The two presidents announced the elevation of the China-Venezuela relationship to an all-weather strategic partnership…reports Asian Lite News
Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro Moros, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday.
The two presidents announced the elevation of the China-Venezuela relationship to an all-weather strategic partnership, Xinhua news agency reported.
“China has always viewed its relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective, and firmly supports Venezuela’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, national dignity and social stability, as well as Venezuela’s just cause of opposing external interference,” Xi told Maduro.
“The establishment of an all-weather strategic partnership between China and Venezuela meets the common expectations of the two peoples and conforms to the general trend of historical development,” Xi said, calling on the two sides to push for more fruitful China-Venezuela strategic cooperation, bring more benefits to the two peoples and inject more positive energy into world peace and development.
Maduro said Venezuela and China enjoy profound friendship and fruitful cooperation, making bilateral relations a model for relations among countries of the Global South. He said the Venezuelan people thank the Chinese government and people for their valuable support and assistance when Venezuela was suffering from illegal unilateral sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maduro said Venezuela’s national development and Venezuela-China relations are at a significant stage. “The establishment of an all-weather strategic partnership is of historic significance and will surely usher in a new era of bilateral relations.”
Sun Yanfeng, Deputy Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noted that Venezuela is the first Latin American country that China established an all-weather strategic partnership with.
“The upgraded relationship means increased political trust, strategic need of each other, and high-level cooperation between the two sides. It also means they will surely expand cooperation in multilateral frameworks and, therefore, contribute to building a fair and just international order,” Sun said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and delivers an important speech, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei/IANS)
Is China shifting its policy with President Xi Jinping missing the G20 summit in New Delhi right after skipping a speech at BRICS business forum?…writes Mahua Venkatesh
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s absence for the G20 summit, which kicked off in New Delhi today, has been in discussion for a while. Beijing gave no reason for Xi not attending the summit amid speculations. Whether it is Xi’s pressing domestic economic situation, his awkwardness to meet US President Joe Biden amid US-China tension or the rising rift with India, for China, this could be a missed opportunity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s increased engagement on the global stage – both multilateral and bilateral — has given India a platform to project itself as a credible voice in the world. India is now aggressively bridging the gap even with Southeast Asian nations, once considered China’s backyard. On the other hand, Xi’s overseas engagements have drastically come down since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic. The inclusion of the African Union under India’s G20 presidency has also cemented New Delhi’s position as a voice for the Global South.
Eyebrows were also raised last month when Xi unexpectedly decided to skip a scheduled speech at the BRICS business forum. In his place, his commerce minister Wang Wentao read out the speech.
Again, no reason was given for Xi’s move.
Bill Bishop, who leads a newsletter Sinocism, focusing on Chinese affairs had then pointed out that Xi had not made many public appearances for some time and that it was “a bit strange”.
Analysts are now watching Xi’s actions closely. “We don’t know if the absence is for any particular reason but it would be interesting to note whether Beijing’s overall foreign and domestic policies are undergoing a shift as new challenges emerge for the leader,” one of them said.
US President Joe Biden with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Bali, Indonesia (Photo Twitter@SpokespersonCHN)
With a patchy economic recovery in China in the post Covid phase leading to rise in unemployment and debt levels, Xi might want to intensify nationalist sentiments, another said, referring to a recently released map by Beijing which showed Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory.
Meanwhile, according to the Conversation, a media outfit providing in depth analysis, the effect of Xi’s refusal to attend the New Delhi G20 summit is effectively a statement contesting India’s coveted status as a global leader.
“You only have to look at Modi’s list of overseas travel since 2020 to see that he has engaged with, and been hosted by, a wide range of world leaders. At the same time, hampered by COVID and facing a difficult economy, Xi’s foreign visits have been limited,” the Conversation said, adding that contrary to Beijing’s decades-old strategy of containing India in the South Asian region, New Delhi has begun to spread its strategic relationships in south-east Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania and the US. “This has significantly challenged China’s status in the international sphere,” it said.
Many have been critical of Xi’s decision of skipping G20. US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan at a recent press briefing said, “If China wants to come in and play the role of spoiler, of course, that option is available to them.”
The Cold War mentality is still haunting our world and the geo-political situation is getting tense…reports Asian Lite News
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday said that international rules should not be dictated by “those with strongest muscles or the loudest of voice”, indirectly hinting at the US while adding that BRICS countries should practice true multilateralism.
“International rules must be written and upheld jointly by all countries based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter rather than dictated by those with strongest muscles or the loudest of voice. BRICS countries should practice true multilateralism, stick to solidarity and oppose division,” he said while addressing the plenary session of the BRICS summit.
By the powers vested in me by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa I confer to President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China the Order of South Africa. President Xi shall be honoured as an esteemed member of our #NationalOrders.
“Human history will not end with a particular civilisation or system. BRICS countries need to champion the spirit of inclusiveness and advocate peaceful coexistence and harmony between civilisations. We should respect all modernisation paths that each country chooses on its own and oppose ideological rivalry, systemic confrontation and clash of civilisations,” the Chinese President noted.
Xi went on to say: “We should expand political and security cooperation to uphold peace and tranquility. The Cold War mentality is still haunting our world and the geo-political situation is getting tense. BRICS countries should keep to the direction of peaceful development and consolidate the BRICS strategic partnership.
“We need to make good use of the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting, a meeting of high representatives on national security and other mechanism, support each other on our core interests and enhance coordination on major international and regional issues. We need to tender good offices on hotspot issues pushing for political settlement and lowering the temperature,” he added.
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, while addressing the plenary session, said “BRICS countries will continue to be supportive of bringing this conflict to an end through dialogue, mediation and negotiation”.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, waves to journalists at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Oct. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei/IANS)
Xi Jinping to Join 15th BRICS Summit, Embark on South Africa State Visit (Aug 21-24)…reports Asian Lite News
The Chinese foreign ministry has announced that President Xi Jinping will attend the fifteenth BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit in South Africa.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday that at the invitation of President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, President Xi Jinping will attend the 15th BRICS Summit to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa and will also pay a State visit to South Africa from August 21 to 24.
“While in South Africa, President Xi Jinping will co-chair with President Ramaphosa the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue,” Hua Chunying added.
After his trip to Russia in March, this will be Xi’s second international trip of 2023. The Chinese president earlier paid a visit to South Africa in 2018 in an effort to strengthen his nation’s relations with Africa on a political and economic level, Al Jazeera reported.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also travel to South Africa for the BRICS summit.
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, together known as the BRICS, will gather in Johannesburg next week to explore how to transform the group of countries, which together account for a quarter of the world’s economy, into a geopolitical force that may challenge the developed world’s dominance, the report added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is under fire for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, will participate in the summit through video conference.
All of the African governments are represented among the 69 nations that have been invited to the summit in South Africa, and it is expected that expansion of the BRICS group would be a top priority. A number of nations, including Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, and Ethiopia, have expressed interest in formally or informally joining the group.
China has stated that it “welcomes more like-minded partners to join the ‘BRICS family’ at an early date” in an effort to increase its geopolitical power amid its continuous conflict with the United States.
Brazil has opposed expansion out of concern that it will diminish the group’s prominence, while Russia also favours it, as reported by Al Jazeera.
A Goldman Sachs economist initially used the acronym BRIC to characterise the rise of Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2001.
These countries had their first summit in person in Russia in 2009, and when South Africa joined the group the following year, they adopted the name BRICS.
BRICS nations account for over 40 per cent of the world’s population and around 26 per cent of the global GDP. (ANI)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock hold a video meeting on May 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Deng Hua/IANS)
Wang Yi grasped the significance of the two centenary goals, which completely changed the diplomatic conduct of Chinese foreign policy, a report by Atul Aneja
Earlier this week, the world was surprised when Wang Yi returned as China’s foreign minister replacing Qin Gang, who had mysteriously disappeared from public eye since June 25.
By becoming foreign minister as well as the head of the central foreign affairs commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC)—a more powerful and prestigious post than foreign minister—Wang has emerged as China’s powerful foreign policy Czar.
There are three key reasons why Chinese President Xi Jinping reposed his trust in Wang, and not anybody else to handle China’s troubled external relations.
First, Wang arguably has an unrivalled understanding of advancing Chinese foreign policy in Xi Jinping’s so-called “new era.” His track record speaks for itself.
A career diplomat, Wang majored in Japanese from the Beijing International Studies University. At the age of 29, he had joined China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Riding on his domain knowledge of Japan, Wang was appointed China’s ambassador in Tokyo from 2004-07.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with his US counterpart Antony Blinken.
He continued to climb the diplomatic ladder, leading the politically sensitive Taiwan Affairs Office from 2008, before his appointment as foreign minister for the first time in 2013. He served on that post without any hiccups till 2022, before being elevated to the powerful post of Director, central foreign affairs commission of the CPC—a position held earlier by the high-profile trouble shooter Yang Jieche. Simultaneously, Wang rose in party ranks. From a member of the Central Committee when he was foreign minister, he was elevated to the more powerful 25-member politburo at the 20th party congress that was held last year.
Second and more importantly, Wang is a diligent practitioner of Xi’s “thought on diplomacy.” Xi’s diplomatic doctrine can be traced to the 19th party congress held in October 2017. During a marathon speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi unveiled the two centenary goals. The first targeted lifting extreme poverty by 2021, in tune with the centenary celebrations of the CPC’s formation in 1921. The second pledged to foist China as the world’s most advanced country in all spheres of human endeavour by 2049, marking 100 years of the formation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
Wang grasped the significance of the two centenary goals, which completely changed the diplomatic conduct of Chinese foreign policy. Wang became one of the pioneering practitioners of the China’s assertive engagement with the world, marked by what has been now commonly known as an aggressive Wolf Warrior diplomacy—a term derived from the film Wolf Warrior 2 which became a mega-hit with Chinese audiences, carefully released a few months ahead of the 19th Party Congress.
Xi Jinping delivers an important speech at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC in Beijing. (Xinhua/Ju Peng/IANS)
In later years, Xi’s thought on diplomacy was fleshed out into two doctrines—the Global Development Initiative (GDI) announced in 2021 and the Global Security Initiative (GSI). Both the doctrines have left no doubt about China’s intent to become the world’ s most powerful country, amplifying the second centenary goal.
Third, President Xi needs a seasoned hand when China is passing through a turbulent post-Covid transition, and faces a busy diplomatic season ahead. The BRICS summit is round the corner next month followed by the G-20 summit in September. It is quite likely that Xi and Joe Biden will summit on the sidelines of APEC in November, completing the cycle of high-level meetings that have begun with the visit to Beijing in June by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to reboot the currently fractious Beijing-Washington ties.
Xi praised Gates and his foundation for their long-term commitment to facilitating global poverty reduction…reports Asian Lite News
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in Beijing on Friday, the State-run media Global Times reported.
“You’re the first American friend I have met in Beijing this year,” Xi told Gates according to a report in the Chinese State media. “I often say that the foundation of China-US relations lies in people-to-people ties. We have always placed our hopes on the American people, and hope that peoples of our two countries will maintain their friendship,” Xi said according to Global Times.
According to a report in the Chinese news outlet, Xi praised Gates and his foundation for their long-term commitment to facilitating global poverty reduction, health, development as well as public welfare and charity work. President Xi also told Gates that China is willing to work with him and his foundation to continue strengthening cooperation in relevant fields, and provide support and help to other developing countries, the Global Times reported.
Solving problems like climate change, health inequity and food insecurity requires innovation. From developing malaria drugs to investing in climate adaptation, China has a lot of experience in that. We need to unlock that kind of progress for more people around the world.
Gates said that he is visiting China for the first time since 2019. Gates is the latest high-profile business titan to visit the country in recent months, Fox Business reported.
The Microsoft co-founder on Wednesday tweeted: “I’ve just landed in Beijing for the first time since 2019, where I’m excited to visit with partners who have been working on global health and development challenges with @gatesfoundation for more than 15 years.”
The billionaire philanthropist had last met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015, and in 2020 Xi had written a letter thanking Gates and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for pledging some USD 5 million to the country in its fight against COVID as per Fox Business.
On Thursday, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said it will provide USD 50 million over the next five years to help Chinese efforts to battle disease.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a renewed collaboration with the Beijing Municipal Government and Tsinghua University to support the Global Health Drug Discovery Institute (GHDDI) “in its efforts to improve health outcomes worldwide through lifesaving therapies for infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, which disproportionately affect the world’s poorest,” according to release by the foundation.
Meanwhile, as per Fox Business, China has been rolling out the red carpet for US CEOs in recent months.
Gates has retired from leading Microsoft and appears to be overseas to focus on the work of the global charitable organization he founded with his ex-wife.
Other high-profile visits to China this year included those by Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is expected to visit China soon.
During Musk’s three-day visit to China the Tesla chief checked in on the electric vehicle giant’s operations and met with China’s foreign minister.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon also visited China earlier this month during a trip to Asia to meet with employees there and in neighbouring Taiwan, as per Fox Business. (ANI)
Some types of new investment in critical sectors will be prohibited while others will require companies to notify the US government.
The Joe Biden administration in the US is reportedly about to announce new restrictions on US companies investments in China, noted analyst Christopher Wood of Jefferies said in a research note.
“The word is that Biden aims to sign an executive order in coming weeks that will limit investment in China by American businesses. The executive order will reportedly cover semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing,” Wood wrote.
Some types of new investment in critical sectors will be prohibited while others will require companies to notify the US government. The US hopes to get an endorsement from its G7 partners on such investment curbs at the G7 summit in Japan which begins May 19, Wood said.
The cumulative direct investment in China by US business totalled $118 billion at the end of 2021, with $57 billion or 48 per cent going into the manufacturing sector.
An April 20 speech by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was clearly an attempt to extend an olive branch. In particular, Yellen stated that US national security concerns “are not designed for us to gain a competitive economic advantage, or stifle China’s economic and technological modernisation”.
US President Joe Biden with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Bali Indonesia. (Photo Twitter@SpokespersonCHN)
It was clearly a reference to the stated policy of the US Department of Commerce to block the supply of advanced semiconductors to China.
Wood said it also seems from a Beijing point of view as a targeted effort by Washington’s national security lobby to stop China from upgrading its economy, which results in the risk that it is stuck in the dreaded middle-income trap given China’s deteriorating demographics.
So Yellen’s tone should be welcomed as an effort to soften the rhetoric of late coming from the likes of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan or Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who appear at times to be out to pick a fight with China,.
Yellen’s speech represents mixed messages at best. Indeed, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated last Friday that Washington’s “true intention is to deprive China of its development rights”. It is pure economic coercion, Wood added.
BEIJING, Oct. 1, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers a speech at a grand rally to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng/IANS)
A group led by PBSC member Cai Qi was set up for studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thoughts….reports Asian Lite News
Is it narcissism or the height of self-gratification and authoritarianism when the supreme leader of a country begins to teach his people about himself? That is precisely what President Xi Jinping was up to at a meeting in Beijing recently.
The high-level meeting was convened to study and implement Xi Jinping’s new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics theme education work. The highlight was Xi Jinping delivered an important speech emphasizing the importance of the campaign for the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Xi said in his opening remarks: “We should take this thematic education campaign as an opportunity to strengthen the arming of the Party with its innovative theory, constantly raise the level of Marxism across the whole Party, constantly improve the Party’s governing ability and leadership level, concentrate on forging ahead in a new journey, work hard and move forward courageously, and work together to build a comprehensively modern socialist country and promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
A group led by PBSC member Cai Qi was set up for studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thoughts.
First, Xi says that the campaign is an important measure to implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress. This spirit is embodied in Xi’s Thoughts. That is how the campaign is expected to work wonders for the people.
“It is of great significance to unify the thinking of the whole Party, resolve prominent problems existing within the Party, always maintain flesh and blood ties between the Party and the people, and promote the development of the cause of the Party and country.”
The President did not leave it at that. He suggested what should be elements of the campaign.
According to Xi, it should “make great efforts to promote the study and implementation of Xi’s thought”, educate and guide Party members and officials to thoroughly rectify/cleanse/renew their ideological roots and consolidate and cultivate their foundations, improve political judgement, political understanding, and political execution, strengthen the four consciousness and four self-confidence and achieve the two safeguards, and always maintain a high degree of alignment with the CPC Central Committee in thought, politics and actions. It is basically telling the party workers to be loyal to the leader and so, to the party.
Xi insisted at the meeting on what the people and party cadres should achieve in learning about him and his Thought: “It is necessary to educate and guide Party cadres to establish a correct view of power, achievements and career, enhance their sense of responsibility and mission, constantly improve their ability to promote high-quality development, serve the masses, prevent and resolve risks, strengthen the cultivation of the fighting spirit and fighting skills, and encourage them to forge ahead and take on responsibilities.” The study of Xi’s Thought, understandably, leads to the correct understanding of power equations in China.
The President was of the view that apart from himself and his thoughts, the people should respect the Chinese Communist Party without asking any questions.
Xiâs loyalists from Fujian and Zhejiang factions take charge of Chinaâs national security
“It is necessary to educate and guide Party organisations at all levels and the Party cadres to highlight the problem orientation, identify the shortcomings and gaps, be clear about the direction, accept the political examination, clean up the political dust, correct deviations in behaviour, solve the prominent problems related to thought and organisational impurity, and constantly enhance the Party’s ability of self-purification, self-perfection, self-innovation and self-improvement so that our Party will always be full of vitality and become the strong leadership core of the cause of Socialism with Chinese characteristics.”
An extensive news report in the Chinese media outlet, People’s Daily which published the President’s speech in full, says: “In the second paragraph, Xi stresses the importance of comprehensively studying and understanding Xi’s thought and the need to ‘fully and systematically grasp its basic viewpoints and scientific system, grasp its world outlook and methodology, adhere to and make good use of the stances, viewpoints and methods that run through it, and constantly enhance our political, ideological, theoretical and emotional identification with the Party’s innovative theories, truly learn the essential skills of Marxism and consciously use the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to guide all our work’.”
How does the President expect his thoughts to help his people? In his own words: “Use the thought to transform your subjective world, i.e., use it to strengthen ideals and beliefs, enhance ideological horizons and strengthen Party spirit training, and always maintain the political nature of the Chinese communists.”
He tells his people their deliverance depends on how deeply they ingrain elements of the Thought in their thoughts: “Use the thought to transform the objective world, i.e., advance our cause, actively recognise and respond to changes, resolve problems in economic and social development and Party building, guard against and defuse major risks, and make new progress and breakthroughs in Chinese-style modernisation.”
The President also determined the new goalposts of the people as they embrace his Thought: “…so that the whole Party maintains unified thinking, the firm will, coordinated actions, and strong combat effectiveness…”
He had a final piece of advice to the people on his Thought’s importance: “It is necessary to temper character and strengthen loyalty, educate and guide Party cadres to temper their political character, take the Party’s banner as the banner, the Party’s will as the will, and the Party’s mission as the mission, always be loyal to the Party, the people and Marxism, sincerely love the Party, always be concerned about the Party, firmly protect the Party, and make every effort to revitalise the Party.” (ANI)
Xiâs loyalists from Fujian and Zhejiang factions take charge of Chinaâs national security
With Xi Jinping firmly at the apex, the rest of the chain of command of ultra-loyalists will pass through Cai Qi, China’s new security Tsar, reports Atul Aneja
Riding on the wave of the 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) which gave the Chinese President unbridled power, Xi Jinping has earnestly begun to position trusted loyalists in key positions of power.
So far, the line up of new chain of command on the security side are visible in plain sight.
The new line up shows a clear-cut pattern. Most of the officials belong either to the Fujian and Zhejiang factions. Both Fujian, and Zhejiang on the Chinese coast, are provinces where Xi had earlier served in senior positions at the provincial level. Incidentally Fujian’s capital Xiamen was the venue of the ninth BRICS summit which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended. Zhejiang is a trading hub, with its capital Yiwu, the source of much of the merchandise which heads into wholesale markets in India.
Leading the pack of Xi’s loyalists is Cai Qi. Cai, a part of the seven-member standing committee of the Politburo – China’s top leadership – has virtually become Xi’s Chief of Staff. Officially, he heads the party’s General Office. This is a break from the past for the director of this office was usually drawn from the 24-member Politburo, the second layer of leadership in the party-state after the standing committee.
Xi Jinping was unanimously elected Chinese president for the third time. (Photo: Xinhua)
Incidentally, Cai was conspicuous in the recent Xi-Putin summit in Moscow, where he sat next to the Chinese president at the high-table.
Cai is now the gatekeeper of security – both external and internal, the latter coming in sharp focus by the “white paper movement” which publicly opposed Xi’s zero-covid policy.
With Xi paying a premium on loyalty, it is not surprising that Cai served in the eighties with Xi when he was in Fujian between 1985-2002.
The thread continued when Xi moved to Zhejiang for a five-year tenure from 2002.
The Xi-Cai linkup also became evident when the former became President in 2012. After Xi assumed presidency, Cai moved to Beijing, becoming deputy director of the Office of the National Security Commission – a body that Xi setup in 2013, becoming the centrepiece of national security policy.
Others drawn from the Fujian and Zhejiang factions include Chen Wenqing who heads The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, was also a senior official in Fujian. The commission oversees the police, judicial and intelligence divisions, making Chen a key official in the Xi’s tightly controlled security setup.
Xi Jinping arrives for the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ju Peng/IANS)
Another official, Wang Xiaohong also belongs to the Fujian faction. Wang is the minister of public security, is also a state councillor – a vice premier-level post.
Besides Xi has promoted He Weidong, who once served as chief of staff of the 31st Group Army – a unit based in Xiamen, facing the Taiwan Strait. He is now the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).
Song Tao, the former head of the international department of the CPC, who is now director of the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, a critically important post at this juncture, once worked at the Fujian International Trust and Investment Corporation.
With Xi firmly at the apex, the rest of the chain of command of ultra-loyalists will pass through Cai, China’s new security Tsar.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
Xi’s visit ended with Beijing and Moscow concluding more than a dozen agreements bolstering cooperation in areas from trade and technology to state propaganda..reports Asian Lite News
Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday departed Russia after pledging to deepen ties with President Vladimir Putin, however, the talks failed to achieve a breakthrough in the Ukraine conflict, reported CNN.
Both leaders did not discuss a Kyiv-proposed peace plan to end the war in Ukraine, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He said that Kyiv’s proposal was a matter of Sino-Ukraine relations. The two leaders emphasized that peace talks should be used to solve the Ukraine crisis, but Kyiv and the West say any peace agreement must include the withdrawal of Russian troops, reported CNN.
The 10-point peace plan was first presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video at a meeting of the Group of 20 nations in November.
The steps include a path to nuclear safety, food security, a special tribunal for alleged Russian war crimes, and a final peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine.
China released last month, a 12-point statement of broad principles on the war that called for respecting the sovereignty of all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, resuming peace talks, resolving the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and prisoners of war (POWs), keeping nuclear power plants safe, reducing strategic risks, facilitating grain exports, stopping unilateral sanctions, keeping industrial and supply chains stable and promoting post-conflict reconstruction.
But Western leaders have expressed scepticism about China’s potential role as a peacemaker and its claimed neutrality. The United States and its allies have instead since last month warned that China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia for its war effort, which Beijing has denied.
Xi spent three days in Moscow this week. His visit ended with Beijing and Moscow concluding more than a dozen agreements bolstering cooperation in areas from trade and technology to state propaganda, according to a Kremlin list.
The leaders’ central statement focused on how the two countries would “deepen” their relationship.
However, the two sides failed to move the needle on bringing a resolution to the war, reported CNN.
Meanwhile, Peskov said that he is not surprised by what he called a “hostile” reaction from Western nations to the visit between Putin and Xi Jinping this week.
“As for the reaction of the countries of the collective West, the fact that on almost all issues this reaction is of an unfriendly, deeply hostile nature is no secret to anyone. The coverage of this important visit is no exception,” Peskov said.
“Of course, the most important thing is not the reaction of the West, but it’s the results of the negotiations that took place. The main thing is the results of the state visit itself,” he added.
Peskov’s comments came after John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesman, told that Beijing and Moscow are deepening their relationship in large part due to their mutual interest in challenging the US’ global influence, reported CNN.
Kirby also pushed back on China’s claim that it had staked out an impartial position regarding the war in Ukraine. (ANI)
