Category: Video

China and the West: two systems, two futures

In the video embedded below, Jyotishman Mudiar of the popular India and Global Left channel interviews Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez on a range of topics related to China and global political economy, including: the dimensions of China’s economic progress since 1949; the differences between the first three decades of socialist construction and the Reform and Opening Up period; the differences between Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and capitalism; the definition of socialism; the political system that enables China’s unprecedented progress on poverty alleviation and green energy; the nature of multipolarity; the differences between today’s emerging multipolarity and the inter-imperialist rivalry of the early 20th century; how multipolarity opens a path for advance to socialism; the nature of the current long crisis of capitalism; and the meaning of “changes unseen in a century”.

Martin Jacques and Carlos Martinez discuss Western misconceptions of China

In this episode of Wave Media’s Roughly Chinese podcast, hosted by Mimi Zhu and recorded live in Shanghai in October 2025, Martin Jacques (British academic and author of the bestselling When China Rules the World) and Carlos Martinez (co-editor of Friends of Socialist China and author of The East is Still Red) discuss their motivations for researching and writing about China; the trajectory of Britain-China relations; changing perceptions of China in the West; the long-term crisis of capitalism and its manifestation in an ascendant far-right in Britain; and more.

European Communist leaders discuss prospects for socialism in Beijing 

Friends of Socialist China co-editor Keith Bennett recently joined a panel of leaders of European communist parties for a special one hour discussion programme moderated by Pan Deng for CGTN, China’s English language TV station.

Together with leaders from the Communist Party of Finland, German Communist Party, Communist Party (Denmark), Hungarian Workers’ Party and Communist Party of Italy, Keith discussed a wide range of issues, beginning and concluding with perspectives on the biggest challenges facing the world socialist movement today, and its future, while ranging over:

  • The relationship between discipline and democracy in party building; 
  • China’s whole process people’s democracy and the contrast with bourgeois democracy;
  • The recent 4th Plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and China’s upcoming 15th Five Year Plan, with their emphasis on putting people first;
  • The relationship between an efficient market and a well-functioning government;
  • Rising protectionism and unilateralism in the global economy on the one hand and China’s continued commitment to opening up on the other;
  • The development of new high quality productive forces and the upgrading of traditional industries;
  • How to understand and relate to AI and its impact on the working class;
  • Differences between Chinese and Western modernisation;
  • Prospects for cooperation between China and the Western countries to tackle the climate crisis;
  • The trend towards multipolarity and the rise of the Global South, particularly BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation;
  • The relationship between the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping and the Charter of the United Nations.

Also featured was a separately recorded contribution from the Communist Party (Switzerland).

The programme was recorded on November 2 and first broadcast on November 4. The participants were in Beijing to attend the 15th World Socialism Forum organised by the Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS).

The full programme is embedded below.

Interview: Is China capitalist, socialist or communist?

On 16 October 2025, Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez joined Shanghai-based journalist Andy Boreham for a wide-ranging discussion on the topics of anti-China propaganda, China’s record under Mao Zedong, China’s political and economic system since 1978, whether China is socialist, the differences between socialism and communism, and much more.

The video of the conversation is embedded below, and can also be found on the Reports on China YouTube channel.

KJ Noh: Washington has been preparing for war with China for over a decade

This wide-ranging interview with political analyst KJ Noh on India and Global Left centres on China’s geopolitical role, the US’s evolving imperial strategy, and the urgent need for solidarity among the nations of the Global South.

KJ begins by responding to the criticism that China is not doing enough to end the genocide in Palestine. He states bluntly: “let’s be clear – no country is doing enough. We are witnessing a live-streamed genocide – children are starving, journalists and doctors are being killed, and an entire population is being besieged and starved. This cannot and should not be tolerated.”

Nonetheless, he contends that blaming third parties such as China diverts responsibility from the Western powers funding, arming and shielding Israel. “In reality, this is not just an Israeli genocide — it is a US-led imperial genocide, with Israel acting as the subcontractor. The project of colonisation and control of West Asia’s resources is part of a larger imperial strategy.”

Regarding China’s position, KJ notes that China was one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine, and has long supported its liberation struggle. China last year hosted reconciliation talks among 14 Palestinian factions and has explicitly backed the right of occupied peoples to armed resistance. He further argues that China’s approach is constrained by international structures it cannot unilaterally override.

Turning to US policy and the unfolding New Cold War, KJ asserts that Washington has been preparing for war with China since at least 2009, when the “Air-Sea Battle” doctrine was formulated — a continuation of its “Shock and Awe” strategy of pre-emptive decapitation. He describes a three-stage process of escalation: information warfare, military positioning and provocation, warning that the US now considers tactical nuclear weapons usable. The US, he argues, seeks proxies such as Taiwan Province, the Philippines and South Korea to wage a regional war that could quickly turn nuclear.

To avoid becoming proxy battlegrounds, KJ urges that countries of the Global South build sovereignty — digital, financial, energy, and territorial — and strengthen mutual alliances such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Socialist China Conference another landmark in the work of building friendship and solidarity with China

On Saturday 27 September 2025, Friends of Socialist China held a successful conference at Bolivar Hall, London, to mark the 76th National Day of the People’s Republic of China. Attended by well over a hundred people, the event featured panel discussions on China’s role as a force for peace and multipolarity, its achievements in overcoming poverty and building socialism, and its leadership in combating climate breakdown.

Introducing the event, Professor Radhika Desai reflected on the importance of this annual gathering, noting that China’s “size and level of development give it an objectively critical role in the global transition to socialism, having subtracted a sixth of humanity from the ravages of capitalism and its imperialism, and promised to make it a modern socialist society by 2049”. Meanwhile, “while the West is the fomenter in chief of the world chaos, China and its allies are emerging as the centre of a spreading and steadying calm.” Radhika emphasised that it is essential for progressive forces worldwide to build understanding of, and friendship with, China.

The opening rally was addressed by a number of senior diplomats based in London: Jiang Zhouteng, Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China; Pablo Arturo Ginarte Sampedro, First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba; Timofey Kunitskiy, Counsellor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation; Wilfredo Hernández Maya, Counsellor of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; and Thavone Singharaj, Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, of the Embassy of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Each of them brought greetings from their respective governments and expressed solidarity with Socialist China and with our conference. A video of greetings from Zhang Weiwei – Professor of international relations at Fudan University – was also shown.

Former MP and leader of the Workers Party of Britain, George Galloway, was expected to speak at the opening rally, but was prevented from doing so due to being detained, with his wife Gayatri, by Sussex Police on their arrival at Gatwick Airport under Schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019. As we noted in a website post the following day: “Friends of Socialist China vehemently condemns this further brazen assault on democratic rights by the British state and its attacks on anti-imperialists. We extend our full support and solidarity to George and Gayatri and to the comrades of the Workers Party, as we do to all those subject to state repression on account of their political work against imperialism and war and in support of peace, democracy and social progress.”

Following the opening rally, we had a panel discussion on the theme 80 years since the defeat of fascism: China as a force for peace and multipolarity, with contributions from Mick Wallace (Former MEP; Former TD [Member of the Irish Parliament] for Wexford); Keith Bennett (Co-editor of Friends of Socialist China); Jenny Clegg (author and peace activist); Luke Daniels (President of Caribbean Labour Solidarity) and Francisco Domínguez (Secretary of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign).

The second panel was on China’s achievements in overcoming poverty and building socialism, chaired by R Islam (Friends of Socialist China Britain Committee) and featuring contributions from Ali Al-Assam (Managing Director of the NewsSocial Cooperative); Eben Williams (Education Officer for the Young Communist League); and Fiona Sim (Co-founder of the Black Liberation Alliance).

The final panel was on the theme How China is leading the fight against climate breakdown, chaired by David Peat (Iskra Books) with contributions from Paul Atkin (environmental campaigner); Yanan Song (lecturer in Global Politics at SOAS University of London) and Carlos Martinez (co-editor of Friends of Socialist China).

The closing rally featured speeches from Robert Griffiths (General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain); Aswathi Asok (Executive Committee member of the Association of Indian Communists); and Gearóid Ó Machail (National Executive Committee member of the Communist Party of Ireland). It was chaired and introduced by Ileana Chan of Empire Watch.

We were also delighted that Dr Jenny Clegg’s new book, Storming the Heavens – Peasants and Revolution in China, 1925-1949, was launched at the conference. Drawing on decades of research, the book examines land, class and revolution, analysing peasant struggles, imperialism, and the Communist Party of China’s evolving strategy in crucial phases of the revolution.

All speeches from the event can be found on the YouTube channels of Friends of Socialist China and the event’s media partner, Empire Watch.

The conference was supported by a broad range of progressive organisations: The Morning Star, Communist Party of Britain, Workers Party of Britain, Communist Party of Ireland, International Manifesto Group, Black Liberation Alliance, Iskra Books, Praxis Press, Manifesto Press, Young Communist League, Caribbean Labour Solidarity, Third World Solidarity, No 2 NATO, and Institute for Independence Studies.

The conference marks another landmark in the work of building friendship and solidarity with China, and understanding of its role in the world.

The videos of the opening and closing rallies, and the panel discussions, are embedded below.

Decarbonising the planet: China leads the way out of the climate crisis

In the video below, KJ Noh interviews Carlos Martinez about China’s role in humanity’s common struggle against climate breakdown. In particular, the two discuss the new comprehensive review by global energy think tank Ember of China’s clean energy progress and its implications for the rest of the world.

KJ and Carlos go into some depth regarding China’s commitment to renewable energy and environmental protection, and the reason China has emerged as the undisputed global leader in clean technology while the US administration is doubling down on fossil fuel and the military-industrial complex.

The two discuss the geopolitics of the climate crisis, concluding that, for much of the US ruling class, a strategy of suppressing China’s rise is a significantly higher priority than saving the planet; “better dead than red” for the 21st century. KJ and Carlos also cover the global significance of China’s innovation, investment and economies of scale, noting that thanks to China’s efforts, there’s been a dramatic cost reduction in green tech around the world, allowing many countries of the Global South to leapfrog fossil fuel-based development.

The interview was originally recorded and broadcast on BreakThrough News on 30 September 2025.

Is China a threat?

On 24 September 2025, Friends of Socialist China supporters in Yorkshire, Britain, organised a webinar on the theme of Is China Really a Threat?

The main speakers at the webinar were Jacquie Luqman (activist, journalist, radio host, and Coordinating Committee Chair of Black Alliance for Peace) and Carlos Martinez (author, and co-editor of Friends of Socialist China).

In her contribution, Jacquie argues that China’s achievements building socialism and a better life for the Chinese people are an outstanding example of what can be achieved when power is taken away from the exploiting class. China shows that it’s possible to achieve development and modernisation without recourse to colonialism and imperialism. She notes that China is vilified by the Western media because it provides the “threat of a good example”, disproving the lie which constitutes the whole foundation of capitalist ideology: that socialism doesn’t work.

Carlos’s contribution addresses the accusations that China is an aggressive, expansionist power intent on disrupting the “rules-based international order”, and compares the reality of China’s peaceful rise with that of the imperialist powers. He concludes that, rather than being a threat, China stands at the core of a multipolar trajectory providing a desperately needed alternative to the destructive hegemony of the United States — an alternative based on peace, co-operation, friendship and sustainable development.

The two speeches are embedded below, along with an article based on Carlos’s contribution, which appeared in the Morning Star on 26 September, in advance of the Socialist China Conference being held in London on Saturday 27 September.

Continue reading Is China a threat?

Interview: China’s successes are based on socialism

On the Global Majority for Peace podcast, Ileana Chan talks with Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez about why so much of the Western left doesn’t support China; what the differences are between Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and capitalism; the nature of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the aims of the multipolar project; whether China’s engagement with the world can be considered “imperialist”; the nature of China’s relationship with the Democratic Republic of Congo; the state of the semiconductor wars; and China’s remarkable progress in green energy.

The first half hour of the interview is embedded below. Readers are also welcome to access the full 53-minute video, which is currently unlisted.

Academic witch hunt: US arrests Chinese scientists in dangerous escalation

This episode of The China Report, hosted by KJ Noh in collaboration with Pivot to Peace, focuses on the recent arrest of two Chinese researchers from the University of Michigan on US federal charges of ‘agroterrorism’. The scientists, Yunqing Jian and Chengxuan Han, are accused of smuggling biological materials into the country – fusarium graminearum, a plant fungus – without permits. Prosecutors allege these could pose a grave threat to US crops, but plant pathology experts say the fungus is already widespread in the United States, is not on any official list of dangerous pathogens, and that the researchers’ work aimed to mitigate its effects, not cause harm.

The discussion brings together three guests: Linda Wan, a University of Michigan alumna and Code Pink organiser; Julie Tang, retired judge and co-founder of Pivot to Peace; and Bob McMurray, local resident and Michigan graduate. Linda Wan, who has been helping to organise protests and petitions in defence of the scientists, frames the case as part of a broader pattern of fear-mongering and xenophobia toward China and Chinese people.

Julie Tang calls the prosecution a clear case of overcharging – padding the main allegation with lesser counts to pressure a plea deal – and situates it within the racist McCarthyite China Initiative, introduced under the first Trump presidency, which investigated hundreds of Chinese scientists in order to whip up anti-China hysteria.

Bob McMurray notes that this case follows a standard playbook for manufacturing consent for both cold and hot wars. The arrests are part of an escalating pattern of propaganda, legal overreach and racial tropes aimed at building public support for confrontation with China. This is damaging to US-China relations, to the Asian-American community, to scientific progress, and to the prospects for peace.

Inside China: Why they’re opening 1,000 new Schools of Marxism

In this wide-ranging conversation on The Socialist Program, historian and China scholar Professor Ken Hammond discusses recent developments in China following a visit in July 2025. He emphasises both the remarkable economic progress as well as the challenges China faces as it pursues further socialist development and modernisation.

Ken notes the absence of extreme poverty and homelessness in urban China, contrasting it with Western cities. Yet he also highlights discussions that are taking place in China as to how best to restrict the influence of big capital and to maintain the core role of the state in directing the economy.

One significant development mentioned is the establishment of over a thousand Schools of Marxism across Chinese universities, reflecting a reassertion of the importance of Marxist ideology and a renewed public discourse around socialism under Xi Jinping’s leadership.

Ken and host Brian Becker discuss the historical rationale behind China’s use of markets, viewing it as a pragmatic strategy to gain technology, expertise and capital from the advanced capitalist countries. Contrary to US expectations, this has not led to a capitalist counterrevolution. Instead, with a remarkable improvement in their living conditions, Chinese people have considerable confidence in their social system.

Ken and Brian also analyse China’s approach to international relations, based not on exporting its model but promoting multipolarity and cultural respect through initiatives like the Global Civilisation Initiative. As Ken puts it, socialism with Chinese characteristics is still very much a work in progress.

Interview: Lessons from China

The video below features a discussion between KJ Noh and Carlos Martinez, originally aired on BreakThrough News on 9 July 2025, about China’s development and its role in the world.

KJ and Carlos discuss the recent Friends of Socialist China delegation to China; the US and China’s contrasting visions for the world (‘clash of civilisations’ vs the Global Civilisation Initiative); living standards in China and the West; increasing poverty, repression, racism and xenophobia in Britain and the US; the reasons for US hostility towards China; China’s world-historic successes in tackling extreme poverty and building renewable energy and advanced infrastructure; the relationship between capital and political power in China and the West; and the relationship between the US-Israeli criminal war on Iran and the ongoing campaign to encircle and contain the People’s Republic of China.

Dialogue with Fudan University’s China Institute: videos

As previously reported, on Monday 3 June 2025, the recent Friends of Socialist China delegation participated in a dialogue with the China Institute of Shanghai’s Fudan University, consisting of a panel discussion featuring Professor Zhang Weiwei, Professor Wu Xinwen, and Friends of Socialist China co-editors Carlos Martinez and Keith Bennett, followed by a wide-ranging discussion with the audience.

We have now posted the videos of the full event, plus introductory speeches, on our YouTube channel. These are embedded below.

Victor Gao: China deplores Israel’s attack on Iran

In the following interview on Al Arabiya, broadcast on 18 June 2025, prominent Chinese scholar Victor Gao, Vice President of the Center for China and Globalization, gives a powerful critique of the Israeli-US aggression against Iran.

Noting that China has excellent relations with Iran, and that China respects Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Gao states that China does not recognise the extraterritoriality of any country’s unilateral sanctions against another country, and therefore does not accept the US’s sanctions against Iran. He goes on to clearly reiterate the Chinese government’s position in relation to Israel’s criminal aggression, pointing out that Israel violated international law, unilaterally launching a war against a sovereign country.

China really deplores Israel’s military attack on nuclear facilities inside Iran and considers it a very serious offence against world peace and security.

While condemning Israel’s aggression, Gao notes that Iran’s military response is justified and legitimate, as a defence of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Victor Gao also points to the outrageous hypocrisy of Israel’s supposed justification for its aggression, that is, that Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons. Given that Israel itself possesses nuclear weapons, and that it has never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, this accusation is a blatant double standard. “I don’t think there’s a higher level of double standards and hypocrisy than that.”

Commenting on US president Trump’s suggestion that the US might assassinate the Iranian leadership, Gao opines that “assassination of heads of state, political or military leaders, or religious figures is unacceptable in today’s world”. As such, he urges the US to maintain a minimum level of decency in its international relations, and to use its influence to de-escalate the situation rather than inflame it.

Interview: Lessons from China’s Ascent

Embedded below is an interview with Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez on the CGTN Radio podcast The Bridge, hosted by Jason Smith.

Carlos and Jason have a detailed discussion on the role of China’s state-owned enterprises; the rationale behind the Belt and Road Initiative; what lessons the Western left can learn from China; the impact of China’s rise on the West’s ideological, economic and political hegemony; China’s approach to Israel’s war on Iran; the uprisings in Los Angeles; the emerging threat of fascism; and more.

Dialogue with Fudan University’s China Institute: Is China really socialist?

The second Friends of Socialist China delegation to China took place from 26 May to 5 June 2025. The delegation, composed of 15 comrades from Britain and the US, visited Xi’an and Yan’an (Shaanxi), Dunhuang and Jiayuguan (Gansu) and Shanghai, visiting important historical sites, learning about China’s development, attending the 4th Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilisations, and engaging meeting with a range of organisations.

On Monday 3 June, the delegation participated in a dialogue with the China Institute of Shanghai’s Fudan University, consisting of a panel discussion featuring Professor Zhang Weiwei, Professor Wu Xinwen, and Friends of Socialist China co-editors Carlos Martinez and Keith Bennett, followed by a wide-ranging discussion with the audience.

We reproduce below a report of the event from the China Institute WeChat channel, which has been machine-translated. The full video can be found on the China Academy website, and is embedded below. We will also be publishing a delegation report in due course.

On the afternoon of June 3, Carlos Martinez, co-editor of the Friends of Socialist China website, and Keith Bennett, vice chairman of the British 48 Group Club, led a delegation of Friends of Socialist China to visit the China Institute of Fudan University. Professor Zhang Weiwei, director of the National High-end Think Tank Council and dean of the China Institute of Fudan University, and Professor Wu Xinwen, vice dean, had in-depth dialogues and interactive exchanges with Mr. Martinez, Mr. Bennett and other members of the delegation on Chinese socialism and its global significance.

In his speech, Professor Zhang Weiwei welcomed the Friends of Socialist China delegation and briefly introduced China’s exploration of socialism along the way and its impact on the outside world.

Continue reading Dialogue with Fudan University’s China Institute: Is China really socialist?

Webinar marks 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference

Seventy years ago, the Bandung Conference brought together 29 Asian and African countries to discuss the common challenges facing the Third World. The conference was a milestone in the global struggle against colonialism and imperialism, and laid the foundations for the Non-Aligned Movement.

Friends of Socialist China and the International Manifesto Group co-organised a webinar on Sunday 27 April 2025 to address the legacy of Bandung and its relevance to the contemporary world. Speakers at the event were:

  • Radhika Desai (Convenor, International Manifesto Group)
  • Ben Norton (Founder and editor, Geopolitical Economy Report)
  • Tings Chak (Asia Coordinator, Tricontinental Institute)
  • Jenny Clegg (Author, China’s Global Strategy: Towards a Multipolar World)
  • Isaac Saney (Cuba and Black studies specialist, Dalhousie University)
  • Keith Bennett (Co-editor, Friends of Socialist China)
  • Mushahid Hussain (Pakistani senator, Chairman of the China-Pakistan Institute)

The presentations were followed by a lively and interesting discussion. The video of the webinar is embedded below.

Hong Kong team participates in 2025 Kabaddi World Cup

A small but significant step in sports diplomacy and people-to-people friendship between China and India was marked by the participation of Hong Kong China in the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup, which was held from March 17-23, 2025.

Kabaddi originated in India some 4-5,000 years ago. It is a contact sport between two teams on opposite halves of a field or court where individuals take turns to chase and try to touch members of the opposing team without being captured by them. The name is derived from the Tamil word “Kai-pidi,” which means “holding hands.” It is the second most popular and viewed sport in India after cricket and is particularly popular in Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. It is also the national sport of Bangladesh and is widely played in Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere in South Asia. In all, it is currently estimated to be played in some 50 countries and has been an official sport at the Asian Games since 1990.

This year’s World Cup was also significant for being the first to be held outside Asia. Games were played in the cities of Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Coventry and Walsall in England’s West Midlands region. The previous World Cup was held in Melaka, Malaysia.

Bhupinder Gakhal, a City of Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for resident services, welcomed the tournament: “This is a proud moment for our city. We aim to use the World Cup to introduce kabaddi to more schools, colleges, and universities across the West Midlands, inspiring our young population to be more active.”

Hosted by World Kabaddi and delivered by the British Kabaddi League (BKL) on behalf the England Kabaddi Association, and sponsored by the Irish sports betting company Paddy Power, the key objectives of the World Cup included:

  • Promoting diverse cultures and bringing communities together through Kabaddi.
  • Celebrating the sporting heritage of black minority ethnic (BAME) communities.
  • Encouraging physical activity and exercise among minority ethnic groups.
  • Delivering coaching and learning programs for local schools through Kabaddi.

A total of 16 national teams were expected to participate, but this was reduced to 10 due to visa and other issues.

With the Hong Kong Kabaddi Association of China having just been founded in 2018, their teams were unsurprisingly not ranked among the favourites.

Playing in Group B, on March 18, the men’s team lost 49-68 to Wales, 21-73 to India on March 19, and 28-70 to Scotland on March 20. Also on March 20, they defeated Italy, 53-50.  They lost 23-89 to England in the Quarter Finals.

The Women’s team fared better, advancing to the semi-finals. On March 17, they defeated Hungary 73-20 and lost 39-45 to England on March 19. They lost 15-53 to India in the semi-final. In the match to decide third place, they defeated Wales 75-14.

We embed below a short video clip where a member of the women’s team reacts to taking third place in the tournament and a detailed interview from four years ago with Wai-man (Wyman) Tang, the key founder of organized kabaddi in Hong Kong on what inspired him and his hopes for the sport’s development in China’s special administrative region.

You can read more about the Hong Kong Kabaddi Federation here.

CODEPINK China Is Not Our Enemy book club discussion with Carlos Martinez

On 10 March 2025, the CODEPINK China Is Not Our Enemy book club hosted Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez for a discussion about The East is Still Red, which was the first book the group read together. The video of the session is embedded below.

The video starts with a 10 minute introduction by Carlos, explaining the key motivations for writing the book: to challenge the New Cold War propaganda against China; and to build understanding of Chinese socialism and counter the notion that China has “gone capitalist”.

The presentation is followed by a wide-ranging discussion about common prosperity, China’s foreign relations, China’s democratic processes, its management of the Covid-19 pandemic, and its actions around preventing climate breakdown.

The video was first posted on the CODEPINK YouTube channel.

The East is Still Red can be purchased in paperback and electronic formats from the Praxis Press website.

Video: China’s environmental strategies

Embedded below is a talk given by Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez at a meeting of the South Yorkshire Morning Star Supporters Group, at the Central United Reformed Church, Sheffield, Britain, on Thursday 27 March 2025.

Carlos explains why it’s not reasonable for the West to pin the blame for the environmental crisis onto China or to portray it as a climate criminal; the remarkable progress China is making on renewable energy, electric transport, biodiversity protection and afforestation; China’s role in pushing forward the global energy transition; and the dangers of the escalating New Cold War in terms of preventing urgently-needed cooperation on environmental issues.

The presentation was followed by a lively discussion and Q&A.