Chinese President, Xi Jinping, has launched a strategic plan for cooperation with Central Asia in the areas of security and defence. This is traditionally seen as Russia’s sphere of influence, and Moscow is currently preoccupied with the crisis in Ukraine. Central Asia is seen by Beijing as vital to the security of its the Xinjiang region, a politically sensitive area where repression of the Muslim Uighur population has been heavily criticised. The region is also a source of land-based energy imports and trade with Europe. Xi’s plan involves an increased level of involvement in external national affairs, which could potentially lead to China acting as a peacekeeper. Investments in finance, energy and transport logistics have also been pledged, although detailed plans are yet to be provided. Due to their concern over western governments backing pro-democracy movements through COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, Russia and China regard Central Asia as a region that requires their help in maintaining security.
China has promised billions of dollars in "financing support and free assistance" to five Central Asian countries, boosting trade, infrastructure and technology investment and including visa-free travel arrangements. Speaking at the two-day China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an, China's President Xi Jinping presented himself as a reliable partner to nations which were formerly part of the Soviet Union, while emphasising the importance of safeguarding their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Those countries attending the summit included Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, which have been increasingly concerned over Russian efforts to regain control of Ukraine.
Chinese ambitions to dominate the world put all nations who challenge its rule at risk, according to The Telegraph. The Chinese Communist Party’s support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine distracts leaders from subversive efforts to actively undermine global democracies, free trade, and liberal order. Xi Jinping is reportedly preparing his military to forcibly annex Taiwan if necessary, although there is no credible model to achieve this without violence. The CCP’s actions during the pandemic have damaged trust at home, while parties such as Germany remain reliant on China’s market. The West must forge new alliances, strengthen supply chains, and impose sanctions to achieve credible economic deterrence and resist global tyranny.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit China next week for discussions on "practical cooperation in bilateral relations and issues of common concern," said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson. The two countries have increased reliance on each other over recent years with increased economic and diplomatic support from China to Russia. China is also now seen as the senior partner in the relationship, helping Moscow deflect condemnation at the United Nations and maintaining what it calls "normal trade" with Russia. The visit will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
As the world waits for Ukraine’s spring offensive against Russia, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been on a diplomatic tour, visiting Germany, France, Italy, the Vatican, and Britain. Recently, Zelenskyy travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet Arab leaders and secure their support. Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, is facing significant international isolation amidst the International Criminal Court arrest warrant that hangs over his head, with his travel prospects dwindling including to Moscow alliances. Putin's invasion of Ukraine made him an international pariah, and many now speculate Ukraine may take its turn in the spotlight. Although conflicting information arose as to whether Zelenskyy would attend the G7 summit in Japan, it would be of significant geopolitical and symbolic significance for Ukraine. European leaders promised Ukraine missiles, tanks, and drones while the conversation of getting fighter jets continues. Zelenskyy's appearance at the Arab League summit in Jeddah highlighted Ukraine's struggle for support, even in countries whose alliances are with Moscow. It is the beginning of a larger shift in perception that could translate into potential support for Ukraine.
Leading Chinese internet companies, including Baidu, Tencent and Alibaba, have reported double-digit revenue growth in Q1 2021 from the same period the previous year. However, the companies' futures remain dependent on China's economy. Even though the country is reopening economically, Chinese consumers' low confidence levels in job prospects and future incomes could dampen sales recovery. The companies are also involved in the beginnings of a makeover that involves new growth areas, such as artificial intelligence (AI), which is driving new AI cloud divisions. However, US rivalry and tensions are limiting China's access to crucial microchips needed to develop AI, while a lucrative pool of domestic customers (China's state-owned enterprises) are preferring to use government-backed providers rather than private cloud computing providers. This is alongside client losses due to non-product reasons and investor wariness as growth cannot be expected to return to previous decades' levels.
G7 agrees sanctions to 'starve Russia's war machine' while checking China
RFI
23-05-19 14:27
Leaders from the G7 group have recently stated their commitment to promoting democratic values and aims to build “a healthier, safer, more prosperous future for all”. At a summit meeting in Japan, the G7 countries criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and stated that they would move to further restrict Russia's access to their economies. While there is general agreement among G7 members with regard to Russia, policy towards China varies. The EU has been cautious about direct confrontation with China and some G7 members favour stronger links with the country. However, China’s increasing “pressure throughout the entire Western Pacific” might force a less conciliatory approach.
President Zelensky of Ukraine is trying to lobby support from countries outside of the West, including Saudi Arabia, India, and Japan, to protect itself from further Russian aggression, as beyond NATO, many countries maintain neutrality despite Russia invading Ukraine more than seven years ago. The stance of many of these neutral nations has become more challenging for the US and NATO as Russia, China and other hostile powers have been successful in pulling these wavering countries into their sphere of influence. Increasingly, the importance of creating “a more coherent and robust strategy for uniting the democracies of the world behind a common mission, particularly in light of the rise of China” is being recognised.
France President Emmanuel Macron has been criticised by the chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party for risking undermining support of Taiwan, due to his stance on China, describing it as a "dumpster fire". British and American members of the global Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China visited London on Friday to discuss toughening up the West's response to China. Macron said last month that Europe must not get dragged into a confrontation between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's president Felix Tshisekedi will travel to China from 24 May to 29 May. The two nations are seeking to conclude a renegotiation of a $6.2bn mineral-for-infrastructure deal. Congo is a key producer of cobalt, which is vital in electric vehicle batteries. Tshisekedi has previously suggested the agreement was "badly drawn up" and not beneficial. Tshisekedi will head to Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, meeting officials including China's President Xi Jinping and representatives of energy, mining, battery and tech companies. China and Congo conducted $21.7bn in trade in 2022.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be visiting capital city Port Moresby, and will be driven along a major six-lane highway built by China ahead of Monday's summit of Pacific leaders. President Joe Biden had planned a visit to the region, but due to concerns over Covid-19 and with his domestic political agenda taking precedent, Blinken has been dispatched instead. The rivalry between China and the US in the Pacific has allowed Pacific governments to play one off against the other, with significant aid, loans and construction projects flowing into their coffers.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen has vowed to “maintain the status quo of peace” with China, despite rising tensions between the two countries. During a speech marking the seventh anniversary of her governance, Tsai confirmed that “war is not an option” and said Taiwan would continue to neither provoke China nor bow to its pressure tactics. US intelligence reports suggest China plans to annex Taiwan by 2027. However, leaders of the G7 nations have sought a peaceful outcome to issues between Taiwan and China. Taiwanese officials are discussing a $500m arms deal with the US, to disrupt any potential Chinese aggression.
Russia and China hit back at a G7 that saw them as a threat
CNN
23-05-21 05:42
Russia and China have reacted angrily to the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, which pledged new measures designed to target Russia and spoke out about concerns over China. The Moscow government condemned the G7’s agenda for seeking to “deter” both countries whilst the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the G7 of “hindering international peace”. Both Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine and how to confront a more assertive China have dominated the three-day gathering of the world’s big democracies taking place in Japan, which counts both amongst its neighbours.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received positive feedback after his speech and calls for support at the three-day G7 summit last week. US President Joe Biden revealed an additional $375m military aid package for Ukraine, as other G7 leaders committed to further support for Ukraine as it rises above its war-torn past. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also joined to express support by referencing the symbolic importance of hosting the summit in Hiroshima, where the dropping of atomic bombs nearly erased the city and its inhabitants. Japan’s unwavering support for Ukraine — in contrast with other Asian countries who have refrained from condemning Russia’s 2020 invasion — has increased its profile as mediator and gained Kishida domestic popularity. The summit also marked a rare occasion for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to engage with Zelenskyy and address the conflict. Experts highlight the importance of united action against the common challenges posed by China and Russia as member states work to translate their collective policy consensus into action.
China was a major topic of discussion at the latest G7 summit, alongside the war in Ukraine. The summit featured a lengthy section which expressed concern about China's trade practices, alleged political interference, and human rights abuses, while calling on Beijing to do more to “press Russia to stop its military aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine." The G7 leaders did not intend to decouple from China, but said they would need to start "de-risking and diversifying" for economic resilience. Joe Biden's approach towards China was compared to that taken by the G7. Biden said the US would “compete vigorously” with China, but the two countries should not see competition translate into conflict. The G7 has seemingly had success in keeping China in check, as Beijing accused the G7 of "hindering international peace, undermining regional stability and curbing other countries’ development.”
Chinese investigators blame building collapse that killed 54 on shoddy, illegal construction
The Toronto Star
23-05-21 11:48
An official report released by investigators appointed by the Chinese Communist Party has said that the illegal construction and the authorities' failure to enforce standards was to blame for the collapse of a nine-storey building in Changsha last year that killed 54 people. The report also stated that the building, which was rented, had been illegally constructed with several extra floors added without permission, which had added extra weight to the already weak structure. The incident is one of many accidents involving China's aging and poorly maintained urban infrastructure.
The UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, labeled China the "biggest challenge of our age" following the G7 summit in Hiroshima. Sunak's comments followed the seven countries issuing a strongly worded communique urging China to comply with international rules. In his statement, Sunak praised the unity of the G7 over the issue of global security, describing Beijing as "increasingly authoritarian at home and assertive abroad". At the summit, China and Russia were singled out as potential threats to global stability.
‘Uncle Roger’ jokes about China and censors don’t see the funny side
CNN
23-05-22 04:00
Nigel Ng, a Malaysian comedian, has been barred from creating posts on China's Weibo social media platform, several days after predicting his skits on censorship would cause problems. Ng recently posted a trailer for his new show on Twitter in which he joked about China's surveillance state and urged the Communist Party not to "make him disappear." He is scheduled to release his full show via video on 4 June, the anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square. Comedian Li Haoshi was fined $2m and banned from staging performances after making an army-related joke that prompted a backlash.
China is seeking to become a global “cyber superpower”, not just through digital transformation domestically but also by playing a leading role in the global digital order, according to Peter Raymond, a non-resident senior associate with the economics programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Raymond states that China's real ambition is to build a "sinocentric" order in the digital sphere, and highlights the success of Chinese digital platforms such as Tencent, Alibaba and Huawei. However, he also identifies risks, such as domestic crackdowns on digital platforms and the dominance of Western platforms.
China is seeking to become a global “cyber superpower”, not just through digital transformation domestically but also by playing a leading role in the global digital order, according to Peter Raymond, a non-resident senior associate with the economics programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Raymond states that China's real ambition is to build a "sinocentric" order in the digital sphere, and highlights the success of Chinese digital platforms such as Tencent, Alibaba and Huawei. However, he also identifies risks, such as domestic crackdowns on digital platforms and the dominance of Western platforms.
