom.

In its editorial comment on the meeting, the Morning Star described it as “long overdue”, noting:

“There is plenty of room for growth, especially in exports to China, where Britain lags far behind Germany, France and Italy. Relaxing the US-inspired ban on selling key electronic, micro-processing and [supposed] ‘dual use’ (civilian-military) engineering products to China would help.

“Restrictions on Chinese investment in Britain already hold back the roll-out of 5G technology and the application of quantum physics – in which China leads the world – to computing, communications, geology and medicine.”

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

Xi calls on China, Britain to adopt rational, objective perspective on each other’s development

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 18 — China and Britain should adopt a rational and objective perspective on each other’s development, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit.

The two countries should enhance strategic communication and deepen political mutual trust to ensure a steady, substantial, and enduring development of bilateral relations, he said.

Noting that the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, Xi said that China and Britain, both as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and major global economies, share the responsibilities of advancing their respective national development and addressing global challenges.

Both countries should stick to their strategic partnership, adhere to the principles of mutual respect, open cooperation, and mutual learning, strive for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and jointly write the next chapter of healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, he added.

Continue reading Xi Jinping meets Keir Starmer in Brazil

Xi Jinping: Building a just world of common development

From November 13-17, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Peru at the invitation of his Peruvian counterpart Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, to attend the 31st APEC [Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation] Economic Leaders’ Meeting and to pay a state visit to the country. He then visited Brazil from November 17-21 at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to attend the 19th G20 Summit and pay a state visit.

The first session of the G20 Summit was held on the morning of November 18 and was chaired by President Lula as the host. Its focus was on the “fight against hunger and poverty” and, on Brazil’s initiative, was preceded by the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.

Xi Jinping made a speech at the session, taking as his theme, “Building a Just World of Common Development”.

The Chinese President began by noting that, “today, transformation of a scale not seen in a century is accelerating across the world. Humanity faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges.” He recalled his previous observation that, “prosperity and stability would not be possible in a world where the rich become richer while the poor are made poorer, and countries should make global development more inclusive, beneficial to all, and more resilient.”

To build a just world of common development, he noted, “we need to support developing countries in adopting sustainable production and lifestyles, properly responding to challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, enhancing ecological conservation, and achieving harmony between people and nature.”

China’s development is an important part of the common development of the world. “We have lifted 800 million people out of poverty, and met the poverty reduction target of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ahead of schedule.

“This achievement did not just fall into our laps. It is the fruit of the strenuous, unified efforts of the Chinese government and people. Everything China does, it always places the people front and centre, and it solemnly declares that ‘not a single poor region or person should be left behind.’”

Reflecting on his own life’s journey, he added: “I have worked from village to county, city, provincial and central levels. Poverty alleviation has always been a priority and a major task I am determined to deliver.”

“China’s story is proof that developing countries can eliminate poverty… If China can make it, other developing countries can make it too. This is what China’s battle against poverty says to the world.”

Noting that “China will always be a member of the Global South, a reliable long-term partner of fellow developing countries, and a doer and go-getter working for the cause of global development,” Xi went on to list eight actions for global development being taken by China.

We reprint below the full text of President Xi’s speech. It was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Your Excellency President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,
Colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure to attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. I thank President Lula and the Brazilian government for the warm hospitality extended to the Chinese delegation.

Today, transformation of a scale not seen in a century is accelerating across the world. Humanity faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges. As leaders of major countries, we should not let our vision be blocked by fleeting clouds. Rather, we must see the world as one community with a shared future, and shoulder our responsibility for history, take historical initiative and move history forward.

I pointed out at this forum that prosperity and stability would not be possible in a world where the rich become richer while the poor are made poorer, and countries should make global development more inclusive, beneficial to all, and more resilient. At the Hangzhou Summit, China placed development at the center of the G20’s macroeconomic policy coordination for the first time, and the Summit adopted the G20 Action Plan on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the G20 Initiative on Supporting Industrialization in Africa and Least Developed Countries. The Rio Summit this year has chosen the theme “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet.” It places fighting hunger and poverty at the top of the agenda, and decides to establish a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. From Hangzhou to Rio, we have been working for one and the same goal, that is, to build a just world of common development.

To build such a world, we need to channel more resources to such fields as trade, investment and development cooperation, and strengthen development institutions. There should be more bridges of cooperation, and less “small yard, high fences,” so that more and more developing countries will be better off and achieve modernization.

To build such a world, we need to support developing countries in adopting sustainable production and lifestyle, properly responding to challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, enhancing ecological conservation, and achieving harmony between man and nature.

To build such a world, we need an open, inclusive and non-discriminatory environment for international economic cooperation. We should promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, energize sustainable development with new technologies, new industries and new business forms, and support developing countries in better integrating in digital, smart and green development to bridge the North-South gap.

To build such a world, we need to stay committed to multilateralism. We should uphold the U.N.-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter.

Continue reading Xi Jinping: Building a just world of common development

The Global South, with China in the forefront, is the key driver towards true multilateralism

The China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), a specialised research institution directly under China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy Studies Centre of CIIS, hosted a launch on November 11 of their latest report, entitled ‘True Multilateralism: Conceptual Development, Core Essence and China’s Practice’.

Held at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guest House, the meeting was attended by more than 220 people from around 70 countries, including diplomats from 66 embassies in Beijing and representatives from three international organisations. 18 embassies were represented by their Ambassador or Head of Mission. They were joined by Chinese officials, scholars, researchers and students, along with foreign students studying in China.

Friends of Socialist China Co-Editor Keith Bennett attended and spoke at the conference, representing the Institute of Independence Studies and its Xi Jinping Thought Study Group.

Speakers at the event were:

  • Chen Bo: Secretary General, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy Studies Centre; and President, China Institute of International Studies (CIIS)
  • Miao Deyu: Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China
  • Mauricio Hurtado: Ambassador of Chile to China
  • Ahmed Mustafa Fahmy:  Head, League of Arab States’ China Representative Office
  • Oleg Kopylov: Deputy Secretary General, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
  • Ren Hongyan: Special Research Fellow, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy Studies Centre
  • Chhem Kieth Rethy: Senior Minister, Royal Government of Cambodia; Chairman, Economic, Social and Cultural Council, Cambodia
  • Wu Zhicheng: President, Institute of International Strategy, Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (National Academy of Governance)
  • Keith Bennett: Xi Jinping Thought Study Group, Institute for Independence Studies, UK
  • Wang Lei: Deputy Director, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
  • Gafar Kara Ahmed: Researcher, China-Arab Research Centre on Reform and Development, Shanghai International Studies University; former Sudanese Ambassador to China; and
  • Jia Lieying: Dean, School of International Relations & Director, UN Research Centre, Beijing Language and Culture University.

The full text of the Report may be found here.

The following is the text of Keith’s remarks to the meeting.

I welcome the release of your report today. Long ago, Engels, in his preface to ‘The Peasant War in Germany’, stressed the need to constantly “keep in mind that socialism, having become a science, demands the same treatment as every other science – it must be studied.”

This is why the foreign policy of a major socialist country like China, whilst naturally deciding each issue on its merits and specific characteristics, cannot be approached and determined in an ad hoc or impressionistic way but rather on the basis of the most advanced theory, itself based on the summation of long years of practice, which at the present time means the study and application of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.

President Xi Jinping always reminds us that we are witnessing and experiencing changes unseen in a century. We can see the veracity and profundity of his observation by looking at practically any field of human exploration and endeavour, most recently, for example, the immense opportunities and challenges presented by AI.

But most fundamentally, I believe that the significance of viewing things from this century-long paradigm is that it is just a little over 100 years since socialism graduated from being an ideal to becoming a modern programme of nation building. The concept of changes unseen in a century addresses above all the global ramifications of that historical turning point.

This year we have observed the 70th anniversary of the proclamation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which may be taken as the building blocks and guarantor of true multilateralism and a most fundamental reform of a global governance system hitherto dominated by a handful of oppressor nations, almost exclusively in Western Europe and North America.

The creation of the Soviet state meant that there were now countries in the world with fundamentally different political and social systems. The question therefore arose as to what type of relations should exist between those states and how should the relationship between them be handled. Faced with this question, Lenin formulated the policy of peaceful coexistence.

Some three-and-a-half decades later, it was clear that the existence of states with different social systems was no mere transient phenomenon but rather a long-term historical reality. It therefore fell to the Chinese communists to raise the issue beyond a tactical policy or temporary necessity, but rather to place it on a firm theoretical foundation, to elevate it to the level of science.

Today, in the new era, this issue, while losing none of its original cogency and vitality, has to be approached on a new basis and on a new level. If, seventy years ago, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence gave the socialist countries, and the newly independent countries just embarking on the road of building a new society, freedom to breathe and room to manoeuvre, today we face a qualitatively different situation.

Continue reading The Global South, with China in the forefront, is the key driver towards true multilateralism

Richard Wolff: US shifts blame onto China because it cannot address capitalism’s flaws

In the following video interview with Global Times, prominent Marxist economist Richard Wolff explains the central contradiction in the US ruling class with respect to its relationship with China.

On the one hand, the US business community is eager to maintain good economic relations with China, which represents an important market, trading partner, avenue for investment, and source of investment. US companies “want to be able to produce in China, and even more, they want to sell into the Chinese market, which is one of the fastest-growing and largest markets in the world.”

On the other hand, the US political establishment is increasingly hostile to China. This hostility is driven to a significant degree by the fact that China is challenging the US’s global hegemony. “The last century has been the century of the American Empire, and it now sees its role in the world economy – financially, in export and import, and in other areas – being challenged above all by the People’s Republic of China.”

Meanwhile the US is facing a deepening crisis of capitalism, with growing inequality, economic instability, and a shrinking middle class. Politicians have identified two convenient scapegoats for these problems: 1) immigrants from Latin America; 2) China. Wolff points out: “Capitalism has always moved in this way. But because our politics are controlled by big business, politicians can never blame capitalism. They cannot blame the big businesses that fund them. So, who do they blame? China.”

Wolff conjectures that it may be possible to use this division in the US ruling class to pursue an agenda of peace and cooperation; that the peace movement may be able to work together with the business community to prevent a war with China.

China and Indonesia emphasise that the question of Palestine is the biggest wound to human conscience

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto paid a state visit to China from November 8-10 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Testifying to the great importance the Indonesian head of state is attaching to his country’s relations with China, this was his first foreign visit since he assumed office on October 20. Similarly, he had previously visited China from March 31-April 2 as his first foreign visit after being declared President Elect.

The two heads of state held talks on November 9.

Xi Jinping noted that Prabowo Subianto visited China on his first overseas trip right after he was elected as President in March this year and made his first state visit to China after officially taking office, which reflects the great importance President Prabowo Subianto attaches to developing China-Indonesia relations and demonstrates the high level and strategic nature of bilateral relations.

The two sides need to keep to high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, continue to operate well the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, advance cooperation on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor and the “Two countries, Twin Parks” project, strengthen cooperation in digital economy, advanced manufacturing, circular economy and other areas, carry out joint maritime development cooperation, and continuously deepen all-round mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to better achieve integrated development and advance the two countries’ respective modernisation.

Xi Jinping emphasised that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and next year marks the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference. As major developing countries, emerging markets and major members of the Global South, China and Indonesia should jointly champion Asian values centred on peace, cooperation, inclusiveness and integration, enrich the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit with the imperatives of the new era, lead countries in the Global South to seek strength through unity, and work to make global governance more just and equitable. China is ready to work with Indonesia to carry out closer multilateral strategic coordination, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

Prabowo Subianto said that China is a great country. Indonesia and China have a thousand-year history of friendly exchanges, and bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum of development. Under the current complex international situation, Indonesia hopes to work with China to further strengthen all-round strategic coordination, become closer comprehensive strategic partners, and build a community with a shared future that has regional and global influence, which will not only benefit the two peoples, but also create a favourable environment for better achieving peaceful development in Asia. Indonesia is ready to work with China to continue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, improve the “five pillars” cooperation pattern, and strengthen all-round cooperation throughout the industrial chains in infrastructure, energy and mining, medicine, agriculture, housing, joint maritime development, food security and poverty reduction. Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest in Indonesia. Indonesia fully supports the position of the Chinese government on the Taiwan question, firmly pursues the one-China policy, and steadfastly supports the efforts of the Chinese government to safeguard territorial integrity and realise national reunification. Xinjiang-related matters are entirely China’s internal affairs. Indonesia stands by the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and firmly supports China’s endeavours to safeguard development and stability in Xinjiang.

President Subianto thanked China for upholding fairness and justice on the Palestinian question. Indonesia adheres to its independent and non-aligned foreign policy, will not join any military alliance or “small clique” against a third party, and supports the three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping. Indonesia is ready to enhance communication and cooperation with China within the G20 and other multilateral frameworks in order to make positive efforts to safeguard the common interests of the Global South, and to promote a multipolar world along with the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

The Indonesian President also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the same day.

Premier Li called on the two sides to strengthen the synergy of their development strategies, further expand the scale of bilateral trade and investment, and explore the potential for cooperation on green minerals, photovoltaic wind power, digital economy, marine scientific research and environmental protection, so as to add more impetus to the two countries’ respective development.

China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Indonesia on multilateral platforms such as the UN, practice true multilateralism, safeguard international equity and justice, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries, he added.

Subianto said that Indonesia is willing to take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year as an opportunity to intensify exchanges with China at all levels, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, strengthen key projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, and intensify exchanges in such fields as education and tourism.

Continue reading China and Indonesia emphasise that the question of Palestine is the biggest wound to human conscience

China is the indispensable country when it comes to tackling the climate crisis

Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez addressed a Young Communist League of Britain educational on capitalism and the environment, held on Zoom on 14 November 2024.

In his presentation, Carlos discusses the current trend in the West for blaming China for the climate crisis, on the basis of its having become the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. He points out the various flaws in this logic, including that China’s per capita emissions are around half those of the US; that China is the “workshop of the world” and, as such, has “imported” a huge volume of emissions from the West; and that, in terms of cumulative carbon emissions (the quantity of excess carbon dioxide currently in the atmosphere), North America and Western Europe are responsible for the lion’s share.

He notes that China’s environmental record is purposefully painted in a negative light in order to minimise the West’s historic responsibility and to imply that China – a developing country – should contribute at the same level as the West to the global fund for helping poorer countries with climate change adaptation and mitigation. This clearly runs counter to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities – a principle enshrined in international law.

Carlos also highlights China’s remarkable progress in the last 10-20 years in pursuing an ecological civilisation, noting that environmental protection has become integrated into all levels of policy-making and economic planning. Credible analysis indicates that it has already reached its goal of peaking carbon emissions by 2030. Meanwhile, it has become by far the global leader in renewable energy, electric transport, biodiversity protection and afforestation. China’s innovations and investment in green energy have brought costs down globally by upwards of 80 percent, and, via the Belt and Road Initiative, China is helping countries of the Global South to leapfrog fossil fuel-based development.

Carlos goes on to explore the reasons that China in particular has emerged as a trailblazer in environmental protection, and concludes by pointing to the danger of a New Cold War impeding urgently-needed global cooperation around climate change.

FOCAC Summit marks significant step in long journey of Africa’s complete emancipation

The following article, outlining the political importance of this year’s Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), held in Beijing from September 4-6, was written by our Co-Editor Keith Bennett and originally published by ChinAfrica on September 12.

Keith notes that the “long historical connection between the peoples of China and Africa is all too often ignored, suppressed or dismissed in the West. Rhetoric from politicians and biased and ignorant media reporting all too often assert that China’s ties with Africa began only in the very recent period as an economically booming China required large-scale access to minerals and raw materials. This is far from the truth.”

Citing the support extended by China to the South African liberation struggle from at least 1954, as well as its support to the Eritrean liberation movement from the 1960s, Keith writes: “As a young communist in the 1970s, I heard from South African exiles how the arrival of copies of China Reconstructs (the forerunner of China Today [by whom the article was originally commissioned]), smuggled at considerable risk into the country, were eagerly awaited, and passed from hand to hand, as a source of inspiration and hope.”

Here, Keith refers principally, but by no means exclusively, to his close friend, comrade and mentor Melville Fletcher. The national organiser of the Textile Workers’ Union of South Africa and a member of the Congress of Democrats (which organised progressive white people and later merged into the African National Congress) as well as of the underground South African Communist Party (SACP), Melville is seen here (on the right of the photo), as a member of the delegation of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) at the June 1955 Congress of the People, which adopted the Freedom Charter, the program of the liberation movement, together with his comrades, Moses Mabhida, later the General Secretary of the SACP, and Monty Naicker of the Natal Indian Congress.

Similarly, Melville’s friend Norman Levy, the father of the acclaimed novelist Deborah Levy, writing in his memoirs, The Final Prize, describing the events that were to lead to him facing charges of treason, recalled:

“The regime’s threats were followed up with police raids on 19 September 1955. On that occasion I came home to find two members of the special branch outside our front door, one of them waving a warrant authorizing them to investigate charges of treason, sedition and offences under the Suppression of Communism Act. Instructions to keep cool, think fast on your feet and have a steady hand during these encounters went out of my head as I thought of all the things that I should have taken care of in anticipation of these raids. I let the men in gingerly, trying hard to recall whether any incriminating documents, notes, names and papers were lying about, exposed. There were so many items to remember: banned publications, especially ‘Marxist-Leninist’ books; periodicals and journal articles from China, Eastern Europe and the USSR; lists of subscribers to Fighting Talk; names of people in the Congress of Democrats and the African Education Movement; and documents of the SACP. The illegal Party had not yet publicly ‘emerged’ and evidence of its existence was hardly anything I wanted to reveal through careless possession of its documents. In any case, membership of the illegal organization carried with it a severe jail sentence.”

Keith’s article goes on to note the different attitudes towards Africa displayed by China and the United States: “The contrast between the equality accorded in Beijing and the peremptory treatment bordering on racism accorded to them in Washington will not have been lost on the African leaders. In contrast with President Xi’s 40 bilaterals, when the US-Africa Leaders Summit was held in December 2022, US President Joe Biden could just about stir himself for one.”

Citing reports by the Financial Times, New York Times and Bloomberg, he writes, “Such is the stark contrast that, amidst the usual patronising cynicism, a hint of realism even managed to penetrate the Western media.”

He concludes that: “China is the greatest ally of the countries and peoples of Africa in [the] struggle for complete emancipation and the 2024 FOCAC Summit marks a significant step in that long journey.”

Meeting in Beijing from 4 to 6 September, this year’s Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has been repeatedly described by China as its most important diplomatic event of 2024. 

Considering the frenetic pace of Chinese diplomacy, this is a bold claim. But it is also a modest one. It can also easily lay claim to being the most important global diplomatic gathering in 2024. 

Hosted by President Xi Jinping, the summit was attended by leaders from 53 African countries, along with the chairperson of the AU Commission and the secretary-general of the United Nations, as well as representatives of over 30 international and reginal organisations. 

Delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony on the morning of 5 September, Xi said that, “Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history.” On his proposal, bilateral relations between China and African countries having diplomatic ties with China have been elevated to the level of strategic relations and the overall characterisation of the China-Africa relations has been elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. 

Continue reading FOCAC Summit marks significant step in long journey of Africa’s complete emancipation

Donald Trump and the drive to war against China

In the following article, which first appeared in slightly shorter form in Labour Outlook, Carlos Martinez assesses the prospects for the US-led New Cold War against China under a second Trump presidency, and the possibility of military conflict between the world’s two largest economies.

The article begins by noting that US policy towards China has been relatively consistent for over a decade, starting with the Obama-Clinton ‘Pivot to Asia’ in 2011, followed by the Trump administration’s trade war, and then the Biden administration’s sanctions, tariffs, semiconductor war, military provocations and the creation of AUKUS.

What will change under Trump? Carlos notes that “a deepening of economic confrontation seems more than likely”, given Trump’s repeated promises to impose unprecedented tariffs on Chinese goods. And while Trump made noises during his election campaign about wanting to end the US’s “forever wars”, “the appointment of inveterate China hawks Marco Rubio and Michael Waltz as secretary of state and national security adviser sends a clear signal that Trump is planning to escalate hostilities”.

Marco Rubio is an anti-China fanatic, who stands for more tariffs, more sanctions, more slander, more support for Taiwanese separatism, more provocations in the South China Sea, and more destabilisation in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Mike Waltz has long pushed for closer military cooperation with India, Japan, Australia and other countries in the region in preparation for war against China.

The article notes that China’s consistent offer to the West is based on working together “to tackle the urgent issues facing humanity, including climate change, pandemics, peace, nuclear proliferation, food security and development”. However, it is clear that only mass movements will force Western governments to take up such an offer.

Although the Pivot to Asia was initiated by the Obama administration – when then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was tasked with developing a strategy for “America’s Pacific Century” – it was the Trump presidency from 2017-21 that really turned up the dial in terms of US anti-China hostility.

Donald Trump campaigned in 2016 on a promise to protect jobs by addressing the US’s trade deficit with China: “We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country and that’s what they’re doing. It’s the greatest theft in the history of the world.”

In power, the Trump administration launched a full-scale trade war, imposing enormous tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese imports. This was combined with a systematic attack on Chinese technology companies, removing Huawei from US telecoms infrastructure and attempting to prevent TikTok and WeChat from operating in the US.

Militarily, Trump ramped up the US’s presence in the South China Sea and sought to revitalise the Quad group (US, Japan, India and Australia), working towards a broad regional alliance against China.

The State Department oversaw a crackdown on Chinese students and researchers, and, with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, Trump resorted to flagrant racism, talking repeatedly about the “kung flu” and the “China virus” – all of which fed in to a horrifying rise in hate crimes against people of East Asian descent.

As such, many breathed a sigh of relief when Joe Biden was elected four years ago. Unfortunately, however, Biden has essentially maintained the anti-China strategic orientation of his predecessor, albeit without the crassly confrontational rhetoric and overt racism. Biden in many ways has been more systematic in pursuit of military and economic containment of China, particularly when it comes to building an international coalition around US strategic interests.

In September 2021, the US, Britain and Australia announced the launch of AUKUS – a nuclear pact, manifestly contravening the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and evidently designed to counter China.

Biden has hosted numerous Quad summit meetings, at which the member states have reiterated their “steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific” – that is, to preserving a status quo in which the US maintains over 300 military bases in the region, along with tens of thousands of troops, nuclear-enabled warplanes, aircraft carriers, and missile defence systems aimed at establishing nuclear first-strike capability.

The combination of the Quad and AUKUS looks suspiciously like an attempt to create an Asian NATO. Meanwhile Nancy Pelosi’s 2022 trip to Taiwan Province was the highest-level US visit to the island in quarter of a century. In 2023, Biden signed off on direct US military aid to Taiwan for the first time; a BBC headline from November 2023 noted that “the US is quietly arming Taiwan to the teeth”. This undermines the Three Joint Communiqués – which form the bedrock for US-China diplomatic relations – and is clearly aimed at inflaming tensions across the Taiwan Strait and setting up a potential hot war with China over Taiwan. A recently-leaked memo from four-star general Mike Minihan predicted war over Taiwan in 2025: “My gut tells me we will fight in 2025”.

The Biden administration has expanded Trump-era restrictions against China’s technology industry, in particular by launching a ‘chip war’ to slow down China’s progress in semiconductor production, artificial intelligence, mobile phones and more. And while the US government under Biden has set several ambitious climate goals, it has also introduced sweeping sanctions on Chinese solar materials and imposed huge tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

The unfortunate truth is that there is a consensus among Democrats and Republicans. In Biden’s words, “we’re in a competition with China to win the 21st century” – and the US must win this competition at all costs.

To what extent can we expect the situation to change under a second Trump presidency?

Continue reading Donald Trump and the drive to war against China

China’s socialist road: a people-centred development strategy

We are pleased to publish below the text of a speech given by Eben Williams, Education Officer for the Young Communist League of Britain, at our September 28 conference celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

The speech reflects on the strategy of the united front, and how the Chinese leadership applies it at an international level. Discussing the recent World Youth Development Forum held in China, Eben notes that “it was not a specifically socialist event as such”, and yet “it was revolutionary precisely because of this focus on development which naturally brings the developing or so-called ‘third world’ camp into conflict with US-led imperialism and neo-colonialism, which is also the primary obstacle to a more advanced level of socialist development, both in China, and the world”.

Eben goes on to describe some of the progress that has been made in youth development in China in recent years. For example: “This is the best educated generation in Chinese history, and over the past ten years, average years in education has increased from 12.7 to 13.8, and higher education enrolment has increased by 27.8%, with nearly doubled attendance in vocational schools.” Further, “thanks in part to nutrition subsidies and lunch programmes, in the last ten years, nutrition and fitness have increased in rural areas with 86.7% of students now passing physical fitness tests, up from 70.3% ten years before, and a huge drop in rates of malnutrition.”

The Communist Youth League, with a membership of 74 million, is involved in organising 90 million youth volunteers, “including the 5.5 million young people who volunteered during COVID-19 to provide medical care, transport supplies, and build medical facilities; the nearly six million youth volunteers who have been paired up with rural children with disabilities or in need of long-term support; and the more than 4.9 million youth volunteers who took part in relief efforts during the earthquakes in 2008 and 2010. These efforts are deliberately linked up with China’s wider socialist project and the promotion of young heroes of the Chinese revolution, like Lei Feng.”

Eben works as a Chinese translator, speaks and reads Mandarin, and has lived and worked in China.

Hi comrades, thanks very much for having me here, thanks to Friends of Socialist China for co-hosting this event and congratulations to all Chinese comrades on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. My name’s Eben and I work as a Chinese translator but I’m here today as the Education Officer for the Young Communist League, so I’m going to be speaking a bit about what Chinese socialism means for the youth in China and Britain, as well as the importance of promoting socialist education and Marxist theoretical discussions through events like this one.

But first, I’d like to kick off with two basic Marxist-Leninist concepts which are really helpful in framing Chinese strategy and policy. Firstly, understanding that socialism is primarily the product of economic development, moving from an idealistic and moralistic framing toward a more scientific one that recognises capitalism as a system that has outstayed its welcome as a historical stage of human development, and that it is when the ever-increasing development of the productive forces of a country come into contradiction with the fetters of the private relations of production that it becomes necessary for a revolutionary break.

Secondly, Mao’s understanding of the need for a united front of different patriotic classes led by the proletariat against the primary threat of imperialism, but with the understanding that these other classes, and especially the national bourgeoisie, are unstable and untrustworthy and will later betray to the side of the enemy. The Chinese flag represents this understanding, with the four smaller stars representing the four main classes of Chinese society: the proletariat, the peasantry, the petty-bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie, under the leadership and firm hand of the large star, representing the dictatorship of the proletariat and the communist party. So, we have here these two central elements of Chinese socialism: the focus on the development of the productive forces and the united front against imperialism.

Last month, the YCL sent delegates to China’s World Youth Development Forum which is a really good example of this socialist strategy in practice, just like China’s strategy regarding BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Belt and Road Initiative, and other development-focused united front projects. The World Youth Development Forum is an annual event ran by the Communist Youth League of China which looks to unite youth organisations from around the world and promote contributions to global youth development via the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Aside from the small number of communist youth organisations like ours that have good relations with the Chinese Party, the forum was dominated by liberal NGOs, UN representatives, and charity projects from around the world who often could not make the political connection between socialism and China’s success. This meant that it was not a specifically socialist event as such, but it was certainly revolutionary.

Continue reading China’s socialist road: a people-centred development strategy