The interaction of the two top diplomats followed the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping in Kazan last month…reports Asian Lite News
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed next steps in bilateral relations following the recent meeting of the leaders of the two countries and the de-escalation of border tensions.
At their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 here on Monday, they “noted the progress in the recent disengagement in the India-China border areas”, Jaishankar wrote on X.
He added that they “exchanged views on the next steps in our bilateral ties”.
China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said at a briefing in Beijing on Monday that his country was ready to “enhance strategic mutual trust”.
The interaction of the two top diplomats followed the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping in Kazan last month after a breakthrough by both countries in cooling the border tension.
Jaishankar said before the meeting with Wang, “In Kazan, our leaders reached a consensus in taking the next steps in our relations bearing in mind the understanding of 21st October.”
On that day the two countries said they had reached an agreement to de-escalate the situation along their border where their troops had clashed in 2020 with fatalities on both sides.
“I am glad to note that on the ground the implementation of that understanding has proceeded as planned,” he said.
That agreement opened the prospects for again trying to improve relations between the neighbours and for their leaders to meet at the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan.
Lin said, “China stands ready to work with India to deliver on the important common understandings between the leaders of two countries, step up communication and cooperation, and enhance strategic mutual trust.”
Jaishankar said, “Our leaders have directed the foreign ministers and the special representatives should meet at an early date. Some progress, some discussions have happened in that direction.”
Xi is also attending the G20 summit and it did not appear that they made any contact on Monday. Lin said that he did not have any information on a possible meeting between them.
The medical community’s fundamental principle of “do no harm” stands in stark contrast to current practices that inadvertently support China’s organ harvesting system. Western medical institutions face a clear ethical choice: maintain professional relationships with Chinese institutions or uphold their fundamental ethical principles. The consequences of this choice affect countless lives, writes Pushkar Sinha
The stark reality of China’s forced organ harvesting program and Western medicine’s inadvertent role in supporting it took center stage at a recent London hearing, where lawmakers, legal experts, and survivors gathered to address this pressing human rights crisis. The November 5th testimony revealed disturbing connections between Western medical institutions and China’s systematic abuse of prisoners of conscience.
The evidence is damning. According to the China Tribunal, an independent investigative body in London, it has been proven “beyond reasonable doubt” that the Chinese regime has been systematically harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience, with Falun Gong practitioners being the primary victims. The persecution of these spiritual practitioners, which began in 1999 when the Chinese Communist Party launched its nationwide campaign, has resulted in a hidden but industrialized system of medical atrocities.
Two recent survivors who sought asylum in the UK provided firsthand accounts that illuminate the methodical nature of these abuses. Tian Xin, who endured a decade of persecution in various prisons, described being subjected to forced medical examinations, including X-rays and blood tests – procedures specifically designed to assess organ viability. Similarly, Han Fei recounted her traumatic experience of being forcibly held down by police while doctors drew her blood, along with mandatory CT scans and ultrasounds. These medical tests, notably, were only performed on Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience, not on the general prison population.
The Western medical community’s unintended complicity in these abuses takes several forms, as outlined by Eleanor Stephenson, a barrister consulting for the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China. Western institutions provide clinical training to Chinese transplant surgeons, publish research papers without verifying organ sources, and participate in hospital exchange programs without adequate due diligence. More disturbing still is the supply of medical equipment and drugs used in transplant procedures, effectively providing the tools for these human rights violations.
One of the most telling indicators of systematic abuse is China’s ability to offer predetermined organ waiting times – a medical impossibility in ethical transplant systems. This points to the existence of a living organ bank maintained through the detention of prisoners of conscience. Lord David Alton of Liverpool noted at the hearing that while over 5,000 documented cases of Falun Gong practitioners dying due to persecution have been reported, this represents merely “the tip of the iceberg” given that victims’ remains are often incinerated to destroy evidence.
The scope of the persecution is staggering. By the late 1990s, official estimates indicated more than 70 million Falun Gong practitioners in China. Following the CCP’s crackdown in July 1999, millions were detained in prisons, labor camps, and other facilities, with hundreds of thousands subjected to torture while incarcerated, according to the Falun Dafa Information Center.
Canadian investigative lawyer David Matas presented concrete solutions at the hearing, emphasizing that avoiding complicity lies entirely within Western nations’ power. His recommendations include banning entry for anyone involved in organ transplant abuse, ending transplant-related collaborations with Chinese institutions, amending legislation to allow prosecution of perpetrators, and imposing targeted sanctions on responsible officials.
Recent legislative efforts show promise but require broader adoption. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Falun Gong Protection Act in June, which would require the United States to avoid any cooperation with China in organ transplantation and implement targeted sanctions. Similar measures are needed globally to create a unified response to these atrocities.
The medical community’s fundamental principle of “do no harm” stands in stark contrast to current practices that inadvertently support China’s organ harvesting system. Western medical institutions face a clear ethical choice: maintain professional relationships with Chinese institutions or uphold their fundamental ethical principles. The consequences of this choice affect countless lives.
A failed 2023 attempt to amend the UK’s procurement bill, which would have barred suppliers involved in forced organ harvesting from receiving public contracts, demonstrates the ongoing challenge of implementing effective safeguards. However, the growing body of evidence and survivor testimony makes it increasingly difficult to ignore Western medicine’s role in enabling these abuses.
The path forward requires immediate action: implementing strict due diligence protocols, ending questionable collaborations, and establishing legal frameworks to prevent complicity in these crimes. The Western medical community must recognize that even indirect cooperation with China’s transplant system risks supporting a state-sponsored system of forced organ harvesting. The evidence is clear, the solutions are available, and the time for action is now. The lives of countless prisoners of conscience depend on the Western medical community’s willingness to stand firmly against these systematic human rights violations.
Starmer will meet world leaders on Monday at the G20 summit in Brazil…reports Asian Lite News
Ukraine will be “top of the agenda” this week at a meeting of leaders from the world’s most powerful economies, Keir Starmer has pledged, though he said he had “no plans” to follow the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and speak directly to Vladimir Putin.
Starmer will meet world leaders on Monday at the G20 summit in Brazil, which the Russian president has declined to attend, sending his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, in his place.
Speaking to reporters en route to the summit, the UK prime minister said it was significant that leaders were gathering almost 1,000 days into Russia’s war and said there had “got to be full support for as long as it takes”, citing the use of North Korean soldiers in the war as a particularly disturbing development.
World leaders will gather in Rio de Janeiro for the summit, where there is significant division over the approach to Ukraine and an air of impotency given the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House. The president-elect has signalled the US will take a different approach to funding Ukraine’s defence.
Overnight, Russia fired more than 200 missile and drones across Ukraine, targeting the country’s energy grid, in the biggest attack on Ukraine since August and the first significant Russian assault since the US election.
Starmer will attend the summit along with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, and the outgoing US president, Joe Biden.
The UK prime minister said he had “no plans to speak to Putin”, when asked about Scholz’s call. He said: “We are coming up to the 1,000th day of this conflict on Tuesday: that’s 1,000 days of Russian aggression, 1,000 days of huge impact and sacrifice in relation to Ukrainian people, and recently we’ve seen the addition of North Korean troops working with the Russians, which does have serious implications.
“I think on the one hand it shows the desperation of Russia but it’s got serious implications for European security, that added additional element, and for Indo-Pacific security – and that’s why I think we need to double-down on shoring up our support for Ukraine and that’s top of my agenda for the G20.”
Starmer denied the G20 meeting was futile, with such extreme division between the leaders in attendance, not only on Ukraine but on economic issues, the climate and gender equality.
The Argentinian president, Javier Milei, is a close ally of Trump and was the first world leader to visit the president-elect at his Florida residence. He is said to be mounting a number of obstacles to the formal communique. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, visited Milei en route to the summit in an attempt to ease tensions and salvage an agreement from the meeting.
“We’re meeting the biggest economies in the world in the next few days and my number-one mission is to grow our economy and to get inward investment into our country,” Starmer said.
“So I’m going to use that opportunity at the G20 to do exactly that. And obviously, when it comes to security, there are really important issues right here, right now when it comes to Ukraine that I think are well worth it, and it’s important that we do pursue. And that’s why I’ll be trying to do what I can.”
Prime minister wants bilateral at G20 to lead to closer ties with China, which he sees as key to faster growth…reports Asian Lite News
Keir Starmer will become the first UK prime minister in six years to meet the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, promising to turn the page on UK-China relations by building “a pragmatic and serious relationship”.
Starmer and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, have been pursuing a thawing of relations with the world’s second-largest economy on pragmatic grounds, suggesting that the UK cannot achieve its growth ambitions without better terms with China.
But the move to deepen ties is likely to be controversial among human rights groups and backbenchers, and with several high-profile Conservative MPs who have had sanctions imposed on them by China.
Tom Tugendhat and Alicia Kearns, both prominent Tory critics of China, called on Starmer to use the meeting to raise with Xi the plight of UK nationals including Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy media owner detained and tried in Hong Kong.
Starmer will meet the Chinese president on Monday in Rio de Janeiro at the G20 summit, a meeting of world leaders that is likely to be marked by divisions over the climate crisis and Ukraine. No British prime minister has met Xi since Theresa May visited Beijing in 2018 in the midst of a trade push during Brexit negotiations, though Boris Johnson spoke to the Chinese president during the pandemic.
Since then, relations have significantly cooled because of cyber threats, a human rights crackdown in Hong Kong and the sanctions against British MPs. Rishi Sunak attempted to renew relations at the G20 summit in 2022 where a bilateral was planned but cancelled due to Ukraine developments. But Conservative leaders have toyed with designating China a threat to British security – stronger language than the US had used.
Those to have had Chinese sanctions imposed upon them include Tugendhat, the former security minister; Nusrat Ghani, the Commons deputy speaker; and Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader. Tugendhat said: “Jimmy Lai – a British citizen – is being put on a show trial in Hong Kong. Others are being threatened here in the UK.
“It is essential that Starmer raises Mr Lai’s case and the threats we are witnessing against other British nationals who have spoken out who are now here in the UK. Starmer must clearly defend Britain against Beijing’s authoritarian regime.” Kearns, who is a shadow foreign minister, said: “The sham trial of British citizen Jimmy Lai recommences on Wednesday, yet it is glaringly absent from Starmer’s comments. British interests are achieved by being set out clearly, not as ‘by the ways’ cast to the sidelines of discussions. Starmer needs to call for Jimmy’s release now, and be unequivocal with Xi Jinping.”
The foreign secretary, David Lammy, visited China last month in the first signal that the new Labour government saw a renewal of better ties as a priority. Reeves, who is understood to be taking a leading role in pursuing new economic opportunities with China, will head to Beijing in January. In remarks before his meeting with Xi, Starmer sought to head off gloomy predictions for the summit, at which there will be a number of world leaders who are facing election defeat. Additionally, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has said he will not attend the summit, but his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, will be there.
“It is in the UK’s best interests to engage on the global stage – whether that’s building strong and fruitful partnerships with our closest allies or being frank with those whose values differ from our own,” Starmer said. The prime minister expects to meet at least eight world leaders in one-to-one discussions in Rio.
Speaking to reporters en route to the summit, Starmer underlined the need for a realistic approach, saying it was important that he met Xi and stressing the potential economic benefits – without mentioning the potential security risks to better relations. “We are both global players, global powers, both permanent members of the security council and of the G20. China’s economy is obviously the second biggest in the world,” he said.
“It’s one of our biggest trading partners and therefore I will be having serious, pragmatic discussions with the president when I meet him.” Asked if the intention was to improve on the relations since the Conservative government, Starmer said: “I do think it’s important that we have serious engagement, which is what I will be pursuing in my bilateral at the G20.”
No 10 said that any change in relations would be “rooted at all times in the UK’s national interests” but said there were “clear areas of mutual cooperation – including on international stability, climate and growth”. It said Starmer would be “firm on the need to have honest conversations on areas of disagreement, while competing and challenging where we have to.”
Starmer has faced some criticism at home for the number of days he has spent abroad since taking office, and this trip amounts to another four days away from the UK. Starmer defended the trip – the first visit by a British prime minister to Brazil in 12 years – as a chance to catalyse relations with rising economic powers in Latin America, suggesting common ground with Brazil’s leftwing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on green energy and protecting workers’ rights. ]
Katayama highlighted the strategic and economic significance of the Taiwan-Japan relationship…reports Asian Lite News
Japan views Taiwan’s existence as “very, very important,” Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama stated in an interview with Liberty Times (Taipei Times).
Katayama highlighted the strategic and economic significance of the Taiwan-Japan relationship, underlining their shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
In his comments, Katayama, who has served in the position for a year, noted that the two nations enjoy strong economic ties, especially in agricultural and animal husbandry trade. Taiwan has relaxed restrictions on Japanese agricultural products, while Japan recently began importing Taiwan-raised brown-marbled grouper and pitaya.
This bilateral trade is complemented by the growing number of Taiwanese tourists visiting Japan. With 4.2 million Taiwanese traveling to Japan last year, the figure is expected to exceed 5 million this year, setting a new record, Taipei Times reported.
Katayama also stressed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential not only for Taiwan and Japan but also for other nations. He emphasised that any change to the cross-strait status quo should be resolved peacefully, a stance Japan firmly upholds.
Reflecting on his year in Taiwan, Katayama expressed the importance of the two nations’ relationship, citing the connection between young Japanese and Taiwanese as an example of the warm bilateral ties.
He also encouraged more Taiwanese youth to study and work in Japan, as future generations will be key to sustaining these close relations.
In related news, Taiwan’s Tourism Administration reported a significant surge in Japanese visitors, with over 1 million Japanese traveling to Taiwan in the first 10 months of this year, reported Taipei Times.
This marks a nearly 50 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, highlighting the strength of Taiwan-Japan tourism ties post-pandemic.
To further attract Japanese tourists, Taiwan is hosting a baseball-themed exhibition at Taipei 101, featuring the ball hit by Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani for his 50th home run in the 2023 Major League Baseball season. (ANI)
India’s real equity returns averaged +6.9% annually since 2000, outperforming China’s modest +4.0% despite China’s robust economic growth….reports Asian Lite News
Indian equity markets have delivered stronger returns compared to China’s equity markets since 2000, highlighted a report by Deutsche Bank
The report noted that while China has experienced robust economic growth, its equity market performance has been relatively modest, with real returns averaging +4.0 per cent per annum since 2000. In contrast, India has emerged as a leader among both emerging and developed markets, offering one of the highest real equity returns of +6.9 per cent per annum over the same period.
It said “India has one of the highest real equity returns (+6.9% p.a.) of the main EM and DM countries in the 2000- 2024 QC”
The report also highlighted that, as of 2024, India and the U.S. are among the few markets trading close to record-high CAPE (Cyclically Adjusted Price-to-Earnings) ratios. This metric, which measures earnings over a 10-year period, smooths out cyclical variations but may not fully account for structural changes in market dynamics.
It stated that at the turn of the millennium, the U.S. S&P 500’s CAPE ratio reached unprecedented levels before dipping in the early years of the 21st century now it has climbed back to heights only exceeded briefly in the last century.
The report also argues that tech dominance, artificial intelligence (AI) advancements, and structural shifts in earnings expectations justify these elevated valuations for the U.S.
It said “The bulls would argue that tech dominance and AI hopes offer the US that structural shift, and perhaps India’s outlook is so positive that investors are prepared to pay up for the potential growth”.
It suggested that India’s positive growth outlook and its potential as a key player in global markets also explain why investors are willing to pay a premium.
Heading into the new quarter-century (2025-2049), the report added that India and the U.S. begin on a high note but remain expensive compared to markets with more normalized valuations. This positions them as markets to watch, with their growth trajectories closely tied to investor confidence in their structural strengths and future prospects.
Deal Volume Up 12%
India saw 11.9 per cent increase in deal volume (year-on-year) in the January-October period, bucking the overall trend in the Asia-Pacific region, a new report has said.
On the other hand, China experienced YoY decline in deal volume by 22.9 per cent during the period, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
A total of 11,808 deals (mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture financing deals) were announced in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region during January to October 2024, which was a year-on-year (YoY) decline of 4.8 per cent, compared to the 12,406 deals announced during the same period in 2023.
An analysis revealed that during January-October, the number of private equity and venture financing deals declined by 16.3 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, the M&A deals volume experienced a marginal YoY improvement during the review period.
According to Aurojyoti Bose, lead analyst at GlobalData, the decline in deal activity in APAC was in line with the global trend wherein all the regions experienced fall in deal volume.
However, the APAC region showcased relatively better performance and experienced only single digit decline whereas most of the other regions experienced double-digit declines, Bose mentioned.
“This could be attributed to the improvement in deal activity experienced in some of the APAC countries, like India,” the report said, adding that this has helped in minimising the impact of decline experienced in other countries within the region.
Meanwhile, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia experienced YoY decline in deal volume by 17.6 per cent, 14.4 per cent, 13.9 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively, during the review period.
According to another report that came out in October, the mergers and acquisitions deal activity in value in India surged 66 per cent in the first nine months this year, outpacing 10 per cent growth globally and 5 per cent decrease in the Asia-Pacific region overall.
The M&A activity in India has been strong in 2024, bucking the trend in the other Asia-Pacific markets, according to a global report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
“This highlights India’s unique resilience and appeal. Sectors like technology, media, industrials and healthcare have been key drivers of large deals, capitalising on the ‘Make in India’ initiative,” said Dhruv Shah, Managing Director and Partner, BCG.
A growing middle class, greater awareness, rising healthcare costs, and supportive regulations have combined to offer high growth for India’s insurance industry over the last few years…reports Asian Lite News
India’s insurance sector clocked a robust 11 per cent compound annual growth rate to cross the $130 billion mark during FY2020-23, surpassing Asian peers China and Thailand, which grew at less than 5 per cent, according to a McKinsey report.
The report. titled ‘Steering Indian Insurance from Growth to Value in the Upcoming Techade’, said that while the country’s life insurance industry grew to $107 billion as of 2023, the general insurance industry touched $35.2 billion.
A growing middle class, greater awareness, rising healthcare costs, and supportive regulations have combined to offer high growth for India’s insurance industry over the last few years, the report added.
However, there is immense growth potential as a significant portion of the Indian population and insurable assets remain uninsured, increasing the risks of high out-of-pocket expenses, adding to the overall economic strain, and undermining the industry’s ability to bring full benefit to society.
Affordable private health insurance coverage could also reduce the strain on government healthcare, potentially freeing government funds to improve healthcare infrastructure, the report pointed out.
The McKinsey report also highlights that insurers’ ability to drive value has been impeded by challenges, including the inability to generate sufficient returns and manage operational efficiencies. Despite the regulator’s target of ‘Insurance for All by 2047,’ the industry’s penetration rate has slipped from 4.2 per cent in 2022 to 4 per cent in 2023, indicating that its progress has not been on par with India’s economic growth, the report added.
According to the McKinsey report, despite a decline in claims ratios, a steady increase in expense ratios among traditional players (until 2023) pushed the combined ratio upwards. “Improvement in leading productivity metrics, such as operating expenses per life or policy, has been negligible over the past two to three years for both life and general insurance companies,” it points out.
Peeyush Dalmia, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company, said, “While current growth indicators are promising, the insurance industry has not seen improvement in productivity. Achieving long-term success requires a fundamental transformation in how insurance products are designed, distributed, and serviced.”
The industry stands at an inflection point, and Insurance companies that successfully implement these changes while ensuring focus on profitability will be well-positioned to capture the significant growth opportunities ahead, he added.
Xi Jinping called on the Japanese side to face history squarely, look to the future, and properly handle major issues of principle such as history and Taiwan, manage differences in a constructive manner…reports Asian Lite Mews
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first in-person talks on Friday as part of efforts to manage tensions in Japan-China relations and also expressed his concerns over China’s activity near Taiwan as well as the South China Sea, the Japan Times reported.
The two leaders meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru, where they discussed several key issues, including Japan’s seafood export ban, China’s military activities near Japan, and the safety of Japanese nationals in China.
In his opening remarks, Ishiba highlighted the importance of Japan-China relations for global stability, acknowledging both challenges and the need for ongoing dialogue. He also reiterated Japan’s concerns about regional security, particularly around the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and China’s growing military presence near Japan. The prime minister also stressed the importance of “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait” as it was “extremely important for the international community.” He further expressed “serious concerns” over the situation in the South China Sea, as reported by the Japan Times.
Meanwhile, Xi expressed appreciation for Ishida’s stance on promoting Japan-China ties and described the current moment as “critical” for improving relations and hoped that the two countries’ ties could be “constructive and stable,” the Japan Times reported.
Both leaders emphasised the importance of a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests,” a sentiment that had become rare in recent years due to escalating diplomatic challenges. The last time this phrase was used was during the 2023 summit in San Francisco, when former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Xi set the tone for their relationship, Japan Times reported.
In addition, Ishiba reiterated Japan’s demand for the removal of import restrictions on Japanese seafood. This follows an agreement in September under which China agreed to “gradually resume” seafood imports from Japan in exchange for increased monitoring, including Chinese experts overseeing Japan’s release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
This meeting marks Ishiba’s second major international appearance since becoming prime minister on October 1, with his engagements with Xi and US President Joe Biden drawing significant attention.
In light of these tensions, Ishiba stressed the urgency of addressing safety concerns for Japanese nationals in China and pushing for a clear response from Beijing regarding the recent incidents involving Japanese citizens. Ishida was referring to the recent of two high-profile attacks on Japanese children in China that have raised concerns among the Japanese community there, although Beijing has not provided details on the suspects.
With US President-elect Donald Trump poised to return to the White House, both Tokyo and Beijing are closely analyzing the potential impact on regional power dynamics and seeking to maintain open communication to avoid any missteps.
Xi says relations in critical period
China-Japan relations are in a critical period of improvement and development, as the current international and regional situations face changes and turbulence, said President Xi.
He noted that China is willing to work with Japan, in accordance with the principles and directions established in the four political documents between China and Japan, to uphold the important consensus that the two countries should “be partners, not threats,” comprehensively advance the strategic relationship of mutual benefit, and endeavour to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.
Xi stressed that China’s development is an opportunity for the world, and this is especially true for neighbouring countries like Japan. He expressed hope that Japan will work with China to develop a correct mutual understanding, steer the bilateral relationship in the right direction from a strategic perspective and with a broad view of the overall situation, and translate the important political consensus reached by both sides into concrete policies and actions.
Xi called on the Japanese side to face history squarely, look to the future, and properly handle major issues of principle such as history and Taiwan, manage differences in a constructive manner and maintain the political foundation of bilateral relations.
Washington has been pushing Beijing for months to break a longstanding resistance to nuclear arms talks…reports Asian Lite News
Joe Biden met with Xi Jinping on Saturday afternoon, coming to the agreement that human beings and not artificial intelligence should make decisions over the use of nuclear weapons, according to the White House.
In what is believed to be the last meeting between the two leaders before Donald Trump assumes the US presidency, the two met at a hotel on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru, where they shook hands before each delivering opening remarks on the China-US relationship.
“The two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons,” the White House said in a statement. “The two leaders also stressed the need to consider carefully the potential risks and develop AI technology in the military field in a prudent and responsible manner.”
The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was not clear whether the statement would lead to further talks or action on the issue. But it nonetheless marks a first-of-its-kind step between the two countries in the discussion of two issues on which progress has been elusive: nuclear arms and artificial intelligence.
Washington has been pushing Beijing for months to break a longstanding resistance to nuclear arms talks.
The two countries briefly resumed official-level talks over nuclear arms in November but those negotiations have since stalled, with a top US official publicly expressing frustration regarding China’s responsiveness.
Formal nuclear arms control negotiations have not been expected any time soon, despite US concerns about China’s rapid nuclear weapons buildup, even though semi-official exchanges have resumed.
Biden met on Friday with Yoon Suk Yeol, the South Korean president, and Shigeru Ishiba, the Japanese prime minister, and affirmed the alliance among the three countries. The three leaders agreed that “it should not be in Beijing’s interest to have this kind of destabilizing cooperation take place in the region”, a senior administration official said in a briefing on background.
Trump’s imminent return to the White House casts a dark shadow over the conversation as it remains unclear what his second term will mean for the relationship between the US and China.
On the campaign trail, Trump touted a hawkish approach to China, promising to increase tariffs to 60% on Chinese imports, which could be as much as $500bn worth of goods. Trump has also promised to end Russia’s war in Ukraine “in 24 hours”, which some fear means decreasing the flow of military aid to Ukraine or pushing the country to lose territory to Russia. A general backing away from the conflict could give room for China to step up as an intermediary, increasing its presence on the global stage.
Among Trump’s blitz of cabinet nominee announcements was the appointments of Florida senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Republican representative Mike Waltz as national security adviser, both of whom have have voiced hawkish views on China.
Xi congratulated Trump on his election win earlier this month, saying that their two countries must “get along with each other in the new era”, in a statement.
A resident collects medicine at a fever clinic in Kaifu District of Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Dec. 20, 2022. Fever clinics have been set up in cities including Xi'an and Changsha to provide timely treatment to patients with COVID-19 symptoms. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)
Many in China blamed the excesses by the government during the Zero Covid programme for deteriorating mental health conditions. The youth was particularly affected due to the loss of jobs, writes Dr Rajeev Kumar Sharma
The ongoing demographic crisis in China due to the fast-ageing population is set to become more severe in the near future. Almost a quarter of youth are reported to be suffering from mental depression in China. To make matters worse, such cases are also rising among adolescents as well. While the communist government in Beijing may be seen harping on a prosperous future, the young Chinese feel pessimistic about their own future. This does not spell good news for the country’s economic and social fortunes.
There are several reasons for the mental problems among youth. The rising level of unemployment is a major one. “Plenty of young Chinese people are now having psychological problems due to the bad economy, but many don’t show it outwardly. They choose to ‘lie flat’ or become cynical instead,” said a software development professional from Beijing. Notably, the viewership of mental-health-related videos on Bilibili, China’s equivalent of YouTube, grew by 83 percent in 2023 and the searches for solutions to anxiety, depression and pressure by 224 percent.
Under Xi Jinping, China’s economy has become stagnant while the repression of people has reportedly grown. The economic slowdown especially after the Covid pandemic has caused disillusion among the Chinese youth. Mei, a young former investment banker, lost her voice due to stress after she was sacked. “I think many young Chinese people are now becoming disillusioned — they are not getting what they were promised by the country in their youth,” she said.
Nancy Qian, professor of economics at Northwestern University, said the reasons for the youth depression are beyond the increasing joblessness and economic sluggishness. “The rise of youth depression has been decades in the making, and owes much to China’s rigid education system, past fertility policies and tight migration restrictions,” she said.
China’s youth unemployment rate as high as nearly 20%.
The controversial ‘996’ work culture is also to be blamed for the rising mental distress among the Chinese youth. While this was liked by employers and those seeking to become billionaires, the general population who want to spend time with family and friends or pursue some hobbies found it frustrating.
Young people in China pointed to the political repression, economic woes and workplace discrimination as well. Shanghai resident Zhao Di is one such individual who is facing mental health difficulties. “Not a single person I know has told me they’re happy. People of our generation living [in today’s China] are trapped in a general state of depression,” she said.
There has been a surge in suicides committed by people with depression in China. This includes children of age between 5 and 14. Even a successful singer named Coco Lee killed herself as she suffered from depression. It sparked mental health discussion on Chinese social media. There has been a surge in demand for mental health professionals. However, the Beijing government regards it as an imported form of Western-influenced bourgeois decadence.
Many in China blamed the excesses by the government during the Zero Covid programme for deteriorating mental health conditions. The youth was particularly affected due to the loss of jobs. “Mental health issues occurred during the pandemic. Trouble with people’s income, trouble to find a job – people’s anxiety has always been there, and is even increasing,” said Dr Jia Miao, assistant professor of sociology at Shanghai New York University.
A volunteer works at a nucleic acid testing site in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, Aug. 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingquan/IANS)
Things are getting worse for teenagers in China since they do not seek help for mental health problems, unlike adults, said Unicef. “Children in China are facing increasing stress and competition at school, high parental expectations, and rapidly changing socio-economic conditions. Mental health conditions are a major burden of disease for adolescents in China,” it said. Institute of Psychology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that about 25 percent of children in the country showed depressive symptoms while 7.4 percent were at severe risk of getting major depression.
Xiang Biao, Director at Germany-based Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, said Chinese society struggled to keep up with the economic progress, leaving the youth to cope with mental stress that was not witnessed in the past 40 years. “The previous pressure that stemmed from hopes for work, and the current pressure arising from a fear of being eliminated from the competition due to a lack of work opportunities,” he said.
