Category: International relations

New phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor aims to bring new opportunities to local communities and every family

As part of the Beijing activities marking the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, the China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum and the Meeting of the CPEC [China Pakistan Economic Corridor] Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism, hosted by the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (IDCPC), was held on May 24 under the theme “Jointly Building a China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era: Political Parties in Action”.

IDCPC Minister Liu Haixing and Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, delivered keynote speeches. The event was attended by about 140 participants, including leaders of 12 major Pakistani political parties, along with representatives from Pakistani think tanks, media and social organisations, and representatives from Chinese ministries, commissions, enterprises, media and academic circles.

Liu noted, over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Pakistan have always stood side by side through thick and thin, setting an example of political mutual trust, mutual benefit, win-win cooperation, friendship between the two peoples and multilateral coordination between countries with different ideologies and systems.

The CPC stands ready to work with all major Pakistani political parties to build political consensus, make full use of platforms such as the China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum, and conduct regular consultations on major issues in bilateral relations to continuously consolidate the political foundation for bilateral strategic cooperation. It is necessary to build development consensus, leverage the CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism to advance high-quality practical cooperation and ensure cooperation outcomes benefit all Pakistani people.

Dar noted, Pakistan and China share a close, brotherly relationship. Inter-party exchanges are an important part of bilateral relations. Over the past 75 years since diplomatic ties were established, exchanges and cooperation between political parties of both countries have never been interrupted despite changes in the international landscape. Maintaining and developing the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is a cross-party consensus in Pakistan. The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and China-Pakistan solidarity and cooperation serves as an important stabilising force in the region.

Pakistan Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, who is also secretary-general of the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) said that CPEC, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, has helped reshape Pakistan’s economic landscape over the past decade and is now moving into a more demanding phase. Its focus is shifting beyond infrastructure-led growth and toward industrialisation, innovation, sustainability, agricultural modernisation, and people-centred development — areas that require stronger planning, policy continuity, and institutional coordination. China’s development offers useful references for that transition.

Syed Hussain Tariq, a senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), said CPEC 2.0 will require more than project-level cooperation, calling on Pakistani political parties to help build the policy understanding, social support, and political momentum needed for the corridor’s future development. He said that the delegation’s visit to Beijing has offered a closer look at China’s push to develop new quality productive forces and its emphasis on making artificial intelligence serve ordinary people, including farmers. Such exchanges, he said, have offered inspiration for Pakistan as it seeks to turn CPEC into broader gains for society.

Balochistan Governor Jaffar Khan Mandokhail said Pakistan-China cooperation should be measured not only by the projects completed, but also by whether ordinary people can see real changes in their daily lives. Stronger public trust depends on tangible benefits, especially for young people, he said, citing scholarships, support for public universities, and cooperation in digital connectivity, artificial intelligence, and green technology as ways to bring new opportunities to local communities.

Amir Chishti, a senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) (MQM-P), said CPEC’s future development should place greater emphasis on local empowerment and youth employment. Industrial projects and job creation, he said, can improve living standards, strengthen people’s sense of ownership, and make the corridor more socially sustainable. The second phase of CPEC is therefore not only an economic necessity, but also a social and strategic one, as its success will depend on whether local communities can share in the prosperity it brings.

The question of whether development can reach ordinary families also shaped Malik Ahmad Khan’s view of China’s poverty reduction record. The speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab said China’s success in lifting nearly 800 million people out of poverty is one of the greatest achievements in human history. For Pakistan, cooperation with China should not only be about learning how to build, but also about ensuring that every family truly benefits from development.

On the same day, the Pakistan delegation also met with IDCPC vice-minister Sun Haiyan.

The Pakistan side spoke highly of the fruitful outcomes achieved over the 75 years since the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations, noting that developing friendly relations with China has long been the cross-party consensus in Pakistan. In recent years, the development of CPEC has given a strong boost to Pakistan’s economic and social development, including the development of Balochistan Province. All political parties in Pakistan hope to continue strengthening inter-party exchanges with the CPC and contribute the strength of political parties to the development of bilateral relations.

Sun also met with the delegation of the Punjab Provincial Assembly of Pakistan led by its speaker Malik Ahmad Khan.

Sun noted, over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, bilateral relations have maintained high-level development under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders. The CPC stands ready to take the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations as an opportunity to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and promote exchanges and cooperation between relevant Chinese provinces and Punjab in agriculture, artificial intelligence, youth and other fields.

Malik said, China is Pakistan’s most reliable all-weather strategic partner, and friendship with China is a cross-party consensus in Pakistan. CPEC has transformed the lives of the Pakistani people. Punjab hopes to take the opportunity of the Upgraded Version 2.0 of CPEC to deepen exchanges and cooperation with China in agriculture, artificial intelligence, youth and other fields, and ensure the enduring friendship between the two countries from generation to generation.

The following articles were originally published on the website of the IDCPC and by China Daily.

China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum and Meeting of CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism Held

Beijing, May 24th (IDCPC) — China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum and Meeting of CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism, hosted by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), was held here today under the theme “Jointly Building a China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era: Political Parties in Action”. Liu Haixing, Minister of the IDCPC, and Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, attended and delivered keynote speeches. The event was attended by about 140 participants, including Ahsan Iqbal, Secretary-General of the PML-N and Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, leaders of 12 major Pakistani political parties, as well as representatives from Pakistani think tanks, media and social organizations, and representatives from Chinese ministries, commissions, enterprises, media and academic circles.

Liu noted, over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Pakistan have always stood side by side through thick and thin, setting an example of political mutual trust, mutual benefit, win-win cooperation, friendship between the two peoples and multilateral coordination between countries with different ideologies and systems. Since the beginning of the new era, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders, the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership has been continuously deepened, advancing steadily toward the goal of building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future. Both countries are currently at a crucial stage of development and rejuvenation. The two sides should implement the latest important consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders, seize the opportunities of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, promote the upgrading of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), maintain close communication and coordination on major international and regional hotspot issues, and jointly build a China-Pakistan community with a shared future featuring stronger political mutual trust, closer economic ties, deeper security cooperation and a firmer public opinion foundation, contributing more to safeguarding world peace and stability.

Liu said, political parties should play an active role in providing ideological guidance and building consensus for the building of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future. The CPC stands ready to work with all major Pakistani political parties to build political consensus, make full use of platforms such as the China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum, and conduct regular consultations on major issues in bilateral relations to continuously consolidate the political foundation for bilateral strategic cooperation. We need to build development consensus, leverage the CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism to advance high-quality practical cooperation and ensure cooperation outcomes benefit all Pakistani people. We need to foster security consensus to support deeper cooperation in counter-terrorism, security and defense, and build social consensus to tell stories of China-Pakistan friendship well, expand exchanges on areas such as think tanks, youth, women, and culture, and launch “small and beautiful” livelihood projects to consolidate public support for China-Pakistan friendship.

Dar noted, Pakistan and China share a close, brotherly relationship. Inter-party exchanges are an important part of bilateral relations. Over the past 75 years since diplomatic ties were established, exchanges and cooperation between political parties of both countries have never been interrupted despite changes in the international landscape. Maintaining and developing the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is a cross-party consensus in Pakistan. The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and China-Pakistan solidarity and cooperation serve as an important stabilizing force in the region. The two countries maintain high-level communication and coordination on international and regional issues. Pakistan highly appreciates the major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, which reflect his far-sighted vision. Pakistan will firmly support and actively participate in these initiatives. Pakistan stands ready to further consolidate strategic and political mutual trust with China, deepen practical cooperation across all fields, jointly build an upgraded version of the CPEC, promote exchanges at all levels including political parties, legislatures, media and youth, implement the action plan for building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future, and inject more stability and positive energy into the region and the world.

Foreign guests attending the meeting noted, the Pakistan-China friendship has stood the test of international changes and remains unbreakable. A firm policy of developing friendly relationship with China is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign and development strategies. The China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum provides an important platform for both countries to implement the important consensus of the two countries’ leaders, enhance mutual trust and build consensus. The CPEC has provided significant support for improving Pakistan’s economic and social landscape and is a jewel in the Belt and Road Initiative. China’s 15th Five-Year Plan is highly aligned with URAAN Pakistan Program. Pakistan stands ready to strengthen inter-party exchanges and cooperation, promote the alignment of national development strategies through the political party channel, provide political support for the upgraded version of the CPEC, and strive for more outcomes in the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to better benefit the two peoples.

Participants also exchanged views on topics including consolidating high-level political mutual trust, deepening high-level cooperation, and promoting high-level people-to-people exchanges.

Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the IDCPC, chaired the meeting.

The meeting adopted the Joint Initiative of Chinese and Pakistani Political Parties to Join Hands to Build a China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era.

Party exchanges spur evolution of China-Pakistan cooperation

May 25 (China Daily) – Pakistani political leaders said party-to-party exchanges with China are gaining greater significance as the two countries mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and seek to advance the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into a new phase focused on industry, technology, agriculture, and people’s livelihoods.

Speaking at the China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum and Meeting of CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism, they said cooperation with China now goes beyond infrastructure and trade to include lessons from China’s long-term planning, policy continuity, poverty reduction, and people-centered development.

The event, hosted by the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was attended by about 140 people from China and Pakistan. Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said the two countries’ political parties should deepen exchanges, strengthen strategic coordination, and build a consensus on development.

China would work with Pakistan to upgrade CPEC with high standards and bring more tangible benefits to the Pakistani people through practical cooperation, he said.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said party-to-party exchanges have been a key pillar of bilateral cooperation over the past 75 years, helping the relationship withstand changes in the international environment and domestic political cycles.

The all-weather strategic cooperative partnership enjoys cross-party support in Pakistan, he said, adding that both countries attach importance to the people, social development, and economic growth. China’s achievements, Dar said, have been underpinned by policy consistency, the hard work of its people, and zero tolerance for corruption.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said CPEC, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, has helped reshape Pakistan’s economic landscape over the past decade and is now moving into a more demanding phase.

Its focus, he said, is shifting beyond infrastructure-led growth and toward industrialization, innovation, sustainability, agricultural modernization, and people-centered development — areas that require stronger planning, policy continuity, and institutional coordination.

China’s development offers useful references for that transition, Iqbal said, adding that Pakistani political parties, provincial governments, and public institutions can deepen exchanges with their Chinese counterparts under the CPEC framework on poverty alleviation, digital governance, urban planning, public services, and local development.

Syed Hussain Tariq, a senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, said CPEC 2.0 will require more than project-level cooperation, calling on Pakistani political parties to help build the policy understanding, social support, and political momentum needed for the corridor’s future development.

Tariq said that the delegation’s visits to Beijing have offered a closer look at China’s push to develop new quality productive forces and its emphasis on making artificial intelligence serve ordinary people, including farmers. Such exchanges, he said, have offered inspiration for Pakistan as it seeks to turn CPEC into broader gains for society.

Balochistan Governor Jaffar Khan Mandokhail said Pakistan-China cooperation should be measured not only by the projects completed, but also by whether ordinary people can see real changes in their daily lives.

Stronger public trust depends on tangible benefits, especially for young people, he said, citing scholarships, support for public universities, and cooperation in digital connectivity, artificial intelligence, and green technology as ways to bring new opportunities to local communities.

Amir Chishti, a senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, said CPEC’s future development should place greater emphasis on local empowerment and youth employment. Industrial projects and job creation, he said, can improve living standards, strengthen people’s sense of ownership, and make the corridor more socially sustainable.

The second phase of CPEC is therefore not only an economic necessity, but also a social and strategic one, he said, as its success will depend on whether local communities can share in the prosperity it brings.

The question of whether development can reach ordinary families also shaped Malik Ahmad Khan’s view of China’s poverty reduction record. The speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab said China’s success in lifting nearly 800 million people out of poverty is one of the greatest achievements in human history, achieved not through slogans, but through generations of persistent and practical effort.

Malik said his visit to Beigou village showed how a once underdeveloped community had achieved prosperity within a single generation. For Pakistan, cooperation with China should not only be about learning how to build, but also about ensuring that every family truly benefits from development, he said.

Ahmad Mujtaba Chaudhary, a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said his first visit to China replaced a childhood image shaped by films with the reality of a country that had eliminated extreme poverty.

That achievement was not a cold statistic, but “a living testimony of a civilization”, he said, adding that China’s development showed what people can achieve when they work together toward a shared goal.

Sun Haiyan Meets with a Delegation of Political Parties of Pakistan

Beijing, May 24th (IDCPC) — Sun Haiyan, Vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today on the morning with a delegation of political parties of Pakistan.

Sun said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan 75 years ago, the two countries have withstood numerous trials in history and forged an ironclad friendship. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders, the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership has advanced steadily. China stands ready to take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to work with all political parties in Pakistan to deliver on the important consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders, enhance exchanges and interactions, enable China-Pakistan cooperation to benefit more people, and promote the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.

The Pakistani side spoke highly of the fruitful outcomes achieved over the 75 years since the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations, noting that developing friendly relations with China has long been the cross-party consensus in Pakistan. In recent years, the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has given a strong boost to Pakistan’s economic and social development, including the development of Balochistan Province. It is expected that the two countries will seize the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations to further deepen exchanges and cooperation in infrastructure, new energy, digital economy, agriculture and fisheries, as well as education and youth affairs. All political parties in Pakistan hope to continue strengthening inter-party exchanges with the CPC and contribute the strength of political parties to the development of bilateral relations.

Sun Haiyan Meets with a Delegation of the Punjab Provincial Assembly of Pakistan

Beijing, May 24th (IDCPC) — Sun Haiyan, Vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today with a delegation of the Punjab Provincial Assembly of Pakistan led by Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Speaker of the Punjab Provincial Assembly.

Sun noted, over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, bilateral relations have maintained high-level development under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders. The CPC stands ready to take the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations as an opportunity to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and promote exchanges and cooperation between relevant Chinese provinces and Punjab in agriculture, artificial intelligence, youth and other fields. She also emphasized the CPC’s readiness to maintain close contacts with political parties in Pakistan including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, deepen mutual learning, and contribute to building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.

Malik said, China is Pakistan’s most reliable all-weather strategic partner, and friendship with China is a cross-party consensus in Pakistan. Under the wise leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, China has maintained long-term political stability and lifted nearly 100 million rural people out of absolute poverty, creating a remarkable “China model”. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has transformed the lives of the Pakistani people. Punjab hopes to take the opportunity of the Upgraded Version 2.0 of the CPEC to deepen exchanges and cooperation with China in agriculture, artificial intelligence, youth and other fields, and ensure the enduring friendship between the two countries from generation to generation.

China and Serbia to jointly promote the four global initiatives

China and Serbia agreed two important joint statements and concluded a raft of cooperation agreements during President Aleksandar Vučić’s May 24-28 state visit.

The Joint Statement by the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Serbia on Continuing to Advance the Building of a China-Serbia Community with a Shared Future in the New Era said that the two heads of state had agreed that building a community with a shared future for the new era is a strategic choice made by both sides based on each other’s development paths and the will of the people. Although China and Serbia differ in history, culture, and national conditions, they have always firmly defended national sovereignty and territorial integrity, always upheld fairness and justice, always stood on the right side of history, always upheld the spirit of openness and cooperation, are committed to people’s happiness and national prosperity, are committed to upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and to achieving the noble cause of peace and development for humanity and building a community with a shared future for humankind.

China highly appreciates Serbia’s achievements in economic and social development and improving people’s livelihoods, supports Serbia’s efforts to maintain national stability and social harmony, and is pleased to see Serbia smoothly advance the “Serbia 2030” development strategy, achieve its established goals on schedule, and promote Serbia’s development and people’s well-being.

 China also welcomes Belgrade’s hosting of the 2027 World Expo and is willing to actively participate, contributing to the successful hosting of this important event and strengthening cooperation with Serbia in areas of mutual concern such as culture and economy.

Serbia, for its part, wishes the Chinese people the full success of building a modern socialist country under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the smooth achievement of the second centenary goal. It supports China in comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong nation and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernisation.

Among the other key points agreed are:

  • Both sides reaffirm their firm support for each other’s safeguarding of national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity, emphasise respect for the rights of their peoples to independently choose their own development paths and social systems, support each other on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, and oppose external forces interfering in other countries’ internal affairs under any pretext.
  • Serbia reiterated that developing friendly relations with the People’s Republic of China is one of the main pillars of the country’s foreign policy and underlined its firm support for China on all its core issues of major concern.
  • China reiterated its opposition to imposing any proposals on the status of Kosovo and Metohija. Relevant parties should, within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, reach mutually acceptable solutions through dialogue and consultation. In this process, Serbia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity must be fully respected. China supports the Republic of Serbia’s efforts to seek a peaceful compromise through dialogue with representatives of the Pristina Temporary Institution, calling for the implementation of the agreements reached in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to effectively safeguard the religious and cultural heritage security of Serbia’s southern provinces of Kosovo and Metohija.
  • China understands Serbia’s efforts to become a member of the European Union and welcomes Serbia’s policy of developing friendly relations with regional countries and promoting regional peace and cooperation.
  • Serbia supports China’s efforts to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and agrees that, in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, the direct parties should peacefully resolve territorial disputes and maritime rights disputes through friendly consultation and negotiation.
  • Both sides agreed to deepen exchanges and cooperation in counterterrorism, prevention of “colour revolutions,” security for Belt and Road projects, and security for large-scale events, jointly combat various transnational crimes, continue joint police patrols and SWAT (tactical strength and endurance) joint exercises and training, and jointly improve law enforcement and security operation capabilities
  • They both highly appreciate the positive role of the Belt and Road Initiative in promoting the economic and social development of Serbia and China and are willing to continue deepening and expanding cooperation in trade, investment, transportation, energy, information, technology, and humanities within the framework of the initiative.
  • They also fully affirmed the importance of the China-Europe Railway Express between China and Serbia in promoting economic and trade cooperation between them and are willing to jointly take pragmatic measures to promote infrastructure connectivity, ensure the safety of China-Europe Railway Express transport corridors, and improve transportation quality and efficiency.
  • Both sides highly praised the achievements of their cooperation in technological innovation and will further strengthen pragmatic cooperation in space technology, artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence, digital economy, and new energy, jointly cultivating new quality productive forces.
  • Serbia places great importance on its membership in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a bank initiated by China that enables access to concessional loans and the implementation of priority projects.
  • Both sides are willing to continue deepening cooperation in exchanges among young scientists, joint research, and technology transfer, support research institutions and enterprises in jointly building joint laboratories, science parks, and incubators, promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and strengthen the integration of innovation ecosystems.
  • Both sides are willing to strengthen technological exchanges in the aerospace field, explore cooperation projects, promote practical cooperation, encourage close exchanges between enterprises and research institutions from both sides, achieve complementary advantages and mutual benefit, and advance space technology to serve economic and social development.
  • Both sides are willing to strengthen financial cooperation, re-sign bilateral local currency swap agreements, encourage financial institutions of both countries to use RMB swap funds to support trade and investment activities between enterprises from both countries, promote the further expansion of bilateral local currency settlement by Serbia’s RMB clearing bank, and facilitate trade and investment between the two countries.
  • Both sides attach great importance to cooperation in the field of e-commerce, continuously advancing the implementation of the “China-Serbia E-commerce Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding” signed in 2024, and are willing to study and promote compatibility of e-commerce rules and standards, expanding cooperation in online and offline national pavilions. China welcomes Serbia to participate in the “Silk Road E-commerce Benefits the World” series of events.
  • Both sides highly praised China-Serbia achievements in education, sports, healthcare, tourism, and local exchanges, and expressed willingness to further deepen vocational education cooperation and strengthen digital education and AI-empowered educational cooperation; Strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the health sector on bilateral and multilateral platforms, and promote the building of a community of human health and wellness; Deepen tourism cooperation and continuously improve the convenience of personnel exchanges; Encourage more provinces and cities of both countries to engage in friendly exchanges and promote positive results in sister city relations between China and Serbia.

A separate Joint Statement by the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Serbia on Jointly Promoting the Implementation of Four Major Global Initiatives emphasises the contemporary value and global significance of promoting the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilisation Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative.

Continue reading China and Serbia to jointly promote the four global initiatives

Serbian President warmly received on first state visit to China

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić paid a state visit to China from May 24-28.

On the afternoon of May 25, President Xi Jinping held talks with his Serbian counterpart at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

President Xi noted that during his state visit to Serbia in 2024, the two sides jointly opened a new chapter of building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era. Over the past two years, efforts to build this community have produced positive outcomes, which have not only brought benefits to the two peoples, but also set a fine example for state-to-state relations. The Chinese and Serbian nations have both experienced sufferings and glories and forged a persevering and tenacious character. Both nations are dedicated to pursuing independence and defending national dignity and understand the importance of promoting peaceful development and upholding fairness and justice. The two sides need to strengthen exchanges, consolidate mutual trust, deepen cooperation and extend mutual support, and work together to embark on a bright path toward a shared prosperous future, and bring China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights.

President Xi emphasised that the China-Serbia ironclad friendship is unique and underpinned by deep historical logic and a strong practical foundation. The two sides should continue giving each other firm support. China supports Serbia in following a development path that fits its national conditions and stands ready to strengthen experience sharing on governance with Serbia. The two sides need to strengthen the connection between their development strategies, work for the sound implementation of the mid-term action plan for Belt and Road cooperation, and further advance cooperation in areas such as transport and energy infrastructure. Facing a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, the two sides need to expand cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, green energy and advanced manufacturing, and identify new areas of growth.

In a changing and turbulent world, China and Serbia need to continue stepping up coordination and collaboration in international affairs, practice true multilateralism, and make unremitting efforts to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

President Vučić extended congratulations on China’s success in formulating and launching its 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development and expressed his confidence that under the leadership of President Xi, China will make greater achievements in its development. Since Serbia and China established a comprehensive strategic partnership, relations between the two countries have made remarkable progress, and cooperation has deepened across the board. The Serbian and Chinese peoples enjoy an ironclad friendship. The Serbian people will never forget China’s support for Serbia in safeguarding its independence and sovereignty and in pursuing its own path of development.

Serbia looks forward to working with China to deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, advance major projects, intensify people-to-people exchanges, and achieve more tangible results in Serbia-China relations. China, as a major country, has always treated smaller countries with equality and respect, and abided by international law, setting a good example for the world. Serbia supports the major global initiatives put forward by President Xi and stands ready to continue strengthening multilateral coordination with China to safeguard international peace, fairness and justice.

After the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of more than 20 cooperation documents in the areas of political relations, economy and trade, science and technology, education, legal affairs and culture.

 The two sides issued a joint statement on continuously building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era and a  joint statement on advancing the implementation of the four global initiatives. We will report on these in a subsequent post.

In the evening of May 25, President Xi held a presentation ceremony to award the Friendship Medal to President Vučić at the Great Hall of the People.

Continue reading Serbian President warmly received on first state visit to China

The rise of China and the imminent US exit: What must the Arabs do?

In the following article for the Palestine Chronicle, veteran Palestinian-American journalist Ramzy Baroud reflects on the deeper significance of Donald Trump’s recent state visit to China, and on what the accelerating decline of US hegemony means for the Arab world.

Baroud argues that Trump’s visit will be remembered as the moment Washington tacitly acknowledged Beijing’s ascendancy as a global superpower. Approaching Xi Jinping “not from a position of absolute global dictation, but through a lens of defensive pragmatism”, the US appeared less as an undisputed hegemon than as “a major power among equals”. He draws an instructive contrast with Nixon’s 1972 visit: where China was then a relatively isolated, largely agrarian society, today it is the world’s largest economy by purchasing power parity, a hub of global supply chains, and a leader in artificial intelligence and other frontier technologies.

Nowhere, Baroud writes, is American decline more visible than in the Middle East, where decades of disastrous military campaigns have eroded Washington’s credibility. He situates the US-Israeli war on Iran not as a return to regional dominance but as the “volatile spasms of a fading hegemony”, comparing it to the failed 1956 tripartite aggression against Egypt.

Meanwhile China, free of a colonial legacy and itself a survivor of Western imperialism, advances through economic integration and development
rather than military domination, and is fully committed to the principle of sovereign equality.

The challenge Baroud poses to the Arab world is one of political clarity, sovereignty and unity – and of action, above all, towards the freedom of Palestine.

US President Donald Trump’s state visit to China will go down in history as the day the United States finally acknowledged Beijing’s ascendancy as a global superpower. That acknowledgment does not need to be articulated in a formal statement; it can be clearly read in the subtext of diplomatic behavior, global perception, and shifting media coverage.

During the summit, Trump’s delegation—accompanied by prominent American corporate leaders—engaged with President Xi Jinping not from a position of absolute global dictation, but through a lens of defensive pragmatism. This transactional approach focused on securing bilateral trade commitments and preventing catastrophic economic friction.

The spectacle of the leader of the Western world navigating Beijing’s terms, while actively managing domestic economic anxieties, signals a profound shift. The traditional American posture of undisputed global hegemon has transformed into that of a major power among equals, seeking stable terms of co-existence with an unignorable rival.

The moment is comparable only to Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 visit to Beijing, though the circumstances are entirely different. Back then, the US’s aim was to exploit the Sino-Soviet split and gain leverage over the Soviet Union in exchange for the normalization of diplomatic ties.

Continue reading The rise of China and the imminent US exit: What must the Arabs do?

China and Pakistan reaffirm rock solid friendship and common striving for peace

Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to China, May 23-26, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang. The visit marked the 75th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations. Pakistan was one of the first non-socialist countries to establish diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China.

On the afternoon of May 25, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Sharif at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

President Xi noted that over the past 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Pakistan have enjoyed mutual understanding, trust and support, and forged an unbreakable traditional friendship. Their strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation have strongly promoted the development of both nations. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will always place priority on the development of China-Pakistan relations in its diplomacy with neighbouring countries.

President Xi shared his pleasure in receiving a letter from Pakistani students studying at Tianjin University, in which they expressed their aspiration to become builders of cooperation, promoters of exchanges, and guardians of friendship between China and Pakistan. He said he was truly heartened to see that the cause of China-Pakistan friendship has dedicated young successors. The two sides should accelerate the development of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era and deliver more outcomes from their all-weather cooperation to better benefit the two peoples, contribute to regional peace and stability, and set a fine example for building a community with a shared future with neighbouring countries.

The Chinese leader further stressed that China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The two sides should make solid progress in implementing the Action Plan to Foster an Even Closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era, advance both major signature projects and “small and beautiful” livelihood programs, and deepen all-round cooperation in areas such as agriculture, industry, artificial intelligence, and talent cultivation. China appreciates Pakistan for demonstrating a proactive spirit and mediating for peace to return to the Middle East. The two sides should maintain close communication and coordination, jointly oppose unilateralism and the Cold War mentality, and promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and an economic globalisation that is universally beneficial and inclusive.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that President Xi is a great friend of the Pakistani people and also a great friend of all peace-loving humanity. Under President Xi’s strong leadership, China has achieved remarkable economic progress and provided strength for maintaining world peace and building a multipolar world. The ironclad friendship between Pakistan and China was forged personally by the elder generation of leaders. It is growing ever stronger and is next to none. Pakistan firmly upholds the one-China principle and stands resolutely with China on all issues concerning China’s core interests. Pakistan will always be China’s good friend and good partner.

He added that Pakistan appreciates China for supporting its mediation of the negotiations between the United States and Iran. The four propositions put forward by President Xi on the Middle East situation provide a guiding framework for peace in the region. Pakistan stands ready to coordinate closely with China to jointly contribute to world peace and stability.

Prime Minister Sharif also met with Premier Li Qiang on the same day.

Li said that China stands ready to further advance the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and push forward major connectivity projects between the two countries. China, he added,  always prioritises relations and cooperation with Pakistan in its neighbourhood diplomacy, and is willing to stand in even closer solidarity with Pakistan to carry forward traditional friendship, strengthen mutual support, continuously expand practical cooperation, and see the building of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future yield more fruitful outcomes.

Continue reading China and Pakistan reaffirm rock solid friendship and common striving for peace

Senior Chinese leader visits Slovakia and Albania

Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and vice chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, paid a visit to Slovakia from May 18-20.

During his visit, Li respectively met with President Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister Robert Fico and National Council Speaker Richard Rasi. He also held talks with Deputy Speaker of the National Council Tibor Gaspar.

Li said that under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Slovak leaders, the development of the China-Slovakia strategic partnership has entered a new stage. Both sides should continue to consolidate political mutual trust, deepen traditional friendship, and firmly support each other’s core interests and major concerns, building up the foundation of bilateral relations.

China is willing to strengthen strategic alignment with Slovakia, deepen and expand practical cooperation in trade and investment, new energy, digital economy and other fields, promote high-quality joint construction of Belt and Road projects and China-Central and Eastern European Countries cooperation, and enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, bringing more benefits to both peoples.

The Slovak side welcomed more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Slovakia and said the government will strengthen exchanges between both legislative bodies and promote the Slovakia-China strategic partnership to be more dynamic.

Li’s delegation then visited Albania from May 20-22 and met with Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi and Deputy Prime Minister Albana Kociu, held talks with Deputy Parliament Speaker Klodiana Spahiu, and exchanged views with the Albanian-China Friendship Association.

Li said that China appreciates Albania’s important support for the restoration of China’s lawful seat in the United Nations and is willing to work with Albania to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust, explore potential for practical cooperation, enhance the friendship between the two peoples, strengthen exchanges between the legislative bodies of both countries, and continuously inject new vitality into China-Albania relations. (On October 25, 1971, the then Socialist Albania led 17 UN members in proposing General Assembly Resolution 2758 which expelled the representatives of the authorities on Taiwan and restored China’s rightful place in the world body.)

The Albanian side said that it values the traditional good relations between the two countries, firmly supports the one-China principle, and is willing to share the opportunities of China’s development.

In the 1960s and 1970s, China sent more than 6,000 experts and assisted in more than 140 projects in Albania, providing outstanding support for the country’s economic and social development. Some of the projects are still in operation today.

Continue reading Senior Chinese leader visits Slovakia and Albania

CPC delegation visits Egypt and Tanzania

As reported by the Xinhua News Agency, Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (IDCPC), led a CPC delegation to visit Egypt and Tanzania from May 17 to 20.

On May 20, the Dialogue between the CPC and the six sister parties in Southern Africa was held at Tanzania’s Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School. Centered on the theme “strengthening solidarity and cooperation, advancing side by side on the path to modernisation”, it was attended by Liu Haixing and leaders of the six sister parties, including Asha-Rose Migiro, Secretary General of Tanzania’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi Party (CCM); Ludmila Maguni, Secretary for Foreign Relations of the Central Committee of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO); Nomvula Mokonyane, First Deputy Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa; Sophia Shaningwa, Secretary General of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) Party of Namibia; Gonçalves Muandumba, Secretary of Organisation and Mobilisation of the Central Committee of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA); and Munyaradzi Machacha, National Political Commissar of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).

Liu noted that, over the years, the CPC and the six sister parties have forged an unbreakable brotherhood in the fight against imperialism and colonialism and blazed a distinctive path of cooperation in the journey of development and rejuvenation. Against a complex and grave international landscape, further deepening solidarity and cooperation between the CPC and the six sister parties meets the shared aspirations of the people of China and the six Southern African countries and aligns with the global trend of unity and self-strengthening among the Global South. The CPC stands ready to work with the six sister parties to implement the important consensus reached between General Secretary Xi Jinping and the top leaders of the six parties, draw wisdom and strength from their shared struggles, carry forward fine traditions, and remain good comrades for mutual learning, good partners for common development, good brothers for mutual support, and good friends for solidarity and coordination. No matter how the international situation evolves, the CPC will work with the six sister parties to practice true multilateralism, advance the implementation of the four major global initiatives, and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice and build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Leaders of the six sister parties in Southern Africa noted, over the 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between African countries and China, China has been a staunch supporter and reliable cooperation partner of Africa. They spoke highly of the remarkable development achievements made by China under the CPC’s leadership, and commended China for firmly safeguarding the interests of developing countries on international and regional issues. Facing mounting internal and external pressures, many African political parties are thinking and exploring future development paths. They believed that political liberation without economic prosperity is incomplete and unsustainable. Africa is embracing a new wave of pursuit of economic independence. Africa’s modernisation drive shares core commonalities with China’s path to modernisation.

Continue reading CPC delegation visits Egypt and Tanzania

China and Russia agree joint statement on Further Strengthening Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation and Deepening Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation

Among the 40 agreements concluded during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s May 19-20 successful state visit to China the most comprehensive was the joint statement on Further Strengthening Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation and Deepening Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation.

At a little over 11,700 words, it covers a huge range of bilateral and international issues testifying to the close coordination, consensus and complementarity that has been painstakingly built between the world’s two main anti-hegemonic powers.

Some of the salient points in the joint statement are as follows:

  • This year marks the 30th anniversary of both sides’ declaration of their determination to develop a strategic partnership of cooperation for the 21st century based on equal trust and equality, and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation.
  •  The Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation inherits and promotes the long-standing tradition of China-Russia exchanges, follows recognised principles and norms of international law, and lays a long-term legal foundation for the development of contemporary China-Russia relations. It not only fully demonstrates the long-standing good-neighbourly friendship and the willingness to develop intergenerational friendship between the peoples of both countries, but also concretely embodies the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom for all humanity.
  • The basic principles of bilateral cooperation established in the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation have stood the test of time and still hold significant practical significance today. The bilateral relationship is characterised by non-alignment, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third countries.
  • Both sides agreed to extend the treaty in accordance with Article 25 of the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation, and will continue to abide by the principles and spirit of the treaty.
  • Both sides will continue to consolidate the traditional friendship between the two militaries, enhance mutual trust in the military field, improve cooperation mechanisms, expand joint exercises and joint sea and air patrols, strengthen coordination under bilateral and multilateral frameworks, jointly address various risks and challenges, and jointly safeguard global and regional security and stability.
  • Both sides emphasised the need to protect memorial facilities for martyrs who died in World War II within each other’s territories, and will continue cooperation in the protection and management of these facilities, jointly promoting the search and extraction of martyrs and missing remains, commemorating and honouring heroes, and improving the foundations of relevant laws and regulations.
  • Both sides highly appreciated the further deepening of coordination and cooperation under the tripartite mechanism involving Mongolia, as well as the prospects for the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and will actively promote the implementation and cooperation of key joint projects under the framework of this corridor. Both sides agreed to assist Mongolia in joining the regional integration process, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
  • Both sides will further strengthen cooperation in the protection of wildlife such as the Amur tiger, Amur leopard, giant panda, golden snub-nosed monkey, and migratory birds, and enhance the exchange of management experiences in nature reserves.
  • Both sides agreed to strengthen close cooperation in environmental protection and water resources. Continue to deepen cooperation in cross-border water and hydrological flood reporting and flood control to ensure flood safety in border areas between the two countries. Continue to deepen practical cooperation in water quality protection across boundary water bodies, maintain cooperation on emergency liaison for sudden ecological environmental incidents, promote the construction of a network of transboundary nature reserves, protect biodiversity, strengthen cooperation in waste management, and continue to advance nature conservation cooperation under the framework of the G20, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and the Northeast Asia subregional environmental protection cooperation program.
  • Both sides agreed to deepen pragmatic cooperation between China and the Eurasian Economic Union under the framework of the “Agreement on Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and the Eurasian Economic Union,” and to continuously advance the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union development plan in areas such as transportation, logistics, transportation, digitalisation, e-commerce, policy coordination and elimination of trade barriers, food, and agricultural product trade. Both sides believe that this dialogue mechanism is crucial for promoting trade cooperation, facilitating deepening economic integration and connectivity in the Asia-Pacific and Eurasian regions, and advancing the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative and the establishment of the Greater Eurasian Partnership. Both sides are willing to further upgrade and expand the institutional arrangements for economic and trade cooperation between China and the Eurasian Economic Union and its member states.
Continue reading China and Russia agree joint statement on Further Strengthening Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation and Deepening Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation

China and Russia issue joint statement on advocating global multipolarity and new types of international relations

One important outcome of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s May 19-20 state visit to China  was the adoption of a Joint Statement on Advocating Global Multipolarity and New Types of International Relations.

Without criticising any country by name, it sets out a democratic program for a new world fundamentally at odds with the arbitrary and aggressive paradigm followed by the imperialist and hegemonist powers headed by the United States.

The statement begins by noting that: “Both the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation have long histories and civilisations, are founding members of the United Nations and permanent members of the Security Council, and are important forces in a multipolar world, playing a constructive role in maintaining the global balance of power and improving the international relations system.”

Noting that since the end of World War II, the international landscape and balance of power have accelerated their evolution, it goes on:

“On one hand, the wave of decolonisation and the end of the Cold War have greatly increased the number of sovereign countries worldwide, making the international community more diverse and complex. The development level and international influence of countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean have surged, and the number of regional and transregional organisations has surged, covering areas such as international politics, security, economy, and cultural cooperation, with their roles in global affairs continuously growing.”

However: “Some countries arbitrarily manipulate international affairs, impose their interests worldwide with colonial-era thinking, and restrict the development of other sovereign nations [but this has] completely failed.”

Rather: “The international relations system of the 21st century is undergoing profound transformation, gradually evolving toward multipolarity and new types of international relations.”

But: “The international situation is becoming increasingly complex, with unilateral coercion, hegemonism, bloc confrontation, and neo-colonialism surging against the currents. International law and basic norms of international relations are being continuously trampled, making it even harder for many global governance institutions to coordinate actions between states and mediate international disputes and to operate effectively. World peace and development face new risks and challenges, with the danger of fragmentation and regression to the law of the jungle within the international community.”

The statement then makes a number of calls:

  • Adhere to openness, inclusiveness, and mutually beneficial cooperation. We should respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and uniqueness of each country, and respect the development paths and models chosen independently by each sovereign nation. There is no universal development path in the world, nor is there any country or nation superior to others. In the complex international landscape, natural differences between countries should not become obstacles to developing equal, mutually beneficial, and mutually respectful interstate relations. Unilateral means to solve common problems, any form of hegemonic or coercive policies, are unacceptable.
  • Adhere to safety, equality, and indivisibility. Against the backdrop of growing risks and challenges facing humanity, building a more united international community means that one country’s security cannot come at the expense of another’s security. All sovereign states enjoy equal rights to ensure their own security. We should pay attention to the legitimate security concerns of all countries, strengthen coordination on security issues, resist bloc confrontation and ‘zero-sum games,’ oppose the expansion of military alliances, hybrid wars, and proxy wars, and advocate for the construction of a balanced, effective, and sustainable new global and regional security architecture.
  • Adhere to promoting the democratisation of international relations and improving the global governance system. All countries and national groups are free to choose partners and international cooperation models. Hegemonism is unacceptable and should be resisted. No country or group of countries may control international affairs, dominate the fate of other countries, or monopolise development advantages. Upholding multilateralism is the main approach to solving complex global problems, and its role should be strengthened to prevent the UN’s authority from being weakened. Reforms of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions should serve the interests of all humanity and continuously enhance the representation and voice of developing countries in the international system. Rules established by a few countries cannot replace universally accepted international laws. A major power should earnestly shoulder its special responsibilities and missions, strengthen self-restraint, and refrain from abusing its own strength.
  • Uphold world civilisation and value diversity.  All human civilisations are equal and possess unique value, with no superiority or inferiority. No civilisation’s moral and spiritual system should be regarded as exclusive or superior to other civilisations.

Both sides agreed that they will continue to develop a shared vision for building a multipolar world and a more just new type of international relations.

Continue reading China and Russia issue joint statement on advocating global multipolarity and new types of international relations

Pakistan Prime Minister to visit China as the two countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari exchanged congratulatory messages on May 21, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between their two countries.

Xi said that China and Pakistan are good friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners linked by mountains and rivers and sharing weal and woe. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 75 years ago, no matter how the international situation has changed, the friendship between China and Pakistan has always remained rock-solid and unbreakable.

For his part, Zardari said the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership has stood the test of time and become a steadfast pillar for regional peace, stability and development. Pakistan sincerely appreciates China’s steadfast support for Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity and promoting its economic and social development, said Zardari, adding that his country will continue to support China on issues concerning its core interests and further elevate the Pakistan-China friendship to new levels.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also exchanged congratulatory messages.

Also on May 21, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will pay an official visit to China from May 23-26.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing that Sharif’s visit is an important high-level exchange between China and Pakistan on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with Sharif and Premier Li Qiang will hold talks with him.

Noting that China and Pakistan are good friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners, Guo said that over the past 75 years, China-Pakistan relations have stood all tests and remained rock-solid, setting a fine example for state-to-state relations. He added that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of leaders of the two countries, the two sides have maintained close high-level exchanges and steadily advanced practical cooperation, yielding fruitful outcomes in the high-quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Meanwhile, Cai Dafeng, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), led a delegation to visit Pakistan from May 20-22 at the invitation of the National Assembly of Pakistan.

During his stay, Cai met with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, and attended the commemorative activities marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan together with the four Pakistani leaders.

Continue reading Pakistan Prime Minister to visit China as the two countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties

President Putin makes historic 25th visit to China

Testifying to the exceptionally close friendly relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to China, May 19-20, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. It was the Russian leader’s 25th visit to China since he first assumed the presidency of his country.

President Putin arrived in Beijing at night on May 19 and was warmly welcomed at the airport by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the political bureau of the central committee of the Communist Party of China. The substantive business of the visit was conducted throughout an intense May 20.

On the morning of May 20, President Xi Jinping held talks with President Putin at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The talks were held consecutively in small and large group formats and the two presidents agreed to further extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation.

According to the report published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, President Xi noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation Between China and Russia. The signing of the treaty established by law the institutional foundation of long-term good-neighbourliness, friendship and comprehensive strategic coordination. Since then, the bilateral relationship has achieved leapfrog development. China-Russia relations have come this far step by step, “precisely because we have kept deepening political mutual trust and strategic coordination with unyielding tenacity, expanded all-round cooperation with a drive to always scale new heights, and defended international justice and fairness and advanced the building of a community with a shared future for humanity with unflappable resolve. Under the current international situation, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and important major countries in the world, China and Russia should take a strategic and long-term perspective, drive the development and revitalisation of our respective countries through comprehensive strategic coordination of even higher quality, and work to make the global governance system more just and equitable.  The two sides should deepen multilateral coordination, further increase coordination and collaboration on multilateral platforms such as the UN, the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), BRICS and APEC, unswervingly uphold the postwar international order and the authority of international law, unite the Global South, and steer the reform of the global governance system in the right direction.”

President Putin said that Russia-China cooperation is an important stabilising factor in the turbulent international environment. Russia is ready to continue to strengthen multilateral coordination with China, support China in hosting the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, jointly enhance the standing and influence of the SCO, strengthen BRICS unity and coordination, uphold the authority of the UN, advocate diversity of civilisations, and make the international order more just and equitable. 

Following the talks, the two heads of state signed and issued the Joint Statement Between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Further Strengthening Comprehensive Strategic Coordination and Deepening Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation and witnessed the signing of 20 cooperation documents in such areas as economy and trade, education, and science and technology.

Continue reading President Putin makes historic 25th visit to China

Cuban commentary on the Xi Trump summit

In the following article, which is reproduced from Resumen Latinoamericano and the Global South, veteran Cuban journalist Luis Manuel Arce Issac writes that:

“Trump’s visit to China highlighted Xi Jinping’s rise and the United States’ global decline in the economy, technology, and international leadership.”

According to Arce: “There is a consensus that… in a year and a few months as president in his second term, the Republican leader set his country back on all fronts with his failed goal of weakening China… China’s strategy has extraordinarily outperformed the US strategy due to a degree of effectiveness that ideologues and political and economic leaders allied with Trump never foresaw or imagined: while they filled the world with wars of all kinds to achieve their goals through brute force, Xi Jinping did the opposite by prioritising peace and mutually beneficial collaboration, with surprisingly positive results.”

He concludes: “While Xi Jinping builds factors of balance and dialogue, Trump destroys what little the US had left and speaks on equal footing with only three countries: China, Russia, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea—all of which are also nuclear powers.

 “Outside that narrow framework, it treats even its European allies with contempt and points its guns and missiles at the heads of others or surrounds them with its destroyers and aircraft carriers.

“In short, the US is a power in decline, while China is on the rise.”

Luis Manuel Arce Issac is a Cuban journalist with more than six decades of uninterrupted professional experience. He served as a war correspondent in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Nicaragua, and as a correspondent for the Prensa Latina news agency in countries such as Venezuela, Uruguay, Spain, and Mexico. He served as spokesperson for Commander Ernesto “Che” Guevara when Guevara was Cuba’s Minister of Industry and was part of the group of journalists who covered the overseas trips of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro. He has received awards and honours for his journalistic work in Cuba, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Mexico.

Continue reading Cuban commentary on the Xi Trump summit

Wang Yi elaborates on outcomes from Donald Trump China visit

Following the May 13-15 state visit to China by US President Donald J. Trump, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, gave a detailed briefing on the outcomes and on what China considers to be the common understandings reached between the two sides.

Some of the key points made by Wang Yi include:

  • China-US relations have reached a new starting point. This is the first face-to-face engagement between President Xi and President Trump since their Busan [Republic of Korea] meeting last October, and also the first visit to China by a US president in nine years. As transformation not seen in a century accelerates across the globe, the world has once again reached a crossroads. President Xi raised some important questions: Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm of major-country relations? Can we meet global challenges together and provide greater stability for the world? Can we build a bright future together for our bilateral relations in the interest of the well-being of the two peoples and the future of humanity? These questions are vital to history, to the world, and to the people. They are the questions of our times.
  • The most important political understanding they reached was the agreement to build “a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.” They also agreed for the two sides to pursue more exchanges on foreign policy, military-to-military relations, economy and trade, public health, agriculture, tourism, people-to-people ties, and law enforcement. This will provide a powerful boost to China-US interactions at all levels and in all fields.
  • President Xi and President Trump agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability. This is how China understands it:
  • As the world’s top two economies, China and the United States share deep ties. Neither can cut the other out or prosper without the other. We both gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. While a confrontational relationship will be disastrous for both countries and the world, China-US cooperation will get many great things done to the benefit of both and all.
  • It should be healthy stability where competition is kept within proper limits and is not turned into a zero-sum game. Major-country competition is nothing new, but China-US relations should not be defined by competition. When competition does happen, it must be a healthy one where we learn from each other, pursue excellence together, and compete fairly in compliance with rules.
  • It should be constant stability where differences are manageable, and the relationship should not be like a roller coaster. Both sides should maintain policy continuity and stability. It is very important for both sides to honour our words and move in the same direction.
  • It should be lasting stability where peace is expectable and conflicts and wars are not acceptable. Peaceful coexistence is the biggest common denominator of China and the United States. Conflict and confrontation between us will produce consequences no one can bear. To prevent this from happening, the bottom line is that both sides must abide by the three China-US joint communiqués, respect each other’s social systems and development paths, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and respect each other’s right to development.
  • In short, building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability is not a slogan. It should be a goal both sides uphold and entail concerted actions.
  • At the invitation of President Trump, President Xi will pay a state visit to the United States this fall.
  • The Beijing summit will reenergise exchanges between the two sides’ legislative bodies, subnational entities and business, academic and media communities, and add more dimensions to the constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.
  • President Xi has pointed out that the hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in grassroots connections, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from subnational exchanges. During this summit, both presidents spoke about the importance of promoting people-to-people exchanges. President Xi specially cited the “Ping-Pong diplomacy” which took place 55 years ago. It opened up the China-US relations that had remained frozen for over two decades and marked a milestone in contemporary international relations. President Trump also reviewed historical interactions between the two nations, noting that Sino-US friendship goes all the way back to America’s founding and the American and Chinese people have shared a deep sense of appreciation and respect that ran in both directions.
  • During the visit, the two presidents toured the Temple of Heaven together. The tour provided insights into the Chinese appreciation of harmony among all beings and respect for the law of nature. This special program attested to the need for the two great countries to deepen mutual understanding and foster people-to-people friendship.
  • In the past year and more, legislative, subnational, and business delegations have visited each other more frequently. Many US business leaders accompanied President Trump to China on this trip, and he even invited them to the official talks. President Xi spoke to every one of them, encouraged them to strengthen cooperation with China, and stressed that China will open its door still wider. Premier Li Qiang also met with the US business leaders. They all said that they have a deep commitment to the Chinese market and want to grow their business here and strengthen cooperation with Chinese partners.
  • The Taiwan question was an important topic taken up at the summit. China’s position is very clear:
  • First, the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair. Realising complete reunification is an aspiration shared by all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. It is also the unwavering, historic mission of the Communist Party of China. The mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China. This is a fact established since antiquity, the real status quo of the Taiwan Strait, and an important part of the postwar international order. We hope that the US side will strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués and honour its international obligation.
  • Second, the Taiwan question is the most important issue between China and the US, one that affects the entire relationship. If it is handled properly, the overall relationship will be stable, and the two sides will be able to devote more energy to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, and the entire relationship will be in great jeopardy. China hopes that the US side will take concrete actions to keep the relationship on an even keel and contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
  • Third, China and the US both agree on the vital importance of safeguarding cross-Strait peace and stability. To ensure this is the case, one must never indulge or support “Taiwan independence,” because “Taiwan independence” and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water. Our impression coming out of the summit is that the US side understands China’s position, takes China’s concerns seriously, and, like the rest of the international community, does not agree with or accept Taiwan’s moving toward independence.
  • President Xi emphasised that the economic and trade ties are mutually beneficial and win-win by nature. Where disagreements and frictions exist, equal-footed consultation is the only right approach. The two economic and trade teams produced generally balanced and positive outcomes, including continuing to implement all the consensus reached in prior consultations, establishing a board of trade and a board of investment, addressing each other’s concerns regarding market access for agricultural products, and expanding two-way trade within the framework of reciprocal tariff reduction.
  • On the Middle East situation, President Xi set forth China’s consistent position. He emphasised that the use of force cannot solve problems, and dialogue is the only right choice. Negotiation may not produce immediate results, but now that the door of dialogue has been opened, it should not be closed again. China encourages the US and Iran to continue settling their differences and disputes through negotiation, including on the nuclear issue. China calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible on the basis of continued ceasefire and believes that the fundamental solution to the stalemate in the Strait lies in achieving a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. China has been working to promote peace talks and will continue to play its role for an early end to the conflict and restoration of peace in the Middle East.
Continue reading Wang Yi elaborates on outcomes from Donald Trump China visit

Following the May 13-15 state visit to China by US President Donald J. Trump, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, gave a detailed briefing on the outcomes and on what China considers to be the common understandings reached between the two sides.

Some of the key points made by Wang Yi include:

  • China-US relations have reached a new starting point. This is the first face-to-face engagement between President Xi and President Trump since their Busan [Republic of Korea] meeting last October, and also the first visit to China by a US president in nine years. As transformation not seen in a century accelerates across the globe, the world has once again reached a crossroads. President Xi raised some important questions: Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm of major-country relations? Can we meet global challenges together and provide greater stability for the world? Can we build a bright future together for our bilateral relations in the interest of the well-being of the two peoples and the future of humanity? These questions are vital to history, to the world, and to the people. They are the questions of our times.
  • The most important political understanding they reached was the agreement to build “a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.” They also agreed for the two sides to pursue more exchanges on foreign policy, military-to-military relations, economy and trade, public health, agriculture, tourism, people-to-people ties, and law enforcement. This will provide a powerful boost to China-US interactions at all levels and in all fields.
  • President Xi and President Trump agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability. This is how China understands it:
  • As the world’s top two economies, China and the United States share deep ties. Neither can cut the other out or prosper without the other. We both gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. While a confrontational relationship will be disastrous for both countries and the world, China-US cooperation will get many great things done to the benefit of both and all.
  • It should be healthy stability where competition is kept within proper limits and is not turned into a zero-sum game. Major-country competition is nothing new, but China-US relations should not be defined by competition. When competition does happen, it must be a healthy one where we learn from each other, pursue excellence together, and compete fairly in compliance with rules.
  • It should be constant stability where differences are manageable, and the relationship should not be like a roller coaster. Both sides should maintain policy continuity and stability. It is very important for both sides to honour our words and move in the same direction.
  • It should be lasting stability where peace is expectable and conflicts and wars are not acceptable. Peaceful coexistence is the biggest common denominator of China and the United States. Conflict and confrontation between us will produce consequences no one can bear. To prevent this from happening, the bottom line is that both sides must abide by the three China-US joint communiqués, respect each other’s social systems and development paths, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and respect each other’s right to development.
  • In short, building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability is not a slogan. It should be a goal both sides uphold and entail concerted actions.
  • At the invitation of President Trump, President Xi will pay a state visit to the United States this fall.
  • The Beijing summit will reenergise exchanges between the two sides’ legislative bodies, subnational entities and business, academic and media communities, and add more dimensions to the constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.
  • President Xi has pointed out that the hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in grassroots connections, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from subnational exchanges. During this summit, both presidents spoke about the importance of promoting people-to-people exchanges. President Xi specially cited the “Ping-Pong diplomacy” which took place 55 years ago. It opened up the China-US relations that had remained frozen for over two decades and marked a milestone in contemporary international relations. President Trump also reviewed historical interactions between the two nations, noting that Sino-US friendship goes all the way back to America’s founding and the American and Chinese people have shared a deep sense of appreciation and respect that ran in both directions.
  • During the visit, the two presidents toured the Temple of Heaven together. The tour provided insights into the Chinese appreciation of harmony among all beings and respect for the law of nature. This special program attested to the need for the two great countries to deepen mutual understanding and foster people-to-people friendship.
  • In the past year and more, legislative, subnational, and business delegations have visited each other more frequently. Many US business leaders accompanied President Trump to China on this trip, and he even invited them to the official talks. President Xi spoke to every one of them, encouraged them to strengthen cooperation with China, and stressed that China will open its door still wider. Premier Li Qiang also met with the US business leaders. They all said that they have a deep commitment to the Chinese market and want to grow their business here and strengthen cooperation with Chinese partners.
  • The Taiwan question was an important topic taken up at the summit. China’s position is very clear:
  • First, the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair. Realising complete reunification is an aspiration shared by all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. It is also the unwavering, historic mission of the Communist Party of China. The mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China. This is a fact established since antiquity, the real status quo of the Taiwan Strait, and an important part of the postwar international order. We hope that the US side will strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués and honour its international obligation.
  • Second, the Taiwan question is the most important issue between China and the US, one that affects the entire relationship. If it is handled properly, the overall relationship will be stable, and the two sides will be able to devote more energy to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, and the entire relationship will be in great jeopardy. China hopes that the US side will take concrete actions to keep the relationship on an even keel and contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
  • Third, China and the US both agree on the vital importance of safeguarding cross-Strait peace and stability. To ensure this is the case, one must never indulge or support “Taiwan independence,” because “Taiwan independence” and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water. Our impression coming out of the summit is that the US side understands China’s position, takes China’s concerns seriously, and, like the rest of the international community, does not agree with or accept Taiwan’s moving toward independence.
  • President Xi emphasised that the economic and trade ties are mutually beneficial and win-win by nature. Where disagreements and frictions exist, equal-footed consultation is the only right approach. The two economic and trade teams produced generally balanced and positive outcomes, including continuing to implement all the consensus reached in prior consultations, establishing a board of trade and a board of investment, addressing each other’s concerns regarding market access for agricultural products, and expanding two-way trade within the framework of reciprocal tariff reduction.
  • On the Middle East situation, President Xi set forth China’s consistent position. He emphasised that the use of force cannot solve problems, and dialogue is the only right choice. Negotiation may not produce immediate results, but now that the door of dialogue has been opened, it should not be closed again. China encourages the US and Iran to continue settling their differences and disputes through negotiation, including on the nuclear issue. China calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible on the basis of continued ceasefire and believes that the fundamental solution to the stalemate in the Strait lies in achieving a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. China has been working to promote peace talks and will continue to play its role for an early end to the conflict and restoration of peace in the Middle East.
Continue reading Wang Yi elaborates on outcomes from Donald Trump China visit

A successful visit to Beijing: is the US ruling class starting to face reality?

In the following article, our co-editor Carlos Martinez assesses Donald Trump’s 13-15 May state visit to China, arguing that the positive mood music between Trump and Xi Jinping reflects a (slowly) growing understanding in US policy circles that a hawkish anti-China strategy simply is not working. The semiconductor war has accelerated Chinese self-sufficiency rather than slowed it; Trump’s 145 percent tariffs collapsed within days of Beijing tightening rare-earth export controls; and the US-Israeli criminal war on Iran has strengthened, rather than weakened, the multipolar trajectory.

The deeper meaning of this summit is that the US ruling class is having to, very reluctantly, start to come to terms with the world as it actually is. It does not “hold the cards”. As Xi put it at the Great Hall of the People, “the world is big enough to accommodate both countries, and one country’s success is an opportunity for the other.” The Chinese have been consistently saying this for years. The difference now is that, as a growing number of US analysts are admitting that they’re right: win-win cooperation between major powers is possible; what isn’t possible is the indefinite extension of unipolar US hegemony.

Donald Trump’s 13-15 May state visit to China has produced a raft of headlines that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. “This time, Trump and Xi meet as equals”, declared The Times. The White House spoke of a “constructive relationship of strategic stability”.

A delegation of CEOs – Nvidia’s Jensen Huang (who joined at the last minute), Tesla’s Elon Musk, Apple’s Tim Cook and more – accompanied the president to Beijing, signalling that the decoupling project has, at least for the moment, run its course. Trump publicly defended the right of half a million Chinese students to attend US universities. He called Xi a “great leader” and said “the relationship is a very strong one”. The Times columnist Gerard Baker, who has spent years cheerleading for the China hawks, conceded that “the unipolar moment was fleeting” and that “there are two true superpowers”.

This is a remarkable shift. Trump has cast himself as a China hawk since at least his 2016 campaign. “We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country”, he infamously told a rally in Indiana. He pledged to label China a currency manipulator on day one, accused Beijing of “stealing our jobs” and made tariffs on Chinese goods a centrepiece of his platform. Once in office, he initiated the trade war, banned Huawei from US 5G networks, expelled Chinese journalists, signed bipartisan legislation funnelling weapons to Taiwan, and oversaw the 2017 National Security Strategy that designated China as a “strategic competitor”.

Continue reading A successful visit to Beijing: is the US ruling class starting to face reality?

Working people around the world look for Cold War reset as Xi and Trump meet

As Chinese President Xi Jinping sat down with his US counterpart and guest Donald Trump in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on May 14, the US publication People’s World published an article issued in the name of its editorial collective, saying that “the eyes of working people around the world are fixed on this two-day summit with both urgency and hope.”

It went on to note that the “relationship between the United States and China has deteriorated badly in recent years. Military posturing in the Asia-Pacific and the signing of new war pacts like the AUKUS nuclear submarine scheme have raised the specter of catastrophic conflict. A ‘new Cold War’ framework—driven by Washington’s bipartisan foreign policy establishment—has pushed the two largest economies on earth toward confrontation rather than cooperation… This summit is an opportunity to step back from the brink and push the reset button.”

According to the US comrades, in his opening remarks addressed to Trump, President Xi posed the right question: “Can the United States and China avoid the ‘Thucydides Trap,’ the historical pattern in which a rising power and an established one blunder into war? That question deserves a serious answer, and it demands more than diplomatic pleasantries. It demands concrete commitments.”

We reprint the article below.

As U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping sit across from one another at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the eyes of working people around the world are fixed on this two-day summit with both urgency and hope.

The relationship between the United States and China has deteriorated badly in recent years. Reckless tariff wars have disrupted global supply chains and squeezed workers and consumers in both countries with inflation and layoffs. Military posturing in the Asia-Pacific and the signing of new war pacts like the AUKUS nuclear submarine scheme have raised the specter of catastrophic conflict.

Continue reading Working people around the world look for Cold War reset as Xi and Trump meet

Trump goes to Beijing as Washington faces a changed world

The immediate agenda for the summit between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on 14-15 May is crowded enough – the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz energy shock, tariffs and rare earths, Taiwan arms sales, AI and semiconductors. But Gary Wilson’s analysis in Struggle La Lucha cuts through the media headlines to the deeper question: what has actually changed in the world that makes this summit so important?

The answer is not to be found in the language of “geopolitical rivalry” that dominates mainstream coverage. It lies in something more fundamental: a historic shift in the centre of gravity of industrial production, as a result of which US imperialism no longer holds an uncontested monopoly over the factories, supply chains and technologies that shape the world economy. That a socialist country, outside the framework of the US-led imperialist system, is shifting to the centre of the global economy is causing panic in the hallways of power in Washington. “That is what underlies every major issue surrounding the summit — trade, chips, Taiwan, oil, Iran and artificial intelligence — whether the participants acknowledge it or not.”

Gary notes that Trump will also be keen to secure Xi Jinping’s help digging him out of a quagmire in Iran, by putting pressure on Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has explicitly called on China to “step up with some diplomacy and get the Iranians to open the strait”. However, China is unlikely to shift its consistent position, calling for a lasting peace based on the recognition of Iran’s sovereign rights (including to nuclear energy development) and an end to the US and Israel’s illegal assault. It’s significant that, just a week prior to Trump’s arrival, Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi was in Beijing for discussions with Wang Yi, who reiterated that “China supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security and appreciates Iran’s willingness to seek a political solution through diplomatic channels”.

Washington wants China’s help cleaning up crises U.S. imperialism created, especially the war on Iran and the oil shock spreading from Hormuz. At the same time, it wants to block China’s industrial rise and keep control over technology, oil routes and world markets. But the old setup has already been broken. The centre of world production has shifted. So has the weight of the world working class.

President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on May 13 ahead of two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping — the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to China since Trump’s last trip in 2017. 

He will bring with him a delegation from the biggest U.S. banks, tech firms, manufacturers and financial monopolies: Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Tesla’s Elon Musk, Apple’s Tim Cook, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, Visa CEO Ryan McInerney, Meta executive Dina Powell McCormick, and others.

Trade, technology controls, Taiwan and the U.S. war on Iran are the immediate issues around the Beijing meeting. Artificial intelligence may also be discussed. But understanding what is really at stake requires stepping back from the daily headlines.

China is not what the headlines say

The U.S. corporate media covers the Trump-Xi summit as a clash between rival powers. That is the language of “geopolitics” — a way of describing world events that hides classes, hides imperialism and hides the struggle over who controls production, technology and the wealth created by workers.

China is not a mirror image of the United States. By nominal GDP — measured at market exchange rates — China’s economy is roughly two-thirds the size of the United States’. In purchasing power terms, which adjusts for price levels and better reflects real productive output, China’s economy is larger. Still, China is not a rich imperialist country like the United States. Its enormous economy is spread across more than 1.4 billion people, including a vast rural population. Hundreds of millions have been lifted out of extreme poverty, but China still carries the burdens of a formerly oppressed country that industrialized late and unevenly.

Continue reading Trump goes to Beijing as Washington faces a changed world

Iranian Foreign Minister visits Beijing

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi visited China on May 6 for talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

Araghchi briefed Wang on the latest developments in the Iran-US negotiations and Iran’s next steps, stating that facts have proven that political crises cannot be resolved through military means. Iran will resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty and national dignity while continuously building consensus through peaceful negotiations to seek a comprehensive and permanent solution. Currently, the issue of opening the Strait of Hormuz could be promptly addressed. Iran highly appreciates and agrees with the four propositions put forward by President Xi Jinping [during his recent meeting with the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates {UAE}] on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the region. Iran commends China for always standing on the right side of history and making unremitting efforts with a constructive attitude to prevent the situation from deteriorating and spilling over. Iran trusts China and looks forward to China continuing to play an active role in promoting peace and ending the conflict and supports the establishment of a new post-war regional framework that can coordinate development and security.

The Iranian Foreign Minister added that his country is willing to take the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year as an opportunity to strengthen exchanges at all levels, tap into cooperation potential, provide firm mutual support, and deepen all-round cooperation. Iran is also willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China in multilateral affairs and continuously deepen the Iran-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

Wang Yi reiterated China’s principled position on the situation in Iran, emphasising that China has been actively promoting peace and facilitating talks since the outbreak of hostilities. President Xi Jinping solemnly put forward four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, which has received a positive response from the international community. The current regional situation is at a critical juncture between war and peace. China believes that a comprehensive ceasefire is of utmost urgency, that resuming hostilities is even less acceptable, and that adhering to negotiations is particularly important. China supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security and appreciates Iran’s willingness to seek a political solution through diplomatic channels. Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the international community shares a common concern about restoring normal and safe passage through the strait, and China hopes that the parties involved will promptly respond to the strong call from the international community.  [In this regard it should be noted above that Araghchi said that this issue could be promptly addressed, whereas the same day, US President Donald Trump boasted that, “the blockade will remain in full force and effect.” Iran has consistently stressed that the Strait remains open to all but the US aggressors and their allies.]

Continue reading Iranian Foreign Minister visits Beijing

Pakistan president pays tribute to Chairman Mao on Hunan visit

Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari visited China’s Hunan and Hainan provinces from April 25-May 1.

In the year in which the two countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, a key focus of the visit was on a wide range of economic sectors along with other areas of practical cooperation. It was also notable that the Pakistan head of state chose to visit the home province of Chairman Mao, paying warm tribute to the leader of the Chinese revolution and founder of New China and referencing his own family’s special relationship with China over three generations.

An April 26 post on the official social media page of The President of Pakistan, datelined from Changsha, Hunan’s provincial capital, noted:

“President Asif Ali Zardari, currently visiting Changsha in Hunan province of China, held a meeting with Mr Shen Xiaoming, Party Secretary of Hunan Province, and attended a banquet hosted in his honour by Governor of Hunan Province, Mr Mao Weiming…

“During the meeting, the President invited Mr Shen Xiaoming to visit Pakistan in connection with the 75th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He underscored that Pakistan-China ties remain a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and continue to enjoy broad-based support. He also referred to his long-standing personal connection with China, recalling that his family, including his late father-in-law Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his late wife Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, had always attached special importance to relations with China. He said this tradition is now being carried forward by the next generation, including his son, former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and [daughter] First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari…

“In his remarks, President Zardari said that Hunan holds a special place as the birthplace of Chairman Mao Zedong, whose legacy continues to resonate. He observed that the idea that power rests with the people remains deeply admired by the Pakistanis. Reflecting on his personal connection with China, he noted that he first visited the country in 1989 and that his affinity for China has grown stronger over time…

“Speaking at the banquet, the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong remarked that the President’s decision to visit Hunan reflects his special regard for Chairman Mao. He noted that Pakistan and China are expanding collaboration in agriculture, industry and minerals, and expressed hope that the visit would further strengthen bilateral cooperation, bring the two peoples closer and add significance to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.”

On April 28, the president’s social media updated from Chairman Mao’s birthplace, Shaoshan:

Continue reading Pakistan president pays tribute to Chairman Mao on Hunan visit

China sets out position on Palestine and Strait of Hormuz at UN

Chinese Ambassador to the UN Fu Cong has reiterated China’s clear positions on the rights of the Palestinian people and on the present situation in the Strait of Hormuz at open debates in the Security Council held on consecutive days.

Speaking on April 28, Fu Cong said:

“The Palestinian question has always been at the heart of the Middle East issue and must not be marginalised under any circumstances. For decades, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has revolved in cycles. Its fundamental crux is that the two-State solution is only half-realised. The State of Israel was established long ago, while the State of Palestine remains out of reach. Although intense clashes have come to a halt, the Palestinian people are still forced to keep company with death and suffering, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories continues to worsen, and the foundation of the two-State solution risks being completely hollowed out. Turmoil and war are not the fate of the Palestinian people. The international community must summon the greatest sense of urgency to reverse this negative trajectory and rectify the historic injustice endured by Palestine.”

He went on to make three points:

  • Gaza is not a permanent battlefield, and the suffering of its civilians must cease immediately. While efforts by the international community to broker a ceasefire in Gaza are welcome, the most pressing task remains cementing the ceasefire and scaling up aid. Since October last year, Israel has relentlessly mounted attacks and fortified its military presence, resulting in over 800 fatalities and more than 2,000 wounded. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire, characterised by scarcity of essential supplies, deplorable sanitary conditions, and a medical system teetering on the precipice of total collapse. Israel must fulfill its international humanitarian law obligations, dismantle all barriers to humanitarian access, and guarantee that UNRWA [the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] and other humanitarian agencies can carry out their aid work.
  • Settlement activities are unacceptable, and tensions in the West Bank must be deescalated. Israel is currently accelerating the expansion of settlements, having recently approved the construction of 34 additional settlements and initiating the rebuilding of the Sanur settlement, which had been shuttered for many years. The escalating violence in the West Bank is equally concerning. Settler violence is intensifying, and the occupying power frequently conducts searches, arrests, and raids, even promulgating death penalty legislation specifically targeting Palestinians. Israel must heed the strong appeals of the international community, immediately halt illegal settlement activities, effectively curb settler violence, and ensure robust accountability for all attacks.
  • The two-State solution is non-negotiable, and the independent statehood of Palestine must be supported. It is deeply concerning that voices opposing the two-State solution continue to come from Israel, with some even threatening to strangle the idea of a Palestinian state. The international community must increase support for Palestine to advance the early establishment of a fully sovereign and independent state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The previous day, Fu Cong made remarks on the Safety and Protection of Waterways in the Maritime Domain in which he said:

Continue reading China sets out position on Palestine and Strait of Hormuz at UN

China and Laos mark 65 years of relations

On April 25, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, exchanged congratulations with Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and Lao president, on the 65th anniversary of China-Laos diplomatic relations.

Xi said that as socialist neighbours in a community with a shared future, China and Laos are united by shared ideals and beliefs, identical social systems and similar development paths and that their “comradely and brotherly” bond, personally forged by the older generation of leaders of both parties and countries, has grown ever stronger over time.

The Chinese leader voiced willingness to work with Thongloun to take the 65th anniversary of China-Laos diplomatic relations and the Year of China-Laos Friendship as an opportunity to enhance strategic mutual trust, carry forward the traditional friendship, and push for more outcomes in practical cooperation across various fields, so as to deliver more benefits to the two peoples.

For his part, Thongloun said that over the 65 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the friendly ties between the two parties, the two countries and the two peoples — marked by solidarity in times of difficulty — have been lifted to higher levels, with fruitful outcomes in building the Laos-China community with a shared future. He expressed gratitude for the long-standing valuable support and assistance provided by the CPC, the Chinese government and people.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone also exchanged congratulations on the same day.

A guest column contributed to the Xinhua News Agency by Liu Ting noted:

“Sharing weal and woe for the past 65 years, China and Laos enjoy a friendship that is rooted in the geographical proximity connected by mountains and rivers, tempered by the joint struggle for independence and liberation, and enriched by mutual support in their respective socialist causes.”

He added that: “The 2024-2028 action plan on building a China-Laos community with a shared future signed in October 2023 has drawn up a clear blueprint for all-round cooperation. Connectivity paves the way for win-win cooperation, and the China-Laos Railway stands as a landmark of friendship. As a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the railway has continued to unleash the efficiency of a ‘golden corridor’ since its opening.”

Continue reading China and Laos mark 65 years of relations