Friends of Socialist China, Author at Friends of Socialist China

China’s diplomacy condemns aggression and pushes for peace

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has repeated his country’s condemnation of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and stressed that China stands for peace in a number of diplomatic exchanges.

Following his March 1 phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the following day Wang spoke with the foreign ministers of Iran, Oman and France.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi briefed Wang Yi on the latest developments of the situation of Iran, noting that the US has launched war against Iran for the second time during their ongoing negotiations. Though the two sides have made positive progress in the latest round of negotiations, the US action violates all international laws and treads and even crosses the red line of Iran. The Iranian side has no choice but to defend itself at all costs. China has made public its voice for fairness and justice, and Iran hopes that China will continue playing a proactive role in preventing the escalation of tensions in the region.

Wang Yi noted that China values the traditional friendship between China and Iran and supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity and in upholding its legitimate and lawful rights and interests. He said that China has urged the US and Israel to immediately cease military actions to avoid further escalation of tensions and prevent the conflict from expanding and spreading to the entire Middle East region. China believes that under the current grave and complex situation, Iran will maintain its national and social stability, take seriously the legitimate concerns of neighbouring countries, and ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Iran. (At least one Chinese citizen has so far been killed as a result of US-Israeli aggression.)

In his conversation with his Chinese counterpart, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi noted that under Oman’s mediation, Iran-US negotiations made unprecedented progress, yet regrettably, the US and Israel have cast aside the existing outcomes of the talks and launched a war. If the war continues, it will lead to more casualties and property losses. All parties should work together for an early ceasefire.

Wang Yi said that China appreciates Oman’s active mediation in advancing the negotiations between Iran and the US and its tremendous efforts for safeguarding regional peace. Despite progress in the talks, the US and Israel deliberately provoked a war against Iran, which clearly violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Regarding the spillover of the conflict to states in the Persian Gulf that harbour aggressive US military bases, Wang Yi pointedly noted that China expects that Gulf states will enhance their independence, oppose external interference, develop good neighbourliness, and strengthen solidarity and coordination, so as to truly hold their future firmly in their own hands.

In his call with Wang Yi, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot shared his country’s perspective on the current situation in the Middle East, underscoring that France and China, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, have special responsibility for upholding international peace and security. The US and Israel did not seek the opinions from the UN Security Council regarding their military action against Iran, nor did they obtain authorisation from the Council. All parties should work together to de-escalate the tensions and resolve such issues as the Iranian nuclear issue through negotiation. China has maintained good relations with both Iran and other Gulf states. France looks forward to joining hands with China to proactively ease the situation in the region.

Wang Yi reiterated China’s principled position, stressing that the international community should reject any act that violates international law and refrain from applying double standards. Major countries must not be allowed to attack others at will with their military might, nor should the world revert to the law of the jungle. China hopes that France will uphold an objective and just position, remain calm and rational, and work with China to de-escalate the situation, jointly safeguarding the basic norms of international relations.

On March 3, Wang Yi spoke with the foreign minister of the Zionist entity Gideon Sa’ar.

Wang pointed out that recent negotiations between Iran and the US had been making notable progress, which also took into account Israel’s security concerns. Regrettably, this process has been disrupted by military strikes. China opposes such strikes launched by Israel and the US against Iran. The use of force cannot truly solve problems. China calls for immediate cessation of military actions to prevent the conflict from further escalating and spiraling out of control. Wang further called on Israel to take concrete measures to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel and institutions.

Why isn’t China intervening to stop the US war of aggression against Iran?

The following brief article by Brian Berletic, originally published on his Twitter/X, addresses a question that has been raised by some anti-imperialist commentators since the launch of the criminal US-Israeli war on Iran: why has China not directly intervened militarily to stop this aggression. Berletic argues that the answer lies primarily in structural and military realities rather than political will.

First, he explains that, in stark contrast to the US, China’s military doctrine focuses on defending its own borders and deterring threats along its periphery. As a result, it lacks the logistical infrastructure and global deployment capacity necessary to intervene in a distant conflict such as a war in West Asia.

Second, he highlights the extensive regional military network the US has spent decades building around Iran. This includes bases, logistics hubs, air defence systems and political alliances with multiple regional states, as well as military occupations in Iraq and Syria. To directly counter a US military operation in this environment, China would need a comparable network of bases and alliances in the region – something it neither possesses nor seeks to establish.

Third, he argues that China deliberately avoids building influence through military domination or occupation, which differentiates its foreign policy from that of the US. Attempting to match Washington’s global military posture would require a fundamentally different approach to foreign relations.

Instead, Berletic suggests China’s support for Iran takes less direct and obvious forms: economic cooperation to mitigate sanctions, technological assistance for domestic defence production, and supplies of military equipment.

He concludes that the constraints facing China – and similarly Russia – reflect practical limits rather than indifference, warning that blaming them for US actions ultimately deflects responsibility from Washington.

Why isn’t China intervening to stop the US war of aggression against Iran?

Somehow this is still a question people are asking, so I will explain.

China’s military is built to defend China within and along its borders against a massive and growing US military build-up all along its peripheries ongoing for decades.

Its forces are organized around hardware designed specifically for this purpose – not to project military power around the globe like the US does – and the US has these capabilities because it is an aggressor – not for national defense.

China literally has no ability to project the military power required to confront and successfully stop a full-scale US war of aggression on the other side of the planet with the capabilities it has for national defense;

In order to launch this war on Iran – the US spent decades building up a network of global and regional bases, logistical networks, ammunition depots, fuel dumps, regional integrated air defense capabilities etc. to first encircle Iran – then attack it.

China would be required to create an equal or greater network throughout the region to stop this- and this simply isn’t possible;

The US built its network up through both politically capturing nations in the region (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait) and invading/occupying them (Iraq & Syria).

China simply doesn’t conduct its foreign policy this way – because if it did – it would be just as bad as the US itself;

If you think China could simply project military power over the horizon – this is even more difficult and unrealistic. This requires huge amounts of long-range aircraft, immense aerial refueling capabilities, and long-range munitions as well as forward bases at least near the region to do so.

Sending naval vessels would simply place them at the mercy of a better prepared and more extensive military positions the US has established over decades as explained above;

What China has likely done is all that it could do – provide economic support against illegal US sanctions, provide technical/material support for Iran’s military industrial production, provide military support through the transfer of weapons and equipment.

All of these have their limits especially in terms of the transfer of military equipment to Iran – which takes YEARS to train Iranian personnel on EFFECTIVELY, as well as to integrate it through training in modern combined arms operations.

This last point regarding the amount of time it takes to effectively integrate new military hardware into a military is exactly why Ukraine has failed to absorb and fully utilize floods of Western weapons and equipment in the US proxy war on Russia being waged there.

CONCLUSION

There are real-world limitations on what nations like Russia and China can do against US wars of aggression elsewhere especially considering the fact the US is waging proxy war on both Russia and China at the same time it wages direct war on Iran.

Russia and China are doing what is realistic and within their capabilities – and are constantly expanding their own capabilities in order to do more when possible.

Do not confuse real limitations with a lack of concern or will – and realize blaming Russia or China for a US WAR OF AGGRESSION simply serves Washington’s agenda – not Iran’s or any of its allies.

China firmly opposes and strongly condemns killing of Iran’s supreme leader

China has expressed its firm opposition to and strong condemnation of the brazen US and Israeli aggression against Iran and the murder of the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

In an immediate reaction, following the start of the aggression on February 28, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that China is highly concerned over the military strikes against Iran launched by the US and Israel, adding that Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected.

The same day, the United Nations Security Council met in emergency session in New York.

Ambassador Fu Cong said: “Today, the United States and Israel brazenly launched military strikes against targets inside Iran, causing a sudden escalation of regional tensions. China is deeply concerned about this development. China consistently advocates that all parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and opposes and condemns the use or threat of force in international relations. China stresses that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iran and other regional countries must be respected.”

Speaking on a day when a US-Israeli air strike in the south of Iran hit a primary school, killing at least 148 people, the majority of them schoolgirls, and injuring at least 95 others, Fu added:

“China is deeply saddened by the large number of civilian casualties caused by the conflict. At all times, the red line for protecting civilians in armed conflict must not be crossed, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable.”

He also stated that: “China calls for an immediate cessation of military actions to prevent further cycles of escalation. The military strikes occurred at a time when the US and Iran were engaged in diplomatic negotiations, which is shocking. The parties concerned should demonstrate political sincerity, resume dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible, and return to the right track of a political solution.”

On March 1, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that, “China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader.”

The attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader is a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security, said the spokesperson, adding that it tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations.

On the same day, Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the situation in a telephone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

Wang said that it is unacceptable for the United States and Israel to launch strikes on Iran during the Iran-US negotiations, adding that it is also unacceptable for them to blatantly kill the leader of a sovereign state and incite government change. These actions violate international law and basic norms of international relations.

Wang summarised China’s position in three points:

An immediate cessation of military operations.
A prompt return to dialogue and negotiations.
A joint opposition to unilateral actions. Striking sovereign countries without authorisation of the UN Security Council undermines the foundation of peace established after World War II. The international community should send a clear message against any regression to the law of the jungle.

Sergei Lavrov said that Russia shares the same position with China and stands ready to strengthen coordination and communication with the Chinese side to send a clear signal through platforms such as the UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, calling for an immediate cessation of the war and a return to diplomatic negotiations.

The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency and on the website of China’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

China’s solidarity gives Nicaragua a fleet of thousands of buses

Co-President of the Republic of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega has said that thanks to the solidarity extended by China, the Russian Federation and Mexico, his country now has a fleet of 4,610 buses and minibuses.

He was speaking at a ceremony held on February 16, which this year was the day before the start of the Chinese New Year, at the Avenue Bolivar to Chávez, where the latest consignment of 180 Chinese Yutong minibuses was handed over to the Nicaraguan side.

Ortega noted that prior to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between his country and China, support had been received from Russia and Mexico. However, the great leap came in in 2023, when China sent 500 Yutong buses, in 2024 a thousand Yutong buses and minibuses, in 2025, 500 Yutong buses and minibuses, and in 2025, 100 Asia Star buses, and in 2026, 180 minibuses.

He asked Chinese Ambassador Qu Yuhui to, “convey to President Xi Jinping and the heroic people of the People’s Republic of China, our affection, our gratitude for unconditional generosity, without any conditions. That should be the behaviour of humanity, that we treat each other as brothers… Honest young people are those who act as the people of the People’s Republic of China acts.” (Photos of the ceremony indicate that pride of place was given to members of the Sandinista Youth.)

Noting the Chinese New Year, the Nicaraguan leader said: “How much joy that, on these dates of the Year of the Horse, of the Horse that trots around the world, giving affection, giving love, giving well-being, because the People’s Republic of China is an example of what peace is… When there is peace we are brothers. We are full of gratitude to the glorious people of the People’s Republic of China, to President Xi Jinping, to the Party. We have always been brother parties.”

For his part, Chinese Ambassador Qu Yuhui pointed out that this was a very special day because the Chinese people celebrate the Spring Festival, “and for me it has also been an unforgettable day, because I attended the ceremony for the delivery of social housing and this afternoon I am at this important event for the delivery of 180 minibuses for the comrades of Nicaragua. There is no better way to celebrate this important date for us, together with our brothers and sisters in Nicaragua, which is more evidence of the brotherhood, friendship, and cooperation between China and Nicaragua.”

The below article was originally published in Spanish by Radio La Primerisima and has been machine translated.

The Co-President of the Republic Daniel Ortega highlighted this Monday that Nicaragua has a fleet of 4,610 buses and minibuses, thanks to the twinning of countries such as the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China.

During the delivery ceremony of 180 Chinese Yutong brand minibuses on Bolívar Avenue to Chávez, the Co-President asked himself, in 1990, when the Yankees came to government, did they give away any buses? did they bring some fleets of buses? Zero.

In that sense, he indicated that the transporters, with their own efforts, with their sweat, with their blood, but with energy, with courage, as best they could, collected their money to buy used buses.

He explained that in that period the transporters acquired 300 used buses, then in the period of Dr. Arnoldo Alemán (1997-2002), the transporters with their own efforts managed to buy 400 used buses.

Storming the heavens – a master class in revolution

The following is a series of five articles, originally published in the Morning Star, and written by Jenny Clegg to introduce her recently published book, ‘Storming the Heavens: Peasants and Revolution in China, 1925-1949 Viewed Through a Marxist Lens’.

Introducing the key themes of the book, which began life as her PhD thesis some decades previously, Jenny notes that: “The first step was to establish the condition of the peasants and the nature of their exploitation so as to identify their revolutionary character. This meant challenging the Western misconception of China as a society of owner-cultivators, farming small parcels of land. In the absence of the large landed estates of European feudalism, it was assumed that traditional China had a peculiar Oriental or Asiatic structure under a centralised bureaucratic state.

“Chinese Marxists, Chen Boda and Chen Hanseng, however, both put the landlord system at the centre as the determining factor in China’s economic stagnation and the peasants’ acute impoverishment. Whilst Chen Hanseng’s focus was on the fusion of the political and economic power of the landlords at the base of society, highlighting the grassroots nature of a revolutionary transformation, Chen Boda’s analysis of monopoly rent highlighted the concentration of land in the hands of a minority, the landlords and rich peasants, with the increasing dispossession and land hunger of the majority of rural households. In so doing, he identified the main force for revolution as the poor and middle peasant majority.”

She goes on to argue that the key question was therefore, given the small size of China’s working class, how was the Communist Party of China (CPC), as a proletarian party, able to lead the revolution?

Here she sees her argument as confronting the misconceptions of both Stalin and Trotsky who interpreted China’s peasant struggle along the lines of the Russian and European model where a rural bourgeoisie and proletariat emerged to challenge feudal power, when rather, as shown by Chen Boda, it was land hunger — subsistence — that drove the rural majority to revolution.

In her second article, Jenny tackles the inter-related questions of was China feudal and what made the peasants revolutionary.

Having noted the work of contemporary Western scholars such as RH Tawney, who saw a way out through reforms, she argues:

“To support the argument of revolution over reform, it was first necessary to establish the centrality of the landlord-peasant relationship with feudal relations as the major constraint of growth. This would then demonstrate the centrality of the peasant movement as the main force in China’s democratic revolution, in a grassroots transformation of Chinese society through radical land reform to completely eradicate feudal relations.

“The problem of the reform approach lies in the failure to identity those power structures and interests hostile to its agenda for change and at the same time to find allies capable of driving reforms forward.”

Jenny further tackles the twin issues of why was capitalism unable to develop in China as it had in Europe and why did peasant rebellions tend to end in failure:

“The answer lies in the way Chinese feudalism was shaped by Asiatic characteristics: while landlords served as mediators between the centralised bureaucratic state and the patriarchal villages, these features served equally to maintain their privileged position from above and below…

“In China then, unlike Europe, where commerce confronted landed interests from the cities, economic power accumulated in the hands of a trinity of urban-based landlord-merchant-officials and the development of market relations instead of releasing peasant independence led to increasing rural impoverishment. A parasitic relationship between town and country suffocated the ‘sprouts of capitalism’ ensnaring a potentially entrepreneurial rich peasantry in feudal relations.

“Imperialism accelerated commercialisation but this only strengthened the landlord economy, while in turn the imperialist powers, to secure the drain of the surplus to the world capitalist core, depended on the landlords both to extract the surplus by extra-economic means and to control the countryside.”

Through trial and error, she concludes, “the CPC came to grasp [that] the forces of revolutionary change were not a rising petty bourgeoise but the impoverished mass of poor and middle peasants, more interested in the confiscation of landlords’ land to meet their needs than in the preservation of private property.”

In her third article, Jenny looks at debates on the role of peasants in revolution starting with Russian revolutionary leader VI Lenin.

She explains that Lenin saw the peasants, as a whole, as a force against landlordism but with the bourgeoisie and proletariat struggling for leadership of the movement. The role of the vanguard proletarian party was then to mobilise the poor peasants so as to pave the way to socialism. For the neo-narodniks on the other hand it was the traditional village organisation, the mir, that provided the basis for a Russian-style socialism, and continues:

“In China, the question of how to build a Communist Party in a country predominantly of peasants with a weak working-class base, is clearly a challenging one to answer. Was Mao just a peasant leader, and the CPC a populist party which rode to power on a wave of peasant unrest, as many in the West, both Sinologists and Marxists, have argued?”

On the contrary: “Mao, following Lenin, was to argue in his early ‘Analysis of Classes in Chinese Society’ (1926) that the peasants were the largest ally of the proletariat. Observing the peasants organising in Hunan just months later, he was the first to grasp the significance of peasant power: although at first their demands for rent reductions were not that radical, he saw, as they paraded the landlords up and down in dunces’ caps, a bold challenge to the authority of landlord power.”

Marco Rubio and Wang Yi offer vastly contrasting visions of international relations

The two articles collected here, by Paweł Wargan and Sevim Dağdelen, approach the same moment in world politics, arriving at a shared conclusion: the international order is entering a period of profound transition, marked by the decline of Western hegemony and an increasingly open struggle over what comes next. Both writers use the recent Munich Security Conference as a lens through which to examine this shift, arguing that the language emerging from parts of the Western establishment reflects not confidence, but profound anxiety about the changing global balance of power.

A central thread running through both analyses is the contrast between two competing visions of international relations.

On one side, they see a US-led Western bloc seeking to preserve its dominance through military power, sanctions, and coercive diplomacy. The speech by Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempts to provide an ideological framework for this posture by openly promoting white supremacism and colonial nostalgia (“We are part of one civilisation – Western civilisation. We are bound to one another by the deepest bonds that nations could share, forged by centuries of shared history, Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, ancestry, and the sacrifices our forefathers made together for the common civilisation to which we have fallen heir”). Rubio flaunted Washington’s willingness to abandon international law and the basic norms of relations between states in support of reviving and furthering Western hegemony.

On the other side stands a different vision, associated above all with China and the broader Global South. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s speech represents a contrasting emphasis on multilateralism, sovereign equality and cooperation among states. Both Paweł and Sevim’s articles suggest that China’s growing influence – economically, diplomatically and institutionally – has become central to the emerging multipolar order. Rather than viewing China simply as a rival, these articles frame it as a key actor in building alternative institutions and partnerships that challenge imperialism and uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Together, the two texts explore the stakes of this historical turning point. Is the world moving toward renewed confrontation and bloc politics, or toward a more multipolar and democratic international system? The answer, they imply, will depend not only on the decisions of major powers but on the unity and coordinated action of countries throughout the world, and particularly the Global South.

Paweł Wargan is Political Coordinator at the Progressive International. Sevim Dağdelen was a member of the German Bundestag from 2005 to 2025 and is currently a member of the Federal Executive Board of the German party BSW (Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht / The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance).

Adults in the Room

February 20 (Valdai Club) – The 62^nd Munich Security Conference concluded with a funereal mood. For three days, heads of state, diplomats, and military officials gathered between the Hotel Bayerischer Hof and the Rosewood Munich to take stock of a world system that is, by their own admission, fracturing. The conference report, titled Under Destruction, acknowledged what has long been obvious to those watching from the periphery of the imperial system: the post-1945 US-led international order is coming apart at the seams.

In more ways than one, the Conference revealed the contours of the world order that is emerging in its place. It exposed a diminishing and desperate Europe and a revanchist and atavistic US — two parts of a weakening bloc determined to rescue its position on the international stage with force. But it also revealed an alternative: a determination to build a new international order that could finally overcome the inequities of a global system structured by centuries of colonial rule and violent domination.

European leaders rehashed a well-worn liturgy of contradictory claims and feeble appeals. War was at the forefront of their minds. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, spoke of a Russia that was simultaneously “broken” and “no superpower”, and an omnipotent Russia that could “cripple economies through cyberattacks, disrupt satellites, sabotage undersea cables, fracture alliances with disinformation, [and] coerce countries by weaponising oil and gas” — a narrative designed to shore up support for Europe’s re-militarization.

With Chinese support, Cuba triples solar power in one year

The following article, originally published in Microgrid Media (an independent news platform dedicated to covering the global shift toward renewable energy) details how, over the last 12 months alone, Cuba has managed to increase its solar-generated electricity from 5.8 percent to over 20 percent of total generation. “The Caribbean nation connected 49 new solar parks to its grid between early 2025 and early 2026, adding more than 1,000 megawatts of capacity with equipment and financing from China. The expansion represents one of the fastest renewable energy transitions ever achieved by a developing country.”

The author notes that China’s support has been indispensable to these efforts. “The rapid expansion would have been impossible without sustained support from Beijing. China committed to building 92 solar parks by 2028 with combined capacity of approximately 2,000 megawatts, nearly matching Cuba’s entire current fossil fuel generation capacity. Beyond large solar farms, China donated approximately 70 tons of power generator parts and committed to installing 10,000 photovoltaic systems for isolated homes and critical facilities including maternity wards and clinics.”

In the face of a cruel, criminal and escalating US energy blockade, Cuba’s rapid progress in solar power represents a substantial boost for defending the country’s sovereignty and its socialist development path. The article observes: “If Cuba sustains installation pace, achieves adequate battery storage, and maintains Chinese support through 2028, it could reach energy independence that renders oil blockades economically irrelevant.”

We have previously covered China’s support helping Cuba advance towards energy sovereignty and sustainability, as well as China’s recent emergency aid to the island.

Cuba has transformed its electricity system in just 12 months, increasing solar power from 5.8% to over 20% of total generation as the country races to escape dependence on oil imports now blocked by US sanctions.

The Caribbean nation connected 49 new solar parks to its grid between early 2025 and early 2026, adding more than 1,000 megawatts of capacity with equipment and financing from China. The expansion represents one of the fastest renewable energy transitions ever achieved by a developing country.

The dramatic shift comes as Cuba faces what officials call an “energy siege.” President Donald Trump signed an executive order in early 2026 threatening tariffs against any country providing oil to the island, cutting fuel imports by approximately 90 percent and triggering blackouts lasting up to 20 hours per day in some regions.

Xi Jinping greets Kim Jong Un’s re-election at WPK Congress

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President, sent a message of greetings on February 23 to his Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) counterpart Kim Jong Un on his election as General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) during the WPK’s ninth congress.

Xi wrote that the re-election of Comrade Kim Jong Un as General Secretary of the WPK manifests the profound trust and wholehearted support accorded to him from the WPK, government, and the DPRK people. He further expressed the hope that under the strong leadership of the WPK Central Committee headed by Kim Jong Un, the WPK and the people of the DPRK will, taking the momentum of this congress, propel their socialist cause to unprecedented heights.

He added: “China and the DPRK are socialist friendly neighbours committed to mutual assistance and mutual support. To safeguard, solidify, and develop China-DPRK relations has always been the steadfast strategic policy of the Communist Party of the CPC and the Chinese government. In recent years, my multiple meetings with Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the WPK, have effectively steered the positive development of bilateral relations. Confronted with the accelerated global changes unseen in a century and an international landscape fraught with turmoil and uncertainty, I stand ready to collaborate closely with Kim Jong Un… This endeavour will not only advance the work of socialist construction of both nations but also deepen the bonds of friendship and enhance the well-being of our peoples, thereby contributing significantly to the peace, stability, development, and prosperity of the region and the world at large.”

The following articles were originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Xi Jinping Sends a Congratulatory Message to Kim Jong Un on His Election as General Secretary of WPK

February 23 (MFA) – On February 23, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message to Kim Jong Un, extending warm congratulations on his election as General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) during the Ninth Congress of the WPK.

In his congratulatory message, Xi Jinping stated that since the Eighth Congress of the WPK, the WPK Central Committee headed by Kim Jong Un has united and led the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in their dedicated endeavors, continuously achieving new triumphs in the cause of socialist construction of DPRK. The re-election of Comrade Kim Jong Un as General Secretary of the WPK manifests the profound trust and wholehearted support accorded to him from the WPK, government, and the DPRK people. The Ninth Congress of the WPK was held at a pivotal juncture when the WPK and the DPRK are poised to carry forward the past and usher in the future, and its successful convening assumes great significance. It is hoped that under the strong leadership of the WPK Central Committee headed by Kim Jong Un, the WPK and the people of the DPRK will, taking the momentum of this congress, propel their socialist cause to unprecedented heights.

Jim Lane, 1938-2026 – Lifelong Irish revolutionary and supporter of Mao Zedong

The struggle for national liberation and socialism in Ireland lost one of its great figures on February 16, 2026, with the passing of James Anthony Lane, universally known as Jim Lane, at the age of 88.

Born in Cork in 1938, Jim joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Sinn Féin and the Cork Volunteers’ Pipe Band in 1954. A key area of his early political work was in the city’s unemployed workers movement. He was an active participant in Operation Harvest, the 1956-62 IRA ‘border campaign’, being one of the first volunteers to be sent north to participate in the armed struggle.

Following the end of the border campaign, Jim was one of those who became disillusioned with the political evolution of the republican movement in that period. He became a leading figure in the Irish Revolutionary Forces and subsequently in Saor Éire. He was also instrumental in establishing the Cork Vietnamese Freedom Association in the 1960s, which became known in particular for demonstrating against the presence of a US warship in Cork Harbour, in defiance of Ireland’s supposed neutrality.

Jim was both an uncompromising Irish republican as well as an uncompromising Marxist. In the most bitter and difficult days of McCarthyite anti-communism and clerical reaction, he openly espoused his communist views and actively distributed the Marxist classics, the portraits of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and Mao Zedong, and literature from socialist countries.

When the major split occurred in the international communist movement, Jim sided with the Communist Party of China and was a leading participant in attempts to form a Marxist-Leninist party in Ireland. When a key section of the anti-revisionist movement in Ireland adopted the anti-communist, pro-imperialist ‘two nations theory’, claiming that protestants in the north of Ireland constituted a separate nation distinct from the Irish people as a whole, Jim helped form the Cork Communist Organisation, which subsequently became the Cork Workers’ Club. The club’s Historic Reprints series played a key role in rediscovering and popularising some of the most important works of James Connolly, Jim Larkin and other Irish republican socialist classics. Their bookshop also distributed literature from socialist China and Albania.

With the revival of the armed liberation struggle in Ireland’s six occupied counties in the north east, when Derry’s Bogside came under siege, in what became known as the Battle of the Bogside, in 1969, Jim and his comrades brought arms and assistance, to the beleaguered nationalist community, working closely with the IRA, organisational and political differences notwithstanding.

The US is pursuing a global Monroe Doctrine

The following article is based on a presentation given by Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez at the Latin America Adelante Conference in London on 7 February 2026. The presentation was part of a session on ‘Latin America, the New Cold War and the Rising Global South’, which was also addressed by Sophie Bold (CND General Secretary), Roger McKenzie (Morning Star International Editor) and Fiona Sim (Co-founder, Black Liberation Alliance). The session was chaired by Carole Regan of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign.

Carlos’s presentation focused on the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy and its implications for Latin America, as well as its connection to the US’s longstanding global strategy of encirclement and containment against China. Carlos concludes:

The ruling class is pushing an agenda that is increasingly unpopular and untenable — an agenda of permanent war, economic decline and ecological destruction. We need to push our own agenda: one of peace, multilateralism, solidarity, and the broadest possible global cooperation to confront the existential threats facing humanity.

The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy (NSS), released in late November 2025, has been the subject of widespread comment and a diverse array of interpretations. For those of us concerned with questions of peace, sovereignty and international justice, its most striking feature is its explicit reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine, shifting the focus of US military strategy towards “defending our hemisphere”, with more troops, bases and military operations in the Americas.

US hegemony over the Western Hemisphere is of course nothing new. Since the Monroe Doctrine was first promulgated in 1823, the United States has treated Latin America and the Caribbean as its backyard, overthrowing governments, installing dictatorships, funding death squads and imposing economic subjugation as a matter of routine. But, at least in the post-WW2 era, previous administrations have at least maintained some pretence of respect for international law and the sovereignty of other nations. The NSS does away with any such niceties, declaring that “the United States will reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere” and “deny non-Hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets, in our Hemisphere.”

CPC greets 9th congress of Workers’ Party of Korea

The Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) opened on February 19 in Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

That day, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) sent a message of greetings to the congress, noting that the WPK is the strong leadership core of the DPRK’s revolutionary and construction undertakings. The party has long united and led the DPRK people in relentless progress, achieving significant accomplishments in advancing the DPRK’s socialist cause.

“We wish that, under the strong leadership of the WPK Central Committee with General Secretary Kim Jong Un at its helm, the DPRK people will continue to achieve new and greater accomplishments in their socialist construction,” it said.

It added that both China and the DPRK are socialist countries led by communist parties. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of both parties and countries, China-DPRK relations have entered a new historical period. The CPC has always placed great importance on developing a friendly and cooperative relationship with the WPK, and is willing to strengthen communication and exchanges with the WPK, deepen the exchange of experience in party-building and state governance, jointly lead the healthy and stable development of China-DPRK relations, and promote the steady and far-reaching advancement of the socialist cause in both countries to contribute to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.

We reprint below the reports on the message as released by the Xinhua News Agency and the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). We also carry the text of the opening address to the congress delivered by General Secretary Kim Jong Un as carried by KCNA.

China welcomes the Year of the Horse

February 17 this year marks the Chinese New Year of the Horse and is the most important traditional holiday in China as well as for Chinese communities around the world and for some other countries in East Asia.

With the approach of the holiday, also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at a celebratory reception held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and attended by over 2,000 people, on Saturday February 14.

Xi described the outgoing Year of the Snake as extraordinary, adding that China had met difficulties head-on and made new progress in the face of a complex and volatile environment at home and abroad, elevating its economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, national defence capabilities and composite national strength to new heights.

He further noted China’s solid progress in various fields in the past year and emphasised several milestones, such as outlining the blueprint for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War, establishing the Taiwan Recovery Day, celebrating the founding anniversaries of the Xizang (Tibet) autonomous region and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and holding the 15th National Games in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. China had also put forward the Global Governance Initiative and successfully hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women.

Going forward, the year 2026 marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the CPC and the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Xi called for advancing high-quality development, maintaining social harmony and stability, and consistently exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance, in order to strive for a sound start to the next five years.

In a brief survey of international reaction to Xi’s speech, China Daily quoted our co-editor Carlos Martinez as saying that Xi noted the vision of building a global community of shared future, in which the peoples and nations of the world cooperate to solve the common challenges facing humanity and our shared home, Earth.

Such a vision, Carlos noted, is highly inspiring and furthermore indispensable, at a time when, referring principally to the United States, some countries are pursuing the policies of hybrid war, aggression, threats, blockades, economic coercion and unilateralism.

The following article was originally published by China Daily. We also embed a brief video from CGTN highlighting Xi Jinping’s close ties with the people especially at New Year.

Friends of Socialist China wishes all our supporters, friends and readers a Happy New Year of the Horse!

Xi’s message of strength, optimism resonates globally

February 15 (China Daily) – February 17 this year marks the Chinese New Year of the Horse and is the most important traditional holiday in China as well as for Chinese communities around the world and for some other countries in East Asia.

CPC holds video talks with Sri Lanka’s JVP

Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (IDCPC), held a video meeting with Tilvin Silva, General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) of Sri Lanka on February 13.

The JVP, or People’s Liberation Front, is Sri Lanka’s largest Marxist party and is currently the main governing party in the country at the head of an alliance of left and progressive forces.

Liu said that in January 2025, President Xi Jinping met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake who was visiting China. They reached important consensus on building a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future and deepening exchanges of governance experience between the two countries’ ruling parties. The CPC, he continued, stands ready to continue strengthening exchanges at all levels with the JVP, conduct in-depth theoretical discussions and experience sharing on such topics as party building, major national development strategies and sustainable development, and to promote practical cooperation and friendship between the two peoples.

Silva and other leading JVP members said that during their visit to China last year, they witnessed firsthand how the CPC has led the Chinese people to achieve remarkable development accomplishments and won people’s wholehearted support. As Marxist governing parties, the two parties share common goals and ideals. Learning from the CPC’s experience in state governance and administration is of vital importance to the JVP. In particular, China’s practices in comprehensively exercising rigorous governance over the party and pursuing a people-centred development philosophy have provided valuable reference for Sri Lanka. The JVP appreciates China’s valuable support and assistance and is willing to further strengthen inter-party exchanges with the CPC and deepen cooperation in such areas as cadre training, digital city development, poverty reduction and promoting national unity, so as to better serve national development and improve the well-being of the two peoples.

The following article was originally published on the website of the IDCPC.

Beijing, February 13th—Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), held here today a video meeting with Tilvin Silva, General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) of Sri Lanka.

Liu said, in January 2025, President Xi Jinping met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake who was visiting China. They reached important consensus on building a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future and deepening exchanges of governance experience between the two countries’ ruling parties. The two leaders also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on exchanges and cooperation between the two Parties. Over the past year, the CPC and the JVP have carried out diverse and fruitful exchanges and cooperation through inter-party channels to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state. The CPC stands ready to continue strengthening exchanges at all levels with the JVP, conduct in-depth theoretical discussions and experience sharing on such topics as Party building, major national development strategies and sustainable development, promote practical cooperation and friendship between the two peoples through the “political parties plus” platform, deepen multilateral coordination, and advance greater development of relations between the two countries and Parties.

Silva and others said, during the visit to China last year, we witnessed firsthand how the CPC has led the Chinese people to achieve remarkable development accomplishments and won people’s wholehearted support. As Marxist governing parties, the two Parties share common goals and ideals. Learning from the CPC’s experience in state governance and administration is of vital importance to the JVP. In particular, China’s practices in formulating medium- and long-term plans, comprehensively exercising rigorous governance over the Party, and pursuing a people-centered development philosophy have provided valuable reference for Sri Lanka. We appreciate China’s valuable support and assistance. The JVP is willing to further strengthen inter-party exchanges with the CPC and deepen cooperation in such areas as cadre training, digital city development, poverty reduction and promoting national unity, so as to better serve national development and improve the well-being of the two peoples. The Sri Lankan side also wishes the Chinese people a happy Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse.

Sun Haiyan, Vice-minister of the IDCPC; Qi Zhenhong, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka; Bimal Rathnayake, Member of Political Bureau of the JVP, Head of the International Department, and Minister of Transport Highways and Urban Development, and Sunil Handunneththi, Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP and Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of Sri Lanka; and others were present.

Trump 2.0 is not retreating – it is recalibrating for global confrontation

In the following analysis for the Morning Star, British economist John Ross argues that the second presidency of Donald Trump represents not a retreat from US global ambitions – as has been posited in parts of the left – but a tactical recalibration aimed at preserving US hegemony and furthering the longstanding campaign to contain China and suppress its rise.

Citing the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy and National Defence Strategy, the article observes that both documents explicitly prioritise countering China militarily, especially in the Indo-Pacific and around Taiwan. Washington’s current tactical approach, however, is to target what it perceives as lesser enemies – including Cuba, Venezuela and Iran – in order to weaken the broader international alignment against imperialism and hegemony.

John concludes that the notion of US retreat is “dangerous wishful thinking.” Far from accepting multipolarity, the US is intensifying military spending, expanding missile defence systems and sustaining global interventions.

“Global South countries at present under direct attack by the US, such as Cuba, Venezuela and Iran, are today in the front line of fighting the US attack on all independent, progressive and socialist forces in the world. These countries therefore must receive the maximum support both for reasons of moral solidarity, and the interests of these countries, but because if they were to be defeated the US will be strengthened in its attack on every other country and progressive movement.

“The evidence, both in words and actions, is that if the US were allowed to succeed in its attacks in the western hemisphere, against Cuba and Venezuela, it would not stop at that and accept a division of the rest of the world. It would simply follow up its attacks on Cuba and Venezuela, in a somewhat strengthened position, by attacks on other countries.

“In short, the idea that the US is retreating simply into the western hemisphere is entirely wrong and extremely dangerous.”

Coercive diplomacy is diplomacy of muscle

In the article below, Professor Jiang Shixue argues that “coercive diplomacy” best characterises the foreign policy of the United States. He defines coercive diplomacy as the use of diplomatic language backed by military or economic pressure to force other countries into submission. Jiang writes that the United States, as the world’s sole superpower, routinely applies such tactics not only against rivals but even against allies.

As an expert in Latin American politics, Professor Jiang cites as examples of coercive diplomacy the US’s criminal decades-long blockade on Cuba, the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and the recent developments in Panama, which, under pressure from the US, has cancelled a Hong Kong company’s canal port concession and withdrawn from the China-led Belt and Road Initiative.

Jiang contrasts this approach with China’s concept of building a “community of shared future for mankind”, grounded in principles of non-interference and mutual respect. The article concludes that global stability requires abandoning coercive diplomacy in favour of cooperation and multilateralism.

Jiang Shixue is Senior Research Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He is also Distinguished Professor at Shanghai University, Macau University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, and Sichuan International Studies University. Professor Jiang spoke on the subject of How to understand China’s relations with Latin America at our 2022 webinar 21st Century Socialism: China and Latin America on the Frontline alongside former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and a number of other prominent speakers.

If one phrase can be applied to summarize the characteristics of the US’s foreign policy, it should be “coercive diplomacy”.

What is coercive diplomacy? Different people have different definitions. But the basic meaning is simple: It is a type of diplomacy plus muscle. In other words, coercive diplomacy cloaks itself in diplomatic garb and relies on one’s military or economic power to force other countries to submit.

As the world’s sole superpower, the United States often engages in coercive diplomacy against any country at any time. The methods of coercion are varied and numerous. Even countries maintaining close relations with the U.S. sometimes become targets of its coercive diplomacy. For instance, on April 25, 2021, the Danish newspaper Politiken revealed that the U.S. Embassy in Denmark had contacted the paper, demanding it prove it did not use technical equipment such as routers or modems provided by Chinese companies including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua Technology. Otherwise, the embassy might cancel its subscription. This shows that even subscribing to a newspaper can become leverage for U.S. coercive diplomacy.

Deal diplomacy: Starmer’s China trip bets on business over ideology

In the following analysis for Beijing Review, Carlos Martinez assesses British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s January visit to China as a significant moment in the recalibration of Britain-China relations amid accelerating geopolitical changes. The trip – the first by a British prime minister in eight years – signals a cautious thaw after a prolonged diplomatic “ice age” marked by security rhetoric, sanctions, and absurd propaganda.

Carlos contextualises the visit within Britain’s domestic economic pressures and the wider strain on the US-led international order. Accompanied by senior politicians and a broad business delegation, Starmer’s meetings with Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese leaders produced tangible outcomes, including visa-free entry, tariff reductions and new cooperation frameworks across trade, climate and education. The breadth of agreements reflects Britain’s urgent need for growth and investment in a stagnant economy.

The article argues that London’s previous hardening stance toward Beijing was driven largely by alignment with Washington’s containment strategy. However, as US pressure intensifies and transatlantic relations grow more volatile, the US’s traditional allies are starting to gradually reassess the extent to which their interests are served by subjugating themselves to Washington. China, by contrast, has proven itself to be a reliable advocate of multilateralism and mutually beneficial cooperation.

While resistance from US officials, British “China hawks” and sections of the media remains strong, the article contends that full Atlanticist alignment is increasingly untenable. Starmer’s visit, while bearing relatively modest fruit, reflects a broader shift toward multipolarity. Britain now faces a strategic choice: continue subordinating its interests to Washington, or adapt pragmatically to a world in which engagement with China is economically and politically unavoidable.

The Starmer visit is further explored in articles we posted on 4 February: Breaking the ice: Starmer’s pragmatic turn to China and Keir Starmer’s small-stick diplomacy.

British Premier Keir Starmer’s visit to China on January 28-31 was the first trip by a British prime minister to Beijing in eight years. It came at a time of uncertainty in both British domestic politics and international relations, reflecting wider geopolitical shifts.

An analysis of the escalating US threats toward China

In the following article, Mick Kelly, the Political Secretary of the Freedom Road Socialist Organisation (FRSO) in the United States, argues that the US is on a collision course with socialist China. Scholarly international relations journals, such as Foreign Affairs, regularly carry articles about a coming war between the two countries.

Mick notes that in a rapidly changing world China is ascending while the United States is being left behind, with China’s rapid development standing in great contrast to the deteriorating economic position of the US. The bellicose war threats from Washington are a sign of weakness, not strength.

Giving a historical context, he points out that from the victory of the Chinese revolution in 1949 until the early 1970s, US foreign policy towards China was characterized by extremely hostility. Then came “ping pong diplomacy,” and in 1972 both countries signed the Shanghai Communiqué agreeing that “all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China.” This One China principle was reaffirmed when Beijing and Washington established formal diplomatic relations at the end of 1979

In the following decades, the US followed a strategy of “peaceful evolution,” which held that by using political, economic and cultural ties, it would be possible to foster forces in China antithetical to socialism, capitalism would prevail, and a Western-style government would ultimately be established. The application of this strategy was played out in the late 1980s when the US did everything it could to encourage turmoil in China and the other socialist countries. In China, however, socialism continued to not only survive but to thrive, creating incredible social achievements such as the elimination of extreme poverty.

Mick concludes that: “Socialist China is a beacon of progress. Its existence demonstrates that socialism brings peace and prosperity, while the United States controls a declining empire that is continuously at war. The difference between the two roads these respective countries offer could not be starker. When US warmongers talk about ‘modernising’ nuclear weapons, in the next breath they mention China. Progressives and revolutionaries in the United States must do everything in our power to stop them and join with people around the world who want to do the same.”

The article originally appeared in the book, China Changes Everything. It is republished here from Workers World.

China and Vietnam reaffirm solidarity with Cuba

Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) and Foreign Minister of Cuba, recently visited China as a Special Envoy of the Cuban party and government. The visit occurred in the context of the viciously enhanced US blockade and the severe crisis this is engendering in the heroic socialist island.

Rodríguez met with Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on February 5.

Wang said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel met on two occasions last year to draw a blueprint for building a closer China-Cuba community with a shared future, adding that China will firmly support Cuba’s just struggle against external interference and work with Cuba to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

Noting that China is an important force in safeguarding world peace and carries hope for the Global South, Rodríguez said that Cuba is willing to work with China to implement the consensus reached between the two heads of state, continuously enhance relations between the two parties and countries, and uphold international fairness and justice.

The Cuban envoy also met with Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the same day.

Wang Yi asked Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla to convey President Xi Jinping’s warm greetings to Comrade Raúl Castro Ruz and President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez. Wang Yi stated that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s birth. For a long time, Cuba has adhered to the tradition of independence, firmly safeguarding state sovereignty and national dignity, and striving to explore a socialist path suited to its own national conditions. With a spirit of never yielding to coercive power and not fearing hardships, Cuba has earned widespread respect from the international community.

China reaffirms backing for Iran

China has reiterated its support for Iran’s right to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and national dignity as well as its legitimate rights and interests.

The Tehran Times newspaper reported this, on February 6, noting that this was stated by Assistant Foreign Minister Miao Deyu in a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi who was visiting Beijing.

Miao underlined that China is opposed to unilateral bullying and coercion in international relations and to interference in other countries’ internal affairs.

The Iranian diplomat, in turn, briefed his Chinese counterpart on the developments in Iran as well as issues related to Iran’s nuclear program. He underlined that Tehran remains committed to resolving issues through diplomatic channels and would like to move forward with negotiations based on fairness and justice. He said Iran is opposed to foreign threats and pressure and praises China’s role in maintaining regional and international peace and stability.

Whilst in Beijing, Gharibabadi also met with Nurlan Yermekbayev, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), of which Iran is a member.

The following article was originally published by Tehran Times.

TEHRAN – China has reiterated its support for Iran’s entitlement to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and national dignity as well as its legitimate rights and interests.

That was announced by Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Miao Deyu in a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi in the Chinese capital, Beijing.

During the talks, the Chinese diplomat noted that his country closely monitors developments in Iran.

He underlined that China is opposed to unilateral bullying and coercion in international relations and interference in other countries’ internal affairs. He said China is willing to boost engagement and cooperation with all parties, including Iran, so that the principles of the UN Charter as well as fundamental norms ruling international relations would be respected and international justice would prevail.

The Iranian diplomat, in turn, briefed his Chinese counterpart on the developments in Iran as well as issues related to Iran’s nuclear program. Gharibabadi underlined that Tehran remains committed to resolving issues through diplomatic channels and would like to move forward with negotiations based on fairness and justice. He said Iran is opposed to foreign threats and pressure and praises China’s role in maintaining regional and international peace and stability.

The visiting Iranian diplomat also held a separate meeting with Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev.

During the talks, the two sides discussed current priorities of the organization for the year 2026 and traded views on the arrangements for a plenary session of the SCO in the fall. They further discussed the implementation of Iran’s initiative in the domains of transportation, economy, energy and other fields.

The SCO chief, for his part, said the motto “achieving peace, stability, common development and welfare” proposed by the SCO’s rotating president is of utmost significance.

China says: Hong Kong has long returned to China and British colonial rule over Hong Kong has long ended

On February 9, the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China sentenced Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong, to 20 years in prison.

Lai was found guilty in December by the High Court of the HKSAR on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. Mitigation hearing for Lai’s case began on January 12 and concluded on January 13.

The Xinhua News Agency quoted a spokesperson for the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR as noting that the 156-day public trial, which involved the examination of 2,220 exhibits, over 80,000 pages of case files and testimonies of 14 prosecution witnesses, had established that Lai colluded with external forces to endanger national security.

A commentary published by the news agency asserted that: “Disguised as a media man while acting as an agent for external anti-China forces, Lai was the principal mastermind and perpetrator of a series of riots that shook Hong Kong and undermined the fundamental interests of both the country and the HKSAR. The reality of Lai’s crimes is clear, backed by conclusive evidence. The traitor has received the penalty he deserves… The days when external forces and anti-China destabilising elements could act with impunity are obviously over.”

An article posted on the social media account of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee noted:

“People have realised that Jimmy Lai has never been the so-called ‘fighter for freedom, democracy and human rights,’ but rather the chief culprit and a traitor to the nation who has harmed the country’s fundamental interests and the well-being of Hong Kong residents. Lai’s sentencing has once again proved that justice may be late, but it will come in the end.”

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said that Lai had long used the now-defunct Apple Daily to poison the minds of Hong Kong people, by inciting hatred, distorting facts, deliberately stirring up social antagonism and glorifying violence. Lai had openly begged for external forces to impose sanctions against China and the HKSAR, sacrificing the well-being of the people of China and the HKSAR.

Lai betrayed the country and harmed the HKSAR. His conviction is supported by overwhelming evidence and he for sure deserves his punishment after all the harm he has done.

The sentence passed on Lai has led to renewed outbursts on the part of international anti-China, anti-socialist forces, not least the British government and media.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement: “We stand with the people of Hong Kong, and will always honour the historical commitments made under the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration. China must do the same.”

A joint statement by Cooper and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced an “expanded Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route” whereby, “Thousands more Hong Kongers will be able to build new lives in Britain as the government strengthens safe and legal routes to the UK… It is estimated 26,000 people will arrive in the UK over the next 5 years.”

This from a government that is engaged in a relentlessly wicked, cruel and blatantly racist crusade against the most oppressed sections of the working class, particularly refugees and asylum seekers, the overwhelming majority of whom are fleeing from the devastation caused to their homelands by centuries-long and continuing wars, poverty and climate disasters directly resulting from colonial and imperialist super exploitation and oppression.