The “India in the Chinese Media” project of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore seeks to monitor the coverage of India and its neighbouring countries in the Chinese media. A beginning has been made with the press. (A brief account of the Chinese media scene pertinent to the project can be seen in the NIAS Working Paper No. 12 titled “The Chinese Media Scene — A Politico-Strategic Take on the State of Play”.)
All items on India and these other countries published in five leading Chinese dailies and two official websites (listed in the link ‘Scope of the Project’ under the drop-box “About the Project” above) — both news reports and commentaries — are featured here (in the data base below), with their headline translated into English. All important items/commentaries are translated — in full, as far as possible, else as a Summary — at the earliest, generally the same day. Such items (that are translated or summarised into English) have their headlines displayed in the data base below in Block Capitals, to distinguish them from the others which are not translated, to enable viewers to know that at a glance and save their time while surfing.
Add-on Services: In addition to the above, the data base below also includes commentaries on India and its neighbouring countries carried by the (online) Global Times, China Daily and other English language platforms of China. These items are featured for reference purposes only — the Chinese media platforms in English are aimed at foreign audiences, unlike the contents of the Chinese language press (which are meant for domestic audiences, naturally), and so present a quite different picture of Chinese perceptions (from what one gets from the Chinese language press) — one choreographed for foreign audiences, so far more free in their scope and content. than those published in the Chinese press.
Such items, from the English language media, are starred green to distinguish them from items taken from the Chinese press (which are starred red). Commentaries/news items that are carried in both English and Chinese are starred both green and red — green-red for those carried in the English language platform first and Chinese press later, and red-green for items carried in the Chinese press first and English language platforms later, be it on the same day.
A second ‘add-on’ to the above mentioned offerings of the project, added recently since January, 2018, is a selection of (English language) articles/official statements on China or Chinese policies (per se, i.e. not on India or its neighbouring countries) that merit attention. It is hoped that the overall perspective they provide (on Chinese strategic perceptions and thinking), their topicality (major political developments such as National People’s Congress, Party meetings etc.) and information content (on themes such as mega science in China, innovation, China’s progress in AI etc) would facilitate better understanding of developments in China. (This, again, is subject to resource constraints, so vulnerable to interruption.)
Comparative Featuring: Those commentaries or news items that are published in both Chinese and English news platforms offer a glimpse into the minds of the Chinese media establishment. For differences between the Chinese and English versions — both of omission or commission — are anything but random. The ‘tweaking’ that takes place through the omissions, commissions or other modifications in the two language editions reflects the fine tuning that is considered expedient to make their content more suited for their respective audiences — domestic Chinese or foreign ones abroad. This is done for all items starred red-green or green-red.
Other features of the project — its design, execution and output (i.e. the data base displayed in the Table of Contents below) — are explained in the write-ups listed in the drop-box “About the Project” above. Some of them, as e.g. the statistical data base and compendium of terminology, are in suspension currently due to paucity of resources.
The project thus aims at providing a ‘one-stop’ service for following the coverage of India and its neighbouring countries in the Chinese press in (near) real time. And also serving, eventually, as a ‘reading advisory’ as far as material emanating from the Chinese media goes. This is in keeping with the founding vision of NIAS, mandating it to pursue ‘evidence based enquiry into national issues’ cutting across rigid boundaries between disciplines and methodologies, as appropriate for policy problems without losing relevance in the striving for rigour.
Feedback on any aspect of the project — from its conceptualisation and design to execution – would be most welcome. Especially criticism and suggestions — specific alternatives — to correct and improve the quality of translations so as to better capture nuances. (The scan/URL of the original text in Chinese is provided with that end in view – of open ended participation in the translation enterprise.) Likewise in respect of any inadvertent omissions of news items and commentaries noticed by regular readers of the Chinese press.
[P.S. June-July 2020 — The project had to be suspended in March-April 2019 due to paucity of resources. It has been resumed recently at a minimal level — with just one newspaper (the Chinese edition of Global Times) monitored, not five, and only for items on India, not the neighbouring countries except on occasion. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs websites, in Chinese and English both, and the English language Global Times are also monitored for items on India. Plus commentaries on other topics of interest to students of China — on US-China relations, Taiwan, Tibet, other internal aspects of China’s economy, technology or politics — in all the above news platforms from time to time, occasionally, as permitted by resource constraints.
The project has been kept alive by gratis services of a dedicated band of volunteers. This is clearly not sustainable in the long run. It needs stable sources of funding to be put on a firm footing. Ideas for a viable business model capable of making it self-sustaining through a combination of donations and subscription charges are invited from readers.]
2021, April
Date | Title of the Article | Newspaper/ Journal |
ENG/ CHN |
---|---|---|---|
17/04/2021 |
15186: US EXPERTS: WHY US SHOULD COOPERATE WITH CHINA IN SPACE
Excerpts/Summary
US "Time" weekly article on April 15, original title: Why the United States and China should cooperate in space?
Space exploration has always been used to promote deep cooperation, even between rivals. During the peak of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union also conducted mission cooperation. This is not only a means to improve political relations, but also provides possibilities for cooperation in other fields. Today, US-China space cooperation is also worth looking forward to. Although the United States and China seem to be in conflict on many issues, the nature of space is different. It is not a high ground that can be seized. On the contrary, space is like a public domain. If any country or company wants to operate safely, it must act responsibly and needs to engage in peaceful cooperation to enjoy the benefits.
One reason (the United States) does not engage in space cooperation with its geopolitical opponent (China) is the fear that technology transfer will promote China’s development. But in the field of manned spaceflight, the situation is different. For decades, the United States has widely shared the International Space Station project with 14 countries including Russia. If there was a secret, it is no longer a secret. China has proven its very successful manned space program, and adding their capabilities to this partnership will benefit the entire space mission.
U.S.-China space cooperation depends on some changes. First of all, the "Wolf Amendment" of the United States must be abolished, otherwise there can be no substantive cooperation. Cooperation may start in low-key areas, such as sharing remote sensing data. The United States and China can also discuss joint efforts to reduce the space junk belt that surrounds the earth and threatens everyone.
Most importantly, cooperation can be extended to joint manned spaceflights. The goal is to establish a joint lunar base, not to fall into a space race.
For decades, space travel has provided mankind with the opportunity to see the world in different ways. "Apollo 11" astronaut Michael Collins said: "What surprises me is how fragile the earth looks." Chinese astronauts must have had similar feelings when staring at the earth. Space cooperation can give the United States and China the opportunity to change their mind-sets together, and can help ease tensions. That would be a victory for all countries and our common blue-green planet.
(Author )
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
17/04/2021 |
15185: EDITORIAL: SINO-FRENCH-GERMAN SUMMIT IS TIMELY AND PRAGMATIC COORDINATION
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
17/04/2021 |
CHINA CRACKS DOWN ON “PROFESIONAL” TOMB ROBBERS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
17/04/2021 |
15183: WILL HOUSING PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE ?
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/04/2021 |
15182: EDITORIAL: US LOCKING CHINA IN, THREE THINGS WE MUST DO WELL
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/04/2021 |
15181: IN FOCUS: US MILITARY WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN, LIIMITED IMPACT ON THE GROUND
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/04/2021 |
15180: OVER A MILLION INDIANS GATHER AT THE GANGA DESPITE EPIDEMIC
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/04/2021 |
COLD WATER POURED ON WORLD’S LARGEST IPO OFFERING
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/04/2021 |
JAPANESE MEDIA CONCERNED ABOUT HIGH DIVORCE RATE IN CHINA’S NORTH EASTERN PROVINCES
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/04/2021 |
KERRY’S SHANGHAI TRIP LOW KEY AND MYSTERIOUS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER’S VISIT TO INDIA FOCUSES ON “REGIONAL CHALLENGES”
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
INDIA’S ECONOMY: OPTIMISM TEMPERED WITH CONCERN
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
15174: EPIDEMIC REACHES A CRITICAL STAGE IN INDIA WITH MORE THAN 180,000 CASES IN A DAY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
15173: HALF OF INDIA MALNOURISHED
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
15172: EDITORIAL: (MAINTAIINING) STRATEGIC AMBIGUITY WITHOUT MAKING A DETERMINATION GOOD FOR US
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
EDITORIAL: KERRY’S CHINA VISIT, CLIMATE TOO HOSTILE FOR SINO-US COOPERATION ON CLIMATE ISSUES
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
15170: CHINESE AND US SCHOLARS DISCUSS HOW TO GET RELATIONS BACK ON TRACK
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
15169: BIG PICTURE: IDENTIFYING THE THREE MAIN FACTORS AFFECTING CHINA-US RELATIONS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
15168: CHINA EMERGES AS LARGEST MARKET FOR SWEMI-CONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
15167: STATE SECURITY ORGANS DISCLOSE POLITICAL SECURITY PERTINENT CASES
Excerpts/Summary
An 'educative' article on the occasion of National Security Education Day, marked on April 15 in china.
Summary translation underway
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/04/2021 |
15166: SPENDING MONEY TO SECURE INTERNSHIP IN LARGE FIRM LEADS TO CONTROVERSY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
15165: INDIAN MEDIA: CHINA INHERITED SANSKRIT
Excerpts/Summary
Press Trust of India, April 12th article, original title: Chinese Professor says Sanskrit popular in China 2000 years on.
Chinese Professor Wang Bangwei, a leading Sanskrit scholar, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies and Director of the Center for Indian Studies at Peking University, is cited in the article as having said that Sanskrit is the root of Indian culture, but contrary to the decline of its study in modern India, the language has been passed down in China.
Wang said that Peking University was one of the first universities in China to introduce Sanskrit studies, and this year marks 100 years of Sanskrit teaching at the prestigious university. Wang attributed the spread of Sanskrit in China to the 4th century A.D. Indian scholar, Kumarajiva. During his time in China, he was instrumental in the translation of Buddhist scriptures (from Sanskrit) into Chinese and was hailed as a national teacher. He was one of the first scholars to lay the foundation for civilizational exchange between India and China.
Wang said Sanskrit was the most important language for the Chinese to understand Hinduism, Buddhism, ancient Indian medicine, astronomy and mathematics. "Although Buddhism declined in India, it became very prevalent in China and has become a part of Chinese culture".
When Sanskrit became prevalent in China, he said, the need for people to travel to India to study it began to diminish, and "China gradually became the center of Buddhism in Asia. Buddhism declined in India, but grew in China". Thanks to the many (Chinese) scholars who traveled to India over the centuries to study, China has some of the precious Sanskrit scriptures brought back by them, but these ancient texts may be hard to find in India.
Ye Shaoyong, an Associate Professor in the Department of South Asian Studies at Peking University's School of Foreign Languages, says Sanskrit studies in China are flourishing. Today his department has 10 scholars specializing in the language, and more than 200 others are taking the language as part of their graduate courses. In China, he said, the job prospects for students studying Sanskrit are good, and most of them are engaged in Buddhist studies, especially academic research on the history of Buddhism.
(The original PTI despatch on which this piece is based can be seen here and here.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
15164: INDIAN FARMERS SWITCH TO LAVENDER TO FIGHT DROUGHT
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
15163: 5000 INDIAN MILLIONAIRES MIGRATE UNDER THE EPIDEMIC
Excerpts/Summary
According to the "Global Wealth Migration Assessment Report" released by the wealth research company New World Wealth, nearly 5,000 millionaires left India in 2020 alone, accounting for 2% of the total number of wealthy individuals in India.
According to a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report of the 13th, the British Heinz Consulting released a list of investment immigrants, and the number of rich people in it from India topped the list. Heinz Consulting said that the new corona epidemic is an important factor driving these rich Indians to seek immigration into the UK in order to achieve "asset globalization", Heinz even opened an Indian branch during the epidemic to accommodate the soaring demand for investment immigrants from rich locals. The company's head of immigration program, Wolek said that the new corona epidemic has made the wealthy think about immigration in a more holistic way, and that immigration will not only facilitate their access to global markets, but also provide them with better medical coverage and educational resources to counter the uncertainty brought about by the epidemic.
According to the Associated Press, there is a new wave of the epidemic in India. It is making a comeback as India experiences a shortage of the new corona vaccine. The latest data show that India has averaged more than 130,000 new confirmed cases per day in the past week, with a cumulative total of about 13.7 million confirmed cases and more than 171,000 cumulative deaths nationwide. In addition, India's domestic hospitalization rate has surged, and experts warn that the epidemic may worsen.
In fact, in addition to the epidemic, there are a number of domestic factors that are contributing to the ongoing loss of wealthy Indians. A report released by Morgan Stanley Investment Bank in 2018 suggests that 23,000 Indian millionaires have left one after another between 2014 and 2018.
It is understood that due to the Indian government's continuous increase in corporate taxes, many wealthy people have no choice but to emigrate. The report shows that, compared with the past, the number of tax searches by Indian tax authorities more than doubled in recent years, with India's major enterprises suffering from long-term "tax fear. The late founder of India's largest coffee chain, Cafe Coffee Day, had also accused tax officials of harassing him when he was alive. Despite this, the Indian government continues to tighten its stranglehold on business owners.
But some wealthy Indians believe that the key to what is prompting them to emigrate is that India is deeply divided within the country and they do not want their children to grow up in an increasingly polarized environment. It is said that places like Portugal, Malta and Cyprus are popular destinations for rich Indians to emigrate, and usually as soon as one rich person decides to emigrate, it will surely drive others in their circle to follow suit.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
15162: WORST WILDFIRE IN 15 YEARS RAVAGES SOUTHERN SLOPES OF HIMALAYAS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Journal Not Selected |
Journal Not Selected | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
JAPANESE MEDIA: “TWO OR THREE THINGS ABOUT THE CHINESE”
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
CHINA’S MESSAGE TO THE USA: WE ARE EQUAL
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
US MEDIA: CHINA WILL NOT COUNTENANCE CLASSIFICATION AS AN “EXCHANGE RATE MANIPULATOR”
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
DISCUSSION: “LAYERS OF DUMPING” OF RESPONSIBILITY , THE MAIN PROBLEM LIES IN FORMALISM
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/04/2021 |
15157: REVIEW: ILL-INTENTIONED ADVOCACY OF MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES ON CHINESE HISTORY
Excerpts/Summary
On the (justification for) the recent revision of curriculum in Hong Kong of its school history text books, deleting the references to the "British" arguments/points of view in relation to the Opium war and the Qing dynasty, substituting them with a "Chinese point of view".
Full translation underway
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/04/2021 |
15156: INDIA NOW SECOND WORST AFFECTED COUNTRY IN TERMS OF EPIDEMIC
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/04/2021 |
15155: INDIAN MATTRESS FACTORY USES DISCARDED MASKS AS COTTON
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/04/2021 |
15154: WASHINGTON KEEPS AN EYE ON CHINA FOR LAUNCHING OPERATIONS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/04/2021 |
15153: AHEAD OF DIALOGUE WITH JAPAN, GERMAN FOREIGN MINSTER TALKS OF INDO-PACIFIC STRATEGY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/04/2021 |
15152: SIGNS OF ANOTHER STATEGIC MISJUDGEMENT BY JAPAN
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/04/2021 |
U.S. KEEPS TRACK OF CHINA’S DIGITAL YUAN PLAN
Excerpts/Summary
................. the development of the digital renminbi has caused anxiety in Western countries such as the United States. Bloomberg News quoted informed sources on the 12th that the Biden administration attaches great importance to China's digital renminbi plan because some officials worry that this measure may be the beginning of a long-term plan to subvert the U.S. dollar as the world's major reserve currency.
According to the report, the current dominance of the U.S. dollar in cross-border transactions gives the U.S. Treasury the right to cut off most of the channels for a company or even a country to enter the global financial system. The renminbi only accounts for a little over 2% of global foreign exchange reserves, while the U.S. dollar accounts for nearly 60% of global foreign exchange reserves. US officials are not too worried that the current global financial system structure will be immediately challenged, but they are eager to understand how the digital renminbi will be distributed and whether it can be used to circumvent US sanctions. People familiar with the matter said that the Biden administration currently does not intend to take any action to deal with the long-term threat of China's digital currency. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell recently stated that the agency is participating in large-scale research and development projects related to the digital dollar, and the United States may launch a digital dollar in the future.
Expert: America’s worry is completely unnecessary
According to Bloomberg, the Central Bank of China is expected to become the world's first major central bank to issue digital currencies. When Beijing hosts the Winter Olympics in February next year, the digital renminbi is expected to be more widely promoted or to engage with the international market. Reuters also said that the current digital renminbi is positioned in the retail field of micropayments, and the next step needs to be transformed into a wholesale digital currency to be more likely to participate in the future international currency competition.
"China is one of the first countries in the world to research and pilot digital currencies, and it is a global leader in the field of digital currencies," Pan Helin, executive director of the Institute of Digital Economy, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, said in an interview with a reporter from the Global Times on the 12th. China’s attempt on digital renminbi is to improve the efficiency of global finance and solve some of its own financial system problems (such as insufficient cash flow). At the same time, it is also an opportunity to expand the currency share of the renminbi in the international circulation market and improve the renminbi's currency status. This is within the scope of normal currency competition.
Pan Helin believes that the US's concerns are completely unnecessary. The main purpose of China's implementation of digital currency is to supplement domestic cash flow. Because in reality, the use of cash for electronic payments decreases, and digital currency replaces some of the cash in a convenient way. But at the same time, the digital renminbi can be used in international payments, with good convenience and high security. He believes that digital renminbi has the purpose of perfecting international payments. In international trade settlement, digital currency is safer, more reliable, and more convenient
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/04/2021 |
“STANDARDS”, THE SOFT UNDERBELLY OF THE “MADE IN CHINA” PROGRAM
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
15149: NEW ROUND OF CHINA-INDIA MILITARY COMMANDERS LEVEL TALKS, TWO CHANGES
Excerpts/Summary
Senior Colonel Long Shaohua, spokesman for the Western Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, issued a statement on the evening of April 10, saying that on April 9, the Chinese and Indian armies held the 11th round oC talks on the Indian side of the Moldova/Chushul meeting point, where both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual concern and will continue to maintain communication through military-diplomatic channels. "I hope the Indian side will cherish the current positive trend of de-escalation and cooling off in the Sino-Indian border area, adhere to the relevant agreements and agreements between the two militaries and the consensus of the previous talks, move in tandem with the Chinese side and work together to maintain peace and tranquility in the border area". On the same day, the Indian side also issued a statement. Chinese experts interviewed by the Huan Qiu Shi Bao believe that the eleventh round of Sino-Indian military commander level talks did not issue a joint press release as in the past. Nor was the Chinese statement issued by the Ministry of Defense but at the Western Theater Command level, showing from one side that it is still difficult for the two sides to jointly resolve the remaining issues.
The tenth round of India-China military commander-level talks was held on Feb. 20 this year, and both sides gave positive comments on the disengagement of frontline forces in the Pangong Lake area in the early stage, considering it an important progress that provides a basis for resolving other issues in the area around the Line of Actual Control in the western section of the India-China border. The talks began at 10:30 a.m. on the 9th and lasted for about 13 hours, according to the Indian Economic Times of the 10th. The purpose of the talks was to promote the next phase of disengagement between the two armies in other areas of the China-India border.
The Indian military issued a statement on the 10th, saying that the two sides had detailed discussions on disengagement in the remaining areas during the talks and agreed to work together to maintain stability on the ground, avoid any new conflict and quickly resolve outstanding issues. The statement said the completion of disengagement in other areas would pave the way for the two sides to consider de-escalation of force, ensure a full restoration of peace and tranquility and allow bilateral relations to progress. The Times of India commented on the 10th that the latest talks "did not achieve a breakthrough". India Today of the 11th said the statement lacked details of progress, suggesting that Friday's talks were at an impasse.
Beginning in May 2020, a new round of conflicts and confrontations had broken out between the Chinese and Indian forces in the border areas., with casualties occurring on June 15 during clashes between the two armies in the Galwan Valley. Since then, several rounds of army commander-level talks between the two sides have taken place. Compared to the previous rounds, two changes have occurred in the format of news releases after the eleventh round. First, there was a change in the issuer of news -- while the Ministry of Defense was the one to issue the news during previous India-China military commander level talks, this time it was a spokesperson of the Western Thaeter Command. In addition, the two sides jointly issued a press release after the sixth round of talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders on September 22, 2020, which was the format used until the tenth round of talks. But the two sides did not issue a joint press release after the latest round of military commander level talks.
Qian Feng, Director of the research department of the National Institute of Strategic Studies at Tsinghua University, told the Huan Qiu Shi Bao on 11 November that the Chinese side's remarks indicated that the 11th round of military commander-level talks did not reach a consensus on the full disengagement of the troops of the two sides stationed in the remaining areas, as had been widely expected, and that the Chinese side's dissatisfaction and concern over the slow progress of the current situation was evident between the lines. The fact that the talks did not result in a joint press release as in the past, and that the news was released not by the Ministry of Defense but at the level of the Western Theater Command, is an additional indication that difficulties remain in resolving the remaining issues together.
Qian Feng believes that the Chinese side's concerns and reminders are not superfluous in the current international and regional situation. In recent years, confrontations between Chinese and Indian border troops on the western border have usually occurred in spring and summer. As temperatures on the plateau continue to rise, any further poor resolution of the withdrawal of troops from the remaining areas will inevitably affect this hard-won stabilization momentum. If some people in India are under the illusion that the recent India-US relationship, especially military cooperation, can bring more "bargaining chips" and strengthened "bottom lines" on the border issue, and do not cherish the efforts made by the two armies previously, or even play "smart" on the issue of consensus reached between the two armies in the early stages, it is undoubtedly not a good idea. That "little smartness", will surely destroy the still fragile and recovering mutual trust between the two armies.
On the other hand, both sides mentioned in the news released after the meeting that both sides will continue to maintain communication. Qian Feng analysis said, since February 10 this year, China and India reached a consensus on disengagement in the north and south bank areas of Pangong Lake. The fact that the two sides demonstrated willingness and determination to resolve this key issue that was most likely to trigger large-scale military conflict after 10 months of tense confrontation, and chose to take pragmatic action to jointly facilitate significant cooling down of the situation, has been generally recognized by the international community, which has affirmed that "over the past two months, the two sides have continued to maintain communication through military-diplomatic channels around the confrontation in the remaining areas of this border conflict, on the one hand, and implemented and consolidated the previous achievements on the other; and that so far there has been no reheating of the situation in the areas on the northern and southern banks of the Pangong Lake".
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
15148: SEMI-CONDUCTOR CHIP CONFERENCE OPENS, THE MORE THE U.S. INDULGES IN TECHNOLOGY WAR, THE MORE ITS GUILTY CONSCIENCE IS REVEALED
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
“INDIANS TAKING OVER THE UNITED STATES”, THERE ARE BOTH JOYS AND WORRIES
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
IN FOCUS: EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO FREE ITSELF OF “STRESS TRAP”
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
15145: WHITE HOUSE CONVENES SUMMIT OF LARGE SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP MANUFACTURERS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
15144: CHINA-US TECHNOLOGICAL WAR ENTERS CRITICAL DECADE
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
15143: GERMAN MEDIA: CHINA NEW SAUDI ARABIA
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
15142: US MEDIA: CHINESE AMERICANS CONFUSED ABOUT WHERE HOME IS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
15141: FIFTY YEARS AFTER PING PONG DIPLOMACY: CHINA AND USA FACE CHALLENGES
Excerpts/Summary
An item based on a Washington Post article of April 10, 2021. Full translation underway.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
LOW EFFICACY RATE OF CHINESE VACCINE “COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD”
Excerpts/Summary
Recently, some media and overseas social media platform users speculated that Gao Fu, Director of the Chinese CDC, "admitted" that the protection rate of the new corona vaccine developed in China is low and that "China is considering other vaccination programs to solve the problem of low efficacy". In an interview with the Huan Qiu SHi Bao on the 11th, Gao categorically denied this, saying that "this is a total misunderstanding". He responded that, as scientists around the world discussed the issue of vaccine protection efficiency, he proposed a future scientific thinking that, if the issue of vaccine efficiency is to be improved, it can be further improved by optimizing vaccination procedures and using different technical routes for sequential vaccination.
"The global vaccine protection rate test data are both high and low. How to improve the protection rate of vaccines is a question that needs to be considered by scientists around the world", Gao told the Huan Qiu Shi Bao. "In this regard, I put forward my thinking on optimizing vaccination procedures in terms of doses, dosages and vaccination intervals, such as using several vaccines in an alternating vaccination (sequential immunization) approach".
Gao stressed, "This is the first time that humans have been vaccinated against the new corona virus. All current immunization procedures are based on extrapolations of inferences from other viral vaccines used in the past. This has worked quite well. But in the future, if we wish to improve, we will need to adjust according to the characteristics of the corona virus itself and the trends in the current vaccination".
"Following the traditional method of developing a vaccine, we would not have developed a vaccine within this year. But scientists around the world have worked out a new corona virus vaccine within a few months, for the first time ever worldwide, and there are many scientific questions about them, and so many scientific questions facing humanity need to be answered".
As for the effectiveness of the vaccine, Gao Fu said the WHO requirement for the effectiveness of the new corona vaccine is more than 50 percent, and the current pass line for most vaccines that can be marketed internationally is more than 70 percent.
Gao Fu also drew attention to the fact that the benefits of vaccination to far outweigh the risks. "Vaccines should be used fairly and shared globally, and if they are not shared globally, the virus will be shared worldwide".
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/04/2021 |
15139: NEED TO CURB REAL ESTATE SPECULATION DUE TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGH BALANCED EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/04/2021 |
NO NEWSPAPER — SUNDAY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/04/2021 |
15137: EDITORIAL: CHINA HAS THREE WEAPONS AS US MAKES MOVES ONE MOVE AFTER ANOTHER
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/04/2021 |
15136: SANCTIONS AGAINST CHINA ON SUPERCOMPTERS WILL EVENTUALLY MISFIRE
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/04/2021 |
15135: US OVER KILL IN ITS TOUGH STANCE TOWARDS CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/04/2021 |
US LAW MAKERS PUSH FOR “STRATEGIC COMPETITION” WITH CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/04/2021 |
15133: PROBLEM OF LEFT BEHIND CHILDREN REQUIRES PROACTIVE ATTENTION
Excerpts/Summary
An item based on (Summary translation of) an article in the British Economist.
Full translation underway
Journal: Journal Not Selected |
Journal Not Selected | ★ |
09/04/2021 |
15132: 50 YEARS OF PING PONG DIPLOMACY: REFLECTIONS (OF THE MAN IN QUESTION)
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/04/2021 |
“CHILLING” OF JAPANESE PUBLIC OPINION ON CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/04/2021 |
IN FOCUS: NEW CHANGES BRWEING IN EU’S CHINA POLICY AMIDST FERMENT
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/04/2021 |
JAPAN WANTS TO ENGAGE G 7 IN “FOUR PARTY SECURITY DIALOGUE”
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/04/2021 |
15128: RECORD SINGLE DAY INCREASE IN CORONA CASES IN INDIA
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/04/2021 |
15127: INDIAN MAN BEATEN BY POLICE FOR NOT WEARING HIS MASK PROPERLY
Excerpts/Summary
A 35-year-old man was beaten by two police officers on the road in Indore, India, for not wearing a proper mask in public.
"The man who was beaten was a local tuk-tuk driver. On April 6th, he was passing through a market to visit his sick father in hospital when two police officers found his mask slipping off his nose and not worn properly. The policemen asked the man to come with them to the police station, but the man refused. The two police officers then beat him up.
The video of the police beating was soon posted online, and many Internet users were outraged by it, and a child can be heard crying out for his father in the video. An official from the Indore city government said the local police department has launched an investigation into the incident and the two police officers involved have been suspended, but no specific details were released. The local police said that the man who was not wearing a mask first insulted the two police officers before being beaten.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/04/2021 |
15126: REVIEW: US DRAGGGING IN CHINA IN ITS INFRA-STRUCTURE BUILD UP IS NOT ON
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Journal Not Selected |
Journal Not Selected | ★ |
08/04/2021 |
15125: GOOD READERS HARD TO FIND IN AN AGE OF INFORMATION OVERLOAD AND FRAGMENTATION
Excerpts/Summary
In the era of information fragmentation, we always complain that we are exposed to the flood of information, passively addicted to the pan-entertainment "titilating music", unable to focus on in-depth thinking and reading, even if we open the reading software to read a book properly, the screen is littered with all kinds of cross-web links .
The net has profoundly changed writing themes, writing styles and readers' reading styles. For us ordinary people, complaining about the times does not work, and mastering what we can master is all that we can do to be a "good reader". As Eliot said, "A great poet does not have many readers in one age, but a few quality readers in each age". It inspires us: no matter ancient or modern, cultural history is fundamentally composed of classical writing and high-quality reading, and excellent readers are also the important coordinates of the cultural system of an era and the basic parameters indicative of humanity in a society. The pattern, perception and tenacity of readers have the same dynamic effect on the civilization of the era.
Readers also have different levels of literacy and quality. For ordinary readers, reading does not constitute the background and main theme of their lives, and is even dispensable,. Some of them adopt a pragmatic attitude to reading, and some use reading as a way to pass time. For quality readers, reading is an essential element in their lives and "life gene". Without their active participation and conscious involvement, even if a classic work is published, it cannot be widely disseminated due to the lack of a broad market and social foundation; even if a great author is born, he or she lacks a spiritual confidant and a spiritual fan, so that his or her social value Even if a great author is born, his/her talents may be buried due to the lack of spiritual friends and supporters, so that his social value cannot be respected as it should be. Therefore, if a society wants to have classical writings and great authors, t must greatly increase the proportion and number of excellent readers.
The measure and standard of a good reader need a comprehensive reading ability for self-testing, which is mainly reflected in three aspects: First, at least one can read without distractions, in the words of Zeng Guofan, "body, eyes, hands and heart too". The second is to deeply analyze the theme of the work and accurately audit the connotation of the original work. The third is to make new creative discoveries and interpretations on the basis of maintaining the original meaning of the original work, giving it a new meaning and transforming it into one's own heart and mind.
Comparing the above standards and realizing the gap between ourselves and excellent readers, we can truly feel that no matter what era, reading is by no means an easy task. Since we can overcome inertia and put down mobile phones, due to our own lack of quality, there are also Many valuable knowledge and nutrients may be filtered and lost during the reading process, so that they cannot enter the inner texture of the classic writings and become the author's true soulmate.
The first thing that I would like to say is that I am very happy to be able to read a book.
(The author is a special researcher of the Research Center of Socialism Theory System with Chinese Characteristics in Heilongjiang Province)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/04/2021 |
15124: IN FOCUS: JAPAN MUST KEEP ITS PROMISES ON TAIWAN
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/04/2021 |
15123: JAPANESE MEDIA: HOW THE TANG DYNASTY SHAPED CHINESE TECHNOLOGY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/04/2021 |
15122: OPTIMISTIC IMF FORECASTS LEAD TO COMPLICATED INTERPRETATIONS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/04/2021 |
15121: IS WASHINGTON POST FUELING ASIAN FEAR HYSTERIA?
Excerpts/Summary
The Washington Post (WP) published an article on Wednesday entitled, "Anti-China is not anti-Asian." While it appears to stand against anti-Asian hate crimes, it is, as a matter of fact, merely manufacturing more hatred. The opinion piece is filled with groundless accusations against China. It claims, "the central cause of the current epidemic of anti-Asian violence is resentment at the pandemic's staggering toll," and because "China has not been held to account." It blamed China for not having apologized for "mishandling of the outbreak" to reduce Americans' collective rage. Such rhetoric basically argues that racist hate crimes are justified because people have good reason to be furious. In other words, it is saying anti-Asian is wrong, but anti-China is somehow justified. This is the article's deranged, core theme. Xu Liang, associate professor at the School of International Relations, Beijing International Studies University, told Global Times on Wednesday that the author showed his understanding of US politics — appeasing Asians means getting more votes, so does spinning anti-China rhetoric. So, the WP is separating China from Asia, or Chinese from Asian. "Diplomatically, the tactic may disintegrate Asia, which aims at drawing more Asian countries to the US' anti-China camp. Domestically, it may isolate Chinese Americans from other Asian ethnic groups in the US," Xu said. The author, however, pretends to be unaware of his own well-choreographed political calculations, while clamoring that, "the overwhelming volume of the rhetoric targeting Beijing has been prompted not by abstract geopolitical competition but by tangible grievances, including China's genocide in Xinjiang, intensifying repression in Tibet, dismantling of democracy in Hong Kong…." Regardless of how reckless and groundless these denunciations are, the argument is confusing cause and effect. The US has a long track record of attacking China's affairs on the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the Tibet Autonomous Region. "The fundamental driving force is exactly US geopolitical strategy," Xu noted, further explaining that Washington has hyped up relevant China affairs since Bill Clinton's presidency. A simple search for "Tenzin Dorjee," who wrote this piece, reveals that he once worked for the US-based National Endowment for Democracy. This is defined by some reports as a "CIA front" with the function to take over the CIA's political regime-change programs. It may explain where Dorjee's political stance in this piece came from, or the hidden purpose in it. Yet it is absurd to believe that one can separate Chinese from Asian in US systematic racism. Another case: in "Reckoning with Asian America," an op-ed published on April 2 in US Science magazine, made a review of the US', "under-recognized history of anti-Asian violence and discrimination" that "dates back more than 150 years." It articulated that Asian Americans are, "the least likely among all women to be promoted to leadership positions," and that, "US history is fraught with anti-Asian violence, misogyny, nativist discrimination, and legal exclusion, all of which are often absent in textbooks and university curricula." Do those have anything to do with COVID-19? It has nothing to do with the major power game with China, that's for sure. The truth is, the US, as a country of immigrants, has actually been a gate-keeping country, as Erika Lee, Rudolph J. Vecoli Chair and Director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota, put it. Before Dorjee, or the WP, attempts to find any excuse for the ongoing, shocking hate crime in the US, they might as well explore a bit more of US own history. Racism runs deep in the heart of quite a few Americans. And now some are taking the pandemic and China as scapegoats. Take a look at the headlines such as "Workplace Discrimination Based On Names." There has been basically no mention of distinguishing Asian people's nationalities when it comes to racism. When some deranged white Americans storm toward and brutally assault people of Asian heritage, they are not thinking about whether or not they are Asian or Chinese. This is indiscriminate violence. So the WP article is wrong on so-many levels. Worst of all, it is publicly fanning hostility toward another country and its people. This is an old trick of the US, both by certain politicians and media outlets, to divert the public's attention on the government's poor performance. Yet it will be the stability of US own society, home of various ethnic groups, that will eventually be hurt. The ruse, if played for too long, will only add fuel to the fire of US escalating violence. (The author is a reporter with the Global Times)Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
08/04/2021 |
EDITORIAL: THIS YEAR’S GLOBAL ECONOMIC GROWTH SHOULD BE CLEAN AND ETHICAL
Excerpts/Summary
(This editorial as carried in the Engliash language Global Times too. Slight differences between the English and Chinese versions are highlighted below though italics font for phrases/words not in the English version but additional in the Chinese version.)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgraded its global economic growth forecast for the second time for 2021 on Tuesday. According to the report, advanced economies will expand 5.1 percent this year, compared with the previous 4.3 percent. The US' growth is raised to 6.4 percent, up from 5.1 percent in January. Among developing countries, only China's economic growth is viewed optimistically with forecast of 8.4 per cent. Experts from IMF said that the divergent recovery paths are likely to create significantly wider gaps in living standards between developing countries and others, compared to pre-pandemic expectations.
There are two main reasons for the upward revision of growth forecasts in advanced economies, particularly the US. One is the rapid pace of vaccination and the other is the massive fiscal stimulus. Both are beyond the reach of most developing countries to emulate. The severe imbalance in global growth is a stark portrait of the world's inequality in 2021.
The US has
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
07/04/2021 |
15119: EDITORIAL: CHINA WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED IF IT HAS NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT JAPAN
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
15118: BE VIGILANT! U.S. FORCES TEST DRONES TO LAUNCH DRONES
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
15117: VACCINE EXPORTS: CHINA TOPS THE LIST
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
BEIJING FIGHTS BACK AGAINST “NON-TRADITIONAL WARS” IN THE WEST
Excerpts/Summary
A summary translation of the Hong Kong Asia Weekly article titled: Behind the Xinjiang cotton storm, Beijing fights back against the West's lies and siege.
Full translation underway
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
15115: CHINA GRABBED LUNCH? THE U.S. DID NOT DO ENOUGH
Excerpts/Summary
A summary translation of the April 5th Associated Press report on Biden's recent remark, on promotion of his 2 trillion US dollars plan for building infrastructure, that China "ate our lunch".
Full translation underway.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
15114: TOP US MILITARY OFFICIAL AGAIN HINTS AT UPGRADATION OF FIRST FLEET
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
15113: CHINA RELEASES A WHITE PAPER ON POVERTY REDUCTION
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
15112: WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM PING-PONG DIPLOMACY
Excerpts/Summary
The 50th anniversary of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" between China and the US arrives at an apt moment for reflection. Consider the parallels between then and now. Then, as now, there was little trust, even hostility. Public opinion in each country was almost entirely negative toward the other country. Media on each side streamed calumny and unnuanced criticism. I am afraid that US-China relations today are even worse than they were in 1971. Then, the confrontation was passive, with neither side much involved with the other. Today, the confrontation is active, given the multiple points of contact, friction, flash and potential conflict - from technology to borders to geopolitics to claimed interference in domestic affairs. Competing global narratives, spun by the US and China, tell stories of opposing political systems and divergent characterizations of human rights. So we have work to do - those of us on both sides who believe that good US-China relations is in the best interest of the American and Chinese people and critical for the peace and prosperity of the entire world. What can we learn from the historic success of Ping-Pong Diplomacy? Here are some principles: • Think outside the box - don't rely on traditional ways of diplomacy alone. • Think small - when big breakthroughs are not possible, try small ones, even if they seem insignificant. • Find commonalities - seek areas that ordinary people can understand. • Explore public diplomacy - encourage people-to-people exchanges, such as in healthcare. • Maintain momentum - build on small successes. • Lighten up - everything need not be taken so seriously. Now for my own story of Ping-Pong Diplomacy. It was my first trip to China in January of 1989. I was invited by the State Science and Technology Commission for a conference on reform. My guide was a bright, energetic young man named Zhu Yadan (Adam). Adam was fluent in English and not at all intimidated by our strange group of American investment bankers. After giving my lecture (new-venture financing and entrepreneurial risk), I decided to pursue an ambition that differed from the officially mandated visits to the Beijing Opera and the Great Wall. I wanted to play Ping-Pong with the legendary Chinese. I had played well as a child and in college, but I hadn't picked up a paddle in years. Every time I saw Adam in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, I beseeched him that I wanted to play Ping-Pong, and every time he replied that my schedule had been set by the authorities and no deviations were allowed. I kept bugging Adam, who tried to avoid me, not argue with me, so whenever he saw me coming, he headed off in the opposite direction. Frustrated, I ambushed him in the lobby: "If you won't take a risk to satisfy someone who has traveled 7,000 miles to help your country free of charge, there's no hope for entrepreneurship in China." The next day, while I was attending a lecture, Adam snuck up behind me and whispered, "Wait 10 minutes, then walk slowly out the back; look for a small black car." Feeling more like a spy than a would-be Ping-Pong player, I ambled out into the parking lot, trying to appear inconspicuous. I walked over to an old car. Suddenly, the door swung open and Adam, who was crouching furtively in the back seat, pulled me into the car as though I were being kidnapped. Off we drove to the People's University (of China), where waiting for me, to my horror, were three of China's national team players and one of the national coaches. To make matters worse, a hundred or so students had gathered to witness the Beijing debut of this American "champion." "Do you know Jack Smith [I forgot his real name]?" one of the Chinese players asked me. "He's No.1 in the US. I beat him 21-4." Well, the best I can say is that I wasn't a total embarrassment. The Chinese players kindly allowed me an increasing number of points per game - five, then eight, then 11 (games were still 21 points). All the Chinese students were rooting for me, and like Rocky Balboa, I began believing in myself. I turned to the translator and said with mock menace, "Please tell my Chinese friend that in the next game I'm now going to get 13 points." To which I got a swift, smiley reply, "Please tell my American friend that he's now going to get zero points." My opponent then announced to all that if I got three points in the next game, he would crawl under the table to shake my hand. The story ends as Rocky I did; I lost, of course, but I had my dignity. I did get those three points - one of which I actually earned - and, true to his word, under the table the Chinese national player crawled, to the unbridled delight, with applause and laughter, of the Chinese students. Adam Zhu would become my long-term business partner. Here's to more Ping-Pong Diplomacy! The author is chairman of The Kuhn Foundation and recipient of the China Reform Friendship Medal (2018).Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
15111: US CANNOT REPLICATE ‘EIGHT-NATION ALLIANCE’ AGAINST CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
Cadets seen on the deck of the French amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tonnerre, as they prepare to dock at Cochin Port, in Kochi,India on March 30, 2021. Photo: AFP A naval exercise between all members of Quad and France is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday. Times of India on Monday said the drill was to "eye on China" and underline "the growing strategic congruence in ensuring a secure and stable Indo-Pacific in face of China's belligerence in the region." Besides France, some other European powers, such as Germany and the UK, have also expressed their intentions in engaging in the Indo-Pacific region. The US-led Quad is attempting to expand into "Quad plus." European countries may be the ones the group wants to woo. These European countries' moves, such as conducting exercises with Quad, or sending warships to the Indo-Pacific region, are mainly to emphasize their presence in the region, Sun Chenghao, an assistant research fellow at the Institute of American Studies of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told Global Times on Wednesday. The Indo-Pacific region, as the geopolitical hotspot in the world, attracts global attention. Against this backdrop, countries who regard themselves as global players will not miss the opportunity to assert their presence. Collin Koh Swee Lean, a Research Fellow at the Singapore-based S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies' (RSIS) Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, said the exercises between Quad members and France might be "designed to persuade other non-Quad nations to join similar arrangements," cited by South China Morning Post on Sunday. He suggested Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia could be on the list of potential "Quad-plus" partners. Sun said this notion sounds exaggerated. As a country outside the region, France lacks mighty appeal to ASEAN members. Moreover, Paris has always advocated independent diplomacy and is reluctant to become a pawn of the US, helping the latter to persuade other countries to join a US-led club. But what is clear is that the US is trying to rally other countries to join its anti-China chariot. Such attempts will be full of difficulties. Countries from Southeast Asia and Europe have their own calculations. Their priority is to guarantee their security and ensure their economic interests, instead of joining whatever group against any country. Countries from the two regions heavily rest on China in terms of economy. Furthermore, there are many cases illustrating that Washington turned its back on its allies for seeking its own interest. For example, to rope in China to counter the Soviet Union in the 1970s, Washington severed diplomatic relations with the island of Taiwan and established official ties with Beijing in 1979. Southeast Asian and European countries are clear the US is not a reliable ally or partner, and will be cautious in participating in the anti-China club at the risk of offending China. Deutsche Welle Chinese on Tuesday tweeted that US, Japan, India, Australia and France - not eight yet - on its report about Quad-plus-France exercise, clearly an analogy to the "Eight-Nation Alliance," which refers to troops from the US, UK, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Italy and Austro-Hungary that invaded Beijing in 1900. Just as a netizen mocked, the problem is the US cannot rally with other seven countries against China now. It appears that Quad members are collaborating with more partners. But the fact is moves such as Quad-plus-France drill are only symbolic, without much influence on regional affairs. China is no longer what it was 120 years ago. No matter how hard the US strengthens its alliance system, it will fail to create a new "Eight-Nation Alliance."Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
07/04/2021 |
15110: BIDEN’S INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN MAY FEEL PAIN FROM US-CHINA DECOUPLING
Excerpts/Summary
US President Joe Biden wants to spend $2.3 trillion on infrastructure, a move that is obviously stimulated by the "rival" China. But when massive construction work in the US begins, the Americans might feel the pain of "political decoupling" with China. A Chinese saying goes: "Any problem that money can fix is not a problem." I wonder if he knows it. Unfortunately, it is not a good time now for infrastructure development in the US. The No.1 problem Biden faces is: a lack of construction workers. A Yahoo news video from last year showed that the 2008 financial crisis cost the US construction industry 1.5 million jobs. By mid-2020 when the industry started to recover, there was still a labor shortage of 350,000. The key is having skilled workers, which the US now lacks. One reason is that fewer young people are willing to do the work. With a median annual wage of $34,810, the construction industry is arguably unattractive. This video also notes more construction industry problems, such as lack of construction materials. Many primary and auxiliary materials are no longer produced in the US, or only produced in small quantities with higher prices. If President Biden wants to learn some lessons from its "rival" China on this matter, the first thing is that the advancement of large-scale national infrastructure projects requires strong government decision-making, execution, coordination and communication and the capability to deploy companies. A 2017 survey taken in the US regarding infrastructure project delays showed that there were four main problems. The first was the communication process. The second was the decision-making process. The third was the design process, including design errors, and the fourth one was the operator's efficiency, including lack of skilled workers. All the four reasons were related to the government and its governance system if national or government projects are to be taken. Besides, infrastructure projects also need a lot of steel and iron. About 30 percent of steel in the US needs to be imported from abroad. The US Department of Commerce hopes to increase the self-sufficiency rate of steel and iron from 70 percent to 80 percent, but this goal isn't easy to achieve in the short term. Whereas former president Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum to the US, the price of construction materials increased significantly. This reflects a more troubling issue: the US is in the process of de-industrialization as it starts to engage in large-scale infrastructure. In China, the large-scale investment in infrastructure took place in the middle of the industrialization process. The country was able to accelerate the process of infrastructure due to the two factors complement each other. The US now wants to expand infrastructure while many related factories have already been relocated or closed. You can imagine the difficulty. There is also more telling data: only about 15 percent of current US capital from financial institutions goes to the real economy and business investment. In the early 20th century, banks would invest most of the money in real economy or business investment. Without investing in related manufacturing sectors, Biden's ambitious infrastructure plan won't see desired results even with a huge investment. Of course, there is an option. Perhaps more imports of "Made in China" could help remedy it. But I do not know whether the Biden administration is willing to do so. After the US finishes infrastructure upgrade, including internet networks, American households may need to upgrade relevant electrical appliance, which are inseparable from Made-in-China products, even if they are foreign brands. From Obama to Trump and now Biden, the slogan of revitalizing American manufacturing has been repeated. But there are few results. This is simply because of the law of economic operation. Trump has not bucked the law. His wealth was mainly dependent on careful calculation. His construction company was largely reliant on Chinese manufacturing products that were competitively priced. According to a 2016 report in Business Week, Trump imported steel and aluminum from China for at least two of his last three construction projects before entering the presidential race. One of his projects in Chicago purchased a large amount of energy-efficient glass walls from China. That alone cost American companies an estimated order of more than $350 million at US market prices. Trump made money by saving money, and, crucially, the quality of the construction did not deteriorate as a result. The author is a senior editor with People's Daily, and currently a senior fellow with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China. dinggang@globaltimes.com.cn.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
INDIA MUST NOT PLAY “BALANCER” AT ANY COST
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
15108: EUROPE ALSO WANTS TO PULL INDIA TO COUNTERBALANCE CHINA?
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
15107: OVER 40 MILLION CASES PENDING IN INDIAN COURTS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
15106: MORE THAN 100,000 NEW CASES CONFIRMED IN INDIA IN A SINGLE DAY
Excerpts/Summary
According to data released by India's Ministry of Health on the 5th, the country had about 103,500 new confirmed cases of novel corona pneumonia on the 4th. This is the largest single-day increase in India since the outbreak of the epidemic, and also makes it the second country after the United States to add more than 100,000 new cases in a single day.
After peaking at more than 90,000 cases in early September last year, India's single-day number of confirmed cases had steadily declined, once dropping below 10,000 in February this year. But since March, confirmed cases have suddenly rebounded in a spurt. The Hindu newspaper said on the 5th, the current prognosis of India's epidemic prevention and control is not optimistic,. A second wave of the epidemic has clearly appeared in Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and other states, and a new round of confirmed cases is growing faster than before. Babu, an Indian epidemiologist, believes that the declining immunity of human antibodies, lax epidemic prevention measures, and potential super-spreaders may be the three major causes of the current epidemic tension.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted an emergency special meeting on the 4th to deal with the current epidemic. According to the Times of India on the 5th, Modi considered issues related to the fight against the epidemic such as vaccination, surge of cases, public health infrastructure, logistics, and vaccine production capacity at the meeting. He called on all regions to seriously implement epidemic prevention measures such as detection, tracking, treatment, protection of (medical) personnel and vaccination.
Reports said Maharashtra has had the highest number of confirmed cases over the past two weeks, accounting for 57 percent of confirmed cases and 47 percent of deaths in the country over the same period, with more than 57,000 new confirmed cases in the state on the 4th. Modi decided to send a special task force composed of health experts and clinicians to the state to guide the local prevention and fight against the epidemic. In addition, the Maharashtra government has ordered a curfew from 20:00 daily to 07:00 the next day from Monday to Friday from 5; a lockdown all day Saturday and Sunday; no gatherings of more than five people allowed; restaurants are not allowed to provide in-store dining services, only take-out is allowed; and the closure of cinemas, theaters and other public event venues until April 30.
India launched a new corona vaccination drive on January 16, and more than 79 million people have been vaccinated nationwide. The Hindu newspaper, quoting anonymous senior government officials, said on the 5th that in response to the current severe epidemic, the Russian produced "satellite-V" new corona vaccine may be authorized by the Indian government for emergency use within 10 days.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
15105: EDITORIAL: AMERICA SETS THE PACE BUT CHINA ALSO HAS THE INITIATIVE
Excerpts/Summary
(This editorial was carried in the English language Global Times under the title "Despite US instigation, China has an edge in leading global affairs". The English version is reproduced below, pending translation of the Chinese one.)
German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer reiterated on Saturday that a German frigate is scheduled to sail across the South China Sea in August. She also mentioned challenges related to "systemic confrontation with China." The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and Germany are scheduled to hold a "2+2" virtual dialogue in mid-April, reported the daily Yomiuri on Monday. Furthermore, all four members of the Quad kicked off the "La Pérouse" joint naval exercise, organized by France on Monday in the Bay of Bengal.
The Quad, led by the US, has attempted to expand the bloc toward a "Quad plus." Washington and Tokyo hope Europe can join the group. They seem to have made some progress at least in terms of making noise through the appearance of coordination with others.
The Biden administration's notion of strengthening the alliance system to deal with China's challenges caters to the unease in the West in the face of China's rise. Under the US' push, some European countries' shows against China will be increased.
The US dominates this grand game against China, but the nature and tendency of the game remains uncertain. The most extreme US elites hope to escalate the China-US frictions into a new cold war. And so far they have launched quite a comprehensive mobilization in the political-level. But the security camp Washington intends to establish remains fragmentary. The US' goal of economic decoupling and confrontation is far from being achieved.
China is encountering an unprecedented strategic test. We need to firmly take countermeasures against Washington's suppression, keep its allies from collaborating with the US' anti-China policies. We should resolutely take tit-for-tat actions when our core interests are violated. At the same time, we need to pay attention to the timeliness, the extent and the effectiveness of our actions, and avoid the formation of a focal point of which Washington can take advantage to further promote its mobilization in the West. We should also prevent the situation from being hijacked by US extreme elites to get to a point that is conducive to their intentions.
Political frictions between China and the US or even China and the West are inevitable. The two sides will gradually adapt to such frictions. The future diversity of the world will only be a result of struggle. China will certainly insist on its political systems and national path. No one can deprive China of this right.
Meanwhile, China needs to prevent political issues from being made into security issues, particularly from infiltrating into the economy. China is the most powerful country in terms of comprehensive strength in the region. Despite the US' instigation, China has a considerable edge to avoid the security issue being amplified.
China' economic strength is particularly strong and continues to develop. China has stronger initiative to ease the impact of political and security issues on its economy - as long as China opposes the division and decoupling of the world economy, US advocators of a new cold war will be unlikely able to reach their goal.
The strategic confidence of the Chinese people will be critical. We must believe that no one can bring China to its knees through military means. No matter how hard the US strengthens its alliance system, all they can do is flaunt their strength through military drills, or conduct so-called freedom of navigation operations.
We must also believe that China's strength is sufficient to deal with the current and future complex situations.
At the same time, we must believe that facts speak louder than words. Although public opinion in the US and the West is extremely unfriendly to China with endless slanders and smears, as long as China persists in the path of not expanding geopolitically, not provoking conflicts, and being committed to equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, its goodwill will be sensed by most countries, including Western countries. There will be various affairs in the global arena which need China's cooperation. The West's perception of China cannot be totally blocked by the US' ideological iron curtain.
We must not allow the US to unscrupulously lead global affairs toward conflicts. On the contrary, we must use the resources and levers in our hands to release the diversity of this world. China is strong and getting stronger. It is possible for us to lead the world in another direction. China needs the will and capability to counter provocations and the vision and wisdom to prevent political disputes and general conflicts from evolving into strategic confrontations. China's rich resources in thoughts from its long history and its political system will offer us strong cohesion and help us withstand the unprecedented test.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
06/04/2021 |
EDITORIAL: “CONFRONTING CHINA” IN US INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN QUITE MISPLACED
Excerpts/Summary
(This editorial was carried in the English language Global Times under the title "US LOSES FOCUS BY INSERTING ANTI-CHINA IN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN" . The English version is reproduced below, pending translation of the Chinese one.)
US President Joe Biden unveiled a roughly $2 trillion American Jobs Plan focused on infrastructure and the climate crisis in a speech in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. To win support, he said that the "once-in-a-generation" investment would "put [the US] in a position to win the global competition with China in the upcoming years."Much of infrastructure in the US has been old. Both Democrats and Republicans are on the same page on this matter. US former president Barack Obama in September 2010 proposed his ambitious plan to renew the US' transportation infrastructure, but failed to achieve it in both of his terms. Neither did Donald Trump. Biden launched the third round of such attempt. His plan contains the greatest details and seems to be the most serious one.
However, the Biden administration's infrastructure plan was met with opposition from Republicans when it was announced. Trump slammed the infrastructure plan as a "giveaway to China" in a statement on Wednesday, and said that the proposed tax increases designed to fund the $2 trillion proposal would end up backfiring by sending American jobs overseas. Biden may once again have mired himself down in a situation where everyone agrees that it was the right thing to do, but no one can agree on how to do it or where the money will come from.
US society has been gravely divided. The more interests involved in carrying out a big plan, the more opportunities for political struggles to be created, which will hinder the goal to be achieved. This is the root of the US' problem. To engage in infrastructure construction, the internal driving force of society should have been far greater than the resistance from disputes by different interest groups, but this is not the case in the US. Exploiting "defeating China" as a thrust to push the plan sharply deviates from the appropriate track. This makes the plan hard to achieve.
Has China ever thought of competing with the US as it builds high-speed trains, widen the highway network and build network base stations? They are entirely China's own national agenda. The incentive to invest is strong, and the general public is very supportive. We can say that China's infrastructure advances with ease. Our concern is often that we should not work lavishly on these projects in case they lead to interim waste or debt.
The US now has China everywhere in its mind with regard to its domestic policy, attaching labels of national security randomly, and blaming China for any industrial imbalance in the US. Apart from instigating nationalism, this would do little to solve the problem. Over time, the US will not only be down with an anti-China syndrome and strike at anything Chinese, but will also only be able to make its policy with anti-China elements. This will lead to the misdirection of its goal time and again and cause it lose its way in development.
The US should force itself to forget about China more often. What the US needs to do is struggling with itself. It has been more than a decade since it has called for the construction of the high-speed railway. Why hasn't a single kilometer been built? What does this inefficiency have to do with China? Trump overturned many of Obama's policies and now Biden overturned Trump's policies. Is this what China seduced the US to do?
It is quite impressive that Washington is beginning to value some important lessons from China. Conflict is also a way to learn from each other. China's key experience is to mind its own work well. Biden's determination to improve infrastructure and increase investment in technology seems to have taken something from China's direction. We hope that the US could adhere to this idea. It is the right way forward.
If the US really initiated a new investment in infrastructure, it is believed that Chinese society in general will be optimistic about its success. More of this kind of engagement by the US will increase its market demand, which is a positive factor in the expansion of China's economic growth. After all, the contest between China and the US should have been focused on the competition of domestic development, rather than playing chess on the diplomatic front.
If Washington had refocused its attention, it might not have exaggerated the "China threat" theory as much as it does now. They will find that the benefits of China-US cooperation may outweigh the zero-sum competition with China "from a position of strength." China could be a partner, not a rival, in Biden's plan to revitalize US infrastructure, if Washington so desires.
Obsessive focus on making enemies or confrontation is narrow-minded and an exhausted strategy. It is an unwise one. This is true of a person, and it is also true of a country.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
06/04/2021 |
15103: IN FOCUS: GENERATIONAL SHIFT IN U.S. POLITICAL ELITES AND POLICY TOWARD CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
WANG YI TELLS JAPAN: DON’T STRETCH YOUR HANDS TOO FAR
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
15101: US IGNORES BRZEZINSKI’S WARNING, FACES DILEMMA
Excerpts/Summary
The late renowned US geopolitical thinker Zbigniew Brzezinski made an insightful and exclusive analysis of geopolitical patterns in his famous book The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives. Many of his judgments still have vitality today. Brzezinski pointed out in his book that "Potentially, the most dangerous scenario would be a grand coalition of China, Russia, and perhaps Iran, an 'antihegemonic' coalition united not by ideology but by complementary grievances." His warnings against US diplomacy have once again garnered much attention in recent days. Whereas US relations with China, Russia and Iran have, to varying degrees, fallen into tensions, the latter three countries have made new progresses in developing relations among them. This pattern has made some media outlets and analysts believe that Brzezinski's prediction is now becoming a reality. However, if we look deeper into Brzezinski's point of view, perhaps we shouldn't focus too much on whether it has, or will, come true or not. Brzezinski himself held onto the belief that such "contingency" was remote. In fact, what he really wanted to convey by issuing such a warning is that the US shouldn't make enemies everywhere and bring ruin upon itself. Brzezinski wrote, Eurasia is the "chessboard on which the struggle for global primacy continues to be played," where there are many "geostrategic players" and "geopolitical pivots." He added, "How the United States both manipulates and accommodates the principal geostrategic players on the Eurasian chessboard and how it manages Eurasia's key geopolitical pivots will be critical to the longevity and stability of America's global primacy." In the view of Brzezinski, China and Russia are classified into geostrategic players, while Iran is one of the geopolitical pivots. This can illustrate the importance of the three countries. In the 1990s, the US was immersed in the dream of pursuing "unipolar hegemony." Against this backdrop, Brzezinski put forward such prudent judgment and advice to the US policymakers. This shows his capability. Unfortunately, since he published his analysis more than two decades ago, US diplomacy has been walking along the track of self-centeredness — especially as "America First." For example, president Bill Clinton promoted democracy across the world. George W. Bush recklessly waged wars in the name of countering terrorism. Barack Obama used his presidency to redefine "American exceptionalism." Donald Trump attempted to reconstruct US hegemony by disruptive means. The US never seems to have a deep, accurate assessment of the real world in which it is a part. It does not seem to know what role it is supposed to play. This country lives in a world of its own imagination. When Joe Biden took office, there was much talk that "America is back," and that "diplomacy is back at the center of [US'] foreign policy." We've heard that the "alliance of democracies" would lead the world again. These loud but empty slogans still ignore the fast-changing nature of world politics revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The US may want to come back, but is the world willing or able to go back to the times when the US could rally multitudes at its calls? If a global poll were conducted, the answer to that question would probably not satisfy the US. With the foreign policy of the new administration, it is obvious that the traces of American bullying are still evident. The US has alleged to see "a stiff competition with China," to unite like-minded allies and partners and to hold China accountable on a variety of issues by building a position of strength. The US President ignored diplomatic protocols and called the Russian leader a "killer." This was a personal attack that is not helpful to bilateral relations — not now and not at any time. The US has declared to come back into compliance with the Iran nuclear deal. But it only mentions the obligations for Iran to dismantle some of its nuclear equipment, rather than the US' responsibility to lift sanctions. The US has failed to show due respect for a sovereign state. Faced with the development of friendly, non-aligned interstate relations between China, Russia and Iran, the US is once again suffering from its delusions of persecution. It went back to its old ways of looking for enemies and trying to tie the entire West to its chariot against non-Western countries. Regardless of the development of the trilateral relations, Washington should realize that the time when the US could confront several countries at the same time has long passed. This Cold War mentality no longer meets the current reality. As Brzezinski argued, in the long run, global politics is destined to become increasingly incompatible with a situation in which one country has exclusive hegemonic power. Thus, the US is not only the first and only truly global superpower. But it may well be the last as well. The US government should perhaps listen more often to such honest advice, though they may be unpleasant to hear. In addition to dealing with the pandemic and recovering the US economy, the Biden administration needs to thoroughly rethink the US foreign policy and give up illusions of hegemony. Washington needs to think seriously about how to treat other countries in the world as equals and live together peacefully. It also needs to try to be a normal member of the international community instead of an exceptional, American-style leader. The author is an assistant research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
15100: INDIA MEDIA SENSATIONALIZING TAIWAN QUESTION MERELY ATTEMPT TO ATTRACT ATTENTION: EXPERTS
Excerpts/Summary
Indian media should not make eye-catching sensational reports on Taiwan question, and if Indian government challenges China's bottom line it will result in a tit-for-tat response from China, Chinese experts warned, after the Chinese Embassy in India condemned Indian media for seriously violating the One-China principle and provoking China's bottom line in a wrong editorial on Taiwan island. The embassy urged the media to take a correct stance and avoid sending wrong messages to the public, a spokesperson of the embassy said in a statement on Monday. It expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the "erroneous remarks" of the media in question. The embassy did not directly mention the name of the Indian media, but the Global Times found that the Times of India recently published an editorial titled "New Delhi-Taipei cooperation is both mutually beneficial and a pointed signal to China" challenging China's red line on Taiwan island. Indian media and think tanks have been constantly egging the government on to "break the bottom line" due to various factors, but experts believe that the Indian government is still sober and cautious, and knows where the "red line" lies, and that China also has "cards" that can be played in a tit-for-tat exchange. Long Xingchun, president of the Chengdu Institute of World Affairs, told the Global Times on Tuesday that Indian media is only fooling itself and attempting to attract attention in inciting the Indian government to play cards over the Taiwan question. Playing the "Taiwan card" has always existed in India's policy toward China, and such a tone will quickly rise to the surface when there are twists and turns in China-India relations or there is a demand for the Indian government to cooperate with the US to contain China, experts said. The Indian government clearly understands crossing China's bottom line will bring harm to bilateral relations, and India won't get any payoff from it, thus India will not make major moves on Taiwan question, but some small actions that beef up communications with Taiwan cannot be ruled out, Long noted. In its editorial, the newspaper claimed that "India shouldn't be overly concerned about China's political claims on Taiwan" and advocated that "cooperation with Taipei makes strategic sense for New Delhi" when Beijing clearly doesn't respect "One India." It even incited India to collaborate with Taiwan island in several fields from smart cities and farm tech to semiconductors, renewable energy and Mandarin learning. "Taiwan Education Centres can easily substitute for China's problematic Confucius Institutes," it said. The "One India" concept was first publicly proposed by the then Indian foreign minister Swaraj when she talked about China-India relations in 2014, meaning that China had to make concessions in the China-India territorial disputes and recognize Kashmir as Indian territory, experts noted. As for how China can counter India in this regard, Lin Minwang, a research fellow with the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, said that India's control of Kashmir is a headache for the Indian government. If India supports China's separatist forces, it means that it has undermined the principle of establishing diplomatic relations, and China will not respect India's sovereignty or territorial integrity. Long said that many armed forces in India, especially in the northeast, have demanded China's support. The embassy said that China firmly opposes any country that has diplomatic ties with China making any form of official contact or exchanges with Taiwan. China's red line on the Taiwan question cannot be challenged and there is no room for compromise, the embassy said. The Chinese government has firm resolve to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We have the capability to thwart separatist attempts for "Taiwan independence" in whatever form, the embassy said.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
15099: WHY THERE HAS BEEN AN OVERWHELMING FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND CPC IN WEST
Excerpts/Summary
The Communist Party of China (CPC) is like no other party in the world. It requires us to rethink the very idea of what a political party is. It is a phenomenon intrinsic to China. It is ineluctably Chinese. The CPC's extraordinary success is because it found a way during its 100-year history of combining a huge reforming capacity with a profound rootedness in Chinese society and culture. If the imperial dynasties defined Chinese governance for two millennia, the CPC has assumed a not dissimilar importance in China since 1949.
There has been an overwhelming failure to grasp the nature of the CPC in the West. This ignorance reached new heights after 2016. The CPC was equated with the Soviet Communist Party. But they have very little in common. Why should they? Russia could hardly be more different from China. The CPSU was a historical failure: in contrast, the CPC, over the last century, has arguably been the world's most successful political party. It is impossible to understand the CPC in terms of traditional Marxism; from well before 1949, the CPC's Marxism was highly nativized. The CPC, furthermore, is rooted in and profoundly influenced by Confucianism. It might be described as a hybrid of Chinese Marxism and Confucianism. The CPC is shaped by and is as complex as Chinese civilization, of which, of course, it is a product.
There is a profound belief in the West that a one-party system is unsustainable because it is incapable of reform. That is not born out by the history of the CPC. It has, more than any other party in the world, displayed a remarkable ability to reform. Perhaps the most dramatic illustration was the transition from Mao Zedong to Deng Xiaoping. Deng recognised that the Maoist system was stymied and introduced two fundamental reforms: he embraced the market as integral to Chinese socialism alongside the state and planning; and integrated China into the global economy. Such a profound shift could only be executed by a party possessed of huge self-confidence and with very deep roots in society. It is also a reminder of the essential pragmatism that informs the CPC. "Seek truth from facts" lies at the heart of its philosophy and has been the underlying principle of the reform period. This has never been the case more than now. Professionalism, experimentalism and the scientific method are the hallmark of Chinese governance.
In the West, the debate about governance has been overwhelmingly organised around the principle of electoral democracy. State competence is regarded as very much secondary. The opposite is true in China: state competence is primary. This is closely related to the importance attached to meritocracy, both now and historically. In order to rise to the highest levels, the party requires a very high level of education and the broadest experience of managing a modern economy and society. Two examples will suffice to illustrate the extraordinary competence of Chinese governance: first, China's economic rise over the last 40 years, the most remarkable economic transformation in modern history; and second, the manner in which China succeeded in eliminating the pandemic, which was a triumph of governance.
China has never regarded itself as a model for others. It has long recognised that its history, culture and sheer size make it unique. China has never required or expected other countries to be like it. The CPC has never thought its political system should be regarded as a template for others, unlike in the case of the US, UK and the former Soviet Union. China's rise will not change that. In the longer term we should expect a different tendency: As China becomes increasingly important and influential as an exemplar, other countries will inevitably seek to learn from its achievements, be it, for example, economic policy, dealing with pandemics, technological innovation, governmental competence or climate change.
The CPC has set the goal of building "a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious" by 2049. That still lies almost three decades in the future. By then one can only surmise where China might be and what level it might have reached. It is likely to be by far the largest economy in the world. It will enjoy far higher living standards, though still well short of those in the US. Travel times between cities and within cities will have greatly contracted. A large majority of the population will have been born since 2000 with no first-hand knowledge of when China was still poor and half the population lived in the countryside, in other words, with profoundly different expectations. To govern and lead a very different kind of country will require the CPC to continue its constant process of change and reinvention. The fact that it combines pragmatism with the great Chinese tradition of thinking long-term will stand it in good stead. One thing is sure: Based on its achievements, its capacity for governance, and its ability to change, the CPC will still be China's leader and architect.
The author was until recently a Senior Fellow at the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University. He is a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University and a Senior Fellow at the China Institute, Fudan University.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
06/04/2021 |
INDIA’S HEAD IS SWOLLEN BY EGO TO THINK IT HAS A ‘TAIWAN CARD’ TO PLAY
Excerpts/Summary
What next for India? Illustration: Liu Rui/GT The Times of India (TOI) took a senseless step to test China's bottom line on the Taiwan question, calling the island "a vibrant nation" on Sunday. In an editorial entitled, "Taiwan message: New Delhi-Taipei cooperation is both mutually beneficial and a pointed signal to China," the TOI claimed "with the troop disengagement process in eastern Ladakh stalled, Beijing clearly doesn't respect 'One India.' There is no reason then for India to be overly sensitive about China's territorial claims." Editors of the piece seem to be in urgent need to brush up on both history and common sense. The Taiwan question was a result of China's civil war and is China's internal affairs. Border disputes are unsettled controversies among different countries. The two things are apples and oranges. "The TOI has gone way out of line by publicly stating that the island of Taiwan is a country," Liu Zongyi, secretary-general of the Research Center for China-South Asia Cooperation at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Liu noted what's concerning is that this editorial may represent the voice of New Delhi. So far, New Delhi does not have the nerve to break the one-China principle. But Liu said it has been playing tricks behind the scenes. This includes co-hosting forums to spread its concealed motives through dual-track communications. Take the Raisina Dialogue, a multilateral conference hosted by the India-based think tank Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. In 2016, Taiwan representative Tien Chung-Kwang was introduced as the "ambassador of embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to India" in the conference booklet. Observers believe when Indian media outlets get increasingly arrogant over the issue, it is not simply because of the so-called freedom of press. To some extent, they are backed by the government to make breakthroughs step by step, Liu suggested. After witnessing the US and some of its allies keep raising their voices on the Taiwan question, New Delhi, spoiled by Washington, which keeps cozying up to India, yet merely wants to make the South Asian nation a pawn, starts to have a swollen head to believe it also has a "Taiwan card" to play. It may fantasize it could make China compromise on border disputes by clamoring about the Taiwan question. But if India really tends to fish in troubled waters over the issue, China has enough tools to shatter its illusions. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, including respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of each other, is the cornerstone of China-India diplomatic relations. Supporting Taiwan secession is equivalent to violating the principle of the establishment of bilateral ties. In that case, New Delhi should beware of Beijing's reciprocal countermoves. "One of the measures could be not recognizing Sikkim as a part of India," Liu told Global Times. If India supports secessionist forces in China, the latter could as well support separatist forces in northeast India in an-eye-for-an-eye manner. The one thing India should concern the most is definitely not Taiwan, but its own disastrous epidemic. India reported a record rise in COVID-19 infections on Monday. Reuters reported that there were "103,558 new infections" in a single day. At this time, constantly playing up the Taiwan question would only make India appear that it is at its wits' end - every time India suffers from domestic problems, it ramps up tensions with China to distract the public's attention. India is supposed to be a developing country with enormous potential. Even amid the pandemic, it is the world's biggest maker of vaccines. Unfortunately, the country has only been hurting itself by putting geopolitical tricks in front of everything else.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
05/04/2021 |
15097: YIWU POINTS TO ACCELERATION OF FINANCIAL OPENING-UP
Excerpts/Summary
Can foreigners in China enjoy sufficient financial services? Yiwu, an export-oriented city in East China's Zhejiang Province, has made the country's first move to issue foreign merchant cards that provide foreigners with financial services to facilitate their online shopping, consumption as well as finance and investment needs. It has been an important achievement of Yiwu's financial reforms made over the past eight years. As an evaluation expert of Yiwu's financial reforms, I have been extremely impressed with the city's diligent work. In an evaluation conference held early this month, Yiwu mayor Wang Jian solicited more support from officials from Beijing to let foreigners obtain better financial services so that they could pursue more trans-border financial cooperation projects. Yiwu's call for more financial opening measures is well-founded. As the world's top wholesale market for small commodities, more than 500,000 foreign businessmen come to Yiwu for purchasing annually, and about 15,000 merchants from more than 100 countries and regions have permanently stayed in the city. Many people do not think that this small county-level city has the most delivery businesses and is an experimental city that has piloted over 20 national reforms. For example, the individual foreign exchange settlement system was extended from Yiwu to the whole country. Yiwu's financial opening epitomizes China's reform and opening-up progress. As China is being integrated deeply into the world, no force can stop the advancement of the country's reform and opening-up - of which financial opening-up is an integral part. There are people both within the country and abroad who criticize China's financial opening-up. Those in the country worry that financial opening-up could lead to financial disturbances or systemic crisis. Some fear China's capital may exit the country or become controlled by foreign organizations. And, some foreigners have questioned the sincerity of China's financial opening-up measures, worrying that China will take a protectionist approach and restrict foreign capital from entering. Those voices have their limitations. When China's financial market was weak, the concern that developing countries' finance may be disturbed by foreign-controlled hot money is justified. The bloody lesson from the 1997 Asian financial crisis that began in Thailand has always been on the mind of China's financial researchers and decision-makers. Since China initiated the iconic reform and opening-up drive, a systematic financial crisis has never occurred in China over the past 40 years. Today, China has become one of the world's biggest credit markets and owns the largest foreign reserve. It is also the world's second-largest equity, bond and insurance market now. China has enough confidence to manage its opening-up steps. In 2018, China announced it would greatly widen the market access to overseas financial organizations, including its stock and bonds market. In 2020, the country even canceled the shareholding ratio requirement for foreign investment, a sign that China's financial sector was accelerating opening-up. A survey in 2020 showed that 67 percent of foreign companies believed that China's financial sector had opened up more with an easier access. The study further found that the biggest challenges for China's financial reforms include giving foreign companies national treatment and market access (43 percent), improving China-US relations (23 percent), compliance issue (17 percent), and competition from Chinese financial institutions (13 percent). The statistics objectively reflect the complexity and comprehensiveness of China's financial sector opening-up. I would like to remind foreign friends not to doubt the sincerity of China's financial opening-up measures. The majority of the Chinese people have realized that financial opening-up is an important part of China's national rejuvenation efforts. A very much developed and open financial system can better relocate resources across the globe and provide flexible assistance to economies that suffer from emergencies and adverse impacts. It can also mobilize domestic and foreign resources with financial tools to boost a country's long-term and steady economic growth. It can accelerate technological development and upgrade key industries and build up the national strength. If we compare finance in China and the US, China's financial sector remains quite young. It needs to learn lessons from the US and other developed countries. In this light, China must strike a triangle balance among security, development and opening-up. From the perspective of Yiwu city, I feel more hopeful. As they promote financial services for foreigners, they also guard against possible pitfalls by comprehensively assessing the credit risks of foreign organizations. We have every reason to believe that China's financial sector opening-up has just started. The author is professor and executive dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of ChinaJournal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
05/04/2021 |
15096: EQUALITY MEANS NO COUNTRY CAN VIEW ITSELF AS SUPERIOR
Excerpts/Summary
China does not accept any country in the world that places itself as superior to others, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a press conference on Sunday about his recent meetings in East China's Fujian Province with foreign ministers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Korea, according to China's Foreign Ministry. The remarks send a signal that China's diplomacy is getting increasingly confident and decisive.
Wang said he has communicated with foreign ministers from the five countries on China-US ties, and all sides agreed that China's development and growth is in line with the anticipations of regional countries as well as their long-term interests. The door for dialogue with China is open, but the dialogue must be done on an equal basis and with mutual respect, Wang said, according to a press release from the Foreign Ministry.
The remarks give clear indications in three categories. To begin with, China adheres to the principle of mutual respect when interacting with others diplomatically. Such a stance will not change because of other countries' different national strengths. Also as the international order is now at a critical crossroads, what kinds of criteria should be followed in future global interactions? Wang's statement offers a clue.
Wang echoes and reemphasizes what Chinese top diplomat Yang Jiechi made clear during the Alaska talks with the US in March, when Yang articulated that the US is "not qualified to speak to China from a position of strength."
Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Monday that "China is getting more courageous and resolute, and is dealing with global affairs with Chinese wisdom and strategies." A new mode of interactions between the two powers is taking shape, where China is trying to communicate with the US with confidence, on an equal footing and on the basis of the new balance of power. The world is witnessing the new change in global order where the East is rising while the West is declining. This is a fact recognized by many observers, Li said.
Yet when China speaks up or makes counter moves against US bullying, Washington can hardly digest the change with its "how dare China" anxiety. It wishes to be head and shoulders above others indefinitely and believes it can deal with China as it did with its puppet allies.
Worse, the US is pinning the "wolf warrior" label on China's current diplomacy. Li told Global Times that the US itself is the craziest wolf warrior in the world, as it brings wars and turmoil everywhere it sets foot. "US diplomacy is belligerent and is splitting the world apart," Li said. Quite the contrary, China's diplomacy is peaceful, inclusive, reciprocal and full of mutual respect.
When China said it does not accept any country placing itself as superior to others, it is not speaking for itself, but a growing number of countries. Asian nations are well aware that regional peace should be grasped in their own hands.
As Wang said, China will not compromise or retreat, as it sticks to the basic norms of international relations and stands for the interests of many developing, small and medium-sized countries.
If Washington still cannot figure this out, Beijing will keep reminding it, time and again.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
05/04/2021 |
15095: NO ISSUE OF THE NEWSPAPER ON ACCOUNT OF QING MING HOLIDAY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
04/04/2021 |
15094: COLD WAR MENTALITY WON’T RESTORE US’ DECLINING SOFT POWER
Excerpts/Summary
Will the Cold War come back? Elites and politicians in the strategic domain are getting more serious about this question after US President Joe Biden declared to forge an "alliance of democracies". After the China-US Alaska talks on March 19, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to the Middle East and his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was described by the New York Times as an attempt to forge an "alliance of autocracies." "The world is increasingly dividing into distinct if not purely ideological camps, with both China and the US hoping to lure supporters," it read.
The US always had the Cold War mentality during and after the Cold War. Biden made that clear in his first presidential news conference on March 25 when he called the challenge from China and Russia "a battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies." Biden's alliance strategy strengthened both the Cold War mentality and actions at the same time, trying to make the world believe that the Cold War was inevitable.
"But it's almost impossible to divide the world into two separate camps, because the world is not just the US and China. There are many countries in the world and many international organizations, and they have different voices about where the international order is moving toward." Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday.
The objective reality of the declining soft power of the US proves that the Cold War order that the US desires ̶ an autocracy camp against a democracy camp ̶̶ will not become the mainstream value of the world. The poverty, racial discrimination, collapse of democracy and economic recession that the US faces at home will not be solved by dividing the world into two camps. Moreover, none of the US allies will be willing to follow the US on every issue or take sides against China. US has its strength, absolutely, but it should not overestimate its omnipotence.
Behind the Cold War mentality was the idea of trying to resolve internal divisions in Western society by means of instigating external challenges. The result is a Washington that is unable to focus on solving its domestic issues, and a climate that makes it difficult to work with other nations on global issues. "The most effective way to deal with US' desire to divide the world is to establish a multilevel equilibrium in different directions." Li noted.
Robert Kagan described the US as a "dangerous nation" in his book Dangerous Nation: America's Place in the World, from its Earliest Days to the Dawn of the 20th Century. Exactly. The diplomatic policy of the US has become more and more irrational, thus making the country a dangerous one. It looks at China whenever making a policy. Will all countries need to take sides between the US and China in their policymaking and economic development?
US and Western politicians with political amnesia seem to have forgotten what the ideological opposition in 1947 has brought to the world. It has caused long-term confrontation between the East and the West, impeded the integrated development of the world, caused the division of Germany, Korea and other countries, and triggered local wars. When security and survival become the overwhelming priority, how can we talk about development?
In the Cold War era, the two camps were isolated from each other and formed two parallel markets, which brought incalculable negative impact on the development of the world economy. The development of the world economy evolved from the "two camps" and "three worlds" model to the current huge and unified division of labor system that spans regions and political systems and covers almost all countries is one of the biggest achievements of economic globalization. As countries become increasingly dependent on each other on market supply, manufacturing, and division of labor, a new cold war will inevitably lead to the collapse of the industrial chain and losses for both sides.
Cold War mentality and forcing other countries to take sides is not a demonstration of US' power. However, as Bloomberg mentioned in an article entitled "US-China Cold War Will Have More Than Two Sides", that "such cold war ideologies can never truly replace [US'] messy reality." In short, Cold War mentality won't restore US' declining soft power.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
04/04/2021 |
15093: NO ISSUE OF THE NEWSPAPER ON ACCOUNT OF QING MING HOLIDAY-SUNDAY
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
03/04/2021 |
15092: NO ISSUE OF THE NEWSPAPER ON ACCOUNT OF QING MING HOLIDAY
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/04/2021 |
15091: INDIA SPLASHES $1 BILLION TO ATTRACT SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANIES
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/04/2021 |
COMPARING IMPORTS AND EXPORTS TO CHINA, INDIAN MEDIA MOCKS ITSELF AS A “COLONY”
Excerpts/Summary
India's "Print" April 1 article, originally titled: India has been reduced to a colony of China ?
Looking at India's exports and imports, it seems that yes, India's exports to China have increased over the past few years, and imports from China have decreased. But a closer look at trade items between the two countries reveals that bilateral trade remains unbalanced. Experts say that trade data for 2014-2015 to 2019-2020 show that exports of low-value raw materials and imports of high-value manufactured goods characterize India's trade relationship with China, somewhat similar to India's pre-independence relationship with colonial ruler Britain. This trade pattern means that India's exports to China have accounted for only 1/5th of India's imports from China over the past six years.
In the first six years to 2020, India's average annual exports to China were about $13 billion, while India's average annual imports from China were worth $66 billion. India's exports (to China) include food products such as fish and spices, as well as primary products such as iron ore, granite and petroleum products, while imports from China are mainly electrical equipment and other mechanical appliances. Experts say this trade pattern is not likely to change significantly in the short term, and some of the changes that occurred this fiscal year due to the epidemic may be short-lived.
Ajay Sahai, Director General of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, said the current trade pattern reflects the level of manufacturing in India. "This is related to the level of manufacturing in India. We import finished products from China to meet India's domestic demand. For example, India has started a telecom revolution that requires large imports of telecom equipment and cell phones from China. China dominated the electronics hardware market, while Indian industry was still in its infancy".
The famous historian, Bipan Chandra, has written that the free trade policy pursued by the British in India had led to a surplus of raw material exports from India, but the corresponding economic prospects did not improve. According to Professor Biswajit Dhar of the Centre for Economic Research and Planning, School of Social Sciences, Nehru University, New Delhi, "The pattern of trade between India and China is a colonial pattern of trade".
He argues that "India's limited manufacturing capacity is waning as Indian industry is unable to withstand Chinese competition. China, the world's factory, needs raw materials and intermediate products to fuel its manufacturing sector. And India has became a supplier of these products".
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/04/2021 |
OUR REPORTER VISITED THE MARTYRS’ HOMES ON EVE OF QINGMING FESTIVAL,
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/04/2021 |
15088: FRENCH WARSHIP VISITS INDIA INPREPARATION FOR FIVE NATION EXERCISES
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15087: BIDEN NOT TO LET CHINA SURPASS USA
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On Biden's first press conference: translation underway
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/04/2021 | OBSERVER: EU’S “STRATEGIC AUTONOMY” MUST NOT TAKE A WRONG DIRECTION | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15085: CHINA, RUSSIA SHOULD EXPLORE MORE UN DOMAINS FOR COOPERATION: SCHOLAR
Excerpts/Summary
Editor's Note: This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between Russia and China. During the recent visit to China by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the two sides agreed to extend the treaty and enrich it with the essence of a new era. What is the essence of the new era? What is the trajectory of China-Russia relations in face of US hegemony? Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen interviewed Ivan Timofeev (Timofeev), Director of Programs at the Russian International Affairs Council, over these issues. GT: What do you think are entailed in the essence of the new era in terms of China-Russia relations? Timofeev: The treaty was a significant landmark in Russia-China relations. To understand its importance one just needs to compare Russia-West and Russia-China relations. The Russia-West border is getting more and more militarized while the Russia-China border is getting less and less militarized. We have no territorial disputes and our trade and political relations are moving forward. We may need to rethink the treaty in the future due to the fact that Sino-Russian relations are getting closer to alliance relations. This alliance may be flexible; however, the quality of relations now is different than we had even 10 years ago. And this new quality needs a reflection in the legal framework of our relations. GT: Before US President Joe Biden took office, he labeled Russia as the biggest threat to US security and an opponent, while China is a "serious competitor." In Biden's tenure, what will be the trajectory of Russia-US relations and China-US relations? What will be the biggest factor of uncertainty for Russia-US relations? Timofeev: Russia-US relations are trapped by contradictions on fundamental issues and are not likely to improve in the near future. The key uncertainty is about new political incidents, which may make relations even harder. The US approach to China will be more hostile. This is a long term strategy to contain China. And the change of administration will hardly affect this strategic priority for the US. GT: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China and Russia should work together to fight color revolution and disinformation. Both are victims of the Western color revolution and propaganda offensives. In what areas can the two sides cooperate? Timofeev: Both China and Russia regard color revolutions as an interference into domestic affairs. Moscow and Beijing may cooperate closer on exposing the fake news about the two countries. Both countries need to increase youth exchanges and raise awareness about the culture, history and society of each other. GT: Europe and the US have ratcheted up sanctions on Russia and China over human rights, but avoided economic sanctions comparatively. Are these sanctions a show of their hegemony? Some Russian scholars believe the sanctions will be a new normal in Russia and China's relations with the West. What do you think? Timofeev: Human rights sanctions are rather of a signaling nature. They do not affect the economy much. However, there is a potential for targeted sanctions, which may be more painful for both countries. We will see more sanctions against China and Russia in the future. Yes, this is a new normal. GT: A joint statement by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov opposed politicization and double standards on human rights issues. How can China and Russia join hands to counter the West, e.g. via the UN Human Rights Council? Timofeev: Russia and China have a good and solid experience of cooperation at the UN Security Council. However, more domains should be explored and UNHRC is one of them. Human rights is an important global issue and both countries should address it via the UN. What Russia and China could do is to promote the resolution of global problems, such as poverty. Real achievements on improvement of human lives give much more than just words about human rights. Other UN institutions like UNDP may be a field of more active efforts. GT: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during his trip to Chinese city of Guilin that China and Russia should work together to move away from dollar payments. This triggered attention from the Western media. You also suggested in your article the issue of a single payment system in the EAEU and the SCO formats. Can you explain the roadmap for such measures? Timofeev: The US dollar is a comfortable instrument for international business. However, the US may use it to achieve political goals, so China, Russia and even the EU have to think about alternatives. This change should not be done overnight, not to harm business. But gradual change is needed. GT: Both China and Russia stress partnership rather than an alliance, but both do face real security threats from the US-led West. How can China and Russia cooperate in providing mutual security support? Timofeev: Sino-Russian relations are still not an alliance, but they are more than partnership. Both sides should carefully work on the parameters of new relations to address common security challenges. I would not exclude the alliance in the future, especially if the pressure from the West is growing up. GT: To what extent does the world come to a balance of power with one side being China and Russia and the other side led by the US and the West? Timofeev: I would not say that we already have such a balance. But this is one of the possible alternatives for the world in the future. Russia and China are feeling good in a multipolar world. However, they may be forced to compose a closer security alliance and promote their interests in an increasingly bipolar world. This would be an alternative to the US hegemony.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
CHINA’S VACCINATION SCHEDULE ATTRACTS ATTENTION
Excerpts/Summary
Singapore’s "Lianhe Zaobao" article on March 31, original title: China's vaccination percentage is very low.
Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, recently called on people to get vaccinated, saying that China is at risk, in waiting for foreign countries to get immunized. He emphasized that there is a gap now, and that China's good control (in response to the epidemic) was to buy time to get the vaccine.
Bloomberg News article on March 30, original title: China’s vaccination plan will increase the country’s GDP growth rate to 9.3%. Oxford Economic Research Institute predicts that China’s ambitious new corona vaccination plan to increase the vaccination rate by the end of June to 40%, may accelerate the country’s economic growth rate to 9.3%.
The Oxford Economics Institute estimates that this will require vaccinating 10 million people every day, which is twice the current rate. If China continues to maintain this pace in the third quarter and vaccinates 60%-70% of the population, it will be possible to achieve some degree of herd immunity. The report stated, “Although China’s economic prospects are not as dependent on the speed of vaccination as other countries, increasing the vaccination rate is essential for the country’s full return to normalcy and narrowing the immunity gap with other countries, which alone can enable China to be safe enough to open its borders”.
Reuters article on March 31, original title: Chinese State media warns against "crude" promotion of vaccination. Chinese State media reported on Wednesday that some places have adopted "simplistic and crude" measures to promote vaccination. The vaccination situation has been linked to students’ graduation and teacher performance evaluation by the authorities in some schools; some units ignore the special physical conditions of some employees and require all employees to be vaccinated on a “one size fits all” basis; some places use administrative power to intervene in the normal production and operation order of enterprises in order to improve the vaccination schedule …China’s vaccination follows the voluntary principle, and the report claims that resorting to such “oversimplification” may increase the resistance of some people.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15083: PAKISTANI MEDIA: CHINA AND RUSSIA JOIN FORCES TO COUNTER US LUNAR AMBITIONS
Excerpts/Summary
Pakistan's "Daily Times" article on March 31, original title: New Space Order.
One of the important events during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was their ambitious space race. Both countries wanted to do their best to leave a lasting mark in space. Russia is still in the space race in cooperation with China. This will become a cause of concern for the United States, because both China and Russia are America’s main competitors in the economic, diplomatic, and military fields.
On March 9 this year, the China National Space Administration and the Russian Federal Space Administration signed a memorandum of understanding. The two sides decided to jointly establish an independent permanent research base on the moon. This research station will be called the International Lunar Research Station. Russia has been observing the American space race for decades. Perhaps Russia wants to counter the US-led "Artemis" moon landing plan through cooperation with China.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov has expressed his disapproval of the United States' space ambitions, saying that "it is unacceptable for the United States to unilaterally privatize and colonize space."
Like Russia, China plans to maintain a permanent presence on the moon by 2036. Russia has a three-step lunar development plan. The goal is to implement it between 2025 and 2040, including the lunar orbital module (2025), the construction of a lunar base (2035-2034), and the construction of a manned lunar comprehensive exploration system ( 2040). According to the memorandum of understanding signed by China and Russia, China and Russia will build an Earth-Moon Space Economic Zone, which will promote future space development. China is eager to become a global leader by 2045, with a view to displaying its high-end technology to the world through Mars exploration missions and soft landing on the moon.
On the other hand, Russia has experience in a space race with the United States during the Cold War. By cooperating with China, Moscow can coordinate and integrate its human, capital, and technological resources to counter the US presence in space, specifically, the US presence on the moon.
In addition to the United States, India is also paying close attention to China and Russia, as India continues to advance its mission to explore the moon and space.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15082: U.S. GATHERS 13 COUNTRIES TO QUESTION WHO REPORT
Excerpts/Summary
The United States gathered 13 countries to issue a joint statement on March 30th, questioning the research report on the origin of the new crown virus published by the World Health Organization that day, saying that the report was “delayed for a long time and that they shared the concern that complete data could not be obtained”. The White House Press Secretary named "China's opaqueness," and several major US media outlets also clamored for "accountability" from China.............
.................The EU did not participate in the joint declaration as a whole. .......This should be the second time that the Biden administration has launched an "allied joint action" against China after the joint allies sanctioned China on the so-called "Xinjiang human rights issue" last week. In addition to the United States, the 13 countries that have signed the joint declaration are Australia, Britain, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, South Korea and Slovenia.
......................(contd.)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15081: INDIA SHOULD NOT SEEK CLOSER TIES WITH US AT EXPENSE OF RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
India can't achieve its development by getting on the US chariot. India-US proximity now is different from the rapprochement of China and the US (1972-2000). The US is using India to contain China, which squeezes India's resources for economic development.
A view in New Delhi's strategic circle argues that China benefited greatly from its engagement with the US from 1972 to around the year 2000, and thus, India should learn from China to use the US chariot to achieve its own development.
There is no problem at all for New Delhi to strengthen its economic ties with Washington, as the US remains the world's largest economy today. But there is a big difference between the India-US proximity now and China and the US moving close back then.
First, Beijing and Washington began their cooperation partly to jointly confront the Soviet Union during the Cold War era. The US almost had no economic exchanges with its then-rival, the Soviet Union. But now the Cold War has been long over, and China is not the new Soviet Union. China is still quite close with the US, especially economically. The large scale of trade between the two countries is self-evident.
Second, after China-US relations were normalized and Beijing and Washington began economic cooperation, many of the US' low- and medium-end industries were transferred to China. But now, the US domestic manufacturing is facing a state of hollowing out. Washington now wants to bring the manufacturing back. It does not have much to transfer to New Delhi.
From 1972 to 2000, China and the US approaching each other objectively alleviated China's security pressure, allowing China to concentrate more resources on economic construction. However, New Delhi's approach to Washington today will do more harm than good to India's security and economy.
In terms of security, India wants to take advantage of the US, but the US is also seeking to make use of India to contain and confront China. This will inevitably intensify the China-India confrontation, requiring India to invest more in the military field. As a result, it will squeeze India's resources for economic development, which is not beneficial for New Delhi.
With the continuous rise of emerging economies, the US' national strength is declining. Many actions of the US are based on its own interests. India now wants to get on the US chariot, but the present-day US no longer has the international status it had during the Cold War.
If there is a military conflict between China and India, the US will at best provide India with political and diplomatic aid, as well as weapons and intelligence. New Delhi must understand that Washington will not fight a war with Beijing for the sake of India. India will have to bear the price itself if it starts a military conflict with China.
India needs to understand that what India is facing is China, a country that currently plays the role the US played in the 1980s and 1990s.
When China started opening-up to the US, the US was a huge economic engine in the world, which objectively pushed China's development. However, China is now the world's second-largest economy, and it has regained its position as the top trading partner of India in 2020, while the US is in a phase of relative decline.
India's approach to the US today and its resistance to Chinese investment have a great impact on the Indian economy. China's all-round opening-up at that time was not limited to the US; it was open to all countries and regions. India's current approach to crack down on China's investment to get closer to the US has damaged India's investment environment.
If the opportunity of achieving economic growth is missed, it will be very detrimental to India's development. India will lose a historic opportunity to become a powerful country.
Therefore, the most sensible choice for India is to stick to traditional strategic thinking, which is keeping a balance. It's no problem to have a good relationship with the US, but it cannot be done at the expense of the relationship with China.
New Delhi has made major mistakes in its strategic judgment of Beijing, perceiving that the latter has the intention of threatening it. However, if India continues with such a misunderstanding, it will spend a lot of economic resources on confrontation with China, which will hinder its own rise.
The author is a senior research fellow with the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, and president of the Chengdu Institute of World Affairs.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15080: CHINA JUSTIFIED TO COUNTERATTACK WESTERN SMEARS
Excerpts/Summary
As China rises on the international stage, some Western countries feel that China is being increasingly offensive. China's moves that fight for its own interests and even objectively state facts will be regarded as "wolf warrior diplomacy" or even "arrogant." In their minds, China should swallow its anger, insults and smears, or at least not be on par with the West. These Western elites still believe this is the time when they can act capriciously. For example, The Economist released an article online for its April 3 print edition entitled "China is betting that the West is in irreversible decline." The article listed China's tough stance during the Alaska talks and China's recent sanctions on some British, Canadian and European Union individuals, concluding that China is "hubristic and paranoid" and is prepared for a "protracted struggle." Times have changed, but the mind-set of some Western elites has not. The US and other Western countries need a complete change in their understanding and attitude toward China. In the Western stereotype, China has been in a passive position in the international community ever since its gate was forcibly opened by the West in the 19th century. Western elites cannot accept that China is now righteously refuting their arrogance and nonsense. They should stop pretending that they can point fingers at China imperiously. That era has long been gone. April 1 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of Chinese air force pilot Wang Wei who died when his fighter jet collided with a US military reconnaissance aircraft in the South China Sea. In 2001, the US showed off at China's doorsteps, leading to Wang's sacrifice. But the US did not even apologize and the American pilot who crashed Wang's jet was even praised by the US. Today, does the West still expect China to endure Western elites' provocation like 20 years ago? China is a country of etiquette and Chinese diplomats abide by diplomatic etiquette. But when China is provoked and its core interests are threatened, China will never give in. When Western countries use fake news to smear China's governance in Xinjiang, try to mess up China's stability and even impose sanctions, China is absolutely justified to respond with countermeasures. This is what every sovereign country would do. China was once invaded by the "Eight-Nation Alliance" - troops from Britain, the US, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Italy and Austro-Hungary, and now it seems that the Group of Seven members are still staying in that era, trying to jointly criticize China's policies on Xinjiang, Hong Kong and other internal affairs. However, they can no longer use their so-called gunboat diplomacy to change today's China. They must deal with China in an equal and respectful manner. And if Western countries stubbornly twist the facts, wantonly undermine the rules and blatantly criticize China, then China's counterattack is completely justified. The right or wrong in this world is not determined by Western elites. Although it is very hard to change their mentality, they will gradually learn it the hard way from China's statements and acts. As China is gradually moving toward the center of the international arena, it is also viewing the world with a more confident, equal and tolerant mentality. However, the West is becoming increasingly paranoid. Western countries must understand that it is not their privilege but the rights of all countries - big or small - to speak out for their legitimate interests. Is the strength of the US and other Western countries declining? All countries will have their own judgments. But regardless of the balance of power, China's determination to safeguard its national dignity and core interests will never change.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15079: EDITORIAL: ENCIRCLE CHINA? WHO WANTS TO BE BRICKS ON US’ WALL AGAINST CHINA?
Excerpts/Summary
From March 31 to April 3, the foreign ministers of four members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines - as well as the South Korean foreign minister will pay a visit to China consecutively. This follows Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's recent visit to six Middle East countries and Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe's visit to four European countries. Before that, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited China from March 22 to 23.
It has been seen that China is releasing signals to break the US' encirclement through these diplomatic actions. In this regard, whether China explains itself does not matter anymore, because the impact that China's actions are seen to exert is already there. The only thing that we can probably say is that it is actually very easy to break the so-called US' encirclement, or in other words, building circles around China is a false proposition put forward by those who think too highly about themselves.
ASEAN is seen as one of the first regions to be affected by the US-China competition, but the visit of the four foreign ministers to China shows that China shares common interests with those countries in a wide range of issues. These issues include fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Moreover, on the Myanmar issue, China also shares a lot of similar positions with these countries and believes that the issues are Myanmar's internal affairs that should be resolved peacefully within the constitutional and legal framework.
China is the biggest trading partner of almost all ASEAN members. Between Beijing and ASEAN, the natural motivation and inertia to develop relations with each other are extremely strong. Washington's wish to "win ASEAN over" is purely delusional. Without the active participation of ASEAN, building circles around China will become a funny one-man show performed by the US.
As for South Korea, it is one of the US' core allies in the Asia-Pacific region. On Friday, South Korean National Security Adviser Suh Hoon will meet with his US and Japanese counterparts in Annapolis, Maryland. South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong is set to visit China on Friday and Saturday. Not long ago, he just attended the South Korea-US "2+2" talks. This is a true reflection of South Korea's attitude of not choosing between China and the US. In this way, it is unrealistic for the US to transform its post-Cold War alliance system directly into an anti-China alliance.
One of the biggest focal points of the Biden administration's anti-China alliance is Europe. However, it is not just south and east European countries that are working closely with China. Western European powers, which stressed that China is "a partner, competitor and systemic rival," are also insisting on their own interests. Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, said on March 26 that it was important for the EU to have a common identity on China.
The Middle East, except for Israel, is dominated by Islamic states, and it is a US dream to enlist them in an attack on Xinjiang-related issues. But Iran, Saudi Arabia and other countries have made it clear to Beijing that they support China's policies on Xinjiang. Moreover, several Islamic countries have signed a joint letter supporting China's position on issues related to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 2019.
The question is: How can the US turn so many countries with different interests and opinions into bricks to build a wall against China? Washington's elaborate encirclement of China has been blown to a hideous mess just by China's normal exchanges with other countries that had been delayed by the epidemic.
Under the environment of the fierce competition between China and the US, China dares to adhere to principles in other directions and stay firm when it comes to core national interests. It is because we understand that the US' ambition to encircle China seriously violates the basic reality of the international relations in the 21st century, and is doomed to fail. We can develop friendly relations with other countries in a frank and open way to safeguard our national interests.
Washington can never take advantage of China's disputes with other countries to instigate China's neighbors and the EU to go on the US chariot and jointly oppose China. Contemporary international relations are not one-dimensional. The interests of China and other countries are intertwined, and how could it be cut off with a geopolitical knife?
The main theme of diplomacy during the Cold War was alliance and confrontation. Many small countries had no choice but to be involved. But today, the main theme of international relations is balanced diplomacy. All countries have expanded room for maximizing their own interests by taking advantage of major power disputes. The US has been managing with an effort to contain China, but China has followed the normal logic of handling internal and external affairs, going with the trend. If the situation goes on like this, it will be the US that eventually finds it hard to carry on.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15078: CHINA JUSTIFIED TO COUNTERATTACK WESTERN SMEARS
Excerpts/Summary
As China rises on the international stage, some Western countries feel that China is being increasingly offensive. China's moves that fight for its own interests and even objectively state facts will be regarded as "wolf warrior diplomacy" or even "arrogant." In their minds, China should swallow its anger, insults and smears, or at least not be on par with the West. These Western elites still believe this is the time when they can act capriciously. For example, The Economist released an article online for its April 3 print edition entitled "China is betting that the West is in irreversible decline." The article listed China's tough stance during the Alaska talks and China's recent sanctions on some British, Canadian and European Union individuals, concluding that China is "hubristic and paranoid" and is prepared for a "protracted struggle." Times have changed, but the mind-set of some Western elites has not. The US and other Western countries need a complete change in their understanding and attitude toward China. In the Western stereotype, China has been in a passive position in the international community ever since its gate was forcibly opened by the West in the 19th century. Western elites cannot accept that China is now righteously refuting their arrogance and nonsense. They should stop pretending that they can point fingers at China imperiously. That era has long been gone. April 1 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of Chinese air force pilot Wang Wei who died when his fighter jet collided with a US military reconnaissance aircraft in the South China Sea. In 2001, the US showed off at China's doorsteps, leading to Wang's sacrifice. But the US did not even apologize and the American pilot who crashed Wang's jet was even praised by the US. Today, does the West still expect China to endure Western elites' provocation like 20 years ago? China is a country of etiquette and Chinese diplomats abide by diplomatic etiquette. But when China is provoked and its core interests are threatened, China will never give in. When Western countries use fake news to smear China's governance in Xinjiang, try to mess up China's stability and even impose sanctions, China is absolutely justified to respond with countermeasures. This is what every sovereign country would do. China was once invaded by the "Eight-Nation Alliance" - troops from Britain, the US, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Italy and Austro-Hungary, and now it seems that the Group of Seven members are still staying in that era, trying to jointly criticize China's policies on Xinjiang, Hong Kong and other internal affairs. However, they can no longer use their so-called gunboat diplomacy to change today's China. They must deal with China in an equal and respectful manner. And if Western countries stubbornly twist the facts, wantonly undermine the rules and blatantly criticize China, then China's counterattack is completely justified. The right or wrong in this world is not determined by Western elites. Although it is very hard to change their mentality, they will gradually learn it the hard way from China's statements and acts. As China is gradually moving toward the center of the international arena, it is also viewing the world with a more confident, equal and tolerant mentality. However, the West is becoming increasingly paranoid. Western countries must understand that it is not their privilege but the rights of all countries - big or small - to speak out for their legitimate interests. Is the strength of the US and other Western countries declining? All countries will have their own judgments. But regardless of the balance of power, China's determination to safeguard its national dignity and core interests will never change.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
01/04/2021 |
15077: QUAD UNLIKELY TO EVOLVE BEYOND A POINT BECAUSE OF LACK OF COMMON GOALS: INDIAN SCHOLAR
Excerpts/Summary
Editor's Note: With India having moved closer to the US in recent years, there have been some voices in India saying New Delhi should abandon its non-alignment policy and tie itself firmly to the US in order to cope with the challenges posed by China's development. Will New Delhi completely abandon its non-alignment policy? Although India and the US share a common goal of containing China, will India abandon its strategic autonomy and become a complete pawn of the US in the Indo-Pacific region? Global Times (GT) reporter Xu Yelu talked to Manoj Joshi (Joshi), a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation based in India, in a written interview. GT: In recent years, India's strategy and foreign policy appear to have increasingly tilted toward the US. Many regard India and the US as quasi-allies, believing that India is moving further away from its non-alignment policy. What do you think of this view? Joshi: I think India and the US have important relations, but the US is not a security provider for India. India has its own military and nuclear weapons to provide security. So it is not really interested in any kind of a military alliance with the US. Large countries like India, Brazil, China and Russia do not usually get aligned permanently to any country. The concept of non-alignment is dated. Today, countries establish flexible coalitions to serve their foreign policy interests. GT: India is one of the important pillars of the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy. However, some people believe that the US has not given India much real benefits. How do you view the gains and losses of India from the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy? Joshi: India is perhaps the most important pillar of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, but India's security concerns are larger and are in the main along its land border and the north Arabian Sea where India and the US have no cooperation. Indo-Pacific Strategy meshes well with India's Act East policy and is seen by New Delhi as a largely economic policy. Under the Biden leadership, the Indo-Pacific Strategy will be a comprehensive one, involving economic policy, trade, pandemic relief, climate change, humanitarian relief and infrastructure development. This could benefit India in the future, especially the idea of creating new international technology partnerships in areas like 5G, AI, quantum computing, and so on. India could also benefit from the Australia-Japan-India supply chain initiative. GT: Quad recently held its first leaders' summit. The Quad countries seem to share some common goals, but there are also differences among them. How do you think Quad will evolve? Joshi: The Quad countries also have great differences. It is unlikely to evolve beyond a point because the countries do not have common goals. Australia has no concern with India's security challenges; the US is not threatened by China, but seeks to maintain its geopolitical primacy in the Western Pacific. India and Japan have border disputes with China, but Japan has US security cover, India does not. But all of them have a common goal of maintaining a balance of power to check China. This is not likely to have a military solution, but one which stresses coordination of policies on different areas. It is not the emphasis to out-compete China in the economic and technology front. GT: In the Trump era, the personal relationship between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US president Donald Trump is one of the factors that brought the US-India relationship closer. How do you predict the future of US-India relations under the Biden presidency? Joshi: There is a geopolitical congruence of interest between the two in balancing China. But there is also a huge asymmetry of power, India is a poor and weak country compared to the US. Its role can only be limited. But like all weak countries it will seek to take advantage of the rift between its more powerful interlocutors like the US and China to promote its own geopolitical and economic ends. Also Modi may not be able to develop the kind of personal relationship he had with Trump. There are also issues relating to religious freedom and human rights which may create problems for India in the US. GT: India, a populous country, is also seen as having great growth potential and has always had great power ambitions. Do you think India's strategy of tying itself to the US' chariot is a short-term strategy or a long-term one? What is the best strategy route in India's interest? Joshi: I think India should learn from China. Between 1972 and 2000 or so, China was a quasi-ally of the US. And over the years China got great benefits from the US connection. So, it is not a bad idea to use the US chariot to move ahead. In international relations, as is well known, there are no permanent friends and enemies, only permanent interests.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
2021, March
Date | Title of the Article | Newspaper/ Journal |
ENG/ CHN |
---|---|---|---|
31/03/2021 |
U.S. INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND’S FIRST JOINT ANTI-MISSILE
Excerpts/Summary
According to Yonhap News Agency, four units under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command held their first joint anti-missile exercise on the 30th.
The report said the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade in Japan, the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Hawaii, the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, and four missile units of the E-3 "Thaad" Artillery Brigade in Guam participated in the exercise. According to the report, the exercise was based on the hypothetical background of North Korea’s launching of ballistic missiles in the direction of Japan, with the US anti-missile forces conducting detection, tracking and interception. In addition, the US participating troops also directly or indirectly used the "THAAD" and "Patriot" anti-missile systems, and conducted joint testing of the two.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
31/03/2021 |
INDIA JOINS “NUCLEAR MISSILE MONITORING SHIP CLUB”
Excerpts/Summary
According to the Eurasia Review website on 29th, India recently officially confirmed the news of the first nuclear missile monitoring ship being commissioned in service, which makes India the fifth country equipped with this high-performance monitoring ship outside the circle of United States, Russia, China and France. According to the report, this will significantly enhance India's ballistic missile defense capabilities, and may even "change the delicate strategic balance in the region at a critical juncture".
The Indian missile monitoring ship was secretly commissioned back in October 2020, with its commissioning delayed due to the global pandemic of the New Corona virus, according to the report. The ship can detect the trajectory of ballistic missiles at greater distances and "arguably has an unlimited range of detection as it can sail freely in the ocean and change its monitoring position". The ship has a displacement of 15,000 tons and is equipped with three "dome-shaped radomes" with sensors and other electronic warfare equipment. To ensure the energy supply of the huge tracking radar and sensors, the ship has 14 megawatts of power generation capacity. So far, however, the Indian Navy has kept most of the information about the ship's performance secret. The outside world only knows that the ship is operated jointly by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization, the National Technical Research Organization and the Indian Navy.
But India's acquisition of this advanced missile monitoring ship has caused concern in Pakistan. The report quotes Pakistani experts as saying that India's acquisition of such an offensive and aggressive maritime capability would have serious implications for strategic stability in the region. The ballistic missile monitoring capability it brings may provide India with a greater sense of security in the Indian Ocean region, but the deterrent effect of Pakistan's cruise and ballistic missiles is thereby greatly reduced, "which would destabilize the strategic stability between the two rival nuclear-armed states in South Asia and increase the possibility of Indian miscalculation". In addition, Pakistan is concerned that the increasing capability of India's missile defense system will increase the inclination of hardliners in the Indian leadership to carry out nuclear counter-attacks and surgical strikes. "India's deployment of such nuclear missile monitoring ships will push both countries toward a pre-emptive strategy".
This is not an unfounded concern. Given India's increasingly modernized navy and efforts to strengthen its maritime ballistic missile defense system, Pakistan has begun to respond. According to the report, experts have suggested that Pakistani missile designers should increase the flight speed of ballistic missiles and further enhance their penetration and surprise capabilities against Indian missile defenses. Examples include the use of split-guided multiple warheads and the development of warheads with foil, jamming devices, decoys, heat shielding, low-infrared signatures, and maneuvering to change trajectories to improve missile effectiveness.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
31/03/2021 |
15074: SLUMS, GOLF COURSES AND HIGH RISES IN MUMBAI
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
30/03/2021 |
15073: NO EASY ROAD TO SEMI-CONDUCTOR INDEPENDENCE
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
30/03/2021 |
15072: CAN THE ARCTIC WATERWAY REPLACE THE SUEZ CANANL?
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
29/03/2021 |
15071: FOREIGN MINSTRY SPOKESPERSON ON PAKISTAN
Excerpts/Summary
Extracts from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Regular Press ConferenceAssociated Press of Pakistan: Last week, President of Pakistan in his speech delivered at the National Day military parade said that "China is our closest and friendliest country". I wonder if you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: China warmly congratulates Pakistan on the 82nd Pakistan Day, and believes that the Pakistani government and people will make steady progress on the path of national development and rejuvenation. China has noted and highly appreciates President Arif Alvi's positive comments on China-Pakistan relations in his speech delivered on the occasion of the Pakistan Day military parade. China also cherishes its all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with Pakistan. We are ready to take the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic ties as an opportunity to work together in the fight against COVID-19, carry forward our traditional friendship, deepen all-round cooperation, and build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future for the new era. President Alvi also stressed in his speech that Pakistan will focus on development, and remain committed to peaceful coexistence with the outside world. He called on world leaders, especially South Asian leaders, to discard hatred, prejudice and religious extremism, and jointly safeguard regional peace and prosperity. To pursue peace and development is the shared aspiration of all countries in the region. China supports Pakistan's foreign policy of peace and good-neighborliness as well as it commitment to advancing the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. China is happy to see Pakistan's recent positive interactions with India. We are ready to work with Pakistan, and continue to inject positive energy into regional peace, stability and development.Journal: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing | ★★ |
29/03/2021 |
15070: MODI VISIT TO BANGLADESH TO GARNER VOTES ?
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
28/03/2021 |
NO ISSUE OF THE NEWSPAPER –SUNDAY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
28/03/2021 |
BIDEN’S INFRASTRUCTURE SCHEME JUST A FANTASY IF US FAILS TO BACK HIS RHETORIC
Excerpts/Summary
One day after having announced that China will not become the world's most powerful country on his watch, US President Joe Biden suggested to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a phone call on Friday that democratic countries have an alternative to the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Biden said a similar initiative should help "those communities around the world that, in fact, need help."
However, is it easy for the US, which has repeatedly misinterpreted and stigmatized the BRI in the past years, to imitate China and develop its own version?
Despite the fact that Washington has aired its concerns over the BRI, it has yet to convince countries that it can offer a reliable alternative to the Chinese initiative. As the US is thinking about helping the world with infrastructure construction, its own infrastructure is in urgent need of update. As a matter of fact, Biden's $3 trillion package with a giant infrastructure plan to boost infrastructure in the US is still under debate - the plan cannot even make all Democrats say "Yes."
If the infrastructure scheme that Biden proposed really aims at improving connectivity between countries while promoting their infrastructure, it is worth anticipating. However, given the current moves and statements made by Washington, it is hard to say that the US has necessary capital or willingness to realize such an approach.
Moreover, as the "America First" doctrine still prevails in the US, any country will have to think twice whether there would be any additional precondition to accept the US "good will" and if they can afford it.
If Biden's initiative is another vision or advocacy to counter China, he can never meet other countries' real need in infrastructure by just paying lip service. The uncertainty of communities in need about Washington will deepen the US' crisis of credibility left by former administrations in the past years. But the promotion and development of such a cooperative initiative needs to be endorsed by the credibility of the US government.
In November 2019, the US announced the start of the Blue Dot Network (BDN), which was widely viewed as an alternative to counter the China-proposed BRI.
But the BDN, which focuses on the Indo-Pacific region while vowing to provide worldwide services, has hardly made any inspiring achievement. Its goal to promote financially sustainable development projects still sees dim hope for the future.
When Liu Xiaoming, the former Chinese ambassador to the UK, gave a live interview with BBC's Andrew Marr Show on October 18, 2015, Liu asked Marr, "Do you [Britain] have the money? Do you have the technology? Do you have the expertise?" in response to Marr's question that "China wouldn't allow a foreign power to build her nuclear power stations surely?"
Liu's three questions can still be applied to the current infrastructure scheme proposed by the US. While Washington cannot handle its domestic infrastructure construction well, it also engages in quarrels with its European allies over their infrastructure choices. As the US generally prioritizes its own interests in handling various affairs, it will only be a self-comforting fantasy for Washington to realize the infrastructure scheme.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
27/03/2021 |
15067: INDIA RESTRICTS EXPORTS OF VACCINES
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
27/03/2021 |
15066: MODI VISITS BANGLADESH
Excerpts/Summary
At the invitation of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Indian Prime Minister Modi arrived in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on the 26th to begin a two-day visit. This visit coincides with Bangladesh's commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of "Father of the Nation", Mujib Rahman, the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and India. Modi handed over the Gandhi Peace Prize awarded to Bangladesh’s “Father of the nation”, Mujib Rahman, to his daughter Sheikh Hasina. The Bangladesh police confirmed that four protesters who opposed Modi's visit died in clashes that day. Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
15065: INDIAN THINK TANK: INDIA MIGHT SURPASS CHINA IN 20 YEARS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
15064: INDIA CAN ALSO RELIEVE MYANMAR OF HARDSHIP
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
15063: DOUBLE MUTANT VIRUS DETECTED IN INDIA
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
15062: INDIANS WALK 100 KMS CARRYING SACRED WATER
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
15061: CONSTRICTING CHINESE INNOVATION FOREVER ? WISHFUL THINKING
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
15060: DEBT AND OBESITY SOLE US ADVANTAGES OVER CHINA?
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
THE ‘FLOYD’ MOMENT FOR ASIAN-AMERICANS?
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
15058: WHY IS THERE A WAVE OF CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING IN CHINA?
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/03/2021 |
WEST’S RACIST ‘WOLF WARRIOR’ PORTRAYAL OF CHINESE DIPLOMATS
Excerpts/Summary
Following high-level talks between China-US in Alaska last week and the ensuing sanctions and countermeasures between the EU and China on Monday, more accusations about China playing Wolf Warrior diplomacy are being heard in the US and West.
The West's depiction of China's direct diplomacy as being "Wolf Warrior" is clearly racist, some observers argued. Why? Because such a mentality assumes that we have no right to respond to bullying and unilateralism by Western countries that hurt China's national interests.
Can one imagine a certain group of people in Western society, like the US, not being allowed to speak up and stand up to defend their own legitimate interests? Isn't that purely racism, and a kind of white supremacy?
In recent years, the West has ramped up its suppression against China's rise on several fronts: technological, economic and diplomatic. Yet China is now more determined to counter such suppression. This is also partly demanded by the Chinese public's opinion. It's as if a meek panda, the old Western metaphor for China, is now being replaced with "Wolf Warrior."
As a result, the focus of the West is all on China's "aggression" rather than on the West's own problems. For example, last November when a Chinese diplomat accused the Australian military of brutally killing Afghan civilians on Twitter, the Western media made a lot of hype about China's "aggressive diplomacy." With all eyes on Beijing, attention has been diverted from Canberra's human rights violations.
Facing similar kinds of assertive foreign policy, the West reacts differently to what comes from within itself, and what comes from outside the Western world. One netizen commented on the obvious double standard, saying that assertive US diplomacy is never called "Rambo" diplomacy.
Indeed, when the Trump administration imposed tariffs on Europe, nobody used the term "Rambo" diplomacy. Only when China introduced tariffs on some goods from countries like Australia, some Western media began to question: is China adopting "Wolf Warrior" trade diplomacy?
Wang Yiwei, director of the Center for European Studies at Renmin University of China, believes that the West's labeling of China is an unconscious outpouring of white supremacy. Western countries think they are superior, and that non-Western countries should only do what they are told. And if non-Western countries want to follow Western countries' style, this will be considered as a provocation.
China's rise has greatly challenged the sense of superiority and arrogance of Western civilization. Wang argues that the West has no way to face the reality to reflect on itself. The West always tries to use outdated ways of thinking to form a bloc and find a scapegoat. In the end, the West is unable to block the progress of humanity and the rise of China.
More direct Chinese foreign policy has been labeled as "menacing" and "aggressive" by the West. This is a misinterpretation of Chinese diplomacy. It attempts to deny China's right to defend its legitimate rights and interests. There is nothing wrong with Chinese diplomats taking a firmer stance to respond to the attacks and smears from outside and to defend the country's legitimate rights and interests.
On Monday, the Chinese Embassy in France claimed that if there are really "wolf warriors," it is because there are too many "mad dogs" around. In short, if China's foreign policy does have some "wolfish" characteristics now, it is because the harsh external environment has forced the country to cultivate "wolfishness" in its diplomacy to protect the country's security and safeguard its interests.
Western countries have been taking a tough diplomatic attitude toward China on some issues. These include the recent collective sanctions against Beijing on the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang. In the face of the West's deliberate provocations, unreasonable accusations against China and the constant exaggeration that China's rise poses threats to the world, how can China not turn into a Wolf Warrior? China, of course, will not compromise and fight back like a real warrior.
The author is a reporter with the Global Times.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
24/03/2021 |
LOVE HITS THE ROCKS-CHINA’S MARRIAGE COUNSELING FEVER ON THE RISE
Excerpts/Summary
Singapore's "Straits Times" article on February 23, original title: Love is on the rocks in China -- marriage counseling boom.
In a small office in Shanghai, marriage counselor Zhu Shenyong used several mobile phones to broadcast live at the same time, with the desire of providing advice to emotionally disturbed audiences. Hung on the wall behind him is a sentence: "Let there be no difficult marriages in this world of ours". However, the secular reality of contemporary China is that divorce rates haves soared, and Mr. Zhu's services are in short supply. He said: "There are only a few people considering divorce, but many want to hear my opinion". Now, he has as many as 500 viewers every time he broadcasts. He said his mission is to "prevent avoidable divorces".
The pressure of elders to marry as soon as possible, the skyrocketing housing prices, and the lack of support for professional women's childbirth... all these are pushing marriages to a final break, especially among the younger generation who value personal freedom more.
The purpose of mediation is to prevent impulsive divorce, but if one party refuses to divorce, it may be delayed for a long time. Wang Youbai, a divorce lawyer in Guangzhou, said: “This is extremely unfair to victims of domestic violence”.
Many provinces in China provide mediation services for marriages that are on the verge of breaking up. But for Mr. Hua, a 36-year-old civil servant, mediation came too late. He said: "For those who really want to get a divorce, (mediation) is just a formality".
31-year-old Xiaowei married after experiencing a whirlwind romantic relationship. She believes that divorce is not a terrible thing, but a road to liberation. "The concept of our elders is: divorce means that no one wants you... but our generation thinks it is just a personal choice."
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
24/03/2021 |
15055: INDIA: STADIUM STANDS COLLAPSE WHILE FANS WATCHING GAME
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
24/03/2021 |
15054: REBUTTAL AT ALASKA TALKS SHOWS CHINA REJECTS WEST’S HIERARCHY OF CIVILIZATIONS
Excerpts/Summary
Following the China-US Alaska meeting held on March 18, a popular phrase erupted across Chinese social media platforms, "This is not the way to deal with Chinese people." Now, many kinds of products are being printed with this phrase.
The phrase, "this is not the way to deal with Chinese people," reflects Chinese people's psychological disapproval of how the West structures the hierarchy of civilizations. Some netizens posted photos of Li Hongzhang and other senior officials from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) signing the Xinchou Treaty (Boxer Protocol) with Western powers in 1901, including the US. This was a comparison to photos of Chinese and US officials sitting face-to-face during their talks in Alaska. The treaty signed in 1901 has long been regarded as a symbol of national humiliation.
The Alaska meeting showed the Chinese people that China-US relations have changed dramatically since more than a century ago. However, the national psychology that influences the relations seems to have changed a little. This will continue to be an important factor influencing China-US relations in the future.
The recently published book China and the United States: Great Power Diplomacy and the Rise and Fall of the Late Qing Dynasty, 1784-1911 utilizes a large number of historical materials to provide good insight into the American concept of civilizational hierarchy and its initial relations with China.
The author is Wang Yuanchong, a historian. Wang now works as an associate professor for the Department of History at the University of Delaware. He believes that US' original trade with China was part of the expansion of "Westward Movement" based in New England. It was established on the logic of civilizational hierarchy, with strong religious colors. This was not only a geographical "Westward Movement" but also a "Manifest Destiny" moment to promote the expansion of its civilization and institutional models to other places. In that age, there was a mind-set to redeem other civilizations with their own culture in an attempt to civilize the so-called "barbarians."
Around the same time, in 1885, US Protestant clergyman and author Josiah Strong wrote in his book Our Country, quoting Charles Darwin, as saying, "the more energetic, restless, and courageous men from all parts of Europe have emigrated during the last ten or twelve generations to that great country [note: the US]." The author, thus, believed that the Anglo-Saxon, especially those in the US, "sustains peculiar relations to the world's future" and it is "divinely commissioned to be… his brother's [note: other races'] keeper."
Over a century has passed since then. The US has not conquered the world, and the ideas pursued by the Americans have not yet been accepted by the world, but the country has become the only world superpower.
In recent years, historians have unearthed greater research materials that more finely detail US ambitions to expand their civilization concealed under the layer of "warmth" that the US showed at the beginning of its relations with China. In fact, the US desire to expand its civilization was just as strong as other powers at that time.
Wang believes that the concept of "Manifest Destiny" has had a huge impact on the US since the 19th century. It still influences US' religious life and foreign policy today.
Of course, we can also understand that, compared with the US, China has undergone great changes. This includes the way Chinese people view the West, and the rest of the world.
Religion is exclusive. The American concept of religious conquest is essentially a division of the world into different classes. It also sees the development of world civilization as a single linear process. In the eyes of the US, other countries are developing by following the steps of the US, and they are not allowed to take a shortcut to overtake the US. Therefore, they are never on par with the US.
In fact, we can also feel the existence of such civilizational hierarchy in the current hate crimes against Asian communities in the US. Even though more than 100 years have passed since the first waves of Chinese exclusion in the 19th century, whenever a sensitive event that affects China-US relations occurs, it quickly arouses Americans' deep-seated disapproval of non-white races.
Therefore, what we saw at the Alaska talks was: Chinese delegates responded strongly to accusations the US has made against China in a condescending manner, and emphasized that this is not the way to deal with the Chinese people.
Wang Jisi, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, in an article commemorating the late US scholar Ezra Vogel, said that Vogel reminded Americans to pay attention to the fact that China's system and policies are nurtured by China's special historical and cultural traditions. And that they are different from those in the West. These must be understood when dealing with China.
Regrettably, Vogel's rare suggestion hasn't gotten due attention.
It seems some people still can't evolve out of their original psychological circle - after China and the US have interacted for over 200 years.
The author is a senior editor with People's Daily, and currently a senior fellow with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China..
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
24/03/2021 |
15053: NATO PARTNERSHIP A GEO-POLITICAL TRAP SET BY WASHINGTON HAWKS FOR NEW DELHI
Excerpts/Summary
Out of an aspiration to be a great power and anxiety over China's rise, India's national strategy has been swinging in recent years. India has a vague positioning of its international status. As a neighbor of China, India is cooperating with the US' strategy to contain China. India is also trying to play an essential role in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, known as Quad, which triggered dissatisfaction from China and Russia. Some US elites do not want India's role to be limited with Quad - the so-called Asian NATO - and are discussing possibility to make India a NATO partner.
For example, the Hindustan Times published an article on Tuesday titled, "NATO: India's next geopolitical destination." It reads, "NATO must extend a formal partnership offer to Delhi; India must shed its hesitation."
The author of the article, A. Wess Mitchell, former US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs who served in the Trump administration, wrote China's rise has "heightened India's need for closer security relationships with politically reliable, like-minded states." And that by strengthening ties with NATO, India will have "as many friends as possible in the right places" to deal with China.
This shows the profound influence of some hawkish politicians in the Trump administration, including former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Their deeply rooted anti-China insanity still echoes with many people worldwide. These US elites want to rope in as many countries as possible, and take advantage of these countries' disputes with China. It is evident they wish to expand their encirclement of China.
But making India a NATO partner is very unrealistic. It is merely wishful thinking by anti-China forces. Currently, it is nothing but an absurd idea. The US is not the only country in NATO. There are many other European countries in NATO who still want to develop economic and trade cooperation with China.
Becoming a NATO partner will only bring disadvantages for India. Apart from China, India is also trying to balance between Russia and the US. If India becomes a NATO partner, it will be a huge disaster for India-Russia relations. India and Russia share a special and privileged strategic partnership. There are no serious conflicts between the two sides on major international and regional issues. The two countries are close in terms of political, defense and military cooperation.
However, NATO, which was founded first and foremost to deal with the Soviet Union, is now turning to Russia again with a cold eye. If India is to be included in a security system like NATO, India-Russia relations would suffer a disastrous decline. Not to mention, there has already been a backlash in Moscow over New Delhi's strategic alignment with Washington in recent years.
So if India takes a substantive step toward NATO, the relationship between India and Russia will be greatly damaged. Russia can also take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen its cooperation with Pakistan in this light as a warning to India. If Russia intensifies its cooperation with Pakistan, India will face greater challenges in geopolitical security. India will not accept nor tolerate it.
In recent years, NATO has increasingly taken aim at China. Although the main concern for NATO is Russia at the moment, it sees China as a growing challenge as the center of international power is increasingly shifting to the Asia-Pacific region. NATO also wants to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific and Asia-Pacific regions. As a result, NATO is likely to regard India's unique geographical location and its position in the so-called democratic camp as important. NATO may shift its resources toward the Indo-Pacific region to adapt to the changing world landscape. But Russia will remain a major concern for NATO.
The practicality of India's decision to become a NATO partner is almost zero. But if it really becomes a partner, this will mean that India's strategy undertakes a fundamental change to completely throw itself into the Western camp. In this case, India will enter a "new" circle. In so doing, it will also offend all members in its "old" circle. This will only put more geopolitical pressure on itself.
The author is director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
23/03/2021 |
15052: INDIAN MEDIA: CHINA IS BUILDING ROADS ALL AROUND US
Excerpts/Summary
(This item is extracted from an article in the Financial Express of India of March 22nd titled "China’s rail projects: A stratagem of statecraft". That article is reproduced below, with the parts not carried in the Huan Qiu Shi Bao item shown in strike-out format.)
India's "Financial Express" article of March 22, original title: China’s rail projects: A stratagem of statecraft
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
23/03/2021 |
INDIAN MEDIA: THE GOVERNMENT MAY INCLUDE CHINESE COMPANIES ON THE “TRUSTED” FIRMS’ LIST
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
23/03/2021 |
15050: INDIA:WASHING MACHINES TO WIN VOTES
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Journal: Journal Not Selected |
Journal Not Selected | ★ |
23/03/2021 |
15049: CHINA RUSSIA WANT USA TO NOT FORM CLIQUES
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
23/03/2021 |
IN FOCUS: “KNOT” IN JAPAN’S HEART VIS-A-VIS CHINA NEEDS TO BE UNTIED
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
23/03/2021 |
VERTICAL: BIDEN’S CHINA DIPLOMACY HAS NOT COME OUT OF THE “TRUMPIAN QUAGMIRE”
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
23/03/2021 |
“VULGAR WEDDINGS” TO BE BANNED
Excerpts/Summary
Hong Kong's South China Morning Post March 22 article, the original title: A Chinese city begins to ban "vulgar" wedding insults after a series of wedding jokes went too far, leading to several incidents.
A city in eastern China has officially banned the infamous wedding joke tradition -- a tradition that allows guests to have fun by teasing the couple and their bridesmaids. Several departments in Zouping, Shandong province, issued a joint announcement last week, explicitly outlawing "bad wedding jokes" and calling for "wedding customs" reform.
This phenomenon, of "vulgar weddings", refers to some people forcing newlyweds or other guests to strip or be tied up, forcing them to wear degrading clothing and signs, forced insults, indecent assault on the bride and bridesmaids, or even forced to carry out degrading and indecent acts.
The above announcement stressed that such behavior will be punished by the public security organs in accordance with the law, depending upon circumstances, constituting criminal investigations of criminal liability. "Enhancing civilized awareness, consciously resisting evil and vulgar weddings, returning weddings to warmth and romance, and letting the "ribald jokes towards civilized blessings" !" This new policy has been widely praised by the Chinese public. One Weibo user wrote, "Of course such behavior needs to be declared illegal. Some people are harassing others purely under the guise of joking around during weddings." Other netizens said, "It's hard enough to have a wedding these days, leave aside the overwhelmingly vulgar performances and jokes".
Literally, the Chinese term "nao hun (noisy wedding" means "loosening up at wedding functions," a long-standing tradition dating back to the early Han Dynasty to ensure a lively wedding atmosphere and show interpersonal camaraderie. In contemporary weddings, this custom has been extended to include teasing and even harassment of bridesmaids. But such practices have recently become one of the hotly debated issues as more and more wedding high jinks across China seem to have become too extreme.
A video of a Chinese actor couple at their wedding in 2016 came under heavy criticism after it was revealed that several men had lifted a bridesmaid and tried to throw her into a pool. The bridesmaid screamed and struggled violently until another bridesmaid came to her rescue and stopped the men.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
23/03/2021 |
15045: FERGUSON AND US ELITES LOST WITH TAIWAN FALSEHOODS AND FANTASIES
Excerpts/Summary
Niall Ferguson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, published an opinion piece Monday in Bloomberg news on Taiwan question, writing, "Losing - or not even fighting for - Taiwan would be seen all over Asia as the end of American predominance in the region we now call the 'Indo-Pacific.' It would confirm the long-standing hypothesis of China's return to primacy in Asia after two centuries of eclipse and 'humiliation.'" He also wrote, "That big thing may be that he who rules Taiwan rules the world."
Ferguson is not a specialist on Taiwan question, not even on China-US relations. His analysis on Taiwan question is not convincing. But his view reflects some Americans' increasing anxiety over whether or not the Chinese mainland will lose patience with the island, or whether the Chinese mainland might resort to force to realize its reunification. Cross-Straits relations have been tense in recent years. They are expected to remain this way. The US now worries about getting itself involved if heated conflicts break out between the two sides.
In terms of the Taiwan question, the US has been maintaining strategic ambiguity. US' anxiety is also reflected in the debate among many elites about the outcomes that might ensue should they move toward strategic clarity.
But Ferguson exaggerates the significance of Taiwan. Losing, or "not even fighting for" Taiwan does not necessarily mean Washington will end its "predominance" in the Indo-Pacific region. Previously, the US had ever abandoned the island. The US established diplomatic relations with China in 1979, and severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan. It is not uncommon for the US to abandon its allies or partners to pursue its national interests. Yet it has not been seen that the US has ended its regional or global hegemony.
If the US has any military conflicts with China over the Taiwan question, then this would end the US predominance in the region. An outbreak like that will gravely impair US' national strength. China has engaged, directly or indirectly, in military clashes in the Korean War and Vietnam War with the US before. Neither of them could the US claim a victory. If a war breaks out between China and the US over the Taiwan question, how can the US guarantee triumph?
Ferguson's arguments are also aimed at maintaining US' hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region. And perhaps globally. It also exposes common concerns of the US: The national strength of China and the US is approaching, the gap between Chinese mainland and the island is widening. China is becoming more and more confident. Particularly after the pandemic.
Ferguson stressed in his article that since the normalization of China-US relations, Taiwan and the US' attitude toward Taiwan have been Beijing's biggest concerns. In fact, US elites understand this well. But they still repeatedly touch China's red line on the Taiwan question. In Washington's opinion, Taiwan is a card to play against Beijing. In 1970s, the Soviet Union was the US' biggest strategic competitor. To contain the Soviet Union, the US established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and abandoned Taiwan. Now, China has replaced the Soviet Union as the US' major strategic rival. Thus, it has become Washington's inevitable choice to exploit Taiwan card to contain China. It will not give up Taiwan card too easily. By playing the Taiwan card, the US hopes to gain huge geopolitical interests. US strategic elites know this all too well.
The Taiwan question has always been the most sensitive topic in China-US relations, as it involves China's core interests. China will resolutely contain and combat both the "Taiwan secessionist" forces and those who support it. The Biden administration should have a clear understanding of this matter now. Although some people in the US, such as Ferguson, have elevated the Taiwan question to a higher level, the US strategic community probably cannot make up its mind or reach a common consensus about engaging in military clashes with China on this matter.
The author is an expert on China-US relations based in Shanghai.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
22/03/2021 |
15044: EDITORIAL: CHINA-RUSSIA COOPERATION HAS NO UPPER LIMITS
Excerpts/Summary
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Guilin, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday.
Lavrov's visit is significant. First, this is the first high-level face-to-face meeting between China and Russia since the pandemic. Second, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between China and Russia. Third, both China and Russia are witnessing escalating tensions with the US. The Alaska talks between top Chinese and US diplomats have just concluded. There is a greater urgency for China and Russia to strengthen their relations.
"China is a true strategic partner of Russia," Lavrov told the press as he embarked on the visit. To be honest, the title of "strategic partner" is depreciating in today's world. Even the term "ally" is depreciating. But China and Russia are worthy of the name of strategic partners.
The modern framework of building China-Russia strategic partnership started in the 1990s. The past 30 years have witnessed profound changes in the world's situation and power pattern. The relationship between China and Russia has gone deeper and deeper while overcoming all kinds of disturbances. Their strategic coordination has become stronger. It can be said that the relationship has withstood the challenge.
China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has become the most important diplomatic and strategic asset of China and Russia respectively and has supported the two countries to confront external challenges back-to-back. The two societies have felt the strategic benefits. The concept of "shared commitment to ever-lasting peace and win-win cooperation" between the two countries has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and the areas of cooperation between the two countries have been expanding.
Despite the impact of the pandemic in 2020, China-Russia trade has exceeded $100 billion for the third consecutive year, and China remained Russia's largest trading partner for the 11th consecutive year. Russia exported 83.57 million tons of oil to China in 2020, remaining as China's top crude suppliers together with Saudi Arabia, which shipped 84.92 million tons to China. Their exports increased China's energy security.
China is also the largest export market for Russian agricultural products, which was not the case 10 years ago. China and Russia just signed a memorandum of understanding on joint construction of an international lunar research station. Scientific and technological cooperation has become a new focus.
China-Russia strategic partnership has formed an internal driving force, which, together with the strategic urgency caused by the international situation, has promoted the two countries' relations and formed a strong strategic stability. The two countries have explored a path of cooperation different from the previous experience.
First, China and Russia uphold a principle of non-alliance and they share a highly equal-footed strategic partnership. This is supportive for both countries, instead of dragging them behind. In contrast, Washington dominates all relations between the US and its allies, forcing its allies too often. The US also dragged some allies into wars from time to time, or led them to the disaster of terrorism.
Second, China and Russia, together with Central Asian countries, have jointly launched the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Anti-terrorism and the need to deal with extremism were the initial driving force of the SCO, but its functions and scale have gradually expanded, corresponding to the region's actual needs. Russia has also been proactive in the cooperation of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, not to mention the two countries coordinated actions in the UN. With growing international cooperation and their effectiveness, the two countries have become more confident in expanding their strategic coordination and the global significance of it.
Third, it is important that China-Russia cooperation has no upper limits. This will also make the forces attempting to attack China and Russia daunted. China and Russia do not intend to form a military alliance, if any country threatens or attacks either China or Russia militarily, it needs to consider the realistic risk of how the other country would react. Both China and Russia are strong power, their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has ruled out any possibility of any external forces militarily crushing either one of them.
The US and its major allies are sparing no effort in their ideological infiltration in China and Russia. Because of historical reasons, some people in both China and Russia remain skeptical that the two countries can maintain a strategic partnership in the long term. Some Chinese worry that once Russia's leadership changes, Russia may tilt toward the West and join the containment against China.
Although there is no eternal state in international relations, the strategic partnership of coordination between Beijing and Moscow that has been formed over the past three decades is by no means temporary and fragile. The two countries have resolved all territorial issues, which provide the basic conditions for long-term good neighborliness and friendship. Russia has never been truly accepted by the West. The country is too big for the West to handle, and it no longer holds the illusion of integrating into the West. Russia's national interests require a multi-polar world where Russia itself is one pole. This fits China's aspirations fundamentally, yet it diverges essentially from what the US believes in.
Regardless of history, Beijing and Moscow have become strategic partners that cannot be separated from each other. The two countries not only maintain and develop their relations back-to-back, but also meet challenges shoulder-to-shoulder. There are countless forces consolidating this situation. This is the inevitable choice of the two countries and their peoples in the 21st century, and it is what the world expects from these two great powers.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
22/03/2021 |
15043: INDIAN DRIVING MORE LIKE AN ART PERFORMANCE
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![]() ![]() Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
22/03/2021 |
15042: EDITORIAL: WHAT CHINA AND USA LEARNT ABOUT EACH OTHER AT ALASKA?
Excerpts/Summary
(This editorial was carried by the English Global Times earlier on March 20, 2021. It is reproduced below, pending translation of the Chinese version.)
![]() Photo: AFP After a fierce, tit-for-tat opening, the close-door strategic dialogue afterward between China and the US in Alaska went smoothly and the result was far better than people's expectations. Both sides completed three rounds of talks. Both admitted in their press conferences that the talks were "candid" and each sought to work with the other side in some fields. The very role of a strategic dialogue is to boost mutual understanding and avoid strategic miscalculation. To this end, the latest one between China and the US made some progress. The Alaska meeting was initiated by the US. It had made great efforts in it, in fear that the Chinese side would underestimate the US' tough stance toward China. From the US' previous words and deeds and its performance during the talks, the Chinese side has further understood Washington's determination to use every possible way to maintain its hegemony and realized the Biden administration's continuity of the Trump administration regarding its China policy. The US views its alliance system as a prominent bargaining chip to pressure China. It has shown no intention to eradicate the Trump administration's extreme China policy in a short period of time. But it said it does not want to push bilateral relations to the point of confrontation. But apparently, the US would go into confrontation when necessary. It is believed the US will understand China more through this dialogue. The US should be clear that China is not afraid of being blackmailed and is determined to safeguard its sovereignty and core interests. In particular, China does not want the US to interfere in China's internal politics and there is no bargaining on this. Any relevant moves from Washington will meet serious resistance and countermeasures. The US should get to know China's political confidence and its resolve and ability to develop and thrive steadily in accordance with its long-term plans. It also knows that China despises the pressure imposed by the US and its allies. China doesn't care about its geopolitical tools. The US must have had a sense of futility about containing China. Obviously, there are deep differences between both sides. The intensity of the opening is record-breaking since the two established diplomatic ties. But the delegations of the two countries and the two societies are rapidly adapting to this rivalry. This dialogue revealed conflicts between the two countries and both sides showed their stance. Adaptability and acceptance of the current situation can be seen as a way to stabilize the situation. If both have strategic rationality, negativity may turn into constructive factors. This can be seen as the second significance. The misunderstanding between China and the US for a long time is that the US believes it can contain and suppress China with its strength and Cold War experiences. China, on the other hand, is confident to dilute US strategic containment because of its established comprehensive capability and development potential as well as its confidence regarding its political system. This misunderstanding cannot be solved via dialogue and can only be addressed via future competition. In recent years, China's self-confidence is more powerful than the US'. The US has made up false justice in wooing its allies and containing China with the tool of so-called human rights. In terms of the essence of the China-US conflict, it is the US' malicious strategic objectives of maintaining its hegemony and suppressing the fast development of China as the world's most populous country. On the contrary, China is trying to maintain its right to develop and the right of the Chinese people to live a better life. As China-US struggles drag on, the Chinese people's unity and the global moral call will expose the US' weaknesses. It is a fantasy to strike China down. Putting China in awe is day-dreaming. Both sides have to accept the status quo that neither will compromise, and work for cooperation areas in an unfriendly atmosphere and find a way out. Strategic patience and restraint are required for 21st century major powers. There needs to be a framework that is able to tolerate and dilute conflicts. We hope China and the US can work toward that goal.Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
22/03/2021 |
15041: EDITORIAL: CHINA-RUSSIA TIES DEEPEN WHILE US AND ALLIES FLAIL
Excerpts/Summary
(This editorial was carried by the English Global Times earlier on March 20, 2021. It is reproduced below, pending translation of the Chinese version.)
After talks between top Chinese and US diplomats in Alaska, held on Friday US time, China, the US and other major countries are busy with their respective agendas.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Brussels from Monday to Thursday to attend a NATO foreign ministers' meeting. The theme will undoubtedly be China and Russia. During his India visit, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on Saturday, and China was one of their main topics in the closed-door meeting. When Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov embarks his China visit on Monday, the US will top the agenda in the upcoming China-Russia dialogue, although Beijing and Moscow usually do not proactively aim at Washington when discussing their strategic partnership.
The US has been arrogant and overbearing lately, publicly and simultaneously piling pressure on both China and Russia. On March 17, US President Joe Biden said "I do" when asked if he believed the Russian president was a killer in a television interview. The US also repeatedly claimed recently that China poses the 21st century's greatest geopolitical challenge, pinned the "genocide" label on China's governance in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as well as clamored about ganging up with its allies against China. Washington's offensive policies have further exacerbated the global geopolitical shock.
Washington is playing a game that is surely to harm itself and likely does no good to its Asian allies. The US' sense of crisis stems fundamentally from the decline of its comprehensive competitiveness. Its hegemonic framework remains roughly the same, yet its internal supportive power is weakening. The problem will not be resolved by strengthening ties with its allies. The tactic may give the US more courage, but it is essentially exposing US diffidence.
The most influential bilateral relationship in Eurasia is the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. China and Russia understand the weight of their ties. When the two sides continue to deepen their relations, they also take care of the feelings of other countries in the region modestly and in a restrained manner, reiterating that the relationship between Beijing and Moscow is a partnership, rather than an alliance.
To be honest, no country in the region can stand alone against either China or Russia, let alone fight against the two powers at the same time. It would be disastrous for any country which tends to confront China and Russia through forging an alliance with the US. When Washington shows hostility to Beijing and Moscow simultaneously, Japan has sent a very negative message to both China and Russia by binding itself tightly with the US.
China and Russia are strengthening their strategic cooperation in a frank, open and normal manner. However, the US is desperately upgrading its alliances with a handful of countries in the Asia-Pacific region. When the US is attempting to build a geopolitical axis there, it has already lost morally while showing its lack of confidence as well.
US senior officials have recently paid visits to Japan, South Korea and India. Whatever South Korea and India talked behind closed doors with the US, they did not mention China in their joint statements. Only the US-Japan joint statement viciously attacked China. Japan is much stronger than South Korea in terms of national strength, and its economic power is also far bigger than that of India. But it has become the most cooperative country to the US' offensive Asia strategy. Japan's acts on one hand have aggravated its cold relations and intermittent conflicts with China and Russia, on the other hand, they have also made Japan lose leverage to demand respect from the US.
The Japan-US relationship cannot be promoted as a model in Asia. In the long run, it will be the general trend that Japan will develop a more independent diplomacy. The present-day world is no longer been about a life-or-death geopolitical game. It is difficult to bind countries together as a monolithic whole simply through a security vision. Every country's interests are diverse. Each country needs to carry out cooperation with others flexibly in multiple directions instead of putting all its eggs in one basket.
The role of strengthening the alliance between the US and its allies, which is now promoted by the new US administration, will be limited. If the US relies on its alliance to solve the problems caused by its outdated hegemonism, it will be a crazy act. On the contrary, China and Russia's move to forge a partnership rather than an alliance is displaying their confidence, and is more in line with the spirit of this era.
Of course, global strategic goodwill is the foundation of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia in the new era. Yet perhaps the US will never learn to show such goodwill.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
22/03/2021 |
15040: FIVE MYTHS ABOUT CHINA IN THE USA
Excerpts/Summary
In a March 19 article on the U.S. website "War on the Rocks," under the original title : Colossus or Collapse - Five Myths Influencing the U.S. China (Policy) Debate: How to Build and Maintain Political Consensus at Home and Abroad
The challenge is how to build and maintain a political consensus at home and abroad, and to compete in a balanced way that does not lead to disaster. This is by no means an easy task. Currently, the U.S. public's perception of China is at an all-time low, which weakens support for a stable relationship between the two countries. A key challenge for U.S. policymakers facing discussions at home and abroad is to ensure that these discussions are based on sound analytical judgments about China and U.S.-China dynamics. We are concerned about five commonly held myths about China in the U.S..
The first is the idea that the Chinese economy is on the verge of collapse or, conversely, that China is an unstoppable juggernaut. First, the Chinese economy is neither surging toward global dominance nor declining rapidly to the point of eventual collapse. The best way to look at China's economy is to acknowledge its sheer size and continued growth, but also to recognize that it faces both immediate and structural challenges.
But importantly, Beijing's actions in recent years have shown that it has the resources and tools to manage these risks, or at least push them into the future. Financial risk is the most likely catalyst for a crisis, but it is mitigated by the strong balance sheets of state-owned banks, tightly managed capital accounts, and ample liquidity provisions by the central bank. Structural challenges, such as a shrinking labor force and an aging population, will constrain China's growth, but the leadership hopes to achieve growth through innovation.
Beijing's ability to maintain this delicate balance is due in large part to its ability to proactively identify and address current risks, prioritize them, and then mobilize resources to address them. Of course, continued economic growth has made it easier to manage these risks.
The second myth is that China has an ambitious plan to 2049, and that this plan will virtually guarantee China's great power status. The reality is that this is overstated. If there is one thing that the Chinese Communist Party is good at, it is making plans. However, making a plan and executing it, especially in the long run, are very different things. This is not to deny the diversity of challenges that China presents to the United States, such as economically, technologically or militarily. China's achievements in these three areas are impressive, and the United States needs to do a better job of competing in these areas.
Third, there are as many myths about China's foreign behavior as there are about its domestic policies. One of the most common is the idea that China is prepared to use force against Taiwan in the next two to three years. This is a misinterpretation of China's strategy toward Taiwan and the current state of cross-Strait relations. Chinese leaders have long considered the Taiwan issue to be fundamentally a political rather than a military one. They have preferred deterrence to prevent "Taiwan independence" to compel forcible reunification.
Beijing has preferred to create a situation in which the Taiwanese people and their leaders recognize that their future is inevitably tied to the mainland and then negotiate reunification on Beijing's terms. Even against the backdrop of heightened cross-strait tensions, there is no evidence that Beijing is prepared to use full-scale force against Taiwan in the next two to three years.
A fourth related myth is the notion that Beijing will launch a war, perhaps against Taiwan, if China's economy slows down and its domestic challenges accumulate. This notion does not conform to China's current political reality, nor does it conform to China's long-term strategic thinking..
A final myth is that the U.S. policy of past engagement (with China) has been a complete failure, the kind of policy based on a naive hope that China will reform politically and economically. This is a misrepresentation of past U.S. practices and current Chinese challenges. The U.S. engagement policy, in areas such as dialogue and cultural exchanges, is not based on a naive certainty that China will liberalize politically and economically. Unless one is prepared to argue for complete and total isolation of China, including complete decoupling from the Chinese economy, the real debate should be about how much engagement and under what circumstances.
Clarifying the five myths mentioned above is the first step in laying a realistic foundation for a new approach toward China and the U.S.-China relationship. Regardless of one's position on the policy that the United States and its allies should adopt, the debate must first be based on a clear assessment of China that rejects popular misconceptions and common misperceptions and accepts the reality of China's capabilities, intentions, strengths, and weaknesses.
(The original article referred to in this item can be seen here. It does not carry the sub-title in italics above)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
22/03/2021 |
15039: REVIEW: CHINESE NECK IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE THROTTLED AT WILL
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
22/03/2021 |
15038: CHINA, US BOTH BUSY AFTER ALASKA
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
21/03/2021 |
NO ISSUE OF NEWSPAPER — SUNDAY
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Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
21/03/2021 |
15036: DIFFICULT FOR INDIA TO FALL FOR US PRESSURE OVER CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin kicked off his three-day visit to India on Friday, just a week after the first summit of the Quad, an informal security grouping consisting of the US, Japan, Australia, and India. Austin is the first US official from the Joe Biden administration to visit India. Austin called the India-US relationship a "stronghold of free and open Indo-Pacific region." This displays the great importance the Biden administration has attached to India and its intent to reinforce bilateral ties with India.
In contrast to the US-Japan joint press statement issued on March 16, the joint remarks between Austin and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on Saturday did not mention China. Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Sunday that just as many major powers, India tries to avoid taking sides between China and the US, whose competition has been ramped up. New Delhi is to hold the BRICS summit this year, involving Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and it is also a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in which China is one of the founding members. In this context, India needs to keep its balance between China and the US.
Swaran Singh, a professor in international studies from the New Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University, echoed this view. Singh said that as India prepares to host the next BRICS summit, it would be restrained and "carefully calibrate any statements so as not to further complicate India-China relations" in an article posted by the South China Morning Post on Friday.
Ahead of Austin's visit, some media outlets predicted Austin would fan the flames between China and India on issues such as territorial disputes and convince India to retain its hard-line stance on China.
Austin said on Saturday that the US does not think that "India and China were at war" in response to a question about the China-India border tensions in 2020, according to the Hindustan Times. Austin's narrative was based on fact - even though the border tensions between China and India were intense, they did not resort to war. But this rhetoric does not mean the US military will cease using China-India border issue as an excuse to play up "the security threat" posed to India by "China's aggressive expansion" in dealing with India, Qian said.
Washington and New Delhi are exploiting each other. India hopes to increase its bargaining chips to negotiate with China by virtue of the US' efforts to woo India to counter China. India also intends to boost its international status and global impact by strengthening its defense cooperation with the US. Meanwhile, Washington wants New Delhi to play a bigger role in its Indo-Pacific Strategy and in the Quad to contain China.
The US has been gradually promoting defense ties with India. The country is willing to lend a helping hand to assist India's attempts to check China. The two countries have expanded defense coordination directed at China.
However, Qian said that most US senior officials, including Austin, are fully aware that India is not a country that can be easily manipulated by the US. If Washington blindly pushes New Delhi to the frontline to confront Beijing and pile too much pressure on New Delhi, the result may backfire. If the US fans the flame of border tensions between China and India to intensify military conflicts, it will go against India's national interests and will eventually result in India's alienation from the US.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
20/03/2021 |
15035: CONFLICTING STRATEGIC PERCEPTIONS LEAD TO INDIA WAVERING IN ITS POLICY TOWARD CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
Indian diplomacy has become one of the focal points of international public opinion of late. U.S. Defense Secretary Austin arrived in India on March 19 after a visit to Japan and South Korea, and as the first Cabinet member of the Biden Administration to visit India, the visit also generated a certain amount of heat in public opinion.
Since the U.S., Japan, India and Australia just held their first leaders' meeting shortly before this visit, many media in the U.S. and India interpreted Austin's special trip to India as an indication of the importance the Biden Administration attaches to New Delhi, and Washington's intention to further promote close U.S.-India defense ties and India's partnership with the U.S. to "counter China’s influence. In addition, the United States, Japan, India and Australia are drawing up a plan to expand the production capacity of new corona vaccine in India. According to the U.S., the plan is expected to enable India to provide 1 billion doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine to Asia-Pacific countries by 2022, which will undoubtedly benefit India in terms of global anti-epidemic influence and in building the "Made in India" brand.
At the same time, some media commented that India’s remarks in a series of multilateral gatherings such as the US-Japan-India-Australia Leaders’ Meeting, were relatively mild as far as (the objective of) stirring the pot against China was concerned. And according to the Indian media recently, India is preparing to speed up the approval of some investment proposals from China to resume economic engagement between India and China. This is part of 150 investment proposals from China, with a total value of more than $2 billion, that have been put on hold. So what to make of India's current attitude toward China in the wake of a new round of diplomatic co-optation set off by the United States?
Since the Modi government came to power in 2014, Sino-Indian relations have gone through two roller coasters in six years. The two troughs were the Doklam standoff in 2017 and the Galwan Valley conflict and border confrontation in 2020. The development and changes in Sino-Indian relations over the past six years have made India’s ambivalence in its diplomacy towards China more and more evident: on the one hand, it hopes to achieve strategic cooperation; on the other hand, it continues to deliberately provoke strategic competition and suspicion, wanting to use the United States to check Chinese influence to realize its dream of great power strategic autonomy. It is this ambivalence that has brought huge uncertainty to the China-India relationship, which has continually affected the cooperation between the two countries.
The main factor causing this ambivalence in India’s approach is the rapid rise of Hindu nationalism and the change in India's strategic perception of China's rapid rise. Hindu nationalism has now become the dominant force in Indian politics and will occupy a dominant position for a long time in the foreseeable future. And its long-term stance of "curbing and containing China" is destined to impact the Indian National Congress Party's strategic orientation of "common rise of China and India". At present, Hindu nationalists continue their long-standing anti-China stance, unilaterally positing a "hostile identity" for China in their strategy toward our country, highlighting competition and rivalry in their China policy and weakening tolerance and cooperation. All these have brought about uncertainty in each other’s strategic cognition and intentions for the (idea of) joint rise of China and India, and have shaped India’s strategic logic of curbing and containing China and the characteristics of "limited cooperation" and " oscillations" in its China policy.
In the face of China's rapid rise, India fears that while cooperation with China might yield absolute gains, it will also lead to more relative gains for China, further widening the power differential between the two countries and thus enhancing China's influence in India's sphere of influence. When India shifts its focus to relative gains rather than absolute gains, cooperation between the two countries becomes a bumpy prospect. In this context, the second-best option for India's diplomatic strategy is to strengthen security cooperation with the United States to balance Chinese influence.
In terms of strategic logic, India has been seeking regional hegemony in South Asia due to its "great power mentality" and traditional geopolitical thinking, and persistence with the idea of a "Greater India" federation. So India has long seen China as a "threat". On the economic front, some Indian political elites believe that, given India's industrial structure in its current stage of indigenous economic development, the more China and India expand cooperation, the greater the damage to India: on the one hand, there is the growing trade deficit, on the other hand, China's expanding investment and trade in India has led to dissatisfaction in India's domestic monopolies. At the same time, Chinese products have impacted Indian small and medium-sized enterprises and businesses, affecting the development of India’s indigenous industry. All these are related to the voter base of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Now that the new corona pneumonia epidemic has accelerated the restructuring of the global landscape and system, India sees this as a historic opportunity to realize its dream of becoming a great power. Influenced by traditional geopolitical thinking, India's strategy towards China has never gone beyond the "security dilemma" mentality. In India's view, it is the most advantageous "backup base" for the deeper adjustment of China's relations with the U.S. and the West (that might get underway) as a result of the impaired space for (US’) economic and trade cooperation with China. The ongoing U.S.-China game has led to new changes in the global industrial chain, supply chain and value chain, but it is very difficult for the U.S. and other Western countries to achieve industrial re-onshoring. Multinational companies have been augmenting their presence in the Chinese market while also putting their eggs in multiple baskets. India, with its huge population and low labor costs, is undoubtedly one of their priority choices. UNCTAD released the latest edition of its Global Investment Trends Monitor, “Global Investment Trends and Prospects 2020-2021”, which says that FDI in India rose by 13% in 2020 to reach $57 billion. This contrarian growth has further encouraged the above-mentioned ideas of Indian policymakers and the public.
Of course, Indian political elites also know very well that if they allow themselves to be tied to the "chariot" of the United States, apart from losing strategic autonomy, it may also cause further diminution in India's status as a major power and in its dominant position in the Indian Ocean, which India will not not want to see. Therefore, India's aspirations for strategic autonomy and great power consciousness will be the determinants of (an orientation of) India maintaining limited cooperation with China and not deviating too far from the track of strategic cooperation between the two countries.
(The author is a former Indian correspondent of the Huan Qiu Shi Bao)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
20/03/2021 |
U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY VISITS INDIA WITH NEW “CHINA PLAYBOOK”
Excerpts/Summary
After ending the two "2+2" talks in Japan and South Korea, U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin arrived in India on the evening of the 19th, opening a three-day visit. The Indian newspaper The Print said on the 19th, "Austin's visit will focus on China and deeper U.S.-India ties, not military orders". According to the Hindustan Times, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met briefly with Austin on the evening of the 19th, who will also hold talks with Indian Defense Minister Singh, Foreign Minister S. JAISHANKAR and National Security Adviser Doval.
The Indian mainstream media generally interpreted the political significance of Austin's visit in a high-profile manner, saying that his visit to India within two months of assuming office as Defense Minister and including India in his first trip abroad fully demonstrated the strong bilateral relations under the Biden Administration. The Hindustan Times quoted sources as saying on the 19th that the focus of Modi and Austin's talks would be on the India-China border issue, regional terrorism and further consolidation of India-US defense ties. The Print said the focus of Austin's talks with Indian Defense Minister Singh on Saturday will be on the India-China border issue and deepening of India-U.S. bilateral and multilateral cooperation, "not on multibillion-dollar military agreements."
Vikram Singh, a senior adviser to the U.S.-India Forum for Strategy and Partnership, was quoted by Indian newspaper Toras on the 18th as saying that the U.S. and India are now aligned on strategic issues, "particularly in dealing with the rise of China and defending the free flow of goods and services" in the Indo-Pacific. But he also admitted that India's purchase of the S-400 air defense missile system from Russia underscores the considerable challenges that remain in security cooperation between the two countries. On the eve of Austin's visit to India, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Menendez sent a public letter to Austin asking him to pressure India on the "S-400 military purchase case" or he would sanction India. He also cited the Indian government's crackdown on journalists, dissidents and farmers' protests in the letter, hoping Austin would express concern over India's "deteriorating democracy.
An unnamed Indian source told the Huan Qiu shi Bao that the core mission of Austin's visit was to "consolidate and deepen bilateral defense ties" and discuss how to achieve cooperation among like-minded Indo-Pacific partners in the "post-epidemic era. "This is very important and urgent after India and the United States have completed all the basic defense agreements", he said. He also said another focus of their talks was Afghanistan. According to the Trump Administration's timetable for the deadline for U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, U.S. forces will be completed by May this year, and the Biden Administration's reservations notwithstanding, the delay, if any, will not be long. In this context, both India and the United States are willing to have in-depth exchanges on this issue. For India, avoiding a spillover of terrorism into South Asia after the withdrawal of U.S. troops is a central concern. There are also reports that India is looking to buy 30 MQ-9 Predator drones from the United States.
"Austin heads to India with a new China playbook," Nikkei Asia wrote in an article so titled.
"India is not a formal U.S. ally", but "given the current tensions with China, this may be a mere formality. Lalwani, Director of the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center, a U.S. think tank, said the trip was intended to show that India is second only to its most important Asian allies (Japan and South Korea) in terms of importance to the U.S. "It will be worth seeing if there are signs of intensification of relations between the two countries after the visit. The Pentagon has sent clear signals that Austin's trip will also be used to study the deployment of U.S. forces in the region. But Atlantic Council scholar Shua Nawaz is skeptical. He said that militarily, India cannot fully support U.S. efforts to contain China's maritime and land operations, or risk becoming a U.S. "vassal"; and that India's "trade and economic dependence on China" will help resolve border disputes.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
20/03/2021 |
PEW: EPIDEMIC SHRINKS INDIA’S MIDDLE CLASS, LESS CHANGE IN CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
March 18 article on the website of the Pew Research Center: India's middle class shrinks during the new corona epidemic; China's shrinks less so.
The economic crisis caused by the new epidemic is having a major impact on living standards in countries around the world, causing millions of people to lose their middle-class living standards and even to fall into poverty. But the economic impact of the new epidemic on India and China has been very different. Given that the combined population of India and China represents about 1/3 of the global population, each country has about 1.4 billion people. How these two countries respond to the epidemic, and how they recover from it, will have a significant impact on changes in the global primary income distribution.
While India fell into a severe recession in 2020, China was able to prevent a contraction. in January 2020, the World Bank's growth forecasts for India and China in 2020 were almost identical, at 5.8% and 5.9%, respectively. But in January 2021, a year after the outbreak, the World Bank revised its growth forecast for both countries, with India contracting by 9.6 percent and China growing by 2 percent.
Pew's latest analysis reports that as a result of the economic downturn (compared to how fast India might have grown without the epidemic), the number of middle-class Indians is estimated to have fallen by 32 million in 2020, accounting for 60 percent of the total decline in the global middle class (those earning between $10.01 and $20 per day). At the same time, India's poor (those earning less than $2 per day) are estimated to have increased by 75 million, accounting for nearly 60% of the global increase in the number of poor. However, the change in living standards for the Chinese was much smaller than in India.
The population of each country can be divided into five major groups: poor, low-income, middle-income, upper-middle-income (income between $20.01 and $50.00 per day) and high-income (income of $50.00 or more per day).
A comparison of how living standards in India and China changed during the epidemic will be more apparent when compared to their respective living standards prior to the epidemic. Before the epidemic, an estimated 99 million people in India were in the global middle class in 2020, but one year after the epidemic, that number is estimated to be only 66 million, a reduction of 1/3. Meanwhile, India's poor are already projected to reach 134 million, more than twice as many as before the recession (59 million). The poverty rate in India is likely to rise to 9.7% in 2020, up from 4.3 percent projected in January 2020, a sharp increase. The majority of Indians are in the global low-income group. Before the epidemic, India should have had 1.2 billion people in that group in 2020, representing 30 percent of the global low-income population. But as the epidemic has turned more Indians into (much) poorer earners, the estimated number of low-income Indians has fallen to 1.16 billion.
And about 10 million people in China are estimated to have lost their middle-class standard of living during this economic downturn, a small percentage compared to the 504 million people who belonged to the middle-class group before the epidemic. Similarly, China's low-income group increased from 611 million to 641 million during the epidemic, a relatively small number in terms of numbers.
Importantly, China accounts for 37% of the global middle-income group by 2020. between 2011 and 2019, China's middle-income population increased by 247 million people, showing a considerable increase. At the same time, the upper-middle-income population almost quadrupled, from 60 million to 234 million. In both cases, China accounted for the vast majority of the global increase. Thus, the limited impact of the epidemic on China is also a source of relief to the entire world.
(N.B. The original article under reference can be seen here.)
![]() Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
20/03/2021 |
15032: CHINA-US ALASKA TALKS A GREAT LESSON FOR WASHINGTON
Excerpts/Summary
On Thursday local time, the first meeting of the China-US high-level dialogue opened with a head-to-head quarrel in Anchorage, Alaska. That came as a complete surprise for many who were watching the show. A number of media outlets and individuals thought it was bizarre that what they were worried about the most actually happened.
But to me, what happened was not strange at all. The Chinese and US presidents both emphasized during a phone call on the eve of the Chinese New Year that the most pressing task for both sides was to avoid confrontation and conflict. To achieve that, I think the key is for both sides to not miscalculate.
For the Chinese side, they expressed their views, stated their stance and reaffirmed their position, and offered a lesson. The purpose of this is very clear, which is to ensure that the US would not misjudge from the start. This lesson offered by the Chinese side was so impassioned and satisfactory due to three characteristics.
First, it was very timely and vivid. The Chinese side seized on the opportunity when the media was still there to talk about a wide range of issues from China-US engagement to anti-epidemic efforts, from economic development to democracy and human rights, and from unilateral buying to the UN Charter. It was crystal clear which side was right and which side was in the wrong.
The most confident sentence was that the Communist Party of China has the wholehearted support of 1.4 billion Chinese people. The underlying message here is that: can the US side achieve that?
Second, the lesson was delivered with great competence and skill. The most outstanding aspect this time was the complete change from some past negotiations where anger was not expressed openly and slander was not responded. Everyone kept smiles in public and consultations over issues were kept behind doors. The problem with such a case is that it causes the other side to misjudge that the Chinese side was weak and can be easily bullied. But those days of being beaten down without striking back are over.
Indeed, international negotiations must be based on equality between the two sides. It is not about one side claiming the role as the headmaster and lecturing the other side at will. In front of the international media, the Chinese side offered a lesson to not just the Americans but also US allies and the entire world.
Certainly, the ultimate technique of negotiations is to fight but not break down. It's not wrong that the parties have differences during the negotiations. As long as both sides are sincere, resolutions can already be found. The key is to have a sincere stance and use appropriate language. This was on perfect display in this exchange with the US establishment and it paved the way for further negotiations in the future.
Finally, the significance of this lesson has exceeded that of the dialogue itself. This was a grand show of China's strength, indicating to the US that China's development and growth cannot be stopped. China's sovereignty and territorial integrity are main issues of principle.
The US should not underestimate China's resolve to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests. It should not underestimate the will of the Chinese people in safeguarding their national dignity and legitimate rights and interests.
The author is a former Chinese vice minister of commerce and executive deputy director of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
19/03/2021 |
15031: INDIAN TRAIN SLIDES BACK 20 KM AFTER BRAKE FAILURE
Excerpts/Summary
An express train of the Indian Railways slid back more than 20 kilometers on the 17th due to brake failure. The good thing is that there were no casualties or damage.
According to a report in the Hindustan Times of the 17th, the train was originally running from Delhi to Dehradun in Uttarakhand. Railways PRO Singh said, "The train was stopped on Wednesday afternoon after it hit a cow near the Dhanaqpur station. But due to the gradient on the ground, it started sliding backwards.The train driver tried to get the brakes to stop but did not succeed". It is reported that the train's brake failure was due to a faulty hydraulic braking system. Passengers were thrown into panic because the train suddenly started going backwards.
The Hindustan Times reported that all railroad crossings were then closed immediately and the train was finally stopped near Ketima by railroad officials after driving through two railway stations, Bambasa and Chakarpur. Singh said it took them piling up of barriers on the tracks to bring the train to a halt and that all passengers were safe and took buses to their destinations. He added, "A committee of three senior officers has been formed by the authorities concerned to find out the cause of the accident and action will be taken against those responsible".
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
19/03/2021 | 15030: WORLD FOCUS ON SINO-US ALASKA DIALOGUE | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
19/03/2021 |
15029: EDITORIAL: ALASKA TALKS TO BE REMEMBERED IN HISTORY AS A LANDMARK
Excerpts/Summary
The China-US talks in Alaska are very likely to be given great importance in history. The talks are being held at an important time when China-US relations are at the crossroads, carrying a lot of weight. How should China and the US understand and deal with each other? Can the two countries get rid of the increasingly severe atmosphere of confrontation promoted by some forces in the US? The world is observing and digesting the information released from the talks.
The warm-up of the talks in Alaska has long begun. The US has released a series of tough words and deeds to put pressure on China. Such a gesture by Washington has lasted until the opening remarks of the talks. The US, in its public speech which went seriously overtime, carried out groundless attacks against China, especially mentioning many of Chinese internal affairs including Xinjiang and Hong Kong, trying to gain the upper hand.
Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Foreign Affairs, and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi dealt with this calmly. Yang said that in front of the Chinese side, the US is not qualified to speak to China from a position of strength. And Wang said that "the old habit of US hegemonic behavior of willfully interfering in China's internal affairs must be changed."
This is an unprecedented open face-to-face confrontation between China and the US in recent decades. It has great impact, and is also a correction of the US' understanding and long-held attitude toward China. It tells Washington that the US should stop pretending that they can point a finger at China. That era is over. The US must deal with China in an equal and respectful way to resolve problems with China.
With China's rapid development, the power gap between China and the US has been narrowing, and the US feels a strategic crisis. China-US relations have been turbulent. Re-stabilizing the relations, and viewing each other equally with respect, especially respecting each other's core interests, are essential. Rules must be based on the UN systems and should not represent "America First." If this benchmark is not clarified, then everything will be distorted.
Washington has always twisted the facts. It has been bragging about its allies. As it undermines the rules, it is also blatantly promoting a so-called rules-based international order. Everything Washington talks about is centered on the US, and on white supremacy. The interests of the US and its few allies have become the starting point of right and wrong.
The Chinese delegation has made a historic move to set things right. Their statements have formed a strong refutation of that of the US, which has impacted on the US' stereotype and will make the international community think. The world's sense of right and wrong is not in Washington's hands. Changing Washington's thinking on China is not a simple matter and is destined to happen gradually, but talks in Alaska are likely to be regarded as a milestone in this process by history.
China still hopes to maintain normal relations with the US and develop mutually beneficial cooperation. This wish is also irreversible. After the fierce opening remarks, China and the US entered a closed-door substantive dialogue. The two countries have withstood the impact of confrontation at the opening, and the two countries' public opinions seem to have quickly adapted to the situation. We believe there are also positive signs in this.
China and the US are two major world powers. No matter how many disputes they have, the two countries should not impulsively break their relations. Coexistence and cooperation are the only options for China and the US. Whether we like it or not, the two countries should learn to patiently explore mutual compromises and pursue strategic win-win cooperation.
If the two countries are clear-headed, they will do this proactively. Whoever is stubborn will still have to do this passively. The 21st century will not give a second answer to China-US relations.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
19/03/2021 |
15028: EDITORIAL: CHINA NEEDS TO USE MULTIPLE CHANNELS TO MAKE SIX POINTS CLEAR TO CHINA WHILE REMAINING UNPERTURBED IN THE WAKE OF DEVELOPMENTS
Excerpts/Summary
(This editorial was carried by the English Global Times under the title "SIX POINTS CHINA HAS TO LET US UNDERSTAND CHINA". The English version is reproduced below, pending translation of thE Chinese one.)
China's top diplomats Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Alaska on Friday (Beijing time). The meeting will last two days. Information about the meeting has been widely spread in Chinese society. However, due to a series of offensive words and deeds by the US, the Chinese public has little expectations that this dialogue can achieve any substantive results. Chinese society as a whole is prepared for greater tensions between China and the US. We believe the Chinese interlocutors are relatively relaxed for the meeting. It is a platform for strategic dialogue rather than a stage for the US to put unilateral pressures on China. Any idea that the US could dominate this dialogue is illusory. Their perceived strengths could have been used for other things, but they cannot shape China's attitude on issues concerning China's core interests Could they ask China to withdraw the national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or to recall the decision made by the National People's Congress to amend and improve Hong Kong electoral system? Every Chinese can tell the US government that this is simply wishful thinking. Do Chinese diplomats need to take time off their busy schedules to set up a stage in Alaska to announce this point? China believes that communication is always necessary because the US has an overall misjudgment about China. Whether through diplomatic contacts, through exchanges of opinion, or through the constant verification of words with real actions, China wants the US to gradually understand some of its basic positions and the sources of its confidence in defending them. First, China has no geopolitical ambitions in the Asia-Pacific region. China's development is driven by the desire of more than 1 billion people to pursue a better livelihood. Further satisfying this desire is the fundamental focus of China's political governance. China does not believe that it has the ability, or that it is necessary, to pursue development by imperialist expansion. It has been proven by history that cooperation based on mutual benefit with other countries is more reliable and effective. Second, China has explored a set of domestic governance methods that suit its national conditions. There are some ideological differences between China and the West, but China has no hostility toward the West. China has, since ancient times, always been an exponent of keeping harmony in diversity. The US initiated the strategic containment of China, which has deteriorated China' s security environment, forced China to speed up the development of its military power and carry out tit-for-tat ideological struggle. However, China has been maintaining its defensive strategy toward the West. Third, China will never accept US interference in its internal affairs. How the US consumes the so-called human rights domestically is its own business. China will never give foreign forces a window to exercise long-arm jurisdiction on its internal affairs. What China can do is to help the US understand China's political logic and the moral basis for all its governance measures. Such a dialogue does not mean that China is likely to yield to any US pressure. Fourth, it is true that China has territorial disputes with some of its neighbors, but China's consistent position on these disputes is to resolve them peacefully. China has always advocated that territorial disputes should not become the dominant aspect of bilateral relations and should not interfere with cooperation between China and other countries. China is firm in its position of managing territorial disputes. Fifth, it is China's sacred right to develop. China has never contemplated as a geopolitical goal the possibility of overtaking the US in economic growth in a few years, nor has China ever considered replacing US hegemony with "Chinese hegemony." It is Beijing's sincere hope that the 21st century will be a century of win-win results for China, the US and other countries. China's development will not be a zero-sum victory only for China, but should become shared benefits worldwide. Sixth, the Chinese are confident that they are capable of defending their own national security, and no matter how hard the US tries, it cannot contain China. If the US is willing to coexist and cooperate with China in peace, China welcomes that and will work hard to make that relationship work. If the US is determined to engage in confrontation, China will fight to the end. It is noted that the new US administration has put great efforts in its China policy. It has held a series of preparatory meetings with its allies and sent a lot of tough signals in an attempt to create a preemptive effect. However, major-country relations are not built on such swashbuckling tricks. The match of national strength and public will is the most important thing when major countries try to get along with each other. It is important to point out that the US has seriously overestimated the matching degree between its national power and its strategic fantasy of containing China.Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
18/03/2021 |
15027: LONDON LUSTS TO RIDE INDO-PACIFIC PR WAVE, BUT LACKS POWER TO PULL IT OFF
Excerpts/Summary
The latest big news of the UK tilting toward the Indo-Pacific region has surfaced from its freshly released foreign and defense policy review, putting the region again in world spotlight.
The concept of the Indo-Pacific was initially put forward by former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, and then used by the previous US administration. It was gradually accepted by the so-called like-minded countries in the region against the backdrop of the global power shift to the East.
It is also from this context that the UK decided to tilt toward the Indo-Pacific at a time when the UK, after leaving the EU family, has to look for a new diplomatic and strategic standing and has to look for consensus out of its domestic fragmented politics.
In its policy review published Tuesday, the UK government detailed why the region matters to the UK from the perspectives of economics, security, and values.
For the UK, whether it is called the Asia-Pacific or the Indo-Pacific, the importance of the region has not changed much. The UK's zeal for the region now is nothing but to ride on the concept's popularity. In other words, the UK is just a follower of the countries which claim themselves to be stakeholders in the region.
If the UK wants to get a share in the Indo-Pacific region, it needs a convenient excuse. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to pay a visit to India at the end of April. For many, India is a favorable choice. It is a huge market with an increasingly growing population and with strong scientific and technological capabilities. It also shares the same "values" with the West. In addition, India's role to counterbalance China is obvious to many, including those in the UK.
But the quantity and quality of cooperation between the UK and India will remain limited. UK's free trade agreement negotiation with the EU was tardy. Any new trade agreements between the UK and India are expected to take a long time. On the other hand, India's democracy is a fragile, narrow Western-style democracy, hampered by its caste system. If the UK wants to boost "values" in cooperation with India, the outcome will be extremely limited.
If external powers such as the US, the UK and the EU want to wield influence in the Indo-Pacific region, they have to find a target. These countries, in whatever form, do not hide their intentions to counter China. But the Indo-Pacific region accommodates not only the small clique of Western countries but also other regional players in Southeast Asia. China has engaged in Southeast Asia for years and has a profound influence there. Southeast Asian countries have also been trying to avoid taking sides to maximize their interests. It will be difficult for the small Western clique to hedge against China's influence by wooing Southeast Asian countries.
The Western-centric mentality of the UK and other European countries has not changed, so they will be unable to treat Indo-Pacific countries on an equal footing. For example, India overtook the UK in terms of GDP in 2019. The UK harbors an old imperialist mind-set about India, viewing the latter as a former colony. Up until now, many Indians still recall UK's colonial era when it helped India expand its territory and built railways. But they fail to realize that India inherited the unfit system from the UK - this has resulted in their systematic troubles that plague them to this day. India cannot become another UK or achieve its ambition to become a truly global power.
For India and regional countries, what they need the most is a stable atmosphere, an open economic environment, and innovation-driven development elements. For these needs, China can play the role of an engine. The EU has been making its own plans in the Asia-Pacific region for many years, and engaged well with Southeast Asian countries, Japan and South Korea. This will add difficulties for the UK's involvement in the Indo-Pacific. The UK will face competition from the EU, China, Japan and South Korea. London's presence will become an uncertain factor for the region. If the UK does not work with a down-to-earth manner and continues to treat regional countries from above high, it will not achieve its desired goals.
The author is a research fellow with the Institute of European Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
18/03/2021 |
15026: INDIAN MEDIA: CROSS-BORDER JOURNEY SHOWS DEEP CHINA-NEPAL DEEP CONNECTION
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
18/03/2021 |
GLOBAL POLLUTION CAPITAL, NEW DELHI’s “TRIPLE TROPHIES”
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
18/03/2021 |
CHINA CRITICIZES THE U.S. AND JAPAN FOR “BEING IN CAHOOTS”
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
18/03/2021 |
15023: NEW ERA CALLS FOR INSTITUTIONAL ECONOMICS WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
18/03/2021 |
“SKINNY” FIGURE TREND AMONGST WOMEN TRIGGERS REFLECTION
Excerpts/Summary
BBC article on March 17, original title: The latest trend of "skinny" figures on the Internet raises concerns in China.
In the latest wave on the social media in China, many women are said to go to Uniqlo stores and upload photographs of themselves trying on children's clothing. Similar fitting room selfies abound on platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Weibo.
This behavior has caused widespread controversy on the Internet. Observers believe that this latest trend reflects Chinese women's unhealthy obsession with thinness. Prior to this, similar challenges such as "touching the belly button backhand", "putting coins in the clavicle", "A4 waist" and so on had been witnessed on the Internet.
He Jinbo, a scholar who studies mental health and body image at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that latest research has found that the more time adolescents spend on social media, the more likely they are to be dissatisfied with their figure.
Ke Han, a psychologist at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said that Chinese media tend to highlight "very thin girls", and the public also prefers skinny female stars. "There is a popular saying that a good girl (weight) cannot exceed 100 catties".
Earlier this month, a Chinese actress revealed on Weibo that she had to seek medical treatment because of her rib pain when she was wearing a waist skirt to attend the awards ceremony. She reflected, “Appearance is only a part of the persona. Instead of constantly complaining that I’m not thin enough, it’s better to spend time on studying, enriching my heart, and making myself more confident!” Many netizens expressed their support to her in their messages. "Many women have body anxiety, but health is more important," said one netizen.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
18/03/2021 |
15021: INDIA, BY PIVOTING TO QUAD, WILL RUIN ITS INDUSTRIAL CHAIN
Excerpts/Summary
China, as expected, has remained the largest source of India's imports in 2020, highlighting the economic complementarities of the two Asian economies which is exactly what could help India to promote its "Make in India" campaign, if New Delhi could adopt a pragmatic approach and seize the opportunity to better connect with Chinese industrial chain.
Despite India's keeping accelerated provocation toward China from border to economic issues in 2020, the country "imported goods worth $58.71 billion from China" in the year, local media outlet the Times of India reported, citing Hardeep Singh Puri, minister of state for commerce and industry.
While China remains on top of its purchase list, the data also laid bare the absurdity of the irrational populism in India which once instigated mobs to stage boycotting products made-in-China in the past two years.
According to the Indian official, the major items of import from China include telecom equipment, computer hardware and peripherals, daily goods, organic chemicals, machinery and electronic products.
As a leading manufacturing power in the world, China possesses comparative advantages in many sectors, making it difficult to be displaced in production chains. With China offering high-quality products at reasonable prices, consumers in India know what to choose themselves; while with high potential for the two sides to promote mutual beneficial economic co-operation, those ill-intended political interference by Indian politicians would only end up in vain.
The import data offers a clear blow to the surging populism in India. Though it may not completely disappear, it will face a narrowing market in the future with diminishing margin effects.
After a year of confrontation, it's clear that it is cooperation is the only possible way for India to eke out consistent economic growths. And it's foreseeable that the bilateral trade between the two nations will keep rising which will significantly facilitate the recovery of Indian economy from the pandemic fallout.
What's worth pointing out is that while India recently showed its intention to loosen obstruction by reinstating some degree of economic cooperation with China, New Delhi, on the other hand, has been playing up the reconstruction of industrial chains with the US, Japan and Australia under the so-called Quad framework.
The differences of the two approaches of India are evident, as cooperation with China will boost its economic recovery from the recession, while the other is more of a political stunt.
The destiny of an industry chain without a valid economic foundation is self-evident.
Essentially it's each country's special economic and industrial structure that determines cooperation or competition among different economies. Taking China and India for instance, the two economies both have large domestic markets, but the two have quite different industrialization structures, leaving significant potential for the two sides to seek industrial connection and to boost each other's development through wider cooperation. Besides the potential, the BRICS also offers a framework for the two Asian members to join hands in various areas.
Compared to building a new industrial chain centering Quad members, better integrating into the well-developed regional industrial chain is clearly a more practical path for the largest South Asian economy.
New Delhi should reconsider its role in the global system, and instead of obsessing with populism which hinders the growth of its industries, better connecting with the Chinese industrial chains may be the right choice for the country's long-term economic development
The author is director of Institute of Bay of Bengal Studies with Shenzhen University.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
17/03/2021 |
CRISS-CROSS: DEVELOPMENT “RATHER THAN “DEMOCRACY” IS THE PATH FOR INDIA’S RISE
Excerpts/Summary
The U.S.-Japan-India-Australia video Summit and the upcoming visit of the U.S. Defense Secretary to India have brought the issue of India's positioning in the Indo-Pacific and even global strategic landscape into focus again. Those familiar with India's history know that India has never been short of dreams of being a great power, from being "a great power with a voice" to "a leading global force", all revealing India's ambition of great powerhood. India is also not short of political figures with dreams of great power, from Prime Minister Nehru to Modi. They are typical (of Indian thinking). However, those who understand India's national development process can hardly deny that India has from time to time experienced strategic overdraft and even strategic disorientation/losses due to lack of accurate grasp of the country's development problematique and deviation from the pragmatic path of realizing the dream of a great power. The most obvious symptom of this is the blind pursuit of strategic adventurism and speculation, while failing to achieve stable domestic economic and social development.
The ideologization of India's foreign policy in the past few years seems to be repeating the same mistakes it has made in its history. Over the past few years, India has been actively exaggerating its status and identity as a "democratic country" and has taken the initiative to cling to and even join the so-called "democratic camp" led by the United States, while exaggerating its ideological competition with China. Under the Trump Administration, the U.S. sharply and significantly escalated its strategic competition with China, characterizing the U.S.-China rivalry as a dispute between "two systems" and conducting "political warfare" against the Chinese system and Chinese model, and using the so-called "democracy" and " values and rules based order" arguments as an excuse to win over other countries to jointly check and balance China. India responded to this, and even tilted towards the "values based camp" led by the United States in an obvious way.
The sharp deterioration of India-China relations in 2020 has further stimulated some in Indian strategic circles to discredit the Chinese system. Former Indian Foreign Secretaries Vijay Gokhale, Shyam Saran, and other former high-ranking civilian officials have also clamored for an "ideological war" against China, which is quite shocking. After taking office, the Biden Administration has placed more emphasis on the U.S. as the leader of the democratic world than during the Trump era, and is planning to invite India to the "Global Democracy Summit" and attach importance to the role of the U.S.-Japan-India-Australia quadrilateral mechanism in maintaining a "free and open Indo-Pacific", indicating that the U.S. still hopes to draw India into its "democracy camp.
However, such an ideological foreign strategy is not conducive for India to rise.
First, "Indian democracy" is by no means the same as "Western democracy," and the "democratic rift" between the U.S. and India is difficult to conceal. Democratic values were once considered an important driving force in U.S.-India relations, and both governments and public opinion repeatedly proclaimed the "like-mindedness" between the "most powerful democracy" and the "largest democracy. ". However, as domestic politics in the United States and India have changed, the differences in perception of "democracy" between the United States and India have increased.
In particular, since the Modi government's second term, the strong push for the ruling party's agenda and the strong suppression of opposition forces have raised concerns within the United States about the "authenticity" of India's democratic system. India's strong control over Indian-held Kashmir since August 2019, the nationwide demonstrations triggered by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in late 2019, and the farmers' protests stretching to the end of 2020 are some of the most typical examples. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Global Democracy Index 2020, India's ranking has fallen to 53rd from 27th at the start of Modi's term in office. It is also reported that India is the world's most frequent and longest disconnected country, and its 213 days of (I-net) disconnection in parts of Indian-controlled Kashmir is a world record for the longest disconnection in the world.
Not long ago, in response to farmers' demonstrations in India, a number of heavyweight members of the U.S. Congressional "India Group" met with the Indian Ambassador to the U.S., stressing that "democratic norms must be maintained and farmers must be able to exercise their right to peaceful demonstrations and access to the Internet. In the first call with Modi since Biden came to power, the White House Press Release highlighted the joint statement of the "two leaders," except that it said that "the President of the United States underscored his desire to defend democratic institutions and norms around the world, noting that a shared commitment to democratic values is a cornerstone of the U.S.-India relationship", without making a reference to Modi's statement. The implication is noteworthy. Time magazine recently carried an article titled "How long can Biden pretend that Modi's India is a democratic ally?" The article pointed out that "if India cannot arrest the decline of democracy under Modi, the U.S.-India relationship may be as Kissinger described it, like a couple that can't separate but also can't get along".
Second, development is the primary task facing India, and China is one of India's most important development partners. From the end of the Cold War until Modi came to power in 2014, India positioned its identity attributes more from the perspective of economic development, i.e., India is a large developing country, an emerging economy, and an important force in a multipolar world, hoping to push the existing international system in a direction favorable to developing countries.
China regards economic and trade cooperation as an important instrument for stabilizing Sino-Indian relations, and when President Xi Jinping visited India in 2014, the two sides clearly emphasized that "closer development partnership is the core element of the strategic partnership between the two countries". Since then, Chinese investment in India has grown significantly, especially in Internet technology companies, which has played a positive role in promoting India's economic development. Data show that Chinese investment in Indian startups jumped 12-fold between 2016 and 2019, from $381 million to $4.6 billion. At the second informal leaders' meeting in 2019, the two leaders also agreed to establish a high-level economic and trade dialogue mechanism and explore the establishment of a "manufacturing partnership", amongst other things.
However, with the rise of domestic economic nationalism and deepening strategic doubts about China, India has gradually deviated from the development cooperation track with China and even adopted many discriminatory economic and trade policies toward China. However, the structure of China-India economic and trade relations determines that the Indian side is more dependent and vulnerable, and India's discriminatory policies are tantamount to lifting stones to smash its own feet, and will make it simply impossible for India to achieve the desired effect.
Finally, the "democracy card" may be India's "calling card" for knocking at the door of the United States, but it is difficult to make it serve a the basis for a US "commitment" to strategic support of India. Except for Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's "Emergency" period, India has been what it defines as a "democracy" for most of the post-independence period, but the fact that U.S.-India relations have not always been harmonious speaks volumes. Indeed, India's greatest strategic value to the United States is its place in U.S. strategy toward China, not India's own democratic system. In contrast, China is one of India's irreplaceable neighbors and most important economic and trade partners, and a closer development partnership with China will help India's rise.
Former Indian National Security Adviser Menon pointed out that "India can only become a world power if it becomes a strong, prosperous and modern India; otherwise it will be putting the cart before the horse. There is no point in being a so-called world power when people at home are living in misery". Therefore, the best foreign policy for India is an economic growth rate of 8%".
(The author is Deputy Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies, China Institute of Modern International Relations)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
17/03/2021 | 15019: THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS DOOMED TO FAIL IN ITS CONFRONTING CHINA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
17/03/2021 |
15018: WILL VAGUE DEMOCRATIC VALUES BIND QUAD TOGETHER?
Excerpts/Summary
The Quad is an informal security group consisting of the US, Japan, Australia and India. Under this rubric, they label themselves like-minded countries.
Yet soon after its first ever leaders' summit held on Friday, some voices of discord are emerging about the block.
The joint statement of the latest summit claims that, "together, we commit to promoting a free, open, rules-based order." Yet an Indian scholar, Manoj Joshi, distinguished fellow at India-based think tank Observer Research Foundation, wrote in an article published Tuesday that, "The problem is that no one is clear as to what the rules-based order means… there is no agreement on which rules, whose rules, and, indeed, the term itself."
Joshi is right. There is ambiguity on what a free, open, rules-based order is. Some results were reached in the Quad summit. These included the issue of collaborative vaccine production, but when it comes to security and the Indo-Pacific security framework, all they had talked about were quite grand and vague without specific contents. The so-called common values and common security are nothing but illusory concepts. When it comes to free, open, rules-based order, each Quad member has its different focus.
Joshi said, "India is in a peculiar bind here. On the one hand, it is following the US lead in implementing the RBO [rules-based order] in relation to the Indo-Pacific, and on the other, we have External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar complaining about Western organizations questioning India's adherence to a rules-based democracy."
In Western countries' opinions, when it is necessary to highlight confrontation with China, they will promote and praise India's democracy. They declare that India is the largest democratic country. But when their need for India is not so strong, they criticize India's democracy as flimsy. This is, in fact, hypocrisy.
Although Quad members launched a plan to boost India's COVID-19 vaccine production capacity, this didn't prevent Western media from pouring criticisms on India over the country's vaccination drive. An opinion piece on the New York Times on Monday punched at India's "bureaucracy, inefficient delivery and a rich-poor disparity" that are hobbling the country's vaccination drive. It claimed the second COVID-19 wave is moving faster than India's bureaucracy. US media outlets such as the New York Times and CNN are essentially pro-Democratic Party. They are inclined to focus on reporting the negative side of India. They often run articles that accuse India of moving in a more authoritarian direction.
Media in the US and other Western countries have been criticizing India's "degraded" democracy for a while. They lambaste it by saying that India's democracy is becoming more and more authoritarian. Whether it is the growing influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party in India, the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, the mistreatment of Muslims, or the internet shutdown during the farmers' protests, India has attracted a lot of criticism from the West. Under such context, the Quad members still hypocritically stand together, emphasizing that they are like-minded allies. But in fact, these are just slogans used to achieve their geopolitical purposes.
China was not mentioned in the joint statement the Quad issued after its summit, but people understand that they are actually targeting China. However, when it comes to dealing with specific China-related issues, the four countries have different considerations. All the four have close economic relations with China. Even though they claim that their so-called common values and interests are a priority, they still need to properly handle the Chinese market. This really means their interests are with China. This, however, conflicts with their political will to openly confront China.
The Quad grouping has put forward a grand goal to establish a free, open, rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. Please also don't ignore the fact that there are already many mechanisms (such as ASEAN in Asia) that are more mature than Quad that can be utilized.
These mechanisms hold the potential to better reflect the common interests of the people in the region. Time has changed. With so many other mechanisms in Asia, this question might be raised: How attractive will Quad be? The fact is this: The future of Asia lies in economic frameworks such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
How far the Quad grouping will actually go also depends on the results of China handling bilateral relations with each of the Quad members. China and India are making efforts to bring the ties back to a normal track after the border standoff from last summer. China is sending goodwill to Japan over many issues, with Japan's hosting of the Olympic Games in particular, in an attempt to create sound conditions for stable Japan-China ties.
When it comes to China-Australia relations, there is still room for a turnaround given the fact that there are still many rational voices calling for an end to Australia's hostile policy toward China in Australia's business circles. Besides, China and the US will soon have their Alaska meeting.
As long as China can properly address bilateral relations with each Quad member, this can help dilute their joint containment of China.
The article was compiled based on an interview with Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
OBSERVER: US-CHINA “2+2” DIALOGUE, A NEW STARTING POINT FOR ENGAGEMENT?
Excerpts/Summary
Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi, the top officials in charge of foreign relations of China and the United States, together with Blinken and Sullivan, will hold the "2+2" high-level strategic dialogue between China and the United States in Alaska from March 18 to 19. This dialogue is different from both the "2+2" dialogue between the U.S. and Japan, where the foreign minister and defense secretary meet, and the economic and security strategy dialogues that have been held between China and the U.S. on several occasions. It can be said that this is the first platform to reposition bilateral relations between the two powers.
Because of its importance, Chinese and U.S. media and think tanks are making predictions and comments about this high-level diplomatic and strategic dialogue, and there are many different opinions. The author has also made a few comments on the upcoming dialogue below.
First, this "2+2" dialogue is likely to be a "new starting point" for U.S.-China relations. It is important to see that the Trump Administration felt compelled to "blame" China, smearing and wildly attacking it irrationally, in the late stage of its term due to its poor performance in dealing with the new epidemic,. It embarked on an irrational "bottomless tough" line against China, groundlessly discrediting and frantically attacking it, and almost completely abandoned the official dialogue with China. Although Yang Jiechi met with the then U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo in Hawaii in June 2020, the dialogue was fruitless because Pompeo was determined to "disengage" with China.
Since Biden took office in January 2021, high-level interaction between the U.S. and China has increased significantly, and on February 2, Yang Jiechi delivered a speech at a video conference held by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, calling on the new U.S. Administration to put U.S.-China relations back on a healthy track and sending positive signals that the two sides can move forward together. The two Heads of State paid their respects to each other on the Chinese New Year of the Ox on phone and also had an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues. The upcoming March 18-19 U.S.-China High-Level Strategic Dialogue will be the third interaction between the U.S. and China since the Biden Administration took office. The author's observation is that the "engagement policy" with China, which was abandoned by the Trump Administration before, is being resumed to a certain extent.
Secondly, this "engagement policy" is premised on preconditions of "what's good for the U.S". This is the so-called "result-oriented" dialogue and engagement. Although different from Trump's unreasonable "America First," it is still essentially the logic of a bully. On this premise, Blinken and other senior U.S. officials have stated several times that the responsibility for the U.S.-China relationship coming to the present point does not lie entirely with the U.S. side, even asking the Chinese side to "correct its mistakes" first. This has set a "roadblock" to improvement of Sino-US relations.
The world knows that the second half of the Trump and Pompeo Administration has reached the limit of full scale anti-China approach of "economic decoupling," "political anti-communism," "containment militarily" and so on. The hard-line policies without a floor, such as "abandoning one China principle" have pushed China-US relations to the edge of a precipice. The Chinese side has exercised great restraint and made every effort to refrain from embarking on the no return path of a "new cold war" in China-US relations. In any case, the U.S. side is the main party responsible for the hollowing out of Sino-U.S. relations.
Frankly speaking, we understand the dilemma the Biden Administration faces in improving U.S.-China relations. The devastating effects of the "Trump legacy" are far-reaching and extensive, and hard to reverse; the U.S. is faced with the difficult task of getting on top of the domestic epidemic and economic situation; anti-China forces in Congress are still "bull-headed" and the domestic political atmosphere is negative and hostile. In this environment, it is almost impossible for the Biden Administration to correct the hard-line anti-China policy of the previous Administration in the short term. However, this is not a reason for some factions in the Democratic Party to "put China on the mat for its crimes". Turning black and white and confusing right and wrong will only be akin to quenching thirst by drinking poison and will not help the Democratic Party to get out of its predicament.
China and the United States need to do something to arrest he damage and stop the free fall. The Democratic Party is accustomed to using "human rights and democracy" as the banner of its foreign policy. Some politicians will also take China to task on issues related to Hong Kong and the border, and even use "defending Taiwan's democracy" as a veneer to support "Taiwan independence". The Chinese side emphasizes the red line of core national interests, on which has no room for concessions. If the U.S. side is still shirking or even shifting responsibility at this time, it will not help the U.S.-China "2+2" high-level strategic dialogue. China and the United States should focus on the future and work together to remove old obstacles and prevent creation of new ones.
Third, the U.S.-China "2+2" dialogue should focus on expanding the scope of cooperation. Secretary Blinken recently said that the U.S.-China relationship has all three elements, of competition, confrontation, and cooperation, and that we should do whatever we can. This is obviously much more sober than Pompeo's one-sided approach of refusing to cooperate, blind in its confrontation. The question is what to cooperate on and how to cooperate? China believes that there is room for cooperation and the need for cooperation in the three major areas of climate governance, prevention and control of new epidemics and crisis control (including arms control). The U.S. side has also responded positively to this. For example, the dialogue between the expert groups of both sides in the field of climate governance has been quite in-depth, and experts in epidemic prevention and control are also exploring the path of cooperation. Now we need to turn the consensus at the expert level into a coordinated diplomatic mechanism between the two countries, This is the bright spot that may appear in the "2+2" dialogue.
In fact, these three areas are not the only areas of cooperation between the United States and China. We can imagine that China and the United States can jointly promote the prevention and control of new epidemics in third countries, jointly invest in infrastructure development, and jointly create rules for climate governance within the UN system, etc. Bilateral cooperation can also be expanded to multilateral and global cooperation. As long as China and the U.S. cooperate in these three areas first, the possibility of removing disturbing factors and avoiding friction in other areas will increase, and positive factors can be accumulated for further improvement in the next stage of development of Sino-U.S. relations, and gradually establish new mutual trust.
China and the United States are large in size and responsibilities, and so are the challenges. The opportunities are even greater. The high-level diplomatic "2+2" dialogue between the two countries can be a new starting point, or a turning point. Although the road is is tortuous, the prospects can often be bright. .
(The author is Executive Vice President of the Institute of Belt and Road and Global Governance, Fudan University)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
INDIA TO IMPLEMENT “STRICT BAN” ON CRYPTOCURRENCIES
Excerpts/Summary
"India may introduce the world's toughest ban on cryptocurrencies." Reuters quoted an anonymous Indian government official as saying on the 15th that India intends to legislate a ban on cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, and that any holding, issuing, "mining", trading and transferring of cryptocurrency assets will be considered illegal and be subjected to penalties. The price of bitcoin retreated from an all-time high of $61,000 on the same day, falling to $58,000.
Details of the proposed bill have not been made public, but it might give cryptocurrency holders up to six months to clean up their assets, Reuters said. The measure is in line with a proposal submitted to Parliament by the Modi government in January, which called for a ban on private cryptocurrencies while establishing a framework for issue of official digital currencies. If the ban becomes law, India would become the first major economy in the world to make it illegal to hold cryptocurrencies. Reuters said the legislation could be the toughest in the world and could deal a heavy blow to millions of cryptocurrency investors. India currently has about $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency investments, with registrations and trading funds growing nearly 30-fold in the past year.
Indian Finance Minister Sitharaman said the proposed cryptocurrency ban is not closing the window for all cryptocurrency use, according to The Times of India. She said Indian regulators would allow people to use a certain range of blockchain, bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. India's central bank last month again expressed concern, saying cryptocurrencies are a risk to financial stability.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
15015: INDIAN CRIMINALS USED TO USING TOY GUNS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
15014: TOP U.S. OFFICIALS VISIT ASIA TO ENLIST ALLIES
Excerpts/Summary
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin arrived in Japan on the 15th to begin their first visit to Asia. The two men pointed their fingers at China before setting out. Austin first visited the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the 14th, claiming that "China is the main threat" and declaring that he wanted to create a "credible deterrent" against China. He and Blinken also co-authored an article in the Washington Post on the 15th, saying that they want to rebuild and strengthen the alliance to deal with the "Chinese threat". In response, the Japanese and South Korean media talked about relations between the allies, on the one hand, but carefully avoided directly targeting China on the other. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, another U.S. ally in Asia, recently said publicly that "Singapore cannot choose sides if there is a conflict between China and the U.S".. Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao" also warned in an editorial on the 15th that "it is necessary to be wary of the 'China threat theory', that has been gaining momentum from time to time, developing into a 'self-fulfilling prophecy' that no one wants to see. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on the 15th that in the era of globalization, drawing lines based on ideology, ganging up and engaging in small cliques against specific countries is what undermines the international order and is unpopular. Ultimately, it will leave no way out.
U.S. pulls allies to create "credible deterrence" against China
According to the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) 15, U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin first arrived at the U.S. military base in Yokota, Japan, on a special flight at around 3 p.m. that day, and then switched to a helicopter to inspect the U.S. military base in Roppongi, in central Tokyo. Secretary of State John Blinken arrived in Japan at around 8:30 p.m. According to reports, the U.S. and Japan will hold a meeting of in the afternoon of the 16th, followed by a "2+2" meeting between foreign and defense ministers. In the evening, Blinken and Austin will also go to the Japanese Prime Minister's residence to meet with Yoshihide Suga.
According to AFP, this is the first visit to Asia for Blinken and Austin, and their first foreign trip since taking office. They will hold "2+2" talks with Japan and South Korea, followed by Austin's visit to India, while Blinken will attend the U.S.-China Senior Officials Dialogue in Anchorage, Alaska, on the 18th together with U.S. Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Sullivan. "This trip is focused on strengthening relationships with allies and also to strengthen military capabilities," Austin declared during a visit to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the 14th. "Our intent is to ensure that we have the capabilities and action plans in place to pose a credible deterrent to China or any other country that wants to challenge the United States".
On the occasion of the trip, Blinken and Austin said in a joint article in The Washington Post on 15 May that "allies are force multipliers for the U.S. military." According to the article, they made Asia the site of their first foreign trip because the Indo-Pacific region has become the center of global geopolitics, with its billions of people, several powers that have risen or are rising, and five treaty-bound U.S. allies. In addition, a significant portion of the world's trade is conducted through its sea lanes. The article also attacks China's policies on Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
It was the first foreign visit by a top Biden Administration cabinet official and is seen as part of a larger effort by the Biden Administration to increase U.S. influence in Asia and appease concerns about the U.S. role in the region, ABC said. After four years of "transactional and temperamental" relations with allies like Japan and South Korea in the Trump Administration, the trip to Asia by top Cabinet officials is meant to restore Washington's close ties with Tokyo and Seoul, the report said. Biden has signaled at the beginning of his term that he will put the Indo-Pacific at the top of the U.S. foreign policy agenda. In keeping with the diplomatic theme of "America back" , Biden pledged to make maintaining stability in the region the centerpiece of his international action initiatives.
Mixed feelings in Japan and South Korea
In response to a senior U.S. Cabinet official shouting about the "China threat" before his visit to Asia, and his claim that he wants to bring allies together to create a "credible deterrent" against China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a press conference on May 15 that China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of international order. China's development is a growing force for world peace and an opportunity, not a challenge, for the world. What China has always firmly upheld is the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, not the international order defined by individual countries to maintain their hegemony.
In fact, Japan and South Korea have mixed feelings about the joint visit of the U.S. Secretaries of State and Defense. Japanese and South Korean media have lauded senior U.S. Cabinet officials for choosing Japan and South Korea for their first visits, but rarely have they publicly declared their intention to directly target China militarily, as the United States has done. According to the Asahi Shimbun, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshichika Mogi said during a Senate debate on the 15th that the U.S.-Japan ' meeting and the "2+2" talks "will discuss the issue of China". He said, "Not long after the Biden Administration assumed office, the two senior U.S. officials made Japan their first foreign visit, and this is an opportunity to show the world that the Japan-U.S. alliance was unshakable".
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the importance the U.S. attaches to Japan is a mixed blessing. If it were simply because of the importance attached to Japan, top U.S. officials would not be so anxious to win over Japan. The reason why the Biden regime is in such a hurry must be that it has access to a wide range of classified information and has a strong sense of crisis about the status quo. With reference to the assessment that the total power of the United States far exceeds that of China in military terms, the report asks if the U.S. (military) advantage over China will be shaken in the event of a conflict between United States and China in the Asia-Pacific region? It answers the question affirmatively, "yes," because it will take a long time for the U.S. to concentrate and bring its worldwide war effort to the Asia-Pacific region. According to the report, Japan's Abe government has secretly held a number of military war game exercises, envisioning various scenarios around Japan. The results have given Japan a great shock as all of them show that the U.S. military and Japan's Self Defense Forces in the Indo-Pacific combined against China are at a disadvantage.
Compared with Japan's mixed feelings, South Korea is more worried. According to the Korea Economy 15, South Korea is under increasing pressure as the U.S. is increasingly blatantly pressing other countries to join the Quadrilateral alliance to contain China. Yonhap News Agency said that although the U.S. is trying hard to piece together the U.S.-Japan-South Korea military alliance for the purpose of encircling China, most opinions within the South Korean military believe that it will be difficult for the South Korean side to accept the U.S. request to institutionalize joint U.S.-Japan-South Korea cementing through training etc. in the short term, considering the current South Korean national sentiment.
In fact, the U.S. alliance against China in the Indo-Pacific is of no benefit to the security of this region. The visit of the senior US officials is overshadowed even before they arrive in Japan and South Korea, the US failure on the North Korea issue, which has a bearing on the security of the Asia-Pacific. CNN said another focus of the visit of Blinken and Austin to Japan and South Korea was the North Korean nuclear issue. The report quoted a senior U.S. official as saying that the Biden Administration "has been trying to reach out to the North Korean government through multiple channels since mid-February to reduce the risk of escalation," but "so far we have not received any response from Pyongyang.
Shen Dingli, a Professor at Fudan University's Graduate School of International Studies, said in an interview with the Huan Qiu Shi Bao on the 15th that the U.S. declaration to work with its allies to establish a "credible deterrent" against China is the first time the U.S. has made such a statement so clearly. It has been the strategic intent of successive U.S. Administrations to establish a strong deterrent against China. The U.S. has wanted to establish a trilateral alliance between the U.S., Japan and South Korea against China since the Obama era, but talk is talk and action is action. The U.S. has not been successful so far.
Shen Dingli said that people in different walks of life have doubts about the military deterrence of China by the once confident United States military being credible now, after the rapid growth of China's military power, He said Obama's attempt to do this ended in failure, and that the Biden Administration will only fail even more if it does so now. This is because, these allies have their own national interests calculations.
Asian countries do not want to choose sides
"Biden's foreign policy agenda has two central goals: to rebuild relations with frustrated allies and to build a united front on China". The New York Times of the 14th said that it will not be easy to achieve these two points. China took effective control measures in the early days of the new corona pneumonia outbreak and has largely restored economic growth while the West is still struggling to fight the epidemic. To get there, the U.S. hopes to rely on the support of allies like Japan and South Korea, the report said. But Japan and South Korea are both trying to walk a delicate line on China: Both countries differ from China on security and human rights, but their economic prosperity depends on trade with Beijing.
The Wall Street Journal says there is a misalignment with U.S. interests in the countries which the U.S. is trying to bring together as it seeks to coordinate its strategy toward China. Some U.S. officials say the Biden Administration's plan to bring allies together to confront China is being tested, especially by the possibility of a counterattack by Beijing over actions by some US allies to challenge China.
Whether it is Japan or South Korea, Shen Dingli said, the overall risk of security problems between China and them has decreased rather than increased compared with the past. South Korea, for example, has learned a lesson on the "THAAD" issue. At present, the security differences between China and South Korea are under control,, and bilateral trade and economic ties are closer, South Korea benefits more than it would have from the U.S.-Korea relationship, and the more China develops, the more South Korea benefits. South Korea is less likely than ever before to side with the United States against China.
Many Asia-Pacific countries are concerned that the U.S. manufacture of the "China threat" could put the entire region at risk. The BBC aired an interview with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 14th May. Lee Hsien Loong said, "If China and the United States are in conflict, Singapore can not choose sides". Previously, Lee Hsien Loong said that although Asian countries want to cooperate with the United States, "not many countries are willing to join an alliance that would exclude other countries, especially a Cold War-style alliance without China". Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao" said in an editorial on the 15th that it is necessary to be wary of the "China threat theory" that has been gaining momentum from time to time as it might develop into a "self-fulfilling prophecy" that no one wants to see. According to the report, the United States and China must be "careful and do some careful thinking" and not regard each other as competitors who are to be eliminated or suppressed.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
IN FOCUS: HOW YOUNG PEOPLE CAN FACE THE FUTURE WITHOUT FEELING “TRAPPED”
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
TAUNTING “SMALL TOWN MENTALITY” REVEALS A SENSE OF VULGAR SUPERIORITY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
JAPANESE CURIOUS: ARE THE CHINESE “SERIOUS AND DILIGENT”?
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
CHINA’S “STONE SOUP” STRATEGY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
16/03/2021 |
15009: QUAD-PLUS-FRANCE DRILL IS PUBLICITY STUNT, WON’T STRENGTHEN LOOSE GROUP
Excerpts/Summary
Despite the first Quad summit held on March 12 dominating headlines of global media reports, it is evident that its members are loosely knit with temporary purposes and interests. The fact can hardly be changed even if Indian media outlets are busy hyping up the Quad-plus-France military exercise, which will take place in the Bay of Bengal from April 4 to 7, in an attempt to show off the group's military cooperation. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit India from Friday to Sunday. Against the backdrop, Indian media are sensationalizing the importance of the Quad-plus-France military exercise to show that India plays a dominant role in such military cooperation. Joint military exercises among the US, Japan, India and Australia are usually dominated by the US because it has the strongest military power. Even in the Indian Ocean, the US has a much stronger military presence than India does. But New Delhi has always believed that the Indian Ocean should be dominated by India. It therefore wants to make a preemptive statement to show that India's role in the Quad framework is important. After the US proposed its Indo-Pacific Strategy, India has dreamed to take advantage of US influence to achieve some of India's strategic goals. Although Washington and New Delhi have a strong need for cooperation, the two sides are by no means real friends. They are making use of each other for their own ends. The upcoming naval drill between Quad members and France is more like a publicity stunt. For the moment, Washington is hoping to draw more NATO members into its Indo-Pacific military framework and to invite them to cooperate with the US' future military operations in this region. However, many European countries are not enthusiastic about it. Since the US plays a dominant role in NATO, France has to show some cooperative gestures. But France won't carry out hostile actions which are directly targeted at other major military powers in the West Pacific. It is impossible for France to maintain a long-term military presence in this region. As such, France's participation in the Quad-plus-France drills is only to give face to the US. Although some Indian media outlets claim that certain Western countries are eager to cooperate with Quad to tackle a "belligerent" China, those countries may pay more attention to India's defense market, because India cannot produce many kinds of large combating equipment and weapons by its own and has to import them from other countries. Therefore, reports and rhetoric made by some Indian media outlets were too arrogant and too overconfident. Many Indian media outlets have portrayed China as a "threat." This, in fact, will make it impossible for defense cooperation between European countries and India to go further. Currently, China's military presence in the Indian Ocean is only for peaceful purposes, including fighting piracy and providing escorts for vessels. These actions do not target India or pose a maritime threat to any other country in the region. On the contrary, India has always been aggressive in the Indian Ocean. India's major-power ambitions are growing. It even hopes to build a hegemonic system in the Indian Ocean. However, the US desires to maintain its hegemony in the Indian Ocean. As a result, although there is some military cooperation between the two countries targeting China, ultimately, contradictions between New Delhi and Washington in the Indian Ocean region will be irreconcilable. When India's military power grows, New Delhi will challenge the US in the region sooner or later. This actually reflects that the security-based framework of Quad is not as solid as it looks. There is still a big gap between US' and India's military presence in the Indian Ocean. But if India deploys more aircraft carriers, more advanced nuclear submarines and fighter jets there in the future, it will seriously ponder which country has the final say in the waters. However, the US will never allow any other country to dominate strategic patterns in the Indian Ocean. By then, Washington and New Delhi will inevitably turn against each other. Fundamentally speaking, Quad is a loosely knit group which was established for temporary interests of its members. The military moves of Quad are obviously aimed at China. What China needs to do now is to improve its own military capabilities and to strengthen its comprehensive maritime combat abilities while proving to the world that a stronger Chinese navy will safeguard world peace and stability. The author is a Beijing-based military analyst.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
15/03/2021 |
15008: FOREIGN MINSTRY SPOKESPERSON ON QUAD
Excerpts/Summary
Extracts from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Regular Press ConferenceBloomberg: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that the goal of the US and its key allies is to make sure that they have the capabilities and operational plans to offer credible deterrence to China or anybody else who would want to take on the United States. What is the foreign ministry's comment? Zhao Lijian: China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. China's development means better protection for world peace, as it represents opportunities for the world, not challenges. China has always firmly upheld the UN-centered international system and the international order we champion is the one based on international law, not the one defined by individual countries to maintain their hegemony. In the era of globalization, forming enclosed small cliques with ideology as the yardstick is the sure way to destroy the international order and after all, is unpopular and will end in total failure. The United States should treat China and China-US relations in a right mentality and in an objective and rational manner, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and work with China to focus on cooperation, manage differences, and place China-US relations back on the track of healthy and stable development. Reuters: The four countries of the Quad held their first summit on March 12. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the four leaders discussed the challenge posed by China and believed democracy could out-compete autocracy. Do you have any comment on that? Zhao Lijian: For quite some time, certain countries have been so keen to exaggerate and hype up the so-called "China threat" to sow discord among regional countries, especially to disrupt their relations with China. However, their actions, running counter to the trend of the times of peace, development and cooperation and the common aspirations of the countries and peoples in the region, will not be welcomed or succeed. Exchanges and cooperation between countries should help expand mutual understanding and trust, instead of targeting or harming the interests of third parties. Certain countries should shake off their Cold-War mentality and ideological prejudice, refrain from forming closed and exclusive small circles, and do more things that are conducive to solidarity and cooperation among regional countries and regional peace and stability.Journal: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing | ★★ |
15/03/2021 |
INDIAN MEDIA: QUAD BARKS, BUT CAN IT “BITE” CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
India's "tHE Federal" website, March 14 article, original title: "Quad countries can bark, but can they "bite" China?" India, the United States, Japan and Australia had joined forces to help tsunami victims. Now the four countries are joining forces again to try to deal with another kind of tsunami - the steady rise of China as a superpower and the challenges it poses to the Asia-Pacific region. When the leaders of the four countries participated in the "Quadrilateral Security Dialogue" meeting on March 12, it seemed for the first time that there was a sense of urgency to ensure that this grouping is infused with more substantive content. The decision to jointly manufacture a new corona vaccine and develop 5G and other state-of-the-art technologies suggests that the four countries will work together to try to make a difference in a number of potentially non-political areas - areas that are also critical to countering Beijing.
Each of the four countries harbors grievances against China. India and China have border problems, Australia and China have seen a decline in relations, and Japan and China have a dispute over an island. And in a rare move, Biden has followed in his predecessor's footsteps by taking the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue to a higher level of engagement. The reason is obvious: the United States sees China as a political and economic threat. Thus, the Quad is now at an interesting crossroads.
For the most part, various groupings of countries are not able to make much progress because of disputes between countries within the group, which affect their larger goals. It is worth recalling that the "Quad" was informally proposed after the 2004 tsunami. The cooperation of the navies of the four countries had helped thousands of victims in the Indian Ocean region.. "Three years later, Abe revived the grouping in response to growing pressure from China over disputed islands. But after a joint military exercise and a round of dialogue, the organization went dormant again until Trump activated it again in 2017 amid heightened U.S.-China tensions.
The Achilles' heel, or inherent weakness of the four countries, is their respective bilateral relations with China. For example, Australia temporarily withdrew from the G-4 in 2008 to improve its bilateral relations with Beijing. India has also been cautious within the G-4, refraining from calling China an intruder on border issues and preferring to make general statements around the theme of peace and asking countries to play by internationally accepted rules.
As the old saying goes, "The proof of the pudding is in eating it. How the "Quad" behave will depend entirely on their responsiveness and the impact on any China-related issues that may soon arise. Posturing at such Summits may be important to send signals, but when it comes to the need to take real action, the posture is less important. At this point, it is difficult to say how effective the "quadrilateral" meeting will ultimately be.
(The original article on which the item is based can be seen here.)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/03/2021 | 15006: PREPARING FOR A LONG FIGHT ! INDIAN DEMONSTRATORS BEGIN BUILD HOUSES | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/03/2021 | 15005: NEW CONFIRMED CASES IN INDIA REACH RECORD HIGH | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/03/2021 |
15004: WESTERN COUNTRIES PUMP UP INDIA’S LIMP DEMOCRACY IN POWER GAME
Excerpts/Summary
Former Indian diplomat K. C. Singh published an article on Monday entitled, "Will India 'self-correct' in order to To fulfill the promise of Quad ?" The author observed that "soft power is at the root" of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as Quad comprising the US, Japan, India and Australia, and the Quad members were "united by democratic values". He suggested that when other countries debate whether democracy is degrading in India, "denial and anger is not the answer… self-correction is."
First, it is necessary to point out that the Quad is definitely not "united by democratic values." If this is the case, then why have other democratic countries, such as the Philippines, not participated? The fundamental reason for these four countries to "unite" is not because of their so-called democratic values, but geopolitics. They are unwilling to see China's rise and are afraid of China's strength.
Indeed, India's democracy has been touted by many Western countries, especially the US. But they have their selfish purposes. They want to use India's democracy as a pretext to put the spotlight on the so-called undemocratic condition of China, and to prove that India's democracy is beneficial to development. But ironically, India's development is worse than China's in almost all aspects. Nor has India's democracy really contributed to the improvement of its social welfare and human rights.
The most fundamental problem with India's democracy is that many of the country's policies and laws cannot truly serve the interests of the people at the bottom of society. Another problem is that many Indian politicians do not have much practical experience in national governance. They mainly focus on political commitments to win votes, but they lack long-term development plans. This also explains the inefficiency of the entire country.
Within the different castes of Hinduism, the rights of the lower castes have long been severely trampled upon. Farmers committing suicide due to poverty and the vast discrimination against women are vivid examples that democracy and human rights have by no means been guaranteed in India.
A report by the US-based NGO Freedom House on March 3, entitled "Freedom in the World 2021," has downgraded India from a "free" country to a "partly free" country, after judging India on various political rights and civil liberties. And according to Sweden-based Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute, India has turned from being the world's largest democracy into an "electoral autocracy."
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar responded sharply to these rhetorically: "...because you have a set of self-appointed custodians of the world, who find it very difficult to stomach that somebody in India is not looking for their approval, is not willing to play the game they want it to be played"
Here, India's retort is justified. It is wrong for the US and some Western countries to ask other countries to promote Western democracy according to the standards the West has set. The development of a country's political system has to be adapted to its national conditions, as well as its historical and cultural traditions.
The West has long regarded India as the "largest democracy." However, it has a selfish intention for doing so. The claim of India's democratic status is mainly aimed at China, with the ultimate purpose of trying to prove that China is not a democracy. Now the West sees that the so-called largest democracy also has many problems. In fact, Western countries may have known this long before. They just chose to ignore it. When it comes to issues over China, Western countries may still butter up the specialty of democracy of India. But when they talk about India alone, they will mercilessly point out these problems.
This reflects the fact that India is not recognized by the West. If India's problems are spotted in Australia or the UK, the attitude of these European countries and the US would be different. They would not attribute these problems to democracy, either. Countries are not only divided by whether they are democratic or not, but also by Western or non-Western. Thus, even though India has adopted many Western models in its political system, the country is still seen as different by the West in terms of race and culture.
In his article, Singh concludes that self-correction is the answer for India's democracy. Otherwise, "the Quad will merely be a limping Triad-plus".
This is also fundamentally wrong. The Quad has turned into the way it is today due to geopolitical reasons. Whether they will become a "limping Triad-plus" does not depend on whether Indian democracy is corrected or not.
Democracy is just an excuse for these four countries when they are in conflict with each other. The Quad only has common geopolitical aims against China, not common democracy. Of course, in order to damage China's image, they will portray India's democracy as perfect. This is complete opportunism.
The author is a senior research fellow with the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, and president of the Chengdu Institute of World Affairs.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
15/03/2021 |
EDITORIAL: PROPELLING ‘ASIAN NATO’ BEYOND US CAPACITY”
Excerpts/Summary
(This editorial was carried in the English Global Times also with slight differences -- i.e there are some additional phrases in the Chinese version not included in the English one. The latter are shown in italics font.)
The leaders of the Quad countries, the US, Japan, India and Australia, issued a joint statement after their first online meeting on Friday. The statement did not mention China, but it contained a number of phrases that were specifically directed at China. For example, it mentioned that the Quad countries "will strive for an Indo-Pacific region unconstrained by coercion." Other issues, such as helping India expand vaccine production, had already been tagged toward China in advance of the meeting. Media outlets had commonly interpreted it as an effort to counter China in "vaccine diplomacy." Some media outlets even suggested that "China looms large at this meeting. "US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday's press briefing that "the four leaders did discuss the challenge posed by China, and they made clear that none of them have any illusions about China." He reiterated that "the Quad is not a new NATO," and also stressed that "it is an opportunity for these four democracies to work as a group." His expression is a little confused and contradictory.
The so-called Indo-Pacific strategy is a legacy of the Trump administration, and no one in the strategic community doubts that the Biden administration has inherited it and plans to advance it with the long-term goal to include more elements in containing China, including increasing military cooperation. No one in the strategic community doubts this direction. The Asian version of NATO is how the Quad is portrayed in the press, and it is widely believed to fit well with Washington's ambitions.
Sullivan's denial of the appellation is also a kind of realism. He must know it's as difficult for Washington to build an Asian NATO as it is to turn all Asian countries into US states.
The statement of the four countries did not mention China at all is obviously not what the United States wanted, but the very fact reflects the different positions of the four countries on China. Their national interests require different strategies toward China. In fact, no country in Asia is willing to compete with China on the strategic front. They are all tempted or coerced by the US, and they are trying to decide on whether the benefits of following the US outweighs disadvantages of damaging their relations with China.
The Quad mechanism is still in its infancy and the US is determined to make it work by picking up any possible topic. It talked about climate change and COVID-19 vaccines, pinning the direction of the competition with China on these issues, with the intention of weakening China's influence in the whole region and pushing more Asia-Pacific countries to "decouple" from China.
The Indo-Pacific vision of the US was likely to come true if the US economy was booming while China's development was collapsing and was militarizing itself like Japan did 80 years ago. However, Washington misread both the global trend and the nature of its strategic competition with China.
China is the largest trading partner for Japan, Australia and India, as is the number one trading partner of most other Asia-Pacific countries. None of them has any real fear of being invaded by China. Japan and India have historical territorial disputes with China, and they obviously know it is better in their national interests to manage such disputes than to fight with China while relying on the US' support. The four Quad countries will have long-term differences and confusion over what the fundamentals of the Quad mechanism should be.
Those who dare not say but think of an Asian version of NATO in their minds are extremely poor in strategic thinking. George Frost Kennan, whose "Long Telegram" propelled the Cold War, seems to have become the "Jesus" of US' strategy. That "Long Telegram" can also be used as a trans-century "Bible." But the Asia-Pacific region is booming, and China is marching forward. China has just drawn up a new five-year plan, a plan to develop the country even further, and we are working on how to do our own thing. The US has lost its way and the only sense of its strategic direction is how to undermine China.
The Quad, a cooperating group with an undeclared goal of confronting China, provides a scenario in which leaders of these four countries pretend to have done something important. It gives the lost countries a comfort of seeming to have found their way, and it creates a psychological massage that doesn't bring the will to solve the real problems they face but helps them to escape reality.
China will strengthen normal relations with Japan and India. Strategic confrontation with China is a bad gamble for Japan and India. China will not dwell on the disputes with the two countries in its relations with them. This will have a long-term disruptive effect on US' containment of China in what it refers to as the Indo-Pacific region. China will also strengthen its overall cooperation with ASEAN and other Asian countries, which will put more pressure on forces that adopt a hard line toward China in Japan, India and Australia.
The US has been swayed by a consideration of gain and loss between confrontation and cooperation with China. This basic reality tells people that whoever wants to isolate China throughout the region is destined to be isolated itself.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
15/03/2021 |
15002: IN FOCUS: SINO-US COOPERATION IS NOT A GIFT FROM ONE PARTY TO THE OTHER
Excerpts/Summary
On March 18, China and the United States will restart the high-level consultations that have been interrupted and suspended. The composition of the high-level consultation is unprecedented, with the Chinese side consisting of Politburo members and State Councilors, and the U.S. side being paired with the Secretary of State and the Assistant for Security Affairs. Although the initiative for the meeting was taken by the U.S. side, the U.S. side has indicated that the consultations will be difficult and that it wants to put pressure on China. While China agrees with the high-level consultations between the U.S. and China, it will never swallow the bitter pill of sacrifice of its core interests.
China and the United States have moved beyond the era of simple cooperation, and the form of cooperation between the two countries will be different than before; China cannot and will not cooperate for the sake of cooperation. If the U.S. uses cooperation as bait and cooperation as a means to exert various kinds of pressure on China, still makes suppression of China its fundamental purpose, does not change its previous practice of cooperating with China in order to continue to weaken China in another way, or simply sees such cooperation as an expedient, stopgap measure, treating the purpose of cooperation as a cover for vicious competition, then there is little point in such cooperation. China cannot accept cooperation that is based on strength over weakness and comes with unequal conditions.
The United States has been accustomed to pressuring China over the past years. Although the U.S. also has a huge need for cooperation with China, the U.S. has always believed that China's willingness to cooperate with the U.S. is greater than the U.S.'s willingness to cooperate with China, and that China has more to ask of the U.S. So the U.S. has used this willingness gap to pressure China, using cooperation to impose all kinds of unreasonable or even harsh conditions attached to it, such as demanding that China change its development model, governance model or even institutional model. If China does not agree, it makes a big trade war, engages in decoupling, or breaks cultural and people to people ties. The United States has discovered that all this it has done to China is a double-edged sword, and that its previous approach to China has heavily harmed its own interests too. Today, it wants to change, to minimize the cost to the United States while continuing to suppress China, and, at the same time, to base itself on a long-term, ganged-up approach to competing with China.
Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the necessary vigilance at a time when U.S. cooperation credibility and international credibility have plummeted. Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has done many things that have gone back on its word. For example, globalization was initiated by the United States and other developed countries, but the United States later became anti-globalization and engaged in trade protectionism. The United Nations was also jointly initiated by the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II, but the United States became a non-paying or delinquent contributor. All these reflect the attitude of the United States toward all international mechanisms or international organizations: in the view of the United States, multilateral mechanisms and international cooperation platforms serve the interests of the United States and are used for the hegemony of the United States. All countries are equal and non-interference in internal affairs is the purpose of the UN Charter, but the US can blatantly trample on it. We can never have unrealistic illusions about cooperation with the United States.
Future U.S.-China cooperation must be equal, mutually beneficial, and voluntary for both sides, as well as interactive, not premised on one side simply demanding changes from the other side, not accompanied by any terms and requirements that may hurt the other side's core interests, not changing the basic attributes of win-win cooperation, and not changing the scope and conditions of cooperation at will. If the basic requirement of win-win cooperation is lost, U.S.-China cooperation will only be reduced to a tabletop ornament that can be discarded at any time.
Cooperation between China and the United States is not an end in itself, and future cooperation must be based on win-win situations. China will not cooperate with the United States for the sake of mere cooperation, for the sake of a form of cooperation. Nor will we act grateful because the United States is willing to cooperate with us in certain areas, much less regard the resumption of U.S.-China cooperation as a great gift from the United States to China.
(The author is vice president of the Foreign Affairs Institute)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/03/2021 | HOW DO CHINESE PEOPLE VIEW “DEVELOPED” COUNTRIES | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
15/03/2021 | 15000: THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN MANY PLACES IN CHINA NEEDS RECTIFICATION | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
14/03/2021 |
QUAD’S SCOPE TOO LIMITED TO KILL `ASIAN CENTURY’
Excerpts/Summary
In an article titled "Quad summit may kill visions of `Asian Century'", Dhanajay Tripathi, a scholar at South Asia University, argues that the Quad Summit is the first concrete step in killing the dream of the "Asian Century", a vision about a united Asia dominating world politics and culture in the 21st century. This is actually an exaggeration of the Quad's influence. The Quad will have an impact on Asian affairs, but after all, there are only four countries in the Quad. Asia is a very vast continent with many countries, so these four countries will not be able to influence the future development trend of Asia.
Besides, the Quad countries themselves are not always on the same page: each has its own interests and different policy preferences. The Quad is now mainly focused on cooperation in the security field, but even in the security field, the four countries in fact have a lot of different interests. India, for example, has always had a very close relationship with Russia, which is considered a security threat by the United States. India is also not a US ally, unlike Japan and Australia. And over the years, India's suspicions or misgivings about US strategy have always been very strong.
All four Quad countries have their calculations, and if there is still no certainty on whether they can fully cooperate, then how will they be able to affect, change or "kill" Asian unity and cooperation between Asian countries?
What's more, although there are some conflicting views on security issues in the past few years, such as China-India border frictions and the Diaoyu Islands dispute between China and Japan, China and the countries involved are strengthening their interactions in these areas, such as economy and trade, science and technology, as well as humanities. China is still the largest trading partner of Australia, Japan and India, and one of the most important trading partners of the US. So, as the Quad focuses on security, it certainly does not want to compromise cooperation and interaction in other areas.
For the same reason, Asian countries other than Japan and India are also unlikely to stand with the Quad, or to be fully aligned with the four countries. Asian countries will respond to the Quad's involvement in Asian affairs based on their own interests. Although it is difficult to make a consensus on taking concrete action among all Asian countries, most parts of Asia right now share three same goals at least.
First, the vast majority of Asian countries are developing countries, and for them, the first basic demand is to have a peaceful and stable region. Even a small military conflict will cause a strong, negative so-called spillover effect, which no country wants to see. On the other hand, Asian countries want economic prosperity. Asia's desire for economic growth has become more urgent facing the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is another area that all countries want to cooperate in. All of these are areas that China can make great contributions in.
As a matter of fact, most countries around the world are not worried about the rise of China, and most Asian countries do not see a so-called Chinese threat at all. Most countries see China's economic development, social stability, as well as achievements in COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control instead, and won't fully accept the narratives of the US. For them, China represents more an opportunity than a threat. Most countries are rational, and they do not want to choose sides between China and the US, or be involved in a potential conflict between China and the US, just as Premier Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore recently pointed out on March 14, 2021.
India and Japan, which have participated in the Quad, may lose some development opportunities because of their promotion of the Quad being bound to raise concerns from China. The Quad focuses on security and military cooperation, and is well known to be aimed at China. That being said, China won't sit idly by without implementing countermeasures, which will for sure affect bilateral ties between China and the Quad members.
Furthermore, multilateral cooperation on the regional or international level will also be affected by a poor relationship between China and these Quad countries. Issues, including economic policy coordination, joint response to climate change, the Iranian nuclear issue and so on, require transnational cooperation, especially between major powers. If these issues cannot be handled properly, then no country can remain without damage.
The author is deputy director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
14/03/2021 |
NO ISSUE OF NEWSPAPER — SUNDAY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/03/2021 | “FOUR-PARTY SECURITY DIALOGUE” IS SAID TO FOCUS ON CHINA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/03/2021 | DECLARING “THE WORLD ISOLATES CHINA”, WHO IS “THE WORLD”? | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
13/03/2021 | 14995: SURVEY ON THE STATUS OF SMART CARE OF ELDERLY IN CHINA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
FORMER INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA TALKS ABOUT “THREE MISUNDERSTANDINGS” BETWEEN CHINA AND INDIA
Excerpts/Summary
"Misunderstandings have harmed India-China relations". Former Indian Ambassador to China, Gokhale, recently argued in an article reported in The Hindu on 10 March. that Sino-Indian relations had been steadily declining before the bloody conflict erupted between India and China in the border region last year, due to misperceptions and misunderstandings about each other, which led to a lack of trust between the two sides. "The most fundamental misunderstanding between the two countries is their inability to understand each other's international ambitions, which makes them fear that the other's foreign policy is directed against them".
Gokhale, who served as India's Ambassador to China from 2016 to 2017, was a key interlocutor during the 2017 India-China "Doklam standoff" before retiring as India's Foreign Secretary last year, according to the report. In a 10th March article on the Carnegie India Center website, he traces the impact of misunderstandings on China-India relations through three different stages. The first stage of mistrust between India and China came after the 2008 financial crisis, when China began to expand its global role, which raised concerns in New Delhi that China was trying to undermine Indian interests. "In turn, New Delhi's opposition to these policies triggered a hostile reaction in Beijing". The second phase was marked by “intensified mutual suspicion” between the leadership of the two countries, with China taking a negative view of the Modi government's "Neighbors First" policy and close ties with the United States, and India perceiving China as insensitive to India's international interests. In the final stage, policymakers in Beijing reacted strongly to U.S.-India cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region as "containment" or an attempt to limit China's status as an emerging power. According to the article, misplaced expectations and misunderstandings between India and China, especially India's concerns about China's Belt and Road Initiative and China's perception of India-US relations, are at the root of the deterioration in relations between India and China.
(The full text of the article by former Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale referred to in this item can be seen here.)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
14993: TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HINDUS TAKE A DIP IN THE GANGES ON SHIVA FESTIVAL,
Excerpts/Summary
![]() Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
14992: CHINA, US ANNOUNCE HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE NEXT WEEK
Excerpts/Summary
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on March 11th that Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Working Committee, and Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister, will hold a high-level strategic dialogue with their U.S. counterparts, Secretary of State Blinken and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, Sullivan in Anchorage from March 18 to 19 at the invitation of the U.S. side. The announcement comes a day after the U.S. State Department made the same news. This will be the first face-to-face meeting between the top brass of the U.S. and China since President Biden took office. However, Blinken was still "showing toughness" when he testified before Congress on the 10th. Before this US- China meeting, Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Austin will visit Japan and South Korea, and U.S. President Joe Biden will hold a video summit of the "Quadrilateral Security Dialogue" with the leaders of India, Japan and Australia on the 12th. RIA Novosti 11 said the U.S. is trying to pull its allies and partners into confrontation with China, but this is neither in the security interests of the region as a whole nor in the respective national interests of India, Japan and Australia.
China, U.S. shout at each other ahead of meeting
"China and the United States are about to hold their first high-level dialogue since Biden took office," Yonhap News Agency said on Nov. 11, adding that the new Biden Administration has repeatedly made tough statements against China since taking office, and the outside world is highly concerned about what can be achieved in the high-level talks between China and the United States. The U.S. side is likely to step up its circumscribing of China on issues such as trade, human rights, technology, Taiwan and the South China Sea, while China will ask the U.S. not to interfere in China's internal affairs and infringe upon its core interests. (At the same time), it is undeniable that after Biden came to power, he has repeatedly expressed his willingness to work hand in hand with China on climate change and infectious disease control, although he has pulled in allies to hold China at bay.
Blinken talked about some of his views on the upcoming high-level strategic dialogue between China and the U.S. in a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Congress on the 10th. He said, "This is an important opportunity for us to be very frank about our many concerns about Chinese actions that challenge U.S. security, prosperity and values". The U.S. intends to raise many topics, and the talks will also explore whether there are avenues for cooperation with Beijing. Blinken also said the Biden Administration will take a tough diplomatic stance in discussions with China on issues such as human rights and that "the United States will not make concessions in other areas in order to gain room for cooperation with China".
In response to Blinken's statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on 11 November that China's position on U.S.-China relations is clear. We ask the U.S. side to look at China and Sino-U.S. relations objectively and rationally, abandon the Cold War and zero-sum thinking, respect China's sovereignty, security and development interests, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, focus on cooperation and management of differences in accordance with the spirit of the call between the two Heads of State, and promote the return of Sino-U.S. relations to the right track of healthy and stable development.
Yang Xiyu, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said in an interview with the Huan Qiu Shi Bao on the 11th November that although the two sides were not specific about the details of the talks, it is expected that China and the United States will further clarify the "general framework" of bilateral relations. Last July, Wang Yi suggested at a video forum of U.S. and Chinese think tanks that the two sides could work out a list of "cooperation," "dialogue" and "managing" to clarify "matters that the two countries need and can cooperate on in bilateral and global affairs and which should not be disturbed by other issues", "issues where differences exist but are expected to be resolved through dialogue", and "difficult issues that are put aside and controlled because of difficulties in reaching agreement" respectively. According to Yang, the meeting was to clarify which "list" each issue in the U.S.-China relationship should be put on.
Why choose to meet in Alaska
Many media have paid close attention to why the venue of the high-level meeting between the U.S. and China is set in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. According to Yonhap News Agency, some people believe that the location is far away from the United States mainland, which is relatively neutral, because the symbolism is of China's reluctance to make too many concessions to the U.S.
Analysts told the "Huan Qiu Shi Bao" reporter that compared to Washington, Alaska is a careful and prudent choice. In recent years, the political climate in Washington has become extremely unhealthy, especially in terms of its increasingly polarized policy toward China. Meeting with the Chinese side in Washington would have meant the Biden Administration would directly face many domestic pressures, and it would be difficult to make any breakthrough. As far as China is concerned, it might not have agreed to a meeting in Washington due to diplomatic reciprocity considerations,.
Yang Xiyu believes that Alaska is outside the U.S. mainland and less politically sensitive, which is a "prudent first step" for both sides in rebuilding U.S.-China relations; and Alaska is also a special place in the history of U.S.-China exchanges, as it was a stopover for refueling when there were no direct U.S.-China direct flights due to flight technology limitations. "For both sides, the choice of this location has both technical significance and political implications".
"Meet each other half way, In the middle, taking one step forward at a time". Sun Taiyi, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Christopher Newport University, analyzing the considerations behind the choice of the venue for the talks, told the Huan Qiu Shi Bao that he believes it will help the dialogue avoid the glare of the global media and to be held in a more low-key and cautious manner.
It is worth noting that the meeting was officially announced by the U.S. side first, but Blinken re-emphasized his tough stance on China before the meeting. White House Press Secretary Psaki also said at a press conference on the 10th, "It's important to us that the first meeting between the U.S. government and Chinese officials is taking place on U.S. soil". Some analysts say that the U.S. side's "show of toughness" before the meeting, even deliberately emphasizing that "the meeting was being held on U.S. territory," is obviously related to the internal pressure on China-related issues faced by the Biden Administration. These statements are to some extent for the U.S. domestic audience, but the felt need to emphasize that it will not be "soft" also shows, on the side, that U.S. self-confidence is declining.
"The U.S.-China relationship should be promoted despite the bumps in the road"
The U.S. side has been making a lot of diplomatic moves ahead of the high-level meeting between the U.S. and China. The State Department said Secretary of State John Blinken and Secretary of Defense John Austin will travel to Japan and South Korea to hold "2+2" talks with the two countries before the high-level U.S.-China meeting. White House spokesman Psaki stressed on the 10th that the high-level meeting between the U.S. and China is "following our meetings and close consultations with our allies and partners in Asia and Europe". In addition, Biden will hold the first "Quadrilateral Security Dialogue" video summit with the leaders of India, Japan and Australia on the 12th. According to the New York Times, the Quadripartite Dialogue is intended to counterbalance China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The report quoted U.S. officials as saying that a central element of the Summit will be an agreement to help India increase its production capacity for the new corona vaccine.
As for the U.S. wanting to pull allies and partners together against China, the Korea Daily of the 11th said it was "the U.S. wanting to bind its allies before the G2 holds a high-level dialogue. The report worries that the outside world is highly concerned about how this high-level contact between China and the United States will conclude, whether it will further intensify conflicts or lead to a breakthrough for the two countries to return to the right track.
An analyst told the Huan Qiu Shi Bao that the U.S. agreed to help India increase its vaccine production capacity, apparently as a favor to India for joining this "alliance" against China. He said that Italy and Australia have recently engaged in a fierce battle for vaccines due to the tight supply of vaccines. In such a situation, why would the U.S. not make an effort to increase its own vaccine production capacity and help India instead? In addition, South Africa even once wanted to "return" the Indian-made AstraZeneca vaccine. it is evident that people are still skeptical that Indian vaccines can really "counteract China" even with the help of the United States and others,.
The Russian Satellite News Agency said on the 11th that the different national interests of the United States, India, Japan and Australia determine that they cannot be monolithic. The Russian "Independence" quoted Maslov, acting director of the Far East Institute, as saying that the importance of Sino-US relations determines that high-level officials of both sides must meet. "I think the meeting will be held on the basis of both sides being interested". Despite the tough stance of U.S. officials toward China, Chinese exports to the United States have soared in the past two months. At a time when the two economies need better relations, it is clearly unreasonable to further exacerbate the conflict.
According to the latest import and export data released by the General Administration of Customs on March 7, total trade between China and the U.S. rose 69.6 percent in the first two months of this year, and China's surplus with the U.S. reached 334.41 billion yuan, up 88.2 percent. This shows the "urgent desire" of the United States for China. Premier Li Keqiang said at a press conference on the 11th that, Sino-US trade volume still reached 4.1 trillion yuan, an increase of 8.8%, despite the background of last year's multiple shocks, and that “China-US relations should be promoted to take them forward beyond the bumps”.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
12/03/2021 |
14991: EDITORIAL: WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS OF THE CHINA-US ALASKA DIALOGUE?
Excerpts/Summary
(This editorial was carried by the English language Global Times under the title "A successful Alaska meeting needs mutual effort". It is reproduced below, pending translation of the Chinese version.)
China and the US have confirmed a high-level strategic dialogue between Chinese top diplomat Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan next week. This will be the first senior-level meeting between the two countries since Yang met with then US secretary of state Mike Pompeo in June 2020. Hence, the meeting has drawn great attention since some sources revealed it.
Some observers in the US said that Washington has fully communicated with its allies and consolidated its alliance system. Therefore, the meeting with Beijing would be an engagement from a position of strength. The US side has also released such a message: It hopes China will make change on issues that concern the US; otherwise, the dialogue would not have tangible outcomes and following dialogues would be meaningless.
It must be pointed out that both sides' intent is indispensable for the meeting to be held. It's not a unilateral wish. China has clarified its long-term attitude of strengthening China-US engagements. Such an attitude has formed a confluence with the US' current needs to construct its China policy, leading to the Alaska meeting.
The US side should abandon the mentality of them having special advantages in the dialogue. Mutual respect will be more conducive to reaching some outcomes in the meeting.
The US has emphasized the strength of its alliance system. But this factor is exaggerated. China doesn't have so serious disputes with US allies that they have to resort to severe conflicts for a settlement. The differences between China and US allies are determined by diversity of the world. And both sides are willing and able to manage these differences. Allies of Washington are more motivated to cooperate with Beijing than to contain China with the US. As a result, if some in the US want to frighten China with its alliance system, it won't work.
To ask China to change its policy of governing Xinjiang and stabilizing Hong Kong amounts to interference in China's internal affairs and cannot be accepted by Chinese society. Any exchange of ideas at any time over these issues is only a form of communication to help the US understand the truth and reduce misunderstanding and miscalculation.
China and the US are major powers. Committed to changing each other, especially through pressure, is dangerous. It is reasonable for China and the US to accept their differences. The purpose of engagement should be to manage differences, seek common interests, and promote cooperation where both sides can and should. Through these efforts, the two countries should create a framework for China-US relations featuring coexistence and non-confrontation, allowing time to smooth over differences, easing conflicts and ensuring that China-US competition is conducted in a peaceful manner.
Talking about strategic mutual interests can be difficult at a time when some Americans still have a serious zero-sum mentality. But competing in a peaceful and rules-based way is probably the biggest common denominator between China and the US. It cannot be the reality or the future of China-US relations that one side dominates the communication, and one side sets the questions while the other answers.
We feel that the US still does not understand China, and it has misread the nature of China's system and its goal of rejuvenation. The US has given what is happening in China and frictions with its neighbors over border issues a high and illusory external directive. In addition, the traditional culture and the historical experience of the US do not support the vision of "win-win" competition among great powers. Washington is too used to giving orders. They should get used to listening and not refuse to try to solve fundamental problems in a compromising and mutually beneficial way.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
12/03/2021 | LI KEQIANG PRESS CONFERENCE SHOWS CHINA’S CONFIDENCE | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
‘EMPTY NEST’ SYNDROME AFFLICTS YOUTH IN CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
In a March 10 article on the website of the Insider, titled "More than 92 million Chinese youths live alone, unmarried, with no intention of changing the situation", but now the State is stepping in the lives of such netizens claiming to be "single for life". Known as "darling babies, she is one of the 92 million young people living alone in China. According to official statistics released last week, China is expected to have about 15 million more single young people living alone this year than in 2018. In China, young people who live alone, either voluntarily or reluctantly, are known as "empty nesters". This phenomenon has become one of the hot topics of discussion on Chinese social media.
Hu Wei, a member of China's National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), submitted a proposal during this year's Two Sessions (NPC and CPPCC currently underway in Beijing), suggesting that government departments should provide physical and mental health services for "empty nest" youth and pay more attention to their marriage problems. There are concerns that this phenomenon may affect China's birth rate.
Recently, a questionnaire survey on "Why do 'empty nesters' live alone" showed that about 41 percent of respondents believe that "empty nesters" live alone because they are bored with others and the world. Thirty-eight percent believe they are living alone because they want to avoid family responsibilities, 13% believe they are living alone passively because of the pressure of life, and about 7% believe they are living alone because they cannot get "true love" and are leading a passive life.
Young people have different views on the phenomenon of "empty nest" youth. "With all the dating apps out there, there's no reason to be single, unless you're short, ugly or poor. Consider your family and the shame it brings them to have a son like you who can't find them a daughter-in-law," said a 28-year-old Beijing-based netizen. But a 33-year-old Nanjinger said, "If I'm happy on my own, why do I need to bear the burden of being a husband and father? I don't feel ashamed of that."
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
14988: QUAD CANNOT REPLICATE NATO IN ASIA, GIVEN INTERNAL DIVERGENCE AND CHINA’S ECONOMIC CLOUT: EXPERTS
Excerpts/Summary
Region dependent on China’s economy
US President Joe Biden is scheduled to join the first-ever virtual meeting of leaders from Japan, India and Australia on Friday as the country's latest attempt to wield influence in the Indo-Pacific region to contain China.
While the US is trying to contain China through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, known as Quad, or the "Asian NATO," such ambition is impossible to realize, experts told the Global Times. And given the different demands, political and religious situations in the Indo-Pacific region, it is impractical for the US to replicate the NATO model in Asia.
First launched in 2007, the Quad featured semi-regular summits. It's not until recent years that foreign ministers from the Quad began to meet regularly. But this time, the virtual meeting marks the first time that the top leaders of the four countries have come together.
US President Joe Biden's decision to make the Quad one of his earliest multilateral engagements "speaks to the importance we've placed on close cooperation with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki, according to media reports.
While Biden tried to rely on the loosely organized Quad for its Asian ambition, the divergences among the member countries, which are so conspicuous, could dampen this dream.
"Given its chaotic domestic situation and bipartisan division, the US wants to rely on other countries to reach its aim, but other countries also want to rely on the US to reach their goals. This will lead to problems in resource distribution," Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Friday.
Asked about the Quad meeting, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry, told Friday's press conference that the exchanges and cooperation between countries should help enhance mutual understanding and trust among regional countries, and should not target or undermine the interests of any third party.
We hope relevant countries will follow the principles of openness, inclusiveness and win-win, refrain from forming closed and exclusive cliques, and do more for regional peace, stability and prosperity, Zhao said.
On Friday's meeting, it's reported that the four countries will discuss a range of topics, from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, to reducing dependence on China-produced rare earths and providing funds to boost India's vaccine production.
Analysts pointed out that unlike the traditional military allies that the US has formed, it now seeks to include more areas, especially in terms of the economy, to contain China, which is in sharp contrast to the multilateralism that Biden vocally advocated for.
He Weiwen, a former economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese consulate generals in San Francisco and New York, told the Global Times on Friday that China remained the largest contributor in terms of economic output in the region in the coronavirus-plagued 2020 and a key factor underpinning the strong economic rebound in the region, with its GDP forecast to grow at over 8 percent in 2021. Its trade with ASEAN is double the size of that between the US and the trading bloc.
"It is ridiculous for the four nations to make such a countering-China move in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Will the Asian NATO be effective?
A senior US official told Reuters that Friday's meeting will send "a very strong signal of common cause and purpose. And its goal is basically to introduce the Quad as a new feature of regular diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific."
While the Quad is not a formal military alliance, it's increasingly viewed by many as a weapon to contain the growth of China in the Indo-Pacific region.
Philip Davidson, head of the US military's Indo-Pacific Command, on Tuesday expressed his hope that the Quad could "build into something bigger."
But the reality could hit these US politicians' confidence. Countries like India and Japan have close economic ties with China. The border clash should make India realize that being China's enemy won't do the country any good, analysts said.
For ASEAN countries, they have good relations with China, and they won't be used by the US as good relations with China are beneficial for their countries and people, Li said.
Meanwhile, in Asia, most countries do not share the US version of "democratic values" like NATO, and also given the different religious beliefs, they won't easily follow the US way, he added.
East Asian countries and Southeast Asian countries should consider economic interests instead of blindly following the US-led circle in containing China, said He.
An expert told the Global Times that the Quad meeting and the "2+2" meeting between the two Chinese and two US chief diplomats next week send a message that the US is still wrestling with how to deal with China. It does not want to totally break away with China, while expressing a firm confrontation against China.
"The next two weeks will be the formative phase of America's China policy," said Zhang Jiadong, a professor at the Center for American Studies of Fudan University.
The participation of leaders of the four countries showed the Quad mechanism is moving ahead. But whether the bloc can get closer depends on China, he said.
Economic alliance not feasible
The Quad nations planned to cooperate in funding new production technologies and development projects for rare earths, as well as lead the way in drafting international rules, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.
The Quad's intention to counter China in the rare-earth sector is logical given the dominant role the country plays in supplying more than half of the world's such key materials, yet the lack of relevant technologies and talent pool could obstruct their progress in building up a supply chain from scratch, which needs to take quite a few years to complete, industry observers told the Global Times.
Among the four nations, Australia and India are the suppliers while Japan and the US are big consumers of rare earths, dubbed "industrial gold" composed of a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment.
According to the US Geological Survey, China accounted for 58 percent of rare-earth production worldwide in 2020, down from around 90 percent some four years ago as the US and Australia have gradually boosted their own production.
The US has united with Australia, home to the world's sixth-largest reserves of rare-earth minerals, over recent years to improve rare earths supply.
"It's more like a tone-setting meeting today for the four nations to team up for rare earths as they have realized the need to secure supply, but uncertainties loom in the implementation period," Liu Enqiao, a senior energy analyst at Beijing-based Anbound Consulting, told the Global Times on Friday.
"Each nation has its own interests to prioritize. For Australia and India, if they only play the role of rare-earth exporters instead of considering the practical market interests, it would not be sustainable," Liu noted.
It is objective that the tie-up of the Quad could pose some challenges to the near-monopolistic position that Chinese rare earths have long held on the world stage, but it is not possible to shake off their reliance on China's supply chain in a short period. In the next 10 years, China will still be an important supplier in this system, said Chen Zhanheng, deputy head of the Association of China Rare Earth Industry.
"China has invested substantially in improving its refining technology over the past years, forging a definite advantage in this regard. The West currently lacks the relevant talent pool and efficiency to compete with China, plus they face much higher costs to do by themselves instead of importing," Chen told the Global Times on Friday.
China has no intention to use rare earths as a countermeasure against any country, which would only serve to accelerate development of rare earths in other markets, said experts.
The four countries also reportedly would fund India to boost its vaccine productivity to contain what they called China's "vaccine diplomacy."
Tao Lina, a Shanghai-based medical expert on vaccines, told the Global Times on Friday that vaccine supply is still far from enough now. These countries should not just focus on vaccine completion.
"When they try to increase vaccine production, they should not be soft on the control of vaccine quality but should avoid the occurrence of vaccine quality accidents which will influence the public's confidence in the vaccines," he said.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
14987: QUAD MAY POSE SOME CHALLENGE TO CHINA-PRODUCED RARE EARTHS, BUT TOO COSTLY AND UNSUSTAINABLE: ANALYSTS
Excerpts/Summary
![]() Mining of rare earths is conducted in Baiyunebo, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on July 16, 2011. File photo: VCG It may be logical for the Quad alliance, grouping the US, Japan, Australia and India, to team up to counter China in the rare-earth sector, given the dominant role the country plays in supplying more than half of the world's such key materials, yet the lack of relevant technologies and talent could obstruct their progress in building up a supply chain from scratch, which needs to take quite a few years to complete, industry observers told the Global Times. The Quad nations planned to cooperate in funding new production technologies and development projects for rare earths, as well as lead the way in drafting international rules, according to a report by the Nikkei Asian Review. Among the four nations, Australia and India are the suppliers while Japan and the US are big consumers of rare earths, dubbed "industrial gold" composed of a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. According to the US Geological Survey, China accounted for 58 percent of rare-earth production worldwide in 2020, down from around 90 percent some four years ago as the US and Australia have gradually boosted their own production. The US has united with Australia, home to the world's sixth-largest reserves of rare-earth minerals, over recent years to improve rare earths supply. "It's more like a tone-setting meeting for the four nations to team up for rare earths as they have realized the need to secure supply, but there are uncertainties in the implementation period," Liu Enqiao, a senior energy analyst at Beijing-based Anbound Consulting, told the Global Times on Friday. "Each nation has its own interests to prioritize. For Australia and India, if they only play the role of rare-earth exporters instead of considering the practical market interests, it would not be sustainable," Liu noted. Since rare-earth minerals need to be processed after they are extracted from the ground, the refining process of which will create large amounts of radioactive waste and thus pollute the environment, developed countries usually transfer the capacity to emerging countries. Australian miner Lynas produces light rare earths at a plant in Malaysia. "For countries like Malaysia, it has to consider the balance between environmental sacrifice and local economy pickup," said Liu. It is impossible for the US to contain China through the Quad given the different demands, political and religious situations in the Indo-Pacific region, and it is impractical for the US to replicate the NATO model in Asia, experts said. The tie-up of the Quad could pose some challenge to the near-monopolistic position that Chinese rare earths have long held on the world stage, but it is not possible to shake off their reliance on China's supply chain in a short period. In the next 10 years, China will still be an important supplier in this system, said Chen Zhanheng, deputy head of the Association of China Rare Earth Industry. "China has invested substantially in improving its refining technology over the past years, forging a definite advantage in this regard. The West currently lacks the relevant talent pool and efficiency to compete with China, plus they face much higher costs to produce by themselves instead of importing," Chen told the Global Times on Friday. China has no intention to use rare earths as a countermeasure against any country, which would only accelerate development of rare earths in other markets, said experts. Concerns arise among Western countries over China's possible move to restrict exports of the strategic material following the release of a draft rare-earth management rule in January by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The ministry refuted such speculation, saying the draft aims at standardizing the industry in line with long-term development and market demand. "Economic globalization is a major trend. We need to work together to meet resource, energy and product needs in the process of economic and market development. I think this is mainly about promoting healthier and more sustainable development, in view of our current problems," said MIIT Minister Xiao Yaqing.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
14986: HUAWEI MAY BECOME A BARGAINING CHIP AT QUAD MEETING FOLLOWING REPORTEDLY NEW US, INDIAN BANS: EXPERTS
Excerpts/Summary
Ahead of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) meeting on Friday, the US and India have both reportedly hyped up their new limits on China's telecom provider Huawei. Experts interpreted their moves at such a point as "all bluff and bluster" but warned that further containment of the Chinese tech giant may be talked about during the meeting by the US and its allies.
By releasing such a signal without official announcements, the US government may adopt Huawei as a bargaining chip at the Quad meeting, Ma Jihua, a veteran telecoms industry analyst who closely follows Huawei, told the Global Times on Friday.
The Biden administration further restricted companies from selling components like semiconductors, antennas and batteries that support Huawei's 5G devices, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the move. The ban will come into effect this week.
Responding to the reported ban, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday said that "facts have proved again and again that the US is an unreliable and untrustworthy country."
Having expressed a solemn position on the matter many times, Zhao urged the US to stop unreasonable pressure on the Chinese company and suggested it do more things beneficial to bilateral exchanges in technology and trade cooperation.
Meanwhile, India is likely to ban its mobile carriers from using telecom gear by Huawei, according to Reuters.
Two of India's major telecoms carriers - Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea - use Huawei equipment.
Both leaders from the US and India will attend the Quad meeting, together with another two leaders from Japan and Australia.
"Drawing allies over to the US side to contain China's robust tech growth could reduce harm on the US itself, as its allies would bear and share the losses too," Ma noted, adding the US President Joe Biden is very aware of that.
Unlike the way of former US President Donald Trump, Biden's way to get allies roped in is by resourcing exchanges to reach his goals, experts said.
Under the Quad framework, Japan, India, and Australia are willing to play "pawns" for the US to counter against China, "creating an atmosphere with friendly cooperation; meanwhile sharing a bitter hatred of the enemy," Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday.
"But the meeting will turn to be an empty talk with bravado at the end. Having neither a standing body, nor a secretariat, what the four countries under the Quad will do is to talk big at the meeting," Gao said.
Even if industry analysts from multiple countries warn that adopting telecom equipment by other companies instead of Huawei's will increase costs to both local companies and consumers, cracking down on China's 5G and other advanced technology developments has become a consensus among the US elites, Ma said.
"As a result, the Biden administration is unlikely to take a sharp turn on Huawei issues within the short term. The company will still be a key target of the Biden administration," he warned, despite the chip restrictions on Huawei having brought about a severe global chip shortage.
One of the signals on Biden's attitude toward Huawei may fall on Meng Wanzhou, Huawei CFO, according to Ma. "If the US government changes its mind to give up Meng's extradition, further relaxes on Huawei's businesses and trade bans can be expected as well."
Andy Purdy, Chief Security Officer of Huawei US division, told CNN in February that it is important for Huawei to get Meng released, and the company hopes that the Biden administration will take a different approach on the issue, compared to Trump.
Huawei has not responded to the Global Times inquiry as of press time.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
14985: INDIA SEEKING COURTSHIP WITH QUAD A NEGATIVE ASSET OF BRICS, SCO
Excerpts/Summary
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, known as "Quad," comprising of the US, Japan, India and Australia, will hold its first leaders-level meeting on Friday. India will host the BRICS summit in 2021. But it has been moving closer to the US and the US-led Quad in recent years, worsening India-China and India-Russia relations and affecting the development of some China-led or Russia-led groupings or mechanisms that India takes part in, such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
With India moving closer to the US, as well as its own anti-China stance in recent years, it's fair to say that BRICS and the SCO have fallen into stagnation since the Doklam standoff in 2017. India has clear demands in the SCO and BRICS. One is anti-terrorism; the other is to use the financial platforms of these groupings, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank, to win as much financial support as possible. But in other respects, India has basically adopted a non-cooperative attitude, which has greatly restricted these groupings' development in recent years.
India has become a negative asset of these groupings. China in February said it is backing India to host the 2021 BRICS summit. It seems India has failed to understand China's goodwill. India takes all support from China for granted. It is, in fact, carrying out a kind of strategic blackmail against China.
On the other hand, India has attached more importance to Quad, and is very sure about its core demands of the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy - to counterbalance, contain and deter China. India fears China will become the dominant force in Asia, and it does not want to see this happen. However, India cannot compete with China on its own, and thus it hopes to contain China together with like-minded countries.
India also hopes to win more support from the US, Japan and Australia. It does not want Quad to only focus on military cooperation, but also economic and financial ones. New Delhi wants Western countries to provide it with funding and technology and help it to build value and industry chains that can replace China. After the COVID-19 outbreak, India has been actively negotiating this with the other three Quad members. One of the focuses of this upcoming Quad summit is reportedly to announce financing to boost India's vaccine output.
India has been very proactive both bilaterally and multilaterally to promote the development of Quad. In 2019, it upgraded its engagement with Quad to ministerial level, which can be seen as a major move of India. In 2020, India signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for geo-spatial cooperation with the US, included Australia in the Malabar military exercise and signed a mutual logistics support arrangement with Japan. However, these moves have worsened India's relations with China and Russia. In 2020, the India-Russia annual summit was postponed for the first time ever after Moscow expressed severe reservations on New Delhi joining Quad.
India may still want to maintain a swaying state and a balance between the Indo-Pacific and Eurasia. However, the so-called balance does not exist anymore. India is now very inclined toward the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy. India is now gradually breaking the balance. If it goes further down this road, it will eventually lose strategic autonomy, completely become the US' hatchet man against China in the Indo-Pacific region, or even cannon fodder.
Biden upgraded Quad to the leaders' level not long after he assumed office. It's expected the US will continue to strengthen the four-country grouping in the future. India is considered by the US as the most important Quad member. The US' strategic goal is to use India to counterbalance and contain China. Quad is likely to expand in the future. No matter how it expands, the regional security structure it wants to establish is exclusive to China and Russia.
India now has moved three major steps forward, tilting toward Quad. It supported the resumption of Quad dialogue at the official level in 2017, upgraded its engagement to ministerial level in 2019 and now to the leaders' level, most recently. It's time to stop and pay more attention to the reactions from China and Russia.
India is moving too close to the US, and a de facto alliance has been formed. If it continues to seek courtship with the US and Quad so proactively, it will yield negative results and completely tie itself to the US' chariot. New Delhi needs to take a more cautious attitude and think twice. China showed its goodwill by expressing support for India to host the BRICS summit. There have been many areas where China and India could tap cooperation. India shouldn't play with fire, or it will end up burning itself.
(The article was compiled by Global Times reporter Yu Jincui based on an interview with Liu Zongyi, secretary-general of the Research Center for China-South Asia Cooperation at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, a visiting fellow of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, and a distinguished fellow of the China (Kunming) South Asia & Southeast Asia Institute.)
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
12/03/2021 |
14984: RUSSIANS INCREASE AFFINITY TO CHINA; MULTIPOLARITY ENHANCED
Excerpts/Summary
Editor's Note:
A recent joint Chicago Council on Global Affairs-Levada Analytical Center survey finds that the Russian public sees little downside to the growing bilateral relationship with China. According to the survey, three out of four Russians polled express a favorable view of China. Although some in the Russian political circles and public in the past years worried closer ties would lead to a heavy dependence on China, a majority of Russians (56 percent) polled say Moscow's active cooperation with Beijing is not increasing Russia's dependence on China. What have these figures indicated? Can China-Russia relationship be a model for major power relations? The Global Times interviewed a Russian expert to share his views.
Oleg Ivanov, Vice-Rector of Research, Moscow-based Diplomatic Academy
There may be various views of China and the West in Russia today. Some people are more Western-oriented than others. But over the past roughly 10 years after sanctions against Russia and pressure on our country, the number of such people diminished. Many Russians are offended by such attitude of the Western leaders. We look at China as a partner and can help each other overcome sanctions. We have a common position on many urgent issues especially in international security field. Our interdependency here is very important. We can ensure our security and prosperity if we work together. If we are separated we will make it possible for the West to impose its will on us. The West does not need powerful rivals that will cast doubt on its supremacy.
The West has adopted a confrontational strategy toward Russia for quite a long time. China also found itself under pressure from the West, mainly from the US. While Russia was regarded as a rival to the US' supremacy more in military terms, China was regarded as a rival mostly in economic terms. Under the administration of former US president Donald Trump, who took an intransigent attitude toward China, many believe that the China-US relations reached a new low.
The misunderstanding of the role that Russia and China played in world politics became the top agenda both in European capitals and in Washington. This pressure from the West toward Russia and China pulled the two countries together. Beijing and Moscow understood that they should unite their efforts to resist this pressure from the West. As a result of such cooperation, according to the survey mentioned above, since 2014, around 40 percent of Russians consider China as Russia's closest friend. This is more than the number for any other country.
However, some voices from the West think that China and Russia are only "friends with benefits." There is a close understanding between China and Russia, but its point is not of any material profit. The point is that both countries share a common position on what the world should be like, that is, a world moving toward multipolarity.
Multi-polarization is an objective process, and nobody can stop it. The common goal of China and Russia is to make this transition toward multipolarity smooth and without any conflicts. All the attempts to stop it or slow it down are considered as confrontational behaviors toward Beijing and Moscow.
Therefore, in order to guarantee the success of multi-polarization, regional and international security is now one of the priority areas of cooperation between China and Russia. This is demonstrated in multiple joint military exercises and two joint aerial patrols in the Asia-Pacific region.
Beijing and Moscow have quite a few more areas where they can cooperate. In economic terms, there is a connectivity between the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which has very good prospects to be realized between the two countries through Central Asia. It may give a good impetus to the economic and social development of China, Central Asian countries and Russia.
As close as China and Russia already are, the more pressure that comes from the West, the closer they will become. Facing suppressions from the West that keeps weaponizing certain issues, there are areas where Beijing and Moscow can cooperate even further. For example, China and Russia are accused by Western countries of violating human rights and democracy, which is denied by both countries. To stop the spread of disinformation, the two countries can join hands and work in close cooperation with international organizations, such as the United Nations, BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Moreover, the US also said that it faces cyberattacks from China and Russia, so cyberspace is another very important area where Russia and China can and should cooperate. There are still many potentials of cooperation in that area. Both Russia and China came up with an initiative to work out the international code of behavior in cyberspace. Unfortunately, the US and its allies rejected the joint proposal, leaving cyberspace open for attacks.
A closer relationship between China and Russia is not what the world does not want to see. Developing China-Russia relations are in favor of promoting multi-polarization and maintaining justice in the world. Multipolarity gives more chances to other countries to have a strong voice in international relations, and that is what both Beijing and Moscow applaud. Multipolarity will also create a more just world order. Under the new world order, there will be no more endeavors from Western countries to dominate the world, to impose their so-called democratic values on others and to arrange color revolutions, destabilizing the situation in other countries.
Can our relations be a model? Maybe a model is a word too strong to describe them. I would use the word "basis" on which many other countries can build their relations with their partners.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
12/03/2021 | WULIANGYE (INDUSTRIAL GROUP) WELCOMES “14TH FIVE-YEAR PLAN” WITH ITS HIGH-QUALITY DEVELOPMENT | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 | 14982: INDIA, KINDLY BE SINCERE IN TREATING CHINESE CAPITAL FAIRLY | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 | 14981: INDIA SUPPLYING VACCINES TO PAKISTAN ? | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 | 14980: INDIAN MEDIA SAYS SUGA COMPLAINED TO MODI ABOUT CHINA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 | HOW IS CHINA’S CONCEPT OF MEAT EATING CHANGING? | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 | 14978: US SIGNALLING TOWARDS CHINA COMPLICATED | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 | 14977: IN FOCUS: CHINESE TRANSCENDING MENTALITY OF APPRENTICESHIP AND MOVING TOWARDS THE FUTURE | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 | 14976: SINO-RUSSIAN VACCINE COOPERATION VIEWED FROM THE STANDPOLINT OF APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 | 14975: UNDERSTANDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL RMB CLEARLY AND IN A SOBER WAY | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 |
14974: CNN SEEMS TO HAVE CHANGED LITTLE SINCE TRUTH-TWISTING TIBET COVERAGE
Excerpts/Summary
"Don't behave like CNN" is the lesson the Chinese people has learned after the news network's truth-twisting approach in its coverage and analysis of the unrest in Tibet in 2008. Thirteen years have passed, and it seems that CNN has made few improvements, and this perception still holds. "With fewer academics willing to travel to China, and those who do make it after the coronavirus pandemic encountering a more closed nation, the result could be fewer Western minds reporting on and studying China firsthand at a time when, arguably, the world has never had a greater need to understand the country."
Here are a few lines from yet another China-bashing article published by CNN Wednesday titled "Westerners are increasingly scared of travelling to China as threat of detention rises," which is an all-too-familiar attempt to vilify China. But what is ironic is that if we replace "China" with "the US," the article works perfectly. "Chinese people are increasingly scared of travelling to the US as threat of detention rises." This is actually very true.
The US should look into the mirror to see who indulges in arbitrary detentions. As the US ramps up its efforts to crack down on China in recent years, there has been a significant number of Chinese being arrested by manipulating the excuse of national security.
In October 2020, the FBI arrested five Chinese on charges they were part of China's "Operation Fox Hunt" anti-corruption campaign and "harass, stalk and coerce" certain residents in the US. The Department of Justice said in a statement that in many instances the targets of the campaign were "dissidents" and "critics," who, however, were economic criminals in China.
In 2015, the FBI arrested Zhang Hao, a Tianjin University professor, who landed at Los Angeles International Airport, on charges of economic espionage. The arrest was an apparent trap set by the FBI and a ploy by the US to suppress the Chinese chip industry. Zhang was forced to stay in the US for the following years and sentenced to 18 months in prison with restitution last year. The US targets also expand to the group of Chinese students screened for hours at US airports for their alleged potential involvement in China's "economic espionage."
The most prominent case of "arbitrary detention" in the world could be Canada's arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou directed by the US. Canada is helping the US open Pandora's Box. While Canada took the initiative to woo dozens of countries to sign a declaration denouncing the arbitrary detention of foreign citizens, it is slapping its own face. The Chinese are increasingly wary of going to not only the US, but also its hatchet men, including Canada, Australia and the UK.
Now, Washington is standing with evils and what it has been doing is sheer political persecution. If CNN thinks China's action of protecting its national security is threats, but turns a blind eye to US suppression and arrests of Chinese people using national security as an excuse, it is exercising double standards.
China encourages normal exchanges between the Chinese people and Westerners. As long as they abide by China's laws, any Westerner in China need not worry about their security. It is the US that dares not encourage communication between Chinese and its citizens and tries to isolate China by hyping fears toward China. It is the Chinese people that should have security worries in the US.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
11/03/2021 |
14973: WEST SHOULD ACCEPT A CHINA THAT DEALS WITH IT ON EQUAL TERMS
Excerpts/Summary
General Secretary Xi Jinping recently visited the medical and health education members who participated in the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and said with emotion: “Post-70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, before they go out to see the world, China can already look at the world. It's like we were back then..." The words of the general secretary aroused the resonance of countless people in the country.
The post-70s, post-80s, post-90s, and post-00s are the main bodies of China's construction now and in the future. The fundamental reason why their perspective on the world has changed is the tremendous progress made by the People's Republic of China over the past 70 years. For a long period of time in history, China has been at the center of East Asia. Judging from some archaeological discoveries currently known, the Liangzhu culture in Yuyao, Zhejiang and the Heluo culture in Henan entered the state of the kingdom more than 5,000 years ago. With the Central Plains region as the center, China entered the state of empire more than 4,000 years ago. From the time Emperor Qin Shihuang completed the great cause of unification more than 2,000 years ago and entered the imperial era until the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Chinese civilization has been leading the world for most of the time.
After entering modern times, Chinese civilization has encountered "great changes unseen in thousands of years." A new industrial civilization has emerged in the West. It has achieved overwhelming technological and efficiency advantages over agricultural civilization in economic, military and social management. The "Heavenly Kingdom" was reduced to a semi-colonial and semi-feudal country. The brilliance in history and the decline in modern times have caused psychological trauma and humiliation to the Chinese people are particularly strong.
The outstanding Chinese sons and daughters did not let this state be left to nothing. People with lofty ideals began to look for a way to save the nation. The true direction is the founding of New China. The Communist Party of China led the people in difficult explorations, and finally mastered the know-how of industrialization with much stronger determination and strength than the elites of the Republic of China in the late Qing Dynasty and realized the civilized transition from agricultural civilization to industrial civilization. In the mainstream of the world. By 2018, China's manufacturing value added accounted for more than 28% of the world's share. China's 5G, high-speed rail, power grid, aerospace, and large machinery are also in the leading position in the world. These facts have had a fundamental impact on the world situation. The most important sign is "rising in the east and falling in the west", and the world has thus entered a major change unseen in a century.
When the builders of the new era who grew up in this context were in contact with the West, the physical shock disappeared, and they changed from looking up to looking up. At the same time, some problems have arisen. The first is the divergence of opinions between the new construction subjects and the previous generation subjects who are still at work. When the opening up in the 1980s, the West was at its peak after World War II, and we had just experienced the first stage of national development and accumulation rather than personal life accumulation. The gap in living standards between China and the West was relatively large. That particular state led to that generation. The special Western complex of some of the builders is different from that of the new generation of construction subjects.
Secondly, Western countries and some neighboring countries that were originally in a position to overlook us have had to go through a process of transformation and adaptation as China's national power rises and the main body of social construction changes.
We do not have to shy away from the above facts, but I am optimistic that this situation will be changed in the future. As long as China does not make strategic mistakes, it is only a matter of time before China completes its national rejuvenation. At present, the main problem is that the situation of "the United States is strong and we are weak" has not changed. It exists in eight aspects, "four hard and four soft": the total GDP and per capita GDP of the United States are higher. The United States masters the core part of high-end technology. The U.S. has a stronger military strength, the U.S. dollar has a hegemonic advantage, the U.S. has close to 60 allies in legal theory, and has a greater voice in the international public opinion field. Some domestic elites in China have a mentality of "respecting the United States and kneeling the United States." The United States has many in China. interest. I believe that China can gradually narrow the above-mentioned gap through the development of the future period of time, overcome the shortcomings of science and technology, and raise its military strength to a higher level. The internationalization of the renminbi has made progress, the "Belt and Road" cooperation will be further developed, and the main body of domestic builders will be further changed. At the same time, modern memory looks at the world with a more confident, equal, and tolerant attitude. In the new situation, the West can gradually accept reality and view China in a relatively equal manner. From the perspective of a community with a shared future for mankind, a healthier interaction between China and the West is the blessing of the entire world.
(The author is the deputy dean of the School of International Relations, Renmin University of China)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
11/03/2021 |
14972: CAN CHINA-US TIES RESET WITH ‘ALASKA MOMENT?’
Excerpts/Summary
The "2+2" senior level meeting between China and the US scheduled on March 18 and 19 in Anchorage, Alaska reflects a positive development in the China-US relationship.
At the US invitation, Chinese Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi and State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the meeting.
The arrangement shows that the two governments need to reengage in dialogues after suffering the huge damages to China-US relations under the past four years of the Trump administration. There is hope that through high-level talks, the direction of the two countries' relations can return to stable and constructive development track.
At present, China-US relations are facing major difficulties owing not only to prevailing populism, white supremacy, and anti-globalization movements in the US. The Trump administration had been demonizing China for four years, laying very negative impacts on US society and political circles.
Currently, right-wing Republicans are still taking advantage of anti-China stances to pile up their own political resources in order to emphasize the political correctness of their campaigns.
Moreover, due to the raging COVID-19 epidemic, hatred, suspicions, and fear toward China are becoming more deeply rooted in the US. The Biden administration has to handle a series of serious challenges with the coronavirus crisis, environmental protection, and economic recovery.
The Biden administration doesn't have much room in regard to fully adjust its China policies. After all, it is domestic politics in the US that have exerted an unprecedented negative impact on the China-US relationship.
However, it must be remembered that the China-US relationship is important not just because the two countries are the largest and second-largest economies in the world. Stable cooperation between the two countries can help assure world peace, stability, and prosperity in the 21st century.
It is now a major test for both countries regarding how they can put political antagonism and the extreme moves of anti-China right-wings behind them. Although Biden's China policies can hardly go beyond US domestic politics, the engagement with China should not be wastefully sacrificed because of US domestic political struggles.
This coming meeting next week can be seen as the first step to reset China-US relations. In order to repair and move forward the two countries' relations, the following courses of action should be set in motion. First, to restore dialogues especially high-level ones.
Second, it is necessary to restart working-level dialogues regarding disputed issues in the fields of trade, science, and technology. There should be pragmatic responses to each other's concerns. Third, regarding the Taiwan question and South China Sea issues, Washington should stick to one-China policy and respect our core interests.
The participation of Sullivan in the meeting conveys that the talks are not just about diplomacy - it will also eye security. This is now the most sensitive topic concerning China-US relations. It is hoped that both sides can meet each other halfway in this regard.
The 2+2 meeting will also be an opportunity for the two sides to draw lessons from the past, reduce wrongdoings due to sentimental reasons. There will be room to figure out a pragmatic path that can really stabilize China-US relations during Biden's presidency. The efforts to reach such a goal represent the two governments' willingness and beliefs to bring their relations back under a constructive framework.
The choice of meeting location mirrors the political resilience of bilateral ties. Alaska is located in the middle of China and the US. It will also become the first US state to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all adults. From the perspective of safety, this is a good place to hold the high-level meeting. That being said, the meeting is worth looking forward to. It is hoped that the relationship between China and the US can break the ice and thaw the frost with its "Alaska moment."
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Washington in 1979, the relationship has gone through twists and turns. No matter how many disputes there are between the two sides, only stable and cooperative relations can serve the fundamental interests of the peoples and governments of both countries. Blinken once said, "our relationship with China will be competitive when it should be, collaborative when it can be." The Chinese government has also showed its goodwill to meet the US halfway, bringing the ties back on stable and constructive tracks.
Some media outlets are interpreting the meeting from highly skeptical standpoints. But it is believed that the dialogues carry extraordinary significance from both countries. Simple skepticism can hardly overwhelm the hope to see the two major powers normalize ties after four years of total turmoil.
The author is a professor of international relations at Nanjing University.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
11/03/2021 |
14971: ALASKA MEETING TO RESET CHINA-US TIES CAUTIOUSLY; CHINA WELCOMES PROBLEM SOLVING RATHER THAN WRANGLING
Excerpts/Summary
China and the US released great news that attracted world attention on Wednesday and Thursday, as the world's two biggest economies decided to take the first step to reset their problematic ties. They announced a "2+2" meeting between the two countries' chief diplomats next week, which was a highly anticipated topic for journalists worldwide to ask Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at a press conference on Thursday.
Normally, the Premier's press conference after the closing of the annual session of the National People's Congress would focus on broad issues, and the hottest topics would generally be related to the economy and people's livelihood. But since China-US relations are the most consequential ties in the world and will have an impact on China's own development, Premier Li's remarks on the upcoming meeting reflects China's sincerity to fix the ties with the US.As China and the US have different histories, cultures, stages of development and social systems, it is inevitable that there will be disagreements, and sometimes even sharp ones, when we get along with each other. What matters is how we handle them, Li told the press conference.
"We hope that China and the US will engage in multi-faceted and multi-tiered dialogue. Even if consensus cannot be reached for the time being, we can exchange views, increase trust and explain confusions, which will help manage and resolve differences," Li said.
At the invitation of the US, Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan March 18-19 in Anchorage, Alaska for a high-level strategic dialogue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced on Thursday.
According to the released information, Chinese experts said it's confirmed that the US was the one to have sent the invitation, and the location is in a US state far from its mainland, as the US understands the sensitivity of such a meeting with China, but also needs to engage with China as soon as possible. This proves that the US is being very careful and highly values ties with China, since it wouldn't meet with China unless it's fully prepared.
The US Department of State released the same information on Wednesday.
Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Biden administration obviously needs this meeting more than China does, so the US released the information quickly.
"The Biden administration is at least better than the previous one as they are willing to talk with us. China has sincerity for rebuilding ties, so no matter what the result might be, the intention for dialogue is always welcomed," Jin said.
Yang Xiyu, senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday that Alaska is a suitable venue for an attempt for China and the US to cautiously make the initial step to reset ties.
"Compared with the other 48 states on its mainland, Alaska and Hawaii are less politically sensitive. In the past, direct flights from Beijing to New York or Washington in the US mainland had to stop at Anchorage. So this city has special significance in the history of China-US relations," Yang noted.
The meeting will take place following Blinken's meetings with two of the US' "closest regional allies in Tokyo and Seoul," but the US didn't specify what issues will be discussed in the meeting with senior Chinese officials, according to the US State Department.
Yang said that small players are always worried that they might be betrayed or used for exchanges on the table of the big players, so before the talks with China, the US has to pacify its allies, and at least confirm the stances held by Tokyo and Seoul to make sure they will follow the US. "This will give some cards to the US at the negotiating table with China."
Jin said the Biden administration has attached great importance to the US-led alliance system, and some US allies are waiting for "the latest instructions from their boss," and some, like Australia, have already been seriously punished by China due to the extreme hostility of the previous Trump administration, so the US needs to show them a new attitude toward China.
The Biden administration has just completed its most important economic stimulus plan in its first 100 days in office, which has given it a break to focus on diplomatic issues, Sun Taiyi, an assistant professor of political science at Christopher Newport University, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Sincerity needed
By unilaterally releasing the information one day earlier than China did, the US wants to gain some advantage, because if the meeting doesn't take place or the result is not positive, the US could let the world to blame China, said Shen Yi, a professor at Fudan University's School of International Relations and Public Affairs, adding that China takes no responsibility for worsening bilateral ties, so if the US wants to normalize the relationship, it should be sincerer.
Jin said the US should understand that China wants some problems to be solved rather than just have some arguments with the US, otherwise a phone call would be enough, so if the two sides can't reach concrete agreement to solve some problems that China is concerned about, and if China just receives another round of "lecturing" from US officials in Alaska, the meeting would be pointless.
At the Lanting Forum held jointly by the China Public Diplomacy Association, Peking University and the Renmin University of China in Beijing last month, former US senior officials and scholars put forward a number of specific suggestions on the proposal raised by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to form lists for cooperation and issues requiring dialogue and crisis management between China and the US.
US scholars and former senior officials suggested that China and the US can cooperate in fighting COVID-19, climate change and boosting global economic recovery.
However, the Biden administration and the US Congress have also sent some other complicated signals ahead of the meeting. These include provocative comments on China's reform for Hong Kong's electoral system, and the sensitive issue of the Dalai Lama that is related to China's Tibet.
On Wednesday, a US Navy guided-missile destroyer plowed through the Taiwan Straits, marking the third passage of an American naval vessel through the Straits since Biden took office.
Shen said the Biden administration obviously won't give up many adversarial approaches, and we should not expect China and the US to solve every problem in just one meeting. He also noted that the China-US relations will continue to be a complexity of competition, adversary and cooperation.
Yang from China Institute of International Studies said the US has never given up its efforts to prevent China from realizing a peaceful rise, so the two countries will talk to each other, but the US won't change its objective of containing China's development and preventing China from surpassing the US.
New '2+2' mechanism
In the past, China and the US have tried to carry out the "2+2" dialogues between officials in charge of foreign affairs and national defense, but this time, the "2+2" meeting is different from those in the past, and could become a normal dialogue mechanism, experts said.
"There are many issues that both sides can talk about from the perspective of diplomacy and national security strategy, and such a mechanism better suits the needs for dialogue between decision-making levels," Yang said.
Yang noted, "This meeting would be significant in general, and since there are so many problems, we won't see the effect instantly. But it could at least pave a way for the reset of China-US relations."
If the new mechanism becomes institutionalized, it would provide a great opportunity to bring predictability and stability in the most consequential bilateral ties in the world, he said. "Let's see whether the two sides will be able to take the opportunity."
Diao Daming, an expert on US studies at the Renmin University of China, said on Thursday that if this dialogue can produce desirable results and these results can be successfully implemented, it is very likely that the heads of the two states would meet in the future and embrace a better atmosphere.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
11/03/2021 |
14970: CHINA, US COULD ENGAGE IN MULTI-FACETED, MULTI-TIERED DIALOGUE, SAYS CHINESE PREMIER AHEAD OF ALASKA TALKS
Excerpts/Summary
China and the US released great news that attracted world attention on Wednesday and Thursday, as the world's two biggest economies decided to take the first step to reset their problematic ties. They announced a "2+2" meeting between the two countries' chief diplomats next week, which was a highly anticipated topic for journalists worldwide to ask Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at a press conference on Thursday.Normally, the Premier's press conference after the closing of the annual session of the National People's Congress would focus on broad issues, and the hottest topics would generally be related to the economy and people's livelihood. But since China-US relations are the most consequential ties in the world and will have an impact on China's own development, Premier Li's remarks on the upcoming meeting reflects China's sincerity to fix its ties with the US.
As China and the US have different histories, cultures, stages of development and social systems, it is inevitable that there will be disagreements, and sometimes even sharp ones, when we get along with each other. What matters is how we handle them, Li told the press conference.
"We hope that China and the US will engage in multi-faceted and multi-tiered dialogue. Even if consensus cannot be reached for the time being, we can exchange views, increase trust and explain confusions, which will help manage and resolve differences," Li said.
At the invitation of the US, Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan March 18-19 in Anchorage, Alaska for a high-level strategic dialogue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced on Thursday.
According to the released information, Chinese experts said it's confirmed that the US was the one to have sent the invitation, and the location is in a US state far from its mainland, as the US understands the sensitivity of such a meeting with China, but also needs to engage with China as soon as possible. This proves that the US is being very careful and highly values ties with China, since it wouldn't meet with China unless it's fully prepared.
The US Department of State released the same information on Wednesday.
Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Biden administration obviously needs this meeting more than China does, so the US released the information quickly.
"The Biden administration is at least better than the previous one as they are willing to talk with us. China has sincerity for rebuilding ties, so no matter what the result might be, the intention for dialogue is always welcomed," Jin said.
Yang Xiyu, senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday that Alaska is a suitable venue for an attempt for China and the US to cautiously take the initial step to reset ties.
"Compared with the other 48 states on its mainland, Alaska and Hawaii are less politically sensitive. In the past, direct flights from Beijing to New York or Washington in the US mainland had to stop at Anchorage. So this city has special significance in the history of China-US relations," Yang noted.
The meeting will take place following Blinken's meetings with two of the US' "closest regional allies in Tokyo and Seoul," but the US didn't specify what issues will be discussed in the meeting with senior Chinese officials, according to the US State Department.
Yang Xiyu said that small players are always worried that they might be betrayed or used for exchanges on the table of the big players, so before the talks with China, the US has to pacify its allies, and at least confirm the stances held by Tokyo and Seoul to make sure they will follow the US. "This will give some cards to the US at the negotiating table with China."
Jin said the Biden administration has attached great importance to the US-led alliance system, and some US allies are waiting for "the latest instructions from their boss," and some, like Australia, have already been seriously punished by China due to the extreme hostility that follows the previous Trump administration, so the US needs to show them a new attitude toward China.
The Biden administration has just completed its most important economic stimulus plan in its first 100 days in office, which has given it a break to focus on diplomatic issues, Sun Taiyi, an assistant professor of political science at Christopher Newport University, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Sincerity needed
By unilaterally releasing the information one day earlier than China did, the US wants to gain some advantage, because if the meeting doesn't take place or the result is not positive, the US could let the world to blame China, said Shen Yi, a professor at Fudan University's School of International Relations and Public Affairs, adding that China takes no responsibility for worsening bilateral ties, so if the US wants to normalize the relationship, it should be sincerer.
Jin said the US should understand that China wants some problems to be solved rather than just have some arguments with the US, otherwise a phone call would be enough, so if the two sides can't reach concrete agreement to solve some problems that China is concerned about, and if China just receives another round of "lecturing" from US officials in Alaska, the meeting would be pointless.
At the Lanting Forum held jointly by the China Public Diplomacy Association, Peking University and the Renmin University of China in Beijing last month, former US senior officials and scholars put forward a number of specific suggestions on the proposal raised by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to form lists for cooperation and issues requiring dialogue and crisis management between China and the US.
US scholars and former senior officials suggested that China and the US can cooperate in fighting COVID-19, climate change and boosting global economic recovery.
However, the Biden administration and the US Congress have also sent some other complicated signals ahead of the meeting. These include provocative comments on China's reform for Hong Kong's electoral system, and the sensitive issue of the Dalai Lama that is related to China's Tibet.
On Wednesday, a US Navy guided-missile destroyer plowed through the Taiwan Straits, marking the third passage of an American naval vessel through the Straits since Biden took office.
Shen said the Biden administration obviously won't give up many adversarial approaches, and we should not expect China and the US to solve every problem in just one meeting. He also noted that the China-US relations will continue to be a complexity of competition, adversary and cooperation.
Yang from China Institute of International Studies said the US has never given up its efforts to prevent China from realizing a peaceful rise, so the two countries will talk to each other, but the US won't change its object of containing China's development and preventing China from surpassing the US.
New '2+2' mechanism
In the past, China and the US have tried to carry out the "2+2" dialogues between officials in charge of foreign affairs and national defense, but this time, the "2+2" meeting is different from those in the past, and could become a normal dialogue mechanism, experts said.
"There are many issues that both sides can talk about from the perspective of diplomacy and national security strategy, and such a mechanism better suits the needs for dialogue between decision-making levels," Yang said.
Yang noted, "This meeting would be significant in general, and since there are so many problems, we won't see the effect instantly. But it could at least pave a way for the reset of China-US relations."
If the new mechanism becomes institutionalized, it would provide a great opportunity to bring predictability and stability in the most consequential bilateral ties in the world, he said. "Let's see whether the two sides will be able to take the opportunity."
Diao Daming, an expert on US studies at the Renmin University of China, said on Thursday that if this dialogue can produce desirable results and these results can be successfully implemented, it is very likely that the heads of the two states would meet in the future and embrace a better atmosphere.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★★ |
10/03/2021 | 14969: INDIA INVESTS HEAVILY IN U.S. ARMED DRONES | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/03/2021 | INDIA DEBATES WHETHER “TRUSTED TELECOMS” INCLUDES CHINESE COMPANIES | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/03/2021 | MANY AN ENVIRONMENTAL HURDLE TO INVESTMENT IN SOUTH ASIA’S SHIPBREAKING INDUSTRY | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/03/2021 | DOWNLOADS OF INDIA’S HOMEGROWN SOCIAL APPS SOAR | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/03/2021 |
14965: PROBLEM OF GLOBAL CHILD MARRIAGE WORSENS UNDER THE EPIDEMIC
Excerpts/Summary
According to a despatch in the New York Times on the 8th, UNICEF released a report that day showing that under the novel corona epidemic, the problem of child marriage in various parts of the world, especially in developing countries, is taking a downturn.
Child marriage refers to marriages under the age of 18. World Health Organization data shows that in developing countries, pregnancy complications and childbirth are the main causes of death among girls aged 15 to 19. In addition, after child marriage, teenage brides become pregnant and give birth, and the risk of their newborn babies being still born is higher. Many cases of child marriage are not included in official statistics. UNICEF estimates that there are currently about 650 million women who marry as children, and 10 million girls are expected to be at risk of child marriage in the next ten years.
Experts pointed out that the new corona epidemic has exacerbated factors that promote child marriage, such as more drop outs of school, experiencing financial difficulties, the death of parents, resulting in more early pregnancies. In some cases, a girl is forced by her parents or elders to marry a man much older than herself. At the same time, child rights activists worry that during the COVID-19 pandemic, some girls have difficulty in making a living due to lack of schooling, and early marriage will become their only option to maintain their livelihood.
According to child rights organizations, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi and other countries have long-standing child marriage problems. The child marriage rate in these areas has recently increased sharply, and the teenage pregnancy rate in some areas has even gone thrice the earlier figure.
Take Nepal as an example. The legal age for marriage in this country is 20. However, many Nepalese people traditionally believe that girls should get married earlier. In some places, old people will find ways to obtain fake birth certificates for girls at home. False reporting of age is even higher so that they can marry earlier, and, sadly it is believed, happier.
Under the new corona epidemic, Nepal’s two major economic pillars of overseas labor remittances and domestic tourism have suffered heavy losses, which has led to a further increase in child marriages. A Nepalese parent said that his daughter married someone else before finishing the tenth grade. If she could receive more education, her daughter would have more chances in life in the future. However, that is indeed difficult for her family under the influence of the epidemic, and there is really no way to do so anymore. There are also Nepalese families who are very poor, and some of the girls in the family are not educated at all, so their only hope of making a living lies in getting married as soon as possible. However, when someone tries to prevent child marriage in the village, it arouses anger and even evokes threats. Even if the problem is reported to the local police, the police rarely take effective measures. Stakeholders say the number of child marriages in some parts of Nepal has doubled during the epidemic.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/03/2021 |
14964: BUILDING A SAFETY VALVE FOR POVERTY MANAGEMENT IN THE POST-POVERTY ERA
Excerpts/Summary
Poverty management is an eternal theme of human development. China's poverty eradication efforts have made world-renowned achievements, but this does not mean it has bid final farewell to the problem of poverty. We ought to build a safety valve for poverty management from the perspective of consolidating the effectiveness of poverty alleviation, some potential risk factors for poverty return need to be paid attention to:
The first is whether the (industrial) development model for poverty alleviation can sustainably and effectively respond to market risks. The issue of the relationship between industry and the market is the key to affecting the long-term mechanism of managing poverty. Especially for the high-input and high-risk agricultural industry, the relatively substantial gains in the early stage do not mean that one can sit back and relax. If we do not respond cautiously and adjust the development direction in a timely manner, industrial risks in the context of path dependence will inevitably arise. For example, oversupply in the market can easily lead to a sharp decline in profits, the survival of the fittest caused by regional competition, and the cost losses caused by natural disasters and climate change -- these problems may increase the risk of returning to poverty.
Second, the livelihood model of farming households is relatively fragile, making it difficult to effectively cope with modern risks. Poverty caused by disease and disaster are persistent problems encountered in managing poverty. Especially in some areas afflicted by deep poverty, farmers' household livelihood structures are relatively fragile and (wealth) accumulation is relatively limited, making it difficult to cope with huge losses caused by unexpected problems. A large number of similar problems have been solved during the poverty eradication phase, but compared to the ubiquitous risk elements in modern life, the threat of these problems these problems is still there and it is difficult to completely eliminate the threat of farmers’ families returning to poverty.
Third, the rural education environment, which is the key to human capital enhancement, still does not give much cause for hope. The long-term path of poverty management lies in the effective enhancement of farmers' human capital, which presupposes the steady development of education. Although the state has continuously strengthened its investment in education resources in rural areas and the problem of school drop outs due to poverty has been completely solved, rural education is facing new structural dilemmas: in the background of staying behind, learning of rural students is inadequate due to indulging in games, etc. The thinking that "reading is useless" still has adherents, there is a hidden drop-out problem and there is a certain gap between the quality of public school education and farmers expectations. r These factors have caused the development of education in some places to lag behind for a long time, which is relatively prominent in the deeply impoverished areas.
Fourth, the development foundation of village collective economic development is not strong enough and faces a debt trap. The (extent of) collective economic development of poor villages is one of the important assessment indicators for poverty eradication. As the collective economic development in some places faces the problem of hollowing out (of resources) and also lacks the necessary human and capital support, the local government, in order to complete the assessment tasks, guides the collective economic development of poor villages through administrative means, which causes the foundation of collective economic development in some villages to remain weak. There were problems such as blindly launching projects and creating bright spot previously, and the public welfare positions set up in some places to solve the problem of increasing the income of the poor also make high demands on the local financial strength. The subsequent maintenance of these projects and the continuous support of public welfare positions still require large sums of money. The hidden debt problem further aggravates the local development dilemma.
Of course, these potential risks of poverty return do not necessarily lead to large-scale poverty return, and the key to preventing large-scale poverty return is to ensure continuity and effectiveness of policy support, for which the central government has set a five-year transition period to consolidate and expand the results of poverty eradication. In the process of exploring an effective connection with the rural revitalization strategy, these potential risks of poverty return can also be effectively abated by new policies: local governments need to further strengthen their poverty targeting capacity, i.e., improve the dynamic monitoring mechanisms for preventing return of poverty, promptly identify new poverty-causing factors and phenomenon causing return of poverty and build a safety valve for poverty management through scientific and reasonable policy interventions; explore the rural industrial development paths that are suitable for work and agriculture, and especially focus on the development of farmers. To explore the development paths of rural industries, especially to guide and support the diversity of livelihood models of farmers' families, avoid the intervention of one-size-fits-all industrial development paths, and enhance the resilience of farmers' families through diversified industries; to pay attention to the improvement of the quality of basic education in rural areas, improve the incentive mechanism for teachers in poor areas, and guide excellent teachers to poor areas under the premise of good basic protection, and at the same time to pay attention to the construction of rural basic education environment The local government should summarize the experience and lessons learnt in the course of development of the village collective economy during the period of poverty alleviation, especially in the stage of rural revitalization, and avoid the tendency to seek quick results, create bright spots, and launch large projects, and at the same time investigate hidden debts of villages, establish a risk warning mechanism and a list of past project performance, and further Consolidate the foundation for the development of the village's collective economy.
(The author is a researcher at Soochow University Think Tank)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/03/2021 | 14963: A NEW ROUND OF IPOs FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY START-UPS | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/03/2021 | DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA’S ROBOTICS INDUSTRY NEEDS CONSOLIDATION OF INTERNAL STRENGTH | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
10/03/2021 |
14961: QUAD MEMBERS HYPE ‘CHINA THREAT’ THEORY TO BOLSTER THEIR BOLDNESS
Excerpts/Summary
![]() Illustration: Chen Xia/GT The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as Quad, between the US, Japan, India, and Australia has been seen as a group to counter China. But the four-country group hasn't formed a cohesive force from within. Instead, the four have been busy with their own calculations. The US will hold the first leaders-level meeting of the Quad on Friday. Various topics involving China will be discussed. Days before the meeting, Japan, India, and Australia couldn't help but again hype the "China threat." Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga spoke with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the telephone on Tuesday, when they shared "serious concerns regarding unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas, China's Coast Guard Law and the situation in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region." On the same day, Japan's ambassador to Australia, Shingo Yamagami, told The Australian Financial Review Business Summit that Australia "is not walking alone" in dealing with China as Japan had similar experiences "about 10 years ago." These interactions before the Quad summit have reiterated the cliché over China, trying to create an image that the group is united. The three countries aim to strengthen deterrence against China by bolstering each other's boldness. They were also aiding the US strategy to step up pressure on China. The current framework of the Quad was built during Trump's presidency to serve US strategic competition with China. The US is fond of forming an alliance against a certain country, because it believes it can stack the odds in its favor and economize the consumption of its diplomatic and financial resources. Prompted by the intent to contain China, the Biden administration has continued this aggressive and confrontational posture. But today, as the interests of countries are diversified, it is impossible for them to blindly follow the US' steps just because of Washington's claims. There is not much the US can give to its allies in exchange. Not to mention that the US' selfish nature has become increasingly known to the world. Against this backdrop, US allies who have a complex relationship with China apparently cannot count on the US to compensate for their losses when they follow Washington to confront China. Hence, it is not in line with their pursuits to judge what they should do from only the dimension of US geopolitical struggles against China. Even though Canberra is a resolute follower of Washington, people in Australia are struggling with the deterioration in China-Australia relations. For example, on the same occasion when Yamagami tried to show sympathy to Australia, Jane Golley, director of the Australian Centre on China in the World at the Australian National University, called for an end to the megaphone diplomacy on China and for trying to work behind the scenes. Japan and India's attitudes toward China are more complicated. It is obviously not in their interests to make them stand one-sidedly against China. Particularly India. New Delhi's move to reopen the door to Chinese investment after border disengagement has clearly shown that India needs cooperation with China rather than long-standing confrontation. The Quad is not an alliance of like-minded countries as the US claims. The three countries other than the US would probably take a tactic of coordinating with the US in narratives while sticking to their own approaches on China, so as to deal with the embarrassment of being between the pressure from the US and their own interests with China. Before they can assure that they will not be brought into another pit by the US, perhaps they have no other choice but to find relief in bolstering each other's boldness.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
09/03/2021 | 14960: GANGING UP AGAINST CHINA, THE US WILL END UP FEET SMASHED | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/03/2021 | INDIA WANTS TO COOPERATE WITH ALLIES TO COUNTER “CHINESE VACCINE” | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/03/2021 | 14958: WHY DO VACCINE PRODUCTION MAJORS COME FROM INDIA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/03/2021 | INDIAN MINISTER DECLARES “EPIDEMIC NEARING END”,MEDIA DISAGREE | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/03/2021 | 14956: MULTINATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL GROUPS FLOOD INTO CHINA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/03/2021 | 14955: PULLING IN TESLA, IS INDIA COMPETING WITH CHINA? | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/03/2021 | WORLD TO FOOT THE BILL FOR WASHINGTON’S FLOODING IN OF “BIG MONEY” | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
09/03/2021 |
EDITORIAL: CHINA TOO GOOD TO BE BROUGHT DOWN BY SOWING CONFUSION WITH “WAR OF WORDS”
Excerpts/Summary
(The following is the English version of the Editorial carried on Global Times online under the title "Using opinion war on China wishful thinking", pending translation of the Chinese version.)
The US ideological attack on China is becoming fiercer, and counterattacks from China have also become more open. The opinion war between the two sides is like a war of words.
The US not only makes use of the country's ideological mechanism, but also harnesses the opinion forces of some Western countries. China's advantages lie in that the country develops fast and steadily. The US attacks are gaining momentum, but the actual harm they can have on China is far below US expectations. China's counterattacks have their due weight as they are based on solid facts. From a long-term perspective, this opinion war is a rivalry between lies and hard evidence.
Amid the US and the West's increasingly stronger narratives against China, we should keep a highly sober mind. We should assess the actual impact of their narratives against China and what real damage it can cause. Then we can determine what we should do to respond accordingly. They shouldn't be allowed to decide which way the war of words will affect China-US and China-West relations. Meanwhile, we must resolutely stick to our strategic goals.
We should clearly see that US-led ideological attacks on China cannot represent global public opinion. Such attacks have mobilized some people in the Western world and spilled over into the non-Western world. But this in fact only reflects the challenges imposed by the US and the small circle of its allies against China and doesn't mean that China has fallen from grace. On the contrary, most developing countries welcome and have attached great attention to China's practice of persisting on its own path. The opinion war launched by the US and the West has had limited effect.
China's biggest strategic goal is to improve the country's development, improve the people's livelihood and complete China's modernization in the face of the curse of the US and its major allies and all kinds of anti-China conspiracies and schemes. However, the US' biggest goal is to bring down China's development and let China's rise fall by the wayside, fall into the "middle-income trap" and find no way out, and miss the historic opportunity of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The fundamental index of the game between China and the US is development competition, rather than rhetorical competition. China's ability and impetus to achieve further, faster and better development are clearly better than that of the US. China actually holds the long-term initiative in this game. It is obvious that the US is more anxious than China. Once we see that development is the main battlefield of the China-US game, the Chinese people will have a more open and clearer mind in dealing with the US' verbal battle. China should resolutely counter the verbal attacks by the US and focus on the practical effects of consolidating social cohesion and enhancing international confidence in China. We should not be held back by the agenda and direction set by the US.
What is particularly important is that some political elite of the US and their main allies hope the opinion war could become the frontline and focus of China-US competition. They want to expand China-US conflicts and see a new Cold War in China-US relations. When they manage to turn the space of cooperation between China and the US narrower and narrower, China-West relations will be fundamentally changed, and the gap in ideology between the two sides will dominate this relationship.
China must be committed to maintaining the basic areas of cooperation between China and the US, and to increasing the cohesion and resilience of cross-ideological cooperation so that it becomes more attractive to the West than politics. We should do so with confidence because this is the cooperation with US and Western societies and their people at large, and it should not be changed by the will of some Western political elites.
We should see that though China and some European countries also have great ideological differences, the willingness of those countries to cooperate with China has not been seriously affected; instead, it has actually increased. It is clear that the clamor for decoupling from China by some figures in the US is against the global trend and against the will of their people.
As the US and its major allies keep taking the initiative to "sanction" China, among other measures, it is inevitable for China to carry out economic counterattacks. We must properly handle relations of the economic integration between China and the US, and between China and the West on the strategic level and the offensive and defensive aspects at the tactical level. We must establish our deterrence and stick to reform and opening-up, so that we can expand the cooperation scale between China and the West on the one hand, and destroy the attempt of some Western political elites to economically and technologically isolate China on the other.
China's development speed and potential takes an advantageous position compared with the US and its small circle. The Chinese are broad-minded, and have wide history, culture and political foundation. The US and its likes want to win over China via the opinion war, which is just a naïve illusion.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
09/03/2021 |
14952: HOW TO IMPROVE MASCULINITY OF THE YOUTH
Excerpts/Summary
Literary images and social customs often reflect the spirit of the times and the inner temperament of a nation. In the new era of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the image of today's Chinese youth should be progressive, magnificent, and heroic. However, in recent years, the phenomenon of "feminization" of males has had a negative impact on the aesthetics, health and values of young people. This phenomenon started in Japan around 2000, then spread to Korea, and then to China on the backs of the "Haji" (Kazakh-Japanese") and "Korean Wave". Some boys follow the example of so-called idol stars whose clothing, behavior and makeup are "feminine", which seriously affects their physical and mental growth and results in masculinity deficit.
The social harm caused by the epidemic like spread of such a trend should not be underestimated. For example, it conveys wrong aesthetics and values. In the last decade or so, some of China's media and entertainment industry has been pushing the "feminization" of male idol stars, and to some extent even the feminization of men as beauty, leading some teenage males to become more and more "feminine". This disturbs the normal gender orientation and cultural values of young people to quite an extent, undermines Chinese cultural traditions and is not conducive to the cultivation of new generation of socialists.
In addition, it aggravates the degradation of social spirit. Under the influence of such trends as "feminization" of men, some young people are less willing and enthusiastic to protect their country, participate in society, and be active. In terms of the economy,, they lack the "grit" to turn pressure into motivation to struggle (against difficulties) in life and work in the face of social pressures. In addition, the inactive mentality leads to more and more young people being afflicted with mental illness. According to statistics, in the past two or three decades, mental health problems of different groups of people in China are on the rise. These problems are certainly not caused by the "feminization" of men alone, but the latter does contribute negatively to it.
There are already concerns that allowing the "feminization" of men to continue will risk sapping the blood (vigour) of the nation. To this end, I suggest that, first of all, that promotion and propagation of a "feminine" male aesthetic in any form in the media and entertainment industry be firmly restricted. The authorities should be more cautious in approving the content of programs and advertisements and discourage dissemination of such information and content. This could be done by establishing a negative media list or complaint system, and restricting access to traditional or new media that promote "feminization" of males.
Second, there are many ways to promote masculinity among youth. First, strengthen national defense education. It is recommended that national defense education be stipulated as the first course in the field of education on CCTV and media at local levels, and that learning revolutionary traditions and cultivating the spirit of martial arts be made a value orientation for youth.
Second, that teenage themed summer camps and training camps be held regularly. In places with conditions for new type of junior military school to be built, children between 8 and12 should be recruited into junior military schools, to facilitate nurturing of correct values, developing good habits of doing and living physically fit as well as building strong physique, in order to train a trained reserve army for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Third, to appropriately increase physical exercise for school students. Physical exercise plays an important role in cultivating a good physique and strong mind. It is recommended to set up a scientifically graded and rationally classified physical education courses to effectively enhance the physical fitness and masculinity of young people.
Fourth, strengthen the construction of militias. Militia is an inseparable and important part of our military force. There are a large number of militia grooming facilities in various places, and it is necessary to give full play to the role of these facilities. Militia authorities should train young people, so that not only is their physique strengthened, but they are also encouraged to deepen their understanding of the actual situation of national defense -- multiple effects in one fell swoop through revitalization of the militia forces.
Furthermore, more masculine film and entertainment works should be launched. In order to better guide the healthy growth of youth, the media and film and television works should idolise more masculine soldiers, special police and other heroes in life. The government has to encourage local TV stations, especially those with successful entertainment programs, to plan and launch youth entertainment programs that promote a "manly" image and publicise correct values.
(The author is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Director of the Institute of Political Science, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/03/2021 |
OBSERVER: “INDIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL VICTORY” AT PANGONG LAKE DISENGAGEMENT
Excerpts/Summary
First, the frontline border troops of China and India successfully disengaged in the Pangong Lake area. The subsequent tenth round of the China-India military commander-level talks evaluated the result positively, and the joint press release issued by the two sides observed that "this is an important development that provides a basis for resolving other issues in the Line of Actual Control in the Western section of the China-India border". The two Foreign Ministers also called the disengagement an "important achievement" during their telephone conversation on February 25th, noting that "both parties must cherish the hard-won situation and jointly consolidate the existing results".
At the same time, there are contradictory voices coming out of India. Joshi, the Commander of the North Indian Military Region, claimed that India had achieved a "great victory" during the disengagement process, and China "had nothing but lost face." So-called sources in India said that "the Chinese withdrew first and the Indians withdrew later" and made up the claim that the Chinese withdrew further than the Indians. The Chief of Staff of the Army, Joshi's boss, Narawan, said that disengagement in the Pangong Lake area was a "win-win option". The leaders of the Indian National Congress, some retired generals, and some experts and scholars accused the Indian government of abandoning the heights on the southern bank of Pangong Lake to accommodate China as an "act of betrayal".
In addition, Indian netizens refuse to accept the fact that the number of deaths on the Indian side is five times that on the Chinese side, and questioned that China must have concealed the casualty figures in releasing the list of four heroic officers and soldiers who died in the conflict in the Galwan Valley. Some netizens, in accordance with the Indian army's "one for ten" combat strength, said the number of deaths of the People's Liberation Army should be no less than 200, and some even regarded Song Jiang and others who were hyped up on the Internet last year as the list of the Chinese killed. This kind of "fanatical confidence" has a big market in India, which can be called the "Indian psychological victory" propensity.
Facts can not be tampered with, heroes can not be forgotten. By carefully comparing the official statements and spokespersons of the Foreign and Defense Ministries of China and India, and checking with authoritative sources, I found that the false reports of the Indian media and the lies of a handful of politicians can not withstand scrutiny, and the "Indian-style psychological victory" is like a soap bubble that bursts as soon as it is poked, so this article is hereby written to set the record straight.
First of all, the responsibility for provoking the Sino-Indian border conflict last year rests entirely with India. In June last year, the Indian border guards illegally crossed the Western section of the China-India border, took the lead in provoking, and violently attacked the Chinese negotiators, deliberately creating conflicts in the Galwan Valley, causing casualties on both sides. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a speech at the All-Party Conference in India on June 19, publicly acknowledging that "no one has invaded Indian territory and no Indian outposts have been occupied". This is enough to prove who is right and who is wrong. As the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "The merits of this incident are very clear, and China is not responsible at all. First, the Indian border guards illegally crossed the line first. Second, the Indian side violated the consensus of the two sides and provoked first. Third. , It was the Indian side who violated international rules and attacked first".
At the end of August, Indian troops again illegally crossed the line and occupied the southern bank of Pangong Lake, and brazenly fired gunshots to provoke, breaking a 45-year record of no gunfire on the Sino-Indian border. The Indian Defense Ministry's August 31 statement also shamelessly claimed that the Indian troops had taken "pre-emptive" action. This is an absolute self-confession, voluntarily admitting that the Indians planned and created the military activities across the line, and the so-called "pre-emptive action" is just a cover for the Indians to justify their illegal acts. The Indian Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, former Chief of Army Staff V.K. Singh, openly said in an interview that the Indian army had crossed the border at least five times more than the Chinese side, causing an uproar in the Indian media.
Secondly, the disengagement of Chinese and Indian troops at Pangong Lake was a synchronized action agreed to by both sides. On February 10, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Defense issued an authoritative statement, "According to the consensus reached at the ninth round of military commander-level talks between China and India, the troops of the two armies located on the southern and northern banks of Pangong Lake began synchronized operations on February 10 to organize disengagement as planned." This was a plan jointly agreed to by the two sides after diplomatic and military consultations, and was organized and implemented by both sides simultaneously, with neither any sequencingl nor the question of who wins and who loses. Even the Indian Defense Minister did not dare to claim that the Indians won when he answered a question in Parliament, but simply said that India did not lose territory.
According to satellite images and authoritative sources, all Indian troops and armored vehicles on the Southern bank of Pangong lake have been withdrawn and all facilities across the line have been dismantled and destroyed. On the Northern bank of Pangong Lake, Indian troops retain only a small frontline presence at the Dan Singh post near the 3rd finger, with the bulk of the force withdrawn far to the west of the 1st finger. If there had to be a win-lose comparison in the withdrawal process, even the Indian media admitted that the speed of the Chinese armored withdrawal surprised the Indians. However, Indian tanks broke down frequently during the withdrawal process, and previously there was an accident of tank flooding in the Galwan Valley, which is rumored to be one of the reasons for the dismissal of Harinder Singh, former commander of the Indian 14th Army.
Third, we didn’t want to see bloodshed and casualties at the China-India border. The nation was moved by the heroic deeds announced by China to defend the border, and each martyr was given the honorary title he deserved; the motherland and the people will never forget their sacrifice and dedication. China did not announce the number of casualties on either side after the conflict, purely from the perspective of maintaining the overall situation of relations between the two countries and the two armies, in order to promote de-escalation and cooling down of the situation, reflecting China's bearing and inclination as a responsible power. However, India maliciously exaggerated the speculation on this issue, distorted the truth, slandered Chinese border officials and soldiers, and attempted to mislead international public opinion, so China had to clarify the truth to set the record straight.
After the Chinese side announced the truth, especially the video, the Indian media were dumbfounded collectively. Although they still did not admit that the number of casualties in China was far lower than that of the Indian army, they knew the true level of combat effectiveness of the army. The scenes of an Indian soldier wiping out thousands of foreign soldiers in Bollywood dramas are all over the place, but in the real world a swollen face will only lead to a bloodbath. After all, it is not enough to rely on the "Indian delusion of psychological victory" to compete with the PLA in terms of combat power.
Finally, it must be pointed out that China has never considered India as an enemy or an adversary, and has no intention of resolving the border-territory issue by force, as it has always insisted that "not an inch of someone else's territory is coveted; not an inch of its own territory is ceded". As two large developing countries and emerging economies, both China and India are facing the important task of economic development, improving people's livelihood and the challenge of the novel corona pneumonia epidemic, and should not fight with each other and consume themselves unnecessarily on the border-territory issue. A few days ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping solemnly declared to the world that China has achieved a comprehensive victory in the battle against poverty. The Indian media had a rare positive report on this and issued a soul-crushing question to the Indian government: Why India cannot achieve poverty eradication when China can? It is hoped that the Indian side will learn from the historical lessons on the Sino-Indian border issue, stop military violence and the so-called "forward policy", and achieve peaceful coexistence and common development with China. This is the right choice for the two neighboring powers to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
(The author is an observer of international issues)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/03/2021 | 14950: INDIAN MEDIA: BULLET TRAIN SERVICE TO TIBET BEFORE JULY | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/03/2021 |
FOREIGN MEDIA: BIDEN MAY SOON CALL A “FOUR-NATION SUMMIT”
Excerpts/Summary
The Financial Times reported on the 7th that Biden may convene the first "Quad" leaders' Summit next week aimed at containing China. This will be the first summit hosted by Biden since he took office.
According to reports, Australian Prime Minister Morrison confirmed to reporters on March 5 that the U.S., Japan, India and Australia will hold their first leaders' Summit, although no specific time was specified. He said, "It will be four leaders, four countries working constructively together for peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region." Axios News also recently cited sources familiar with the matter, saying Biden plans to hold a video conference with the leaders of Japan, Australia and India this month under the "Quad" mechanism. The White House has not yet confirmed the upcoming meeting, India's attitude is considered a decisive factor determining whether or not the meeting can be held. The Indian Express reported on 6 March that sources in New Delhi told reporters that March 12 was being explored as a possible date for the Summit. There are also unconfirmed reports that the four countries are developing a strategy for "vaccine distribution diplomacy" in the Indo-Pacific region as part of a counterbalancing of "Chinese vaccine diplomacy". This will be announced at the Summit.
The U.S., Japanese, Indian and Australian Foreign Ministers met last month under the "Quad" mechanism. According to the Financial Times, India's attitude toward the mechanism has changed recently, and tensions along the India-China border are considered to be the main reason. Abhijit Singh, a researcher at the Observer Research Foundation of India who served in the Indian Navy, said that India is unlikely to immediately pursue deepening military cooperation in the "four-nation mechanism" in view of the disengagement being undertaken by Indian and Chinese forces recently, and that India is "a little wary of transforming the 'four-nation mechanism into some form of anti-China alliance," "but if we see more trouble from China, the (Indian) government's posture on the issue could change."
Reuters quoted unnamed sources in the Indian government on the 7th as saying that U.S. Defense Secretary Austin could visit India next week. This would be the first visit to India by a senior Biden Administration official. The report said Austin's trip will focus on strengthening cooperation to counter China's growing power in the Asia-Pacific region.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/03/2021 | 14948: 40,000 WOMEN JOIN RANKS OF PEASANT PROTESTORS IN INDIA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/03/2021 |
EDITORIAL: A PRESS CONFERENCE SPELLING OUT CHINA’S STRATEGIC SWEEP
Excerpts/Summary
(The following is the version of the Editorial carried by Global Times online under the title "FM’s press conference showcases magnanimity of China’s diplomacy", reproduced below pending translation of the version published in the Chinese Global Times, the Huan Qiu Shi Bao.)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi answered 27 questions in a systematic way at a press conference held on the sidelines of the two sessions on Sunday, which showcases magnanimity of China's diplomacy as a major power, and provides a rare opportunity for the world to have a comprehensive understanding of China's foreign policy.
Most of the questions at the press conference were related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which reflects that the pandemic has penetrated deeply into the lives of societies around the world over the past year and has profoundly affected the international relations agenda. China is the most successful country in the fight against the epidemic, which has had a significant impact on shaping the current diplomatic outlook of China.
China is a friendly and modest country, which was fully demonstrated when Wang answered questions about the regional situation and bilateral relations between China and the countries concerned. Cooperation was a key word at the press conference, but instead of empty talks, Wang spoke of many concrete actions. When has the international community ever seen such a warm and humble major country? China is undoubtedly the most faithful practitioner and defender of the norms of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
While answering questions on China-US relations, Wang stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation and managing differences between China and the US. He also expressed the firm attitude that China does not allow interference by the US in its internal affairs, and criticized the US for wantonly interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the banner of human rights and democracy. On the Taiwan question, he urged the US to change the previous administration's practice of "crossing the red-line" and "playing with fire." When talking about the South China Sea issue, he criticized the US and other Western countries for making trouble in the South China Sea in the name of "freedom of navigation". His remarks impressed Western media outlets.
China is developing rapidly while the US is leading its major allies in intensifying ideological confrontation with China. What kind of country China is has thus become a focal point in today's world. The US and some Western public opinion institutes constantly accuse China of breaking the international rules, unilaterally changing the status quo. They try to mislead the world public with these labels.
International rules must be based on the Charter of the United Nations, not the hegemonic clauses of the US based on its own interests. In addition, it was the DPP authority on the island of Taiwan that changed the status quo by denying the 1992 Consensus. These facts need to be explained clearly to the world, which however has been disturbed in every way by the powerful media tools of the US and the West. China's activities in remote areas are all cooperative. And it is gradually discovered and understood by the world that all conflicts are brought to China's door by the US itself or by some forces it gathered.
Questions from and involving developing countries at the press conference were all about cooperation while questions concerning the US are the most perplexing. Since the new administration took office, the general attitude of the US toward China is continuation of a tough posture. China's general attitude can be summed up as managing the differences. China has a dignified low profile, and the world is coming to this conclusion.
The bilateral relationship between China and the US is of course the biggest issue in today's international relations, which has wide implications. China has been dealing with this problem in a constructive manner. At the same time, China will definitely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. China strengthens global cooperation and continues to grow its own strength, so that this ability to safeguard its own rights will be strengthened.
China is more open and broad-minded. We are doing our own things well, and in the meantime, making maximum efforts to help safeguard world peace and promote solutions to various issues. As China is a sovereign country, solutions that best solve Hong Kong and Xinjiang related problems clearly should be in our own hands. The US that holds selfish strategies cannot represent the world at all. There is no need for us to overly worry about losses and gains.
The press conference on Sunday clearly shows people the broadness of the world, as well as China's mind. To us, it's really important.
Journal: Journal Not Selected |
Journal Not Selected | ★★ |
08/03/2021 | CHINESE NAVY WORLD’S LARGEST ? | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
08/03/2021 |
14945: WEST NEEDS TO ADAPT TO A MORE CONFIDENT CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
How should China, that is increasingly getting stronger, view the world and handle relations with outsiders? Some Westerners hope China can put itself in a submissive position and behave as humbly as it once did in the past, while there are also voices in the West hyping China has begun to act aggressively and arrogantly on the international stage. The reality is, however, China has long sought to stand on equal footing with other countries, when it no longer needs to look up to the rest of the world, it will not look down upon them, either.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday that before young Chinese, including those born in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s went out to see the world, China was able to view the world with a mindset of equality, so they are not as 'provincial' as older generations. Xi made the remarks when he joined national political advisors from education, medical and health sectors in a joint group meeting. His words have aroused resonance from many Chinese people.
China has been able to view the world with a mind-set of equality. This means Chinese people have become more confident in their country. They no longer simply believe everything in the West is better than China, nor will they look down upon other countries or impose China's will on them.
Over the past more than 70 years since the establishment of the People's Republic of China, China has been actively integrating into the world. It leapfrogged to become the world's second-largest economy from a weak and poor country. China has been advancing by leaps and bounds in areas such as the construction of social civilization, the improvement of governance system, and scientific and technological development. China's per capita GDP has exceeded $10,000 for two consecutive years. The country has gained a complete victory in eliminating absolute poverty. Given these accomplishments, no wonder Chinese people have become increasingly proud of their country.
The superiority of the Chinese system has been underlined in the past 70 years of development, serving as the fundamental guarantee for the country's success in various fields. The COVID-19 pandemic in particular has shed light on China's institutional advantages, while exposing governance loopholes of the US and other Western countries. China has tamed the virus successfully, but the pandemic has been considered the "Chernobyl moment" of the West. Many Western countries have been mired in a quagmire that their economy is shrinking and people's health and lives are hard to guarantee. In view of the sharp comparison between China and the West, it's no exaggeration to say that the Chinese society's political confidence has gotten an unprecedented boost.
Today's China has grown into a giant. The Chinese people have increasing confidence in the path and system that China has insisted on and deals with the rest of the world in an increasingly confident but equal manner. But the West, which is accustomed to China's submissiveness, cannot accept to treat China equally. It cannot correctly face up to China's rise. The West overlooks China's intention for peaceful development, harboring misgivings and suspicions over how China will use its growing strength.
The history of Western countries' rise has repeatedly seen countries seek hegemony after becoming strong. Some Westerners worry China is bound to follow this path. But this logic does not apply to China. China was once a victim of colonialism and now still suffers from hegemony. It spent decades seeking an equal footing with other countries, and it will never seek hegemony and inflict what it suffers on others.
China has been on an equal footing with the rest of the world. The West is bound to face a more confident and dignified China in the world in the future. It is hoped that the West could adapt itself to facing a growing China, and won't misjudge or deliberately twist China's development intentions.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
08/03/2021 |
14944: US-CHINA COMPETITION NEEDS TO BE CIVIL
Excerpts/Summary
During his press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, it is not surprising that there is competition between China and the US as their interests are intertwined, but the two sides should have healthy competition on the basis of fairness and equity. Many people may have not yet perceived the subtleties of this crucial statement.
For a long time, China's diplomatic policymakers have been avoiding topics related to competition with the US. However, Wang's statement means China has publicly made it clear that the scenario of the China-US competition for global leading role has been taking shape, although China may not necessarily wish for such competition and is hoping for more cooperation.
It is also a response to the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance, issued on March 3 by US President Joe Biden's administration. It describes China as "the only competitor potentially capable of combining its economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to mount a sustained challenge to a stable and open international system."
Over the past 20 years, the US strategic definition of China has been swaying among "partner," "competitor" and "rival." During his first major foreign policy speech on March 3, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken listed eight priorities for US diplomacy, stressing China is US' "biggest geopolitical test." It mirrors the fact that the US strategic positioning of China is no longer vague or swaying. It is clear-cut now: China is US' No.1 competitor.
After 20 years of contact, games, friction and even low-intensity conflicts, the US no longer treats China as a partner, but a primary competitor. How would China respond?
In English, competition is not necessarily a bad thing. Among the words that could measure ties between any two countries, there are at least five Cs: cooperation, coordination, competition, confrontation and conflict. Competition is neutral.
Over the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, especially the 20 years since the 21st century, China's economy, trade, finance, industry and culture are rising rapidly. An important reason for that is: China has been facing competition squarely. It has been embracing the international competition, re-understanding the world through competition, learning from its competitors, catching up with them in some sectors, and making progress together with others in other fields.
The Chinese people in the new era are supposed to be more confident. They are not supposed to turn pale at the mention of competition, or associate competition with strategic confrontation and conflicts.
Even if China adopts competition as its strategic positioning of the US, it won't exclude the possibilities of cooperating with the US. Hegemony will never be China's choice - even when the country become stronger. China will not bully other countries. It is pursuing a path of healthy competition with major powers.
As far as I am concerned, the new type of major power competition, or healthy competition, includes at least four categories. First, the competition for model, which focuses on governance of domestic affairs. Or in other words, it is a competition to see which country can better meet their people's ever-growing needs for a better life and can provide experience to other developing countries.
Second, the competition of cooperation, which focuses on which country has the stronger capability to organize and promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation, helping to boost vaccination coverage, and to realize economic recovery, technological innovation, poverty alleviation, etc, in the post-pandemic era.
Third, the competition of dividends focuses on which country can offer more impetus to world economic growth, promote global trade and investment, as well as peace and stability.
Fourth, the competition of vision, focuses on which country has more far-sighted views to resolve the polarization between the rich and the poor, ethical challenges posed by intelligent technologies and deteriorating ecology, leading mankind to the next era of civilization.
As long as the competition is fair and square, China has no reason to refuse, fear or avoid it. The Charter of the UN was signed in 1945 with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council playing the role as the core in major power coordination. The move was an attempt to create a more advanced major power competition.
The future competition between China and the US should also be more civilized than any major power competition in the past. And it should reflect the progress of humankind.
The author is professor and executive dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
08/03/2021 |
14943: NOMADLAND FRACAS A CHANCE TO TEST CHINA’S RESILIENCE
Excerpts/Summary
Chinese director Zhao Ting, also known as Chloe Zhao, and the film she directed, Nomadland, have triggered controversy recently. I believe her experiences made her a self-contradictory figure. During the period when she shot to fame in the US, China became the world's largest movie market. These two events are expected to generate impacts on her future speech and values.Netizens dug out Zhao's speeches in the past. And many were furious about those words and thus changed their impression of Zhao. Such fury and change in attitudes are normal. You reap what you sow, and what happens now is the cost she needs to bear.
Meanwhile, I don't think her movie should be removed from the film market. As China remains open, the country should be able to tolerate divergences. Zhao said something believed to be "an insult to China" in 2013, but she is not one of those dissidents who turn their values into political stances and exploit it. As Zhao has become famous, more of her past will be dug up. Facing the fermentation of a mix of information, Chinese audiences will come to their own judgment of how to view Zhao and her films. This controversy will eventually end in a commercially marketed manner.
I think Chinese people should be given more of such opportunities to deal with controversies of this kind on their own. The market will tell, and our authorities shall stand more aloof more often. Hence, our society will grow more dynamic and become more resilient. People will also understand more profoundly that many things are not just about being black or white. There is a large-scale intermediate zone regarding quarrels of public opinions.
The more room the market has to deal with problems, the stronger the market itself will be. And this will also help China grow stronger, more attractive, more tolerant, and more inclusive in various dimensions. At that time, it will be harder for any force to intend to crush China.
The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
08/03/2021 |
14942: ‘PACIFIC NATO’ CONCEPT AIMED AT CHINA IS SELF-SERVING US WOLF PACK TACTIC
Excerpts/Summary
The National Interest magazine published on Sunday an article discussing whether a "Pacific NATO" is the only way to counter China. It said that, "a combined US, Japanese, Australian, and Indian military force might certainly help deter China in terms of sheer numbers, not to mention coordinated air and sea operations."
Since World War II, it has been a common practice for the US to deal with a certain country with an alliance structure. The reason to do so is not complicated. First, the US wants to take the so-called moral high ground by forming an alliance against a certain country.
On the other hand, Washington believes that making an alliance will stack the odds in its favor. Meanwhile, Washington also hopes other countries can help the US shift the huge burden with efforts of sending troops and sharing operational costs.
In simple words, the US is adopting wolf pack tactics. The US has made itself the alpha of the pack and hopes that more countries will join it as packmates. The more packmates it has, the more odds the US believes it will stack to itself.
From a military perspective, the above mentioned four countries do have a foundation for an alliance such as an "Asian NATO." But the key problem is that the four countries do not have an eye for the same direction. Their community of common interests can hardly be established. In other words, they lack sufficient reasons to jointly cope with a sole rival.
For instance, despite border frictions with China, India deeply knows that its economic development needs China. Japan cannot live without the vast Chinese market either. Remaining somewhat neutral without taking a side fits Japan's interests. Australia is a stern follower of the US, but due to its limited strength and influence, China does not have to care too much about it.
The National Interest article claims that these US-aligned countries, perhaps with even the addition of the island of Taiwan, could draft up an agreement somewhat analogous to NATO's Article 5 - which means collective security.
The US could view Taiwan as its ally or even include the island into one of the US-led treaties. But it needs to be pointed out that China does not promise to renounce the use of force and reserves the option to use all necessary measures. Once China resorts to forces against secessionists, the US will not necessarily come to defend them.
The US does not support China's full reunification. Nor does it support "Taiwan independence." The US does not support Taiwan to use force, either. The US would feel embarrassed if Taiwan authorities declared "independence" that prompted the PLA to solve the issue via forces. Under such circumstances, Japan, India and Australia would not get involved into Taiwan as they would invite fire onto themselves. Hence, it is difficult for the US to create an Asian NATO by exploiting the Taiwan question.
China will not make the slightest concession on this issue and will not hesitate to fight even in the face of a strong enemy. With such determination, courage and confidence, the US must not misjudge the situation. Nor should other countries follow the US' lead.
China now is making full preparations, strengthening its preparation for military struggle and training troops in order to target Taiwan secessionist forces that might someday take the "independence path."
In this scenario, the PLA will use fast and intensive methods to address the Taiwan question. No matter who gets involved, it will not stop China's determination.
China has a long-term plan for its national defense and economic development. As long as it follows the established plan, China will continue to strengthen its military capabilities, especially the ability to win wars.
What the US is doing with several other countries is in short-term. Washington is likely to change as the situation changes, so this short-term behavior is nothing to be afraid of.
China needs to study its adversaries and constantly strengthen its ability to win wars. The PLA is now increasing the frequency and intensity of its military exercises. This includes the breadth of its capabilities in joint operations as preparation for any unexpected risks in the future and potential hot issues that need to be resolutely settled.
The author is a Chinese military expert and commentator.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
08/03/2021 |
14941: FOREIGN MINSTER WANG YI ON SINO-IINDIAN RELATIONS AT THE NPC SEESION
Excerpts/Summary
Extracts From Foreign Minister Wang Yi's Remarks To the Press At The National Peoples Congress meetingPress Trust of India: How do you see the prospects of peace at the borders between China and India? How will the two sides' different perspectives on the border issue shape the future trajectory of the relationship?Wang Yi: The China-India relationship is essentially about how the world's two largest developing countries get along and pursue development and rejuvenation together. As two ancient civilizations next door to each other and two major emerging economies each with over one billion people, China and India have broad common interests and tremendous potential for cooperation. Domestically, both countries face the historic mission of bettering people's lives and accelerating growth. Internationally, the world expects both of us to safeguard the common interests of developing countries and advance multipolarity in the world. On many important issues, our positions are the same or close due to similar national realities. Therefore, China and India are each other's friends and partners, not threats or rivals. The two sides need to help each other succeed instead of undercutting each other; we should intensify cooperation instead of harboring suspicion at each other. The boundary dispute, an issue left from history, is not the whole story of the China-India relationship. It is important that the two sides manage the dispute properly and at the same time, expand and enhance cooperation to create enabling conditions for the settlement of the issue. The rights and wrongs of what happened in the border area last year are clear. So are the stakes involved. What happened again proves that initiating confrontation will not solve the problem, and that returning to peaceful negotiation is the right way forward. China's position is very clear: We are committed to settling the boundary dispute through dialogue and consultation. At the same time, we are resolved to safeguard our sovereign rights and interests. It falls on both sides to solidify the existing consensus, strengthen dialogue and communication, and improve the various management mechanisms to jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border area. In the year ahead, we hope India will work with China to truly deliver on the important common understanding reached by our leaders that "the two countries are not threats to each other but opportunities for each other's development". Together, we can bring greater benefits to the 2.7 billion people in China and India and make bigger contributions to the advent of an Asian Century.Journal: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing | ★★ |
07/03/2021 |
14940: HARD REALITY THAT INDIA CANNOT DODGE WHEN MAKING DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Excerpts/Summary
What policy and attitude toward China should India hold? The answer apparently should be determined by what India's fundamental interests are rather than by the so-called "patriotic" sentiments incited by some people from within India.
So what is essential for India? It is the economic development and the increase in international status that comes along with the former. Despite the China-India border tensions and India's boycotts against Chinese products, the economic and trade exchanges between the two countries in India's current fiscal year have proven that to realize its goal of becoming a major power, India shall never hesitate to engage in cooperation with China.
In the first nine months of India's fiscal year 2021 (from April to December 2020), China surpassed the US to become the largest trading partner of India. During this period, India exported $15.3 billion of goods to China while importing $45.4 billion from China. Such trade numbers amid the two countries' tensions clearly illustrate that the two are deeply intertwined. Incited nationalist sentiments cannot simply change these economic realities.
Such numbers are also telling: if India further cuts off economic ties with China, its COVID-19 ravaged business will be further hit.
Such scenario is obviously contrary to the economic development and great power status that India is currently pursuing.
This echoes what Mumbai-based columnist Rupa Subramanya wrote on Thursday in a Nikkei Asia article entitled, "China is the rival India cannot live without." She wrote that, "India evidently has calculated that reengagement with China, especially on the economic front, while shifting the border dispute to the back burner, is the only realistic course of action if it has any hope of reenergizing the country's flagging economic miracle."
However, some in India are still indulging in nationalist sentiments against China. And they are still moving to instigate Indian people. Former Indian Army Chief General V.P. Malik said Saturday on the Indian media program The Print's Off the Cuff, that his country's "appeasement policy" toward China has ended with the most recent border standoff. He implied that India has spent "more time and energy on the cooperation" rather than on the competition with China. Malik also called for a probe into why India didn't deploy additional troops to the border before the clash last year.
Malik's emphasis on competition instead of cooperation goes against what the Indian government has done. Shortly after China and India reached an agreement to deescalate border tensions on February 10, New Delhi was set to ease its restrictions on Chinese investments put in place during the standoff. Such moves by New Delhi demonstrated that Indian policymakers are now very aware that cooperation with China is "doubly important for the beleaguered Indian economy," as Subramanya wrote.
Roaring nationalism cannot become a cure for the Indian society to solve its problems. New Delhi cannot scapegoat Beijing for its own governance woes. And leading the whole society to hate China will only harm it.
Lost in the blind nationalism toward China, India will only make itself more damaged. This is a hard reality that India cannot and shouldn't ignore.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
07/03/2021 |
NO ISSUE OF NEWSPAPER — SUNDAY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/03/2021 | 14938: [AMERICA] ROBERT LAWRENCE KUHN: CHINA AND THE U.S. SHOULD BECOME A BASTION OF PEACE AND AN ENGINE OF PROSPERITY | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/03/2021 | TWO SESSIONS IN FOCUS: WORLD WIDE BUZZ ABOUT CHINESE GOVERNMENT’S WORK REPORT | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/03/2021 | TWO SESSIONS IN FOCUS: HOW TO CHANGE FROM “BIG COUNTRY” PROJECTION TO “POWERFUL COUNTRY” | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/03/2021 |
TWO SESSIONS IN FOCUS: SMART TECHNOLOGY CAN PROVIDE A NEW SPRINGBOARD FOR “MADE IN CHINA”
Excerpts/Summary
Photo: Yang Yuanqing, founder CEO of Lenovo and a Deputy to the National People's Congress
"Last year, despite the challenges of the epidemic, 'Made in China’ remained unshakeable in the global supply chain and international division of labor system, playing a vital role in the rapid resumption of growth for the Chinese economy". Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO of Lenovo Group, said in an interview with the Huan Qiu Shi Bao that as China enters the "14th Five-Year Plan" stage of high-quality development, it needs to use intelligence (smart technology) to achieve quality and efficiency improvement, accelerate its move to the middle and high end of the global value chain, and upgrade "Made in China" to "Designed in China". Yang will submit proposals to the two sessions centred around giving full play to the power of technology to empower the real economy and developing supply chain finance.
Yang told the Huan Qiu Shi Bao that smart manufacturing is not "simply adding a few robots to the production line", but the digitization and intelligisation of the entire manufacturing and decision-making process. "In the past few years, Lenovo, where I work, has been undergoing such a transformation". He introduced Lenovo Group as an example, saying, "We deploy 5G private networks and rich edge devices on the production floor, use cameras for quality inspection, analyze the data provided by 'ends' like smart machine tools to achieve predictive maintenance, demand forecasting and intelligent planning and scheduling of component and product supply based on customer order data, ...... These measures greatly improve production efficiency and product quality". He said that the products coming out of Lenovo's domestic smart factories not only meet the needs of the large domestic cycle, but can also grasp the needs of the global market more accurately. "Today, 90% of our products are 'made in China’, but 70% of our revenue comes from overseas".
In answer to the question how to "fight the battle on the crucial core technologies front", Yang said that the key to fighting the battle of crucial core technologies is to effectively enhance independent innovation capabilities, improve China's science and technology innovation system, and improve the layout of the whole chain from basic research, applied research, technology development to industrialization. Yang Yuanqing believes that the fourth industrial revolution provides new opportunities for "Made in China" to achieve industrial transformation and upgrading. In the field of intelligent technologies such as Internet of Things, edge computing, cloud computing, 5G, big data and AI, which are leading this industrial revolution, China is basically on the same starting line as other countries, and may have comparative advantages in some aspects. "Once these advanced smart technologies are combined with China's massive manufacturing industry, it will provide a new springboard for China's manufacturing industry to make up for its shortcomings, achieve breakthroughs in innovation, and play its own brand". He said smart upgrading of the manufacturing industry will release a larger, higher-quality efficiency dividend, and lend new colors to "Made in China".
Smart upgrading also requires more vigor in the development of vocational education. Yang Yuanqing said that the development of vocational education in China still faces some urgent problems to be solved. Firstly, social acceptance of vocational education still needs to be improved, the overall cognition of the social status of vocational education is still relatively low and there is still a gap between the social status of students after graduation from vocational education schools and that of ordinary colleges and universities. Secondly, there is a shortage of "double-teacher" -- teachers with both theoretical and practical teaching abilities, and the motivation and ability of teachers need to be improved; thirdly, due to more restrictive factors, industrial enterprises are not willing and motivated to participate in running schools, especially private enterprises are still more restricted in their participation in vocational education, which makes it difficult to form synergies and affects the enthusiasm of private enterprises in running schools.
In this regard, Yang Yuanqing suggested that we should vigorously promote the spirit of craftsmanship, broaden the employment channels of vocational education students, appropriately relax the restrictive conditions of vocational education graduates in the employment process; develop the standards of "double-teacher" teachers, implement the system of teachers' practising in enterprises and improve the welfare conditions; give full play to the advantages of industrial enterprises and activate self-motivated participation of enterprises in vocational education". We hope that through a series of supportive policy measures, we can improve the quality of vocational education, cultivate more 'purple-collar’ talent, and advance 'China's knowledge industry’ manufacturing to the high-end of the global value chain", Yang Yuanqing said.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
06/03/2021 |
14934: QUAD SUMMIT INDICATES STRONG DESIRE, BUT DIFFICULT TO ROPE IN ASEAN STATES
Excerpts/Summary
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday said US President Joe Biden will join him, and the leaders of Japan and India, in a first-ever “Quad” bloc virtual summit, the Hill reported on the same day.
This demonstrates the Biden administration will intensify collaboration with other members under the Quad framework. Even since days before taking office, Biden has repeatedly said the US would return to multilateralism in his presidency. Rebuilding cooperation and coordination with allies and partners will be an important part of such return. In the Asia-Pacific region, apart from strengthening alliances with countries such as Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Australia, the US’ other leverage is the Quad.
In the past, the highest level of Quad meetings was among foreign ministers of the four countries. This time, the bloc is going to hold a meeting among the top leaders of the four countries, including President Biden. This shows the US has attached great importance to the mechanism.
The first-ever Quad summit among four top leaders is anticipated to talk about nothing more than intensifying members’ cooperation in politics, the economy, military and security, jointly dealing with the uncertainties within the region, and drawing up a coordinated China policy and strategy. Washington’s aim is to maintain its dominance in the region, while the other three want to prevent China’s rise from affecting their interests.
Morrison also said, “The Quad is very central to the United States and our [Australia’s] thinking about the region, and looking at the Indo-Pacific also through the prism of our ASEAN partners and their vision of the Indo-Pacific,” cited by Bloomberg.
Australia takes Quad as central first because the country follows the US due to its ideological differences with China, and keeps a high level of vigilance regarding China’s rise. Second, Australia hopes to boost its strategic status in the Asia-Pacific region and intends to play a bigger role in regional affairs. Despite close economic exchanges between China and Australia, the latter has tied itself to the US’ anti-China chariot. Canberra wants to exploit Washington’s anti-China efforts to impair China’s regional influence.
It cannot rule out the possibilities that Quad members including the US and Australia will further rope in ASEAN members to counter China as Southeast Asia is of great significance to the US’ Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Yet ASEAN will not easily take sides. ASEAN members have frequent exchanges with China in terms of economy. The two sides have launched the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area since 2010, in which Southeast Asian countries have received a wide range of benefits. China has become vital to Southeast Asian countries. But on the other hand, these countries hope the US can balance China in terms of security in the face of a rising China.
Canberra’s national strengths and regional influence are limited. It also has friction with Indonesia. In this context, Australia will not be able to make a big splash in the region. Besides the US, attention should be paid to Japan and India.
As China has been far ahead of Japan, especially in economy, and the two countries are also involved in island disputes, Japan has regarded China as a threat. Counterbalancing the rise of China has become part of Japan’s China policy. Resting on its alliance with the US, Japan also hopes to woo in more forces to contain China.
India seems to have deviated from its traditional non-alignment policy. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term, India’s economy is not doing well, and its domestic contradictions have seen a rising trend. As its border disputes with China have not been settled, anti-China voices in India still remain a force. The Modi administration intends to divert attention from its domestic contradictions by underlining China’s threat.
Against this backdrop, India and Japan are both likely to collaborate with the US under the Quad framework. Even if the four members’ interests are not exactly identical, the desire to counter China will tie them together.
The international community is suspecting whether the Quad will expand into an “Asian NATO.” This is unlikely. The current scenario differs from that in the Cold War. China and the US will unlikely engage in an all-out cold war. When compared with the Cold War era, economic and people-to-people exchanges are markedly boosted. Due to globalization, China’s relations and interests have been intertwined with other countries, including the members of the Quad.
Actually, whether an “Asian NATO” can be established also depends on China’s relations with the four members of the bloc as well as other neighboring countries. China unswervingly pursues a foreign policy of peace and puts forward and practices a neighborhood policy featuring amity. This will to a large extent frustrate the US’ attempts to expand the Quad into an “Asian NATO.”
The author is Deputy Director and senior fellow of the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
05/03/2021 |
14933: JAPANESE MEDIA: INDIA REALIZES THAT CHINA IS MUCH TOO IMPORTANT FOR THE FATE OF THE INDIAN ECONOMY!
Excerpts/Summary
(An article based on a commentary in the Nikkei Asian Review reproduced below in full, with parts deleted in the Huan Qiu Shi Bao's reproduction shown in strike-throughs, and parts added in the Chinese version shown in italics font.)
Japanese "Nikkei Asian Review" article on March 4, the original title: China is the rival India cannot live without --
Breaking into Chinese-led supply chains is also a daunting challenge, given that India has opted out of both the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, two mega-regional trade and investment deals that between them involve all of the major economies in the Asia-Pacific region, with the exception of India.
Just how important China is to India is shown by the fact that China once again became India's top trading partner in 2020,
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
05/03/2021 |
14932: EDITORIAL: POSSESSED BY OLD THINKING, WASHINGTON WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD USA ASTRAY
Excerpts/Summary
(This Editorial was carried in the English Global Times also under the title "New admin will continue leading US on wrong path". The version published in English is reproduced below, pending translation of the Chinese original.)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered his first foreign policy speech on Wednesday, in which he put forward eight most urgent foreign policy priorities. Although he talked about confronting China in the last part of his speech, in this way he was actually emphasizing this point. Blinken claimed that China is the US' "biggest geopolitical test" of the century. He called China "the only country with the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to seriously challenge the stable and open international system."
Also on Wednesday, the US released the "Interim National Security Strategic Guidance," describing China in the same tone of Blinken. But neither Blinken's speech nor the interim guidance report has outlined specific policies toward China. Blinken ambiguously said, "Our relationship with China will be competitive when it should be, collaborative when it can be, and adversarial when it must be."
It can be seen that whatever terms the Biden administration has used to define China, it has inherited the Trump administration's thinking on its China policy. But the new administration will not resort to every possible means to deal with China. What the new administration differs from its predecessor is that it has expressed willingness to conditionally collaborate with China and has in public delivered its reluctance to engage in all-out confrontation with China.
The Trump administration was extremely self-confident and arrogant, and its way to interact with China was to blackmail China without any bottom line. The Biden administration has apparently perceived that the Trump way didn't work out well. They are going to try to engage in a systemic game with China, including relying more on allies to strengthen an international siege of China.
Such manner toward China actually releases three messages. First, after the presidential transition, Washington has completed its domestic mobilization to reset China-US relations. Their position seeing China as a "strategic rival" has been consolidated. Second, the Biden administration has realized that it is not realistic to defeat China. The US needs an approach to deal with China, in which the US can maintain its advantage over China in the long run. Third, the current government underlines more on building US power, including solidifying its alliance system.
The room for China to relieve its tensions with the US through talks appears to be very narrow, but the possibility of conflicts between the two countries has also declined. China and the US will get involved in a long-term game in which pressure will be piled on all domains. The one who will make more achievement in terms of strength building will stand in a relatively proactive position to influence the future trend of the bilateral ties.
The Biden administration has adjusted its predecessor's unmannerly attempts trying to crush China, and has reconstructed its tactic on putting pressure on China. This has resulted from China's efforts of withstanding the pressure of the US-launched trade war and boosting its own might. China should devote itself to defining the new round between China and the US by continuing to realize China's expansion in terms of national strengths and frustrating Washington's plan to solidify its allies to counter China.
Despite the new US administration's grand ambitions and big talks, it is not sure about achieving such goals. The mechanism that drives US economic development is outdated and it is difficult to generate any positive energy now. US allies have divergences with Washington over China. The US lacks reasons to demand its allies to counter China with the same strength as it does.
China should continue its reform and opening-up efforts, and push forward its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) as scheduled. China should work with the US to ease tensions, while holding an easy mind in the face of serious disputes. By doing so, China will have a strategically relaxed mind-set and more room to interact. It is easier for China to paralyze the US' China containment strategy than for the US to go against the trend and advance such a strategy.
It is high time that the Chinese people focus on doing their own things well. China's two sessions have begun, an annual occasion when China elaborates its development plans. The US is thinking of how to contain China, while China is thinking of how to develop itself. It is crystal clear whose design is healthier and can be better implemented.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
05/03/2021 | 14931: OPTIMIZE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH MANAGEMENT AND STIMULATE INNOVATION | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
05/03/2021 | BE WARY OF WASHINGTON’S “WEAPONIZATION” OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
04/03/2021 | 14929: CHINA TOPS THE WORLD IN PATENT APPLICATIONS | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
04/03/2021 |
KNEELING AND KOWTOWING, A “MUST” FOR SENIOR JAPANESE OFFICE WORKERS
Excerpts/Summary
Interesting allusion to the concept of 'Nirvana' in the article. Summary translation underway
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
04/03/2021 |
CHINA’S WEALTHY OUTNUMBER US, GERMANY AND INDIA COMBINED
Excerpts/Summary
A March 3 article by Deutsche Presse-Agentur, originally titled: "China has the most billion-dollar billionaires" reports that Musk, the founder of U.S. Tesla Motors, is currently the richest man in the world, with a fortune of about 1.28 trillion yuan. But the country with the largest number of billion-dollar billionaires like him is China.
According to the Hurun 100 list released Tuesday, mainland China and Hong Kong added 259 new billion-dollar billionaires last year, bringing the total to 1,058. That means China became the first country to have 1,000 billion-dollar entrepreneurs. This number also surpasses the combined number of billion-dollar billionaires in the United States, India and Germany, which are next in line. The U.S. has 696 billion-dollar billionaires, 70 more than last year. The U.S. and China together account for 54 percent of the world's billionaires.
China has created so much wealth in the past year that even Hurun Hu, chairman and chief research officer of Hurun Billionaire, was surprised. One possible reason: China is one of the few economies to achieve positive economic growth in 2020. On the list of the Chinese rich, the 67-year-old Zhong Suansui, founder of Nongfu Spring, reached the top with a fortune of 550 billion yuan. He was also the first Chinese entrepreneur to enter the top 10 of the world's richest list, ranking seventh in the world. He owns some shares in vaccine manufacturers. Zhong also replaced the Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani as the richest man in Asia.
Ranked second and third on the Hurun China 100 Rich List are Tencent founder Ma Huateng (480 billion yuan) and Pinduoduo founder Huang Zheng (450 billion yuan). Jack Ma (360 billion yuan) ranks No. 4 in China. The 38-year-old Zhang Yiming, the founder of TikTok's parent company, ranked among the top 5 for the first time with a fortune of 350 billion yuan.
(By Bikirter Eger, translated by Aoki)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
04/03/2021 | IN FOCUS: HOW TO RETAIN ADVANTAGE OF CHINA’S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
04/03/2021 |
OBSERVER: INDULGING IN “EXTREME COMPETITION” WITH CHINA WILL ONLY BACKFIRE ON THE UNITED STATES
Excerpts/Summary
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the United States has been the only hegemonic power in the world. The power structure of the international system has undoubtedly been in a "unipolar system". However, due to the rise of emerging economies and renewal of the Eurasian geo-economic map, a new historical process of transformation from a unipolar system to a multipolar system has emerged.
Even though the Biden administration took office as expected and Trump was saved from being impeached a second time, the U.S. today does have a lot of domestic problems. . Violent attacks on the Capitol and Blizzard in Texas have exposed many deep-seated contradictions. Yet, it is still too early to say that the "post-American era" has arrived.
"American values" in trouble
The international system underwent several changes after World War II, and the United States emerged as the most powerful country in the world. America's power lies not only in its military strength, economic scale and share in the global trading system, but also its global leadership in high-precision manufacturing, higher education, scientific and technological innovation, and basic and applied research, as well as the hegemony of the U.S. dollar - the currency issued by the U.S. accounts for two-thirds of the world's total currency circulation, and the United States has a dominant position in the international system, rules, and governance system.
Especially important is the fact that the U.S. has for long had unparalleled influence in the construction of the world's discourse and international governance mechanisms in the post-World War II period. For example, the concept of global governance, which is familiar to people today, can be traced back to the "Fourteen Point Plan" issued by President Wilson in 1918. The "Wilson Doctrine" is recognized as the origin of the American liberal internationalist diplomatic tradition.
However, the sadness of decline and the prosperity of rise are destined to be equally dazzling and eye-catching. Today, American power is in decline. This is not because of external factors such as the rise of China and other emerging countries, but because "American values" are caught in huge internal troubles. This is not only manifested in the antagonism between the two major political forces represented by the Democratic and Republican parties, but in the partisan politics that has begun to hijack the country's governance propositions and the high degree of division in American society and public. And a divided America is destined to be a struggling America.
Is America a "multicultural nation" or a "white supremacist nation"? Is America's racist bias institutional, or is it culturally determined? Will the U.S. economy grow by continuing to cut taxes, or by raising them? Should the nation's responsibility to the lower and middle income classes continue to be reflected in a culture of free-for-all where Americans are more "on their own," or should the government's state responsibility for social welfare distribution be expanded? Should U.S. diplomacy put "America first" or return to the responsibility of a "world leader" with allied coordination? Does the United States need to open up conventional energy sources to become the world's leading energy exporter, or does it need to pursue a "green energy" program and strengthen its commitment to environmental responsibility? Today, the internal controversies in the United States are so profound. Combined with an aging infrastructure, the loss of white-collar jobs due to the relocation of manufacturing, inflated securities and financial markets, and the Federal Reserve's money-printing frenzy and rising U.S. government deficits, the pressure and distress inherent in the U.S. desire to remain at the top is unprecedented.
Is the "China focus" a political imperative?
U.S. elites are now very concerned that infighting, epidemics and economic decline in the United States may actually cause a "post-American era” to come to be. Richard Haass, president of the American Academy of Diplomacy, tweeted after the Jan. 6 outbreak of Trump supporters taking over Capitol Hill that the day would mark the beginning of the "post-American era”. However, US politics and policies as a whole will firmly reject and reject the "post-American era." This is not only because of a need for the interests of the United States to maintain its hegemonic status, but also a product of the U.S. perception of its own strength and status, which is rife with "American exceptionalism, the U.S. elite's political philosophy of international relations.
The U.S. elite's philosophical understanding of international relations and politics is rooted in the theoretical perception that the "post-American era" will be more turbulent and conflictual. As a result, the more internally divided and fragile the United States becomes, the heavier the US national power apparatus will exert strategic pressure on competing countries such as China and Russia.
What is particularly worrying is that an internally divided United States will increasingly need to shape and focus on "foreign enemies." Only by portraying China, Russia and other countries as a huge “immediate threat” to the United States in accordance with the needs of American values and interests, can opposing domestic political forces find room for compromise and cooperation, and the huge social and political divisions be restrained temporarily in their infighting and remaining "united". British scholar Kanan Ganesh recently wrote in the Financial Times recently that promotion of the "China threat theory" is "highly opportune" for the United States for maintaining cohesion, revealing pungently and clearly that both in the past and now, "shaping the promotion of the "China threat theory is required by the domestic political interest of the United States.
It has been more than a month since the Biden administration took office. Biden and his policy team have made massive and rapid changes to the Trump administration's original practices in domestic and foreign affairs. However, the “de-Trumpization” of China policy is not only limited, it is even continuing. The Trump administration's practices in the fields of trade with China, science and technology, hare being played as a "value card", highlighting the differences and opposition between the political and economic systems of the United States and the West and China, and arbitrarily accusing China of "abusing the international system." At present, the Biden administration is evaluating the industrial chain and supply chain adjustment plan. The "China Working Group" of the Pentagon of the United States held its first meeting to re-evaluate and review the United States' China-related military and security strategy. It is quite possible that the Biden Administration's global security posture will further "focus on China" and continue to promote "de-Sinicisation" in the high-tech and trade sectors.
Wrong Response Will Only Accelerate Decline
At present, the hegemonic advantage of the United States is still obvious, but the power gap between China and the United States is also narrowing. In particular, the core elements of strategic competition among major powers are not only technology, industry, and market, but also the number of allies and the international strategic mobilization and action capabilities based on them. The historical process of “rising eastward and descending west” of international power balance is difficult to stop, but too sudden an emergence of the “post-American era” is in fact not in China’s interests. Whether the United States can get out of the shadow of today's infighting and rejuvenate, time alone can tell.
Today, in the 21st century, is the era of the community of human destiny, in which all countries share honor and disgrace, sorrow and joy. The historical process of China's rise is not determined simply by the interaction between China and the United States, or by the rise and fall of the other. To hope for a "post-American era" is not only simplistic but also blind. On the contrary, we need to soberly see the special nature of the discussion on the "post-American era" in which the U.S. policy toward China has become more serious and complex. This will be an enduring strategic contest that will need to focus on the U.S.-China relationship, but also go beyond it. Demonstrating to the world the goodwill and softness of a rising China, as well as the inseparability of interdependence and common development, is the key to breaking the U.S. desire to continue to shape the "China threat" and the Biden Administration's efforts to bring together European and Asia-Pacific allies to "encircle" China in terms of technology, trade and industry and “contain” China.
Washington needs to realize that if it is unrestrained in shaping "China as an enemy of China" based on domestic political interests, it will be self-defeating. The history of international relations is also not lacking in cases where the overreaction of defensive powers to rising powers has led to their downfall. As long as China takes its own path steadily and the United States blindly indulges in "extreme strategic competition" without facing up to and solving its internal problems, the "post-American era" can be expected to arrive ahead of schedule.
(The author is the Dean of the Institute of International Relations, Nanjing University)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
04/03/2021 |
14924: INDIA’S SOCIAL MEDIA SPICES UP WILD SENSATIONS, COOKING BORDER ROW MADNESS
Excerpts/Summary
Since May 2020, India had repeatedly provoked China in border areas, resulting in months of standoffs between the two countries. However, Indian media outlets have been distorting facts, thus misleading the Indian people. This has to a large extent stirred up waves of anti-China sentiments among Indian netizens who do not know the truth. China-India relations are deeply influenced by online public opinion, which also has an impact on India's policy options. These rhetoric has brought about extremely negative effects to the overall China-India relations. At present, Chinese and Indian troops have carried out disengagement at the northern and southern banks of the Pangong Tso lake. This has clearly eased tensions in the border areas. However, some Indian and Western media deliberately misinterpreted the move, hinting that it was an act to save their reputations and to gain political support at home. Some Indians even took the opportunity to characterize the Indian officers who unilaterally provoked the border skirmishes as heroes defending their country. They hyped their stories up on social media. This further incited hostility toward China among Indian people and undermined peace and stability on the China-India border. Since the latest round of border conflicts, India has implemented a series of discriminatory measures against China, including blocking a number of Chinese apps and restricting Chinese investment. Bilateral relations with China have fallen to rock bottom. Anti-China sentiments in India continue to rise. Indian media outlets have played a role in fanning these flames. As the world enters the era of social media, it is necessary for media outlets of any kind to report objectively, fairly and independently on the daily happenings around the world. However, Indian media outlets are mostly privately owned. In order to attract readers, they often violate professional ethics, ignore facts, and publish information that is beneficial only to themselves. In addition, some Indian politicians often use media to show their extreme reactions to China. This has resulted in a severe lack of strategic mutual trust between the two countries. Since taking office in 2014, Indian Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's administration proactively pumped Hindu nationalism into Indian people's daily lives. This, too, deeply influenced the mutual understanding between China and India. Some Indian people's unfavorable view toward China makes them less willing to communicate with or to rediscover China. Anti-China discourse has become a new political correctness in India. In the era of informationization and globalization, new media, newspapers and magazines have become the main channels for people to obtain information. Indian media's sensational propaganda of the so-called China threat has created a distorted image of China in the minds of the Indian people. The image of China in Indian media is neither objective nor real. Instead, it is a mirage for India to vent its sadness, resentment, desire and fear. In addition, the war between the two countries in 1962 had left a psychological shadow on the Indian people. Since then, the Indian public generally has had a low preference for China, and it continues to decline. Whenever disputes occur in the China-India border area, the Indian government, think tanks, and media outlets always collaborate: The media fabricates fake stories and news; certain politicians support the media reports; social media does not carefully verify the source of the information. This trend exacerbates the declining mutual trust between the two countries. Now, whenever the two countries encounter disputes, India's domestic public opinion tends to put pressure on the Indian government, leaving Indian leaders with no alternative but to take tough actions on issues with China. Therefore, China and India need to deal with their differences calmly and steadily. In particular, media outlets should play an active role in it. They should create larger public opinion basis for enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation. The author is a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
04/03/2021 |
14923: US INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND TRICKS FOR CASH, BUT CAN’T DETER CHINA’S RISE
Excerpts/Summary
The US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) delivered a report on Monday to Congress, calling for roughly $27 billion in additional spending between 2022 and 2017, with an eye to "boost deterrence against China," according to Defense News.
The INDOPACOM is now calling for "new missiles and air defenses, radar systems, staging areas, intelligence-sharing centers, supply depots and testing ranges throughout the region, as well as exercises with allies and partners."
INDOPACOM's request is for additional expenditures to back up new US military actions in the Indo-Pacific region. The US aims to create a large quasi-alliance system by integrating its allies and close partners. For instance, it hopes to bring together military forces of countries including Japan, Australia, even India, through joint military drills and trainings. It's assumed that the $27 billion deterrence fund will first be used for organizing multilateral exercises in the Indo-Pacific region. Besides, it will also be used for purchasing new weapons, facilitating new construction and closer military collaboration with US allies in the region.
This is not the first time that INDOPACOM has sought additional spending to boost deterrence against China. A $20 billion wish list, which was taken as, "the basis for a new Pacific-focused pot of money to deter Chinese military action in the region," was submitted to Congress last April, according to Defense News.
It's fair to say that INDOPACOM could not find any other pretense except China to strengthen its military capabilities. As China's military strength has grown stronger, the US military has put some dangerous labels on China. Labeling China as a "threat" and creating a sense of fear toward China among Americans could help the US military gain more budgets. This is an old trick played by the US military for a long time, and it will continue in the future.
China's increasing military strength, in fact, hasn't posed any threats to its surrounding countries, nor nations in the Indo-Pacific region. China has insisted on solving disputes through peaceful means and negotiations. China has never used military strength to coerce or directly attack others as the US often does. China is in a state of peaceful rise. But the US is turning a blind eye to this and insists on putting labels on us. It mainly wants to hype up the "China threat" theory and find excuses for itself to improve military offensive capabilities and consolidate US military hegemony.
INDOPACOM chief Adm. Philip Davidson, who drafted the report to call for the $27 billion deterrence fund, said his top priority is to establish an Aegis Ashore system on Guam by 2026, which would help protect US citizens and forces there. The US now attaches great importance to Guam. It believes that Guam is a major strategic springboard for military deterrence against China, because American strategic bombers can take off from the island to deter China in the air, especially strategic stealth bombers.
China's missile capabilities are now very strong too. Our ballistic missiles are able to reach Guam. But China is not targeting Guam at all. However, the US is afraid that once it provokes or intimidates China, Guam - one of the US' major base camps - will be a target of China's retaliation. Thus, Washington wants to build a complete anti-missile system so that it can provoke Beijing unscrupulously.
Militarily, the US regards China as its major strategic rival. This does not mean that it will launch a direct military offensive against China, but it reflects the fact that the US still has a Cold War mentality toward China.
The US does not wish to see China's maritime and air strength go far and it wants to stop China at its doorstep. But from the perspective of China's marine forces, China has two aircraft carriers and the Type 075 amphibious assault ship. The US cannot prevent China's marine forces from going out to distant seas. Similarly, China is expected to develop more advanced strategic bombers. China's rising national strength will help boost the development of its military capabilities.
The military maneuvers of US forces in the Pacific region come completely from a Cold War mentality. The US is unhappy about China's rise and its growing influence and military power. As China is not a US ally, it views China as its rival and works to contain us both militarily and strategically. Consequently, the US will invest in more forces.
China should develop according to its own strategic rhythms. It should continue to enhance its comprehensive national strength, including its military capabilities. Even if the US wants to make provocations, it should give a second thought. The purpose of China's military development is to protect its overseas interest, as well as counterbalance some hegemonic powers with ulterior motives.
China and the US will engage in competition at the strategic and military level. They will remain wrestling without their ties being broken. In other words, there is little likelihood of a war or a conflict will occur between the two. At the military level, China and the US have remained rational. The crisis management mechanisms between the two are mature, despite frictions from time to time.
The author is a Beijing-based military analyst.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
04/03/2021 |
14922: US VACCINE STRATEGY VIA THE QUAD REVEALS ITS STRATEGIC INTENTIONS
Excerpts/Summary
The US is working with other members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) - Japan, India and Australia - to develop a plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to Asian countries as part of a broader strategy to counter China's influence, the Financial Times (FT) reported.
FT said the White House has held discussions with other members of the group in recent weeks, and the plan to use vaccine distribution to counter Beijing's efforts is among a series of measures the countries hope to announce soon, according to people familiar with the situation.
This plan shows that in the Asia-Pacific region, the administration of US President Joe Biden lacks the leverage to bring its allies together. In this context, the US is trying to exploit the pandemic to revitalize its alliance system.
Novel coronavirus is an enemy of all mankind, which means every country needs to join together to fight against the disease. Even so, the Biden administration still seeks to use battling the disease as an excuse to cement its alliances, in a bid to counter certain countries including China. Such a mentality will bring more division and distrust to the world, further hindering global joint fight against the pandemic. This embodies the cold war mind-set of the Biden administration.
The US' plan to exploit the pandemic to counter China's influence is particularly ridiculous, given that China has supplied vaccines to a number of regional countries, including Nepal, the Philippines and Indonesia, to help them overcome the pandemic. The Quad is an informal security grouping comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia, with a focus on military security. The group is also described as a quasi-military alliance. In most cases, any military or quasi-military alliance can only be solidified when its members have or create a common foe. The initiation of the Quad was widely viewed as a response to so-called increased Chinese economic and military power. But the majority of China's neighboring countries do not regard China as their enemy, either in military or economic terms.
The attempts of the Biden administration to rope in other countries to counter China on this agenda at this crucial time will not only be a setback for the global fight against the pandemic, but also for the US itself. Without fresh ideas, the Biden administration is just following the US' old path of uniting allies to engage in confrontation.
The FT cited a person familiar with Biden's strategy to counter China, saying "The Biden administration is making the Quad the core dynamic of its Asia policy." Though Biden has only just taken office, he appears to have inherited a cold war mind-set in terms of his policy on China as well as the Asia-Pacific region.
If the Biden administration expands the Quad into an "Asian NATO," there is no doubt that division and confrontation will be seen in Asia. It will be bad news not only for Chinese people and other Asian countries because it will create more insecurity in the region - it will also be bad for Americans, as it will mean that the US will spend vast resources trying to maintain its global hegemony, rather than improve Americans' well-being. Instead of tackling the US' domestic problems, Biden's cold war mentality against China will create more problems for the world.
The author is a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
04/03/2021 |
14921: EDITORIAL: BUILDING CHINA FREE SUPPLY CHAINS IS WISHFUL
Excerpts/Summary
(The following is the version of the editorial carried in the English Global Times online, pending translation of the Chinese original.)
US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on February 24 to review the global supply chains of four key products including semiconductors, in a bid to shake off dependence on overseas suppliers, especially Chinese ones.
According to US media reports, Washington is consulting its allies to establish a supply chain that excludes China, and hopes that US allies could reduce cooperation with China. Washington is reportedly unlikely to name the countries that join this plan so as to ease their worries about retaliation from China.
We would say nothing negative if the plan is solely about securing the US supply chain. But the plan may have the evil purpose of destroying and cracking down on China's manufacturing supply chain. China should keep high vigilance on this plan and study how to take countermeasures.
It needs to be pointed out that this US plan goes against the market principle. US accusations that China imposes a coercive influence on the supply chain are groundless and inverting right and wrong. The US is at the upper stream of key technologies such as semiconductors. It has never been threatened by the so-called war on the supply chain, and it is the very brutal player that cuts China's throat in terms of supply chain.
Many high-tech Chinese companies, such as Huawei, have been added to the US Entity List. Their normal cooperation with US companies has been cut off or severely restricted. The US has also put pressure on its allies to expand the attacks on China's supply chain. China's actions in this regard have been warnings and countermeasures. China is not the attacker in the conflicts of the past few years, it is always on the
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
04/03/2021 |
14920: AGE DISCRIMINATION IN CHINESE SOCIETY SHOULD BE PHASED OUT
Excerpts/Summary
Age discrimination is a universal problem in our society. Some recruitment advertisements even publicly state that only those under the age of 35 are wanted for work. Elderly laid-off workers often find it very hard to get a new job. China's draft 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) includes a recommendation to raise the retirement age. It should also, at the same time, crack down on age discrimination. The employees in China's services industry, such as airlines, high-speed trains, museums and real estate agencies, are mostly young people. However, I have seen not only married air hostesses, but also granny stewardesses in aging societies around the world. In the future, the proportion of young people in China will decline, and some jobs must be reserved for the elderly. Only in this way can a society be healthy and function normally. Young people should not worry about seniors competing for jobs if their retirement age is postponed. Some jobs are in need of more experience. But in most sectors, young people are more competitive. Our society is aging. This is the big reality. We need to alter our actions according to the changes around us. We must adapt to changes, and find new harmony with these changes too. Our society is not a cold world that pursues social Darwinism. When the Chinese government formulates policies, it weighs different interests to benefit the most people. Everyone can express their opinions. But I oppose some people's tough attitude as if they are the most compassionate, as if they care about the world the most. Worse, they tend to believe the government is against the people. I do not know where their moral superiority comes from. Aging is a demographic trend that cannot be changed, it can only be adapted to. Every problem associated with aging is deeply embedded in our lives. We must optimistically face these adjustments. A family should not quarrel about the elderly. And our society should carry out the governance transition to the process of aging more peacefully than the West did. The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
03/03/2021 | 14919: THOUGHTS ON BUILDING A NEW SECURITY ORDER IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
03/03/2021 |
14918: EDITORIAL: POLICIES CONTAINING CHINA’S DEVELOPMENT MALICIOUS
Excerpts/Summary
(THIS EDITORIAL WAS CARRIED IN THE ENGLISH GLOBAL TIMES. THE ENGLISH VERSION IS REPRODUCED BELOW, PENDING TRANSLATION OFTHE CHINESE ORIGINAL.)
The office of the US trade representative on Monday released President Biden's 2021 trade agenda report, accusing China of undermining US national interests through coercive and unfair trade practices. It also said the Biden administration would use all available tools to pursue "strengthened enforcement" of China's existing trade obligations. There are other reports which say that the US is strengthening communication with its allies to ensure advanced technology in basic areas such as the semiconductor industry stays dominated by the West.
The Biden administration has repeatedly said it is reviewing the previous administration's China policy, but recent messages emanating from Washington suggest that the new administration is keeping the hard-line stance against China. The Trump administration's strategic goal of containing China will be inherited, and only the means of dealing with China may be adjusted.
Taking a look beyond China's stance, we can find the conventional geopolitical logic behind the US' hard-line policy toward China. The US is unaccustomed to China's rise. Its emotional reluctance to accept it, its strategic misgivings about a stronger China, and its desire to take precautions, including some extreme ones, can all be found in this conventional logic.
But we are in the 21st century now. It's not the 19th and early 20th centuries when barbaric geopolitical games prevailed. Today's world has been interconnected. Globalization has greatly boosted the well-being of all human beings. It needs more rationality and bottom line to carry out geopolitical games than in the past. Otherwise, playing geopolitical games will become an evil strategy that tramples on basic morality.
Be they Americans, Chinese, Latin Americans or Africans, all people have the right to pursue a better life. Regarding US' China policies that aim at promoting US development and increasing US strength, even if they have brought pressure to China, China hasn't said anything negative about them. However, it must be pointed out that policies targeted at preventing China's continuous development and even pushing China's economy backward are evil. They pose a direct harm to the interests of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, depriving the natural right of the Chinese people to seek a better life.
It is understandable that Washington hopes to maintain its leading position in semiconductors and artificial intelligence. It is also reasonable that they have taken measures to ensure that resources related to technological progress are concentrated in the hands of the US and the West. But if they exclude China from the list of normal exports of technological products with the goal to make China's relevant technology application lag behind Western countries and cripple China's overall capacity for scientific and technological progress, this is also evil.
Restricting China from the perspective of intellectual property rights protection is different from jeopardizing China's scientific and technological research and development capabilities. The former is part of the intellectual property rights protection regime, while the latter is an evil result of the geopolitical mentality.
China has 1.4 billion people, more than the West combined, and much more than the population of the major Western countries combined. China's development is the grandest project of the global human rights cause, and China's development needs a relatively friendly international environment, including fair conditions for trade and technology exchanges.
People in the US and some Western countries hope that they will always be at the center of global development, and China and other developing countries should work for their national interests, providing them with cheap goods, raw materials and markets, and solidifying this pattern of interests. It is fine to think about it this way. Protecting some of their own interests without causing conflicts can also be tolerated. But it is malicious to take tough measures to suppress the ability of developing countries, and to tell large countries like China that "you deserve to be poor."
This kind of malicious policy cannot be followed up in a broad and lasting way in the 21st century. We hope the US ruling team can see clearly the general trend, stop talking about human rights when it is trying to deprive the sacred rights of 1.4 billion Chinese people. Many Chinese people believe that the US wants to contain China's development. Isn't that Washington's biggest goal? At last, we have to say that such evil is doomed to failure in the 21st century.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
03/03/2021 |
14917: INDIAN GOVERNMENT UNDERTSANDS THAT IT CANNOT DO WITHOUT COOPERATING WITH CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
India's The Print article of March 2, with the original title: Modi Seizes the Opportunity to Resume Engagement with China and Pakistan Once Again
From reopening Chinese investment in India to resuming engagement with Pakistan to modifying its stance on climate change, India is slowly changing its foreign policy course in the hope of finding a more welcoming harbor in a post-epidemic world.
Several of these measures are being taken with an eye on Biden's new Administration in the White House, but many stem from necessity. India realizes that to get its economy back on track after the epidemic, it must open up. Currently, the United States is still struggling to contain the epidemic, and Europe remains stagnant. In this situation, New Delhi realizes that the only country in the world with ample surplus and room for manouvre is the one which it has been confronting in the icy heights of Ladakh for the past few months.
The Modi government is keenly aware that the Indian economy needs shoring up by foreign investment. Chief Economic Adviser, Sanjeev Sanyal, told reporters last week that if someone wants to build a button factory in India, it doesn't matter if that person is American, Indonesian or Chinese. He added: "We have expedited approvals for investments from China, except in strategically sensitive sectors".
One of those sensitive areas is India's 5G network, and the government won't be reinstating Chinese apps like TikTok, which was banned last year, anytime soon, said an (Indian) official who declined to be named. But India plans to soon approve 45 (inbound) investment proposals from Chinese auto companies, including Great Wall Motor and SAIC Motor.
India's announcement of reopening the door to Chinese investment comes after India and China began disengaging their forces in mid-February. This has led to speculation that the slow return to normalcy in (bilateral) trade and commerce is part of a gradual return to peace and tranquility in the border region.
As India and China withdraw their troops, New Delhi is encouraging China to undertake the next phase of withdrawal by partially opening up its economy. This also means that India has accepted the Chinese demand that the border issue be separated from other aspects of India-China relations.
There are two reasons for this shift in Indian strategy. First, China has recovered from the epidemic in a way that no other country has and is expected to surpass the United States as the world's largest economic power by 2028. Second, the Biden Administration is likely to reach agreements with the Chinese on a variety of issues, including climate change, trade, etc. In this case, India certainly does not want its most important foreign partner to change course and be caught off guard by its own inaction in the end.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
03/03/2021 |
14916: WHY ARE THE TWO 2021 SESSIONS OF CHINA ARE SO IMPORTANT
Excerpts/Summary
Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported on March 2 that more than 5,000 Chinese political elites will gather in Beijing in early March to participate in the most important event on the Chinese political calendar. The 2021 National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the National People’s Congress are particularly important, because this year is the beginning of the next five-year plan and coincides with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. Here are the points we need to know:
China will continue to adopt strict epidemic prevention and control measures, for example, most interviews will be conducted online.
One of the tasks of the National People's Congress this year is to review the final version of the 14th Five-Year Plan. It is worth noting that the new five-year plan will, for the first time, have a dedicated chapter on science and technology, emphasizing that technological independence is the main pillar of China's economic development. This marks a shift in focus to industry and national security, and a reduction in imports of technology products.
As the CCP prepares to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the party, the two sessions this year are particularly important. In addition to the 14th Five-Year Plan, the two sessions may also announce China's economic long-term goals.
During Trump's tenure, Sino-US relations have deteriorated rapidly, and now the two countries seek to restart their relations. China will be particularly cautious in disseminating political information, because any further international backlash may affect domestic economic planning.
(Author MellishaZhu)
Malaysian "Star" article on March 2, original title: China's two sessions, Beijing will show its economic confidence and demonstrate how it hopes to achieve the new goals
China was the only major economy that achieved positive growth last year, while the European and American economies were devastated by the epidemic. Some economists said that as the epidemic is brought under control and the new U.S. president takes office, Beijing hopes to increase market confidence in the future of China’s economy. The two meetings will highlight areas where China will present a positive image to the world, including industrial plans to reduce carbon emissions, finance and Economic opening, measures aimed at low-income groups, etc.
The rapid economic recovery has greatly increased the confidence of Chinese senior policymakers (and the public). Some analysts even believe that China will surpass the United States to become the world's largest economy in 2028 due to the very different recovery from the epidemic between China and the United States.
(Author CissyZhou)
"Japan Times" article on March 2, original title: China is carrying out a technological revolution and reducing its dependence on the West. In the eyes of American politicians, the potential of China to dominate sensitive and cutting-edge technologies is the biggest geopolitical threat in the future. Beijing is also worried that the United States will obstruct China's rise, and will announce plans to increase technological autonomy this week. The annual meeting of the Chinese legislature will review a new five-year blueprint to reduce the dependence of key components such as computer chips on the West, while vigorously developing emerging technologies from hydrogen vehicles to biotechnology.
Barry Norton, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, said: "The most important thing is that (China) is very ambitious—bigger than anything that Japan, South Korea, or the United States has done. It is the ambition to push the economy to a technological revolution.
The race for the most advanced technology has caused tensions between the United States and China. Both countries now aim to achieve autonomy in strategic areas. For Beijing leaders, this is not only about improving the lives of China’s 1.4 billion people, but also showing that the party can play a successful role in guiding the economy, especially after the Trump administration tried to suppress China’s leading technology companies.
With waning of the efficacy of the original economic model, China's attention to science and technology has become more urgent. It must use technology to improve production efficiency in order to achieve ambitious economic goals. Global investors are paying close attention to the two sessions of China.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
03/03/2021 | 14915: IF INDIA RELAXES RESTRICTIONS ON CHINESE INVESTMENT, WHICH INDUSTRIES WILL TAKE THE LEAD? | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
03/03/2021 | INDIA WARNS OVERSEAS COMPATRIOTS TO “STAY OUT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS” | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
03/03/2021 | INDIAN MEDIA: SRI LANKA WANTS TO STRIKE A “BALANCE” BETWEEN CHINA AND INDIA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
03/03/2021 |
14912: WILL SEQUEL TO CHINESE BLOCKBUSTER ‘SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD’ FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BOLLYWOOD’S ‘DRISHYAM 2’?
Excerpts/Summary
Chinese netizens have expressed confidence that the sequel to the blockbuster 2019 film Sheep Without a Shepherd will be completed on schedule as Drishyam 2, the sequel to the hit 2013 Indian Malayalam-language film Drishyam, was released in February.
Sheep Without a Shepherd is a remake of the 2013 film directed by Jeethu Joseph, which also spawned an Indian Hindi-language remake of the same name from Nishikant Kamat in 2015. All three films tell the story of a father who fights against police using the anti-reconnaissance techniques learned from watching movies in order to protect his daughter.
According to Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan, Sheep Without a Shepherd earned 1.33 billion yuan($206 million) in the Chinese mainland, making it the ninth highest-earning Chinese film in 2019.
"As a remake of Drishyam, the success of Sheep Without a Shepherd lies in its construction of a humanistic environment familiar to Chinese audiences and telling a story that could happen to them, which gave it emotional resonance. Meanwhile, it put aside the original film by adding more humanistic characteristics to make the story more reasonable," Shi Wenxue, a film critic and professor at the Beijing Film Academy, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Due to the high popularity of Sheep Without a Shepherd, both Indian films rose in popularity among Chinese moviegoers, who have given the films over 8/10 scores on Chinese review site Douban.
While the two Indian versions have scored high among Chinese audiences, Drishyam 2, which debuted online on February 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has not been able to compete as well as its predecessors, only earning a 7.3/10 score on Douban.
"The problem of Drishyam 2 is that the plot has twists, but compared with Drishyam, there are too many twists and so the theme gets lost and the pace of the film is slightly slowed down," according to a review from the popular WeChat film blog duliyudianying.
Some Chinese fans of the original film have recently started debating on social media whether Sheep Without a Shepherd 2 would follow in the steps of Drishyam 2.
"Just like the sequels to Finding Mr Right, The White Storm and Overheard, Sheep Without a Shepherd 2 is more likely to keep the same name but tell a totally new story. We have been constantly improving our original ability, no need to keep remaking," said Shi.
Xiao Fuqiu, a film critic based in Shanghai, told the Global Times that rather than try and remake Drishyam 2, it would be better to produce a new remake of some other Bollywood blockbusters like Andhadhun and Ittefaq.
According to Maoyan, Sheep Without a Shepherd 2 is scheduled to be filmed in October and November overseas and will be released during summer 2022. The cast will see the same actors of the first film return, but they will be playing different characters as the second film will not be a direct sequel to the original story.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
03/03/2021 |
14911: PAKISTAN AND CHINA: COMMEMORATE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Excerpts/Summary
Pakistan and China commemorated the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations by year-long festivities and special events to mark their historic friendship and partnership.
It is a time to recall with pride their collective achievements and chart new horizons for taking their truly unique friendship and partnership forward. The essence of this friendship is the mutual goodwill, complete trust and shared cultural ethos imbued with values of humility, modesty, sharing and caring.
In a world prone to arrogance of power and where might is right, these Eastern values as epitomized in Pakistan-China friendship and cooperation are a rarity and an example of model inter-state relations that are time tested and have weathered regional and global turbulence. The new era tensions and uncertainties can only be relieved by renewing our faith and confidence in universal ideals and values.
Pakistan and China are young states with deep civilizational roots and a history of mutually enriching interaction spanning several millenniums. Reviving the Silk Road has been a common dream of the two peoples with a view to resurrecting the golden age of multi-faceted mutually beneficial and harmonious cooperation for a glorious future.
The Pakistan-China "special" relations, based on abiding trust and mutual respect, have enabled the two countries to join hands to give shape to their dreams for spreading peace, progress and prosperity, in ever widening circles, for their peoples, the region and beyond.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are 21st century models of international cooperation, underpinned by ideals and principles and invested with political commitment and requisite resources, for positive transformation of the regional and global landscape.
China's meteoric rise and phenomenal economic growth, in a short time span, has no parallel in human history. The wisdom of the Chinese leadership and hard work of the Chinese people have contributed to the making of an Asian century. Pakistan is proud of the national accomplishments of the friendly Chinese nation. The rising tide lifts all boats. The neighbors of China must benefit first and so should the world.
The veritable renaissance of the Chinese civilization will have a beneficial impact on humanity. China together with Pakistan have endeavored to renew the faith of peoples around the world, especially in developing countries, in the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and its promise for a better future.
China as a responsible stakeholder in the international system has always upheld the imperatives of multilateral cooperation ensuing from interdependence and ensuring equitable and positive dividends from globalization.
China is the No.1 economy in terms of purchasing power parity. At home, it has succeeded in lifting over 800 million people out of poverty. It is now the driving engine for the global economy - a global manufacturing and services hub and will soon become a major financial pole. Its technological prowess continues to power exponential growth in advanced earth, marine and space sciences.
China's rich culture has added new colors to the beautiful mosaic of human accomplishments in multiple domains. China has brought uniquely refreshing perspectives in understanding and drawing lessons from the march of human history. It has demonstrated that if development becomes a "strategic priority," any nation can attain its dreams.
Rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been the dream of the Chinese people. Today, China has attained its goal of becoming a moderately developed country. By 2049, our Chinese friends will attain this goal comprehensively. The key lesson from China's experience is that by avoiding bitter contestations and geopolitical rivalries and opting for peaceful cooperation, based on voluntary, equal footed, mutually beneficial and inclusive partnerships, nations can achieve great progress and prosperity.
This is the foundational thesis of the BRI launched in 2013. It is a visionary initiative that holds the promise of bringing about a historic transformation in the global economic and political landscape. As a concept and in its working, this represents an original and most consequential contribution of China to the future of mankind.
The CPEC is a flagship project of the BRI, signed in 2013 and launched in 2015. Approximately $25 billion have already been injected in various projects. Another $40 billion is expected to be invested in the next phase. CPEC has come to epitomize the new priorities in Pakistan-China economic cooperation and encapsulates the essence of leadership level understandings and agreements over the past few decades.
Chinese concessional credits have made it possible for Pakistan to benefit from China's economic rise in a substantial manner. CPEC is bound to go transnational and span other adjoining regions thus enabling Pakistan to realize its geo-economic potential as a conduit for trade and commerce and a transportation hub.
Economic and trade cooperation has witnessed a quantum jump with the launching of CPEC, which centers on developing infrastructure, energy, agriculture and industrial development in Pakistan. The development of Gwadar deep sea port holds immense potential for serving as another gateway not only to Pakistan but all of the landlocked states of Central Asia and Afghanistan.
Energy cooperation has been extremely helpful in overcoming shortages. China has also been assisting Pakistan in developing clean coal energy and hydro-electric potential. Oil and gas exploration has also been an important aspect of cooperation. China is also assisting Pakistan to develop its railroad infrastructure.
The Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement has now entered the next phase, which gives all items of Pakistan export interest a zero-tariff access to the vast Chinese market. The Karakoram Highway has been widened and is being linked by high grade expressways to Pakistani ports.
Technological cooperation has been an extremely valuable aspect of China -Pakistan cooperation. There are framework agreements covering all aspects of technology including earth, marine and space sciences. Pakistan and China have developed a long-term plan for cooperation in space.
In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has stepped up cooperation with Pakistan in the field of health.
Bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and China has many dimensions. Defense cooperation is robust. Political consultations on regional and global issues are a regular feature. It reveals a remarkable identity of views between Pakistan and China. Pakistan has supported Chinese position on core issues of Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong. China has repeatedly expressed support for Pakistan's sovereignty and independence. Cooperation and coordination at the UN and international forums have been a hallmark of the strategic partnership.
The Pakistan-China friendship will grow from strength to strength and scale new heights. Its new dimensions will be revealed in the realm of thoughts and values, and the full spectrum merger and distilling of the virtues of two ancient civilizations for the benefit of mankind, as a whole.
The author served as Pakistan's Ambassador to China, India and Denmark and as Foreign Secretary of Pakistan.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14910: MENTAL HEALTH STATUS IN CHINA OF 2020
Excerpts/Summary
On March 1, the 2020 edition of the "Mental Health Blue Book" jointly organized by the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Social Science Press was launched in Beijing, officially releasing the "China National Mental Health Report (2019-2020)". (hereinafter referred to as the "Report").
What is the state of national mental health in 2020? The Report shows that, compared with the results of the first national mental health survey conducted by the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2008, the regional differences in China's national mental health in 2020 are still significant, with the eastern region significantly better than other regions, the urban population significantly better than the rural population, and the psychological problems of low-income, low-education, jobless and unemployed people more severe.
Chen Zhiyan, deputy editor-in-chief of the Blue Book and professor at the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, further explained that in terms of regional differences, the number of people at risk of depression in the eastern region was only 2.6% lower than that in the central and western regions in 2008, and the gap widens to 8% by 2020. However, in a cross-year comparison of mental health awareness, more people believe mental health work is important in 2020, a 6.1% increase from 12 years ago, and people's mental health awareness has increased.
The landmark mental health change occurred in the cross-year comparison of "life satisfaction characteristics. The comparison shows that in 2008, people's life satisfaction with family life and physical health was more and less satisfaction with material life, but in 2020, satisfaction with material life quality, represented by housing and cars, has increased significantly, while satisfaction with other aspects and overall satisfaction has decreased slightly. Chen Ziyan said, "This shows that the hidden demand for mental health services is growing".
Standing in a different time dimension, one finds that people feel very different about the state of mental health. The Report shows that compared to ten years ago, the satisfaction level of mental health felt by people has decreased significantly, while compared to one year ago, it has increased. Looking at mental health expectations for the next five years, the Report concludes that people have more positive expectations than negative ones.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14909: EDITORIAL: THE US HURTS WHOMEVER IT CLAIMS TO BE ON ITS SIDE
Excerpts/Summary
(The following is the version of this Editorial carried in the English Global Times, reproduced pending translation of the Chinese original.) A total of 47 people, including scholar Benny Tai Yiu-ting, who are charged with conspiring to subvert state power, were taken to a Hong Kong court on Monday. The case involves the largest number of suspects since the enactment of the national security law for Hong Kong, and has generated wide attention. The US, the UK and the EU have expressed their objections to the charge. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, "The US stands with the people of Hong Kong." US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan blatantly said, "We stand in solidarity with these brave activists." But an important lesson for the world over the years is that whenever the US proclaims to stand with whichever country, Washington is misleading and entrapping that country. Sullivan's statement is typical - he is wooing "brave activists" to stand with the US and serve as US tools to confront China. Before the US supports and praises those who impair Hong Kong's rule of law, it should first thank America's "brave activists" who stormed Capitol Hill in January. At least, these Americans were protecting their president and opposing "election fraud," while the Hong Kong suspects have made no constructive contribution to Hong Kong at all. Just with conventional wisdom, we know the 47 people may have already committed a crime. They conducted the so-called primary election in July 2020, but there is no such "primary election" in Hong Kong's local election laws. It is an illegal act. Some Western countries do have primary elections, but they are part of their electoral systems. Those lawbreakers in Hong Kong had organized activities to interfere in elections outside of the democratic system, and their purpose was to carry out political mobilization and to gather forces that could eventually subvert Hong Kong's constitutional system and paralyze the HKSAR government. They have violated the provisions of the national security law for Hong Kong. Whether they constitute a serious crime and whether they need to go to jail must be determined by Hong Kong's judicial authorities in accordance with the national security law for Hong Kong and other local laws. This is an inevitable act of a society under the rule of law. Western intervention at this juncture is a real destruction to Hong Kong's judicial system. Western countries want to turn Hong Kong into an ideological vassal that follows them. Hong Kong should have long realized the legislation of the Article 23 of the Basic Law on its own initiative and maintained basic political stability. But the extreme opposition in the city, with the support of Western forces, had destroyed the opportunity for Hong Kong and had messed up the city, forcing the Chinese central government to enact the national security law for Hong Kong. Hong Kong's opposition forces have no ability to fight the law, and the US's and UK's intervention mainly focuses on verbal accusations, and their ability to exert real pressure is very limited. The implementation of the national security law for and in Hong Kong is unwavering. More importantly, the central government has genuinely taken responsibility for the future of HKSAR, while the West either keeps finding fault with Hong Kong or harbors deep malice toward Hong Kong, trying to fool some radical activists in the city into acting as what they say. The Chinese people, including the people in Hong Kong, do not fear further challenges to the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong. The country has strategic control over the state of affairs in Hong Kong. The situation in Hong Kong will eventually change to a better direction, not at the will of some external forces. The central government has no intention of destroying Hong Kong's democracy. Adhering to "one country, two systems" principle is the true will of the Chinese society. It is both natural and justified for Hong Kong patriots governing Hong Kong. Is it possible for people in the US and the UK to be ruled by people who do not love their own country? China does not recognize the bizarre logic imposed by the US, the UK and other Western powers on Hong Kong affairs. We have known well that all they want is to bring chaos to Hong Kong. We have already lost the patience to argue with them, and will give a snort of contempt to whatever they clamor. The national security law for Hong Kong is not a toothless tiger. Those who take radical actions in Hong Kong against the law will be sanctioned. Let the West give them cheap praise of short endurance. The long history of the Chinese nation will nail them to the column of humiliation as traitors.Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
02/03/2021 |
14908: DONT GIVE UP ON MEDIA TECHNOLOGY
Excerpts/Summary
About the I-net penetration and usage scenario in China. FULL TRANSLATION UNDERWAY
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14907: AI CAN CREATE ART WORKS INDISTINGUISGABLE FROM HUMAN CREATIONS
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14906: IN A FIRST, COUNTRY SET TO LAUNCH 40 SATELLITES THIS YEAR
Excerpts/Summary
S&T Daily reporter learnt from the press conference of the "Blue Book of China Aerospace Science and Technology Activities (2020)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Blue Book") held by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation on February 24 that in 2021 China's annual launches of satellites are expected to exceed 40 for the first time. Notable amongst them are the manned space station project, and the multiple civil space infrastructure operational satellites.
Forthcoming events reported are China's manned space station project entered the key technology verification and construction phase; Tianwen-1 reaches Mars and carries out China's first "orbit, patrol, and reconnaisance" exploration of Mars; a number of civil space infrastructure business satellite launches to meet the national economic construction and scientific and technological development needs. These major events will write a new chapter in China's aerospace industry in 2021.
Lin Yiming, Director of the Aerospace Department of the Aerospace Science and Technology Group, introduced that China's manned space station project is the top priority of the annual space mission. Among them, the mission of the core module of the Long March 5B Yao-2 rocket launching space station is planned to be carried out at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China this spring. According to the mission plan, 11 missions will be implemented successively this year and next two years, including three space station module launches, four cargo spacecraft and four manned spacecraft launches, to complete the construction of the space station in orbit in 2022 and achieve the mission goal of the third step of China's three-step development strategy for manned space engineering.
China's first Mars exploration mission Tianqian --1 successfully circumnavigated Mars and became the country’s first man-made Mars satellite. It successfully implemented the third near-fire braking on February 24, reaching a near-fire point of 280 kilometers away, far-fire point 59,000 km and Mars parking orbit of a period of 2 Mars days. The probe will operate in the parking orbit for about 3 months to conduct scientific exploration, while preparing for a Mars landing in May to June.
In 2021, China will also launch the Gaofen 5 02, Ocean II D, Zhongxing 9B, Fengyun 3 05 and civil space infrastructure operational satellites to meet the application needs of users in many other nations in various fields such as ecology and environment, natural resources, radio and television, and meteorology. Meanwhile, Aerospace Science and Technology Group plans to carry out about 7 commercial launch missions.
In addition, Lin Yiming introduced that in 2021, the Space Science and Technology Group will focus on the development of a number of models represented by the space station experiment module and the fourth phase of the lunar exploration project, and focus on accelerating the application of major national scientific and technological projects in civil aviation and other fields such as Beidou navigation.
According to the "Blue Book" statistics, a total of 114 launches were made worldwide in 2020, launching a record high of 1,277 satellites. Of them, 39 space launches, with 89 satellites, were Chinese. They set a new record of the total weight of satellites reaching 103.06 tons, an increase of 29.3% over the previous year, ranking second in the world in terms of the number of launches and the quality of launch loads.
This year, our country's space launches are expected to exceed 40 for the first time
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 | 14905: MOVING INFRA-STRUCTURE UP INTO SPACE, OVERALL LAYOUT OF CONSTELLATION OF SATELLITES CRUCIAL | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14904: UPTO ITS PETTY TRICKS AGAIN! INDIAN MEDIA: INDIAN ARMY TO SEND EXPEDITIONS TO THE KARAKORAM PASS IN A BID TO USE OFF-BOARD TRICKS AGAINST CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
"In order to fight against China, the Army will send mountaineering expeditions and research teams to mark 'uncontrolled areas," the headline of the Times of India said on On March 1. and the outside world knew what the army was in. Indian Army. This report stated that the Indian Army is firmly promoting the use of mountaineering expeditions and research to promote and consolidate India's so-called "legal territorial claims" in the northern border area, portraying China as a good exponent of the "salami slicing" strategy.
"Times of India": In order to fight against China, the Army uses expedition and research methods to mark "uncontrolled areas"
The report quoted a senior Indian official as saying that China’s blatant policy of openly expanding its territory needs to be effectively countered. “While the Army is balancing this with additional troops and firepower on the northern border, it is also crucial to send mountaineering and other expeditions to show and mark our presence."
At the same time, India's territorial claims on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the International Border (IB) need to be publicized through efforts to promote scholarly research and publications in national and international journals, the report claims. "This will also involve the creation of documents, geotagging of locations and evidence", the official said.
The report revealed that a ski expedition named "ARMEX-21" will cross the Karakoram Pass to the Lipulekh Pass in about 80-90 days, covering a distance of about 1,500 kilometers. The Indian Army also plans to carry out more such activities, visit the peaks along the LAC and IB, and cooperate with the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and other mountaineering organizations. In addition, the military, civilians and foreigners will also be involved.
In response to the above-mentioned actions of the Indian army, Qian Feng, Director of the Research Department of the National Institute of Strategic Studies of Tsinghua University, told the Global Network reporter that similar actions have been taken by the Indian army historically. The current military confrontation between China and India has come to an end for the time being. Utilising the banner of mountaineering teams, the Indian army wants to not being seen to be violating the troop withdrawal agreement reached so far, and at the same time to continue to show its presence by way of disguised patrolling. Qian Feng believes that the Indian military also does not rule out the intention of using public opinion reports to boost morale and present a positive image to the country.
On February 20th, the Chinese and Indian armed forces held the tenth round of military commander-level talks on the Chinese side of the Moldo/Chushul meeting point. Both sides gave a positive evaluation of the disengagement of front-line forces in the Pangong Lake area in the early stage, and believed that this was an important development that provided a basis for resolving other issues in the Line of Actual Control (LAC) area in the western section of the China-India border. The two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on other issues in the western section of the of the Line of Actual Control. The two sides agreed to follow the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, continue to maintain communication and dialogue, stabilize the situation on the ground, reach a mutually acceptable solution in a steady and orderly manner, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border area.
Journal: HUANQIU.COM |
HUANQIU.COM | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14903: US MEDIA PROVOCATION: CHINA BEHIND MUMBAI OCTOBER POWER OUTAGE
Excerpts/Summary
Just as Sino-Indian relations were showing signs of easing, the New York Times published a report on March 1 that the October 2020 blackout in Mumbai was "linked" to China, it being a "warning from Beijing" in the context of the Sino-Indian border conflict. The report was reprinted in several Indian media the same day, on March 1st. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, responded the same day, saying that China is a firm defender of cyber security and firmly opposes and cracks down on any form of cyber attacks. "It is difficult to trace the source of cyber attacks, and one cannot create something out of nothing or speculate at will, let alone throw dirty water on a specific party without evidence. That is not only irresponsible but also with ulterior motives. China is firmly opposed to this".
The New York Times report, citing a report issued by the Somerville, Massachusetts based cybersecurity firm RecordedFuture, said that when the conflict between India and China erupted in the Galwan Valley last June, "malware was planted in more than a dozen key links in India's power generation and supply infrastructure systematically by organizations funded by the Chinese government using advanced cyber intrusion techniques. Most of the malware was never activated, the report said, and the company was unable to examine details of the code disseminated throughout India's power distribution system (by the malware) because it did not have access to India's power system. The company had informed the Indian government's Cyber Emergency Response Team of the vulnerabilities, but so far, the latter has not responded publicly. The report's authors admitted that "a connection between the Mumbai blackout and the discovery of unidentified malware (in the power supply system) had not been confirmed," but still went on to link the two together.
The “India Today” reported on March 1st that on Oct. 12 last year, Mumbai, known as India's financial hub, suffered an unprecedented widespread power outage that directly paralyzed rail operations, shut down the Bombay Stock Exchange and forced hospitals to switch to emergency generators to keep ventilators running. The power outage began at 10 a.m. and lasted for several hours. The Maharashtra state investigation report on the incident is scheduled to be released in early March this year. According to the New York Times, the discovery of the “Record the Future” company provides a basis for the notion that: “The blackout is part of China’s extensive cyber operations against the Indian power grid. The timing was chosen to convey the message: if India tried to assert its territorial claims too hard, it could lead to (its being subjected to) power outages throughout the country".
The New York Times used the incident as an opportunity to stir up Sino-Indian relations. According to the report, retired Indian Lieutenant General D.S. Hooda said he believed the signal (from China) was that "in times of crisis, we are capable of doing this to you". The New York Times said Indian officials were silent on "the Chinese code and whether it triggered the Mumbai blackout" and would not talk about evidence provided by U.S. companies. The report also cited an unnamed Indian diplomat as saying that acknowledging Chinese involvement (in the hacking of India's power system) could complicate recent efforts by the Indian and Chinese Foreign Ministers to ease border tensions. The report concludes by adding that Indian military experts have renewed their call to the Modi government to replace Chinese-made equipment in India's power sector and key railroad systems.
As events such as Prismgate that have come to light in recent years have shown, planting malware to attack an opponent's infrastructure is a trick the U.S. is adept at playing. According to the New York Times, placing malware in an adversary's power grid or other critical infrastructure has become the latest form of aggression and deterrence. Cyber attacks are less destructive than nuclear attacks, but can give a country strategic and psychological advantage. "Russia is a pioneer in the use of such technology," and "the United States has sent similar signals", according to the article, which (acknowledged that) the U.S. also planted malicious code into the Russian power grid after it publicly announced that the U.S. power grid was filled with code inserted by Russian hackers.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 | 14902: COW, THE FUSE THAT LIT THE INDIAN NATIONAL WAR OF INDEPENDENCE | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 | 14901: INDIA BEGINS SECOND ROUND OF VACCINATIONS, MODI IN THE FOREFRONT | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14900: SPECIAL FEATURE: CELEBRATING 7O YEARS OF PAKISTAN-CHINA FRIENDSHIP
Excerpts/Summary
May 21, 1951, was a defining moment in the history of Pakistany. On this day, Pakistan formally established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. With continuous growth and development over the past seven decades, Pakistan-China relations have reached a height rarely seen in the contemporary history of relations between states. As iron-cast brothers, the two countries have always stood together in difficult times and have established an "all-weather cooperative strategic partnership".
The two countries are linked by geography and history, and belong to the same Asian family. In ancient times, many Chinese monks and ascetics such as Fa Xian and Xuan Zang crossed the Himalayas and came to famous Buddhist seminaries in Pakistan to learn Buddhist traditions and teachings.
The meeting between Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Bogra and Premier Zhou Enlai during the Bandung Conference in 1955 was the first contact between the two leaders at the highest level, which deepened the ties between the two countries and paved the way for the successful exchange of visits between Prime Minister Hussein Shahid Suhrawardy and Premier Zhou Enlai. The signing of the border agreement in 1963 was an important milestone in bilateral relations, which greatly enhanced mutual trust between the two countries and laid a solid foundation for forging of a closer partnership. Shortly thereafter, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), a state-owned airline, launched its China service, becoming the first airline of a non-communist country to operate a service in China.
Great leaders of China such as Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai have played a key role in strengthening ties between the two countries. Successive leaders and people of the two countries have continued to make invaluable contributions to to strengthening of the ironclad relations. Over the past 70 years, we have established unshakable friendly relations around the principles of mutual trust, mutual support, and mutual understanding.
In 1971, Pakistan facilitated a secret visit to Beijing by Henry Kissinger, then Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security Affairs, which initiated the normalization of U.S.-China relations and changed the course of history.
The two countries overcame the challenges of the Cold War and a complex geopolitical environment to expand cooperation in multilateral institutions. Pakistan became a strong supporter of the restoration of the People's Republic of China's legal seat in the United Nations in 1971.
The two countries support each other on issues of core interest to each other. Pakistan adheres to the "One China" policy and supports China on issues related to the border, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, Taiwan and Tibet. China has always stood by Pakistan in supporting our key strategic, economic and developmental priorities.
China has played an important role in the Jammu and Kashmir issue and has consistently supported Pakistan's just and principled position. China stressed that the dispute is "an objective fact established by the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements between Pakistan and India". And that "any unilateral change in the status quo in Kashmir is illegal and invalid". Pakistan has likewise firmly supported China's position on the China-India Boundary Question, thereby becoming a supporter for legitimate causes fostering regional peace and stability.
High-level engagement is an important feature of the relationship between the two countries, through which both sides take each other into confidence on issues of common concern. Prime Minister Imran Khan visited China in 2018 and 2019 to further consolidate and deepen bilateral ties. I have also visited China several times. We look forward to hosting President Xi Jinping in Pakistan this year, and hope that this visit will make a seminal contribution to further reinforcing the time tested partnership between Pakistan and China.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has praised China's tremendous achievements highly and wants to learn from China's model of poverty reduction and development, and his own reform agenda resonates with President Xi Jinping's thinking on governance.
Pakistan supports President Xi Jinping's great "One Belt, One Road" initiative, which has become a pivot for connectivity and global growth. As a flagship project of the Belt and Road, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will become a model for quality development of the Belt and Road, and accelerate economic integration and regional connectivity. All political parties in Pakistan recognize the indispensable and important role of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor for Pakistan's national development and have reached a full consensus on supporting the construction of the Corridor.
At present, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has successfully completed the first phase of construction and is entering the second phase of high-quality development, which will focus on industrial, agricultural and socio-economic development. We hope that the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under the Corridor will add dynamism to Pakistan's industrialization process and in turn stimulate greater development of the Pakistani economy. We encourage Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in these SEZs.
Immediately after the outbreak of the novel corona virus pneumonia in China, Pakistan dispatched necessary medical supplies to China to support its fight against the epidemic. Pakistan's President Dr. Arif Alvi visited Beijing in March 2020 to express solidarity with the Chinese government and people.
When the epidemic spread in Pakistan, China provided us with assistance generously. President Xi Jinping gave special instructions to send a team of anti-epidemic medical experts to Pakistan and to deliver more than 60 sorties of relief supplies to the Pakistani side. The Chinese People's Liberation Army also sent a team of medical experts to help us contain the epidemic.
Pakistan supports President Xi Jinping's declaration that "China's vaccine will be a global public good when its development is completed". The Pakistan-China vaccine cooperation is progressing very well, and the Phase III clinical trial of the Convivox vaccine in Pakistan has just been completed. The Chinese government has provided 500,000 doses of the national vaccine to Pakistan to protect the lives of its frontline medical workers, for which we are deeply grateful. The Pakistani people will always remember this fraternal gesture.
China is Pakistan's largest trade and investment partner. Over the years, bilateral trade between Pakistan and China has grown considerably, but both sides still need to work to bring out the full potential of trade. China has a huge market demand for agricultural products, dairy products, poultry, aquatic products and meat products. Pakistan and China are working on a comprehensive Action Plan for Agricultural Cooperation.
China is one of the world leaders in the field of science and technology. We hope to deepen our cooperation in cutting-edge areas such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
We have developed strong defense cooperation, including high-level military exchanges, institutionalized defense and security dialogues, joint exercises, personnel training, and cooperation in military industry and trade.
People-to-people exchanges between the two countries have made positive progress and are a promising aspect of our relationship. Currently, more than 28,000 Pakistani students are studying in China and will benefit greatly from the country's advanced education system. Seven pairs of friendship provinces and 13 pairs of friendship cities have been established between the two countries. The establishment of 7 Pakistani study centers and 11 Urdu specialization departments in different universities in China and 4 Confucius Institutes in Pakistan are playing an active role in promoting cultural understanding between the two countries.
On this special occasion of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, we celebrate the historical ties between our two countries, pay tribute to the veteran leaders for their contribution to establishment of a special friendship and solemnly pledge our resolve to build on the achievements of 70 years. Pakistan is planning a series of events spread over the year to commemorate this historic year in a befitting manner and to inspire the younger generation to better understand the vitality, depth and historical importance of Pakistan-China relations.
The 21st century calls for a new paradigm to meet new challenges and opportunities. Pakistan and China share a common vision and are committed to changing the destiny of the region we live in, moving beyond conflict and ideological dogmatism to work together for peace, development and prosperity.
As President Xi Jinping said in his speech to the Pakistani Parliament during his visit to Pakistan in April 2015, Pakistan-China relations are "higher than mountains, deeper than the oceans and sweeter than honey".
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that Pakistan remains firmly committed to building a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future aimed at further reinforcing our dep-rooted ties.
(The author is the Foreign Minister of Pakistan)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
02/03/2021 | 14899: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS MUST BEAR THE GREATER NATIONAL GOOD IN MIND | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14898: FACTORY OF THE FUTURE: WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?
Excerpts/Summary
A long article on emerging technological trends. Full translation underway.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14897: FIRST LARGE PASSENGER PLANE TO BE DELIVERED TO CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES WITHIN A YEAR
Excerpts/Summary
China Eastern Airlines and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China formally signed the C919 large passenger aircraft purchase contract in Shanghai on March 1, 2021,. This is the world’s first official purchase contract for the domestically produced large aircraft C919 (pictured on the right). China Eastern Airlines will be the world's first airline to operate the C919 large passenger plane. According to the C919 large passenger aircraft purchase contract signed by the two parties, China Eastern Airlines will introduce 5 C919 large passenger aircraft in the first batch, and strive to deliver the first one within this year. It will use Shanghai as its main base and will be deployed on the Shanghai to Beijing Daxing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xiamen, Wuhan, air routes. Qingdao will bring the "new experience" of domestically-made large aircraft, and passengers will experience the safe operation quality and advanced design of domestically-made civil aircraft.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14896: FOREIGN MEDIA TIMID TO BREAK WESTERN STEREOTYPE, EXPLAIN COMPLEXITY OF CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
Caroline Wilson, UK ambassador to China, on Tuesday post an article in Putonghua (Chinese) on why international media criticism on Chinese authorities is not China hating. The article quoted my narratives on advocating China of accepting more diverse views. Yes, that's exactly what I said. Working for a media outlet, I can understand foreign correspondents' desire to have as much space as possible to engage in their coverage in China. But Wilson's rhetoric on freedom of the press is too simple, which conceals or even distorts the real relationship between media and reality. In the article, Wilson spoke highly of the role that UK media outlets play in supervising public opinion, in a bid to compare the limited role that Chinese media outlets play. China has implemented a different political system in comparison to those in the UK and the US. The role of media is a compatible part of their systems. Media of China and the West should not be simply compared in terms of technology, but on whether their media are conductive to the advancement of their societies. China has rapidly developed over the past decades. Chinese public opinion has made its contribution to the achievement. During the same period, the development of the UK and US has exposed their problems. Their media should shoulder their related responsibility to the results. It is a very complicated problem whether Chinese or the Western media serves better. Wilson admitted that Chinese media played a big role in the initial stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, but she believed such a role is limited. My opinion differs from hers. The coverage from Chinese media on the epidemic was not as extensive as their counterparts in the UK and the US, but Chinese media's reporting have had vital effects. Chinese media's reporting, involving the internet, made the country adjust promptly and contributed to drawing up a determined road map to fight COVID-19. By contrast, there have been many reports in the UK and the US, and some words they used are also quite harsh, but have they actually worked in practice? Trump has been giving contempt to criticism from media outlets. Where is the practical and effective supervision of public opinion? The result is that the US and the UK were bad at fighting the epidemic, and China quickly made decisive achievements in this fight. Which side - China or the West - values and respects the voice of public opinion more? Which side's practical policy is more in line with public opinion? Personally speaking, I don't think all Western correspondents in China are "extremely anti-China." I understand that it is not easy for them to be caught between what they see in reality and the overall attitude of the West toward China. However, I would like to point out the fact that they have not played an active role in the communication between China and the West as a whole. Subjectively or objectively, they have only added fuel to the deepening of the cognitive gap between China and the West. These foreign correspondents are in China, where many things are different from their values. However, they can and should feel the complexity of China's reality and understand that China and the Communist Party of China are not as simple as the West has labeled. China has its own internal logic, and whether the West likes it or not, this logic has supported China's development and progress. Thus, a crude and fundamental smear against it would be unfair, even absurd, in any case. China has been pinned increasingly more labels by Western world, which shaped the West's perception of China. Intentionally or unintentionally, some Western journalists in China have been supporting such trend. I think they have at least shown collective cowardice, being afraid to explain to the West the complicated truth about the country. Some of them are indeed hostile toward China, and are standing at the forefront of the West's envious, jealous and hateful mentality toward China's development over the years. The overall coverage of China in the Western media reports is biased and even false. Such reports shaped the huge lie that China is the "second Soviet Union" that the West has to confront. Of course, this is not entirely those journalists' fault. They are the only ones who stand at the frontline of Western public opinion on China. They are supposed to break the relevant stereotypes, but they didn't. Apart from their personal reasons, it mirrors the so-called freedom of the press in the West with political limitations which Western journalists in China cannot escape. The system of Western public opinion is formed in the process of the evolution of Western politics. All modern media tools are invented by the West. China adopted them and has been adjusting their functions. But the adjustment is undergoing all kinds of accusations from the West. This is a difficult process, which reflects how hard it is for China to explore its own development path. China has its own pride. We have created the miracle of rapid development, which started from falling far behind other countries. We have been observing the outside world with humility, and we will do the same in the future. The West, on the other hand, should stop taking itself as an example which China should follow. This is the basic self-respect they have to own.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
02/03/2021 |
14895: IS INDIA CALIBRATING TO REVERSE OR SHIFT POLICIES IN THE POST-TRUMP ERA?
Excerpts/Summary
After months of border standoff from May 2020, Indian and Chinese troops had successfully carried out disengagement at the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso lake, a move that aims to ease tensions along the border. And in another attempt to bring peace and stability along the Line of Actual Control, India and Pakistan implemented a cease-fire agreement from midnight February 24/25. New Delhi made these moves after careful calculations of its interests. It knows well that long-term confrontation with China consumes its resources, and there is no way that it could force Beijing to step back or compromise. Against the backdrop of lagging logistics and weapons procurement and the pandemic-stricken economy, India has no chance of winning a large-scale conflict or war. Similarly, India did not gain anything from its skirmishes with Pakistan. The fact that India's national strength exceeds that of Pakistan does not necessarily mean India has absolute advantages in particular regions. This is especially the case since Pakistan has nuclear weapons. India dare not wage a war against such a well-armed country. Some analysts believe these developments at the borders with China and Pakistan show that India's regional strategy is rapidly adapting to the reality of the post-Trump era. It could be argued that India's cease-fire with Pakistan is influenced by US factors. The administration of US President Joe Biden is likely to extend the May 1 deadline set by the Donald Trump administration for withdrawal of US troops in Afghanistan. As the Afghan issue remains unsettled, the US has to maintain its presence on Afghanistan, so it needs cooperation with Pakistan. After Biden took power, the US may treat India and Pakistan equally. India is also weighing the China policy the Biden administration would adopt. It is anticipated that the Biden administration's foreign policy will stress multilateralism and international cooperation, and will be different from the confrontational approach of the Trump administration. Biden's team has signaled its readiness to explore areas of cooperation such as climate change with China, and it describes China as "the most serious competitor" to the US rather than labeling it as a "security threat." Therefore, the role that India can play in the US strategy to contain China will be reduced. And India's policy of regional aggression by taking advantage of the US will also meet some setbacks. Washington will attach more importance to its relationship with New Delhi under the framework of the great power competition, as it always does. But the realpolitik-centric US will attach importance to India only for US' own agenda. For instance, American support for India to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council has proven to be nothing but lip service for more than a decade. What may be a relief for India is the fact that it still has a place in the US Indo-Pacific Strategy, which the Biden administration will likely continue though it was introduced by the Trump administration. There has also been discussions about whether the US and India will form a real military alliance. But this actually puts New Delhi into dilemma. It not only matters to other Asian countries, but also signals the formation of the Cold War-like military camps in Asia. India cannot bear the responsibility of destroying regional stability. During the Trump era, India made the strategic mistake of rash advances by having border conflicts with China, Pakistan and Nepal. Although military cooperation between New Delhi and Washington was boosted with US arms sales to India and some defense agreements signed, such cooperation did not effectively enhance India's own strength. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" ambition is in structural conflicts with Trump's policies to bring manufacturing back to the US. If we predict the India-US relations in the Biden era, we can refer to the Barack Obama administration. As the international landscape has not changed that much, the impact of leadership changes on bilateral ties will only be partial. If India truly wants to lift its international status, it must enhance its own strength. India has been relying on the US or Quad, an informal security grouping of the US, Japan, Australia and India, to counterbalance China. This shows it understands its lack of strength. Major powers are master practitioners of realpolitik. India will only end up being a US pawn, rather than the grandiose power it desires to be. The author is a senior research fellow with the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at the Beijing Foreign Studies University and president of the Chengdu Institute of World Affairs.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
01/03/2021 |
WEST’S CRITICISM OF CHINA’S POVERTY ALLEVIATION SUCCESS FAR-FETCHED
Excerpts/Summary
The West's rhetoric about China has entered a paranoid dead end. Whatever China does or says, the first thing the West will do is to question it.
China's poverty alleviation efforts have lifted about 100 million Chinese people out of extreme poverty. This is strong evidence that by focusing on people-centered human rights principles, China has successfully established its own human rights development path that is in line with China's own national conditions.
But with a sour grape mentality, the West refused to positively evaluate China's achievements in poverty alleviation. Instead, it has been discrediting this historical achievement of human rights development China has made.
The BBC published on Sunday an article entitled "Has China lifted 100 million people out of poverty?" in the name of "Reality Check." Although the article wrote at the end that "by any measure China has made huge strides to lift millions out of the toughest standards of living over the last few decades," it meant nothing complimentary but raised doubts. In a similar tone, the New York Times published an article on December 31, 2020 to question the sustainability of China's poverty alleviation efforts.
As we know, when China says it is a developing country, the West rebukes that China is a developed one. And after China announced its victory over extreme poverty reduction, the West narrow-mindedly described it as insubstantial propaganda. So unsurprisingly, the West's distorted perception of China has been vividly reflected in the West's biased rhetoric of China's victory in poverty alleviation.
The BBC attributed the success in bringing a large number of people out of poverty to Chinese people's hard work due to China's economic reform "in favor of versions of capitalism." This is completely a slander on the Communist Party of China, and a great insult to the diligent Chinese nation.
China's victory in poverty alleviation is a miracle not only because of the huge number of people it has helped but also due to the difficulties encountered and huge sacrifices made in the process. In eight years, over 3 million civil servants have been deployed to remote places to fight poverty and at least 1,800 of them have sacrificed their lives by the end of 2020. This is unthinkable in the West. But the Western media has declined to speak anything of such humanitarianism but focused on groundlessly accusing China. John Copper, the Stanley J. Buckman Professor (emeritus) of International Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, wrote in April 2019 that "China is best placed to tackle rural poverty globally, and the West isn't happy about it." Two years have passed, the West has become even unhappier. Their ineptitude in the COVID-19 fight has consumed their moral high ground of human rights to effectively stigmatize China. Unable to find any reliable excuses to distort the reality of China's victory in poverty alleviation, the malicious BBC cited the World Bank's criterion in a bid to prove that China can achieve the victory because its definition of poverty is much lower than that of the World Bank. It even questioned, "While China has made substantial work of tackling the deepest poverty first, should it be holding itself to a higher standard?" Such sophistry is absurd. It is just taking advantage of the World Bank's authenticity to help the West smear China. But according to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, if purchasing power parity and price difference between rural and urban areas in China are considered, the standard we use is much higher than that of the World Bank. Problems involving people's livelihood have become severer in the West, and the ravaging pandemic has made the so-called human rights myths in the West to be punctured one by one like bubbles. However, constantly distorting Western people's perception of China cannot heal the West's own diseases. Those with malicious intent have even been unable to find a decent excuse to discredit China. To stigmatize China for the sake of slander, the result will be that indisputable facts are increasingly acknowledged to the world.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
01/03/2021 |
14893: FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON ON CYBER ATTACK AGAINST INDIA
Excerpts/Summary
Extracts from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Regular Press ConferenceReuters: According to the New York Times, studies show that Chinese hackers may have launched cyber attacks against India's power grid, as a way to "warn" India to stop acting aggressively on the border issue. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: As a staunch defender of cyber security, China firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyber attacks. Speculation and fabrication have no role to play on the issue of cyber attacks, as it is very difficult to trace the origin of a cyber attack. It is highly irresponsible to accuse a particular party when there is no sufficient evidence around,. China is firmly opposed to such irresponsible and ill-intentioned practice.Journal: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing | ★★ |
01/03/2021 |
U.S. MEDIA HYPE “CHINA-INDIA DEMILITARIZED ZONE IS BENEFICIAL TO CHINA”
Excerpts/Summary
(N.B. This item was carried on the Huanqiu group's website huanqiu.com obn Feb. 28th in a slightly more elaborate report, as below, with the parts on the website report not carried in the Huan Qiu Shi Bao newspaper today shown with strike-throughs and the parts in the news paper additionally (i.e. not included in the website item) shown in italics.)
![]() Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/03/2021 |
14891: ENSURING FOOD SECURITY, WHAT ASIAN POWERS ARE DOING
Excerpts/Summary
"China rings alarm bells again on food security guarantee" "Chinese officials say 'consolidating and expanding the results of poverty eradication must not go wrong, food security must not go wrong'. Following the recent release of "Opinions of the State Council of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Comprehensively Promoting Rural Revitalization and Accelerating Agricultural and Rural Modernization," in the Central Government's No. 1 document in 2021, international public opinion has focused on food security in addition to China's insistence on achieving rural revitalization and common prosperity. China is the world's largest food importer, and its food situation is seen as a "stabilizer" and "ballast" for global food security. Therefore, the "red line" of China's "arable land" is the most important issue. China's food production, import volume, "agricultural seeds" safety and even how China eliminates food waste, have become hot topics in international platforms. By comparison, we can find that Japan and South Korea, which belong to the same type of land and population as China, are at the top of the "Global Food Security Index", and even countries with large populations like India, which are actually better endowed with resources for agricultural development than China, are facing new challenges in terms of food security. This is all the more reason why China's emphasis on and ensuring food security is of special significance to the world.
Foreign media interpreted the Central Government's "No. 1 Document" paragraph by paragraph and sentence by sentence
contd..............................
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/03/2021 | 14890: OUR SCIENTISTS SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED A NEW PROGRAMMABLE OPTICAL QUANTUM COMPUTING CHIP | huanqiu.com | ★ |
01/03/2021 | INDIAN MEDIA: WHY CAN’T POVERTY BE ELIMINATED AS IN CHINA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/03/2021 |
THE “4-7-8” BREATHING METHOD TO FALL ASLEEP IN 60 SECONDS (on yoga pranyam technique)
Excerpts/Summary
Use the "4-7-8" relaxation cum breathing method to regulate your breathing. It can help you fall asleep as fast as within 60 seconds. According to a report from the Russian Satellite Network of February 27, Andrew Weir, an expert in comprehensive medicine at the University of Arizona, said: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and then slowly exhale for 8 seconds. You will fall asleep within a few rounds.
Weir said that this method is derived from meditation and regulation of breathing in Indian yoga practice. Long-term practice of this breathing regulation method can play a very good role in getting good sleep. At the initial stage, you can practice twice a day, 4 rounds each time. You may feel a little dizzy when you first start practicing, but this is completely normal. If you want to reduce the feeling of dizziness, you can choose to sit or lie down during training. The "4-7-8" relaxing breathing method is suitable for patients with insomnia, and at the same time can play a good role for people with psychological anxiety, overstress and people who want to control their desires and temper. Experts say that training with the "4-7-8" breathing method will not only help you fall asleep quickly as soon as you go to bed, but also help you fall asleep again after waking up at night.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/03/2021 | 14887: MODI MOBILISES INDIA FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/03/2021 | 14886: MODI TWEETS TO CONFIRM THAT HE HAS RECEIVED THE FIRST DOSE OF NOVEL CORONA VACCINE | huanqiu.com | ★ |
01/03/2021 | IN INDIA, IT’S SO HARD TO LET LOVE RULE THE ROOST | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/03/2021 |
14884: OWNER KILLED IN COCKFIGHTING IN INDIA, ORGANISERS TO BE TAKEN TO COURT
Excerpts/Summary
"India Today" reported on the 27th that a man in Telangana in southern India took his rooster to participate in an illegal cockfighting competition, but was accidentally killed by his rooster.
According to reports, the man is named Satish and is 45 years old. To win, he tied a 7.5 cm blade on the cock's claws in advance. However, on the eve of the game, the rooster tried to break free, and the blade on the chicken paw accidentally pierced Satish's groin. After the incident, he was rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately died due to excessive blood loss.
The police said that the victim was one of the 16 organizers of the illegal cockfighting competition in the local village. The police are pursuing the remaining 15 persons involved in the crimes of manslaughter and illegal gambling. As for the cock involved, it is currently under the custody of the police for being taken to court as evidence at a later date.
The British "Guardian" stated that cockfighting is explicitly prohibited in rural areas such as Telangana in India. Thousands of roosters are killed in cockfighting every year, and despite the efforts of animal rights organizations, some people still commit crimes.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/03/2021 | CHINA HAS ACHIEVED A “GREAT MIRACLE”, WHAT HAS THE WEST DONE | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
01/03/2021 | IS CHINA’S DEFENSIVE NATIONAL DEFENSE POLICY CHANGING? DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RESPONDS | Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
2021, February
Date | Title of the Article | Newspaper/ Journal |
ENG/ CHN |
---|---|---|---|
28/02/2021 |
NO ISSUE OF NEWSPAPER — SUNDAY
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
28/02/2021 |
14880: FIVE EYES’ NARROW HEGEMONY CATERS TO BIASED INTERESTS OF SMALL CIRCLE
Excerpts/Summary
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
28/02/2021 |
14879: CHINA’S POVERTY ERADICATION WORTH SHARING
Excerpts/Summary
China has recently declared "complete victory" in eradicating absolute poverty. For a developing country with a large population and uneven geographical development, the reasons for China's achievements are worth exploring.Eradication of extreme poverty has been one of the main objectives of the entire development strategy of China and it has involved massive mobilization of resources. It represents a historically unique experience of global significance because of its magnitude, and also the systematic and persistent efforts that enabled its success.
According to the World Bank, more than 850 million people were lifted from poverty in China over the past decades, which is a historically unprecedented achievement. Moreover, eradication of extreme poverty in China did not impede the rapid development in other spheres that happened at the same time. This means that the development strategy was well conceived. But all this is not the end of history. It will be important to see how the future tasks of the alleviation of poverty (other than extreme poverty that has been eradicated) will be approached in China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).
China added a larger number of consumers to its own economy, and this helps countries who export to China. In Latin American countries, for example, exports of commodities to China have been a major factor in their own development and poverty alleviation programs. But will the experience of China, "the Chinese model" influence policymaking in other countries? This is more difficult to say.
Each country - large or small - has its own profile of poverty. And poverty is not only about the shortage of material resources, it is also about a number of other, country-specific factors, such as geography, climate, history and environmental degradation. Moreover, policymakers often don't approach extreme poverty as a problem that can and must be solved, but rather as a problem that needs to be contained or managed. So, for example, state subsidies of basic foodstuffs or fuel alleviate the plight of the people, but don't lead to elimination of extreme poverty. China's experience is not properly studied around the world. It is true that China is unique, but this should not prevent policymakers from poverty stricken countries to study the Chinese experience more attentively.
Good national planning and proper mobilization of people would help poverty reduction. But we must be aware, not all countries have the needed planning capacity or ability to articulate sufficiently strong political will to mobilize their whole population. As I said, they should study the experience of China more attentively. International organizations could help. The UN Development Program is doing good work in that regard, and so are other relevant organizations in the UN System. But clearly, more is needed.
There are also a certain amount of poor people in some Western countries. In the past three or four decades the West has been influenced by what is called "neoliberal ideology" placing all the expectations for development in the market forces, in the efforts of each individual, etc. The emphasis on deregulation and the weakening of public policy have added to the problems that are now more serious than before. But we must also understand the resilience of the Western societies and the fact that the situation is not the same everywhere.
In the continental Europe, in the EU, "the European social model" remains in place. Healthcare is universal, quality education is free, and social safety nets are strong. In the US (and to a much smaller extent in the UK) this was not the case. Right now the policies for the post pandemic recovery will have to address these problems. For example, a major raise in the minimum wage proposed currently in the US would signify an important policy re-direction with a potential to improve the social situation of many and contribute to the elimination of poverty altogether.
The article was compiled by Global Times reporter based on a written interview with Danilo Turk, former president of the Republic of Slovenia.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
28/02/2021 |
14878: IS NEW DELHI READY TO MEET BEIJING HALFWAY AND MOVE TIES FORWARD?
Excerpts/Summary
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the phone on Thursday. During the conversation, Wang mentioned that India has vacillated and even moved backward over its policy on China, which has affected and disrupted bilateral pragmatic cooperation and is in the interest of neither side.
He also said that mutual trust and cooperation between China and India is the right path for both countries. Jaishankar said the Indian side hopes to strengthen dialogues and consultations with China, and that India would act in a view of the long-term development and the panorama of relations with China.
Recently, it seems that both China and India have released some positive signals to improve bilateral relations. For example, China and India have achieved a smooth completion of disengagement of frontline troops in the Pangong Lake area.
After the intense standoff, there is bound to be a gradual de-escalation in China-India relations. However, the signal of détente from New Delhi is rather weak, and we need to make an accurate judgment of what this could mean.
During the border skirmish, Beijing displayed firm confidence and strength to safeguard its territorial sovereignty, and New Delhi realized that the confrontation with China on the border area put India in a very dangerous situation. Thus, disengagement could be seen as India taking advantage of this chance to extricate itself from this tense situation.
Yet only when the Indian side truly recognizes its own mistakes in the border standoff, and when the Indian side is truly willing to meet the Chinese side halfway, then such a signal could be a starting point for the two sides to restore their strategic mutual trust.
At present, there are some uncertainties between India and China that could affect bilateral relations. To begin with, whether restraint can be exercised along the border to avoid a repeat of last year's violent clash. If it happens again, China-India relations will suffer a heavy blow.
Moreover, whether India will continue its confrontational posture and actions with China remains unknown. India's foreign policy has undergone some substantial changes in the past years. The country has ganged up with some Western countries to contain and interfere with China's development. These actions have already caused a considerable impact on China-India relations.
China's attitude toward China-India relations has always been very clear. "We hope the Indian side will work with us to properly manage differences, promote practical cooperation, and get the bilateral relations back on the right track," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on January 29. However, India's attitude, along with its China policy, keeps changing. This makes it difficult to understand what India plans to do with China-India relations.
Whereas a Cold War mentality pervades India's strategic circles, some Indian strategists constantly urge the country to seek external enemies to achieve its own interests. The strategic community in New Delhi, in general, shares an aversion toward Beijing. On Wednesday, Indian Chief of Army Staff MM Naravane has described China as "having been in the habit of creeping forward, making small incremental changes." Words from politicians like this have undoubtedly increased uncertainties between the two countries.
Since the 2017 Doklam standoff, China-India strategic mutual trust has been severely damaged. It is hard to reestablish high-quality mutual trust between the two. China and India are neighboring countries, and history tells that there tend to be disputes between big countries. Whereas India's policy toward China is currently set on a wrong course, it requires New Delhi to profoundly change its strategy against Beijing before high-quality mutual trust can be regained. But this can hardly be realized in the short term.
Regardless of whether India wants to rebuild mutual trust with China, or to what extent it is willing to do so, China should take the lead to initiate better China-India relations. We shouldn't pin much hope on India, but instead we must accept the situation. We should try to improve the China-India relationship when there is an opportunity. But if there is no chance can be seen for now, we should keep calm and wait.
From this perspective, there are two pragmatic choices. First, differences should be well managed in order to avoid escalating the situation to a risky state like last year. Second, cooperation should be maintained in any area possible while interrupting or hurting each other should be avoided.
(The author is deputy director of the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies at China Institute of International Studies)
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
27/02/2021 | 14877: POVERTY REDUCTION ROAD WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS: THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE BATTLE AGAINST POVERTY | HUANQIU.COM | ★ |
27/02/2021 |
14876: CHINESE AND INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS TALKED FOR 75 MINUTES
Excerpts/Summary
SUB-HEADING ON HUANQIU.COM : PEOPLE FAMILIAR WITH THE MATTER: CHOOSING THIS TIME TO COMMUNICATE IS AN IMPORTANT SIGNAL
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke on the phone with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on the 25th. The Indian Foreign Ministry issued a press release on the call on the 26th, saying that the two Foreign Ministers spoke for about 75 minutes and discussed the situation on the Line of Actual Control in the "Ladakh region" and issues related to India-China relations. Some media reports said that this is the second time Wang Yi spoke with S. Jaishankar on the phone after five months since the border conflict between India and China broke out in May last year.
During the call, Wang stressed that the rights and wrongs of last year's developments on the Sino-Indian border are very clear, and the lessons of the past should be learned deeply. Recently, India's policy towards China has swung backwards, and practical cooperation between the two countries has been affected and disturbed, which is not in the interests of either side. Experience over the past decades has repeatedly shown that highlighting differences does not help solve problems and erodes the foundation of mutual trust. Wang Yi said that recently the disengagement of Chinese and Indian frontline troops was completed in the Pangong Lake area, and the situation on the ground has clearly eased. Both sides must cherish the current hard-won situation, work together to consolidate the achievements made, maintain the momentum of consultations, further de-escalate the situation, improve the border management and control mechanism, promote the border negotiation process, and continue to cumulatively create and enhance mutual trust to achieve peace and tranquility in the border area.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a press release on 26, according to which S. Jaishankar mentioned that bilateral relations have been seriously affected in the past year. "While the resolution of the border issue may be time-consuming and laborious, acts that undermine peace and tranquility in the border region, including violence, will inevitably cause damage to bilateral relations". He said he had taken note of the completion of disengagement between the two armies in the Pangong Lake area and stressed that the two sides should resolve remaining outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control in the "Eastern part of Ladakh" as soon as possible.
The two Foreign Ministers also agreed to maintain contact and establish a communication hotline during the call. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on 26 June that the two sides would hold discussions on the issue.
An anonymous source in India told the Huan Qiu Shi Bao on 26th that the fact that the Indian and Chinese Foreign Ministers chose to talk at this time sends an important signal about their moving forward to the next steps. He said that after the completion of the disengagement between India and China on the northern and southern banks of Pangong Lake, the two sides held the tenth round of army commanders-level talks immediately and agreed to submit the next stage of the disengagement plan to their respective decision-making levels, indicating that this round of border confrontation is near the end. In this context, the call between the Indian and Chinese Foreign Ministers is a political continuation of their meeting in Moscow in September last and a demonstration of the efforts and determination of both sides to restore peace and tranquility in the border region and rebuild mutual trust in bilateral relations. He believes that although India and China still have differences on the border issue, they both uphold the consensus of "not allowing differences to escalate into disputes", which is the basis and key to the continued development of relations between the two countries.
The Times of India reported on the 25th that Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Srivastava said at a regular press conference on the same day that India has never reached agreements for disengagement with China in "eastern Ladakh" at the cost of Indian territory and did not respond on misinterpretation of deployment of troops of both sides. He also claimed that India had acted to block the "attempt" of China to unilaterally change the status quo on the Line of Actual Control and that India's position on the matter had not changed. Ironically, India Today quoted sources as having said on the 25th that at a meeting chaired by National Security Adviser Doval in August last year, occupation of strategic high ground on the southern bank of Lake Pangong was "suggested" as a "game-changer". The idea was to "bring the Chinese to the negotiating table and resolve the northern border crisis".
At the same time, some in India "marveling" at the speed of Chinese infrastructure construction in the border region, highlighted the "Chinese threat". According to the Hindustan Times, Indian National Security and defense officials are concerned that Chinese troops are rapidly upgrading infrastructure in Sikkim and "Arunachal Pradesh" (our "southern Tibetan region"). There is "evidence" of an increase in Chinese troops and equipment and better road connectivity in the Nakula region of northern Sikkim. Indian diplomatic and security officials believe that although a cautious dialogue between senior Indian and Chinese officials is underway, India has to develop a strategy to deal with a China that is both "aggressive" and friendly, and must not let its guard down.
Journal: HUANQIU.COM |
HUANQIU.COM | ★ |
27/02/2021 |
14875: EDITORIAL: US CANNOT CONTAIN CHINA, LAWMAKERS VENTING SENTIMENTS IN VAIN
Excerpts/Summary
(This Editorial was carried in the English language GLOBAL TIMES under the title "US cannot contain China except its lawmakers vent sentiments in vain", and is reproduced below, pending translation of the Chinese original.)
The US House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a new act on Thursday which requires the State Department to report the human rights record of an Olympic-hosting country to American athletes 180 days ahead of the event.
A number of US senators have boycotted the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Canada's House of Commons passed a motion which called for a relocation of the Olympics from Beijing. Parliamentarians from the Five Eyes members, coordinating with anti-China forces like the Xinjiang separatists, are fanning the first round of flames to assault the Beijing Olympics.
But the governments have adopted a cautious attitude. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that the UK "is not normally in favor of sporting boycotts." Not any government explicitly echoed or indicated calls to boycott the Beijing Olympics.
Each country is clear that once it boycotts the Olympics, the first victim is its own athletes, then the Olympics. It may also trigger retaliation and leave international sport events in the shadow of mutual resistance for many years.
The US and its allies cannot do anything about China. So far, Washington has failed to find any effective means to hurt China while not being hurt. During the Trump era, the former president resorted to the senseless trade war, and three years later, many view it as a failure. What next? The new US administration boasted of coordinating with its allies, but with no concrete plans.
This leaves room for lawmakers who do not shoulder any responsibility for their country's strategies. They are only spokespersons of Western politicians and radicals who are furious but have no way out. In their circles, they play high by issuing some proposals with no or little effect, or write a few open letters to deliver their hostility toward China and prove their presence.
It is the International Olympic Committee and athletes from all over the world that care most about how an Olympic Games is held. It is known to all that the US, followed by other members of the Five Eyes alliance, creates trouble with China. If they boycott the Beijing Olympics, it will show to the world their hysteria of pursuing geopolitical goals. China will not suffer more than them.
A new survey done by a UK consultancy shows that despite the repeated Western offensives of China over the pandemic and Xinjiang, China's soft power is still strong among developing countries. Western opinion failed to defame China outside its own camp.
Ahead of the Olympics, the Five Eyes and the opinion forces in some Western countries will certainly create waves. The more they make a fuss, the more they are at their wit's end in dealing with China. China needs not to fear them. The global sports world and the general public will feel disgusted with them as they go far in this direction. They will end up being clumsy.
What the US truly intends to do is to destroy the international environment of China's development and China's booming economy. But it cannot. What happened in the past three years is enough to frustrate it. If a Western journalist goes to any shopping mall or dines at a restaurant in Beijing or Shanghai, and compares the situation with his own country, he would know the vitality of the Chinese economy is unstoppable.
China acts restraint and keeps a low profile. But its steps of going forward are steady and firm. The US will feel more and more pain if it resorts to real action, while the human rights rhetoric does not need any cost. For the world, detaching from the Chinese market is becoming more and more inconceivable than detaching from the US market. The US dares not force its allies to pick sides between it and China, because the impact and consequences will be highly unpredictable.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
27/02/2021 | WHERE LIES THE NAIVETE IN US VISION OF “ONE BELT ONE ROAD” | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
27/02/2021 | 14873: THE U.S. SHOULD NOT INDULGE IN TRIPPING CHINA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
27/02/2021 | IN FOCUS: CHINA CAN’T TAKE THE BLAME FOR INCREASE IN GLOBAL MILITARY SPENDING | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
27/02/2021 | 14871: LATEST SURVEY: 95% OF FOREIGN COMPANIES IN CHINA HAVE NO INTENTION OF DECOUPLING | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
27/02/2021 | 14870: CHINESE COMPANIES LISTED IN THE U.S. HIT A 10-YEAR HIGH | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
27/02/2021 |
14869: LANTERN FESTIVAL NIGHT GALA AT CENTRAL CHINA’S HENAN MUSEUM GOES VIRAL, HONORING PLA MARTYRS WHO SACRIFICED IN CHINA-INDIA BORDER CLASH
Excerpts/Summary
Do you want to travel back in time and celebrate the Lantern Spring Festival with Chinese ancestors? Pottery figurines of arts maids in Tang Dynasty (618-907) have been brought back to life by a beautiful tune of a flute and led audiences to visit the Henan Museum in Central China for a wonderful Lantern Festival.
The 2021 Henan Lantern Festival Gala, premiered on Thursday evening and produced by Henan Satellite Station, hit the internet once again, following the dance show "Night Banquet in Palace of Tang Dynasty" going viral on Spring Festival. It has been watched millions of times, with the number of audiences on China’s Twitter-like Sina Weibo reaching a staggering 400 million as of press time.
It is the first time in China a gala was shot in a real museum. It took only five days to reshoot the variety show of new creativities in six different places in Henan province.
Following the exploration of the reborn maids, audiences saw national treasures such as Lotus and Crane square pot, the gold slip of Empress Wu Zetian, as well as traditional Chinese opera and martial arts.
Audiences were transferred with the maids to the Yingtian Gate of Luoyang City in Sui and Tang dynasties to enjoy the splendor of the Tang Dynasty and jumped into the painting of Riverside Scene on Qingming Festival to experience how ancient people celebrate the festival.
“This is the perfect combination of ancient Chinese elements with modern advanced technology and creativity. It's an interesting idea to link the whole gala with reborn maids visiting the museum,” 29-year-old Gao Linsen, a PhD student in Harbin, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, told the Global Times on Saturday.
Songs, dances, martial arts and drama, each program was full of Chinese cultural elements. After watching, Gao felt that people should cherish the traditional Chinese culture and also respect the new culture.
Exquisite songs and dances dazzled the audience, while a Henan opera brought them to tears.
“Young people look forward to guarding the border and old people are happy to see the loyalty of the next generation,” four actresses playing She Saihua ,a legendary heroine from ancient China's Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), sang.
“Why there are four actresses playing the role?” An audience asked through the bullet-screen comments.
“It must be representing our four Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) martyrs who sacrificed their lives to safeguard China's national sovereignty and territory in the Galwan Valley skirmish with India in June 2020,” others replied.
Martyr Xiao Siyuan and Wang Zhuoran were from Henan Province.
“This seems to express the inheritance of the spirit of defending the country from ancient times to the present. It strengthens my pride to be a Chinese,” 28-year-old Chinese woman Luo Linqi who has been working in Japan for three years, told the Global Times on Saturday.
Luo failed to return to China for Spring Festival this year due to COVID-19. She said she is happy there was such a fantastic Lantern Festival for her since she was spending the night alone in Tokyo. She recommended the show to her Japanese friends.
“I’m proud of the broad and profound Chinese traditional culture, which is the stem of our cultural confidence,” Luo said, ‘’looking forward to visiting Henan museum.’’
Henan is a major province of martial arts, and the festival set off a battle between traditional martial arts and modern fighting at the Star Observatory in Dengfeng, which is the oldest stargazing platform in China.
A team of about 400 martial artists performed traditional martial arts under the star-watching stage. The unity of man and nature was like a rainbow, showing the heroic spirit of the Chinese people.
The cultural identity that flows in the blood of every Chinese is inspired by the Tang Palace Banquet and the magic night gala of the Lantern Festival. The application of science and technology brings history to life. It’s not about the exquisiteness of the festival, but the fact that people can see our culture and history in a whole new way, Shi Wenxue, a Beijing-based cultural critic and an industry analyst, told the Global Times.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
26/02/2021 |
14868: WANG YI SPEAKS ON THE PHONE WITH INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JAISHANKAR
Excerpts/Summary
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked on the phone with Minister for External Affairs of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on 25 February.
Wang Yi noted that what had led to the situation last year at the China-India boundary was clear and that lessons from the past deserve deep contemplation. There has been some wavering and backpedaling in India's China policy, and practical cooperation between the two countries has been affected. This does not serve the interests of either side. Decades of experiences have shown repeatedly that heightening differences does not help solve problems, and that it only erodes the basis of mutual trust.
Wang said that the frontline troops of the two countries have recently completed disengagement in the Pangong Lake areas. The situation on the ground has been noticeably eased. It is imperative for the two sides to cherish the hard-won relaxation, and work together to consolidate the progress, keep up the consultation momentum, further ease the situation, and improve the border management and control mechanisms. The two sides also need to advance the boundary talks to build up mutual trust and realize peace and tranquility in the border areas.
Wang pointed out that both China and India are ancient civilizations and major emerging economies. While both being at a crucial, historical stage of development and rejuvenation, they should help and facilitate each other. A negative trajectory of bilateral relations will incur unnecessary costs and losses on both. The two sides need to commit to the strategic consensus reached between their leaders, stay on the right path toward mutual trust and cooperation between big neighbours, and never take the wrong path of mutual misgivings and suspicion, still less the path of retrogression. They should handle the boundary question properly to prevent the bilateral relationship from sinking into a negative cycle. While that the two countries have boundary disputes is an objective fact, which should be taken seriously, it is not the whole of China-India relations, and it should be put at a proper place in the overall bilateral relations. As two big emerging economies, China and India need to pursue development alongside each other, move forward in partnership instead of hindrance, and work together for shared progress rather than erecting walls against each other. They can begin from easier things and proceed incrementally so as to build up enabling conditions for a better relationship and greater practical cooperation between them.
Minister Jaishankar said that the recent disengagement in the Pangong Lake areas was an important follow-through action of the consensus that he and State Councilor Wang Yi reached in Moscow. India wants more dialogue and consultation with China to realize quick disengagement at the remaining points to further de-escalate the situation at the boundary and maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. The Indian side, having in mind the long-term development and larger picture of bilateral relations, is ready to act on the important understandings between the leaders of both countries for the bilateral relationship to get back on track at an early date.
The two foreign ministers agreed to set up a hotline for timely communication and exchange of views.
Journal: Ministry of Foreign Affairs website |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs website | ★★ |
26/02/2021 |
14867: FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON ON TELCON BETWEEN CHINESE AND INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS
Excerpts/Summary
Extracts from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Regular Press ConferencePTI: Yesterday in the telephone talks between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, both sides mentioned the establishment of hotlines. Can you provide any details? Is this going to be between the two foreign ministries or between the ministers or periodic contacts? When is it going to be established? Wang Wenbin: As you mentioned, Chinese and Indian foreign ministers had a phone conversation yesterday and we published a press release on that. The specifics you asked about will be discussed by both sides. Prasar Bharati: Regarding the talks between Chinese and Indian foreign ministers, they talked about the implementation of the Moscow agreement and the disengagement from all the friction points. So I was just curious whether you have any update on the disengagement in the other areas after the completion of the first phase, and when it is going to begin? Wang Wenbin: Chinese and Indian front-line troops have completed disengagement in the Pangong Lake area, and the situation on the ground gets much better. Both sides should cherish the hard-won result, consolidate current progress, keep the momentum of talks, further ease tensions, improve the border management and control mechanism, advance border negotiations and enhance mutual trust, so as to realize peace and tranquility in the border areas. (The text of the Press Release referred to above can be seen here. And the Press Release of the Ministry of External Affairs of India on the telephone conversation can be seen here.)Journal: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing | ★★ |
26/02/2021 |
14866: WANG YI URGES CONSOLIDATION OF TROOP DISENGAGEMENT WITH INDIA; TWO SIDES AGREE TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION HOTLINE
Excerpts/Summary
The rights and wrongs of the China-India border issue last year are very clear, and lessons should be drawn from the past, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a phone call on Thursday with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.China and India must cherish the hard-won situation, maintain the momentum of consultation, improve border control mechanisms, and advance the border negotiation process, to realize peace and tranquility along border areas, Wang said.
He said during the phone call that the front-line forces of the two sides have recently completed disengagement in the Pangong Lake area and the current situation has eased significantly.
India's policy toward China recently has undergone swings and regression, and the cooperation between the two countries has been affected and disrupted, which is not in the interests of both parties, Wang noted, adding that the experience of the past few decades has repeatedly indicated that highlighting differences will not help solve problems, but will erode the foundation of mutual trust.
China and India should follow the right path of mutual trust and cooperation instead of the path of suspicion, or retrogressive path, and properly handle border issues to prevent bilateral relations from falling into a negative cycle, Wang noted.
Border issues are not the whole of China-India relations and should be placed in an appropriate position in bilateral relations, Wang said. China and India, two emerging economies, need to move forward side-by-side instead of restraining each other, and develop cooperatively instead of building walls against each other.
Step-by-step, the two sides can accumulate conditions for further improving bilateral relations and advancing pragmatic cooperation, Wang noted.
The recent disengagement of the two militaries in the Pangong Lake area is an important result of the two sides earnestly implementing the consensus reached by the two foreign ministers in Moscow, Jaishankar said during the phone call.
India hopes to strengthen dialogue and consultation with China to achieve complete disengagement in other regions as soon as possible, push a sustained cool-off in the border situation, and maintain peace and tranquility in border areas.
The Indian side is willing to proceed from the long-term development of bilateral relations and the overall situation, implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides, and push bilateral relations back on track as soon as possible, he noted.
During the phone call, the two sides agreed to establish a communication hotline to exchange views in a timely manner.
Relations between China and India deteriorated since a deadly confrontation in Galwan Valley last year. The two sides began formulating a disengagement plan to withdraw troops and establish no-patrol zones in November 2020. On February 10, Chinese and Indian border troops on the southern and northern shores of Pangong Lake began their disengagement as planned.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
26/02/2021 |
14865: PHONE CALL BETWEEN INDIAN, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTERS SIGNALS END OF CONFRONTATION, SHOWS DETERMINATION TO REBUILD BILATERAL TIES: INDIAN INSIDER
Excerpts/Summary
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar over the phone on Thursday, six days after the two countries held the tenth round of corps commander-level talks, in which the two countries had an in-depth exchange of views on issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector, and agreed to follow the consensus reached by their state leaders.
An insider in India told Global Times that Indian and Chinese foreign ministers chose this time to hold talks in order to send an important message. He said that after the completion of the India-China disengagement on the northern and southern sides of the Pangong Lake, The two sides immediately held the 10th round of ministerial talks and agreed to submit their respective plans for the next stage of disengagement to the policy-making level. This indicate that this round of border confrontation has come to an end.
In this context, the phone call is the political continuation of the meeting between the two foreign ministers in Moscow in September 2020. This also demonstrates the efforts and determination of both sides to restore peace and tranquility in the border areas and rebuild mutual trust in bilateral relations.
The insider believes that although there are still differences between India and China on the border issue, both sides agree to "not letting the differences become serious disputes," which is the basis and key for a continued development of bilateral relations.
Experts reached by the Global Times said on Friday that the dialogue between Wang and Jaishankar was aimed at ensuring the full implementation of the consensus reached at the tenth round of talks.
According to the information released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang stressed that China and India must cherish the hard-won situation, maintain the momentum of consultation, improve the border control mechanisms, and advance the border negotiation process, to realize peace and tranquility along border areas.
Jaishankar noted that India hopes to strengthen dialogue with China to achieve complete disengagement in other regions as soon as possible, pushing forward a sustained cool-off in the border situation, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Although it is not clear who initiated the call, it is obvious that both sides want to move forward with the process of disengagement and peace along the border, Zhao Gancheng, director of the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.
Zhao disclosed that the tenth round talks involved the settlement of the area where the months-long standoff first broke out, the Galwan Valley. What's more, disengagement at the three points of contact is an acceptable consensus for both sides.
"In the past 10 rounds of talks, there have been difficulties in the process of implementing the consensus, which shows that the two sides were quite far apart on the border issues in practice," Zhao said.
The latest phone call shows that, with mutual trust between the two sides hurt, the key decision-makers from the two countries are working hard to heal China-India relations and seek more progress, looking to possibly realize stability and development, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Friday.
During the phone call, Wang and Jaishankar also agreed to establish a communication hotline to exchange views on certain matters. For experts, ensuring the mechanism works in a timely manner will be challenging for both sides.
Both Chinese and Indian commanders on the ground, even at the higher level, will have access to the hotline mechanism, which has played a role during many border frictions in the past, Zhao said. However, the case involving the Galwan Valley caused causalities and a great wave of hostility, resulting in the hotline being abandoned.
"When border frictions erupt, it is easy to turn to a game of mutual blame. The side who calls the hotline first will be regarded as the weak party, so no one is willing to call first," Zhao said, noting that soothing mechanisms on both sides also needs to play a bigger role and the demarcation of the LAC is fundamental to solving the dispute.
One analyst said that it is the common responsibility of both sides to maintain peace and tranquility on the border. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that rights and wrongs of the China-India border issue are very clear, and the recent wobble in India's China policy has led to a setback in relations between the two countries.
Observers noted that China has shown full goodwill recently in both delaying the announcement of martyrs in the border clash and backing India's hosting of the BRICS summit. And the two countries should take the summit as a chance to repair mutual trust and get back to the right path.
India holds the rotating chairmanship of BRICS in 2021, and will hold the BRICS summit in the second half of the year. China will host the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February 2022.
The two events will provide more opportunities for the two sides to ease relations, as leaders from both sides will possibly join the events if the COVID-19 pandemic is well under control, Zhao noted.
Observers said that some Indian media and netizens kept hyping up China's casualties, but the Indian government and military did not overreact or display a hard-line attitude toward China.
"They [Indian authorities] maintained a pragmatic and rational attitude, which also shows that the Indian government and military also value the opportunity to restore relations after a smooth completion of disengagement of frontline troops from the Pangong Lake area, with the border standoff coming to an end," Qian said.
Zhao, who previously held several exchanges with Jaishankar, told Global Times that the Indian foreign minister is neither pro-China nor anti-China.
"Jaishankar is very practical and realistic… He told me personally that before he became ambassador to China, he had read all the files of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on the China-India border issue five times," Zhao said.
Jaishankar held the post of Indian Ambassador to China from 2013 to 2015. Bilateral trade between China and India totaled $77.7 billion in 2020. Replacing the US, China became India's largest trading partner in 2020, Bloomberg reported, citing Indian official data.
Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
26/02/2021 |
14864: WANG YI SPEAKS WITH INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
Excerpts/Summary
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a telephone conversation with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on February 25th.
Wang Yi said that the rights and wrongs of last year's developments on the Sino-Indian border are very clear, and the lessons of the past should be learnt deeply. Recently, India's policy towards China has regressed and practical cooperation between the two countries has been affected and disturbed, which is not in the interests of either side. Experience over the past decades has repeatedly shown that highlighting differences does not help solve problems and erodes the foundation of mutual trust.
Wang Yi said that the the situation on the ground in the Pangong Lake area has clearly eased with the completion of disengagement of Chinese and Indian frontline troops recently. The two sides must cherish the current hard-won situation, work together to consolidate the established achievements, maintain the momentum of consultations, further de-escalate the situation, improve the border control mechanism, promote the border negotiation process and continuously build mutual trust to achieve peace and tranquility in the border area.
Wang Yi said that China and India are both ancient civilizations and major emerging economies, and are at the same key historical stage of development and revitalization, and should make achievements for each other and illumine the path for each other. The continued downturn in relations between the two countries is an unnecessary drain and loss for both sides. We should adhere to the strategic consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and firmly follow the right path of mutual trust and cooperation between neighboring powers, and not take the wrong path of suspicion and mistrust, not to mention the negative and regressive path of turning back. The border issue should be dealt with properly to avoid a negative cycle in bilateral relations being set in motion in consequence. The border dispute is an objective reality and should be taken seriously, but the border issue is not the whole of China-India relations and should be placed in its proper place in bilateral relations. We should adhere to the general direction of the two emerging economies developing hand in hand, moving forward side by side instead of holding each other back, and cooperating in development instead of building high walls against each other. The two sides can move from easy to difficult aspects, step by step, to cumulatively create conditions for further improvement of relations and advancement of practical cooperation.
S. Jaishankar said that the recent disengagement between the two armies in the Pangong Lake area is an important outcome of both sides implementing the Moscow consensus between the two Foreign Ministers earnestly. The Indian side hopes to strengthen dialogue and consultation with the Chinese side to achieve full disengagement in other areas as soon as possible, further the continued cooling of the border situation between the two countries and maintain peace and tranquility in the border area. The Indian side is willing to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries in the light of long term development of relations and the overall overall situation between the two countries and promote the return of bilateral relations to the right track as soon as possible.
The two sides agreed to establish a communication hotline to exchange views in a timely manner.
(Source CCTV )
(The Press Release of the Ministry of External Affairs of India on the telephone conversation can be seen here.)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
26/02/2021 |
“HEROES AND MARTYRS PROTECTION LAW” NEEDS TO BE STUDIED CAREFULLY
Excerpts/Summary
On the recent arrests of bloggers critical of the government's handling of disclosures about the 2020 Galwan clash war casualties.
Full translation underway
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
26/02/2021 |
MODI “BIGGEST THUG” IN INDIA?
Excerpts/Summary
Indian West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee denounced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an election rally. According to the Times of India on February 24, Banerjee called Modi India's "biggest thug" and said that in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, Modi's BJP will suffer a fate "worse" than that of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to reports, Banerjee said at the rally that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are spreading lies and inciting hatred across the country. The report quoted Banerjee as saying, "Modi is the biggest 'thug' in the country. He will face a fate worse than Trump's. Violence achieves no results". Banerjee also said she would act as a poll "gatekeeper" in the upcoming Assembly elections to ensure that Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party does not win any seats. Days earlier, Modi had launched an attack on Banerjee's State government, claiming that corruption was rampant in the region.
The BJP has been trying to wrest control of West Bengal for more than a decade from Banerjee's grassrooted Trinamul National Congress party, which is expected to win in the elections to be held in April and May.
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
26/02/2021 | 14861: INDIAN AND PAKISTANI MILITARIES AGREE TO IMPLEMENT A CEASEFIRE IN DISPUTED AREA | Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/02/2021 |
LOST US AND INDIAN NUCLEAR DEVICE ON “ROOF OF THE WORLD
Excerpts/Summary
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said on February 21 that after the recent flooding in northern India and the collapse of a dam that killed dozens of people and left hundreds of others missing, local residents believed that it was the result of an "explosion" of a nuclear device buried under snow and rocks among snow-capped mountains. Behind these seemingly absurd statements lies a secret, dusty history: In the 1960s, the United States and India conspired to spy on China's nuclear tests at the "roof of the world.
U.S. and India both wanted to spy on China
On October 16, 1964, a huge mushroom cloud rose from Lop Nor and China conducted its first atomic bomb test. The news shocked the world. The United States was anxious to get details of the Chinese nuclear test, but struggled to find the right means of intelligence. India was also anxious to obtain information about China's nuclear capabilities, as it was just a short time after China's self-defense counterattack against India.
Driven by their mutual needs, the United States and India signed a secret agreement to jointly collect information on China's nuclear tests. At the time, reconnaissance satellites were poorly imaged and high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft were prone to reveal their targets. How could we obtain information on China's nuclear tests? The U.S. and Indian intelligence services were both worried. Finally, the two countries' intelligence officers decided to install monitoring equipment on the Indian side of the Himalayas to collect information on China's nuclear tests.
According to U.S. intelligence expert Kenneth Comparet, the idea came from the then chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, Curtis Lee May, who in 1964 was chatting with a National Geographic photographer who had climbed Mount Everest when he learned that "standing on Mount Everest, the view of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau in unobstructed". This statement gave Lee May an idea: Why not place monitoring equipment on the top of the snow-capped mountain to monitor China's nuclear bases and missile tests from above for a long time?
Theoretically, this was a possible solution: China's ground-based nuclear tests at the time produced trace radiation particles that were blown southward by the wind and could be automatically captured by a sensor at the top of the mountain. By studying these trace particles, important data such as the yield of Chinese nuclear weapons could be obtained. In addition, with the average elevation of the Himalayas at over 7,000 meters, the distant test sites in China can be viewed as long as the electronic equipment is powerful enough.
The next question is - who is going to climb up the steep Himalayas? You know, that is the world's highest mountain range, trying to pull the heavy monitoring equipment up is not an easy task.
"Brave men with heavy rewards"
According to the recollection of the famous Indian mountaineer, former Navy Lieutenant Commander, in May 1965, who led the Indian mountaineering team that triumphantly scaled Mount Everest, he was taken to a secluded place just as he arrived at the airport in New Delhi, and informed that he was to go to the United States to carry out the task. On June 19, 1965, Kohli and his party secretly flew to New York, and were joined by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency officials McLeave. They were then sent by the U.S. to Alaska for three weeks of secret training. It was then that they learned that the CIA was going to ask for their help in installing secret nuclear test monitoring instruments in the Himalayas near the Chinese border in order to keep track of the Chinese nuclear test site at Lop Nor.
After returning to India, Kohli and his party began to prepare for the climb with the help of the American side. The first thing to determine was, which mountain to climb? The highest Mount Everest was ruled out ab initio as the equipment provided by the U.S. side was so heavy that experts believed that it would be impossible to carry them up Everest. So they had to settle for the second best, and set the target at India's second highest peak, Nanda Devi, at 7,817 meters, close to the Sino-Indian border.
To be on the safe side, the CIA also hired a team of American climbers who were paid $1,000 a month, which was a considerable amount of money at the time. A total of 14 American climbers joined the Indian climbing team led by Kohli in the United States for targeted and secret training. During the months of training, the American and Indian team members were able to skillfully jump from helicopters and destroy targets with plastic explosives, as well as learn to use nuclear devices. During the training, they also had to repeatedly drag the equipment up the steep cliffs of Alaska, in preparation for future climbs of the Himalayas.
Halfway through the first attempt
In the fall of 1965, the U.S. and Indian climbers gathered at the base of Nanda Devi Peak. A total of six people had previously summited the snow-capped mountain, but only three came down alive. Kohli expected the climb to be more difficult because of the need to carry heavy surveillance equipment. Once the ascent began, the first 12 climbers and local Sherpa guides began a slow climb. While carrying the nuclear equipment up the mountain was strenuous and inconvenient, they provided a little warmth for the climbers at night: the 18-kilogram nuclear batteries (isotope heat sources) provided enough power to keep the surveillance equipment running for 1,000 years, enough to allow the U.S. and India to continuously monitor Chinese nuclear and ICBM tests.
For several days, the climbers on a secret mission, spiked boots and ice axes in hand, climbed up the front face of Mount Nanda devi, crossing the crevasse-littered glacier and inching closer to their last stop before the summit, the alpine camp, which loomed about 300 meters above them.
However, when the team reached the alpine camp, the sky was suddenly cloudy and the cold, wet air signaled an impending snowstorm. At this point, if they went in, they were likely to be swallowed up by the bad weather, so Kohli decided to temporarily withdraw and climb again in the spring of next year.
To save the trouble of carrying surveillance equipment again on the next climb, Kohli ordered the team to pack the equipment and fix it on the mountainside. They tied an antenna, two signal transmitters and nuclear batteries to a protruding rock, then hurried down the mountain.
The nuclear batteries were gone!
The next spring, the U.S. and Indian climbing team regrouped and climbed again, but when they arrived at the high camp to find the location of the package, the rock was gone! After looking around, they surmised that the rock had probably been cut off by an avalanche, and that the nuclear cell and seven cigar-shaped plutonium fuel rods were probably buried deep under the snow and ice.
Although no one can figure out what happened, the consequences of losing the nuclear cells are serious: If the fuel falls into the wrong hands, it would be like opening Pandora's box. If a moving ice sheet crushes the plutonium fuel rods, the radioactive leaks would flow into the Ganges with the melting snow, an even more chilling result.
The loss of the nuclear battery caused the Indian government to panic.. Between 1966 and 1968, at India's urging, the CIA had to go back and clean up the mess, with helicopters circling back and forth in the thin air of the mountains, photographing every inch of ground they swept over, and search crews with Geiger counters scouring the ground, but ultimately to no avail.
After the loss of the nuclear battery, the U.S. side eventually accepted Kohli's suggestion to abandon plans to install the equipment at the peak, changing the location of the monitoring equipment to a place on Mount Nanda Devi at an altitude of 7,300 m. In 1967, after the third climb, the U.S. and Indian climbing team installed an explosion observation and missile surveillance device in the Himalayas. According to the person's recollection, soon after the successful installation of the equipment, signals from the equipment were received by the concerned parties. The monitoring equipment did not stop working until October 1997, after China suspended its nuclear tests, and several repairs were made in between.
"God knows what the impact will be."
When the spy tour in the Himalayas came to a close, the CIA gave strict orders to the Americans involved to keep it secret, and all photos and logs were taken away by the CIA. India also kept the operation strictly secret, and even the then Indian Chief of Staff of the three armies was kept in the dark.
But paper can't hold fire after all. In April 1978, then-Prime Minister Desai revealed that India and the United States had cooperated at a "high level" to install a nuclear device on Mount Nanda Devi. On April 15, 1978, about 60 people protested outside the U.S. Embassy in India, opposing the "CIA's activities in India."
McCarthy, an American climber who had participated in the probe, later said, "The nuclear device would have hit an avalanche and gotten stuck in the glacier, and God knows what the effects would have been". Schaller, the American climber, confirmed that the CIA never found the missing nuclear device afterwards. Horrifyingly, plutonium-239, an isotope that does not exist in nature, was detected in water samples taken from the base of the mountain in 2005. But the CIA's attitude toward these frightening prospects remains one of "neither confirming nor denying".
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/02/2021 |
INDIA POSTPONES “OXOLOGY” EXAM
Excerpts/Summary
The Indian "Cattle Science" exam, originally scheduled to be held on the 25th, was postponed indefinitely. "Indian Express" reported on the 23rd that the day after Kadilia, the Chairman of the Indian Government's Milk Cow Welfare Agency (RKA), left his post on the 20th, the "oxology" exam was announced to be postponed.
According to reports, during Kadilia's two-year tenure, his own remarks on "cow science" have repeatedly caused controversy. He once stated, “In order to achieve the goal of India’s GDP reaching 5 trillion U.S. dollars by 2024, the 194,000 cows in India will play an important role. Even if cows do not produce milk, their feces are precious. If we use them, India’s entire economy will be on track".
In addition, under the leadership of Kadilia, RKA even published a 54-page "Cow Science" exam reference material on its official website. The topics include Indian cattle better than foreign cattle because Indian cattle "have emotional perception" unlike slaughter cows. With regard to the "connection" with the earthquake, the "superiority" of Indian dairy cows compared to foreign breeds and the benefits of cow dung, this information caused an uproar on the Internet.
Although Kadilia's sudden resignation and examination delays surprised many people, according to sources, many people in the Indian government were dissatisfied with Kadilia's previous remarks, which they believed were "promoting pseudoscience."
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/02/2021 |
14858: INDIAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY SEEKS TO REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON CHINA
Excerpts/Summary
With the completion of the disengagement between the Chinese and Indian armies on the north and south banks of Bangong Lake, India's domestic anti-China sentiment has eased, but out of concern for the "security of supply" of APIs (also known as active pharmaceutical ingredients), Indian pharmaceutical companies are still actively seeking to get rid of dependence on imports of API from China and plan to seek a more stable domestic supply arrangement. According to Reuters, executives from Indian pharmaceutical companies such as Cadila, Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals, and Biocon Biologics announced on the 23rd that they will work to reduce their dependence on Chinese imports in the future, given that API imports from China had been disrupted by the novel corona pneumonia outbreak.
Given the anti-Chinese sentiment in India, most companies are trying to decouple their ties to the Chinese supply chain in an effort to reduce their own risks, said Gaurav Suchak, who is in charge of supply channels at Kadira Pharmaceuticals. He added that the Indian pharmaceutical industry will turn to domestic supply of APIs in India to ensure market and supply chain security. Cipla Pharmaceuticals executive Malpani said the company will launch an "API re-engineering" program in addition to partnering with local API suppliers to avail the government's recent subsidy incentives to the maximum and develop its own API manufacturing capabilities.
In response, Biochem's Director of supply channels, Deshpande, said that reducing dependence on China for API imports does not mean not sourcing APIs from China in the future, "just that we are not so dependent on China anymore. However, he believes that if India wants to compete with or even surpass China in the supply chain, it must improve the infrastructure and speed up the administrative approval process as soon as possible.
The Indian government late last year has identified 53 important raw and auxiliary materials production as qualifying for government subsidy incentives. Among them, penicillin, 7-amino cephalosporanic acid, erythromycin thiocyanate and clavulanic acid have almost certainly been selected and will receive at least 36 billion rupees (1 rupee is about 0.1 yuan) production subsidies. Because the above four drugs are not produced in India, their users are completely dependent on imports. Analysts believe that India's move is intended to consolidate its leading global pharmaceutical position, especially in the context of the future "China-India vaccine race", to avoid being "throttled" by Chinese APIs, and India being placed in a passive position as a result. In the long run, India also hopes to build an independent and sound chain of drug production system, which is in line with its previous policy of "supply chain resilience plan" and "self-reliant India".
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/02/2021 |
FOREIGN MINSTRY SPOKESPERSON ON RESCHEDULIING OF PAKISTAN’S DEBTS
Excerpts/Summary
Extracts from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Regular Press ConferencePrasar Bharati: As per reports, Pakistan has requested China to reschedule their debts to the scale of 22 billion US dollars in power projects that China has funded. Can you please confirm this? Zhao Lijian: We have made clear responses to similar questions on multiple occasions. I don't know how you came up with this number, but I guess you are asking about the loans of power and energy projects under the framework of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), right? I know the energy projects very well from years of experience working in Pakistan. I can assure you that these projects are supported by commercial investment or foreign direct investment. They are invested by Chinese companies and the Pakistani government does not need to repay any of the loans. Therefore, the projects won't bring debt burden to Pakistan. The construction and operation of the projects are well underway. They provided a large amount of stable and affordable power supply to Pakistan and increased the Pakistani government's tax revenue, delivering tangible economic and social benefits. We are confident that China-Pakistan energy cooperation will continue to make greater contribution to Pakistan's national development and people's well-being.Journal: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing | ★★ |
25/02/2021 |
14856: EDITORIAL: HUMAN RIGHTS START FROM POVERTY ALLEVIATION
Excerpts/Summary
(The following is the version of the editorial carried by the English language Global Times, pending translation of the Chinese original in Huan Qiu Shi Bao.)
Absolute poverty in Chinese society has been eliminated. To achieve the goal, this large developing country with a population of 1.4 billion must have firm political determination and the durable cooperation of society. It is not uncommon for us to feel sympathy and help poor people on social media platforms, and often can produce earth-moving effects. China's fight against poverty, however, is facing nearly 100 million poor people in rural areas. What a long, tenacious commitment this requires. If there is any greed for merit or vanity in the original intention, this mission would have failed halfway.
This is the most unforgettable and unpretentious humanitarianism. China is a socialist country and its people-centered approach is not a rhetorical slogan, but its true commitment. It has taken several years and successive steps in this great cause, which has never been seen before in the history of China and mankind.There are countless touching stories of helping poor people. However, what many people may not expect is how many human tragedies will be prevented and how many conditions and hopes will be added to people's pursuit of equality because of this decisive battle against poverty.
Some may worry about the quality of the achievements made in poverty alleviation, raising the possibility that they may return to poverty. Yet those familiar with the grand project know that the government has paid attention to these issues much earlier than those proposed online, and that the effort to deal with them is one of the most lasting clues to local governance.
At the international level, China's declaration of eliminating absolute poverty in the country coincided with the climax of fierce attacks on China's human rights by the Five Eyes alliance countries such as the US, the UK, and Canada as well as some other Western countries. When the US and other countries are playing up "political and human rights" in China, China has made concrete achievements in eliminating poverty. While the US death toll from the COVID-19 epidemic has reached 500,000, China has successfully protected its own people. This is an unprecedented collision between "saying" and "doing" in the field of human rights.
Poverty can be seen as the root cause of human rights violations. Most people around the world can understand what it means to be poor. Often the overriding desire of the poor is to lift themselves and even their offspring out of poverty. The Chinese government has lifted a population the size of the UK and Canada combined out of absolute poverty over the past eight years and set a new course in life for them, many of which are Uygur people in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This is how China has carried out human rights construction.
The construction of human rights in China, a country with a huge population, is complicated. Those "small Western countries" always set the agenda for China and tell China what to do. Don't they think it's ridiculous? Is there a more important human rights agenda in the world than lifting 100 million people out of poverty in eight years? In recent years, the Chinese people have become more and more disgusted with the US and the West's manipulation on the issue of human rights. We can tell that they are not expecting China's best because we now have our own measurement of human rights in mind.
China's human rights construction in recent years has been focused on lifting its people out of poverty. China's rise from near the bottom of the world in per capita GDP before reform and opening-up to a level above middle-income countries today has brought all kinds of welfare, dignity and hope to the Chinese people. To live is to live with dignity. This is the strongest desire of the Chinese people, and it is also the cornerstone of the Chinese people's collective view of human rights.
The Chinese people look to the world with humility and learn from the strengths of other countries. It is difficult for us to understand why some "small Western countries" belittle China's human rights development in the face of such obvious achievements, and regard China's booming development as doomed. Is it narrowness and crankiness? Otherwise, how could they completely engage in anti-Chinese thoughts, and trade a bunch of meaningless concepts for our precious fruits? How can they not think about why a developing China can uphold human rights, while they failed to do so?
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★★ |
25/02/2021 |
VIETNAM’S DIGITAL POWER STRATEGY IS NOTEWORTHY
Excerpts/Summary
In the newly announced "Top 500 Global Most Valuable Brands in 2021", Viettel (Vietnam Military Telecom Group) is the only brand in Vietnam to make the list, ranking 325th, up 32 places from 2020. It is also Southeast Asia’s only brand on the list. Viettel is the epitome of Vietnam's digital transformation, and Vietnam's digital power strategy is worthy of our attention.
On January 4 this year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued the Vietnamese Government’s "National Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution by 2030" and proposed the "National Digital Transformation Plan." This plan proposes to take the initiative to make full use of the opportunities brought about by the fourth industrial revolution, master various advanced technologies, and apply them widely in economic and social fields; steadily (expand) R&D in new technologies to accelerate the transformation of the mode of economic growth mode and economic restructuring. We will make every effort to promote the strong development of the digital economy, and strive to build a digital country. By 2030, we will create 100,000 digital economy enterprises and 1.5 million digital technology practitioners across the country, so that Vietnam’s digital economy will reach 30% of the total GDP. The degree of digitalization of the country has entered the top two in ASEAN, the top 70 in the world, and the front ranks of digitally advanced countries.
The above-mentioned strategic goal of Vietnam, of building a digital country and realizing overtaking on a curve, is not just a plan that is still on paper, but already has a solid realistic foundation. Although on the whole, Vietnam’s industrial base is relatively weak and the overall level of innovation is relatively low, Vietnam’s knowledge base is not bad. Emphasizing education is one of the typical characteristics of East Asian Confucian cultural circle countries. Vietnam's foundation is among the best in ASEAN countries. In recent years, Vietnamese middle school students have performed more prominently in the field of mathematics and computation. These foundations are more prominent in Vietnam's digital industry. At present, Vietnam’s overall digitalization level ranks fourth among ASEAN countries, and is much higher than the overall average level of ASEAN.
In absolute terms, Vietnam's performance is even more outstanding. Vietnam is one of the first countries to launch 5G services in the international community. On January 20, 2020, Viettel announced the launch of its own 5G services in Vietnam. At present, although Vietnam's GDP is only 270 billion US dollars (not even as much as Yunnan and Guangxi provinces, which are relatively backward, in China), Viettel has entered the ranks of the top ten mobile networks in Asia. Moreover, its brand value reached approximately US$4.3 billion in 2019, and its business scope covers the three major states of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
After the intensified strategic competition between China and the United States, the then Secretary of State Pompeo proposed the "Energy Growth and Development Initiative in Asia" (EDGE Asia) in June 2018, in an attempt to contain China’s “One Belt One Road” initiative by assisting East and Southeast Asian countries in energy and infrastructure construction. Among them, Vietnam is regarded by the United States as a very important strategic pivot.
In fact, the U.S. aids Vietnam not only in the field of energy, but also intensified cooperation with Vietnam in the field of information and digital technology as an important infrastructure field. In consideration of its actual interests, Vietnam cancelled its 5G cooperation with Huawei and instead announced the launch of its own 5G service. Soon after, Vietnam also signed an agreement with the United States on the cooperative development and utilization of 5G technology. At the same time, Vietnam is also vigorously expanding its territory within ASEAN and expanding its digital information industry. At present, in addition to its domestic network, Vietnam also uses Viettel to operate and control the Indochina optical fiber cable. With the support of the United States, Japan and other countries, it vigorously promotes the "East-West Digital Corridor" project in an effort to integrate related industries in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar into one. A unified Indochina Peninsula market, so as to grasp the advantages of digital information, and occupy a favorable position in future competition.
At present, the business scope of Vietnam's digital information industry represented by Viettel covers Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, East Timor, Malaysia, Cameroon, Haiti, Peru, Burundi, Tanzania, Mozambique, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Paraguay and other countries. With the development of business, Viettel has further expanded its tentacles to Brunei, Thailand, the Middle East and the hinterland of Africa.
It is worth noting that the overseas expansion targets of Vietnam's digital information industry are all concentrated in low- and middle-income developing countries. Most of these countries belong to the countries on the “Belt and Road”, which is along the key areas of competition faced by Chinese companies going global. Viettel’s expansion in these countries is sure to become a competitor of Chinese companies. In particular, the "East-West Digital Corridor" project has a deeper background of US-Japan intervention and a strong strategic nature, and it also requires China's attention.
(The author is a professor at the China and Neighboring Countries Research Center of Fudan University)
Journal: Global Times (Chinese) |
Global Times (Chinese) | ★ |
25/02/2021 |
14854: FOREIGN MINSTRY SPOKESPERSON ON INDIAN PROPOSAL FOR WAIVER OF IPR FOR COVID VACINES
Excerpts/Summary
Extracts from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Regular Press ConferencePrasar Bharati: India and South Africa put forward a proposal in October last year, in which they demanded at World Trade Organization that intellectual property regime should be waived for COVID vaccines, medicines and other logistics. Will China join this initiative? Zhao Lijian: You are asking about a matter in another professional field. I'd refer you to the competent authorities. Prasar Bharati: Regarding my previous question on the WTO, I have already asked the commerce ministry and I did not get any response from them. And also this question is not purely related to commerce. It has a diplomatic angle as well. That's why I asked the foreign ministry, whether you had considered this proposal. Do you have any comment on it? Zhao Lijian: Earlier I stated China's position. I can help to convey your questions to the competent authorities.Journal: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Briefing | ★★ |
25/02/2021 |
14853: CHINA’S VICTORY OFFERS CLUES TO GLOBAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST POVERTY
Excerpts/Summary
![]() Shuanghu County, Tibet Autonomous Region, was removed from poverty list on December 9, 2019. As of Oct, 2020, about 35,000 resettlement areas have been built nationwide, and more than 2.66 million units of resettlement housing have been built for the poor. Over 9.6 million impoverished people have relocated into new homes. Editor's Note: Chinese President Xi Jinping solemnly declared "complete victory" in eradicating absolute poverty during a conference in Beijing on Thursday. China has lifted all rural poor people out of extreme poverty under the current standard, with 832 counties, 128,000 villages, and nearly 100 million impoverished people shaking off poverty. How did China make it? What does the role of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) play during the arduous process? Four foreign experts shared their views with the Global Times on China's successful poverty alleviation. Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of The Kuhn Foundation and recipient of the China Reform Friendship Medal (2018) China's success in eradicating extreme poverty is founded on three powerful principles: CPC leadership, General Secretary Xi's commitment, and CPC mobilization. First, the operational leadership of the CPC is not just about giving directives and pronouncements but actually implementing programs and projects through the CPC organizational structure - central government and five levels of local government (provincial, municipal, county, township, village). The five levels are run directly by Party secretaries - five levels of Party secretaries — and I followed their work on poverty alleviation, tracked each Party secretary's specific domains of responsibility as well as how their collective work articulated together. All these Party secretaries considered poverty alleviation to be their most important task — and I have been around China long enough to know that they weren't putting on a show for me, they weren't faking it, trying to impress me (perhaps thinking I might write, report or film something). Second, the commitment of General Secretary Xi, who by voicing his personal leadership repeatedly and by allocating his personal time overtly, sets an example that leaders and officials must follow. Visiting poor villages has been a key part of Xi's more than 80 domestic inspections since he was elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in late 2012. Similarly, during the coronavirus epidemic, when Xi visited hospitals and spoke with frontline workers, the whole country got the message. Almost everywhere Xi goes, he stresses poverty alleviation and encourages Party cadres to visit impoverished areas regularly and interact with local people directly. Xi has made poverty alleviation an emblem of his leadership. Alleviating poverty is what Xi cares most about and on which he spends the most energy. He said in 2017, "We should mobilize the energies of our whole Party, our whole country, and our whole society, and continue to implement targeted poverty reduction and alleviation measures." Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in November 2017, Xi made the remarkable statement: "I have spent more energy on poverty alleviation than on anything else." I know no other national leader who has made such an assertion. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012, Xi has visited scores of poverty-stricken villages and households; on almost every domestic trip he makes, he makes a point to understand the local poverty situation and what is being done to alleviate poverty. Third, the mobilization capacity of the CPC and the ability to command the country's resources in personnel and materials. For example, during the pandemic, assigning "sister" relationships between strong provinces and specific cities in Hubei, a strategy long employed in poverty alleviation between eastern and western provinces and cities. Although other developing countries have different conditions and cultures, China rightly believes its poverty alleviation experience can help. Among developing countries, only China has achieved rapid development and large-scale poverty reduction, with the poor sharing the fruits of reform and opening-up over the four decades and with the intractably poor finally brought out of poverty over the last seven years or so. For good reason, China's poverty alleviation accomplishments have been called a developmental miracle. When China's 2020 poverty alleviation mission is completed, China will have achieved the poverty reduction goal of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule. No other country has brought so many people out of poverty, and did so in such a short period of time. China asserts that these historic achievements validate the country's socialist political system, which means the continuing leadership of the CPC. What can the world learn from China's success in poverty alleviation? Many things, to be sure. Certainly, China hopes to share its poverty reduction experience - all aspects of it - with the world community, especially the poorest nations. But first, a caveat. Each country is different. Each culture has its own history; the natures of different peoples are indeed different. We cannot take programs from one country and impose them wholly, without adaptation, on another country. However, the principles are what's important. And China's principles of poverty alleviation are clear: "targeted" poverty alleviation employs specific measures to fit specific circumstances and needs, and a clear organizational structure to implement those measures, monitor them, and check them. Nonetheless, to me, what is even clearer is this. For a country to make a success of poverty alleviation, the No.1 criterion is that the leadership of the country must make an absolute and resolute commitment to accomplish it. Again, General Secretary Xi's unambiguous assertion: "I have spent more energy on poverty alleviation than on anything else." This sends a powerful message to officials at all levels, indeed to the entire country. So, this is the big lesson to learn: the senior leader of the country needs to make the overall mission of poverty alleviation a high priority for the nation. Nothing less will do. Then, one individual needs to be empowered, by senior leadership, with the authority and resources to implement the national program. Liu Yongfu, head of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, explained to me his action-oriented mission; "22 provinces with large poverty-stricken populations have made a solemn pledge to the central government to complete poverty alleviation before the end of 2020. We treat this task as if it's a military order." We think of poverty programs in terms of criteria, measures, mechanisms and procedures. And indeed, China has pioneered micro-businesses, education, relocating whole villages, eco-compensation, and social security. These can be adapted to other countries, as can the Party-led organizational system of implementing poverty alleviation through the "five levels" of local government. Bottomline, though, what all countries should recognize in the fight against poverty is the critical importance of motivating officials to make poverty alleviation a priority in the hierarchy of values in their work. This can come only from the top down. This is a big lesson that China offers to the world. While rightly celebrating China's historic eradication of all extreme poverty, a monumental accomplishment for the ages, President Xi set immediately to work in redressing relative poverty, recognizing the country's ongoing imbalance between urban and rural areas by calling for "rural vitalization" as "a historic shift" in focusing on agriculture, rural areas and farmers. Xi sent an unambiguous signal that wide urban-rural gaps are not acceptable, that rural areas and farmers are "the ballast" for the country, as he called for "rural vitalization" to ensure that farmers become affluent and well-off. Exemplifying this new development stage, China has established the National Administration of Rural Revitalization, a new agency to maintain momentum generated by the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. It reminded me of what Xi told me in 2006 when he was Party chief of Zhejiang Province. "It is fair to say that we have achieved some successes," Xi said when we met in Hangzhou; "nevertheless, we should have a cautious appraisal of our accomplishments." Xi emphasized that China cannot be satisfied with the status quo: "We should never overestimate our accomplishments or indulge ourselves in our achievements," he said. He called for China to aspire to "our next higher goal," and to appreciate "the gap between where we are and where we have to go." He described this as "a persistent and unremitting process." His words back then are fitting commentary on what he says as President in 2021, as China transitions from poverty alleviation to rural vitalization and ushers in a new stage of rural development. Jorge Heine, former Chilean ambassador to China, a research professor at the Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University and a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) in Beijing Humanity has made enormous progress in reducing poverty and extreme poverty in the past 40 years - notably in the current phase of globalization that started in 1980. This has been especially apparent in Asia, and particularly in the two Asian giants, China and India, but also, albeit to a lesser degree, in Africa and Latin America. There is little doubt that the increase in the flow of goods, services, capital and communications across borders has brought in its wake an enormous increase in economic activity, in progress, and in wealth creation. China's role in poverty reduction is especially noteworthy, and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were achieved in large part because China lifted some 800 million people out of poverty since it kicked off reform and opening up. This has changed the face of China, and with a $10,000 per capita GDP, China today is a very different country from what it was in 1980. Whereas in 1978, the incidence of rural poverty was 97.5 percent, this figure was reduced to 3.1 percent in 2017. From 1978 to 2017, China has shown an annual average poverty reduction of 19 million people. To an important degree, this is a consequence of sheer economic growth. By growing at an average of 10 percent a year for 30 years in a row, something no economist thought was possible for any country, let alone one the size of China, enormous wealth has been created. The Chinese people are so much better off as a result. Yes, this growth has not been equally spread across all of China. City dwellers earn, on average, three times as much as their rural counterparts; the coastal areas are better off than the interior; and the South and the East do much better than the North and the West. Yet, over the past few years, an effort has been made to address this issue, and provinces like landlocked Guizhou, which had been especially affected by high poverty rates, have managed to eradicate extreme poverty, as measured by Chinese standards. The point is that, far from relying solely on economic growth by itself to reduce poverty, public policies targeted the counties mostly affected by it. This meant investing in infrastructure like water supply, roads, and networks, as well as equipping educational, health and cultural facilities, above and beyond normal budgetary allocations. The result has been that in areas like western China, the number of people living in poverty dropped from 50.86 million in 2012 to 16.34 million in 2017, and the incidence of poverty from 17.6 percent in 2012 to 5.6 percent in 2017. One concern expressed by international agencies is whether this enormous effort, which has required a vast allocation of resources, is sustainable. Many would say that is the next big challenge in China's poverty alleviation program, one on which the jury is still out. In China, poverty has been closely associated with the rural areas and with remote locations. Integrating its vast, 9.6 million square kilometers territory via adequate transport and communications has been China's challenge since times immemorial. By doing this through its 120,000 kilometers of railway lines (30,000 kilometers of high-speed) and mobile telecommunications technology wielded by 1.3 billion mobile phone owners (as has happened over the past decade and a half), China has created many more economic opportunities for previously isolated communities. By 2017, 98.5 percent of Chinese villages had phone access and 86.5 percent had access to cable TV signals. The fast growth of e-commerce, of which China has 40 percent of worldwide totals, has also played a key role, allowing the access of remote communities to consumer markets in the big cities and urban areas. A key point to keep in mind here is the issue of physical and digital connectivity. As the world moves toward a service economy, being connected is of the essence. And this is where China's Belt and Road Initiative comes in. Although it started as a project to recreate Eurasia, it soon evolved into something much more ambitious. What China is saying to countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America is: railways, mobile telephones and broadband access worked for us. Perhaps they will work for you as well.![]() The picture, taken on September 7, 2020, shows the allocation areas for locals in a village in Yuexi country, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Photo: Xinhua John Ross, a senior fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, former director of Economic and Business Policy for the Mayor of London President Xi hailed the country's achievement of eradicating extreme poverty as a miracle that shall "go down in history." That is totally, literally true. It was not an exaggeration. This is mainly because it's a socialist country. This is the biggest achievement in poverty reduction in the whole of human history. There have been so many people and such a large proportion of humanity being lifted out of poverty in such a short period of time. It was done by the CPC and the government of China. It was done by enormous, hard work, and by having a correct social and economic system. It shows that socialism is something which delivers for people. Now it's the same as the way that China has been protected in COVID-19. I wouldn't call it a miracle. I would say that it shows the correctness of the policies which have been pursued. I think it's just very inspiring. It's the biggest contribution to human rights made by any country in the world. In comparison with some Western countries, China has its advantages in dealing with poverty. Again, it comes down to the great advantages of the political system in China. But that has a real meaning. It was the socialist system in China which is able to make its economy grow so fast. To lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty can only be done with the growth of the whole economy. And also it involves the direct role of CPC and a conscious policy of the current government. Over 1500 members of the CPC died during the anti-poverty campaign because of the very adverse circumstances. It's the same as in the situation with COVID-19. The CPC can mobilize people in every part of society. There are still many regions and countries suffering from poverty. There are many things they can learn from China. The most important thing is China sets poverty alleviation as the top goal. They put it as priority. China has a very big group of cooperated people, whose total job is to get some people out of poverty. China also has an overriding target. I know that due to the COVID-19 situation, China did not set the target for economic growth. But it has a clear target of eliminating poverty. And therefore, that means a total priority was given to poverty elimination. So it means it was set as an absolutely dominating policy of the state. And that's what requires other countries to take - make the elimination of poverty as the top priority of the government. China accounts more than 70 percent of the reduction of poverty in the world. The situation in the world on poverty would be remote without what China has done. So China's contribution to poverty elimination and therefore to the real improvement to human rights is absolutely overwhelming. Some Western media said it remains to be seen whether China's work on poverty relief can continue. This is very funny. Many books from the West have predicted that China is about to collapse for decades, but it would not happen. China has done poverty reduction by enabling people to produce. What China has done is more sustainable because it's been done by creating infrastructure. It's been mainly done by greatly improving their actual conditions of life, their housing and their ability to make a living. That means it's much more sustainable. Ei Sun OH, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs In general, China's successful eradication of extreme poverty is indeed a very laudable achievement. I think the main motivation, and the main reasons, were perhaps a sort of collective determination as well as the resolute focus by means of a very systematic effort over recent years to eradicate this poverty. I heard, for example, government officials and from different levels of government were tasked with this poverty eradication effort. They're politically accountable and responsible for the success of poverty eradication efforts in their respective jurisdiction. So these are incentives for a lot of government officials to cooperate from what I learned with the various corporations, institutions and other organizations to eradicate this poverty. Another reason was the willingness of those who used to live in extreme poverty to seek to eradicate themselves from the level of extreme poverty. I think in a lot of Western countries, the mentality depends on government largesse and government hangout is very strong; therefore the willingness to extricate yourself out of poverty is awfully absent from a lot of these countries, unfortunately. China's lessons to the world in terms of poverty eradication are indeed the combination of the government's willingness, determination and focus and accountability of various officials. This combined with creative solutions by various corporations and organizations in conjunction with the willingness of those who live in poverty to pull themselves up. I think all three factors are important - government, various creative solutions by various organizations and corporations as well as those who used to live in poverty. They must all work together to make this happen. China, being the world's most populated country and having achieved this total eradication extreme poverty, has of course made very significant achievement. We look forward to sharing some of China's lessons in this respect, especially with other developing countries.Journal: Global Times (English) |
Global Times (English) | ★ |
25/02/2021 |
AFTER BOASTING, INDIAN ARMY CHIEF GOES ON TO DESCRIBE PANGONG LAKE DISENGAGEMENT AS A “WIN-WIN” FOR BOTH ARMIES
Excerpts/Summary
The frontline troops of the two armies on the southern and northern banks of Pangong Lake began to organize simultaneous disengagement on Feb. 10. Indian media previously reported that the disengagement between the two sides in the area was completed on the 20th. According to the Indian Express, Chief of Staff of the Indian Army Naravane first boasted of the Indian side's efforts in the disengagement, and then said that the disengagement between the Chinese and Indian armies at Pangong Lake was a "very good end result" and a win-win situation for both countries.
Screenshot of the report in The Indian Express
On the same day, Naravane first boasted about India's efforts to resolve the India-China standoff at an online seminar organized by the Vivekananda International Foundation, an Indian think tank. He reportedly said at the time that all sides in India were working together from the outset of the standoff, and that at the political level, both Indian Defense Minister Singh and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar were engaged in dialogue with their Chinese counterparts.
In addition, he said, the advice provided by India's National Security Advisor has been very practical and has helped the Indian side formulate countermeasures.
"Because of all these approaches taken, (both sides) disengaged." Naravane said, "I think it's a very good end result, it's a win-win situation. I think so far, the ten rounds of talks (between India and China) have worked out well."
However, the report mentioned that Naravane also said there are still outstanding issues in areas such as Depsang and Eastern "Ladakh", "but we have a strategy for that. Do we still have any (issues) to negotiate in the future? Yes, we certainly do".
According to the consensus reached at the ninth round of military commanders level talks between India and China, the front-line troops of the two armies located on the southern and northern banks of Pangong Lake began synchronized and organised disengagement on Feb. 10. The Times of India said on February 21 that the disengagement between the two sides in the area had been completed the previous day. Indian sources familiar with the tenth round of talks told local media that "the talks are going well" and that the Indian side hopes "the next phase of the disengagement process will be as smooth as the previous one.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense issued a news release on the evening of Feb. 21, saying that on Feb. 20, the Chinese and Indian armies held the tenth round of military commander-level talks on the Chinese side of the Moldo/Chushul meeting point. The two sides gave positive comments on the disengagement of frontline troops in the Pangong Lake area in the early stage, considering it an important development that provides a basis for resolving remaining issues in the Western sector of the India-China border along the Line of Actual Control. The two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on other issues in the Western sector of the Line of Actual Control. The two sides agreed to follow the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, continue to maintain communication and dialogue, stabilise the situation on the ground, reach a mutually acceptable solution in a steady and orderly manner and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border area.
Journal: huanqiu.com |
huanqiu.com | ★ |
25/02/2021 |
14851: EDITORIAL: CHINA AND USA EACH HAS ITS OWN ADVANTAGES, COMPETITION IS NOT ABOUT SHOOTING POISONED ARROWS
Excerpts/Summary
(The following is an English rendering of the Huan Qiu Shi Bao Editorial, carried in the English Global Times under the title "US should make competition fair, not a game to contain China", which is being reproduced pending translation of the Chinese original.)
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday that he has directed lawmakers to craft a package of measures to counter China's rise, capitalizing on bipartisan hard-line sentiment on Beijing in Congress to strengthen the US tech sector and counter "unfair practices." This echoes US President Joe Biden's call for "extremely fierce competition" with China.
China welcomes justified, even extreme competition from the US. If the US wants to reinforce its overall leadership by maintaining its high-tech edge, China is willing to dance with it to achieve a long-term win-win result through competition. However, the US should not take destructive actions to disrupt the basic order of the global economy and science and technology, or shoot a poisonous arrow at China with some so-called sanctions to contain China's development.
China is destined to move forward. We have some long-term cultural and institutional advantages. The US should view them objectively and respect its strength, instead of trying to suppress them in a conspiratorial and evil way. China has always been positive about some strengths of the US and tried to learn from them. In turn, the US should correct its attitude.
China has realized rapid development and will maintain a faster growth than the US for a period in the future. Here are some basic reasons.
Ordinary Chinese people are very hardworking, able to endure hardships, and strive for progress. Such factors form the collective motivation of Chinese people to catch up with the world class advanced targets. Chinese people often work longer than other peoples for a better life. They are willing to take challenges. From ancient times, Chinese people have lived in a relatively populous environment with a tight supply of resources. This has made them more tenacious. If China-US competition is a marathon, such characteristics of Chinese people would be the country's advantage in the game.
The Chinese population is over four times that of the US. And the demand of consumption is growing, becoming a lasting potential that the US cannot compete with. Automobile sales in China will be twice more than in the US, and the gap will widen. This is a clear signal of differences between the two countries' market potential. The US has no option other than to admit the gap and adapt to it.
China's political system, which has been repeatedly attacked by the US, combined with China's cultural traditions, has helped China achieve effective organizational and mobilization capabilities, enabling the country to respond wel |