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Category: International relations

China’s example of leadership injects hope into a world of uncertainty

Co-editor of Friends of Socialist China Danny Haiphong remarks on the significance of China’s successful brokering of renewed ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. China “walking the walk” on diplomacy and peace, he says, has injected stability into a period of crisis and paves the way to a more democratic and multipolar world order.

This article first appeared in CGTN.

On the one-year anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China released a position paper on the path forward to peace. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that the peace proposal lacked credibility and questioned China’s commitment to the sovereignty and international law. Just weeks after China released its position on peace in Ukraine, Blinken was proven wrong. Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to reestablish relations on March 10 after a round of successful talks that took place in Beijing.

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, called the agreement a victory for peace. He was right. That two nations with complex differences and disputes were willing to sit down with their Chinese counterparts to work toward peace in a region that’s been devastated by war and external interference is indeed a major victory.

The reestablishment of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia opens several possible doors to resolve pressing issues such as the status of Palestine, the war in Yemen, and Saudi Arabia and Iran’s future participation in multilateral institutions such as the BRICS Plus and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Both Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to respect the sovereignty and internal affairs of other nations, a key pillar of peaceful development.

Contrary to the U.S. narrative, China’s leadership has injected confidence into a world of uncertainty and strife. In the field of global politics, China has demonstrated through concerted action just how serious it is about the cause of peace. The landmark diplomatic achievement between Saudi Arabia and Iran does not exist in a vacuum. It is part of China’s overall leadership role in the larger global movement to democratize international relations and move away from destructive hegemonism.

In this regard, China has both talked the talk and walked the walk. China has remained neutral and handled the world-altering Ukraine crisis in a manner consistent with international law. Rather than following the U.S. and the West in throwing fuel onto a fire with weapons sales and sanctions, China maintained relations with all sides and made itself available as a possible mediator for peace. This is consistent with China’s longstanding policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries. The world has been watching carefully as China has stood tall in opposing illegal and counterproductive Western-led sanctions, color revolutions, and aggressive militarism.

Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that China helped mediate the successful talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia during the nation’s annual Two Sessions. Thousands of deputies and representatives have been deliberating around the clock to review achievements and set the policy agenda for the coming year. Despite a global economic slowdown, China’s GDP grew by 3 percent in 2022 and an around 5 percent GDP growth rate target has been set for 2023. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Chinese goods and services fell to just 1 percent in February, a signal that China has successfully defeated inflationary pressures currently wracking the West.

China’s rise has accelerated by leaps and bounds, paving the way to a more prosperous and stable livelihood for the Chinese people and an example of global leadership that both Chinese people and the people of the world can be proud of.

The success of the Iran-Saudi talks in Beijing alone should put naysayers of China’s global “credibility” to rest. However, China’s leadership has long been embraced the majority of the world’s nations. This is most clearly reflected in the massive interest in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which currently is comprised of over 140 countries and several thousand infrastructure projects either completed or under development.

China’s staunch opposition to economic sanctions and zero-sum relations has given nations in all corners of the world confidence in its global leadership. The U.S. and West make up a minority of global public opinion despite their leaders’ insistence that they alone speak for the “international community.”

Lies can poison the psyche, but they can’t change reality. Facts are stubborn things. The fact is that China’s leadership has injected hope into a world in dire need of it. China’s facilitation of successful talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia is concrete proof.

Following Chinese mediation, Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume diplomatic relations

The announcement from Beijing on Friday March 10 that, following Chinese mediation, Iran and Saudi Arabia are to resume their diplomatic relations is widely recognised as a stunning diplomatic and political development, with profound implications not only for the Middle East (or West Asia), but also for international relations generally. 

In a Joint Trilateral Statement by the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the three countries announced that, “an agreement has been reached between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, that includes an agreement to resume diplomatic relations between them and re-open their embassies and missions within a period not exceeding two months, and the agreement includes their affirmation of the respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in internal affairs of states.”

The statement began by noting that this development came, “in response to the noble initiative of His Excellency President Xi Jinping” and “based on the agreement between His Excellency President Xi Jinping and the leaderships of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, whereby the People’s Republic of China would host and sponsor talks between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and continued:

“The delegations from the two countries held talks on 6-10 March 2023 in Beijing – the delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia headed by His Excellency Dr. Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and National Security Advisor, and the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran headed by His Excellency Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The Saudi and Iranian sides also expressed their gratitude to Iraq and Oman for having hosted previous rounds of dialogue.

Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia last December, where he also attended China’s first summits with both the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States, and last month hosted the first Beijing visit by an Iranian president in 20 years. It is worth recalling that many people had suggested that, by pursuing relations with Saudi Arabia, China was somehow abandoning or side-lining its friendship with Iran. The reality has proved the exact opposite.

Taken by surprise, the western media scurried to put out its news alerts. The New York Times reported that, “China hosted the talks that led to the breakthrough, highlighting Beijing’s growing role as a global economic and political power, and counterbalance to Washington – particularly in the Middle East, a region that was long shaped by the military and diplomatic involvement of the United States,” adding: “For the United States, the agreement signals that it cannot take for granted the pre-eminent influence it once wielded in Saudi Arabia, an ally that is charting a more independent diplomatic course, and elsewhere.”

It went on to quote Jonathan Fulton, a non-resident senior fellow for Middle East programs at the Atlantic Council, as saying:

“Beijing has adopted a smart approach using its strategic partnership diplomacy, building diplomatic capital on both sides of the Gulf. Unlike the United States, which balances one side against the other, and is therefore limited in its diplomatic capacity.”

Mark Dubowitz, the chief executive of the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, was even more blunt, describing the news as, “a lose, lose, lose for American interests.”

Describing the development as “jolting the geopolitics of the Middle East”, in its first report, the Wall Street Journal wrote:

“China’s role in the talks marks a watershed moment for Beijing’s ambitions in the region, a part of the world where the US has waged war and spent hundreds of billions of dollars in providing security for allies. Along with Russia’s intervention in the Syrian civil war, China’s diplomacy is another sign of the US’s waning influence.”

It continued: “Beijing has provided a lifeline to sanctions-hit Iran, becoming its main remaining crude buyer since the US pulled out of a nuclear deal in 2018. But it has also sought closer ties with Saudi Arabia, Iran’s regional rival, for which it is the biggest trade partner and a top oil buyer.”

The paper quoted Aaron David Miller, who it described as, “a veteran US negotiator in the Middle East”, and who is now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, as saying: “The Saudis see a multipolar future with China and Russia as important partners… It’s also a real slap in the face to Biden.”

The Wall Street Journal noted that, “there have long been hopes in Washington for a so-called Arab NATO that would counter Iran,” adding, “in Israel, the announcement of restored Saudi-Iran ties was met with dismay.”

In its subsequent report, headlined ‘China’s Model of a New Diplomacy Scores a Win With Iran-Saudi Deal’, the paper quoted Chas W. Freeman, a retired American senior diplomat who was President Nixon’s main interpreter during his 1972 icebreaking visit to Beijing, who later served as US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and is today one of the few voices of reason in the US foreign policy establishment, as observing: “Among other things, this suggests that it’s a mistake to dismiss China as a potential peacemaker in Ukraine, as we reflexively did.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s Press TV summarised regional reactions, noting that United Arab Emirates (UAE) foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed had described the agreement as, “an important step towards stability and prosperity.” Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Türkiye and Pakistan were also among the first countries to rapidly welcome the agreement.

It also won immediate support from key resistance movements in the region. Addressing a local event, the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the agreement will be to the benefit of the region, adding: “The rapprochement of Iran and Saudi Arabia proceeds in its normal path and can open new horizons for the region and Lebanon.” 

Mohammed Abdulsalam, the chief negotiator for Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement, more widely known internationally as the Houthis, said the region is in need of the resumption of “normal ties” between its countries, “for the Islamic nation to reclaim its lost security as a result of foreign, especially American-Zionist, interference.” Such interference, he tweeted, has taken advantage of differences in the region, and used ‘Iranophobia’ to commit aggression against Yemen.

Conversely, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the agreement a “political victory” for Iran and a “serious and dangerous development for Israel,” adding: “This delivers a fatal blow to efforts to build a regional coalition against Iran.” 

Another former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is currently the leader of the opposition, also described the agreement as, “a dangerous development that strips Israel of its regional defensive wall,” adding that it, “reflects the complete and dangerous failure of the Israeli government’s foreign policy.” 

We reprint below the full text of the Joint Trilateral Statement. It was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The following is the full text of a joint statement released by the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic Republic of Iran on Friday.

Joint Trilateral Statement by the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic Republic of Iran

In response to the noble initiative of His Excellency President Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, of China’s support for developing good neighborly relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran;

And based on the agreement between His Excellency President Xi Jinping and the leaderships of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, whereby the People’s Republic of China would host and sponsor talks between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran;

Proceeding from their shared desire to resolve the disagreements between them through dialogue and diplomacy, and in light of their brotherly ties;

Adhering to the principles and objectives of the Charters of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and international conventions and norms;

The delegations from the two countries held talks on 6-10 March 2023 in Beijing – the delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia headed by His Excellency Dr. Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and National Security Advisor, and the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran headed by His Excellency Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Saudi and Iranian sides expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the Republic of Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman for hosting rounds of dialogue that took place between both sides during the years 2021-2022. The two sides also expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the leadership and government of the People’s Republic of China for hosting and sponsoring the talks, and the efforts they placed towards its success.

The three countries announce that an agreement has been reached between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, that includes an agreement to resume diplomatic relations between them and re-open their embassies and missions within a period not exceeding two months, and the agreement includes their affirmation of the respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in internal affairs of states. They also agreed that the ministers of foreign affairs of both countries shall meet to implement this, arrange for the return of their ambassadors, and discuss means of enhancing bilateral relations. They also agreed to implement the Security Cooperation Agreement between them, which was signed on 22/1/1422 (H), corresponding to 17/4/2001, and the General Agreement for Cooperation in the Fields of Economy, Trade, Investment, Technology, Science, Culture, Sports, and Youth, which was signed on 2/2/1419 (H), corresponding to 27/5/1998.

The three countries expressed their keenness to exert all efforts towards enhancing regional and international peace and security.

Issued in Beijing on 10 March 2023.

The statement was co-signed by Representative for the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, Representative for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and National Security Advisor, and Representative for the Islamic Republic of Iran Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

Video: Are the Arab countries moving into China’s orbit?

In this episode of Kalima Horra, the discussion program hosted by George Galloway on Al Mayadeen television, our Co-Editor Keith Bennett discusses recent developments in the relations between China and the Arab countries and their background. In response to George’s opening observation that the tectonic plates are shifting in the region, Keith draws attention not only to the success of President Xi Jinping’s visit to Saudi Arabia last December, which saw the first summit meetings between China and both the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States, but also to the long history of relations between China and the Arab world, including China’s solidarity with the Palestinian revolution from its inception.

In response to a question as to how China can balance its relations with, for example, Saudi Arabia and Iran, Keith notes that China does not establish relations with any nation at the expense of a third country and that it always stresses the common interests of the developing countries, which it considers more important than their differences. Under such circumstances, it is becoming more difficult for the United States to pick off the Arab countries one by one. The US pursuit of a New Cold War, against China, Russia, Iran and some other countries. Keith notes, is serving to increase the coordination among the developing countries, with ever greater interest being expressed in such bodies as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS grouping.

Keith was joined in the studio by Shahid Dastgir Khan, a former student leader in Pakistan and now a human rights lawyer in Britain, and Joseph Robertson, the Strategic Director of the Orthodox Conservatives group; and by video link by Dr. Alessandro Arduino, Principal Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore and an Associate at the Lau China Institute of King’s College London, and by Dr. Einar Tangen, a Senior Fellow at China’s Taihe Institute, based in Beijing.

Dr. Tangen said that, due to its rogue state behavior, the United States had worn out its welcome in the Middle East. Its colonial arrogance and lecturing of others does not work anymore. And Shahid Khan recalled that Pakistan-China friendship was something he clearly remembered right from his childhood. Pakistan, he noted, had played a part in helping draw Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) closer to China. 

The full discussion is embedded below.

Lukashenko: We do not want war, West blocking peace talks

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko paid a state visit to China from February 28 to March 2. Just prior to the visit, he gave an exclusive interview to Li Tongtong of CGTN in his capital Minsk as part of the Chinese channel’s impressive Leaders Talk series. 

Their extensive discussion began with the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and its impact on Belarus. President Lukashenko said that he fully agreed with President Putin that the root cause of the problem is not to be found in Russia. He recalls the 2014-15 diplomatic process in the Belarus capital, which had culminated in the signing of the Minsk Protocol. However, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French President François Hollande had both now admitted that they had engaged in this process in order to give Ukraine more time to prepare for war. It is therefore clear who wanted conflict.

Belarus, Lukashenko insisted, is a peace-loving country. Its people know what war means. Belarus lost one third of its population in World War II. Belarusians do not want war with anyone, but especially not with Ukraine, whose people are their kin. President Lukashenko noted that his own forebears hailed from Ukraine. Despite all this, the western powers are trying to drag Belarus into the conflict. As Belarus has long frontiers with both Poland and Lithuania, this would mean that the country would be directly facing NATO, which would force it to disperse its forces and therefore become more vulnerable to attack. The President insisted that whilst his country did not want war, it was ready to defend its sovereignty and independence. 

In the ongoing conflict, it is the United States and the western powers that are obstructing peace talks. Russia proposed negotiations from the very beginning and they were held in Gomel, the second largest city of Belarus, right back in February 2022.

Lukashenko praised President Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative (GSI), noting that only peace can lead to prosperity for humanity whilst war leads to catastrophe. Extolling his personal and political friendship with the Chinese leader, he said that he and his family were very excited by Xi’s re-election at last October’s 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. He praised Xi’s ability to draw on the experience of his predecessors while injecting new meaning into it. 

The program also highlighted the development of the Great Stone Industrial Park, the key focus for Belarus-China cooperation, which President Xi had visited when he travelled to Belarus in 2015. The park has developed rapidly is now one third of the size of Minsk. Lukashenko stressed the importance of synergizing the work of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with that of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), whose full members currently comprise Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. He further stressed that the friendship between Belarus and China would last not just for his tenure in office but for ever. He described this belief as having become deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people of Belarus. Especially during the period of sanctions imposed by the West, the people of Belarus had become very clear as to who were their enemies and who were their friends. 

Towards the end of the interview, he highlighted education, culture and sports as among the areas where he would like to see even more cooperation and exchange with China and noted that his youngest son is currently studying at university in Beijing.

President Lukashenko also touched on a number of other issues, including the US shooting down of an unmanned Chinese airship, its instigation of ‘color revolutions’ not only in Belarus but in the Arab countries, and the relations between the European countries, the United States and China.

The full interview is embedded below.

Qin Gang meets the press: summary and full text

China’s new Foreign Minister Qin Gang held a press conference for the Chinese and international media on March 7 in the margins of the ongoing annual meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s parliament, in which, over nearly two hours, he fielded 14 questions that together offer rich insights into the principles governing Chinese foreign policy as well as its practical implementation.

In opening, and responding to a question from China Central Television, Minister Qin noted that China will host two major diplomatic events this year, the first China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and continued:

“We will take it as our mission to defend China’s core interests. We firmly oppose any form of hegemonism and power politics. We firmly oppose the Cold War mentality, camp-based confrontation, and acts to contain and hold back other countries’ development. We will resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.”

Saying that, “we will [always] honor our commitment to serving the people,” the Minister observed that: “The new journey of China’s diplomacy will be an expedition with glories and dreams, and it will also be a long voyage through stormy seas. The harder the mission, the more glorious its accomplishment.”

Responding to a question from an Egyptian publication, Qin Gang made a number of important points regarding China’s modernization, noting that:

  • Achieving modernization for a country of more than 1.4 billion people will be an unprecedented feat in human history, one of profound global significance in itself.
  • It busts the myth that modernization is westernization; it creates a new form of human advancement; and it provides an important source of inspiration for the world, especially developing countries.
  • Modernization should not serve the interests of only a few countries or individuals. It should not make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
  • Chinese modernization is not pursued through war, colonization, or plundering. It is dedicated to peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, and is committed to harmony between humanity and nature. It is a new path different from Western modernization.

Much attention has inevitably focused on Qin Gang’s comments regarding the relationship between China and Russia. Responding to a question from TASS, he noted: “China and Russia have found a path of major-country relations featuring strategic trust and good neighborliness, setting a good example for a new type of international relations…With China and Russia working together, the world will have a driving force toward multipolarity and greater democracy in international relations, and global strategic balance and stability will be better ensured. The more unstable the world becomes, the more imperative it is for China and Russia to steadily advance their relations.”

In introducing President Xi Jinping’s flagship policies of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), in response to a question from People’s Daily, he observed:

“Developing countries account for more than 80 percent of the global population and more than 70 percent of global economic growth. People in developing countries are entitled to a better life, and developing countries are entitled to greater representation and a louder voice in international affairs.”

Probably the most sensitive relationship in contemporary global diplomacy is that between China and the United States. Responding to a question from the US television network NBC, Qin Gang said:

“The United States claims that it seeks to ‘out-compete’ China but does not seek conflict. Yet in reality, its so-called ‘competition’ means to contain and suppress China in all respects and get the two countries locked in a zero-sum game…Its so-called ‘establishing guardrails’ for China-US relations and ‘not seeking conflict’ actually means that China should not respond in words or action when slandered or attacked. That is just impossible! If the United States does not hit the brake but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing, and there will surely be conflict and confrontation. Who will bear the catastrophic consequences? Such competition is a reckless gamble with the stakes being the fundamental interests of the two peoples and even the future of humanity. Naturally China is firmly opposed to all this.”

Making reference to many of the people he had met and interacted with during his recent posting as China’s Ambassador to the USA, Qin Gang pointed out:

“The American people, just like the Chinese people, are friendly, kind and sincere, and want a better life and a better world…Every time I think about them, I’m convinced that the China-US relationship should be determined by the common interests and shared responsibilities of the two countries and by the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples, rather than by US domestic politics or the hysterical neo-McCarthyism.”

Responding to a question from Phoenix Television on Taiwan, he stated: “The Chinese people have every right to ask: Why does the US talk at length about respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity on Ukraine, while disrespecting China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on China’s Taiwan question? Why does the US ask China not to provide weapons to Russia, while it keeps selling arms to Taiwan in violation of the August 17 Communiqué?”

Qin Gang was asked by Associated Press of Pakistan about the progress of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as this year is the 10th anniversary of its first being proposed by President Xi. Illustrating his point with concrete examples, the Foreign Minister explained that:

“Over the past decade, the BRI has galvanized nearly US$1 trillion of investment, established more than 3,000 cooperation projects, created 420,000 local jobs, and helped lift almost 40 million people out of poverty.”

He added that: “China should be the last one to be accused of the so-called debt trap. Data show that multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors account for over 80 percent of the sovereign debt of developing countries. They are the biggest source of debt burden on developing countries. Particularly since last year, the unprecedented, rapid interest hikes by the United States have led to capital outflows in many countries and worsened the debt problems in the countries concerned. China has been making efforts to help the countries in distress, and is the biggest contributor to the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI).”

The journalist from the Japanese public broadcaster NHK noted that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the Japan-China Peace and Friendship Treaty, but the two countries presently face a number of difficulties in their relationship, to which Qin Gang reminded his questioner:

“Some leaders in Japan recently have also been talking a lot about ‘international order’. We need to make clear what order they are talking about. Today’s international order is built on the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, which cost the lives and blood of 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians. The Chinese people will never accept any form of historical revisionism that challenges the post-war international order and international justice.”

We reprint below the full text of the press conference which was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

On 7 March 2023, a press conference was held on the margins of the First Session of the 14th National People’s Congress at the Media Center, during which Foreign Minister Qin Gang answered questions from Chinese and foreign media about China’s foreign policy and external relations.

Qin Gang: Friends from the media, good morning. I’m very pleased to meet you. As the world is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, China will continue to pursue the independent foreign policy of peace, and will continue to implement the mutually beneficial strategy of opening-up. China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. Now I’m ready to take your questions.

China Central Television: People at home and abroad have great expectations for China’s diplomacy in 2023. What will be the priorities and highlights in China’s diplomacy, particularly in head-of-state diplomacy? As the new foreign minister, how do you envision China’s diplomacy in the years to come?

Qin Gang: We’re in the first year of fully implementing the guiding principles set forth by the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The Congress has outlined top-level plans for China’s diplomacy, identified our missions and tasks, and made strategic arrangements to that end. With the COVID situation turning for the better in China, we’re steadily resuming exchanges with the world. We’ve pressed the “acceleration button”, and sounded the clarion call for our diplomacy.

We will follow the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy. In particular, we will ensure the success of the two major diplomatic events that we will host — the first China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which will be the showcase of the distinctive character of China’s diplomacy.

We will take it as our mission to defend China’s core interests. We firmly oppose any form of hegemonism and power politics. We firmly oppose the Cold War mentality, camp-based confrontation, and acts to contain and hold back other countries’ development. We will resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.

We will build on our extensive partnerships. We will pursue coordination and sound interactions among major countries, seek friendship and cooperation with other countries, and promote a new type of international relations. China has had a growing network of friends, made more and more new friends, and strengthened ties with old ones.

Continue reading Qin Gang meets the press: summary and full text

China and Brazil push forward bilateral ties

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who returned as Brazil’s head of state on January 1, is expected to visit China shortly.

Prior to that, there have been two important preparatory diplomatic exchanges between the two countries.

On March 2, Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Viera on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in the Indian capital, New Delhi, with the Xinhua News Agency reporting that the meeting had, “a focus on preparations for high level exchanges in the next stage.”  Qin said the Chinese side expects to deepen political mutual trust with Brazil, consolidate collaboration in areas of strength, and expand cooperation in technical innovation, green development, and digital economy, among other emerging fields.

On the previous day in Beijing, Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met with a delegation of Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT), headed by its Secretary for International Relations, Romenio Pereira. Liu said that at present, both countries constantly deepen political mutual trust, achieve fruitful results in practical cooperation, and coordinate closely in important international multilateral mechanisms such as the BRICS and the G20. He described the PT as a political force with important international and regional influence, adding that President Lula is committed to leading Brazil on the path of sustainable and comprehensive development. According to Liu, the CPC and the PT share similar governance concepts and the CPC is ready to strengthen high-level and institutionalized exchanges on both party building and state governance. 

For his part, Pereira said that the PT attaches great importance to developing friendly relations with the CPC. As an important left-wing force in Latin America, the PT hopes to strengthen cooperation with the CPC on platforms such as China-CELAC Political Parties Forum and the São Paulo Forum, to promote the development of Latin America-China relations and contribute to world peace and development. Significantly, Pereira’s delegation included the Executive Secretary of the São Paulo Forum, Monica Valente. With a membership of over 100 parties, the São Paulo Forum is a broad-based body grouping nearly all the significant forces of the Latin American left. Its member parties are presently in government in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Lucia, and Venezuela.

The PT delegation also met with China’s most senior diplomat, Wang Yi, member of the CPC Political Bureau and Director of the Office of the CPC Central Committee’s Foreign Affairs Commission. 

The following reports were originally published on the websites of the Xinhua News Agency and the IDCPC.

Chinese, Brazilian FMs meet to push forward bilateral ties

Xinhua, 2 March 2023

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira met here on Thursday and exchanged views on the development of bilateral ties, with a focus on preparations for high level exchanges in the next stage.

Their meeting took place on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on March 1-2 in the capital of India, which holds the G20 presidency this year.

During the bilateral meeting, Qin said the Chinese side expects to deepen political mutual trust with Brazil, consolidate collaboration in areas of strength, and expand cooperation in technical innovation, green development, and digital economy, among other emerging fields.

Continue reading China and Brazil push forward bilateral ties

The life and legacy of Zhou Enlai: an interview with Professor Ken Hammond

To mark the 125th anniversary of the birth of Zhou Enlai – one of the top leaders of the Chinese Revolution, and Premier of People’s China from 1949 until his death in 1976 – we conducted an extensive interview with Professor Ken Hammond about Zhou’s life and legacy.

The interview covers Zhou Enlai’s formation as a revolutionary; his role in the early years of the Chinese Revolution in the 1920s; his working relationship with Mao Zedong; his contribution to Marxist understanding of socialist foreign policy; his role in establishing links of solidarity between China and Africa; his role in the negotiations with Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon that brought about the start of a rapprochement between the US and China; his experiences in the Cultural Revolution; and his lasting legacy, both in China and globally.

Ken Hammond is a professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University, founding director of the Confucius Institute at New Mexico State University, and an activist with Pivot to Peace. He’s also a member of the Friends of Socialist China advisory group, and is working on a biography of Zhou Enlai. He is interviewed by our co-editor Carlos Martinez.

Alexander Lukashenko’s state visit to China

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko paid a state visit to China from February 28 to March 2 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The two leaders last met in September at the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperaration Organization (SCO), held in the Uzbek city of Samarkand. At that meeting, they jointly announced the upgrading of their bilateral relationship to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership. 

Meeting again on March 1, Xi Jinping emphasized that the China-Belarus friendship is unbreakable, and the two sides should constantly enhance political mutual trust and remain each other’s true friends and good partners.

Congratulating China once again on the success of the 20th CPC National Congress, Lukashenko expressed great admiration for President Xi, noting that he is a leader much loved by the Chinese people and enjoying high prestige in the world. He said that he firmly believes that under the strong leadership of President Xi, China will continue to make new and glorious achievements, and that the hearts of the Belarusian people are always with the Chinese people, and Belarus will stand firmly with China at all times. He said that China is a mainstay in safeguarding world peace, and that Belarus is ready to strengthen coordination with China on major international and regional issues, and jointly strive for the maintenance of international and regional security and stability. 

The two presidents also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and other issues. Xi Jinping pointed out that China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear, and China has released a position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. Xi noted that the core of China’s position on this issue is promoting talks for peace. All parties should stay committed to its political settlement, abandon the Cold War mentality, respect the legitimate security concerns of all countries, and work to forge a balanced, effective, and sustainable European security architecture. Relevant countries should stop politicizing and instrumentalizing the world economy and take effective actions to bring about a ceasefire and an end to the conflict and peacefully resolve the crisis. Lukashenko said that Belarus fully agrees with and supports China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and this is of great significance to its resolution.

Lukashenko’s programme also included meetings with Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee Li Zhanshu.

The two heads of state signed a detailed joint statement covering a broad range of political, economic and other issues and featuring not least a strong commitment to further develop the China-Belarus Industrial Park, situated outside the Belarussian capital Minsk, which is both a mainstay of bilateral cooperation as well as a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).  According to the statement, China supports Belarus in becoming a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as soon as possible. It presently has observer status. 

The below article on the meeting between the two presidents was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. We also publish the full text of the Joint Statement, which is a machine translation from the Chinese language text carried in People’s Daily, and which has been lightly edited by us.

Xi Jinping Holds Talks with President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 1 March 2023

On March 1, 2023, at the Great Hall of the People, President Xi Jinping held talks with President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko  who is on a state visit to China.

Xi Jinping pointed out that in Samarkand last September, he and President Lukashenko jointly announced the upgrading of China-Belarus relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership, thus injecting strong impetus into cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Xi noted that this year is the first year to fully implement the important decisions made at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and China’s high-quality development and modernization drive will bring new opportunities to Belarus and other countries in the world. Faced with an international situation fraught with instability and uncertainty, China is ready to work with Belarus to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations at a high level.

Continue reading Alexander Lukashenko’s state visit to China

China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis

On February 23, with the first anniversary of Russia’s launch of its Special Military Operation in Ukraine, China issued a 12-point document, setting out its official position on the conflict.

The 12 points are:

  1. Respecting the sovereignty of all countries
  2. Abandoning the Cold War mentality
  3. Ceasing hostilities
  4. Resuming peace talks
  5. Resolving the humanitarian crisis
  6. Protecting civilians and prisoners of war (POWs)
  7. Keeping nuclear power plants safe
  8. Reducing strategic risks
  9. Facilitating grain exports
  10. Stopping unilateral sanctions
  11. Keeping industrial and supply chains stable
  12. Promoting post-conflict reconstruction

Regarding the first point concerning respect for the sovereignty of all countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry calls for strict observance of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. It stresses that: “The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively upheld. All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community.” Significantly, considering the long and continuing record of the imperialist powers in failing to observe and flagrantly breaching these principles, it adds, in a point that has been expressed in one way or another by numerous countries of the Global South, that: “Equal and uniform application of international law should be promoted, while double standards must be rejected.”

On the need to abandon the Cold War mentality, the document states: “The security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs. The legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and addressed properly.” This underscores that part of the complex background to the present tragic situation lies in the steady expansion of the aggressive NATO alliance right to the borders of Russia, in breach of repeated promises made to Soviet and Russian leaders at the time of the collapse of the USSR. It also alludes to the proposed accession of hitherto ostensibly neutral Finland and Sweden to NATO. It continues by calling for the forging of a “a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture,” and working together for peace and stability on the Eurasian continent. Such proposals, in one form or another, have been advanced over the years by a number of countries, including France and Russia. They are, of course, bitterly opposed by the United States, as the prospect of the countries and peoples of Europe and the wider Eurasian space making their own arrangements and settling their own problems would correspondingly reduce the superpower’s capacity for hegemonic meddling, division and domination.

The document calls for resuming direct dialogue as quickly as possible, noting that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the crisis. It should be noted here that such negotiations between Russia and Ukraine had resulted in at least the broad outlines of an agreed settlement as far back as last April, but this was scuppered by outside intervention, not least a hurried visit to the Ukrainian capital by then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Since then the peace process has been aborted and the conflict has escalated, thanks to massive infusions of western military support, making the proxy nature of the conflict completely transparent.

China reaffirms that it opposes armed attacks against nuclear power plants or other peaceful nuclear facilities. Ukrainian forces have repeatedly shelled the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and obstructed international inspectors. It further notes that: “Nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear wars must not be fought. The threat or use of nuclear weapons should be opposed.” This not only reflects the fact that China is the only one of the five recognised nuclear powers that has consistently and unequivocally stood for a ‘no first use’ policy, but also the fact that the quoted statement embodies an agreed position taken by the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France not long before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also insists that: “Unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure cannot solve the issue; they only create new problems…Relevant countries should stop abusing unilateral sanctions and ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ against other countries.” Unilateral sanctions are a kind of ‘smokeless warfare’ deployed by the United States against any country that displeases it or fails to dance to its tune. In a clearly well-prepared operation, they have been deployed against Russia, to a maximum and still escalating extent, since the start of the special military operation. Equally, the US uses ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ on an industrial scale, against adversaries and allies alike, as this recent detailed presentation published by the Xinhua News Agency makes clear.

Below is the full text of the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement. It originally appeared on the ministry’s website.

1. Respecting the sovereignty of all countries. Universally recognized international law, including the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, must be strictly observed. The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively upheld. All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community. All parties should jointly uphold the basic norms governing international relations and defend international fairness and justice. Equal and uniform application of international law should be promoted, while double standards must be rejected. 

2. Abandoning the Cold War mentality. The security of a country should not be pursued at the expense of others. The security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs. The legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and addressed properly. There is no simple solution to a complex issue. All parties should, following the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and bearing in mind the long-term peace and stability of the world, help forge a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture. All parties should oppose the pursuit of one’s own security at the cost of others’ security, prevent bloc confrontation, and work together for peace and stability on the Eurasian Continent.

Continue reading China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis

US hegemony and its perils

On 20 February 2023, China released a comprehensive report, US Hegemony and its Perils, detailing the numerous ways in which US imperialism manifests itself throughout the world. “Under the guise of promoting democracy, freedom and human rights”, the US has waged endless war, organized color revolutions, undermined governments that refused to play by its rules, and applied economic coercion – all for the sake of creating and maintaining a favorable global environment for US profiteering; of dominating the world’s resources, land, labor and markets. “The United States does whatever it takes to rob and enslave the people of any country with underground resources.”

The document cites the US’s record of military intervention, starting with its expansion across the North American continent in the 18th and 19th centuries, and continuing with its imposition of hegemony over Latin America, and then its savage 20th and 21st century wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Iraq and Syria. “In recent years, the US average annual military budget has exceeded 700 billion US dollars, accounting for 40 percent of the world’s total, more than the 15 countries behind it combined. The United States has about 800 overseas military bases, with 173,000 troops deployed in 159 countries.”

The document further analyzes the US’s use of the dollar’s position at the center of the international monetary system to harvest unearned profits; further, “using its control over international organizations, it coerces other countries into serving America’s political and economic strategy.”

The report concludes by calling on the US to “quit its hegemonic, domineering and bullying practices”, to adopt the principles of non-interference and respect for sovereignty, to pursue a path of peace and cooperation, and to operate within a framework of international law.

At a moment in history where imperialist politicians and media are pointing the finger at China, labelling it as “aggressive” and a “threat to Western values”; and when many on the Western left are pursuing an absurd line of “neither Washington nor Beijing”, this document provides a powerful and valuable analysis of the state of global politics and the toxic role being played by the US ruling class.

The report was first published in English on the website of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Introduction

Since becoming the world’s most powerful country after the two world wars and the Cold War, the United States has acted more boldly to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, pursue, maintain and abuse hegemony, advance subversion and infiltration, and willfully wage wars, bringing harm to the international community.

The United States has developed a hegemonic playbook to stage “color revolutions,” instigate regional disputes, and even directly launch wars under the guise of promoting democracy, freedom and human rights. Clinging to the Cold War mentality, the United States has ramped up bloc politics and stoked conflict and confrontation. It has overstretched the concept of national security, abused export controls and forced unilateral sanctions upon others. It has taken a selective approach to international law and rules, utilizing or discarding them as it sees fit, and has sought to impose rules that serve its own interests in the name of upholding a “rules-based international order.”

This report, by presenting the relevant facts, seeks to expose the U.S. abuse of hegemony in the political, military, economic, financial, technological and cultural fields, and to draw greater international attention to the perils of the U.S. practices to world peace and stability and the well-being of all peoples.

Continue reading US hegemony and its perils

Wang Yi: However difficult the situation is, peace should be given a chance

On February 18, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, delivered a keynote speech at the 59th Munich Security Conference. 

Towards the start of his speech, entitled Making the World a Safer Place, Wang recalled that they had last gathered in the German city three years ago at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. That experience had shown that: “We can overcome challenges when we stand together; we can win victory when we trust each other.” 

However: “Three years on, the pandemic is contained, but the world is not yet safer. Trust between major countries is lacking, geopolitical rifts are widening, unilateralism is rampant, the Cold War mentality is back, new types of security threats from energy, food, climate, bio-security and artificial intelligence keep emerging.

“Standing at a critical juncture of history, human society must not repeat the old path of antagonism, division and confrontation, and must not fall into the trap of zero-sum game, war and conflict.”

Stressing the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, Wang Yi noted that, “interference in other countries’ internal affairs, in whatever name, disregards and defies the basic norms of international relations” and warned that violations of the One China Policy, “pose real threats to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

Calling for the peaceful settlement of disputes, Wang Yi said that, “however difficult the situation is, peace should be given a chance,” adding that, with regard to the conflict in Ukraine, “China’s position boils down to supporting talks for peace. We will put forth China’s proposition on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and stay firm on the side of peace and dialogue.”

China’s top diplomat also asserted that: “The world should not be a place where the rich stay rich while the poor remain poor. Efforts should be stepped up in implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the legitimate right to development of all countries, especially developing countries, should be effectively protected.” Refuting the idea that China would renounce the path of peaceful development as it became stronger, he insisted that, “China’s experience shows that the path of peaceful development has worked, and worked well.”

After his speech, Wang Yi took questions from his audience, a number of which focused on the state of China-US relations following the US shooting down of an unmanned Chinese airship that had strayed off course due to climatic conditions. He described this incident as, “a political farce manufactured by the United States” and continued:

“This mind-boggling and hysterical act is a hundred percent abuse of force and a clear violation of common practice and relevant international conventions. China will never stand for this, and has lodged strong protest with the US. Each day, balloons fly across the sky in large numbers. Does the United States want to shoot them all down? What the US has done is not a sign of strength, but exactly the opposite. China urges the US to stop doing such absurd things out of domestic political needs.”

Describing China’s policy towards the United States as clear and transparent, Wang Yi added that it was based on, “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and, based on these principles, exploring the right way for the two major countries with different social systems, histories and cultures to get along with each other.”

The following articles were originally carried on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Making the World a Safer Place

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 18 February 2023

Keynote Speech by Director Wang Yi
Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and
Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs
At the 59th Munich Security Conference
Conversation with China

Munich, 18 February 2023

Dear Friends,
Colleagues,

I am delighted to join you in person at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) after three years, and meet face to face with friends old and new.

I recall vividly how I came here with the Chinese delegation three years ago when COVID-19 just struck. I presented China’s efforts in fighting the virus and urged solidarity among countries in face of the trying times. The international community gave China valuable understanding and support, for which we are deeply grateful.

Humanity’s three-year fight against COVID tells us a simple truth: as President Xi Jinping repeatedly stressed, we are members of one global village, and we belong to one community with a shared future. We can overcome challenges when we stand together; we can win victory when we trust each other.

Three years on, the pandemic is contained, but the world is not yet safer. Trust between major countries is lacking, geopolitical rifts are widening, unilateralism is rampant, the Cold War mentality is back, new types of security threats from energy, food, climate, bio-security and artificial intelligence keep emerging.

Continue reading Wang Yi: However difficult the situation is, peace should be given a chance

Joint Statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi paid a state visit to China, February 14-16, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. It was the first such visit by an Iranian head of state in 20 years.

At the conclusion of the visit, the two sides issued a joint statement, which provides a comprehensive exposition of the current state of their bilateral relations. In it, the two heads of state, “reaffirmed that the development of close strategic relations is a historic choice made by China and Iran as two ancient civilisations in East Asia and West Asia, and serves the interests of the entire region. No matter how the international situation changes, China and Iran are committed to strengthening bilateral relations and promoting comprehensive strategic cooperation in various fields. The two sides stressed that close China-Iran relations are not only conducive to achieving the goals of bilateral relations, but also conducive to creating favorable conditions for all countries to realize their common interests.”

They added that they “firmly support each other in safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity. China firmly opposes interference by external forces in Iran’s internal affairs and undermining Iran’s security and stability. Iran will continue to pursue the one-China policy. China supports Iran in playing a greater role in regional and international affairs.”

China, the statement continues, appreciates Iran’s important role in safeguarding international energy security and President Raisi’s good-neighbourly policy, while Iran welcomes China’s initiative to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and to promote dialogue among countries in the Persian Gulf region.

The two sides condemned terrorism in all its forms, opposed any terrorist attacks against civilians and opposed linking terrorism with specific ethnic groups or religions. They agreed that their armed forces would expand the scale of joint exercises and personnel training. They opposed, “political manipulation under the pretext of safeguarding human rights and democracy, interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and even inciting turmoil and creating division.”

Reaffirming support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, generally known as the Iran nuclear deal), they stressed the centrality of lifting sanctions on Iran and ensuring the economic benefits the country had been promised. They further reaffirmed their support for a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and the importance of Israel’s accession to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the placing of all its nuclear facilities under full-scope IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards.

They called for respect for Syria’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the promotion of an inclusive and harmonious political settlement, helping Syria ease the humanitarian situation and resume reconstruction, and insisted on effectively combating terrorism, whilst calling for the immediate lifting of illegal economic sanctions against the Syrian people.

Both sides said that they, “firmly support the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights, including their right to self-determination.”

They also support the maintenance of Yemen’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, support the role of the United Nations as the main channel of fair and balanced mediation, and call on all parties concerned to actively cooperate with UN efforts to promote regional peace, such as extending the ceasefire, delivering humanitarian assistance to Yemen, stopping interference in Yemen and promoting dialogue among Yemenis, so as to restore peace, stability and normal order in Yemen at an early date.

Iran’s joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a full member was welcomed as was China’s initiative to expand the BRICS grouping. They both held that the United States and NATO are responsible for the present situation in Afghanistan, while calling on the Afghan authorities to form an inclusive government, with the effective participation of all ethnic and political groups, and to eliminate all discriminatory measures against women, minorities and other religions.

Regarding the current crisis in Ukraine and its impact on international peace and security, they called on the international community, especially the parties concerned, to create conditions for a peaceful settlement.

President Raisi invited President Xi Jinping to pay a state visit to Iran, which was gladly accepted. The Chinese leader previously visited Iran in 2016.

Below is the full text of the Joint Statement as carried in China’s People’s Daily. The machine translation from the Chinese original has been lightly edited by us.

Joint Statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, President Ebrahim Raisi of the Islamic Republic of Iran paid a state visit to China from February 14-16 2023, in order to deepen the development of the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership.

During the talks, the two heads of state exchanged views on a series of bilateral and multilateral issues. During the visit, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Li Zhanshu met with President Raisi respectively.

Continue reading Joint Statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran

Rapid advance in China-Nicaragua cooperation

The rapidly developing friendly relations between China and Nicaragua received a further boost with the recent visit to Beijing by Laureano Ortega Murillo, Advisor to the Nicaraguan President and Coordinator for Cooperation with China.

In a February 11 meeting, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said that since the resumption of bilateral relations, cooperation between China and Nicaragua has enjoyed rapid advance, and has “gone ahead like overtaking on a bend, to the forefront of China’s relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries.” This, he said, had been “a right decision as our time has come.” It was not only benefitting the two peoples now, but would also benefit “more generations to come.”

Wang Yi also noted that China and Nicaragua, “have the same or similar positions on major issues of opposing imperialism, hegemonism, power politics and unilateral bullying.”

The previous day, Laureano met with Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), who noted that, “sharing similar ideology, the CPC and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) have maintained sound inter-party relations since the 1960s.”

For his part, Laureano said that the FSLN, “cherishes the long-term friendly exchanges with the CPC, and believes the relationship between the two Parties guides the friendly relations between the two countries and peoples.”

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

Wang Yi Meets with Advisor to Nicaraguan President on Investment, Trade and International Cooperation and Coordinator for Cooperation with China Laureano Ortega Murillo

On February 11, 2023, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met in Beijing with Advisor to Nicaraguan President and Coordinator for Cooperation with China Laureano Ortega Murillo.

Wang Yi said that for the past one plus year since the resumption of China-Nicaragua diplomatic relations, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, cooperation between China and Nicaragua in various fields has enjoyed rapid advance, and our bilateral relations have gone ahead like overtaking on a bend, to the forefront of China’s relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries. Facts prove that the resumption of China-Nicaragua diplomatic relations is a right decision as our time has come. It serves the interests of the two peoples, now benefits our people and will benefit more generations to come, and it will open up broader prospects and provide stronger momentum for the all-round development of bilateral relations.

Wang Yi said that China and Nicaragua have the same or similar positions on major issues of opposing imperialism, hegemonism, power politics and unilateral bullying. Both sides firmly safeguard their respective sovereign independence and territorial integrity, and firmly defend their national dignity and legitimate rights and interests. China thanks Nicaragua for firmly supporting China in safeguarding its core interests, and will also speak up for Nicaragua on the international arena. China and Nicaragua should be committed to common development, and China is ready to work with Nicaragua to strengthen exchanges between the two parties and of state governance experience, to enhance personnel exchanges, to speed up negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement, so as to promote the respective development while deepening mutually beneficial cooperation. China and Nicaragua should strengthen strategic coordination in international and regional affairs, and China is ready to work with Nicaragua to uphold fairness, speak up for justice, and safeguard the basic norms governing international relations, in particular the norm of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. China expects Nicaragua to play an active role in promoting solidarity and cooperation between China and Latin American countries.

Continue reading Rapid advance in China-Nicaragua cooperation

China and Cambodia working together towards a community with a shared future for humanity

Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen paid an official visit to China from 9-11 February. Whilst exchanges of visits by the two countries’ leaders are by no means unusual, this one carried special and symbolic importance on at least three counts:

  • 2023 sees the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. This relationship was carefully and sincerely nurtured by the elder generation of leaders from the two countries, specifically Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai and Samdech Norodom Sihanouk. This year has accordingly been designated as the ‘China-Cambodia Friendship Year’.
  • This was Hun Sen’s first visit to China in three years and he was the first foreign leader to visit after the Chinese people celebrated the Lunar New Year holiday.
  • His previous visit occurred at the height of the initial outbreak of Covid-19. Not only was he the first foreign leader to visit China at that time, he even suggested that he visit Wuhan, which was then bearing the full brunt of the outbreak. Hun Sen said that with both that visit and his current one he wanted to send a clear message that the Cambodian people will always stand firmly with the Chinese people. At the most difficult moment of the Chinese people’s battle against the virus, they also received generous support from the Cambodian King and Queen Mother.

A joint statement released at the conclusion of the visit referred to the two countries’ “impregnable ironclad friendship”. “In the face of momentous changes and challenges in the world, the strategic significance of China-Cambodia relations gains further prominence. No matter how the international situation changes, the two sides will unswervingly deepen their close ironclad friendship and develop win-win practical cooperation for mutual benefit.”

The statement reflected the two countries’ common understanding with regard to both their vital national interests as well as the general contours of contemporary international relations. It also surveyed the gamut of China’s extensive range of assistance to Cambodia, such as in infrastructure, including Cambodia’s first Expressway, rail (featuring four-way cooperation also with Laos and Thailand); rural development, clean and green energy, preservation of cultural heritage, and support for Cambodia’s hosting of the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.

It also noted that: “Both sides recognized the common values for all humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, and stood ready to safeguard the international system with the UN as its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations embodied in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, while opposing all forms of hegemonism, power politics, unilateralism, and exclusive bloc politics which targets specific countries. The two countries are committed to building a new type of international relations and promoting global partnerships of equality, openness and cooperation towards a community with a shared future for humanity.”

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

Xi meets Cambodian PM Hun Sen

Xinhua, 10 February 2023

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Hun Sen on Friday at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

Xi pointed out that three years ago, Prime Minister Hun Sen visited China as a token of support and stood firmly with the Chinese people in their fight against COVID-19.

This year marks the first year for China to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and also the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia, Xi noted.

“It gives me great pleasure to work with you to realize our three-year appointment and open a new era of building a China-Cambodia community with a shared future at the start of spring,” Xi said.

Continue reading China and Cambodia working together towards a community with a shared future for humanity

President of Guyana: Sino-Guyanese relations are imperishable, based on shared ties of blood and history

In this edition of the CGTN series Leaders Talk, Wang Guan interviews Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana. The only English-speaking country in the South American mainland, for reasons of historical and cultural background, Guyana is also considered a part of the Caribbean. In 1972, Guyana became the first country in the English-speaking Caribbean to establish diplomatic relations with China. And in 2018, it became the first country in South America to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

But whilst China and Guyana have enjoyed just over 50 years of diplomatic relations, the Chinese presence in Guyana dates back to 1853, which leads President Ali to describe Sino-Guyanese relations as imperishable ones, based on shared ties of blood and history. The Chinese, he says, are part of our country and its diversity and bloodline. This finds expression in a line of the Guyanese national anthem: One land of six peoples, united and free.

Indeed, the first President of Guyana, Arthur Chung, was himself of Chinese heritage, serving between 1970-1980 and visiting China in 1977, five years after the establishment of diplomatic relations. Opening the Arthur Chung Convention Centre in 2015, then President David A. Granger said: “I would like the first President in this country to be remembered… This is the 45th anniversary year of becoming a Republic and Mr. Chung was the first person of Chinese descent who was President in a non-Asian country and it was historic.”

With the recent discovery of massive oil reserves, Guyana has been registering exponential rates of economic growth. President Ali reveals that by 2027-28, Guyana is expecting to produce close to one million barrels of oil per day (bpd). He wants to use this to give the people the best possible education and health care, develop and diversify agriculture, enhance manufacturing and industry, bring down energy costs, meet the housing needs of every single family, and establish proper institutional mechanisms to protect revenues, thereby ensuring that the country enjoys a ‘resource blessing’ rather than a ‘resource curse’.

China is already involved in his country’s oil consortium, but besides welcoming further bids and tenders from Chinese companies, going forward Dr. Ali is particularly keen to see China become Guyana’s most important partner on a path of low carbon development, with gas playing a transitional role, but also focusing on hydro, solar and wind, to fast track green energy development.

President Ali stresses that his country respects the One China Principle and the One China Policy, seeing them as a key plank of international peace and security, just like the regional demand for the Caribbean to be a Zone of Peace. Referencing conflicts such as the ongoing one in Ukraine, he notes that it is the developing world and the poorest countries, who, as a result, face the worst crises in, for example, food and fuel price inflation.

China’s ‘thought leadership’, as expressed, for example, in the Global Security Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, as well as the BRI, can, in the president’s view, contribute especially to the resolution of four key global crises – of inequality, climate change, food security, and energy security. The developing countries, he notes, did not cause these crises, but suffer the most from them.

Stressing that both countries are committed to growing their relations, President Ali says that this work should put people at the centre. If there is investment in the future generations, knowledge and technology transfers, and cultural exchanges, the bilateral ties can only get stronger.

The full interview is embedded below.

CGTN interview with Serbian PM Ana Brnabić

In this episode of the CGTN series Leaders Talk, Zou Yun travels to Belgrade to interview Ana Brnabić, Serbia’s first woman Prime Minister, who has held office since June 2017.

According to Brnabić, the friendship between Serbia and China can be described as steel-like or ironclad in both the political and economic fields. She recalls the 1999 bombing of Serbia – and Montenegro – by US-led NATO, without any United Nations authorisation, which killed and injured thousands and displaced millions, noting that it is therefore very difficult for western countries to accuse anyone else of aggression. Brnabić was living in the UK at the time and found it very difficult not to be in her country but away from family and friends. The bombing of the Chinese Embassy, in which three Chinese journalists were killed, will, she said, never be forgotten by the people of either country and had created a very special emotional bond between them. During his state visit to Serbia in 2016, President Xi Jinping inaugurated an impressive Chinese Cultural Centre on the site of the former embassy.

Explaining Serbia’s attempts to pursue a balanced foreign policy, including with China, Russia and the European Union, Brnabić notes that China has proven to be a true friend, especially in the most difficult moments of crisis. Trade with China has boomed and she is looking forward to the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. Recalling her visit to China’s Shanghai Import Expo in 2019, she strongly refutes the allegations that China practices protectionism. Serbia’s experience proves the opposite.

Congratulating China on the success of the Communist Party’s 20th National Congress, Prime Minister Brnabić describes General Secretary Xi Jinping’s election to a third term of office as good news for the entire world. Serbia, she says, is keen to replicate some of China’s development initiatives.

The full interview is embedded below.

Xi Jinping address to the CELAC Summit

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) held its seventh summit meeting in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires on January 24th. CELAC groups 33 countries – that is, every country in the Americas with the exceptions of the USA and Canada. As such, it is one of the most important and representative bodies of Global South unity and solidarity.

All 33 member states were represented at the summit, 23 of them at head of state or government level. With the recent resurgence of the left in Latin America, the organisation has acquired a new lease of life, and nothing represented that more clearly than the presence of President Lula of Brazil. It was a case of ‘Lula returns; Lula returns Brazil’, as his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro had suspended Brazil’s participation in the organisation. The CELAC family is once again complete.

Addressing the summit, Lula noted that its first gathering had taken place back in 2008 in the Brazilian state of Bahia. It was, he noted, the first time that Latin American heads of state had met without foreign tutelage, “to discuss our problems and seek our own solutions to the challenges we share.” Stressing the importance of multilateralism and multipolarity, Lula reminded his fellow leaders that, “nothing must separate us, since everything unites us.”

Another key indicator of the regional advance of progressive forces was the presence of Gustavo Petro, who assumed office as the first left-wing President of Colombia in August 2022. In his speech, Petro pointed out that Latin American countries can overcome their development limitations if they come together to increase the region’s geopolitical weight in the current world order. To achieve this, he proposed to collectively address what he considered the main problem facing humanity today, namely the exponential imbalances that contemporary capitalism generates in ecosystems.

For his part, Bolivian President Luis Arce called for strengthening the multilateral system in order to save the earth. “Today we are facing a multiple and systemic capitalist crisis that increasingly puts the lives of humanity and our Mother Earth at risk, a food, water, energy, climate, health, economic, commercial, and social crisis,” he said. “CELAC must return to the principles of multilateralism, but not to preserve the unfair international order that overwhelms states and peoples, but rather to move towards a better world.” 

Hosting the summit, Argentine President Alberto Fernández was one of many to speak out strongly against the USA’s unilateral sanctions and blockades against Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. This was also reflected in a 111-point Buenos Aires Declaration, adopted by the 33 nations, which also called for consolidating the region as a zone of peace free of nuclear weapons, advancing food security and deepening cooperation in health care. The declaration also expressed solidarity with Argentina’s demand for the return of the Malvinas (Falkland) and neighbouring islands and territorial seas from British colonial rule as well as for Puerto Rico’s right to self-determination.

At the conclusion of the summit, Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, took over from President Fernández as the pro tempore president of CELAC for the coming year. It is the first time for a member of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to occupy this post.

One very important aspect of the summit, which highlighted the indispensable role of socialist China in cohering and standing in solidarity with the forces of the Global South, was the address to the summit, upon invitation and via video link, of President Xi Jinping. 

Xi Jinping noted that Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries are important members of the developing world. CELAC, he noted, has grown to be an indispensable driving force behind global South-South cooperation. It has played an important role in safeguarding regional peace, promoting common development and advancing regional integration.

President Xi Jinping stressed that China always supports the regional integration process of Latin America and the Caribbean. “We highly value our relations with CELAC and take the organisation as our key partner in enhancing solidarity among developing countries and furthering South-South cooperation.” He added that more and more countries in the region have engaged in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with China, supported and participated in the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and are working with China in building a China-LAC community with a shared future. 

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

On January 24, the seventh Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is held in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. Upon the invitation of President Alberto Fernández of Argentina, the rotating president of CELAC, President Xi Jinping delivered a video address at the summit. 

President Xi Jinping noted that Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries are important members of the developing world. They also take an active part in global governance and make important contributions to it. CELAC has grown to be an indispensable driving force behind global South-South cooperation. CELAC has played an important role in safeguarding regional peace, promoting common development and advancing regional integration.

President Xi Jinping stressed that China always supports the regional integration process of Latin America and the Caribbean. We highly value our relations with CELAC, and take CELAC as our key partner in enhancing solidarity among developing countries and furthering South-South cooperation. That is why China has been working with LAC countries to steadily strengthen the China-CELAC Forum and take the China-LAC relationship into a new era characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefits for the people. More and more countries in the region have engaged in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with China, supported and participated in the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and are working with China in building a China-LAC community with a shared future. 

President Xi Jinping stressed that the world is in a new period of turbulence and transformation. We can only tackle the challenges and tide over this trying time through greater solidarity and closer cooperation. China is ready to continue working with LAC countries to help each other and make progress together, and advocate “peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom” — the common values of mankind. China is ready to join hands with LAC countries to promote world peace and development, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and open up an even brighter future for the world.

President Obiang: China is the first partner to help Equatorial Guinea

In this episode of the new CGTN series Leaders Talk, Li Peichun interviews Africa’s longest-serving head of state, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago of Equatorial Guinea.

A Spanish colony for centuries, Equatorial Guinea was one of the poorest countries in Africa when it finally achieved independence in 1968. It was only with the discovery of major oil reserves that the country embarked on the road of rapid development in the 1990s. However, with reductions in the price of oil in recent years, the country now faces the task of economic diversification. President Obiang explains that as soon as his country discovered oil, it set out a short, medium and long-term national development plan, with the intention that the gains from oil production be used for national investment. The country’s economic diversification programme lays emphasis on agriculture and fisheries, so that the country can become self-sufficient in food and not rely on any one product. 

President Obiang paid the first of his 10 state visits to China in 1984, two years after he assumed the presidency. In the interview, he reflects on the major changes he has observed in China over that period, from a country where the main form of transportation was the bicycle to a strong economic power, with modern infrastructure, and a major provider of aid to developing countries. In his view, the ideal of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is to serve the people of China wholeheartedly, by promoting development and modernisation, so as to make both the country and the people strong. The CPC, the President says, is a pioneer party that can help other political parties, especially his Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDEG), to develop their own ideals and principles. 

The programme highlights how, when Covid-19 was first detected in Wuhan, Equatorial Guinea promptly donated US$2million to assist the Chinese city in dealing with the unexpected outbreak. Later, China sent medical experts and materials, as well as batches of vaccines, to help Equatorial Guinea to fight the virus. Due to their trust in China, President Obiang and his family opted to receive Chinese vaccinations. 

Turning to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), President Obiang begins by noting that the development of Africa should be led by Africans. African leaders, he insists, must think about how to improve their countries, else they will not prosper. It was on this basis that his country had decided to cooperate with the BRI, because China is the first partner to help Equatorial Guinea and even Africa as a whole. The BRI, he notes, is the way for Africa to overcome the underdevelopment, suffering and poverty it is currently facing. 

Refuting accusations of Chinese ‘neo-colonialism’ or ‘debt trap diplomacy’, President Obiang is crystal clear: “This is a smear and western countries should be ashamed of it.” Africa, he notes, receives very little assistance from the western countries, and what they do receive is accompanied by political conditions that undermine the stability of the country. “Those who want to accept such assistance are often those who encounter great difficulties.” China, he notes, did not colonise any African countries, it was the west, so their criticism is intended to contain China and to prevent it from helping the development of the African continent. “But we have discovered that China is our best friend… Equatorial Guinea has not received any international development assistance except from China.”

In another example of the close friendship between the two countries, towards the end of the interview, President Obiang sends a personal message to the students of the China-Equatorial Guinea Friendship Primary School in China’s south-western Yunnan province, whose renovation was paid for by the Equatorial Guinean government.

The full interview is embedded below.

China-Pakistan friendship “higher than mountains and deeper than oceans”

The special and invariable relationship between China and Pakistan was underlined and reinforced in phone calls between leaders of the two countries in early January.

On January 5, Premier Li Keqiang spoke with his Pakistani counterpart, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.  Li Keqiang said that the China-Pakistan friendship has stood the test of international vicissitudes and grown from strength to strength. China always sees China-Pakistan relations as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, and will continue to support Pakistan in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and legitimate rights and interests, upholding domestic solidarity and stability and realizing national development and rejuvenation.

On his part, Shahbaz  thanked China for providing tremendous support and assistance for Pakistan in the fight against floods, and highly appreciated China for always standing together with Pakistan when it encounters difficulties. He noted that this has fully demonstrated the “ironclad” friendship between Pakistan and China that is higher than mountains and deeper than oceans.

This was followed on January 9 by a phone call between newly appointed Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. 

Qin Gang said that China and Pakistan enjoy special friendship and high-level mutual trust. Bilawal once again congratulated Qin Gang on his assuming office as China’s Foreign Minister, saying that the ironclad brotherhood between China and Pakistan is the “North Star” guiding Pakistan’s foreign policy toward China. 

The following reports were originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Li Keqiang Speaks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the Phone

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 5 January 2023

On the afternoon of January 5, 2023, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council had a phone call at request with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif at Ziguangge of Zhongnanhai.

The Premier and the Prime Minister first exchanged New Year greetings. Li Keqiang said that the China-Pakistan friendship has stood the test of international vicissitudes and grown from strength to strength. China always sees China-Pakistan relations as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, and will continue to support Pakistan in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and legitimate rights and interests, upholding domestic solidarity and stability and realizing national development and rejuvenation. Mr. Prime Minister’s successful visit to China not long ago has given a strong boost to the development of bilateral relations. China is ready to have close high-level exchanges with Pakistan, advance practical cooperation in key fields, and work towards the greater development of China-Pakistan relations.

Continue reading China-Pakistan friendship “higher than mountains and deeper than oceans”

China supports peace, unity and development in Ethiopia

During his recent visit to Ethiopia, the first leg of his ongoing Africa tour, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang addressed the current peace process in the East African country in a press conference he gave together with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen. 

Asked for his views on the recent peace agreement, signed on November 2, 2022 in South Africa, Qin Gang noted that that Ethiopia is the common home of all Ethiopian people, including those from Tigray.

Ethiopia has now entered a new stage of looking forward to peace and focusing on development after the recent signing of a ceasefire agreement between the federal government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been gradually implemented, he said.

China is sincerely glad to see this and extends warm congratulations to the government and people of Ethiopia, Qin added.

He said China has always taken the view that the conflict in Tigray is an internal affair of Ethiopia and that the Ethiopian people have the wisdom and ability to independently resolve their internal differences.

The TPLF was the principal component of the now defunct Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which was the ruling party in Ethiopia until 2019.

Qin Gang also responded to questions on the “Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa”, proposed by China.

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

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday addressed members of the press along with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, after their talks in Addis Ababa.

When asked about China’s views on the peace agreement in Ethiopia and the progress of the China-proposed “Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa” in Ethiopia, Qin said that Ethiopia is the common home of all Ethiopian people, including those from Tigray.

Ethiopia has now entered a new stage of looking forward to peace and focusing on development after the recent signing of a ceasefire agreement between the federal government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been gradually implemented, he said.

Continue reading China supports peace, unity and development in Ethiopia