Category: International relations

Ben Chacko: Is China’s foreign policy good enough?

We are pleased to republish this review by Ben Chacko, editor of the Morning Star, of China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World: Changes unseen in a century, edited by Friends of Socialist China co-editors Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez and published by Praxis Press.

Ben describes the book as “a necessary – and consistently carefully argued – corrective to the scaremongering about China which dominates the Western media and goes unchallenged far too often on the Western left”. He stresses that the book is not just about China, but about how we respond to the decline of US imperialism, and he takes aim at those who spin a “neither Washington nor Beijing” narrative based on the idea of the US-China dynamic as an example of inter-imperialist rivalry.

Highlighting contributions by Andrew Murray, Danny Haiphong and Torkil Lauesen, the review concludes that a socialist country presenting a viable alternative to US supremacy is “arguably the biggest challenge to world imperialism since the Russian Revolution”, and that this is “a book that should sit on every anti-imperialist bookshelf”.

The book is available from Praxis Press in paperback and as an ePub.

Continue reading Ben Chacko: Is China’s foreign policy good enough?

Wang Yi: Palestine is the biggest historical injustice since World War II; China will remain on the side of the oppressed nations

The Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on 15 October.

The summit adopted and issued the Baku Declaration of the Seventh CICA Summit. The declaration reaffirmed member states’ commitments to the UN Charter and the universally recognised norms and principles of international law, as well as their resolve to implement confidence-building measures in five dimensions — military-political, new challenges and threats, economic, environmental and human — as set out in the CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures. It further underscored the need for multilateralism and enhanced cooperation amid an increasingly complex international environment.

The full text of the declaration can be read here.

The summit also admitted Laos as CICA’s 29th full member. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the summit as the Special Representative of President Xi Jinping.

The creation of CICA was proposed by Kazakhstan in 1992 at the 47th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The multinational forum aims to promote peace, security and stability in Asia by developing and implementing multilateral confidence-building measures and strengthening cooperation in related areas. China is a founding member of the body.

On October 15, Wang Yi met with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin on the sidelines of the summit.

Wang Yi noted that China is one of the first countries to recognise Palestine. China and Palestine are good friends and good brothers, and the two sides have carried forward their friendship for decades. No matter how the international landscape changes, the Chinese people have always stood together with the Palestinian people and firmly supported the Palestinian people’s just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights.

The Chinese foreign minister added that the Palestinian question is the most prolonged hotspot issue and the biggest historical injustice in the world since World War II. Unless this issue is resolved fairly, lasting peace and stability cannot be achieved in the Middle East. The Palestinian question should not be marginalised, and the world must not forget the two million Palestinian people in Gaza struggling on the brink of death. Justice may be delayed but never absent. As a responsible major country, China will continue to stand on the side of international justice and remain on the side of the oppressed nations and continue to speak up for the just cause of Palestine on multilateral platforms.

Varsen Aghabekian Shahin briefed on the latest developments of the Palestinian question. She stressed that the international community should not apply double standards to the Palestinian question, and highly appreciated China’s just position. Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said that Palestine appreciates China for its long-standing strong support for the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights, for insisting on speaking up for Palestine on international and multilateral occasions, and for providing selfless help in the humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Palestine and China have maintained traditional friendship and the two sides enjoy sound cooperation.

The next day Wang Yi met with the Israeli President Isaac Herzog, in the highest-level contact between China and the Zionist entity since before October 2023. (CICA is unusual as an Asian regional body in that both Israel as well as the Arab and Muslim nations participate as members.) The Chinese reports of the meeting with Herzog pointedly note that it took place at his request.

However, he is unlikely to have been pleased by what he heard. Wang said that promoting peace and reconciliation in the region is the cornerstone of China’s Middle East policy. China has consistently maintained that the Palestinian question is the greatest historical injustice of this century. He added that the current top priority is to open full access to the Gaza Strip. The two million civilians there must not be left struggling on the brink of survival, nor should the humanitarian catastrophe be allowed to continue spreading; Israel should halt and reverse the forced establishment of settlements in the West Bank.

Wang Yi’s meeting with Herzog predictably drew considerable international media attention.

Palestine Chronicle headlined their report: “‘Greatest Historical Injustice’: China Challenges Herzog Over Palestinian Rights”. It wrote:

“Wang Yi called the Palestinian cause ‘the greatest historical injustice of this century’ during talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. China demanded an immediate halt to settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and the full reopening of access routes to Gaza.”

It added: “Several delegations representing Arab and Islamic countries walked out of the conference hall in opposition to Israeli aggression and continued settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank [when Herzog rose to deliver his speech] …

“Wang’s demands in Baku focused on stopping Israeli settlement expansion, restoring access to Gaza and addressing the Palestinian question through that framework. The exchange placed those demands directly before Herzog as Israel faced protests from other delegations attending the summit.”

Al Jazeera headlined: “China tells Israel to stop ‘forced establishment’ of West Bank settlements. ‘The Palestinian question is the greatest historical injustice of this century,’ China’s foreign minister said.”

It further recalled: “In September, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Cairo for the first time in a decade and called on Middle East countries to oppose external influence and consider reshaping the region’s security order… In March, China criticised the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, with Beijing demanding an immediate halt to the joint attacks.”

Wang Yi also held a number of other bilateral meetings during his stay in Baku.

In their meeting, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan said that his country appreciates China’s long-standing strong support for Azerbaijan’s economic and social development and the safeguarding of its national interests. It regards China as a leading force in the rise of the Global South and believes Chinese modernisation has set an example for developing countries including Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is one of the first countries to support and participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. A series of cooperation projects between the two countries have yielded fruitful results. Azerbaijan is ready to strengthen strategic alignment with China and continue to expand cooperation in energy, connectivity and other fields. Azerbaijan welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country.

Wang Yi said that China supports Azerbaijan in following a development path suited to its national conditions and is ready to strengthen cooperation with Azerbaijan and other relevant parties on the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route), and continue to serve as a reliable long‑term strategic partner in Azerbaijan’s development. China appreciates Azerbaijan’s long-standing strong support on issues concerning China’s core interests, and supports Azerbaijan in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. China’s development represents the increasing force of the Global South and the growing strength of developing countries. China is ready to maintain close coordination and cooperation with Azerbaijan to jointly safeguard the common interests of Global South countries. China supports Azerbaijan in playing an important role in multilateral platforms such as CICA and in international affairs and making greater contributions to peace and stability of the region and the world.

Wang also held talks with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

Jeyhun Bayramov said that Azerbaijan and China are sincere friends and reliable partners to each other. The friendship between the two countries has a long history, and exchanges at all levels have become increasingly closer, bringing bilateral relations to an unprecedentedly high level. Azerbaijan firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is ready to follow the guidance of the two heads of state with China to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership, deepen cooperation in energy, transportation, climate change, artificial intelligence, culture and people-to-people exchanges and other fields, and step up efforts in the Belt and Road cooperation and the joint building of the Middle Corridor. Azerbaijan agrees with and values China’s leading role among Global South countries, fully supports the series of global initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping, and is ready to strengthen mutual support and cooperation with China in international affairs.

In his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Wang Yi noted that China and Turkey share a traditional friendship. Deepening bilateral strategic cooperation serves the interests of both countries and peoples and will contribute to world economic recovery. China has always attached great importance to China-Turkey relations and is ready to take the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to work with Turkey to implement the important understandings reached by the two heads of state and bring China-Turkey strategic cooperation to a new level.

He added that China appreciates Turkey’s repeated emphasis on attaching importance to China’s security concerns and its efforts to curb terrorist acts endangering China’s national security. It is hoped that Turkey will continue to understand and support China’s position on issues concerning China’s core interests, safeguard the common interests of the two countries and consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations.

Wang Yi stated that China supports Turkey in hosting the 31st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), appreciates Turkey’s efforts in addressing climate change, and is ready to deepen cooperation with Turkey in this field. In the next period, the two sides should strengthen the alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Middle Corridor programme, create a sound environment for two-way investment, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Hakan Fidan said that Turkey attaches great importance to relations with China and hopes to accelerate high-level exchanges between the two countries in the next stage. Turkey-China economic and trade relations enjoy good development prospects. Turkey welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and welcomes more Chinese tourists to visit Turkey, so as to achieve more balanced development in cooperation in various fields. Turkey understands China’s concerns in combating extremist terrorism.

In his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Wang Yi congratulated Russia on the successful State Duma election and the smooth conclusion of this important domestic political agenda. Wang noted that President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin held fruitful meetings in May and August this year, steering the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era to sustained high-level development. The APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will be held in Shenzhen next month. It is believed that with support from Russia and other parties, the APEC “China Year” will yield fruitful outcomes, jointly revitalising the historical process of the Asia-Pacific community and injecting strong impetus into development and cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region.

Lavrov said that China and Russia hold similar positions on international affairs. Russia is ready to further strengthen coordination with China under multilateral frameworks including the United Nations, the G20, APEC and the BRICS mechanism to jointly uphold international fairness and justice.

The two sides also coordinated their respective positions and reached new consensus on the next-stage high-level exchanges between China and Russia as well as international and regional hotspot issues of common concern.

Wang Yi also met with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.

Wang said that China is ready to work with Bahrain on the basis of mutual respect and mutual support to enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges and advance coordination on multilateral platforms, so as to promote the continuous development of China-Bahrain relations. He also stated that the protracted conflicts in the Middle East have exerted a severe impact on regional peace and stability. This does not serve any party’s interest. President Xi Jinping has put forward a series of initiatives and proposals dedicated to peace in the Middle East, which represent the insight and solutions contributed by China to addressing the security dilemma in the Middle East. China has always believed that conflicts should not be escalated and fighting should not spread. Confrontation worsens tensions, while dialogue is the right path. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, and the legitimate concerns of all parties should be valued. It is necessary to remove interference and continue to adhere to the direction of political settlement. China is ready, based on the series of initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping, to strengthen communication and coordination with regional countries including Bahrain to help the region achieve lasting peace and stability.

Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said that the current security situation in the Gulf countries is very grave. Bahrain welcomes the Chinese initiatives and solutions put forward by President Xi Jinping, which are all important ideas that benefit regional countries. Bahrain appreciates China’s consistent commitment to fairness and justice, its communication with regional countries, and its active efforts to bring an end to military operations.

In his speech to the CICA summit, Wang Yi said that it is a platform for dialogue and cooperation initiated and jointly built by Asian countries. Since its establishment, CICA has actively championed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, systematically advanced cooperation on confidence building measures, consistently practised multilateralism, and worked tirelessly to strengthen the foundation of trust for peace and security in Asia.

Amid accelerating changes unseen in a century, only by fostering a sense of community with a shared future, standing on the right side of history, and upholding solidarity and cooperation can Asian countries stand at the forefront of the times, turn crises into opportunities and jointly create a better future, he said.

He put forward four proposals:

  • First, jointly safeguard peace and stability. Asia does not need a Cold War mentality and does not welcome bloc confrontation. Asia’s problems should ultimately be addressed by the people of Asia through solidarity and cooperation.
  • Second, jointly promote prosperity and revitalisation. Development is the master key to solving all problems. Efforts should be made to better align high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with the development initiatives of various countries.
  • Third, jointly promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations. Asia is the continent with the greatest diversity of civilisations. Efforts should be made to firmly promote the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, respect countries’ independent choices of development paths and governance models.
  • Fourth, jointly improve global governance. Efforts should be made to reinvigorate the authority and role of the United Nations and to uphold the basic norms governing international relations established by the UN Charter.

Following his meetings in Baku, Wang Yi paid a visit to Croatia.

Meeting with President Zoran Milanovic on October 16, Wang Yi said that with a civilisation spanning 5,000 years, China’s deep-rooted commitment to peace means that it does not seek to use its strength to dominate others but instead pursues cooperation and mutual benefits with all countries. President Xi has put forward the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity, emphasising that all countries should stand together, embrace their shared destiny and jointly protect and develop the only planet that humanity calls home. China advocates an equal and orderly multipolar world in which all countries, large and small, are equal and uphold the basic norms of international relations based on the United Nations Charter. China will strive to make the world more peaceful, stable and prosperous, Wang said, adding that China’s success is not only its own, but also a success for all countries of the Global South.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-Europe relations. Wang noted that there is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and the European Union (EU), and that the two sides can help each other succeed and achieve common prosperity. Regarding the EU’s concerns over China’s trade surplus, Wang said that the surplus is a result of market demand and the international division of labour. China and the EU are partners, not adversaries, and should pursue cooperation rather than confrontation.

Milanovic said that Croatia, as an EU member, adheres to the bloc’s common foreign and security policy while striving to maintain its own independence. On current economic and trade disputes between China and the EU, he said that he shares China’s position and believes that China’s strong competitiveness stems mainly from an efficient, comprehensive system for organising production.

In their meeting on October 17, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told Wang Yi that Chinese enterprises have participated in infrastructure projects in Croatia, including roads, bridges and tunnels, noting that the Peljesac Bridge has played a significant role in improving connectivity between different parts of the country.

Stressing that Croatia attaches great importance to cooperation with China under the China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) framework and the Belt and Road Initiative, Plenkovic said Croatia is willing to continue contributing to these efforts and looks forward to the early resumption of the CEEC-China leaders’ meeting mechanism to create new opportunities for closer high-level exchanges between the two sides. (The China-CEEC mechanism currently groups China with 14 countries in central and eastern Europe following the accession of Greece in 2019 and the withdrawal of Lithuania in 2021 and of Estonia and Latvia in 2022. Four countries and two international organisations have observer status. The grouping met annually from 2012 to 2019 and then by video conference, due to the COVID pandemic, in 2021. Until now it has not held a further summit meeting.)

Wang Yi noted that China firmly believes that China and the European Union (EU) are partners, not rivals. China supports European integration and Croatia’s efforts to achieve faster development through this process and hopes Croatia will play a constructive role in deepening China-EU cooperation. Meanwhile, Wang stressed that China and CEECs share a practical need to strengthen exchanges and cooperation. Such cooperation is entirely open and transparent and contributes to European integration, he added.

China is willing to strengthen cooperation with interested countries in the region through established mechanisms, appreciates Croatia’s positive attitude in this regard and is ready to use the 15th anniversary of the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism next year as an opportunity to reinvigorate mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides.

On trade issues between China and the EU, Wang Yi reiterated that these stem from the international division of labour and market demand. Imports of high-quality, competitively priced Chinese goods benefit European consumers and help curb inflation, reflecting demand in the European market, and there is no so-called “overcapacity” problem.

China is willing to import more high-value-added products from Europe and hopes the EU will ease restrictions on exports to China. China is committed to promoting balanced growth in bilateral trade, with both sides moving forward rather than backward and expanding shared benefits rather than diminishing them.

Plenkovic briefed Wang on the situation in the Western Balkans. Wang said that China does not interfere in the internal affairs of countries in the region and hopes that all countries will enhance understanding, rebuild mutual trust and coexist in harmony through dialogue. China is willing to play a constructive role in line with the needs of countries in the region.

In his meeting with Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman, Wang Yi said that Croatia, an important stop on the ancient Silk Road, has once fostered mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilisations. It was also noted that this marks the first visit to Croatia by a Chinese foreign minister in 33 years and serves as a reciprocal visit following Radman’s trip to China last year.

Radman said that Croatia attaches great importance to its relations with China and respects China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Croatia has consistently adhered to the one-China policy and will continue to uphold it firmly, neither participating in nor supporting any “Taiwan independence” activities.

Following his visit to Croatia, Wang Yi visited Montenegro. The visit was notable for assuming strong anti-fascist overtones.

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic met with Wang in Cetinje, a city near Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, on October 17, expressing his country’s willingness to deepen friendly relations and practical cooperation with China.

Milatovic asked Wang to convey his sincere greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping and welcomed the first-ever visit by a Chinese foreign minister to Montenegro. Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Montenegro and China, he said the visit holds important symbolic significance. Recalling his experience studying in China, he said he had gained a deeper understanding of China’s economic and social development and the lives of its people, as well as the importance of cooperation with China. Noting that European Union (EU) accession is currently a priority on Montenegro’s foreign policy agenda, Milatovic said his country also attaches great importance to relations with China, with Montenegro firmly adhering to the one-China principle and remaining committed to friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

Wang conveyed Xi’s cordial greetings to Milatovic, saying that despite the geographical distance, China and Montenegro have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, setting an example of friendly exchanges between countries of different sizes. Wang said China appreciates Milatovic’s rational and objective understanding of China and his active efforts to promote bilateral relations. He said China has consistently maintained that all countries, big or small, are equal, and has always followed the path of partnership over alliance and dialogue over confrontation.

Wang added that China has engaged in practical cooperation with Montenegro in good faith, delivering tangible results. Describing Montenegro’s north-south expressway as a landmark project of historic significance, he called on both sides to ensure the high-quality completion of its second phase.

Montenegro enjoys unique tourism resources and has a historical tradition of anti-fascism, Wang said, adding that China is helping restore the Tara River Bridge, which was featured in the famous Yugoslav film “The Bridge,” and that more Chinese tourists are expected to visit Montenegro.

China has always maintained that China and the EU are partners, not rivals, he said, noting that differences over economic and trade issues, which have emerged amid increasingly closer cooperation, can be resolved through dialogue and should not affect the overall development of China-EU relations. Wang said China understands Montenegro’s efforts to join the EU and its choice to pursue European integration, noting that the process is fully compatible with deeper cooperation with China. China believes Montenegro will become another good friend of China within the EU after its accession and hopes Montenegro will play a unique and important role in promoting regional peace and stability and advancing China-EU relations.

The following day, Wang Yi met with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic in the capital Podgorica.

Spajic said Wang’s visit demonstrates the importance China attaches to bilateral relations. Montenegro and China share historical memories and traditional friendship, as both countries fought against fascism and foreign aggression during World War II.

Montenegro highly values China’s status and influence as a major country and appreciates China’s responsible efforts to curb rising global oil prices amid the conflicts in the Middle East, which have helped Montenegro and other small and medium-sized countries cope with the energy crisis, demonstrating China’s sense of responsibility as a major country.

Noting Montenegro’s sound economic and social development in recent years, Spajic said Chinese enterprises have helped the country complete the construction of its north-south expressway. The ongoing joint restoration of the Tara River Bridge is a project of great historical significance, bringing the two peoples closer and serving as a testament to their traditional friendship, he added.

Wang conveyed Chinese leaders’ best wishes to Spajic, saying that China and Montenegro have always been good friends on their paths toward development and revitalisation. Wang said China and Montenegro share much in common. Both peoples are unafraid of bullying and firmly defend their national dignity. They both achieved victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and should remain vigilant against the resurgence of militarism.

Both countries uphold and practise multilateralism and oppose a return to the “law of the jungle”, he said. The Tara River Bridge connects the hearts of the two peoples and carries both the history and future of bilateral relations. China’s assistance in restoring the bridge is of great historical and social significance, he added.

Also, on October 18, Wang Yi met with his Montenegrin counterpart Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimovic in Podgorica.

Wang said China and Montenegro are good friends despite the geographical distance. China was among the first countries to recognise Montenegro’s independence and establish diplomatic relations with it, demonstrating China’s respect for Montenegro and the importance it attaches to bilateral ties.

Over the past 20 years, China-Montenegro relations have maintained sound and steady development, bringing benefits to both peoples and setting an example of win-win cooperation between countries with different sizes, national conditions and social systems.

Wang added that both countries share a history of anti-fascism and a national spirit of resilience and defiance in the face of aggression, noting that China is helping restore the Tara River Bridge featured in the famous Yugoslav film “The Bridge,” which he believes will also connect the hearts of the two peoples. China supports Montenegro’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, supports the path of development and revitalisation chosen by the Montenegrin people, and supports Montenegro in playing an active role in international affairs. China has both the willingness and the capability to help Montenegro achieve development and stands ready to be a reliable and long-term partner.

Noting that the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism was established in response to the development needs of Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs), Wang said China pursues such cooperation without geopolitical considerations, does not interfere in the internal affairs of regional countries, and looks forward to mutually beneficial outcomes. Noting that all Balkan countries are good friends of China and maintain sound cooperation with China, he expressed the hope that countries in the region will live in harmony, build mutual trust and achieve common development.

For his part, Ibrahimovic said Montenegro and China enjoy a long-standing friendship, and despite the geographical distance, the two peoples share a strong sense of friendship, with the Tara River Bridge symbolising their shared historical memories.

He added that Montenegro warmly welcomes the first-ever visit by a Chinese foreign minister, adding that frequent visits to China by Montenegrin representatives from various sectors have sent a positive signal of the country’s commitment to exchanges and cooperation with China. Montenegro firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and no official from any Montenegrin government institution will engage in exchanges with Taiwan, he stressed.

Regarding the Tara River Bridge and the Yugoslav film “The Bridge” repeatedly invoked above, on May 24, 2025, our co-editor Keith Bennett spoke at a remembrance and discussion event at the Bishop Nikolaj Community Centre in West London, marking 26 years since NATO’s war of aggression against Serbia and the former Yugoslavia, organised by the Round Table of Serbian organisations and community groups in the United Kingdom, and said as follows:

“The enduring friendship between China and Serbia has its root in this common struggle [against fascism] on the eastern and western fronts. The 1969 Yugoslav film, The Bridge, vividly depicted those days. It was one of the first foreign films to be shown in China at the start of reform and opening up. Both the film, and through it the song Bella Ciao, became favourites of a generation of Chinese people, including President Xi Jinping.”

Following his visit to Montenegro, Wang Yi was scheduled to visit Bulgaria before returning home.

Continue reading Wang Yi: Palestine is the biggest historical injustice since World War II; China will remain on the side of the oppressed nations

China-Vietnam relations: Pursuing common development while remembering shared revolutionary traditions

Tran Thanh Man, President of the National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam, visited China from October 11 to 15 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and to co-chair the second session of the cooperation committee between the two countries’ legislative bodies together with him.

The Vietnamese newspaper Nhân Dân reported: “This is NA President Man’s first visit to China in his capacity as Vietnam’s top legislator. The visit aims to further implement the foreign policy set out at the 14th National Party Congress, enhance the effectiveness of cooperation between Vietnam’s National Assembly and the National People’s Congress of China, and reaffirm the pivotal role of parliamentary cooperation in the overall Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.”

Tran Thanh Man met with Zhao Leji on October 12 and held the second session of their cooperation committee together.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, Zhao said that China is ready to work with Vietnam to follow the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and push for deeper and more substantive progress in building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

He added that both sides should deepen practical cooperation, advance infrastructure connectivity, expand cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, clean energy and communications satellites, cement public support, and deepen exchanges in culture, education and sports. He also called for close coordination on multilateral affairs and joint implementation of the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.

Tran Thanh Man said Vietnam regards its relationship with China as a strategic choice and a top priority in its foreign policy, and is ready to enhance strategic mutual trust, expand cooperation in such areas as trade, investment, infrastructure and science and technology, and intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Vietnam’s Nhân Dân newspaper added that Man congratulated China on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and its major development achievements, including the important contributions of the NPC. He expressed confidence that, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, with General Secretary and President Xi as its core, China would achieve its goal of becoming a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful.

To deepen bilateral ties, the two sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and advance strategic trust, creating a firmer political foundation for cooperation. They called for more balanced and sustainable trade, high-quality investment, modern and coordinated railway connectivity, and stronger cooperation in science and technology. They also stressed the need to strengthen local-level cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and education, culture and tourism collaboration, enhance coordination at multilateral forums, effectively manage the land border, and better control and resolve differences to maintain peace and stability at sea.

Zhao Leji proposed closer strategic coordination in digital and green economies, artificial intelligence, smart border gates and cross-border economic zones. He suggested accelerating the construction and development of railway lines connecting the two countries and linking them to the China–Europe railway network. He welcomed more Vietnamese agricultural products entering the Chinese market and encouraged Vietnam to make effective use of trade fairs hosted by China. He underscored the importance of public support for bilateral ties, calling for stronger cooperation in tourism, culture, media, healthcare and sports, particularly exchanges among young people. China also welcomed more Vietnamese students to study there.

Man met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the same day.

According to Xinhua, reflecting “camaraderie plus brotherhood,” Li said China is willing to work with Vietnam to continue traditional friendship, enhance unity and mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, better benefit the two peoples, and inject positive energy into promoting regional and global stability and prosperity.

Man said Vietnam extends its heartfelt congratulations on China’s new and significant achievements in economic and social development, with its economic growth rate ranking among the top of the world’s major economies and its breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation leading the world. Vietnam has always regarded China as a top priority and a strategic choice in its foreign relations, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and will maintain close exchanges with China at all levels in accordance with the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries. The National Assembly of Vietnam attaches great importance to and highly recognises Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and is willing to enhance exchanges of experience in governance with China, he noted.

Nhân Dân further reported that Man stressed that developing ties with China is a consistent policy, an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, multilateralisation and diversification of relations.

The previous day Man had met with Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

According to Nhân Dân, he conveyed congratulations from General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and other high-ranking Vietnamese leaders on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1. He also congratulated China on its major theoretical and practical achievements in reform, opening up and national modernisation, including the CPPCC National Committee’s contributions. He voiced confidence that under the CPC Central Committee’s leadership, with General Secretary and President Xi Jinping at its core, China will reach its goal of building a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, contributing to common development and prosperity in the region and the world.

Wang, for his part, sent greetings to General Secretary and President Lam and other key Vietnamese leaders. He congratulated Vietnam on its major theoretical and practical achievements, which show the vitality and bright prospects of the country’s socialist cause, and affirmed support for Vietnam in achieving its development goals in the new era.

Agreeing with the guest’s proposals, Wang called for coordinated cooperation through all channels and at all levels, and an effective rollout of plans for high-level exchanges. He also urged full use of mechanisms such as the 3+3 strategic dialogue on diplomacy, national defence and security, and the bilateral cooperation steering committee. He suggested more exchanges of theory and experience in party building and national governance, closer alignment of the two countries’ quality development strategies, faster railway connectivity projects, and concrete early progress in trade, investment, smart border gates, cross-border economic cooperation zones, science and technology, artificial intelligence, digital economy and green economy.

The CPPCC values and supports friendly exchanges among people of all walks of life in the two countries, particularly the youth. He urged an effective rollout of people-to-people exchanges such as the Red Journey and the China-Vietnam Year of tourism cooperation, along with expanded cooperation in tourism, education, culture and locality-to-locality exchanges.

The two sides agreed to step up multilateral coordination and support each other in hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in 2026 and 2027 respectively.

As part of his packed programme of engagements during his stay in Beijing, Man and his delegation visited the Museum of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

After touring the museum and receiving briefings on its exhibition areas, Man said that Vietnam had also commenced construction of the Museum of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in Hanoi. The project is expected to be inaugurated in early 2030, marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPV (February 3, 1930–2030). He expressed his hope that the Museum of the CPC will support Vietnam and share experience in structural planning, architectural design and the display of artefacts.

He also toured the Nanmofang township legislative liaison station in Beijing’s Chaoyang district shortly after his arrival in China.

He was briefed on effective and innovative approaches the station uses to collect public feedback on draft legal documents. This gives deputies to people’s congresses at all levels more chances to engage voters and feed public concerns into the drafting, review and adoption of policy documents.

Li Xiuling, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress, praised the visit’s significance, noting that the guest’s first stop on their China visit was at the grassroots to learn about legislative work and voter engagement mechanisms. It is important for the two countries to share experience in building socialist democracy, he said.

Describing China’s “whole-process people’s democracy”, Li said the model spans more than 70 years and covers the people’s congress system, political consultation, multiparty cooperation under the Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership, and regional ethnic autonomy. It runs through the entire cycle of elections, consultation, decision-making, implementation and oversight. He added that the model grew out of integrating Marxist principles with China’s realities and traditional culture.

Praising the model of bringing legislative work closer to grassroots communities, voters and the public in Nanmofang and Beijing at large, Man said Vietnam attaches importance to legislative work in building a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people and for the people. That includes listening to experts, intellectuals, businesses, voters and the general public, especially those directly affected by policies and laws.

Besides Beijing, Man and his party visited Xi’an and Yan’an, in northwest China’s Shaanxi province.

Man met with Zhao Yide, Secretary of the Party Committee of Shaanxi province, in Xi’an on October 13. Nhân Dân noted that the province is the cradle of the Chinese revolution and holds memories of the years when President Ho Chi Minh stood shoulder to shoulder with generations of Chinese leaders in their arduous revolutionary struggle.

Zhao said President Man’s visit reflects the friendship and high regard that the Vietnamese party, state and NA attach to the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and to ties between Vietnamese localities and Shaanxi province in particular.

Briefing the Vietnamese delegation on Shaanxi’s history, revolutionary traditions and achievements across various fields, Zhao noted the province’s deep appreciation for President Ho Chi Minh’s numerous visits to Shaanxi and to Yan’an city.

For his part, Man suggested Shaanxi and Vietnamese localities step up collaboration in the fields of science and technology, energy, hi-tech agriculture, transport infrastructure and logistics, particularly railways, quality workforce training, culture and tourism.

On October 14, Man visited the Yangjialing and Zaoyuan revolutionary sites in Yan’an city.

Nhân Dân noted that the delegation travelled there by high-speed train, adding: “The city is regarded as the cradle of China’s revolution and a symbol of resilience, solidarity and self-reliance. It also bears the imprint of Nguyen Ai Quoc, or President Ho Chi Minh, whose revolutionary activities during his time in China contributed to the Chinese revolution and the international communist movement.

“Zaoyuan lies about 8km northwest of the city centre. Together with Yangjialing, Wangjiaping, Baota Mountain and the Yan’an Revolutionary Memorial Museum, it forms a prominent complex of revolutionary sites from the period when the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was based in the city. Chairman Mao Zedong and other Chinese revolutionary leaders lived and worked there…

“Zaoyuan carries particular significance for Vietnam because President Ho Chi Minh stayed there. According to the CPC history section of China’s People’s Daily, he returned to China from the Soviet Union in the winter of 1938, travelling through Xinjiang and Xi’an before reaching Yan’an, then the CPC’s hub.

“At Zaoyuan, President Ho Chi Minh was hosted by Wang Jiaxiang, Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. He also met Mao and other Chinese leaders to discuss the revolutions in both countries.

“The site is therefore significant to the history of both revolutions, particularly the period before President Ho Chi Minh returned to lead Vietnam’s. It reflects the close ties between the two countries’ leaders and revolutionary movements. President Ho Chi Minh revisited the house in 1959 and had his photos taken there…

“Man also toured Yangjialing, which has been preserved as a venue for teaching the public about CPC history and China’s revolutionary traditions. Yangjialing is linked to a pivotal period when the CPC consolidated its ideological, political and organisational foundations during the war of resistance against Japan, while preparing for the post-war period. It remains a prominent site for political and party history education in China…

“The Vietnamese guest lauded Yan’an’s development and its efforts to preserve its ‘red address’ sites. He called on the city and Vietnamese localities to foster connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, push tourism cooperation, particularly ‘red tourism’ that follows in the footsteps of both countries’ revolutionary leaders, and work together to preserve historical and cultural sites.”

Continue reading China-Vietnam relations: Pursuing common development while remembering shared revolutionary traditions

New bridge of friendship links China and DPRK

China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a joint ceremony on October 15 to open the new bridge connecting China’s Liaoning Province and North Pyongan Province of the DPRK.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and DPRK Premier Pak Thae Song addressed the ceremony by video link.

Li called upon the two countries to take the opening of the new China-DPRK Yalu River bridge as an opportunity to continuously optimise port clearance, enhance connectivity, tap the potential for cooperation in border areas, and improve the well-being of the two peoples. [Editor’s Note: The river is known as the Yalu in China and the Amnok in Korea.]

“The bridge is bound to become a new landmark symbolising the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK,” he added.

Noting that the bridge is an important cross-border infrastructure project that General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Kim Jong Un have jointly cared about and promoted, Li said that China and the DPRK are friendly socialist neighbours linked by mountains and rivers, adding that at present, under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and countries, China-DPRK relations are entering a new stage and opening a new chapter.

He went on to say Xi has pointed out that no matter how the international landscape evolves, the firm position of China’s party and government to attach great importance to the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK will remain unchanged; the firm support for Kim in leading the DPRK’s socialist cause will remain unchanged; and the determination to safeguard the common interests of both sides and maintain a favourable strategic environment will remain unchanged.

Premier Pak Thae Song said that the opening ceremony of the bridge serves as a significant occasion of not only connecting the branches of the two countries in a fresh, natural and geographical way but also firmly linking the friendly ties between the peoples of the two countries who have shared life and death for a long time.

It is the consistent stand of the DPRK government to steadily put the DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations with socialism, the common idea, common banner and the common cause, as the core on a new strategic height in conformity with the interests and desire of the peoples of the two countries, he stressed.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) further noted that speakers from the provincial bodies of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Communist Party of China said that the opening of the Amnok River Bridge held in October marking the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the entry of the Chinese People’s Volunteers into the Korean front is a clear manifestation of the DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations dynamically developing on a new high stage thanks to the deep personal relations between respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and respected Comrade Xi Jinping and their energetic leadership.

They further expressed the will to boost bilateral exchange and cooperation for the development of the DPRK-China relations, wishing the traditional DPRK-China friendship, the common wealth of the two countries, to be eternal.

Continue reading New bridge of friendship links China and DPRK

China elevates ties with Botswana and Togo

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President of the Republic of Botswana Duma Gideon Boko paid a state visit to China from October 12 to 17.

Xi Jinping held talks with his Botswanan counterpart in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the afternoon of October 13. The two heads of state made the announcement to elevate their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

President Xi noted that Botswana voted in support of restoring the People’s Republic of China’s lawful seat in the United Nations in the 1970s, even before the two countries established diplomatic ties. Today, the two countries are marching side by side on the journey toward modernisation, writing a new chapter in bilateral friendship. China-Botswana friendship should shine bright and endure like diamonds. (Botswana ranks second in world diamond production after the Russian Federation.)

Xi further observed that a common direction brings people together on the same road. This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 60th anniversary of the independence of Botswana. The two governing parties should strengthen cooperation, deepen experience-sharing in state governance, and foster greater convergence of ideas. (President Boko heads the Umbrella for Democratic Change, an alliance of left-wing parties including the Botswana National Front, the Botswana Movement for Democracy, the Botswana People’s Party and the Botswana Congress Party. It achieved a landslide victory in the 2024 elections, forming the first left-wing government in the country’s history.)

China, Xi added, supports Botswana in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions. The two sides should continue to develop the framework for economic and trade cooperation and seize the new opportunities emerging from China’s zero-tariff treatment for African countries having diplomatic relations with China. China is ready to enhance cooperation with Botswana in areas such as the digital economy, agriculture and the livestock industry and carry out the Smart Education Project to support economic and social development in Botswana.

Xi put forward a four-point proposition on China-Botswana and China-Africa mining cooperation:

First, the starting principle should be African resources belonging to Africa. China stands ready to share its experience and help African countries formulate mining development plans consistent with their national conditions.

Second, the guiding philosophy should be a right approach to friendship and interests and ensuring mutual benefit. China will continue to encourage Chinese companies to enhance their operational capacity, transfer green technologies suited to Africa’s conditions, and promote South-South cooperation in mining development.

Continue reading China elevates ties with Botswana and Togo

China calls out western human rights hypocrisy at UN

Sun Lei, China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, speaking during the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee on October 6, responded firmly to a number of Western countries, urging them to stop fabricating and spreading lies about China and stop using human rights issues for political manipulation.

Sun said that China strongly condemns and is firmly opposed to the groundless accusations and malicious smears of China’s human rights situation made by countries including the UK, Australia, Japan, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Lithuania, in their replies during the general debate of the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly.

He went on to note that these countries consider themselves superior to others and often assume the posture of self-appointed “human rights teachers,” yet they have serious human rights problems of their own, adding that these countries are in no position to lecture others on human rights, let alone make irresponsible remarks about China.

In contrast to China, which has eliminated extreme poverty, poverty has continued to worsen in the UK in recent years, he said, with over 14 million people living below the poverty line, half of whom are in “extreme poverty”.

A 2018 report by Philip Alston, then UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, said 14 million people, a fifth of the UK population, lived in poverty, and four million of these were more than 50 percent below the poverty line, and 1.5 million destitute, unable to afford basic essentials.

A study by the British Social Metrics Commission in 2024 found the cost of living crisis had plunged two million more people into severe hardship since 2019, meaning more than 16 million people in total are defined as living in poverty, or 24 percent of the UK population, the highest since comparable records began in 2000.

China’s new Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law aims to promote common prosperity and development among all ethnic groups. However, by contrast, Japan has failed to fulfil its commitments to eliminate racial discrimination and has not treated the Ainu (an indigenous people living in the north of Japan) and Ryukyu (Okinawan) peoples as equal ethnic groups, leaving their survival and development under threat. In the UK, Australia and Ireland, colonialism has caused enduring harm to this day, and these countries are facing serious social problems, including racism and ethnic divisions.

And in contrast to China’s concrete efforts to promote dialogue, cooperation and more equitable global human rights governance, countries such as the UK, Australia, Japan, the Czech Republic and Lithuania frequently invoke morality yet remain indifferent to the unjust treatment suffered by the people of Palestine, Iran and Cuba. They repeatedly use human rights as a pretext to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and impose unilateral coercive measures, infringing on the interests of developing countries and playing a highly disgraceful role, Sun pointed out.

Continue reading China calls out western human rights hypocrisy at UN

From coast to coast: China’s national day marked in Canada

In the following article, Arnold August, Canadian author, political activist and an active contributor to the work of Friends of Socialist China, takes the recent celebration of the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China as an occasion to assess the prospects for both enhanced bilateral relations and greater people-to-people friendship.

This year’s anniversary found echoes right across the vast land of Canada, from Prince Edward Island in the Atlantic to British Columbia facing the Pacific. Arnold lays particular emphasis on the role of Canada’s Chinese community, who, often in the face of discrimination and oppression, have, particularly since mass settlement began in the 1850s, made such an important contribution to building and developing their adopted nation and at the same time acting as the sturdy bridge of friendship back to their ancestral homeland.

He also assesses the recent positive developments in the relations between Canada and China, following a somewhat grim period, and especially since Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit in January this year. Ambassador to Canada Wang Di provides a comprehensive survey of the present state of the relationship in an article contributed to a special supplement of The Hill Times. The Ambassador’s article is reproduced in full in the body of the article below.

Finally, Arnold notes: “Should this new situation mean we should still be careful not to overestimate Canada’s current positive role, since there are always pressures to throw a wrench into this present trend? Yes, it is right to be cautious. On the other hand, should one underestimate the Carney government’s role? The answer to this is no.”

Continue reading From coast to coast: China’s national day marked in Canada

Han Zheng at the UN: China will join hands with all other countries to make the world a better place

The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) general debate was held in New York, September 22–28.

Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China addressed the assembly on September 26.

Having referred to the four major global initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping, starting with the Global Development Initiative, proposed five years ago at the 76th session, Han said:

“At a time when countries of the world find their future so closely linked, more and more of them want to join hands to shoulder the historic mission of addressing difficulties and challenges, and advancing the well-being of all humanity.”

With this in mind, he proposed four steps:

  1. We should safeguard the postwar international order and foster lasting peace based on common security. The world wants peace, not war. We should turn into action the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, and reject the Cold War mindset and bloc confrontation. We should settle differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation and oppose unilateral military actions that violate the UN Charter and circumvent Security Council authorisation. Major countries shoulder special responsibilities for safeguarding international peace and security, and they should take the lead in complying with rules, upholding rule of law and doing what’s right.

He added: “China calls for advancing the governance of the West Bank and the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza in accordance with the principle of the Palestinians governing Palestine… China urges the relevant country to immediately stop using threat of force against Cuba and immediately and completely lift the blockade and sanctions against Cuba.”

  1. We should address the global development predicament and promote prosperity for all through openness and cooperation. It is important to give priority to key areas including poverty reduction, food security and energy transition, step up resource input, and increase support for countries in the Global South. Developed countries should honour their commitment to development financing and climate financing. Facing a new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, especially the dynamic development of artificial intelligence, we should take a people-centred approach and develop AI for the positive and for good, narrow the digital divide, and promote development that is universally beneficial.
  2. We should advance exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations and rebuild unity and mutual trust through communication and dialogue. We should reject ideological prejudice and respect the development paths and social systems decided on independently by the people of all countries. We should deepen the sharing of governance practices and jointly explore ways to tackle challenges facing our times.
  3. We should stay committed to multilateralism and take steps to safeguard fairness and justice. Multilateralism is the choice made by humanity after going through scourges, and fairness and justice are the joint pursuit of the people of all countries. China holds that all countries, big or small, are equal members of the international community, and that world affairs should be handled by all through consultation, and rule of law, fairness and justice in international affairs should be jointly upheld. The UN should effectively address global challenges including climate change and public health security, improve governance rules in such areas as cyberspace, outer space and polar regions, and truly increase the representation and voice of the Global South.

Noting that it was on October 25, 1971, that the General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, by which the UNGA decided to restore all the rights of the People’s Republic of China in the UN and recognise the representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the UN, Han continued:

“Over the past 55 years, China has been a stabilising force in times of volatility. China is firmly committed to pursuing peaceful development and has the best track record on peace and security among major countries. It is the largest contributor of peacekeepers among the permanent members of the UN Security Council. It also took the initiative that led to the issuance of the first joint statement of the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states on preventing nuclear war. China has been a main engine driving common development. China has created two miracles at home, namely, fast economic growth and long-term social stability, and it has, over many years, contributed around 30 percent to global growth. China has joined hands with more than three fourths of the countries in the world in pursuing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, it has mobilised over 23 billion US dollars and carried out more than 2,000 projects under the Global Development Initiative, and it has granted zero-tariff status to all the African countries and least developed countries having diplomatic relations with it to empower the Global South in pursuing modernisation. China has been a progressive force in an era of change. China has always spoken up for the Global South, stood up for the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and continued to work toward a more just and equitable global governance system. In October, China will host the Global Governance Forum in the Xiong’an New Area. You are welcome to attend the forum and join the discussion about the way forward in global governance.”

He concluded: “China will join hands with all other countries to build a community with a shared future for humanity and make the world a better place for all of us.”

Continue reading Han Zheng at the UN: China will join hands with all other countries to make the world a better place

Xi meets Trump – two visions collide

Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the United States of America from September 23 to 25 at the invitation of President Donald J. Trump. It was his first state visit to the country since September 2015, during the Barack Obama administration, and follows President Trump’s state visit to China in May this year.

On the eve of the visit, the Morning Star published an editorial, arguing that this visit “could scarcely come at a more critical moment”, with:

  • Two already-disastrous wars threatening to spin out of control, in Ukraine and in the Gulf
  • Alarm mounting at the dangers posed by artificial intelligence
  • Growing levels of debt threatening to deepen problems in the global capitalist economy
  • The menace of climate change developing apace

All of these crises, the paper argues, “are rooted in the workings of imperialism today, in the dynamics for its ceaseless drive for capital accumulation on a global scale, its search for the greatest possible profit through international competition and coercion.”

Furthermore: “In Trump this failing system has an appropriate, if highly dangerous, lead representative. His actions, animated both by a bullying ‘America First’ aggression and a drive for personal and financial self-aggrandisement, have made every aspect of the threats facing the world worse.

“Yet for all his bluster and military adventures, Trump approaches his summit with Xi as the weaker party in some respects.”

Among the reasons for this are that: “In contrast to Trump, Beijing continues to uphold international law and the authority of the United Nations — thin defences against the depredations of imperialism but a base to build on rather than an edifice to be torn down…

“Xi also leads a cohesive society developing apace along almost every indicator of human well-being. Trump’s US by contrast is choking on its own divisions, including rampant racism, the removal of all restraints on private and corporate greed and the negation of the rights notionally provided for under the constitution.”

From this, the paper concludes: “Because of this it is, alas, unlikely that the meeting will lead to any great breakthroughs on major issues… Ultimately, the meeting between Xi and Trump is a meeting of a plausible future for the international order and a dystopian present. Xi and the Communist Party of China he leads bear much of the hopes of the world in the present crisis.”

Continue reading Xi meets Trump – two visions collide

China and Russia veto bid to pressure Iran

An attempt by the United States, supported by Britain and France, to further misuse the United Nations to put pressure on Iran suffered a setback on September 17 when China and Russia vetoed a proposed extension to the mandate of the UN Security Council’s Panel of Experts on Iran. Pakistan and Somalia abstained on the vote.

The New York Times reported: “Fu Cong, China’s UN ambassador, urged Council members to avoid ‘double standards, political manipulation, pressure and confrontation’. It added that he described the US decisions to pull out of a 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and to wage war against the country this year were ‘at the root of the current crisis’.”

The New York Times added: “The latest confrontation at the UN came the day after a high-level meeting between the foreign ministers of China and Iran in Beijing, at a time when Mr. Trump appears to be running out of options on Iran.”

Iran’s Press TV reported that the country’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said that the “unipolar order” has ended after China and Russia rejected the political abuse of the UN Security Council by the United States and its allies.

In a post on X, Qalibaf added: “China and Russia’s vetoes rejected the political abuse of the Security Council and reaffirmed the rule of law. We must defend multilateralism; unilateralism serves no one’s interests.”

Iran’s UN mission said China and Russia have “once again stood firmly in defence of the UN Charter, international law, and the integrity of the Council” and prevented “yet another cynical attempt by the United States and its allies to abuse the Security Council for their political purposes”. Iran expressed its deep appreciation to them for their “consistent and principled positions and decisive actions today”. The mission also commended Somalia and Pakistan for their “valuable positions and abstentions”.

Continue reading China and Russia veto bid to pressure Iran

Review: China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World

We are very pleased to publish the detailed review below by Dr Francisco Dominguez of the recently published ‘China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World: Changes unseen in a century’, edited by Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez. Francisco is one of the foremost anti-imperialist scholars and activists in Britain. Originally a political refugee from Pinochet’s Chile, he was the head of the Research Group on Latin America at Middlesex University and is the National Secretary of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign and an executive committee member of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign.

Francisco goes through the book chapter by chapter and concludes that it is “a book that is a must read”.

It was launched online on 20 September and is available from socialistbooks.com. The discount code CHINA35 gives 35 percent off all titles from the publishers Praxis Press until the end of the year.

Three features define the contours that this book seeks to scrutinise in its examination of China’s foreign policy. The first is the proposition that “the world is presently witnessing changes unseen in a century”, whose pace and scale have intensified dramatically. The second concerns the transformation of China’s foreign policy, hitherto moulded by the principle of “hide our capacities and bide our time” and the practice of “being good at maintaining a low profile”, but now “replaced by a more assertive and proactive strategy” aimed at promoting the interests of the Global South, advancing peace and common security, and pursuing a more just world order. The third is an exploration of the historical roots and theoretical foundations of China’s foreign policy. This is quite an undertaking for a group of nine intellectual cadres, each addressing specific dimensions of China’s foreign policy, which has itself become a crucial factor in the ongoing “changes unseen in a century”.

The images on the book’s cover provide an intriguing foretaste of its content. The first depicts the 1955 Bandung Conference, at which the then Third World—represented by 29 participating countries, and still largely confined to aspirational declarations—expressed its desire for a “more just world system”, free from colonial oppression and founded upon respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. The conference also featured Zhou Enlai’s proposal, on behalf of the recently founded People’s Republic of China, of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

Continue reading Review: China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World

China at the UN: peace, development, and fairness

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is holding its 81st annual general debate in New York, September 22–28.

Referring to this, the Chinese newspaper Global Times published an editorial commentary on 20 September, which starkly contrasted the two very different world views that will contend at this global gathering:

“What should the world expect to hear? Gaza’s children weeping, small island states crying for help, the Global South demanding development and fairness.”

Referring to the heavy restrictions placed on the Iranian delegation attending the meeting and the outright denial of visas to delegates from Palestine, it notes:

“Iran is right: Attendance is a legal right, not a favour. By extension, peace is a right, development is a right, and so is not being left behind in the AI era. This is the fair word China will speak. If delegates can enter the UN hall only at the host’s discretion, confined by travel limits and a compressed delegation [as in the case of Iran], then international law and the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the UN are already hollowed out… Harder still: Between the two states at war, Israel is admitted while Palestinian representatives are shut out for taking its war with Israel to international courts. Yet in Gaza’s ruins, families still search for remains, and the blood of women and children remains wet.”

China, it continues, demands an immediate cease-fire, humanitarian access, an end to annexation and a two-state solution. “No cease-fire, no development. No justice, no lasting ceasefire.”

Turning to the issue of climate change, it argues that developed nations must fulfill their climate finance promises. “China is planting trees, installing solar power panels and promoting electric vehicles at scale, sharing technology with its Southern partners because, in the face of the climate crisis, we are all in the same boat.”

Likewise, “China advocates ‘AI for good and for all’, promoting it as a shared resource through open-source initiatives and capacity building, so that African doctors, Southeast Asian teachers and Latin American farmers can all benefit. China seeks no AI hegemony; it simply hopes no child misses out on the future because of where they were born.”

China, it concludes, is ready to stand with all countries that cherish peace and pursue development.

Continue reading China at the UN: peace, development, and fairness

Launching “China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World”

On 20 September, Friends of Socialist China and the International Manifesto Group, together with Praxis Press, Manifesto Press and the Critical Theory Workshop, held an online launch for the newly-released China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World: Changes Unseen in a Century. Edited by Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez, the book brings together nine essays on the history, theory and practice of China’s foreign relations. Chaired by Carlos, the launch heard from contributors Andrew Murray, Danny Haiphong, Mick Dunford, Jenny Clegg, Torkil Lauesen, Ken Hammond and Keith.

The full video of the event is embedded below, and each contribution is also available as a separate video, linked in the text that follows.

A case study in Iran

Carlos opened the launch by explaining why the book was put together. The US-Israeli war on Iran, he argued, is not only an attack on a country Washington and Tel Aviv happen to dislike, but part of a desperate campaign to arrest the whole process of multipolarity. It has failed: Iran’s sovereignty is intact and its strategic relationship with both China and Russia has deepened.

China’s conduct in the war, Carlos suggested, provides a case study for the book’s key arguments. Beijing condemned the aggression from the outset, continued buying the bulk of Iran’s oil in defiance of US sanctions, vetoed Security Council resolutions designed to legitimise the war, and worked persistently with regional countries – most notably Pakistan – towards a ceasefire and negotiated solution. That combination of material solidarity and an unwavering insistence on peace and the UN Charter is what the book sets out to explain: a foreign policy that is “neither the menacing expansionism imagined by the China hawks, nor the timid inadequacy lamented by parts of the Western left”.

Not a Cold War re-run

Andrew Murray, political correspondent of the Morning Star, argued that China’s rise cannot be understood without its corollary, the decay of the United States. After all, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the financial crash of 2008, had little to do with China. Only now, with US decline and China’s growing weight combined, has the contradiction between imperialism and a Global South in which China plays a leading part clearly become the main contradiction in world politics.

This is not a simple re-run of the Cold War. The Soviet Union faced a far more powerful array of forces, and the mass national liberation and labour movements of that era do not exist in the same form today. Washington has moved from hoping for the incremental restoration of capitalism in China towards military and strategic encirclement, of which AUKUS is but one symptom.

On the charge that China is imperialist, Andrew commended Carlos’s polemic with Greg Godels and offered the historian Victor Kiernan’s definition of imperialism as “coercion exerted abroad, by one means or another, to extort profits above what simple commercial exchange can procure”. That coercive element, he said, is “something which is entirely absent from China’s conduct of international affairs and business”.

Continue reading Launching “China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World”

China and Brazil should lead the Global South toward collective self-reliance

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee, met with Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil for Foreign Policy, Celso Amorim, in Beijing, on September 16.

Wang Yi conveyed President Xi Jinping’s warm greetings to President Lula, stating that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Brazil relations have in recent years achieved leapfrog development from comprehensive strategic partners to communities with a shared future. The global, strategic, and long-term nature of their relationship has become more prominent, and it has become a model of unity and cooperation among major powers in the Global South. Both sides, he added, should strengthen strategic cooperation on major international and regional issues, continue to stand on the side of international fairness and justice, jointly hold high the torch of multilateralism, and lead the Global South toward collective self-reliance.

Amorim conveyed President Lula’s sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping, stating that both China and Brazil are major countries in the Global South and can genuinely contribute to world peace and stability. In the current international situation of turmoil and instability, Brazil-China relations transcend the bilateral scope and carry increasing significance. Both sides should strengthen communication and cooperation on multilateral platforms such as BRICS and jointly contribute to promoting world peace and development.

Continue reading China and Brazil should lead the Global South toward collective self-reliance

Iranian Foreign Minister: Tehran is fully prepared to deepen strategic coordination with Beijing

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Beijing on September 16 and held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry reports that Wang Yi stated that the current situation in the Middle East remains turbulent, seriously affecting international peace and development. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China is willing to play a constructive role in resolving international disputes. China and Iran are comprehensive strategic partners, and China is also willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with Iran to safeguard Iran’s legitimate rights and interests. The continuation of the US-Iran war does not serve the common interests of the parties involved or the international community. We encourage Iran and the United States to remain rational and restrained, to return to the Memorandum of Understanding agreed in Islamabad as soon as possible, restructure negotiation mechanisms based on the consensus reached so far and conduct substantive consultations on issues of mutual concern. We support Iran’s dialogue with Gulf countries, respect for each other’s territorial sovereignty and national security, and safeguarding regional common interests in a constructive manner.

Wang further pointed out that the current situation once again proves that the existing security framework in the Middle East is not yet complete and needs reform and strengthening. During his visit to Egypt, President Xi Jinping put forward four proposals to support regional countries in upholding a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept and building a new security architecture for the Middle East. We welcome beneficial exploration by regional countries on this topic. On Middle East issues, as a responsible major power, China will continue to contribute to peace and stability, to promoting peace talks, and to fairness and justice.

Araghchi briefed Wang Yi on the latest situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region and Iran’s next steps, stating that Iran does not want the conflict to continue and hopes to return to diplomatic resolution channels while firmly safeguarding its own interests. Iran believes the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding remains valid, Iran has reached a plan with Oman to open the Strait of Hormuz, and the US should fulfil all its commitments. Iran is also willing to engage in dialogue and consultation with regional countries, establish and develop good-neighbourly and friendly relations, and promote the early restoration of peace and tranquillity in the region. Iran welcomes and supports President Xi Jinping’s four propositions for maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East and the four initiatives for promoting regional common security. It is willing to strengthen cooperation with China within this framework and looks forward to China playing a greater role in regional peace and stability.

The Tehran Times reported that Araghchi expressed strong support for President Xi Jinping’s landmark proposals on safeguarding peace in the Middle East, declaring that Tehran is fully prepared to deepen strategic coordination with Beijing to build a sustainable regional security framework.

The English language Iranian daily reported that: “Amid China’s consistent contributions to regional and global peace and stability, Araghchi’s call for a greater Beijing-led role further underscores the diplomatic significance of his visit.

“This is the second time that the Iranian foreign minister has paid an official visit to China since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February. Araghchi last visited China in May, shortly before a trip by President Donald Trump to the country. Araghchi’s Wednesday visit comes ahead of the upcoming trip by President Xi to the US, where he will meet Trump.

“China is a trusted partner not only for Iran but also for other countries in the Middle East, in addition to maintaining open communication channels with Washington.

“When viewed alongside China’s principled stance during the Iran-US war, its emphasis on prioritising dialogue over confrontation, the two four-point initiatives put forward by President Xi, and his latest call for a ‘due role’ in resolving the conflict through BRICS, the significance of Araghchi’s trip becomes even clearer.”

The Tehran Times concluded: “By offering visionary peace initiatives and standing firmly against unilateralism and hegemony, Beijing provides a vital pillar of support for independent nations confronting external aggression. This diplomatic momentum underscores China’s constructive leadership and its contribution to advancing lasting security, development, and peace in the region.”

For its part, the Palestine Chronicle noted that Araghchi had stressed Iran’s strategic partnership with China and said that decisions being taken amid current regional developments would have “enormous repercussions.” It added:

“Against this backdrop, Tehran and Beijing have intensified diplomatic coordination, with Iran presenting China as an important strategic partner in shaping the political response to the war and its wider economic consequences.

“Araghchi said the choices being made during the current period would extend beyond the immediate crisis, affecting the future balance of power and political arrangements across the region.”

Continue reading Iranian Foreign Minister: Tehran is fully prepared to deepen strategic coordination with Beijing

Can China save the world?

In the following review of China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World, Dirk Nimmegeers describes the collection as an “intriguing, enjoyable read, aimed at a diverse readership”. The review gives an overview of each of the ten chapters – from the historical and theoretical framing provided by the editors, through contributions by Ken Hammond, Andrew Murray, Jenny Clegg, Danny Haiphong, Cheng Enfu, Torkil Lauesen and Michael Dunford, to Carlos Martinez’s closing chapter on the Four Global Initiatives.

This review first appeared, in Dutch, on Chinasquare.be, and has been machine translated.

Note: there will be an online book launch for the book – hosted by Friends of Socialist China together with the International Manifesto Group, Praxis Press, Manifesto Press and the Critical Theory Workshop – on Sunday 20 September at 4pm Britain (5pm Western Europe, 11am US Eastern), at which seven of the book’s contributors will speak.

At present, ‘the world is undergoing changes the likes of which have not been seen for a century’. This is a well-known statement by the Chinese leader Xi Jinping. According to Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez, it is becoming clearer every day that Xi is right. They point, to name but a few signs, to the course of the war against Iran, or the rise of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Furthermore, the editors of Friends of Socialist China note that China has adapted its foreign policy to this reality, shifting from a low profile approach to a more assertive and proactive strategy. When they asked seven other eminent specialists for their analysis of China’s foreign policy, the editors therefore decided to give the collection a subtitle that echoes Xi’s vision. China’s Foreign Policy and the Making of a Multipolar World: Changes unseen in a century was published by Praxis Press at the end of August.

The book contains analyses of what China represents in geopolitical terms today. The authors are well-established and experienced academics and journalists. They provide answers to questions on this subject, which is of the utmost importance for the future of the world – questions that preoccupy many readers, particularly those on the progressive and left-wing spectrum. What is the historical background to Chinese foreign policy, and how will it evolve? On what principles and theories is it based? How does practice relate to propaganda? Is China a new imperialist power? Is its international policy ‘good enough’ for a country that calls itself socialist? And what does China’s rise mean for the Global South, for the prospects of peace and for the long-term struggle to establish a more just world order?

Continue reading Can China save the world?

Parliamentary diplomacy boosts Angola-China friendship

Adão de Almeida, Speaker of Angola’s National Assembly, paid an official visit to China from September 9-17.

According to Angola’s Angop news agency, the agenda included sharing experiences on China’s legislative process, as well as identifying best practices that could be adapted to the Angolan context. The delegation also visited infrastructure related to science, technology and innovation, sectors regarded as strategic to Angola’s economic and social development.

Manuel Dembo, First Secretary of the Bureau of the National Assembly, noted that the visit is of significant strategic importance, as it is the first official visit by a Speaker of Angola’s National Assembly to the People’s Republic of China. The parliamentarian also highlighted the role played by China in Angola’s post-war reconstruction process, advocating stronger strategic cooperation between the two countries through parliamentary diplomacy.

Angop also reported that the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening interparliamentary cooperation and promoting political dialogue and mutual understanding as well as closer ties between the two peoples.

Under the instrument, the parties undertake, among other aspects, to deepen parliamentary ties and promote institutional exchanges, contributing to the strengthening of cooperation relations between the Republic of Angola and the People’s Republic of China.

The MoU was signed following September 11 talks between Almeida and his Chinese counterpart Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC). Zhao said China stands ready to work with Angola, under the guidance of the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, to carry forward traditional friendship, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, advance the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and promote the steady growth of China-Angola relations. Further, China appreciates Angola’s long-standing commitment to the one-China principle and will continue to firmly support Angola in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Almeida said that while pursuing its own development, China supports the common development of its partners around the world. The National Assembly of Angola stands ready to strengthen exchanges with China’s NPC and give full play to the role of the legislature in providing legal guarantees for the implementation of the cooperation agreements between the two countries.

The Angolan visitor also met with Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on the same day.

Noting that Angola appreciates China’s support for its economic and social development, Almeida said Angola stands ready to deepen cooperation in energy, economy and trade, and transportation, strengthen international coordination, and promote fair and equitable global governance.

The following day, Almeida gave a keynote lecture at the China University of Petroleum, in which he highlighted the role of Angola’s parliament in creating the legislative conditions required for the development of the national oil industry, with particular emphasis on the approval of tax incentives aimed at attracting investment.

Almeida stated that, despite ongoing efforts to diversify the economy, oil continues to occupy a significant position, which is why the state has sought to create conditions to maintain adequate levels of production and attract new investment.

According to the Parliament Speaker, Angola once achieved production of approximately two million barrels of oil per day. However, this level has declined in recent years and currently stands at just over one million barrels per day. He added that this situation requires new investment, particularly in scientific research, exploration and the discovery of new oil fields, as well as in attracting capital for the development of petroleum resources.

Almeida also expressed satisfaction that the China University of Petroleum hosts Angolan students engaged in education and scientific research in the field of petroleum exploration. He considered that the training of these professionals could contribute to the development and growth of Angola’s oil industry and stressed the need for continuous, in-depth and dedicated study.

“We are confident that they will help ensure that Angola’s oil industry continues to grow and prosper,” he said.

In his address, the parliamentary leader also advocated the need for Angola to evolve from a state primarily engaged in oil production into a country with greater domestic capacity to process and refine its own resources.

Continue reading Parliamentary diplomacy boosts Angola-China friendship

Trump and Xi: two views on international relations

With a second summit this year between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump expected to take place in Washington DC before the end of September, the US newspaper People’s World recently carried an article by veteran activist David Cavendish setting out the two leaders’ divergent views on international relations.

He notes that we have recently “seen how the leadership of the United States government, bogged down in a war that it cannot win, is spewing threats and insults against countries, both ‘friend’ and ‘foe’.”

He notes a number of statements by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, for example on X: “Today, in that same spirit, we are launching an economic onslaught against Iran’s financial connections around the globe. Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime.”

“At the same time”, he adds, “the president announced on his social media site that he will continue to use the military option, with attacks on targets in southern Iran. ‘If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!’

“The president’s language, to say the least, is stark and speaks in a tone rarely heard in international affairs. One can make all types of analyses as to what motivates Trump, but one thing is clear: He is an extreme example of US imperialistic policies followed since the Spanish-American War.” (1898)

Noting China’s refusal to acquiesce in Trump’s campaign, he writes, “that was not just because of some minor technicality, but because the basis of Chinese foreign economic policy is, in most respects, the complete opposite of that of the United States.”

In this regard he draws attention to an editorial in Global Times, which states: “If the US cannot even rally its own allies, it certainly cannot expect to boss China around. China has consistently opposed unilateral bullying and long-arm jurisdiction—not because China is Iran’s largest trading partner and maintains long-standing friendly relations with Iran, but because once this US logic is accepted, international trade would no longer be normal exchanges between nations. Instead, it would devolve into an absurd situation where the US unilaterally sets the rules and the flow of all goods must be approved by the US.”

Noting how President Xi Jinping had recently stated, at the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), held in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, that all countries need to build “an equal and orderly multipolar world,” one that “should ensure equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules for all countries, regardless of their size, strength and wealth,” he concludes:

“That is the stark choice facing the people of our planet. On the one hand, we have the neo-barbarism of the Trump administration. On the other, a new set of international relations based on equality, fairness, and peace. The choice is clear.”

Continue reading Trump and Xi: two views on international relations

BRICS Summit reaches consensus and affirms support for Palestine and Cuba

The 18th Summit of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, meeting in the Indian capital, New Delhi, over September 12-13 adopted a joint declaration at the conclusion of its first session held in the afternoon of September 12.

The detailed 140-point declaration addresses a huge range of issues. Considering the sharp differences presently existing among some BRICS member countries, most notably Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the unanimous adoption by all the full members of BRICS may be said to represent not least a considerable achievement on the part of Indian diplomacy, with, according to numerous media reports, its diplomats working intensively to secure consensus and agreement among all parties in the days leading up to the summit.

The Xinhua News Agency reports that the declaration, which is entitled, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, reflects a commitment to inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism, calling for international and regional peace and security, and underscoring sustainable and inclusive global economic growth as well as strengthening cultural and people-to-people cooperation.

Acknowledging the historical lineage of this key agency of Global South cooperation, the declaration notes: “We recall the 1955 Asian-African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia that proclaimed general principles, including equality, independence, non-intervention, and mutual benefit. We stress that the Bandung Spirit serves as a reference in the pursuit of a fairer, more inclusive, and representative multilateral system.”

Considering not least the positions and actions in the recent period of India and the United Arab Emirates, one positive and welcome development is the relatively principled stand taken by the declaration on the Palestinian and related issues. It states:

“We take note of the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2803. We call for the implementation of the relevant UNGA and UNSC Resolutions and urge all parties to ensure the maintenance of ceasefire and full and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip. In this context, we express deep concern on the continued violence in Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement of October 2025. We call for halting any policies aimed at forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza Strip and express concern regarding arrangements that may prejudice the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and legitimise or prolong occupation.

“We reaffirm that a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means and depends on the fulfilment of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the rights to self-determination and return. We affirm the need for adequate representation of Palestine in all relevant international organisations, including multilateral financial institutions, and access to their resources. We reaffirm our support for the State of Palestine’s full membership in the UN in the context of the unwavering commitment to the two-state solution, in accordance with international law, including relevant UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative, that includes the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within the internationally recognised 1967 borders, which included the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in order to achieve the vision of two States living side by side, in peace and security.

“We express our firm opposition to the forced displacement, temporary or permanent, under any pretext, of any of the Palestinian population from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as any geographic or demographic changes to the territory of the Gaza Strip. We reiterate that international law and international judicial bodies demand the end of the illegal occupation and the immediate cessation of all practices that undermine legal norms and obstruct a just and lasting peace.

“We reiterate our grave concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the humanitarian situation in Gaza. We call for adherence to international law, in particular to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and condemn all their violations, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare, attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects, including healthcare facilities and other civilian infrastructure, as well as the unlawful obstruction of humanitarian access. We also condemn attempts to politicise or militarise humanitarian assistance. We reassert our steadfast support for UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and stress the need to fully respect the mandate, bestowed on it by the UNGA, for the provision of basic services to Palestine refugees in its five fields of operations. We call on all relevant parties to respect their obligations under international law and act with utmost restraint and to avoid escalatory actions and provocative declarations. We note, in this regard, the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice in the legal proceedings instituted by South Africa against Israel, which, inter alia, reaffirmed Israel’s legal obligation to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

“We reject any unilateral measures that seek to alter the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem. We urge full respect for the sanctity of all religious sites and holy places in the city and for the rights of all to access and to observe their religious rites without hinderance.

“We welcome the ceasefire in Lebanon and call on all parties to strictly adhere to its terms and to fully implement UNSC Resolution 1701. We condemn the continued violations of the ceasefire and of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon. We call on Israel to respect the terms agreed with the Lebanese government and to withdraw its occupying forces from all of the Lebanese territories, in which they remain.

“We highlight the vital role played by United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and agree it is imperative to ensure the safety, security, and freedom of movement of all UN personnel and equipment, as well as to respect the integrity of UN premises. We condemn all attacks against UNIFIL installations and personnel and emphasise that such attacks are a violation of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006). We also extend our deepest condolences for the loss of four Indonesian as well as other peacekeepers serving under UNIFIL and express solidarity with all Troop Contributing Countries affected. We express our condemnation of the incidents that led to these fatalities and reiterate that the safety and security of UN peacekeepers are non-negotiable. We underscore the importance of respecting the role and mandate of UNIFIL in supporting the Government of Lebanon and in creating space for a political solution. In this regard, we call for those responsible for these attacks to be held accountable and further call on all parties to guarantee the safety and freedom of movement of UNIFIL personnel and assets, as well as the inviolability of UN premises.”

The declaration also declares its support for Cuba, stating: “Underlining the character of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, built on mutual respect, peaceful settlement of disputes and non-intervention, we express deep concern on the situation relating to Cuba due to the tightening of unilateral blockade measures against the country, their adverse effects on the Cuban economy, energy supplies and the worrying humanitarian impact on the Cuban people. In this regard, we reiterate the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial measures against Cuba in accordance with UNGA Resolution A/RES/80/4.”

It concludes by extending full support to China for its BRICS Chairship in 2027 and the holding of the XIX BRICS Summit in China.

Continue reading BRICS Summit reaches consensus and affirms support for Palestine and Cuba

Kim Jong Un: we will always join hands with the Chinese comrades

Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un sent a reply letter on September 12 to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in response to his letter sent on the occasion of the 78th founding anniversary of the DPRK on September 9.

Kim Jong Un wrote: “Your warm congratulations and best wishes serve as great strength and encouragement to all the members of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the DPRK people who are making all-out efforts to usher in a new era of comprehensive national rejuvenation, regarding socialism as their faith.

“We will always join hands with the Chinese comrades in the course of firmly defending and advancing the common cause of socialism and better cultivating, strengthening and developing the traditional DPRK-China relations of friendship and cooperation in conformity with the requirements of the new era and the aspirations and wishes of the peoples of the two countries.”

On September 8, the DPRK embassy in Beijing hosted a reception to mark their national day. It was attended by Peng Qinghua, vice-chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC), along with representatives of numerous Chinese departments and organisations.

In his speech Ambassador Ri Ryong Nam said that the 78 year-long history of the DPRK is the proud course of victory in which it has dynamically advanced for building a powerful socialist country despite all trials and difficulties under the outstanding leadership of President Kim Il Sung, Chairman Kim Jong Il and respected Comrade Kim Jong Un.

He said that the Workers’ Party of Korea and the DPRK government would as ever invariably and firmly support the Chinese people in their struggle for defending the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era and the country’s national sovereignty, security, development and interests under the leadership of the Communist Party of China with Comrade General Secretary Xi Jinping as its core.

Peng Qinghua extended warm congratulations on behalf of the Chinese party, government and people to the Korean party, government and people, saying that after the founding of the DPRK the Korean people embarked on the road of independent development and have dynamically advanced the socialist cause and changed the appearance of the state by waging a ceaseless struggle for 78 years.

No matter how the international situation may change, the Chinese party and government remains unchanged in its firm stand of attaching great importance to the China-DPRK friendship and also in its steadfast determination to firmly support the socialist cause of the DPRK led by General Secretary Kim Jong Un, defend the common interests of the two countries and preserve the excellent strategic environment, he stressed.

Meanwhile the General Association of Koreans in China (GAKC) and other organisations of the Korean community held celebrations on September 8 and 9 to mark their national day. They included placing flower baskets at the statue of President Kim Il Sung at Yuwen Middle School in Jilin and study tours of anti-Japanese revolutionary battle sites, where Chinese and Korean comrades fought shoulder-to-shoulder, in the three northeastern provinces of China. Kim Il Sung, the founder of the DPRK, studied at the Yuwen Middle School in his teenage years and his time there formed an important part of his early revolutionary activities. The school is also associated with a number of key figures in the Chinese revolution, including Guo Moro, Chu Tunan, and Shang Yue, who taught there, and Peng Huanwu and Ma Zongjin, who studied there.

Continue reading Kim Jong Un: we will always join hands with the Chinese comrades