Our next webinar is on 24 September: China encirclement and the imperialist build-up in the Pacific.

Category: International relations

President Xi’s three key global initiatives on development, security and civilisation

On the eve of China’s annual twin parliamentary sessions, China Dally published the below interview with our co-editor Keith Bennett, focusing on President Xi’s three key global initiatives on development, security and civilisation.

According to Keith, they constitute a “step-by-step process, [whereby] China is setting out its view of the world – not only the view of the world as it is, but a view of the world as it should be, and what kind of world humanity should be aspiring to.”

He notes that the Global Development Initiative, first proposed by President Xi at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021, has received a warm welcome from the majority of countries in the Global South, as its philosophies and policies are in the interests of the majority of the people in every country. 

“This reflects the fact that development is still the most pressing need for the majority of humanity… But what are the things that people need to realise development? Peace and security.”

The following article was first published by China Daily.

China’s three major global initiatives on development, security, and civilization have been welcomed by the majority of the world, and the West needs to gain a better understanding of them, said Keith Bennett, an analyst of international relations.

“In a step-by-step process, China is setting out its view of the world — not only the view of the world as it is, but a view of the world as it should be, and what kind of world humanity should be aspiring to,” said Bennett, co-editor of the online platform Friends of Socialist China, as he discussed the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative.

He added that the two sessions, the annual gatherings of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, provide an important window for the West to learn about China’s domestic policy and its global vision.

NPC deputies and CPPCC members come to the sessions representing all walks of life, and the government report is a result of many deliberations and wide-ranging consultations.

“A lot of people in the West say that China is unpredictable. But actually, China puts forward its policies and its philosophy and its proposals very clearly,” said Bennett, who studied Chinese history and politics at the University of London in the late 1970s and has visited China more than 200 times.

“I think whether people support China, or they don’t support China, they actually should understand China first,” said Bennett, who is also a long-time member of the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding, which was founded in 1965 to promote understanding and friendship between the British and Chinese people.

Bennett said the three initiatives outline China’s experience and wisdom that can be used to deal with current world problems, such as how to achieve growth for developing countries and how to resolve conflicts in the Middle East.

Since President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative at the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021, the initiative has received a warm welcome by the majority of countries in the Global South, as its philosophies and policies are “in the interests of the majority of the people in every country”, Bennett said.

According to China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Vienna, more than 100 countries and international organizations have voiced support for the GDI, and over 70 countries had joined the Group of Friends of the GDI by the end of last year.

“This reflects the fact that development is still the most pressing need for the majority of humanity,” Bennett said.

“But what are the things that people need to realize development? Peace and security.”

In that regard, the Global Security Initiative was put forward by Xi at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in April 2022, stressing the importance of upholding a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and adhering to non-interference in internal affairs.

Last year, the reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia under a China-brokered deal was a remarkable achievement of the initiative, Bennett said, adding that he has observed how China has been assisting in reconciliations in various regions.

“All three initiatives are linked as a whole. It’s like you put one on top of the other to make the house,” he said, adding that the Global Civilization Initiative, which was introduced by Xi during the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting in March last year has been indispensable in realizing those achievements.

“In the Western capitalist countries, Samuel Huntington’s ideas of a ‘clash of civilizations’ find a strong resonance… but at base, it is a racist conception which constructs a hierarchy of civilizations, elevating that of the West and placing them in an adversarial and antagonistic relationship to one another,” he wrote in another recent commentary.

“In stark contrast, the Global Civilization Initiative makes clear that the history of humanity, spanning thousands of years, has seen a variety of civilizations come into being, develop and thrive, and this has in return promoted the overall development of human society,” Bennett said.

Xi: China has always regarded solidarity with Africa as an important cornerstone of our foreign policy

Julius Maada Bio, President of the west African state of Sierra Leone, paid a state visit to China from February 27-March 2 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Meeting his guest on February 28, Xi Jinping noted that China and Sierra Leone enjoy a time-honoured friendship, adding that the two sides have supported each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, carried out efficient cooperation in the fields of economic and social development, coordinated closely on issues such as world peace and development, and worked together to fight against Ebola and the COVID-19 pandemic.

China-Sierra Leone relations are a good example of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation, Xi said, adding that China is willing to work with Sierra Leone to consolidate high-level political mutual trust, advance pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation, and strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs so as to push bilateral relations to a new level.

China is also willing to provide assistance and support to the best of its ability for Sierra Leone’s development in agriculture, infrastructure construction and human resources, and encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Sierra Leone.

Both sides should strengthen cooperation on UN Security Council affairs and jointly safeguard the interests of Africa and developing countries.

“China has always regarded solidarity and cooperation with African countries as an important cornerstone of our foreign policy,” Xi recalled.

China will work with African countries to align its initiatives to support Africa’s industrialisation, agricultural modernisation and talent development with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries; and to further integrate the development of China, Africa and the world to promote the upgrading of China-Africa cooperation and move the world towards a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress.

China is ready to work with African friends, including Sierra Leone, to make this year’s session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) a success, Xi said.

Bio said China is a trustworthy and reliable friend, thanking China for its great support for his country’s economic and social development.

He spoke highly of the Communist Party of China leading the Chinese people to achieve leapfrog development and promoting national rejuvenation. China’s experience provides inspirations for developing countries to accelerate their development.

He said Sierra Leone is willing to learn from China’s experience, strengthen cooperation with China on the Belt and Road Initiative, and tap the potential for cooperation on infrastructure, trade, education and public services.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of the Belt and Road Initiative, agriculture, economic development, and the implementation of the Global Development Initiative.

Both sides issued a joint statement on deepening their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

A February 28 article by the Reuters news agency, further noted that, during the Sierra Leonean President’s meeting with Xi, China announced 50 million yuan ($6.95 million) in economic and technical assistance, a 20 million yuan debt cancellation and 1,500 tonnes of food assistance for Sierra Leone, according to a statement from Sierra Leone’s State House.

It added that Chinese firms have invested $6.4 billion in Sierra Leone since 2010, according to data from the American Enterprise Institute think tank, predominantly in metals.

In November, China granted Sierra Leone $13 million to “support the economic and social development of Sierra Leone.”

In December, Sierra Leone signed a pact with China Road and Bridge Corporation to build an 8-km (5-mile) bridge crossing the river separating the capital Freetown from the country’s main airport at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion.

 In the Joint Statement on Deepening The Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership Between the People’s Republic of China and The Republic of Sierra Leone, the two sides agreed that since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than 50 years ago [in 1971], China and Sierra Leone have deepened their traditional friendship, continuously enhanced political mutual trust, achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation and coordinated closely in international affairs. Such a relationship has greatly benefited both countries and peoples, and set a fine example of a new type of international relations.

They spoke highly of the new progress made in China-Sierra Leone relations since President Bio’s state visit to China in 2018. In particular, the two sides recalled the spirit of friendship and solidarity demonstrated in the fight against COVID-19, during which the people of China and Sierra Leone supported each other and fought the pandemic side by side.

The two sides concurred that China-Sierra Leone relations have gained further strategic significance in the face of complex challenges in the world. To further promote the development of China-Sierra Leone relations and expand cooperation in various fields, the two leaders have decided to deepen the China-Sierra Leone comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Sierra Leone highly commends that under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese people have made great progress in realising the transformation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernisation, and believes that the Chinese path to modernisation offers options and solutions to fellow developing countries seeking independent development.  Sierra Leone will also support all efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification. 

China commended Sierra Leone for joining and actively participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) since 2018. Sierra Leone highly commended the BRI’s positive role in advancing economic development and people’s livelihood in partner countries since its inception over 10 years ago. The two sides have signed the Cooperation Plan on Jointly Promoting the BRI. Guided by the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit, the two sides will follow the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, adhere to the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation, and make the cooperation high-standard, people-centered and sustainable.

The Chinese side will strengthen cooperation with Sierra Leone in human resource development and continue to dispatch medical teams to Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leonean side expressed gratitude for China’s long-standing support for Sierra Leone’s health sector, especially during Ebola and COVID-19.

The two sides agreed to uphold the principle of equality among all countries regardless of size, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and work to build an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation. As developing countries, China and Sierra Leone share extensive common interests and similar positions on international affairs, and will support each other in this regard. China congratulated Sierra Leone again on its election as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council 2024-2025, and expressed its readiness to strengthen cooperation with Sierra Leone and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. The two sides reiterated their support for the authority of the UN, and agreed that reform of the UN Security Council needs to support developing countries including Africa in playing a bigger role, increase their representation and voice in the Security Council and redress the historical injustices done to Africa. 

Chinese Premier Li Qiang also met with President Bio on February 28 and said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than half a century ago, China and Sierra Leone have always respected each other, treated each other as equals and cooperated with each other sincerely, and are good friends, good partners and good brothers who share weal and woe.

Li pointed out that China is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Sierra Leone, carry out practical and efficient cooperation, advance the construction of key projects and livelihood projects in an orderly manner, and provide support to the economic and social development of Sierra Leone within its capacity.

China will continue to send agricultural technical experts to help Sierra Leone cultivate quality crops and train technical personnel, strengthen exchanges and the sharing of experience in agricultural policy planning with Sierra Leone, and push for deeper and more solid agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

“China stands ready to further strengthen people-to-people exchanges with Sierra Leone on youth, education, training and medical care to consolidate public support for friendly relations between the two countries,” the Chinese Premier added.

China’s top legislator Zhao Leji, Chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, also met the Sierra Leonean head of state on the same day. He said that under the guidance of the leaders of the two countries, bilateral relations had been running at a high level and cooperation had yielded fruitful results.

The Chinese side attaches great importance to cooperation with the Sierra Leonean parliament and is willing to strengthen exchanges at all levels of the legislature, provide better legal guarantees for bilateral cooperation, promote exchanges among political parties and localities, as well as people-to-people exchanges, and share experience in strengthening democracy and the rule of law.

Following his talks in Beijing, President Bio visited Wuhan in central China’s Hubei Province, marking his first trip to the Chinese city that has close ties with Sierra Leone in multiple fields such as trade, education and agriculture.

During this visit, Bio went to the Institute of Food Crops of Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, where he learned about the research achievements in rice cultivation. Noting that rice is a staple food for many African countries, including Sierra Leone, he expressed hope for collaboration between Sierra Leone and Hubei in this field. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). Expressing his gratitude, Bio said that this accolade is “not just a personal achievement, but a testimony of the enduring friendship between our two countries.”

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

Xi holds talks with Sierra Leonean president

BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday.

Noting that China and Sierra Leone enjoy a time-honored friendship, Xi said the two sides have supported each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, carried out efficient cooperation in the fields of economic and social development, coordinated closely on issues such as world peace and development, and worked together to fight against Ebola and the COVID-19 pandemic.

China-Sierra Leone relations are a good example of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation, Xi said, adding that China is willing to work with Sierra Leone to consolidate high-level political mutual trust, advance pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation, and strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs to push bilateral relations to a new level.

Xi said China firmly supports the Sierra Leonean people in pursuing a development path suited to their national conditions. He said China stands ready to strengthen exchanges with Sierra Leone on national governance, and work with Sierra Leone to continue supporting each other’s major concerns and safeguarding their respective sovereignty, security and development interests.

China is also willing to provide assistance and support to the best of its ability for Sierra Leone’s development in agriculture, infrastructure construction and human resources, and encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Sierra Leone, Xi said.

Both sides should strengthen cooperation on UN Security Council affairs and jointly safeguard the interests of Africa and developing countries, Xi noted.

The Chinese president welcomed Sierra Leone to participate in the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

“China has always regarded solidarity and cooperation with African countries as an important cornerstone of our foreign policy,” Xi said.

China will work with African countries to align its initiatives to support Africa’s industrialization, agricultural modernization and talent development with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries; and to further integrate the development of China, Africa and the world to promote the upgrading of China-Africa cooperation and move the world towards a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress, Xi said.

Continue reading Xi: China has always regarded solidarity with Africa as an important cornerstone of our foreign policy

Chinese Embassy in London organises round table discussion on building a shared future for humanity

On February 21, the Chinese Embassy in London organised a lunch and round table discussion for representatives of fraternal parties and other British friends of China to celebrate the Lunar New Year and to explore the topic of building a shared future for humanity along with the other major themes raised at the Central Conference on Work Related to Foreign Affairs, held in Beijing last December. 

In his keynote report, Ambassador Zheng Zeguang first dealt with economic developments. China’s economy, he noted, had become greener, the middle income group had already reached 400 million, and Premier Li Qiang has noted that it will reach 800 million in five years. There were intensified efforts to sort out the problems in the real estate market. 

On foreign policy, the Ambassador laid particular stress on high quality Belt and Road (BRI) developments, the historic reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, brokered by China, China’s contribution to the UAE consensus on climate change reached at COP 28, along with China’s role in the Global South, championing the expansion of the BRICS cooperation mechanism and the African Union’s admission to the G-20. 

China’s policy, he explained, was to promote peace and oppose war. Without peace there could be no development and peace can only be possible if the independence and territorial integrity of nations was defended. It was further necessary to uphold mutual learning and to oppose ideas of a clash of civilisations. 

Friends of Socialist China was represented by our co-editor Keith Bennett along with committee member Dr. Ali Al-Assam. In his contribution, Keith laid stress on how President Xi’s concept of a community with a shared future for humanity, which is described as the core tenet of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, embodies Xi’s concept of the “two integrations”, namely the integration of Marxism with China’s specific realities and especially the best of its traditional culture. 

Other speeches were made by Robert Griffiths, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain (CPB); Andy Brooks, General Secretary of the New Communist Party of Britain (NCP); Christina Kostoula, Vice Chair of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) (CPGBML); Wang Qi, Minister of the Chinese Embassy; Stephen Perry, Honorary President of the 48 Group Club; Right Honourable Lord Davidson KC of Glen Cova, Labour Member of the House of Lords; Martin Albrow, Fellow of Britain’s Academy of Social Sciences; Martin Jacques, author of the best selling ‘When China rules the world’; Sam Daws, Director of the Project on UN Governance and Reform at the Centre for International Studies, University of Oxford; and Hugh Goodacre, Secretary of the Xi Jinping Thought Study Group of the Institute for Independence Studies.

Further contributions were made in discussion by Roger McKenzie, Foreign Editor of the Morning Star; and Ali Al-Assam of Friends of Socialist China.

The below article was originally published on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the UK. It is followed by the full text of Keith’s contribution to the discussion.

The Chinese Embassy in the UK Holds a Chinese New Year Luncheon for Representatives of British Political Parties to Discuss China’s Practice and the Global Significance of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

On 21 February 2024, the Chinese Embassy in the UK invited representatives from various British political parties and people from different sectors for a Chinese New Year luncheon. H.E. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang delivered a keynote address and the other participants shared their views. While celebrating the Chinese New Year, the participants engaged in in-depth discussions on China’s practice and the global significance of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

In his address, Ambassador Zheng pointed out that building a community with a shared future for mankind is the core tenet of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It is the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s answer to the question of what kind of world we should build and how to build it. It is also the noble goal pursued by China in conducting major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Ambassador Zheng elaborated on the goal, the pathway, the guiding principle, the basic underpinning, the strategic guidance and the platform for building a community with a shared future for mankind. He pointed out that building a community with a shared future for mankind has developed from a conceptual proposition to a scientific system, from a promising vision to substantive actions and from a Chinese initiative to an international consensus. Extending to various regions and covering various areas, it has served as a glorious banner leading the progress of the times.

Ambassador Zheng noted that over the past year, China continued to steadfastly advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind through practical actions. China’s economy grew by 5.2%, contributing about one-third of the global economic growth. China’s rapid green and low-carbon transition propelled global sustainable development. And China shared more development opportunities with the world through expanded high-level opening up.

China made active efforts to improve relations between other major countries, successfully mediated a historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and played a constructive role in addressing regional hotspots such as the Palestine-Israel conflict and the Ukraine crisis, making new contributions to world peace.

China actively contributed to the UAE Consensus at the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference, enhanced solidarity of the Global South, promoted the historic expansion of BRICS and gave support to the African Union in joining the G20, playing an important role in improving global governance.

Continue reading Chinese Embassy in London organises round table discussion on building a shared future for humanity

Xi says ready to join president of the Republic of the Congo for stronger strategic partnership

Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulations on February 22 with President Denis Sassou-N’guesso of the Republic of the Congo (commonly known as Congo Brazzaville) on the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and vowed to join Sassou-N’guesso in promoting the strategic partnership between the two sides.

Noting that their friendship has stood the test of time, Xi added that over the 60 years, the two countries, despite changes in the international situation, have consistently engaged in sincere cooperation and mutual development, and have become good friends who trust each other politically and good partners for win-win economic cooperation.

Sassou-N’guesso observed that over the 60 years of diplomatic relations, the people of both countries have always been united and friendly, upholding common aspirations for peace, justice, and prosperity. This has propelled the rapid development of the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership between the Republic of the Congo and China.

On the basis of mutual trust and mutual benefit, both sides have engaged in extensive cooperation with fruitful outcomes, Sassou-N’guesso said, adding that he is willing to further consolidate and deepen the friendly cooperation between the Republic of the Congo and China, so as to make positive contributions to the building of a high-level community with a shared future between China and Africa. 

On the same day, at the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference, spokesperson Mao Ning replied to a question from the Xinhua News Agency as follows:

“Today marks the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and the Republic of the Congo. President Xi Jinping and President Denis Sassou-N’Guesso exchanged messages of congratulations to commemorate this important day.

“When meeting with President Sassou-N’Guesso last October, President Xi Jinping noted that shared ideals, mutual trust and mutual support are the key to the sustained and steady growth of China-Congo relations. Over the past six decades, no matter how the international landscape has evolved, the two countries have always shared weal and woe, and given each other mutual understanding and support on major issues of core interests. Our two countries have journeyed together with similar philosophies and been each other’s true partners with mutual trust and iron-clad friends with mutual support. Over the past six decades, the two sides have striven forward together, made solid efforts and engaged in sincere cooperation that delivered tangible benefits to the two peoples. The No.1 National Highway in the Congo has shortened travel time between the capital Brazzaville and the economic centre Pointe-Noire from one week to eight hours. The Sino-Congolese Bank for Africa is providing convenient financial services to local residents. The aircraft maintenance centre that is under construction will further boost the aviation industry of the Congo and the sub-region. The China-Congo Friendship Primary School, built with the aid from the Congo to the earthquake-stricken area in Yushu, Qinghai, is a vivid illustration of China-Congo friendship that shines in difficult times.

“Going forward, China stands ready to continue working with the Congo to deliver on the common understandings of the leaders of the two countries and bring the China-Congo comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level. China will take the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation meetings to be held this year as an opportunity to seek synergy between Chinese modernisation and Africa’s peace and development, work with friendly countries of Africa including the Congo, and build the China-Africa community with a shared future at a higher level.”

The references to “shared ideals” and “similar philosophies” are significant. Between 1969-1977, under the leadership of President Marien Ngouabi, the then People’s Republic of Congo made serious efforts to build a socialist state under the guidance of Marxism-Leninism. President Sassou-N’Guesso continues to lead the Congolese Party of Labour (PCT), founded by Ngouabi, and has frequently referred to the teachings of Lenin and to the historical experiences of both the Soviet Union and China. The website of the PCT may be viewed here.

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

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulations on Thursday with President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and vowed to join Sassou in promoting the strategic partnership of the two sides.

The friendship between China and the Republic of the Congo has stood the test of time, Xi remarked.

Over the 60 years, the two countries, despite changes in the international situation, have consistently engaged in sincere cooperation and mutual development, during which the two sides have become good friends who trust each other politically and good partners for win-win economic cooperation, Xi added.

In recent years, the frequent exchanges between the two countries, the continuous deepening of political mutual trust, and the steady progress of practical cooperation have brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries, which is a vivid reflection of the spirit of friendly cooperation between China and Africa, Xi said.

The Chinese president said he highly values the development of bilateral relations and is willing to work with President Sassou to take the anniversary of relations as a new starting point, continuously enrich the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership between the two countries, and work together to build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

Sassou expressed that over the 60 years of diplomatic relations, the people of both countries have always been united and friendly, upholding common aspirations for peace, justice, and prosperity. This has propelled the rapid development of the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership between the Republic of the Congo and China.

On the basis of mutual trust and mutual benefit, both sides have engaged in extensive cooperation with fruitful outcomes, Sassou said, adding that he is willing to further consolidate and deepen the friendly cooperation between the Republic of the Congo and China, so as to make positive contributions to promote the building of a high-level community with a shared future between China and Africa. 

China, a member of the Global South, cares about and takes root in the Global South

The United Russia party organised the International Forum of Supporters of the Struggle against Modern Practices of Colonialism, “For the Freedom of Nations!” in Moscow, from February 16-17. It was attended by more than 400 participants from over 60 political parties in more than 55 countries as well as prominent people from other social circles.

In his message of greetings, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that: “Neocolonialism is a shameful legacy of centuries of plunder and exploitation of the peoples of Africa, Asia, Latin America and other regions of the world. We see its aggressive manifestations today in the attempts of the collective West to preserve its domination by any means, to economically subjugate other countries, [and] to deprive them of sovereignty.”

Referring primarily to the historical legacy of the Soviet Union, he added: “I would like to note that our country has done a lot to destroy the foundations of the colonial system and support national liberation movements. It has provided serious assistance to the young independent states in ensuring security, developing the economy, and solving acute social and humanitarian problems. And today, we are ready to join forces in the struggle for genuine freedom and justice, for progress for all countries and peoples, for the formation of a democratic multipolar world order. It is based on the principles of international law, respect for each other’s legitimate interests, mutual trust and constructive cooperation.”

Chairman of United Russia Dmitry Medvedev proposed that the UN General Assembly consider the possibility of establishing a Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Colonialism on December 14, the date of the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in 1960, and also to systematise information regarding the crimes committed during the colonial period, so as to begin an objective assessment of the damage caused by them.

As the head of the United Russia Commission on International Cooperation, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, recalled that Russia has previously been a leader in promoting decolonisation processes. “We propose to develop common approaches of the world majority to the understanding of neocolonialism, to complete the work on decolonisation initiated by Soviet diplomacy at the UN. To this day, 17 territories remain in colonial dependence. The time has come to join forces and start systematic work to eradicate neocolonial practices.”

Entrusted by the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, Minister Liu Jianchao of the party’s International Department (IDCPC) extended warm congratulations on the establishment of the forum and the convening of the conference. He said, in the current world intertwined with turbulence and changes, humanity faces many common challenges. The establishment of the forum conforms to the trend of the times for countries around the world to pursue peace, development and cooperation, and builds a good dialogue platform for political parties in various countries to jointly respond to challenges. Colonialism once brought grave disasters to the world and left a very disgraceful page in human history. Even today, it continues to appear in new ways, bringing pain and disaster to the world. China, like most of the countries represented by the participating political parties, emerged from the historical quagmire of colonialism. After going through untold hardships and making huge sacrifices, China achieved national independence and people’s liberation. China, a member of the Global South, cares about and takes root in the Global South. China breathes the same breath with other countries of the Global South and pursues a shared future with them. China is willing to work with all progressive forces to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice, resolutely oppose colonialism of all forms and manifestations, and work for a more just and equitable international order.

Kim Su Gil, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and chief secretary of its Pyongyang Municipal Committee, said in his speech that the desire of the peoples of all the countries to build up their own strength and develop in their own way is getting stronger day by day and, accordingly, the world’s multipolarisation has become an irresistible trend of the times. He continued:

The US and the West, very fearful of their waning dominant position, are clinging to the modern-day neocolonialist policy to maintain political and military subjugation and economic infiltration by inciting inter-state, inter-national and inter-religious confrontations and distrust and causing bloodshed in different parts of the world. Thus, the structure of a ‘new Cold War’ has been fixed on a global scale and proxy wars broke out in Ukraine and the Middle East, more badly plaguing the international security environment.

We will never tolerate the US arrogant infringement upon sovereignty, consistently holding fast to independence against imperialism as the first state policy in the future, too, and will strive to defend justice and peace and establish a new international order while strengthening unity and solidarity with all the countries and political parties aspiring after independence.

He extended the warmest militant respect and full support to the fraternal Russian people and service members who have turned out in the heroic struggle to firmly defend the sovereign rights, development and interests of the country against the hegemonic policy of the US and Western group.

He firmly reaffirmed that the WPK would always fight shoulder to shoulder with all the progressive political parties of the world in the struggle for opposing the tyranny and arbitrary practices of the imperialists and for building an independent new world.

Among other important political figures and forces participating in the forum were Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic; Milorad Dodik, President of the Republika Srpska (in Bosnia and Herzegovina); Mbalula Fikile, Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa; Oleg Romanov, Chairman  of the Belaya Rus Party of Belarus; as well as delegations from the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), the Communist Party of Cuba, Workers’ Party of Brazil, Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova, and Union Solidarity and Development Party of Myanmar, among many others.

Dmitry Medvedev said that United Russia will hold a meeting of the standing committee of the forum in July in Vladivostok. It will be timed to coincide with the BRICS inter-party conference, which United Russia plans to organise as part of Russia’s chairmanship of the cooperation body.

In addition, the Forum itself will be held every two years, and its organising committee has been transformed into a standing committee with executive powers until 2026.

The following articles were originally published on the website of the IDCPC.

Liu Jianchao Attends the Forum of Supporters of the Struggle Against Modern Practices of Neocolonialism “For the Freedom of Nations”

Moscow, February 16th—Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended and addressed here today the opening ceremony of the Forum of Supporters of the Struggle Against Modern Practices of Neocolonialism “For the Freedom of Nations”.

Entrusted by the CPC Central Committee, Liu extended warm congratulations on the establishment of the forum and the convening of the conference. He said, in the current world intertwined with turbulence and changes, mankind faces many common challenges. The establishment of the forum conforms to the trend of the times for countries around the world to pursue peace, development and cooperation, and builds a good dialogue platform for political parties in various countries to jointly respond to challenges. Colonialism once brought grave disasters to the world and left a very disgraceful page in human history. Even today, it continues to appear in new ways, bringing pain and disaster to the world. China, like most of the countries represented by the participating political parties, emerged from the historical quagmire of colonialism. After going through untold hardships and making huge sacrifices, China achieved national independence and people’s liberation. China, a member of the Global South, cares about and takes root in the Global South. China breathes the same breath with other countries of the Global South and pursues a shared future with them. China is willing to work with all progressive forces to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice, resolutely oppose colonialism of all forms and manifestations, and work for a more just and equitable international order.

Liu said, China is currently advancing the noble cause of building a great country and national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. China adheres to the path of peaceful and high-quality development, and high-level opening up to the outside world. In advancing modernization, China will neither tread the old path of colonization and plunder, nor the crooked path taken by some countries to seek hegemony once they grow strong. Instead, China will provide new opportunities brought by Chinese modernization for all countries in the world to realize modernization. The CPC calls on all sides to jointly defend all countries’ rights to develop and prosper, maintain world peace, promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, promote the reform of the global governance system, and help build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Continue reading China, a member of the Global South, cares about and takes root in the Global South

Hugo Chávez, Xi Jinping, and a global community of shared future

The following is the text of the presentation delivered by Carlos Martinez, co-editor of Friends of Socialist China, at a round-table discussion on Venezuela’s foreign policy in a changing world, held on 20 February 2024 at Bolivar Hall in London. The event was organised by the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the UK in coordination with the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign.

The speech discusses Hugo Chávez’s vision of a multipolar world, and explores how that vision overlaps with China’s strategy of pursuing a global community of shared future.

Other speakers at the event included Her Excellency Rocío Maneiro, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the UK; Francisco Domínguez, Secretary of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign; Calvin Tucker, Campaigns Manager of the Morning Star; and Radhika Desai, Convenor of the International Manifesto Group.

Dear friends and comrades, thanks so much for inviting me to today’s important event.

And thank you in particular to Her Excellency compañera-embajadora Rocío Maneiro, who continues to do such a wonderful job representing her country and standing in solidarity with the progressive movement here in Britain and with the working class and oppressed peoples of the world.

Thanks also to the indefatigable comrade Francisco Domínguez for his hard work putting this event together.

I’m going to focus these brief remarks on the connection between Venezuela’s foreign policy and that of China.

As you’re all no doubt aware, Hugo Chávez had an extremely far-sighted worldview. While the Bolivarian Revolution has always aimed to have good relations with the US, its foreign policy has nonetheless been informed by the identification of that country as the principal enemy to sovereignty and to socialism, not just in Venezuela but throughout the world.

And of course the US’s consistently aggressive stance in relation to Venezuela – its campaign of sanctions, of coercion, of destabilisation – has only confirmed what Chávez and his comrades already knew.

Chávez saw Venezuela as part of a global movement challenging half a millennium of colonialism, imperialism and racism; a global movement that included the growing leftist and pro-sovereignty trend in Latin America and the Caribbean, but also China, Cuba, Russia, Libya (until NATO’s war of regime change in 2011), Syria, South Africa, Vietnam, Iran, the DPRK, Belarus and others.

This global movement seeks to put an end to the unipolar era of US hegemony, and to create a multipolar – or as Chávez called it, pluripolar – world, with multiple centres of power, in which countries and regions all have their role in global politics and in which no one power can impose its will on others.

Under the guidance of Hugo Chávez and then Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela has become one of the most prominent voices in support of this multipolar project.

Indeed, one of the slogans of Chávez’s 2012 presidential election campaign was: “to develop a new international geopolitics forming a multicentric and pluripolar world to achieve equilibrium in the universe and guarantee planetary peace.”

Continue reading Hugo Chávez, Xi Jinping, and a global community of shared future

Zhang Jun: While the US vetoes ceasefire resolution, innocent civilians in Gaza are dying

On February 20, the United States again vetoed a resolution in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war of aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza. The resolution was moved by Algeria, currently the only Arab member of the Security Council. Thirteen countries voted in favour, Britain abstained and the United States, as one of the five permanent members, exercised its veto in flagrant defiance of the overwhelming view of the international community.

In a statement following the vote, China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun expressed “strong disappointment and dissatisfaction” with the US action. 

Algeria, he noted, had held lengthy and extensive consultations on the draft resolution with all parties and taken many ideas on board. He added:

“The outcome of today’s vote clearly shows that on the issue of a ceasefire to halt the fight in Gaza, it is not that the Security Council does not have an overwhelming consensus, but rather it is the exercise of veto by the United States that stifles the Council consensus…

“While the Council ceasefire resolution has been vetoed, innocent civilians in Gaza are dying in the fighting and struggling on the brink of death. The US claimed that the Council resolution would interfere with the ongoing diplomatic efforts. Such a claim is totally untenable. Given the situation on the ground, the continued passive avoidance of an immediate ceasefire is nothing different from giving a green light to the continued slaughter.”

Noting that as the resolution has been vetoed, the spillover of the Gaza conflict is destabilising the entire region, Zhang said:

“Only by extinguishing the flames of war in Gaza, can we prevent the fires of hell from engulfing the entire region. The Council must act quickly to stop this carnage in the Middle East.”

With the US veto, “the basics of international law are being trampled upon, and the bedrock of the multilateral system is being eroded.”

According to the Chinese Ambassador:

“The Security Council must take actions to push for a ceasefire. This should not be a matter of debate, but rather a moral obligation that the Council cannot shy away from. It is a legal responsibility that the Council must assume. Even more so, this is a political requirement that the Council must fulfil in accordance with the Charter. The veto cannot muffle the strong call for a ceasefire and an end to the war. The Security Council cannot stop its work to uphold justice and fulfil its responsibilities just because of the veto. 

“China urges Israel to heed the call of the international community, abandon its plan for a Rafah offensive, and stop its collective punishment of the people of Palestine.”

We reproduce the full text of Ambassador Zhang Jun’s statement below. It was originally published on the website of the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the UN.

Madam President,

China has voted in favor of the draft resolution, and we express our strong disappointment by and dissatisfaction with the veto of the United States. Algeria, on behalf of the Arab states, put forward the draft resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, immediate release of all hostages, guaranteed access for humanitarian supplies, and the rejection of forced displacement. This is both urgently required by the situation on the ground and it is also based on the minimum requirements of humanity. It deserves the support of all Council members. 

Algeria, demonstrating reason, sincerity, and an open attitude, held lengthy and extensive consultations with all parties on the draft resolution and took on board many constructive ideas, making the draft resolution more balanced. The outcome of today’s vote clearly shows that on the issue of a ceasefire to halt the fight in Gaza, it is not that the Security Council does not have an overwhelming consensus, but rather it is the exercise of veto by the United States that stifles the Council consensus. The US veto sends a wrong message, pushing the situation in Gaza into a more dangerous one. 

While the Council ceasefire resolution has been vetoed, innocent civilians in Gaza are dying in the fighting and struggling on the brink of death. The US claimed that the Council resolution would interfere with the ongoing diplomatic efforts. Such a claim is totally untenable. Given the situation on the ground, the continued passive avoidance of an immediate ceasefire is nothing different from giving a green light to the continued slaughter. 

While the Council ceasefire resolution has been vetoed, the spillover of the conflict is destabilizing the entire Middle East region, leading to rising risks of a wider war. Only by extinguishing the flames of war in Gaza, can we prevent the fires of hell from engulfing the entire region. The Council must act quickly to stop this carnage in the Middle East. 

While the Council ceasefire resolution has been vetoed, the basics of international law are being trampled upon, and the bedrock of the multilateral system is being eroded. The Secretary-General of the United Nations has already written to the Council invoking Article 99 of the Charter and the International Court of Justice has issued provisional measures. The Council must respond forcefully to the serious violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the Gaza conflict and uphold the authority of international rule of order. 

Madam President, 

The Security Council must take actions to push for a ceasefire. This should not be a matter of debate, but rather a moral obligation that the Council cannot shy away from. It is a legal responsibility that the Council must assume. Even more so, this is a political requirement that the Council must fulfill in accordance with the Charter. The veto cannot muffle the strong call for a ceasefire and an end to the war. The Security Council cannot stop its work to uphold justice and fulfill its responsibilities just because of the veto. 

China urges Israel to heed the call of the international community, abandon its plan for Rafah offensive, and stop its collective punishment of the people of Palestine. We expect country with significant influence to do less of its political calculations, to be truly impartial and responsible, and to make the right choice to push for a ceasefire in Gaza. We call on the international community to pool all diplomatic efforts to give the people of Gaza a chance to live, give the people of the entire Middle East region a chance to have peace, and give it a chance for justice to be upheld. 

I thank you, Madam President.

Tanzania’s ambassador to China refutes debt trap slander

This year sees the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tanzania and China and, according to Khamis Omar, Tanzania’s Ambassador in Beijing, the enduring bilateral friendship is growing stronger and their mutually beneficial cooperation has great potential.

According to the Ambassador: “China and Tanzania have a lot in common. In the past both had a common kind of quest to fight against colonialism and oppression and to lift people’s human rights in a real sense. Now both sides share a common vision of advancing toward prosperity and have enjoyed a substantial and supportive relationship.”

In an interview with China Daily, he further recalled that China supported Tanzania even when the former was relatively poor itself. He specifically cited the1,860-kilometre Tazara Railway, which links landlocked Zambia with the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam, and which opened in 1976.

“It was the first regional project that happened in our region in Africa, so it was really appreciated because at that time China itself did not have much financial muscle… It was also a symbol of Chinese contribution to the liberation, freedom and independence of Africa.”

The railway allowed Zambia to export its copper without being reliant on countries then still under colonial and white racist rule. It was, by a considerable margin, China’s biggest foreign aid project at that time.

Now, Omar notes, China is the world’s second-largest economy and represents a vast market with immense possibilities for Tanzania. The prospects for collaboration are substantial, particularly in areas such as agriculture, textiles and apparel, beverages, laser items, livestock, and the maritime economy.

Refuting the ‘debt trap’ calumny levelled against China by western powers, Omar said: “African countries need to borrow money during the process of economic development. It is important for the country that borrowed money to make sure that it spends wisely and prudently. China provides loans at preferential interest rates. What is wrong with China doing that?”

Meanwhile, the South China Morning Post has reported that China plans to spend US$1 billion to refurbish the Tazara rail line. China’s Ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui handed the proposal to the country’s Transport Minister, Frank Tayali, saying that China wished to work together with “Zambian and Tanzanian brothers and sisters” on the project.

Minister Tayali said that he “was particularly excited that the Chinese experts will work alongside Zambian labour.”

The following article was originally published by China Daily.

The enduring friendship between China and Tanzania is growing stronger, and collaboration between the two benefits both and has great potential, says Tanzania’s Ambassador to China, Khamis Omar.

The 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Tanzania is being celebrated this year, and the friendship between the two continues to grow increasingly robust, Omar said.

“China and Tanzania have a lot in common. In the past both had a common kind of quest to fight against colonialism and oppression and to lift people’s human rights in a real sense. Now both sides share a common vision of advancing toward prosperity and have enjoyed a substantial and supportive relationship.”

China supported Tanzania even when the former was relatively poor itself, he said. The most notable venture the two sides have been involved in is the 1,860-kilometer Tazara Railway, which links landlocked Zambia with the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam, and which opened in 1976.

“It was the first regional project that happened in our region in Africa, so it was really appreciated because at that time China itself did not have much financial muscle,” Omar said. “It was also a symbol of Chinese contribution to the liberation, freedom and independence of Africa.”

China has played a substantial role in bolstering Tanzania’s economy by supporting plantations and industrial facilities and by deploying technicians, which has been instrumental in initiating economic modernization. Moreover, since 1964 China has been sending medical teams to help Tanzania.

Over time China and Tanzania have expanded and strengthened their collaboration. Beyond aiding Tanzania in certain areas, both countries have worked together in many fields, promoting prosperity.

“China emphasizes mutual gains in its foreign cooperation and ensures that the other side also benefits,” Omar said.

Largest trading partner

Last year China continued to be Tanzania’s largest trading partner and biggest investor. The value of trade between January and November was $7.96 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6.8 percent, according to official figures. Chinese companies made investments worth more than $11 billion in Tanzania.

China, the world’s second-largest economy, represents a vast market with immense possibilities for Tanzania, Omar said. The prospects for collaboration are substantial, particularly in areas such as agriculture, textiles and apparel, beverages, laser items, livestock and the maritime economy.

He is keen to see provinces in China and regions in Tanzania forge stronger connections and explore collaborative opportunities, he said.

Omar first came to China in 2005, and since then he has traveled extensively throughout the country, he said. He takes pleasure in exploring its impressive progress by visiting various places, particularly to gain insights into China’s development and governance.

In Shenzhen, a model city for China’s reform and opening-up, he discovered that the keys to its prosperity lie in being open, having a youthful work force, adopting innovative practices and policies that give priority to people, engaging in sustainable development and having robust manufacturing, he said.

“Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a different kind of governance that one has to know to unpack and try to understand the Chinese context. This is not one size fits all. It’s very important to understand the context of Chinese development and Chinese civilization with different dynasties… I’m learning about it.”

The Belt and Road Initiative has brought tremendous benefits to Africa over the past decade, he said. However, some countries have said the initiative is creating “debt traps”, which is “propaganda targeted at China”, Omar said.

“African countries need to borrow money during the process of economic development. It is important for the country that borrowed money to make sure that it spends wisely and prudently. China provides loans at preferential interest rates. What is wrong with China doing that?”

This year is the China-Tanzania Culture and Tourism Year, he said. Tanzania has more than 130 tribes with different kinds of cultures, music and social life, and it is endowed with rich tourism resources that he would like to tell Chinese people about this year.

Everyone should wake up to US’ blame game in Red Sea, Ukraine crises

In this article, originally published in Global Times, British academic James A. Smith notes that the United States and Britain are currently engaged in a bombing campaign against Yemen, which flows from US support for Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, yet “according to US officials, it is China who should apparently be making the peace.”

Smith argues:

“We’ve heard this all before. The US has also repeatedly stated that it is China’s responsibility to ensure peace in the Ukraine conflict too. However, the reality is that in both scenarios, not only does US foreign policy run completely contrary to the interests of peace, but moreover, the White House has no intention in either instance of attempting a balanced peace scenario brokered on China’s terms.

“Instead, what is being asked is that Beijing capitulates to enforcing American-centric goals and interests in respect to each conflict. And of course, because US officials know there is no chance of that happening, the goal of these public overtures is merely a propaganda effort to smear China as being responsible or culpable for the given wars that US is in fact escalating, and thus to frame China as a threat to the international order. American foreign policy is not driven by an attempt to ensue balance, peace or stability, but on a prerequisite goal that it must always maintain unilateralist hegemony at all costs.”

According to the author, as China will not support unilateralist American foreign policy goals in seeking peace, the US subsequently uses this to push a narrative that China is a threat to the peace. This is the propaganda game played by US officials. It is an act of gaslighting to demand that China support peace, when in fact it means supporting American strategic goals.

Dr. James A. Smith is a senior lecturer in Literature and Theory at Royal Holloway, University of London, and the author of Other People’s Politics: Populism to Corbynism.

Recently, the US asked China to “help” maintain the flow of Red Sea shipping. The US is currently in a state of conflict with Houthi rebels in Yemen. The cause of the conflict is a failure of the US to push for a ceasefire and peace negotiations in Israel, which has caused regional tensions and instability. The US and UK, in turn, have responded with a bombing campaign in Yemen. However, according to US officials, it is China who should apparently be making the peace.

We’ve heard this all before. The US has also repeatedly stated that it is China’s responsibility to ensure peace in the Ukraine conflict too. However, the reality is that in both scenarios, not only does US foreign policy run completely contrary to the interests of peace, but moreover, the White House has no intention in either instance of attempting a balanced peace scenario brokered on China’s terms. 

Instead, what is being asked is that Beijing capitulates to enforcing American-centric goals and interests in respect to each conflict. And of course, because US officials know there is no chance of that happening, the goal of these public overtures is merely a propaganda effort to smear China as being responsible or culpable for the given wars that US is in fact escalating, and thus to frame China as a threat to the international order.

American foreign policy is not driven by an attempt to ensue balance, peace or stability, but on a prerequisite goal that it must always maintain unilateralist hegemony at all costs. To this end, contemporary US foreign policymaking, unlike the Cold War, does not yield a notion of compromise with states that it deems to be adversaries. Rather, its objectives focus on preventing the breakdown of unipolarity and enabling strategic competitors to emerge which challenge the post-1991 status quo. In other words, the US pursues maximalist goals and does not compromise on “strategic space” in its diplomacy and continually aims to expand its leverage.

That is why, for example, the US was not prepared to compromise on the subject of NATO in order to alleviate tensions with Russia or bring a swift end to the Ukraine conflict. Instead, it sets itself on a policy that aimed to use the conflict as a means to impose a zero-sum strategic defeat on Moscow so that it could eliminate them as a competitor and destroy economic integration between Russia and Europe. The US only finds a peace outcome acceptable if it supports all its strategic goals. 

Given this, when China proposed a peace plan for the Ukraine conflict last year, the US readily dismissed it. Yet at the same time, the US had repeatedly asked China to put “pressure” on Russia, to end the conflict. What does this mean? It does not mean brokering a peace or a mutually acceptable resolution, but rather subduing Moscow to follow American foreign policy preferences, which is of course a total non-starter. China isn’t being asked to make peace or find a mutually acceptable resolution, but to act on the behalf of the US.

Therefore, as China will not support unilateralist American foreign policy goals in seeking peace, the US subsequently uses this to push a narrative that China is a “threat” to the peace. This is the propaganda game played by US officials. It is an act of “gaslighting” to demand that China support “peace,” when in fact it means supporting “American strategic goals.” When China does not comply, it is accused of deliberately prolonging and enabling the conflict. 

The mainstream media in turn responds by assuming that China “supports” the side against the US in the given conflict. In the process, the narrative then whitewashes the actual culpability America has in having created those wars in the first place through its pursuit of unilateralist and zero-sum policies. One example of this is refusing to compromise on the expansion of NATO, or alternatively, giving Israel unconditional and uncritical backing in the war on Gaza and even resorting to more military solutions when the instability escalates. Yet China, a bystander, who does not have a direct stake in any of these conflicts, and would prefer peace and stability as its primary goals, is somehow framed as the threat in a conspiracy against the West. This is the game the US plays, and everyone should wake up to it. 

Xi says China-Russia relations embrace new development opportunities

The Presidents of China and Russia exchanged friendly greetings and reviewed their bilateral relations, along with a range of regional and international issues, in a February 8 telephone call in advance of the Chinese New Year.

President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that China and Russia withstood many tests together in the past, and their relations embrace new development opportunities in the future. He added that it has become a fine tradition for him and Putin to exchange greetings at the turn of the year, review the achievements of the development of bilateral relations, and jointly look forward to the future.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, Xi said that China is ready to continue to uphold the spirit of mutual assistance and everlasting friendship with Russia so as to jointly write a new chapter in China-Russia relations.

He stressed that the two sides should strengthen strategic coordination, safeguard the national sovereignty, security and development interests of their respective countries, and resolutely oppose external interference in their internal affairs.

He also called on both sides to support Kazakhstan in holding a successful Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit this year, enhance unity and mutual trust, and safeguard regional security and stability as well as the common interests of regional countries, adding that China also actively supports Russia as the rotating BRICS presidency this year.

President Putin said this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and China. Under the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral relations have reached an unprecedented high level.

Expressing thanks to China for supporting Russia’s work in the BRICS rotating presidency this year, Putin said Russia stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with the Chinese side in regional and international multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to support each other, and to uphold multilateralism and safeguard respective legitimate interests.

Russia firmly abides by the one-China principle, opposes any dangerous actions provoking China on the Taiwan question, and believes that any plot impeding China’s peaceful reunification will not succeed, Putin noted.

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

BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) — China and Russia withstood many tests together in the past, and their relations embrace new development opportunities in the future, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.

Xi made the remarks in his phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, ahead of the Chinese New Year. In the phone call, the two heads of state also exchanged greetings of the Chinese New Year.

Noting that the Chinese Spring Festival is approaching and the festive atmosphere is strong, Xi said that the Chinese people are full of hope and confidence towards the coming Year of the Dragon.

Extending his best wishes to the friendly Chinese people, Putin said that the dragon symbolizes wisdom and strength in the Chinese culture.

He wished the Chinese people happiness in the Year of the Dragon and hoped that all their wishes would be fulfilled.

In the phone call, Xi said that it has become a fine tradition for him and Putin to exchange greetings by the turn of the year, review the achievements of the development of bilateral relations, and jointly look forward to the future.

Noting that he and Putin met twice and reached many important consensuses in the past year, Xi said that under the two leaders’ joint guidance, the governments, legislatures and political parties of the two countries have engaged in active exchanges, and bilateral cooperation in various fields has shown resilience and vitality, Xi said.

The annual bilateral trade volume met the aim ahead of schedule, while cultural and local exchanges between the two countries were vigorously carried out, and the Years of Sports Exchange between China and Russia were successfully concluded, Xi said.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, Xi said that China is ready to continue to uphold the spirit of mutual assistance and everlasting friendship with Russia to jointly write a new chapter in China-Russia relations.

Xi stressed that the two sides should strengthen strategic coordination, safeguard the national sovereignty, security and development interests of their respective countries, and resolutely oppose external interference in their internal affairs.

The two sides should cultivate new momentum for bilateral cooperation, maintain the stability of the industrial and supply chains, jointly host the China-Russia Years of Culture, hold down-to-earth and warm cultural exchanges that connect the hearts of the two peoples, and constantly tighten the bonds of their people, Xi said.

Xi called on both sides to support Kazakhstan in holding a successful Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit this year, enhance unity and mutual trust, and safeguard regional security and stability as well as the common interests of regional countries, adding that China also actively supports Russia as the rotating BRICS presidency this year.

China stands ready to strengthen international multilateral coordination with Russia, practice the true multilateralism, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and economic globalization that benefits all, and make the global governance system more just and reasonable, so as to make positive contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

For his part, Putin said this year marks the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and China. Under the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral relations have reached an unprecedented high level.

Last year, Russia-China cooperation in various fields yielded fruitful results, Putin said, expressing his willingness to continue to maintain close interaction with President Xi, so that the two leaders can guide the two countries to achieve new progress in cooperation in all fields.

He hopes the two sides will successfully hold the Russia-China Years of Culture and a series of cultural and people-to-people exchanges this year, further cementing the foundation of friendship between the two peoples.

Expressing thanks to China for supporting Russia’s work in the BRICS rotating presidency this year, Putin said Russia stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with the Chinese side in regional and international multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to support each other, and to uphold multilateralism and safeguard respective legitimate interests.

Russia firmly abides by the one-China principle, opposes any dangerous actions provoking China on the Taiwan question, and believes that any plot impeding China’s peaceful reunification will not succeed, Putin noted.

The two heads of state also exchanged in-depth views on current international and regional hotspot issues. The two heads of state agreed to keep close contact in the new year, and have in-depth exchanges on China-Russia relations and strategic issues of common concern. 

China and Norway call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Since the start of 2024, in its diplomatic dealings with European countries, China has placed considerable emphasis on identifying areas of common ground and promoting friendly cooperation with the continent’s small and medium-sized countries.

Particularly significant in this regard was the early February visit to Beijing by Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. 

Noting that Eide is the first European foreign minister to visit China in 2024, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Eide’s visit shows the importance Norway attaches to China and the fact that relations between the two countries are maintaining forward momentum. Norway is a uniquely influential European country and one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of those relations. China appreciates the Norwegian government’s objective, rational and friendly view of China’s development, its adherence to the one-China principle and its friendship with China.

Wang Yi stressed that, to promote greater development of China-Norway relations in the next stage the two sides should first uphold the right way to get along with each other, respect the choices of their respective people, and accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns. The two sides should deepen practical cooperation, promote bilateral cooperation in various fields with a vision for development and a proactive attitude, strengthen multilateral collaboration, advocate multilateralism, adhere to openness and inclusiveness, and jointly promote peace and prosperity in the world.

Eide said that after 70 years of development, China-Norway relations have entered a mature stage. The Norwegian side firmly adheres to the one-China policy and advocates mutual respect and constructive dialogue to promote greater development of relations between the two countries, so as to jointly build a universal and inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world. 

The two sides have broad space for cooperation in areas such as green transformation, and Norway is ready to work with China to jointly address global challenges such as climate change. China’s great achievements in poverty eradication are admirable and have made important contributions to the global poverty reduction cause.

What was undoubtedly of greatest significance in this visit, given Israel’s current genocidal war in Gaza, is that the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the recent situation in the Middle East and agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a substantial increase in humanitarian assistance. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East should be allowed to continue its vital humanitarian work in Gaza and the region, and donor countries were urged not to suspend their support to the Agency. Both sides also agreed on the need to strengthen support for the Palestinian National Authority and to start a political process leading to a two-state solution in which both the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples could live in peace and security. They also expressed concern about the spillover of the rising situation in the Middle East and agreed to continue to maintain communication on the issue.

Besides Norway, other West European countries calling for a ceasefire in Gaza include Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Malta, and Luxembourg, along with the devolved government in Scotland.

Former Minister Eide also met with Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and Minister Liu Jianchao of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (IDCPC).

Minister Liu said that the CPC is willing to strengthen exchanges with the Labour Party and other major political parties in Norway, carry out exchanges on governing concepts and development strategies, deepen mutual understanding and trust, and build bridges for local exchanges and practical cooperation between the two countries through inter-party channels, so as to promote the development of bilateral relations.

He also highlighted the need to deepen cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, along with green and maritime issues, as well as winter sports.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister’s Beijing visit was immediately followed by that of Swiss Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, who jointly held the third round of China-Switzerland Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. He also met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.

This visit had been preceded in January by Premier Li Qiang making Switzerland and Ireland his first overseas destinations of 2024.

Also, on February 8, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China and Portugal have upheld the idea of mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness since their diplomatic ties were established, vividly demonstrating the right way for countries to get along with one another. He made the remarks as he exchanged congratulations with his Portuguese counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, in the wake of the ‘Carnation Revolution’ that overthrew the previous fascist dictatorship.

China and Portugal have properly settled the Macao issue through friendly consultation and taken stock of the situation to establish their comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi added, and noted that the two sides have jointly coped with the global financial crisis and public health challenges, expanded mutually beneficial cooperation among their enterprises, worked together for stronger Belt and Road cooperation and the development of China-EU relations, and upheld multilateralism.

For his part, Rebelo de Sousa said that despite the long distance, Portugal and China have always been getting along and maintained friendly exchanges in political, economic, cultural, social, and other fields.

Noting that bilateral ties have been thriving since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Rebelo de Sousa said the two countries have successfully achieved the smooth handover of Macao, worked together to boost the development of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and actively carried out multilateral cooperation.

Meanwhile, the Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo visited China in January, and in a February 2 phone call, Premier Li Qiang and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte agreed to further promote cooperation between their two countries. 

In contrast to some naïve and simplistic analyses of the current international situation that see only a united Global North, essentially devoid of contradictions, China’s sophisticated and nuanced handling of its relations with various countries in Europe, not least with regard to the present war in Gaza, embodies Leninist strategy and tactics as, for example, set out here in VI Lenin’s, “Left-Wing” Communism: an infantile disorder (and further developed by Mao Zedong, particularly with his concept of intermediate zones, as initially set out, for example, in his August 1946 talk with Anna Louise Strong):

“To carry on a war for the overthrow of the international bourgeoisie, a war which is a hundred times more difficult, protracted and complex than the most stubborn of ordinary wars between states, and to renounce in advance any change of tack, or any utilisation of a conflict of interests (even if temporary) among one’s enemies, or any conciliation or compromise with possible allies (even if they are temporary, unstable, vacillating or conditional allies) – is that not ridiculous in the extreme?”

The following articles were originally published on the websites of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Xinhua News Agency.

Wang Yi Holds Talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Espen Barth Eide

On February 5, 2024, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Espen Barth Eide in Beijing.

Noting Eide is the first European foreign minister to visit China in 2024, Wang Yi said Eide’s visit shows the importance Norway attaches to China and the fact that relations between the two countries are maintaining forward momentum. Norway is a uniquely influential European country and one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Norway. After 70 years of development, China-Norway relations have become more mature and resilient, and have maintained a strong endogenous momentum. China appreciates the Norwegian government’s objective, rational and friendly view of China’s development, its adherence to the one-China principle and its friendship with China.

Wang Yi said that the world today has entered a new period of turbulence and change, and the global political, economic and security situation is full of uncertainties. Human society is at a critical crossroads. China believes that the overall direction of pursuing peace and development by people of all countries will not change, the overall dynamics of human civilization moving forward will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change. Although China and Norway are geographically apart with different national conditions and systems, the two countries should be the forces of stability, peace and prosperity in the international community. The two sides should insist on candid communication, pragmatically promote cooperation, properly deal with differences, follow the overall direction, overall dynamics and overall trend, and jointly inject more certainty, stability and positive energy into the world.

Wang Yi stressed that to promote greater development of China-Norway relations in the next stage, the two sides should first uphold the right way to get along with each other, respect the choices of their respective people, and accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns. The two sides should deepen practical cooperation, treat bilateral cooperation in various fields with a vision for development and a proactive attitude, strengthen multilateral collaboration, advocate multilateralism, adhere to openness and inclusiveness, and jointly promote peace and prosperity in the world.

Continue reading China and Norway call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Wang Yi: Contributing to a brighter future of peace, security, prosperity and progress in the world

Following last December’s Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs, held in Beijing, an important article by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was published on January 16, in which China’s top diplomat comprehensively outlined the themes of the conference and gave a profound exposition of the key features and theoretical background of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.

According to Wang Yi, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is “a shining example of applying the basic tenets of Marxism to the practice of China’s diplomacy and fine traditional Chinese culture. It has not only built on the proud diplomatic tradition of New China but also kept abreast of the times, broken new ground and opened up new vistas in China’s diplomatic theory and practice.”

He goes on to explain that “building a community with a shared future for humanity is the core tenet of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It reflects the high consistency of the Communist Party of China’s founding aspiration and mission with the trend of our times, and embodies the broadest common expectations of people around the globe for a better world. With tremendous theoretical value and far-reaching historical significance, this vision is gaining increasingly strong influence, vitality and appeal.”

The fundamental safeguard for China’s diplomacy and foreign policy, he notes, is the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). “CPC leadership is our greatest political strength and the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is also the most fundamental principle and greatest source of strength for China’s diplomacy.”

Reviewing the achievements of China’s diplomacy over the last decade, Wang Yi outlined six imperatives, namely that it “is imperative to uphold principles, shoulder China’s responsibility as a major country, apply systems thinking, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, carry forward our fighting spirit, and leverage our institutional strengths.”

Further developing this theme, he explains:

“On major issues of right and wrong, it is imperative to uphold principles. China is a socialist country led by the CPC. We should take a clear position by standing on the progressive side of history and on the side of fairness and justice, work actively to meet the common aspirations and legitimate concerns of people of all countries, and demonstrate the people-centeredness of the CPC and the commitment to serving the people in China’s foreign policy. This way, we will always rally abundant support for the just cause, hold the high ground of justice and have strategic initiative.

“It is incumbent on China, the biggest developing country and a major country, to uphold justice in a world undergoing profound changes and turbulence and to shoulder responsibility at critical moments, and hence be a firm defender of world peace and champion of global development. “At the same time, and through Chinese modernisation, we are ready to be helpful in the efforts of other developing countries that want to achieve development while preserving their independence, so that all countries will be able to embark on the right path toward modernisation through peaceful development.

“In developing strategies and policies, it is imperative to apply systems thinking. The CPC, a Marxist party armed with theories of dialectical and historical materialism, should know how to analyse, study and assess the international situation with the understanding that things are universally connected and constantly evolving. “We should be able to see the present from a historical perspective and look beyond the surface to get to the crux of issues, so as to discern and analyse accurately the laws and direction of the profoundly changing world, and formulate sound foreign policies.”

Regarding assessing risks and challenges, “it is imperative to carry forward our fighting spirit. The CPC has never been deterred by intimidation, swayed by fallacies, or cowed by pressure. Only with the courage and ability to carry on our fight, can we overcome various difficulties and obstacles. Going forward, we will face an even more severe international situation and more complex external environment. We must forge ahead with an indomitable spirit and tenacious efforts to open up new horizons in our external work.”

Wang notes that at the conference, it was pointed out that great transformation is accelerating across the world. Changes of the world, of our times, and of historical significance are unfolding like never before, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Yet the overall direction of human development and progress will not change, the overall dynamics of world history moving forward amid twists and turns will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change.

A country’s foreign policy, he went on to explain, is closely linked to its domestic agenda as its external and internal imperatives correlate and interplay with each other. “At a fundamental level, we should handle the relationship between the three well: a community with a shared future for humanity, global transformation, and Chinese modernisation. Building a great modern socialist country in all respects and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese modernisation is the top political priority on the new journey of the new era. To accomplish this central task of the Party and the country, we must hold high the banner of building a community with a shared future for humanity to steer global transformation in the right direction. We need to pursue China’s development in the broader development of the world, and advance the interests of both the Chinese people and people the world over. By doing so, we will facilitate the move toward a brighter future of peace, security, prosperity and progress in the world.”

Turning to multipolarity, Wang described it as the general trend of the world today. Great transformation is accelerating across the world. The international balance of power is undergoing profound realignment. The Global South is gaining a stronger momentum, shaping the trajectory of world history in a profound way. The overwhelming majority of the members of the international community, be they big or small, all stand for a multipolar world and reject the old path of bloc confrontation and zero-sum competition, still less a repeat of war and conflict.

The multipolar world China champions is one based on equality. It means all countries, regardless of their size, are treated as equals; hegemonism and power politics are rejected; international affairs are not dominated by only a handful of countries; and democracy is truly promoted in international relations. Each and every country or group of countries should have its place in the multipolar system, and the conventional myth that multipolarity is the monopoly of a few big powers should be debunked.

Similarly, the economic globalisation China advocates is one that is universally beneficial. It means meeting the common needs of all countries, especially the developing countries, properly addressing the development imbalances between and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources and delivering balanced and adequate development. This will help foster a globalisation process that enables faster development of all countries, especially the developing countries, and ensure universal benefit and common prosperity.

The following is the full text of Comrade Wang Yi’s article. It was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Implementing the Guiding Principles of the Central Conference On Work Relating to Foreign Affairs and Breaking New Ground In Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics

At the end of December 2023, the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs was successfully held. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important address at the conference, in which he presented a comprehensive review of the historic achievements and valuable experience of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, gave a profound exposition on the international environment and historical mission of China’s external work on the new journey, and made comprehensive plans for China’s external work for the present and coming periods. The conference identified the theme of China’s external work as building a community with a shared future for mankind, set the noble goal pursued by China in conducting major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and laid out the top-level plan for China’s diplomatic strategies on the new journey ahead. Practiced and developed over the first decade of the new era, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy has increasingly demonstrated its extraordinary theoretical quality of keeping in sync with and leading the times, a testament that our Party’s understanding of China’s relations with the world has reached a new and higher level.

Continue reading Wang Yi: Contributing to a brighter future of peace, security, prosperity and progress in the world

Chinese leaders meet with delegation of the Social Democratic Party of Japan

A delegation of the Japanese Social Democratic Party (JSDP), headed by its leader Mizuho Fukushima, recently visited China.

Formerly known as the Japan Socialist Party, the JSDP has consistently stood for friendship with China and for peace and has actively opposed militarism and war.

On January 19, Fukushima met with Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Wang Huning.

She said that the main purpose of the Social Democratic Party’s visit is to reaffirm peace and friendship between Japan and China. She said Japan had launched the war of aggression against China and caused great harm to China, for which they sincerely apologise. The Social Democratic Party is willing to promote the sound development of Japan-China relations based on the four political documents previously agreed between the two countries.

The same day she and her delegation also met with Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC).

Liu said that the Social Democratic Party has always attached importance to China-Japan relations. It established inter-party exchange relations with the CPC more than 40 years ago and has made important contributions to strengthening friendly cooperation between the two sides and improving and developing China-Japan relations. The Chinese side appreciates this. It is hoped that the Japanese side will abide by the one-China principle and properly handle historical issues as well as issues such as the discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into the ocean. The CPC is willing to strengthen communication and exchanges with the Social Democratic Party, promote exchanges between legislatures and non-governmental organisations, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges, including in media and other fields, and strive to bring China-Japan relations back to the track of healthy development.

Mizuho Fukushima said that the Social Democratic Party has long adhered to the concept of cherishing peace and opposing war, and is committed to promoting Japan-China friendship. Last year, Prime Minister Kishida met with President Xi Jinping, reaffirming the decision to comprehensively advance bilateral ties with the commitment to promoting a strategic relationship of mutual benefit, adhere to the principles established in the four political documents between Japan and China, and bring important opportunities to Japan-China relations. The Social Democratic Party is deeply encouraged by this and is willing to work with the CPC to promote closer economic cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries and build a future-oriented Japan-China relationship. The Social Democratic Party, she added, opposed the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean.

Fukushima also said: “The delegation visited the Museum of the War of Peoples Resistance Against Japanese Aggression on January 18th, and expressed deep apologies for Japan’s war of aggression against China, which caused severe harm to the Chinese people. On behalf of the Social Democratic Party, I pledged ‘no more war between Japan and China’, opposed the implementation of Japan’s new security strategy, which is a ‘war bill’, and opposed lifting bans on exercising the right of collective self-defence. I believe that Japan should not prepare for war but build peace. The Social Democratic Party hopes to strengthen friendly relations with the CPC and work together to promote the development of Japan-China relations, deepen mutual understanding and trust among Northeast Asian countries, and promote an Asian community with a shared future.”

The following articles were originally published on the websites of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the IDCPC.

Wang Huning Meets with a Delegation of the Social Democratic Party of Japan

On January 19, 2024, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Wang Huning met with a delegation led by Head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan Mizuho Fukushima in Beijing.

Wang Huning said that President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in November last year, and the leaders of the two countries reiterated their commitment to the principles and consensus stipulated in the four political documents between China and Japan, and reaffirmed the positioning of comprehensively advancing a strategic relationship of mutual benefit between China and Japan. He expressed the hope that the two sides will view each other’s development in an objective and rational manner in the spirit of “drawing lessons from history and opening up the future”, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and promote the building of a China-Japan relationship that meets the demands of the new era. The CPPCC National Committee is willing to strengthen contact with Japan and make positive contributions to this end.

Mizuho Fukushima said that the main purpose of the Social Democratic Party’s visit is to reaffirm peace and friendship between Japan and China. She said Japan had launched the war of aggression against China and caused great harm to China, for which they sincerely apologize. The Social Democratic Party is willing to promote the sound development of Japan-China relations based on the four political documents between the two countries.

Shi Taifeng and Wang Dongfeng, among others, were present at the meeting.

Liu Jianchao Meets with a Delegation of the Social Democratic Party of Japan

Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), met here today with a delegation led by Mizuho Fukushima, Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Japan.

Liu said, the Social Democratic Party has always attached importance to China-Japan relations. It established inter-party exchange relations with the CPC more than 40 years ago, and has made important contributions to strengthening friendly cooperation between the two sides and improving and developing China-Japan relations. The Chinese side appreciates this. Last November, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in San Francisco, US, and had in-depth exchanges on how to build a China-Japan relationship that can meet the requirements of the new era. Both sides must always abide by the principles established in the four political documents between China and Japan, maintain the foundation for the development of China-Japan relations, proceed from the overall situation, and act on the political consensus of viewing each other as cooperative partner and not posing any threat to each other. It is hoped that the Japanese side will abide by the one-China principle and properly handle historical issues as well as issues such as the discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into the ocean. We are willing to strengthen communication and exchanges with the Social Democratic Party, promote exchanges between legislatures, non-governmental organizations, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, media and other fields, and strive to bring China-Japan relations back to the track of healthy development.

Liu said, changes unseen in a century are unfolding at an accelerated pace, while regional peace and development are facing more instability and uncertainty. Yet the overall direction of human development and progress will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change. Currently, Asia is at an important juncture in its development and revitalization. China will continue to promote high-quality development, adhere to high-level opening up, and promote Chinese modernization on all fronts. China and Japan are the two largest economies in Asia. The two countries shoulder important responsibilities for peace and prosperity in the region and the world at large. It is hoped that both sides will focus on respective long-term interests and regional interests, and make positive contributions to building an Asian community with a shared future.

Mizuho Fukushima said, the Social Democratic Party has long adhered to the concept of cherishing peace and opposing war, and is committed to promoting Japan-China friendship. Last year, Prime Minister Kishida met with President Xi Jinping, reaffirming the decision to comprehensively advance bilateral ties with the commitment to promoting a strategic relationship of mutual benefit, adhere to the principles established in the four political documents between Japan and China, and bring important opportunities to Japan-China relations. The Social Democratic Party is deeply encouraged by this and is willing to work with the CPC to promote closer economic cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries and build a future-oriented Japan-China relationship. The Social Democratic Party opposed the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean.

The delegation visited the Museum of the War of Peoples Resistance Against Japanese Aggression on January 18th, and expressed deep apologies for Japan’s war of aggression against China, which caused severe harm to the Chinese people. On behalf of the Social Democratic Party, I pledged “no more war between Japan and China”, opposed the implementation of Japan’s new security strategy, which is a “war bill”, and opposed lifting bans on exercising the right of collective self-defense. I believed that Japan should not prepare for war but build peace. The Social Democratic Party hopes to strengthen friendly relations with the CPC, and work together to promote the development of Japan-China relations, deepen mutual understanding and trust among Northeast Asian countries, and promote an Asian community with a shared future.

Sun Haiyan, Vice-minister of the IDCPC, Kunio Arakaki, deputy head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan and Member of the House of Representatives, Yuko Ohtsubaki, deputy head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan and Member of the House of Councillors, and others were present.

Building a China-Vietnam community with shared future

The top Communist Party leaders of China and Vietnam have exchanged greetings with the approach of the Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, a very significant traditional holiday for both peoples.

In his message to Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, Xi Jinping, his Chinese counterpart, said that 2023 was an epoch-making year in the history of China-Vietnam relations, with frequent high-level exchanges between the two sides, a more solid political mutual trust, an acceleration in synergy of their development strategies, a robust momentum of comprehensive cooperation, vibrant people-to-people exchange activities and a traditional friendship that grows ever stronger. 

He added that amidst an atmosphere of goodwill marking the 15th anniversary of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, he had visited Vietnam as promised, thus realising the third round of mutual visits between him and Trong in the new era.

For his part, Trong said bilateral relations have shown a positive momentum of development and achieved significant progress ever since his official visit to China in October 2022 following the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress. 

Xi’s successful state visit to Vietnam in December 2023, he added, demonstrated the great importance the CPC, China and Xi attach to Vietnam’s socialist construction and to bilateral relations.

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

BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) — General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that he stands ready to work with the Vietnamese side to promote the China-Vietnam community with a shared future and see it take root and bear fruits.

Xi made the remarks in an exchange of Spring Festival greetings with Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee.

In his message, Xi extended his sincere greetings and best wishes for the Spring Festival to Trong, the CPV as well as the Vietnamese government and people on behalf of the CPC, the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

The year 2023 was epoch-making in the history of China-Vietnam relations, with frequent high-level exchanges between the two sides, a more solid political mutual trust, an acceleration in synergy of their development strategies, a robust momentum of comprehensive cooperation, vibrant people-to-people exchange activities and a traditional friendship that grows ever stronger, Xi said.

He said that amidst an atmosphere of goodwill marking the 15th anniversary of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, he visited Vietnam as promised, thus realizing the third round of mutual visits between him and Trong in the new era.

Noting that he and Trong jointly announced the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, Xi said that it has opened up a new journey and a new chapter for the development of ties between the two parties and two nations, a manifestation of the firm will and resolve of the two sides to cooperate and forge ahead.

Xi said that in 2024, he stands ready to maintain close contacts with Trong in guiding the two sides to anchor the new positioning of bilateral ties, and make concerted and solid efforts to promote high-level and high-quality development of exchanges and cooperation via all channels, at all levels and in all sectors.

All the vivid practices and practical results will inject new impetus into the modernization cause of the two countries, so as to provide positive energy for the prosperity and development of the Asia-Pacific region, and make greater contribution to the cause of peace and progress of mankind, Xi said.

For his part, Trong said bilateral relations have shown a positive momentum of development and achieved significant progress ever since his official visit to China in October 2022 following the 20th CPC National Congress.

Xi’s successful state visit to Vietnam in December 2023 demonstrated the great importance the CPC, China and Xi attach to Vietnam’s socialist construction and to bilateral relations, Trong said.

During Xi’s Vietnam visit, the two sides conducted comprehensive and in-depth exchanges in the spirit of the deep friendship of comrades plus brothers between Vietnam and China, issued a joint statement on further upgrading the bilateral relations, and signed dozens of cooperation documents of historic significance, Trong noted.

These fruitful results have laid a solid foundation and provided strategic guidance for the relations between the two parties and the two countries to enter a healthier, practical and fruitful new development stage and maintain a long-term stable and positive momentum, he said.

Trong said he highly values and is willing to maintain exchanges and contact with Xi, adding that he stands ready to continuously offer care and guidance to various localities and departments at all levels from the two sides in implementing the important consensus and agreements reached by high-level officials of both sides during Xi’s Vietnam visit.

Doing so will benefit the development of relations between the two parties and between the two countries, serve the interests of the two peoples, and contribute to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation and development.

Trong also wished the CPC continued growth, the People’s Republic of China prosperity, and the brotherly Chinese people a happy and peaceful New Year. 

Self-confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation

China’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, delivered an important and comprehensive speech at a Beijing Symposium on the International Situation and China’s Foreign Relations on January 9, 2024.

Saying that in the preceding year China had created a favourable environment for building a great modern socialist country and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and had made new contributions to maintaining world peace and promoting common development, Wang Yi went on to identify six highlights:

Our head-of-state diplomacy has been immensely successful, achieving new milestones in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

In 2023, President Xi Jinping was personally involved in the planning and execution of major diplomatic actions. He chaired two home-ground events, attended three multilateral summits, made four important overseas visits, and held more than 100 meetings and phone calls.

Solid progress has been made in building a community with a shared future for mankind, lending new impetus to the building of a brighter future for humanity.

During General Secretary Xi Jinping’s historic state visit to Vietnam in December 2023, the most important political outcome reached between the two sides was to upgrade the bilateral relationship to a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. This characterisation has marked not only a new level in the “comradely and brotherly” relations between the two socialist neighbours but also a full commitment of the Indochina Peninsula to jointly building a community with a shared future. 

The inclusion of Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has brought its coverage to the whole of Central Asia. China is working with Cambodia and Laos on a new, five-year action plan, and has reached agreement with Malaysia, in addition to Thailand and Indonesia, adding to the good momentum toward a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. In his visit to South Africa, President Xi Jinping announced with President Cyril Ramaphosa the decision to build a high-quality China-South Africa community with a shared future, taking China-Africa relations to a new stage.

The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was successfully held, taking BRI cooperation to a new stage of high-quality development.

 Ten years on, Belt and Road cooperation has extended from the Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America and expanded from physical connectivity to institutional connectivity and people-to-people bonds. 

The BRICS mechanism achieved a historic expansion, adding new strength to unity and cooperation in the developing world.

BRICS countries have made dedicated efforts to promote global growth and improve global governance. Inspired by the vibrancy and appeal of the mechanism, dozens of developing countries have officially applied for its membership. The expansion marks a milestone in the development of the BRICS mechanism, and ushers in a new era of strength through unity for the Global South. The expanded “greater BRICS” will surely play a stronger role in shaping a more just and equitable global governance system and increasing the representation and voice of the Global South in international affairs.

A successful China-Central Asia Summit was held, creating a new platform for good-neighbourliness and friendly cooperation in the region.

China and the five Central Asian countries, connected by mountains and rivers, have always been friendly neighbours. China hopes to see, more than anyone, a stable, prosperous, harmonious, and interconnected Central Asia. At a key moment in the evolving international landscape, President Xi Jinping and the heads of state of the five Central Asian countries gathered in the historical city of Xi’an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, for the inaugural China-Central Asia Summit. 

President Xi Jinping comprehensively elaborated on China’s foreign policy toward Central Asia, and decided, together with the heads of state of the five Central Asian countries, to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future, formally establish the mechanism of meetings between the heads of state of China and Central Asian countries and set up a permanent secretariat for the China-Central Asia mechanism. 

We facilitated the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, setting a new example of political settlement of hotspot issues.

President Xi Jinping had in-depth communication with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Iran, persuading the two countries to let go of past grievances and meet each other halfway. We are glad to see that Syria has rejoined the family of the League of Arab States; Qatar, Syria, Iran, and Türkiye have restored diplomatic ties or normalised their relations respectively with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, with Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, with Sudan and with Egypt; and the people of regional countries are taking the future of the Middle East back into their own hands.

Wang Yi went on to say that over the past year, when faced with major issues concerning the future of humanity and the direction of world development, China has all along stood firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress in its diplomacy, and made decisions that can stand the test of practice and time, and gave a further six examples in this regard:

Continue reading Self-confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation

‘Clash of civilisations’ is essentially a racist concept

The following is a short commentary by our co-editor Keith Bennett, which formed part of a year-end review by Beijing Daily on President Xi Jinping’s Global Civilisation Initiative. 

Published on the Beijing Daily news client app under the title, “‘Clash of civilisations’ is essentially a racist concept”, Keith argues that there are currently two fundamentally different world views with regard to civilisations and the relationship between them. The ‘clash of civilisations’ concept, as advanced by the late US scholar Samuel Huntington, is at base, “a racist conception which constructs a hierarchy of civilisations… placing them in an adversarial and antagonistic relationship to one another. It provides an intellectual and ideological fig leaf for the weaponisation of immigration, Islamophobia, a new cold war, and wars of aggression against countries of the Global South.

“In stark contrast, the Global Civilisation Initiative advanced by President Xi Jinping makes clear that the history of humanity… has seen a variety of civilisations come into being, develop and thrive, and this has in return promoted the overall development of human society.”

An extract of Keith’s commentary was published among a selection of quotations carried in the print edition of Beijing Daily and the full text was carried on its app.

Beijing Daily is the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China’s Beijing Committee.

There are two fundamentally different outlooks with regard to civilisations, and the relationship between them, in today’s world.

In the western capitalist countries, ideas of a ‘clash of civilisations’, as promoted for example by the late Samuel Huntington, find a strong resonance, in more or less overt or covert forms. Huntington himself may be dead, but his malign influence lives on. At base, it is a racist conception which constructs a hierarchy of civilisations, elevating that of the West, which is actually the most recent major civilisation in historical terms, and placing them in an adversarial and antagonistic relationship to one another. It provides an intellectual and ideological fig leaf for the weaponisation of immigration, Islamophobia, a new cold war, and wars of aggression against countries of the Global South.

In stark contrast, the Global Civilisation Initiative advanced by President Xi Jinping makes clear that the history of humanity, spanning thousands of years, has seen a variety of civilisations come into being, develop and thrive, and this has in return promoted the overall development of human society. Diversity has been a prominent feature, and indeed a hallmark, of civilisations.

People therefore need to keep an open mind in appreciating how different civilisations perceive values, and refrain from imposing their own values or models on others, as well as from stoking ideological confrontation or politicising civilisational issues.

The world is facing both old and new challenges. This is all the more reason why we need to promote dialogue and exchanges among cultures and civilisations. The differences among civilisations should be seen not as a curse but a blessing – they enrich human society as a whole. Moreover, dialogue and joint study will increasingly reveal the common humanistic essence of civilisations, no matter how diverse the forms they might assume.   

Exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations need to be promoted on a number of levels – among scholars, specialists and academics as well as on a people-to-people basis, particularly among young people. This will not only promote science and knowledge, but also mutual understanding, peace, and friendship, thereby helping to build a community of shared future for humanity.

China accounts for more than 20% of the global population. Its civilisation and culture are therefore by definition of very significant importance and influence for humanity. China’s culture and civilisation are also the oldest uninterrupted ones on earth and thus provide important reference materials for humanity as a whole. They have also exerted profound influence on the cultural and civilisational development of neighbouring countries in particular, as can be seen especially in Korea, Japan and the countries of both south-east and central Asia. They are also profoundly inclusive and have never hesitated to absorb, inherit, and incorporate, apply and develop, advanced ideas from outside, be they of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) or of Karl Marx. This in turn helps create a dialectical interaction that can make Chinese civilisation and culture profoundly attractive to people throughout the world.

Confucius put forward the idea of the great harmony of all under heaven. This is something with which people in all parts of the world can identify with and aspire to. Indeed, faced with existential threats to humanity, it increasingly becomes a necessity.

Similarly, the Chinese concept of harmony between people and nature greatly echoes the sentiment and aspirations of many young people, in particular, in the West and again increasingly represents an imperative for human survival.

Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong visits DPRK

With 2024 having been jointly designated as the China-DPRK Friendship Year in an exchange of new year messages between the top leaders of the two countries, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong has visited the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, with arrangements for the main activities to be held in the year high on his agenda.

On January 26, he held consultations with DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong Ho and paid a courtesy call on Alternate Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. 

The two sides spoke highly of the achievements in the development of bilateral relations in recent years and reaffirmed that it is the unswerving position of the two parties and governments to maintain, consolidate, and develop bilateral relations. They agreed to strengthen strategic communication at all levels, deepen traditional friendship and practical cooperation, strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, and push forward the sustained development of China-DPRK relations. 

Earlier, on January 19, Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (IDCPC), met with DPRK Ambassador to China Ri Ryong Nam.

Liu said, General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Kim Jong Un exchanged congratulatory messages and jointly designated 2024 as the China-DPRK Friendship Year. The Chinese side is willing to work with the DPRK side to resolutely implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and take the 75th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic relations and the Friendship Year as an opportunity to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen strategic communication, promote mutually beneficial cooperation and the constant development of China-DPRK relations, and maintain regional peace and stability.

The relationship between the two parties plays an important leading role in the development of China-DPRK relations. The IDCPC is willing to work hand in hand with the International Department of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and the DPRK Embassy in China to strengthen communication and coordination through inter-party channels and make due contributions to the development of relations between the two countries.

Ri Ryong Nam congratulated the CPC and the Chinese people on their remarkable achievements in politics, economy, culture and other fields under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. He believed that in the new year, China will achieve new and greater progress in promoting the cause of socialism through Chinese modernisation. The DPRK side firmly supports China’s struggle to safeguard its core interests involving Taiwan, Hong Kong, human rights and other areas, and is willing to work with the Chinese side to resolutely implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries.

The following articles were originally published on the websites of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the IDCPC.

Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong Visits DPRK

Jan 26 (Chinese Foreign Ministry) — On January 26, 2024, Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong held consultations with Vice Foreign Minister of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Pak Myong Ho in Pyongyang and paid a courtesy call on Alternate Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. The two sides had an extensive and in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations, international and regional situations, and other issues of mutual interest and concern in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.

The two sides spoke highly of the achievements in the development of bilateral relations in recent years and reaffirmed that it is the unswerving position of the two parties and governments to maintain, consolidate, and develop bilateral relations. The two sides agreed to follow the guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries and take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and DPRK and the China-DPRK Friendship Year as an opportunity to strengthen strategic communication at all levels, deepen traditional friendship and practical cooperation, strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, and push forward the sustained development of China-DPRK relations. The two sides agreed on the arrangements for major activities of the China-DPRK Friendship Year.

Chinese Ambassador to DPRK Wang Yajun attended relevant events.

Liu Jianchao Meets with Ri Ryong Nam, DPRK Ambassador to China

Jan 19 (IDCPC) — Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), met here today with Ri Ryong Nam, Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to China.

Liu said, General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Kim Jong Un exchanged congratulatory messages and jointly designated 2024 as the China-DPRK Friendship Year at the beginning of the year. The Chinese side is willing to work with the DPRK side to resolutely implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, and take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the China-DPRK Friendship Year as an opportunity to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen strategic communication, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, promote China-DPRK relations for constant development and maintain regional peace and stability. The relationship between the two Parties plays an important leading role in the development of China-DPRK relations. The IDCPC is willing to work hand in hand with the International Department of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) of the DPRK and the DPRK Embassy in China to strengthen communication and coordination through inter-party channels and make due contributions to the development of relations between the two countries.

Ri Ryong Nam briefed on the 9th Plenary Meeting of the 8th WPK Central Committee, congratulated the CPC and the Chinese people on the remarkable achievements in politics, economy, culture and other fields under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. He believed that in the New Year, China will achieve new and greater progress in promoting the cause of socialism through Chinese modernization. The DPRK side firmly supports China’s struggle to safeguard core interests involving Taiwan, Hong Kong, human rights and others, and is willing to work with the Chinese side to resolutely implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, and take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the DPRK-China Year of Friendship as an opportunity to give full play to the role of inter-party channels, so as to serve the development of relations between the two Parties and the two countries.

Anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic relations marked in Beijing

Vietnam and China recently celebrated the 74th anniversary of their establishing diplomatic relations on January 18, 1950.

On the anniversary day, the Chinese Embassy in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi hosted a banquet attended by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang.

In his remarks, Quang, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam-China Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, affirmed that the party, state, and people of Vietnam view the development of relations with China as a strategic choice and leading priority in the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multilateralisation and diversification of external relations.

The Deputy PM emphasised that after the historic visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in October 2022, the two countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership made great strides and obtained significant achievements in 2023.

During the state visit to Vietnam by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in December 2023, the two Parties and two countries agreed to continue deepening and elevating their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and to build a Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. 

Then, on January 22, the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing held a ceremony attended by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Sao Mai said that the Vietnam–China friendship, which was nurtured and fostered by President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong, as well as successive generations of the two countries’ leaders, has become a valuable asset of the two nations, adding that the two countries’ people have stood shoulder to shoulder and supported each other in their cause of national liberation and the process of national construction and development.

The Vietnamese diplomat further recalled the recent state visit to Vietnam by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping, during which General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and the Chinese leader discussed and reached agreement on continuing to deepen and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, building a Vietnam–China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, for the happiness of the two nations’ people and for the peace and progress of humanity.

The Vietnamese party, state and people always attach much importance to consolidating and bolstering the friendship and cooperation with the Chinese party, state and people, and consider developing the ties with China as a top priority and a strategic choice in the country’s foreign policy, he stressed.

The following articles were originally published by the Vietnamese newspaper Nhân Dân.

Ceremony marks 74th anniversary of Vietnam – China diplomatic ties

Jan 19 (Nhan Dan) — The Chinese Embassy in Vietnam hosted a banquet on January 18 in the presence of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang to celebrate the 74th founding anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations (January 18, 1950 – 2024).

In his remarks, Quang, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam – China Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, affirmed that the Party, State, and people of Vietnam view the development of relations with China as a strategic choice and leading priority in the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multilateralisation and diversification of external relations.

Vietnam holds that the stable and sustainable development of the bilateral ties matches practical benefits of the two countries’ peoples and also benefits cooperation and prosperous development in the region and the world, he said.

The Deputy PM emphasised that after the historic visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in October 2022, the two countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership made great strides and obtained significant achievements in 2023.

During the state visit to Vietnam by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in December 2023, the two Parties and the two countries agreed to continue deepening and elevating the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and to build a Vietnam – China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. This was an important milestone during the development of the bilateral relations, raising the ties between the two Parties and the two countries to a new stage, Quang added.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo noted that China is ready to join hands with Vietnam to properly implement the important common perceptions reached between the Parties and countries’ top leaders, and unceasingly develop the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership

and the Vietnam – China community with a shared future, thereby generating tangible benefits for the people of both nations.

The two sides agreed to keep close coordination to concretise the achievements and new dimensions of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, on which Party General Secretary of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping agreed, to promote the relations between the two Parties and the two countries with higher political trust, more practical defence – security cooperation, more solid social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better controlled and resolved differences, the diplomat said.

Anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic relations marked in Beijing

Jan 23 (Nhan Dan) — The Vietnamese Embassy in China held a ceremony in Beijing on January 22 to celebrate the 74th founding anniversary of Vietnam – China diplomatic relations (January 18, 1950 – 2024).

The event was attended by Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu, representatives of Chinese ministries, sectors, agencies, localities and businesses, experts, scholars and press agencies of both nations.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Sao Mai highlighted the significance of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between the two countries, and reviewed their cooperation achievements over the past time.

The Vietnam – China friendship, which was nurtured and fostered by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Mao Zedong as well as generations of the two countries’ leaders, has become a valuable asset of the two nations, he said, adding the two countries’ people have stood shoulder by shoulder and supported each other in their cause of national liberation and the process of national construction and development.

Amidst complicated and unprecedented developments across the globe, the Vietnam – China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership has developed in a stable manner and recorded important progress thanks to the sound direction of high-level leaders of the two Parties and States as well as concerted efforts made by sectors and people of both sides, he said.

The Vietnamese diplomat recalled the recent state visit to Vietnam by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping, during which General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and the Chinese leader discussed and reached perceptions on continuing to deepen and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, building a Vietnam – China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance for the happiness of the two nations’ people and for peace and progress of the humankind.

Mai said that the stable Vietnam – China relations have played an important role in the development in each country, contributing to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The Vietnamese Party, State and people always attach much importance to consolidating and bolstering the friendship and cooperation with the Chinese Party, State and people, and consider developing the ties with China as a top priority and a strategic choice in the country’s foreign policy, he stressed.

He suggested that both sides should continue enhancing the exchange of delegations at all levels, fully and effectively carry out the perceptions reached by the two Parties and nations, enhance political trust, promote cooperation in economy, trade, investment, tourism, and properly control and handle disagreements on the basis of respect for each other’s legitimate interests and in line with international law.

Participants at the event congratulated Vietnam and China on the achievements they have attained over the past time.

Xi Jinping meets with Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda

Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of the Caribbean twin island state of Antigua and Barbuda, who is also the leader of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, paid an official visit to China at the invitation of his counterpart, Premier Li Qiang, January 22-28. His previous visit had been in 2014, the year he assumed the premiership.

On January 24, Prime Minister Browne met in Beijing with both President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. 

Noting that Antigua and Barbuda is one of the first countries in the Eastern Caribbean to establish diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China, Xi said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 41 years ago, the two countries have always respected and supported each other, setting an example of equality and win-win cooperation between countries of different sizes. The bilateral relations have maintained healthy and stable development, pragmatic cooperation has yielded fruitful results, and people’s friendship has deepened, Xi added.

He emphasised that the two sides should continue their traditional friendship, consolidate political mutual trust, and continue to understand and support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns.

Xi observed that Antigua and Barbuda is the first Eastern Caribbean country to sign a Belt and Road cooperation MoU with China and said the cooperation between the two sides has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples, adding that China is now advancing Chinese modernisation on all fronts through high-quality development and this will bring new opportunities for the development of Antigua and Barbuda and bilateral cooperation.

Stressing the need to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, Xi said China welcomes more young people from Antigua and Barbuda to come and study in the country.

He added that China attaches importance to the concerns and demands of Antigua and Barbuda and other small-island developing countries in the field of climate change and is ready to support Antigua and Barbuda in hosting the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, continue to provide assistance to the economic and social development of regional countries within its capacity, and promote the continuous development of relations between China and Caribbean countries.

Browne thanked the Chinese government for its valuable support, saying that China’s assistance and cooperation have greatly promoted the development of Antigua and Barbuda and helped with its poverty alleviation efforts.

China adheres to the principle that all countries, regardless of size, are equal, and actively promotes the noble vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, Browne said, adding that by proposing the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative, China has taken concrete actions to promote common development and prosperity of the world and benefit the people, showing unparalleled leadership and charisma in the world, and will surely lead more countries in the Global South to strengthen unity and cooperation.

Antigua and Barbuda is willing to be China’s most reliable partner, and will stand firmly with China on issues concerning the well-being of all humanity, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries, Browne added.

In his meeting, Premier Li Qiang  said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 41 years ago, China and Antigua and Barbuda have always respected and supported each other, adding that China stands ready to work with Antigua and Barbuda to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, consolidate and carry forward the traditional friendship, continuously deepen strategic mutual trust, and enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields to benefit the two countries and two peoples.

He noted that China, within its capacity, is ready to provide assistance to Antigua and Barbuda in addressing climate change under the framework of South-South cooperation, and to continue strengthening multilateral coordination and cooperation to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Browne  expressed his appreciation of China’s strong support for the economic and social development of Antigua and Barbuda over the years. Antigua and Barbuda abides by the one-China principle, believes that Taiwan is a province of China, and firmly supports China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He noted that Antigua and Barbuda stands ready to promote cooperation between the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and China, promote the reform of the global economic governance system, elevate bilateral relations to a new level, work with China to cope with climate change, and strengthen cooperation with China on agriculture, education and infrastructure construction.

Antigua and Barbuda finally won its national independence on November 1, 1981, after having been a British colony since 1632. The newly independent country established diplomatic relations with China on January 1, 1983, and the two countries’ friendly ties have developed smoothly ever since. 

In order to make his country’s sovereignty complete, Prime Minister Browne has joined the regional trend to remove the British monarch as head of state and for Antigua and Barbuda to become a republic, pledging to hold a referendum on the subject in the near future.

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

Continue reading Xi Jinping meets with Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda

China hails Non-Aligned Movement’s endeavours in advancing global peace

The Ugandan capital Kampala hosted the 19th summit meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), January 19-20. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Liu Guozhong attended and delivered a speech, highlighting the movement’s important role in promoting the cause of world peace and human progress and noting its birth, “at the climax of the national liberation movements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.” Liu is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a Vice Premier of the State Council.

The NAM should continue to uphold independence and oppose power politics, seek common ground while shelving differences, promote peaceful coexistence, seek strength through unity, strive for common development, and advocate equality, fairness and justice, Liu added.

The NAM Summit was followed on January 21 with the third South Summit, the highest decision-making body of the Group of 77 (G77), which now groups 135 developing countries. 

Speaking there, Liu said that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Group of 77, and over the past six decades, the Global South has followed the right path of equality, mutual trust, mutual benefit, solidarity, and mutual assistance.

Independence is the defining political feature of the Global South, seeking strength through unity is the glorious tradition of the Global South, development and revitalisation are the historical mission of the Global South, and fairness and justice are the common propositions of the Global South, he noted.

As a developing country and a member of the Global South, China has always shared a common destiny with other developing countries and will continue to take South-South cooperation as a priority in its foreign cooperation and contribute to the common development of developing countries in the Global South.

On January 21, Liu had a meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has also assumed the rotating chair of the NAM and G77.  

Museveni asked Liu to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi. He welcomed the vice premier and his delegation to attend the two summits and thanked China for its significant contribution to the success of the meetings.

From joining hands to oppose colonialism and hegemonism and strive for national liberation, to strengthening unity and cooperation and jointly promoting development and revitalisation, the destiny of the African and Chinese people has always been closely linked, Museveni stressed.

The Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post further reported Museveni as telling Liu: “We have been together in the anti-colonial struggle. China supported us when we were fighting for independence. It also supported the freedom fighting groups in Southern Africa – Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“Since then, China has grown economically [and] has helped Africa even more. We are therefore very happy with China.”

Liu responded that China was still a very poor country in 1949 when the People’s Republic was founded, “but the Chinese leaders made a very important decision” to develop relations with Africa through “supporting African people in fighting for national independence, liberation and their efforts to fight imperialism.”

In a meeting with another high-level Chinese delegation last November, the Ugandan presidential website quoted Museveni as saying that: “Ever since 1949, when the Communist Party took power in China, China has been on the side of Africa. At that time, Chinese leaders like Mao Zedong supported our struggle against colonialism. Then, after independence, even when China was not so prosperous, they extended support to Africa. I remember China building the Tanzania-Zambia railway after independence, and that was to help landlocked Zambia against the white supremacists in Southern Africa.”

Prior to visiting Uganda, Liu had visited Algeria and Cameroon.

The Kampala NAM Summit saw the admission to full membership of South Sudan, the first expansion in 13 years, meaning that the body now has 121 member states – 54 from Africa, 26 from the Americas, 36 from Asia, 3 from Oceania and 2 from Europe. In addition, there are 19 observer countries, including China, and 11 observer organisations, including liberation movements from the US colony Puerto Rico and Kanaky, the French colony known as New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

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

China hails Non-Aligned Movement’s endeavors in advancing global peace

KAMPALA, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Liu Guozhong attended the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit on Friday and Saturday in the Ugandan capital Kampala and delivered a speech, highlighting the movement’s important role in promoting the cause of world peace and human progress.

The NAM, born at the climax of the national liberation movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America, has effectively advanced the cause of world peace and human progress, said Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council.

It should continue to uphold independence and oppose power politics, seek common ground while shelving differences, promote peaceful coexistence, seek strength through unity, strive for common development, and advocate equality, fairness and justice, Liu said.

Liu stressed that China will always be a member of the developing world and is willing to work with the NAM countries to promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative under the guidance of building a global community of shared future.

China is ready to advance Belt and Road cooperation, practice the common values of humanity, and advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, to promote the world toward a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress, Liu said.

Heads of state and government and high-level representatives from more than 100 countries, and heads of international organizations attended the summit. Ugandan President and the chair of the NAM Yoweri Museveni, heads of state of South Africa, Sri Lanka and other countries, the president of the UN General Assembly, and the UN secretary-general delivered speeches, expressing their views on the current international situation and strengthening the role of the NAM. Liu’s speech was positively recognized and widely appreciated by representatives of other countries.

On Saturday, Liu was invited to attend a seminar of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation on development held by President Museveni and delivered a speech. 

Continue reading China hails Non-Aligned Movement’s endeavours in advancing global peace