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SCHWEIZER
BOTSCHAFT IN BEIJING
EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND IN BEIJING
AMBASSADE DE SUISSE EN CHINE |
Der wöchentliche
Presserückblick der Schweizer Botschaft in der VR China
The Weekly Press Review of the Swiss Embassy in the People's Republic
of China
La revue de presse hebdomadaire de l'Ambassade de Suisse en RP
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DPRK
Mongolia
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| Switzerland |
Pandemic-hit Swiss luxury watchmakers set sights on Chinese market (China Daily)
2021-04-13
For centuries, Switzerland has been world-renowned for its cheese, chocolate -- and watches. However, the latest developments in technology coupled with changing consumer demand appear to force the Alpine country's makers of luxury timepieces to reinvent and innovate if they want to stay on top of the market. At this year's digital Geneva edition of "Watches and Wonders" -- a trade show of the international watch and jewelry industry -- 38 of the world's top watchmakers show off their latest and best designs between April 7 and April 13. They include Rolex, TAG Heuer, Cartier and Patek Philippe. IWC Schaffhausen, a leader in luxury watchmaking and a subsidiary of the Richemont Group, is also among them. The company, established in 1868, has just launched a new collection of pilot's watches, which are ultra shock-resistant and engineered for the most extreme conditions. "Our new Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber XPL is the first advanced watch that is coming out of our experimental research department," IWC's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Christoph Grainger-Herr told Xinhua in an interview. "It takes watch engineering to the next level." Analog versus digital Despite the latest tech trends and the dominance of digital solutions - which Switzerland's expert watchmakers are keen to keep abreast of - the classic analog watch will remain a popular choice, Grainger-Herr said. This is true even if the COVID-19 pandemic has catapulted the watch business into a new technological era with the strong growth of e-commerce, the emergence of virtual boutiques and the plethora of online events. "We just launched our IWC app that comes with an augmented reality (AR) 'try-on' function allowing all of the new product content to be fed to our customers' smartphones," he said. Customers can point their camera at their wrist and virtually "try on" the watch. "I think these steps prove that an essentially mechanical and traditional industry and a brand like IWC are still very much empowered and enabled by everything we see in the digital space today," he added. Luxembourgish watchmaker Jean-Claude Biver is a living legend and an avantgarde icon in the global watch business. He was president of LVMH's Watch Division for many years and was responsible for brands such as TAG Heuer, Zenith and Hublot, and also helped Blancpain and Omega to scale new heights. He retired in 2018 after a 43-year career, but he did not leave the industry. Just recently he has launched the historic first Non Fungible Token (NFT) auction of a luxury watch together with Swiss cybersecurity company WISeKey. NFTs are blockchain-based certificates validating that someone owns a piece of digital art. New lease of life Switzerland's watchmaking industry traces its roots back to the mid-16th century and the Reformation in Geneva. It then flourished during the 19th century, and following a crisis in the 1970s and 1980s, the sector found a new lease of life making it one of the jewels in Switzerland's economy today. Today, around 700 watchmaking firms are active in the country. Most of them are based in Geneva and the "Watch Valley" in the Jura Arc - and they all feel the squeeze caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, the lockdowns, store closures and restrictions on international tourism have dealt a severe blow to the watchmakers' exports. Last year, the total value of Swiss-made timepieces sold abroad fell to 17 billion Swiss francs ($18.4 billion) compared with 21.7 billion Swiss francs a year earlier, a sharp drop of 21.8 percent. Rare exception The rare exception was the Chinese market, which took in 2.4 billion Swiss francs' worth of Swiss watches last year, 20 percent more than a year earlier. "China is ahead of us by far, at least in the digital and online domains," Biver commented. Meanwhile, IWC is also keen to build on its gains in the Chinese market. Grainger-Herr has recently announced his company's plan to open its first and largest flagship boutique in the world in Shanghai later this year. "We haven't done anything like this before," Grainger-Herr said. "It is going to be a big moment for us as a brand later this year. Of course, we are very excited about the opportunities in China going forward." ^ top ^
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| Foreign Policy |
Meet with Biden a 'test' for Suga, open confrontation with China could cause consequences Japan 'cannot bear': analysts (Global Times)
2021-04-16
China is expected to be the topic that dominates the upcoming talks between US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Observers see this meeting would be more of a test, rather than a diplomatic accomplishment for Suga, who would put Japan's politics, economy and security at risk if crossing China's red line on Taiwan question with the US. Out of fear of a rising China, Japan has been tilting toward the US to help the latter form an anti-China alliance. Yet such a mentality has blinded the island nation from seeing through the fact that Washington's roping in Tokyo over the Taiwan question, interference in the Diaoyu Islands issue and recent endorsing Japan to dump radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean, has not only increased instability in the Asia-Pacific, but also made Japan a "country non-grata" in the region, said Chinese experts, warning that in this case, it would be hard for a regionally isolated Japan to cut its reliance on the US. Suga left Japan for the US on Thursday on a four-day trip to meet Biden, which makes the former the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House in the Biden administration. Analysts have predicted that China would be high on the agenda of the two leaders' talks. The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that the US is urging Suga to issue a joint statement regarding the island of Taiwan to counter China. Yet Japanese officials were divided over whether Suga should endorse any comments on this issue, it reported. The last time Japanese and American leaders mentioning Taiwan in a joint statement were Eisaku Sato and Richard Nixon in 1969. China-Japan ties have plummeted sharply ever since Tokyo signed a joint statement with Washington last month, lashing out at China in various fields, ranging from human rights to the Taiwan question. Japanese news outlets also reported that the two countries discussed a plan of closely cooperating in the event of a military clash between the Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan. Yet no details of the plan were discussed. The US is keen on putting Japan on the front line of its Indo-Pacific strategy to confront China, especially on the Taiwan question; yet Tokyo is hesitating as tagging along behind Washington will also put Tokyo in the front line of China's counterpunch, Lü Xiang, a research fellow on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times. As a close neighbor of China, Japan shouldn't overestimate its ability to confront Beijing, as it will have consequences, be it on security, politics or the economy, that Tokyo cannot afford, Lü said. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted an exercise near the island of Taiwan on Monday with the largest number of warplanes ever recorded, through which analysts said the PLA displayed its capability to drive away foreign forces from interfering in the Taiwan question. Even the US is aware of its lack of capacity and a concrete plan to stop China's reunification with the island of Taiwan, not to mention Japan, Li Haidong, professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times. Japan's flirtation with the Taiwan question aims to follow the US, and to test China's bottom line, and it will continue doing so. Yet in practice, it has very little resources and ability to interfere with this issue. Thus, the Suga administration's talk on Taiwan question is merely symbolic, said Li, "while China has many arrows in its quiver to counter Japan," according to Li. China is far more important to Japan than Washington to Tokyo in terms of trade. China became Japan's top export destination in 2020, leapfrogging the US and consuming more than 22 percent of Japanese goods sold overseas, according to data from Japan's Ministry of Finance. Japan's economy surged in the fourth quarter of 2020, but it was not enough to pull the country from negative growth for the year. "Putting itself in the opposite of China at a time when Japan needs economic stimulus is a silly decision," according to Lü. The recent move of buttering up to the US shows that the Suga administration is the weakest cabinet of Japan in decades. Suga has inherited the policies of his predecessor Shinzo Abe; yet having little experience in international affairs, Suga's lack of vision and weakness are fully exposed in his handling of China-Japan and Japan-US relations, said Lü Chao, a fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences. Lü Chao noted that traditionally, Japanese politicians, no matter China hawks or pro-China figures, would be cautious in teaming up with the US. Suga's policies, which excessively rely on the US, will also meet strong backlash domestically and be hard to sustain, said the expert. The expert said that "the visit to Washington will be an ordeal for Suga. I believe it will be difficult for a wise politician to bow to the US' pressure and make an irrational statement on China now." Last week, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a 90-minute phone call with his Japanese counterpart, where Wang warned Japan to stop heading in the wrong direction by ganging up with a "certain superpower," and not to "stretched its hands for too long." Japan isolated Before Suga's visit, Japan has triggered regional outcry by deciding to dump radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. Countries in the region, including China, Russia, South Korea and the Philippines, expressed their deep concerns over Japan's decision. The US is the only country that publicly endorsed Japan. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted on Tuesday, the day Japan announced the decision that "We thank Japan for its transparent efforts in its decision to dispose of the treated water." Japan's selfish decision has placed itself in an "unprecedented isolated position" in the region, said Lü. He expected that Suga will further seek US recognition on this matter during his trip. Japan should wake up to the consequences, as tying itself tight on the US chariot will only pull it further from other Asian countries, said the expert. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference previously that the summit aims "to further strengthen the Japan-US alliance, which is the cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy and security," analysts believed the Diaoyu Islands issue will also be covered during Suga and Biden's meeting. Recently, the US has stepped up its interference in the Diaoyu Islands issue. US Lieutenant General Kevin Schneider noted in November last year that American troops could be sent to the island, aiming to intimidate Beijing. Biden and Suga's first conversation also included the Diaoyu Islands, with Biden reassuring Suga that the US-Japan mutual defence treaty applied to the disputed islands. Li warned that the US' moves are dangerous. "Washington is trying to be more directly involved in the Diaoyu Islands issue, which could make it one of the biggest flashpoints in the Indo-Pacific region," said Li, noting the US intends to use the disputed area to cement the US-Japan military alliance to counter China, in addition to enhancing its military presence in the region. The Suga administration should be clear that being the US' toady in the region will make Japan a "public enemy" of the region, where countries seek peace and development not geopolitical confrontation, said Lü. "At that time, it will be more difficult for Japan to shake off its reliance on the US." ^ top ^
Chinese FM summons Japanese Ambassador to China over Fukushima wastewater dumping (Global Times)
2021-04-16
A senior Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs official on Thursday summoned Japanese Ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi, and made solemn representations on the Japanese government's decision to dump wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant to the ocean. Such rare move reflected that the Chinese government attached the highest level of attention to this matter, unleashing a direct message to the Japanese government for properly handling the matter, Chinese expert said. Wu Jianghao, assistant minister of foreign affairs, pointed out that Japanese government's decision disregards the global marine environment, international public health and safety, and the vital safety and interests of the people of neighboring countries, and is suspected of violating international laws and rules, which is not the work of a modern civilized country. China expressed its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this. Japan's neighbors China and South Korea, as well as Russia and the Philippines, expressed their firm oppositions to Tokyo's decisions on the wastewater dumping, and the decision has sparked widely shared outrage on Chinese social media platforms in recent days. The Chinese government urged the Japan to recognize its responsibilities and uphold its scientific attitude in fulfilling its international obligations, to review the wastewater issue and withdraw the decision of dumping it into the sea. Also, under the structure of international organization, the Japanese government should establish a joint working technical group including Chinese experts to ensure the disposal of the wastewater being evaluated, scrutinized and supervised by the international community. The Chinese government urged Japan not to initiate wastewater dumping into the ocean before it fully consults international organizations, and China will work with the international community to keep a watchful eye on the matter, reserving the right of taking further actions. "China attaches importance to the China-Japan relationship and values its relations with other countries, but summoning Japanese ambassador shows that the Chinese government attaches the highest level of attention to the matter," Lü Xiaoqing, deputy director of the society of Sino-Japanese relations history, told the Global Times on Thursday. The expert noted that Chinese government and the Chinese public take this matter very seriously, as the contaminated ocean concerns China the most. If the Japanese government decides to dump the wastewater into the ocean, it is not its internal affairs anymore but a severe international issue. The Japanese government should release all the documents about the Fukushima nuclear plan since 2011 for scientists, environmental protection experts and government officials to set up a joint committee to discuss about possible solutions, Lü said. Besides staging a solemn opposition, the Chinese FM summoning the ambassador signified that if the Japanese government would not handle the issue properly, it may have an impact on China-Japan relations, Chen Yang, a media professional and a Beijing-based Japan watcher, told the Global Times on Thursday. ^ top ^
China, Europe to coordinate on climate issue amid Kerry's visit in Shanghai, ahead of US-held summit (Global Times)
2021-04-16
When US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry visits Shanghai, Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that the leaders of China, France and Germany will have a virtual summit on climate change on Friday, a week ahead of the "Leaders Summit on Climate" which the US has invited 40 leaders to attend from April 22 to 23. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the China-France-Germany leaders' climate summit via video link in Beijing on Friday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Thursday. Chinese experts said this shows that China and major European powers are telling the US "who are leading" the world cooperation on the climate issues, even as US President Joe Biden has claimed that America is back to lead and has expressed his great ambition. The US should at least "pay the debt" and to convince the world that it won't break its promise again, analysts said. Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday that "having such a summit at this juncture sends a clear signal from China, France and Germany: The cooperation they have on the climate issues is deeper, broader and greater than the cooperation they have with the US. Beijing, Paris and Berlin also share more consensus than they share with Washington." After the previous US administration withdrew from the Paris Agreement and broke the US promise, the US is the one "in debt," and the Biden administration needs to rebuild US credibility on the issue to convince China, Europe and the rest of the world that the US will be accountable and trustworthy, said Lü Xiang, an expert on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The four-year term of Donald Trump had spread anti-intellectualism and anti-science thoughts to about half of the US population, so it's hard for the Biden administration to convince others that the US will conclude with a sustainable and irreversible policy lasting more than four years, despite Biden's great ambition to bring the US back to lead, Lü said on Thursday. Macron's invitation to Xi also shows that leaders of major powers who play a leading role in the EU can handle EU-China ties autonomously. As China and the EU have some arguments on the "human rights issues," some Western media and observers said that "China is pushing the EU back to the US side." However, the upcoming China-France-Germany summit on climate change is just like a slap on their faces, Lü noted. Before his departure for Shanghai, Kerry told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that his team is committed to finding ways to force China to be accountable for pledges it makes in continuing negotiations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Last week, during a trip to India, Kerry told reporters he was "hopeful [but] not confident at this point" about Chinese cooperation. "Again, the US is trying to play tough. It seems that the Biden administration still wants to talk to China from a position of strength," Cui said, noting that the situation is not about how the US will hold China to account, it's about how China and Europe, the real leaders on the climate issue, will hold the US to account, and the US, which has failed to keep its promise and has left China and the EU to keep paying efforts for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, is unqualified to speak from a position of strength. In the interview with the Wall Street Journal, Kerry said climate change is a free-standing issue, which means the US won't use it to make a deal or exchange with China on other issues where both sides have differences. Lü said climate change can't be a free-standing issue, because it is an issue about carbon emissions, so it's related to science and technology, the new-energy industry, super computers used for monitoring climate change and carbon emissions. But unfortunately, the US is trying to crack down or contain China in these fields. "If the US really wants cooperation from China, it should show its sincerity to cancel all of those unfair policies that serve the purpose of containing China," he noted. The China-France-Germany summit will not just talk about how to deal with the US, Cui said, as both sides will talk about how to help each other realize their carbon-neutral targets through cooperation through a carbon emission trading system, green technology and industries. "China and its European partners can have much deeper and broader cooperation with each other than with the US. And they need to coordinate their stances and positions ahead of the summit organized by the US, as well as the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference," which will be held in Glasgow in November, Cui noted. ^ top ^
President Xi to attend climate summit with French, German leaders (China Daily)
2021-04-16
President Xi Jinping will attend a China-France-Germany virtual summit on climate on Friday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying announced Thursday. ^ top ^
Xi receives credentials of 29 ambassadors (People's Daily)
2021-04-15
President Xi Jinping on Wednesday received the credentials of new ambassadors to China from 29 countries at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The ambassadors are: -- Javid Ahmad Qaem from Afghanistan. -- Georgios Iliopoulos from Greece. -- Tarik Bukvic from Bosnia and Herzegovina. -- Jean Louis Robinson from Madagascar. -- Luca Ferrari from Italy. -- Abrao Dos Santos from Timor-Leste. -- KS (Vincent) Sivas from the Federated States of Micronesia. -- Gafar Karar Ahmed K. from Sudan. -- Alain Wong Yen Cheong from Mauritius. -- Mahendra Bahadur Pandey from Nepal. -- Moin Ul Haque from Pakistan. -- Dumitru Braghis from Moldova. -- Thomas Oestrup Moeller from Denmark. -- Jan Hoogmartens from Belgium. -- Nasser Al Busaidi from Oman. -- Masanneh Nyuku Kinteh from Gambia. -- Saidzoda Zohir from Tajikistan. -- Caroline E. Wilson from the U.K. -- Felix Plasencia from Venezuela. -- Tarumi Hideo from Japan. -- Siyabonga C. Cwele from South Africa. -- Palitha Kohona from Sri Lanka. -- Senko Yury from Belarus. -- Ann Derwin from Ireland. -- Irit Ben Abba from Israel. -- Antonio Serifo Embalo from Guinea-Bissau. -- Ri Ryong Nam from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. -- Shorsh Khalid Said from Iraq. -- Sabino Vaca Narvaja from Argentina. Siddharth Chatterjee, the new United Nations resident coordinator in China, submitted a letter of appointment. Xi took a group photo with the envoys and delivered a speech. He asked them to convey his good wishes to the leaders of their countries. He said that over the past year, the Chinese people and the people of other countries have worked together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, writing a new chapter in the history of global friendly cooperation. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and it is also the first year for China to implement its 14th Five-Year Plan and embark on a new journey to fully building a modern socialist country, Xi said. He said China will firmly implement its new development philosophy and actively forge a new development paradigm so that its development will better benefit the peoples of all countries. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations, and the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization. Xi said China stands ready to work with other countries to firmly support multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the United Nations as the core and the international order based on international laws, staunchly safeguard the multilateral trade system, firmly advance the construction of the global governance system, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. The Beijing Winter Olympics will be held next year, Xi said. "We have confidence that with the active support and participation of all parties, we will overcome the impact of the pandemic and host the games in a simple, safe, and wonderful manner." Xi stressed that the Chinese people always cherish friendship and love peace, stand ready to deepen friendship, enhance mutual trust and expand cooperation with people from all countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefits, and jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality. He expressed the hope that the envoys will make active contributions to the promotion of bilateral relations as well as the cooperation between the United Nations and China. Wang Yi attended the event. ^ top ^
US intelligence assessment moves China to the top of the threat list (SCMP)
2021-04-15
The US intelligence community has put China at the top of its annual report of national security threats, warning of Beijing's struggle to realise "an epochal geopolitical shift", including increased air and naval operations in Asia intended to assert its control in contested areas. "Beijing is increasingly combining its growing military power with its economic, technological and diplomatic clout to preserve the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], secure what it views as its territory and regional pre-eminence and pursue international cooperation at Washington's expense," said the report, published last week and declassified on Tuesday. The Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community, published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), begins with a section on "China's push for global power", followed by three sections describing the "provocative actions" of Russia, Iran and North Korea, before moving on to international issues such as Covid-19 and climate change. In the South and East China seas, Beijing "will use growing numbers of air, naval and maritime law enforcement platforms" in an effort to show Japan and Southeast Asian countries that it has effective control over the contested areas, the report warned. "We expect the PLA [People's Liberation Army] to continue pursuing overseas military installations and access agreements to enhance its ability to project power," it said, adding that the PLA's "highly accurate short-, medium- and intermediate-range conventional systems are capable of holding US and allied bases in the region at risk". The ODNI's warning follows the deployment by Beijing and Washington of aircraft carrier strike groups to the region, much of which China claims as its own territory, led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the Liaoning, respectively, amid escalating tensions near the Philippines and Taiwan. The ODNI, now under the leadership of Avril Haines in President Joe Biden's administration, picks up where her predecessor under former president Donald Trump, John Ratcliffe, left off. Ratcliffe wrote in an opinion piece published by The Wall Street Journal in December that China "poses the greatest threat to America today, and the greatest threat to democracy and freedom worldwide since World War II". Ratcliffe's commentary and the latest ODNI threat report underscore a significant change in the agency's treatment of China. Its previous comprehensive threat assessment, published in January 2019 when Dan Coats was national intelligence director, included a "China and Russia" section more than halfway into the document under the heading of "regional threats". Haines will join the heads of other agencies, including the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency, for Senate and House intelligence committee hearings on "worldwide threats" on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Washington and Beijing are increasingly at diplomatic loggerheads as the Chinese government challenges US leadership. Their first high-level meeting of the Biden administration – last month in Anchorage, Alaska – quickly devolved into mutual recriminations before both sides zeroed in on a narrow set of issues on which they might be able to cooperate. The differing emphasis on China as seen in the 2019 (left) versus 2021 indexes of the Threat Assessment report. The differing emphasis on China as seen in the 2019 (left) versus 2021 indexes of the Threat Assessment report. Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that Beijing would only engage with Washington as an equal and warned that the country should not expect to have a final say on global affairs. "The door for dialogue with China is open. But the dialogue should be done on equal basis and with mutual respect," he said. "China will not accept that there is any nation in the world that [can] put itself superior to the others, and that any nation will have a final say on world affairs. If the US continues to confront, China will take it calmly without fear." The latest ODNI assessment concluded that China is undertaking "the most rapid expansion and platform diversification of its nuclear arsenal in its history" and part of this strategy is to "ensure an intercontinental second-strike capability". Soldiers in China's rocket force are using virtual reality to launch missiles The conclusions on nuclear and missile technology align with those drawn by the US Defence Department's "China Military Power Report", which said "China has already achieved parity with – or even exceeded – the United States in several military modernisation areas," including land-based conventional ballistic and cruise missiles. That report to US lawmakers, made public in September, said China's nuclear warhead stockpile was likely to more than double over the next decade. The report also said China was making progress in deploying weapons meant to disable satellites the US and its allies use for military operations. ^ top ^
China pays in full its UN regular budget dues for 2021 (Xinhua)
2021-04-14
China on Tuesday paid in full all assessed contributions to the UN regular budget and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals for the year 2021, said the Chinese Mission to the United Nations. Prior to this, China had paid the remaining assessments for seven peacekeeping operations during the authorized period of 2020/2021. China has thus paid the annual contributions and various assessments in full at this stage, it said. As the largest developing country, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and the second-largest contributor to UN regular budget and peacekeeping assessments, China has always actively supported the work of the United Nations, firmly safeguarded the international system, and upheld multilateralism with concrete actions, it said. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of China's legitimate rights in the United Nations. Over the past 50 years, China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of international order. China has greatly advanced multilateralism. Facing the challenges brought by unilateralism, protectionism and bullying practice in the past few years, China has given firm support to multilateralism and the United Nations, it said. China became the second-largest contributor to the assessments of UN peacekeeping operations in 2016 and the second-largest contributor to the UN regular budget in 2019. China has fulfilled its financial obligations in full, on time, and without conditions in accordance with the UN Charter, demonstrating the role it plays as a responsible major country, said the mission. The global economy has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The liquidity crisis and worrisome financial situation that the United Nations faces have seriously affected its work and the implementation of its mandates. Finance serves as a foundation of and an important element underpinning the United Nations governance. Member states should fulfill their legal obligations, actively respond to the secretary-general's appeal, and pay all assessments as soon as possible to improve the liquidity situation of the United Nations, it said. China will continue to honor its responsibilities, work with all parties to build a community of shared future for mankind, and firmly support multilateralism and the United Nations. Meanwhile, the UN Secretariat should continue to strengthen budget performance management, improve internal control, and ensure that every penny of taxpayers of the member states is put to good use, said the Chinese mission. ^ top ^
Communist Party of China makes tremendous success in human rights development over its 100-year history (People's Daily)
2021-04-14
The International Conference on the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Progress on Human Rights in China was held in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, on April 8. It was joined by more than 100 representatives from over 20 countries and international organizations, who gave a high evaluation on the CPC's efforts to strive for, respect and safeguard human rights in its 100-year history. They said the CPC has created a miracle regarding the human rights progress in the history of the Chinese nation, and made huge contributions to the global cause of human rights development. The history of the CPC is a glorious history of striving for people's liberation, safeguarding people's rights and devoting itself to well-rounded human development. To seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation is taken by the Chinese Communists as their original aspiration and mission. They are carrying the heavy task on their shoulders of leading the Chinese people to fight for and realize human rights. The great leap of the Chinese nation standing up, growing rich and becoming strong also mirrors the constant historic progress achieved by the country in the cause of human rights. To respect and safeguard human rights is embedded in both the Constitution of China and the Constitution of the CPC. International observes commented that the CPC always represents the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people and serves the people whole-heartedly, which is an important guarantee for the continuous human rights progress in China. As the CPC stays committed to the people-centered development philosophy and keeps enhancing people's sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security, the Chinese people are enjoying human rights more fully. When the People's Republic of China was just founded, some people from the West said arrogantly that the CPC couldn't even fill the stomachs of the Chinese people. However, the CPC not only led the Chinese people to have satisfied their basic needs, but also completed the arduous task of eliminating extreme poverty. Sandrine Nduwimana, director of International Liaison Department at China-Africa Business Council, said the CPC has tremendously improved Chinese people's living standards through a series of reforms in multiple aspects. Many foreign representatives attributed the CPC's constant successes to its efforts to stay committed to its original aspiration and mission, and to solve the practical problems that concern the people and have a direct influence on their interests. Under the leadership of the CPC, China has embarked on a human rights development path that suits its own conditions. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, China has constantly learned from the experience of the human society development, and combined the universality of human rights with its specific conditions. The country has also followed a people-centered human rights philosophy, always taking the rights to subsistence and development as primary human rights, so as to ensure that all people enjoy human rights in a coordinated way and promote well-rounded human development. International observers believe that human rights protection is not only a theory, but also a process of putting the theory into practice. They said it is in practices that China has verified the correctness and efficacy of its people-centered human rights philosophy. Upholding the principles of equality and mutual trust, inclusiveness and mutual learning, cooperation and mutual benefits, and common development, China is advancing global human rights governance with concrete actions. It is actively joining international cooperation on poverty reduction to advocate, promote and contribute to the global cause of poverty alleviation. It cherishes the rights to life and health of people from all countries, and is advancing the building of a global community of health for all. Besides, it is opening wider, actively promoting the construction of the Belt and Road, sharing development opportunities with the rest of the world, and making global development more inclusive and sustainable so that the benefits of development will reach more countries and peoples. With tangible practices, China has effectively promoted global human rights development. ^ top ^
Too early to talk about boycotting China's Winter Olympics: Blinken (SCMP)
2021-04-13
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was "premature" to discuss a boycott of the Beijing-hosted Winter Olympics in 2022, but that the US would take "concrete actions" to ensure it was not using products made in Xinjiang over its human rights abuses there. In a Sunday interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Blinken said the US was "not focused on a boycott" but was consulting closely with allies and partners on their concerns in Xinjiang, where up to 1 million ethnic Uygurs and other minorities are believed to have been detained. He said the US needed to "bring the world together" to condemn Beijing's repression of ethnic Uygurs and other minorities in Xinjiang, and ensure that US companies were not providing China with things that could be used for repression. "We need to be looking at products that are made in that part of China to make sure that they're not coming here; but we also have to make sure that we are dealing with all of our interests, and what is the best way to effectively advance our interests and our values," Blinken said. "We have to be able to deal with China on areas where those interests are implicated and require working with China, even as we stand resolutely against egregious violations of human rights or, in this case, acts of genocide." There have been growing discussions over a boycott by the US and is allies of the 2022 Olympics over Beijing's actions in Xinjiang, with the US State Department earlier distancing itself from statements that a boycott was something that "we certainly wish to discuss" with allies. Beijing has ramped up its defence in recent weeks of its Xinjiang policies, with the Chinese foreign ministry insisting the US Olympic Committee and international community would not accept an Olympics boycott and that US criticism of forced labour claims in Xinjiang were "doomed to fail". The US, European Union, Canada and Britain have imposed sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights issues in Xinjiang, which Beijing has countered with its own sanctions, including on European Parliament members and European scholars on China. There have also been state-endorsed calls for a consumer boycott of multinational companies, including the Swedish brand H&M, over statements they would not use cotton from Xinjiang because of the forced labour allegations. Blinken on Sunday also reaffirmed that the US stood behind Taiwan, in the face of increasing aggression from Beijing towards the self-ruled island, which it has threatened to bring under its rule, by force if necessary. "We have a serious commitment to Taiwan being able to defend itself," he said. "We have a serious commitment to peace and security in the western Pacific. And in that context, it would be a serious mistake for anyone to try to change that status quo by force." On the Covid-19 pandemic, Blinken said the US needed to "get to the bottom" of the virus origins, after criticising China for not being transparent in the early stages of the outbreak. "We need to do that precisely, so we fully understand what happened in order to have the best shot possible at preventing it from happening again," he said. World Health Organization experts released a report on the origins of the virus in late March, following a long-delayed trip to Wuhan. The document – which was controversial even before it was published – said it was "likely to very likely" that Covid-19 spread to humans from an intermediate animal host. It has been criticised by 14 countries, including the US, for the mission's lack of access to "complete, original data and samples". ^ top ^
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Xi's speech marking 95th founding anniversary of CPC to be published (China Daily)
2021-04-16
A speech made by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at a ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC will be published Friday in the eighth issue of the Qiushi Journal this year. Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered the speech at the ceremony on July 1, 2016. The birth of the CPC is an epoch-making event, which profoundly changed the course of Chinese history in modern times, the fate and future of the Chinese people and nation, and the direction and pattern of world development, says the article. "We must forever preserve the fighting spirit that Chinese Communists demonstrated when the CPC was founded, and forever preserve our devotion to our people," it says. In its momentous 95-year history, the CPC, relying closely on the Chinese people, has surmounted obstacle after obstacle, and gone from victory to victory, making a great, historic contribution to the Chinese nation, according to the article. The cause of the Chinese nation's rejuvenation, which history and the people have chosen the CPC to lead, is correct, must be always upheld, and can never be doubted, says the article. The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which the CPC has led the Chinese people in opening, is correct, must be always upheld, and can never be doubted, it says. The strategy of taking root in China, absorbing the finest achievements of human civilization, and independently achieving national development, which the CPC and the Chinese people have employed, is correct, must be always upheld, and can never be doubted, it adds. "Today, we are closer than ever to realizing the goal of national rejuvenation, and more confident and able than ever to realize this goal. We can now say with complete confidence that the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation has to be achieved, and definitely will be achieved," says the article. ^ top ^
China to raise proportion of middle-income earners (People's Daily)
2021-04-16
China's consumption has been on a continuous rise in recent years, and its consumption structure is also being optimized. Last year, the country's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 39.2 trillion yuan ($6 trillion), and final consumption contributed 54.3 percent to China's GDP. As a result, China maintained its position as the second largest consumption market of the world. New business forms such as online shopping and influencer marketing experienced rapid development. In 2020, a total of over 24 million livestream shows were aired on e-commerce platforms; online sales of national entity bucked the trend and grew 14.8 percent; the express delivery industry handled 31.2 percent more parcels than it did a year ago. China has become the world's largest market of online retailing for eight consecutive years. The robust recovery of China's consumption, despite the severe impacts from COVID-19, showcased the strong resilience and huge development potential of the Chinese market. As a major force of consumption, the middle-income group is a pillar of economy. At present, China has 400 million middle-income earners that account for around 30 percent of its population. In developed countries, the distribution of household income is always in an "olive shape" that is sharp at both ends and plump in the middle. In other words, middle-income group usually accounts for 60 percent to 70 percent of the population in developed countries. Such a structure is considered healthy and good for economic and social development. In contrast, China still has a long way to go to expand the size of its middle-income group. Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming said that with 1.4 billion people, China boasts a super large market and huge development potential. In the next 15 years, the number of Chinese middle-income earners is expected to reach 800 million, which will generate robust momentum for consumption upgrading and bright prospects. According to China's 14th Five-Year Plan, China will work to increase the income for graduates of universities and vocational schools, skilled workers and migrant workers in the next five years. Experts believe that it's both possible and necessary to include them in the middle-income group. Graduates of universities and vocational schools come in huge size and are well educated and skillful, which makes them possible to become middle-income earners. "Most people from this group, with their degree of education and competence, will not work simple and repetitive jobs, so it's possible that they become middle-income earners," Su Hainan, a contract research fellow with China Association for Labor Studies, told People's Daily during an interview. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), China has over 200 million skilled workers, who take 26 percent of its total jobs, up from 20 percent a few years ago. More than 50 million of them are highly skilled workers. In recent years, skilled workers are in a short supply in China, and their income keeps rising. The MOHRSS recently issued a guideline, encouraging enterprises to institute annual salary system and offer special awards for skilled talents, especially highly skilled ones. "Migrant workers are a major part of China's workforce, many of whom are also well educated and skillful, and are able to work complicated and innovative jobs," Su said. Last year, the number of migrant workers in China reached 280 million, including 170 million who worked out-of-town. The average monthly income of them stood at 4,072 yuan. Many of them are getting close to the threshold of middle income if calculated in terms of household. "To make a part of migrant workers middle-income earners is necessary for narrowing rural-urban income gap, improving the competence of workforce and accelerating rural vitalization, and it's also feasible to do that," Su noted. As the income of these major groups rises in the future, the size of China's middle-income group will be further expanded, turning the country's household income distribution into the "olive shape." By that time, China's consumption vitality will have been further activated, and the country will also release more dividends to the world. ^ top ^
China's reforms towards high-quality growth help curb carbon emissions: IMF chief (Xinhua)
2021-04-16
China's continuing reforms towards high-quality, sustainable, and balanced growth can help curb carbon emissions, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday. "Shifting away from investment-heavy to consumption-led growth, and supporting the expansion of services and high-tech sectors... will reduce the energy demand and carbon intensity of growth, thus, making it easier to achieve your climate goals," Georgieva said in remarks to a high-level seminar on green finance and climate policy held by the IMF and the People's Bank of China. Noting that carbon pricing is the most efficient and cost-effective approach to curbing emissions, Georgieva said China's existing coal tax could eventually be scaled up to curb CO2 emissions. "China is also taking a major step forward by introducing a national carbon emissions trading system for the power sector," she said, adding the system can become "more comprehensive" by shifting the focus to a cap on total emissions and gradually adopting more ambitious targets over time. Georgieva also said the global economic outlook is "starting to become sunnier" as the IMF recently lifted its global growth forecast to 6 percent for this year and 4.4 percent in 2022. China's economy is expected to grow at 8.4 percent this year, and the fund projects that "China will contribute on average more than one quarter to global GDP growth through 2026," she said. Georgieva urged countries to turn the pandemic-induced crisis into opportunity by "building greener and more climate-resilient economies," which would help realize a more sustainable and inclusive recovery. A policy mix of carbon taxes and green investment stimulus could increase the level of global GDP in the next 15 years by about 0.7 percent and create around 12 million new jobs through 2027, she said. The international community, the IMF chief said, also needs to step up to provide the climate finance and technology transfers that developing economies need to enhance their own climate efforts. ^ top ^
Chinese premier stresses consolidating stable growth momentum (China Daily)
2021-04-13
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed efforts to consolidate stable economic growth momentum and maintain the continuity, stability and sustainability of the country's macro policies. Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks on Friday while presiding over a symposium attended by experts and entrepreneurs. Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting. The symposium analyzed the country's current economic situation and listened to opinions on government's future economic work. China's economy has consolidated its sound recovery momentum since the beginning of this year, Li said. In light of the complex and grave international environment and uneven economic recovery at home, Li highlighted the importance of taking a comprehensive and objective perspective in analyzing economic situation. Efforts should be made to maintain the continuity, stability and sustainability of macro policies, in a bid to ensure that the country's economy runs within an appropriate range and promote high-quality development, Li said. The premier underscored paying attention to the changing situations at home and abroad, adding that the policy support for securing employment, people's livelihoods and the operations of market entities will not weaken. Li urged implementing measures aimed at supporting small and micro-sized businesses and self-employed individuals, better leveraging policies to promote the innovation and upgrading of the manufacturing sector, as well as channeling more funds to the real economy. He also demanded efforts to promote reform and opening-up, optimize business environment, stabilize foreign trade and investment and ensure the stability and security of industrial and supply chains. ^ top ^
China to celebrate CPC centenary with mass activities (People's Daily)
2021-04-13
China will launch mass activities to mark the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Various activities will be held to inspire the whole Party, the whole army and all the Chinese people of various ethnic groups to stay true to the original aspiration, hold on to the mission, and work hard to make their due contributions, according to a circular recently issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. Thematic activities including reviewing the oath of joining the CPC, education activities targeting teenagers, and cultural activities will be held in two phases: before May and from May until the end of the year. The circular urged innovative and people-oriented approaches in organizing these activities to make them more effective and appealing. The slogans of the CPC centenary celebration were also unveiled in the circular. ^ top ^
Heroic Hubei showcased to world 1 year after reopening (Global Times)
2021-04-13
One year after Hubei, the Chinese province hit hardest by the COVID-19 epidemic, reopened following months of strict lockdown in early 2020, China's Foreign Ministry and Hubei government held a promotional event in Beijing on Monday to introduce the province to the world, its arduous journey fighting the virus, and its strong recovery. With the theme "Heroic Hubei: Reborn for New Glories," the event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People's Government of Hubei Province. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Ying?Yong, Secretary of Communist Party of China Hubei Provincial Committee, Hubei Governor Wang Xiaodong and Wang Zhonglin, Secretary of CPC Wuhan Committee, attended the event. The event attracted the largest number of foreign diplomats and representatives in the history of the ministry, which shows people's acknowledgement of Hubei and Wuhan's accomplishment in fighting COVID-19, said Wang Yi. Hubei's fight against COVID-19 in the past year marks the epitome of the country's fight, said Wang, noting that the province not only made great sacrifice to China's stanch over the virus, but also contributed to the world's fight against the pandemic. He said they got support and assistance from many other countries; and China also offered help to other countries as the pandemic began to savage the world. "The unprecedented pandemic has let us know that our world is a shared community, where we share weal and woe," said Wang, urging the world to join hands to fight the virus. A year's journey Last Thursday marks the first anniversary of Wuhan's lockdown lift. A year on, not only has the pain caused by the epidemic been gradually fading among local people, they gathered what they learned from the pandemic and are ready to embrace a better life. A resident surnamed Sun told the Global Times that he felt the city is full of youthful vigor and the locals are optimistic and energetic in welcoming every new day after the city reopened last April. "We have gone through the heavy haze", Sun said with pride. When talking about their expectations of the city, several locals reached by the Global Times said they hoped Wuhan could upgrade to be one of the first-tier cities in China and have a promising future. Yan Jing, whose hometown is Huanggang, Hubei Province, but works in Beijing, shared a video of the promotional event on her WeChat. "Only those who stayed in Hubei at the beginning of last year had mix feelings. Gratitude for those who came to help; fear for the virus, and worry for those who stayed in their posts during lockdown. Now look at other countries facing impact of the pandemic. I feel like we are living in a different world," said Yan. Although the epidemic scar is one thing Hubei and Wuhan people are willing to leave behind, many Wuhan residents are still easily irritated at the mention of "Wuhan being labeled the culprit of the global pandemic." The WHO-China joint expert team recently published a report about their investigation in China on virus origins, many Western media and politicians jumped out and hurled mud at Wuhan, chanting the old tune that the city is the origins of the coronavirus. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized China's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," claiming that China's "failure" to cooperate in the early stages of the virus led to the situation's getting "out of hand." A Wuhan doctor surnamed Zheng described such statement as "passing the buck." "The US is one of the first countries that evacuated its nationals from Wuhan in January. The world's biggest superpower with topnotch medical technique has enough time to prepare but yet got savaged by the pandemic two months later. Now it's blaming China?" Huang Haixia, who has lived in Jiqing Street, Wuhan for years, asked, "why do some in the US keep claiming Wuhan is the origin of the coronavirus, but when we questioned its athletes coming to Wuhan for Military World Games in October 2019, the US dared not show any test results or health proof?" Huang said, noting that she believes the US must be hiding something, and that WHO experts should go to the US for coronavirus origins research. Strong bounce back At the promotional event, Wang Yi, along with Ying Yong and Wang Zhonglin, also highlighted the economic performance of Hubei Province last year, against the challenges posed by the pandemic. The province had done a great job on economic development under the most difficult circumstance, as its economy has recovered about 95 percent compared with 2019, and trade volume even hit a record high. According to official data, Hubei's GDP declined 39.2 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020 due to the pandemic. However, with the successful handling of the pandemic, the economic activities have seen a stable recovery since the second quarter, and by the end of 2020, the province's GDP had rebounded to 95 percent of the level in 2019. Ying Yong, Party chief of Hubei Province, said at the event that since the outbreak of the epidemic, the province put forward many measures to promote economic recovery, including ensuring the connection of upper and downstream industrial chains. As a result, the economy in the province is experiencing fast growth as many sectors are seeing double-digit growth, according to Ying. Dong Dengxin, director of the Financial Securities Institute at Wuhan University of Science and Technology, told the Global Times on Monday that with its geographical advantage in Central China, Hubei is the hub that connects the east and west of China. "With China's plan on regional development, there will be more supportive policies during the 14th Five-Year Plan for Hubei's development, which will also provide favorable opportunities for foreign companies," Dong said. In addition, the business environment in Hubei, especially Wuhan, has dramatically improved as the province has released many measures including talent cultivation and increasing investments in the R&D sector, Dong added. "There are already several industries in Hubei that are in leading position in the world such as optical communication, biological science and automobiles, which have formed industrial clusters in the province," Dong said, adding that "with the improving business environment and favorable policies, foreign investment is expected to see a strong growth after the epidemic." ^ top ^
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West vilifying China's Xinjiang governance may eventually backfire (People's Daily)
2021-04-16
As the West is exploiting Xinjiang governance to stir up trouble for China, Western opinion is closely facilitating this process. In late February, French professor from the University of Strasbourg Christian Mestre stepped down from his post as the ethics officer of the Strasbourg Eurometropolis. Besides his academic relations with China and his alleged service for China, French media outlets dug out his opinion in 2019 when he attended an international seminar on counter-terrorism, de-radicalization and human rights protection in Xinjiang. He praised China's counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures in Xinjiang in an interview, and called for France and other European countries haunted by terrorism to adopt Chinese measures. In recent years, some Western governments and the media outlets of those countries have stepped up efforts to pressure China by vilifying China's Xinjiang policy. What happened to Professor Mestre shows that Western public opinion manipulated by elites won't bear any voices different from narratives it constructed about Xinjiang. In 2019, a documentary released by China's national broadcaster CGTN on the anti-terrorism work in Xinjiang was identified by the YouTube community as inappropriate or offensive to some audiences. Western media propaganda against Xinjiang governance is a composition of lies, loopholes and fabrication. These media outlets deliberately twist or make up facts and selectively report on whatever caters to their rhetoric. By playing with double standards, they control the discourse power and filer the opinions they dislike. The fixed Western mentality determines their rhetoric, and the human rights card is the easiest and cheapest tool in the Western opinion sphere. Western media would not try to understand, or they just deliberately turn a blind eye to, the fact that Xinjiang governance is not about human rights but a matter of counter-terrorism and anti-secession. After all, Western opinion sphere is a platform through which Western forces interfere in China's internal politics and impose so-called international pressure on China in a bid to squeeze China's room for development and maintain their own global ambitions and geostrategic interests. The rights and welfare of people in Xinjiang are never in the minds of these forces whose actual agenda is to make trouble for China and jeopardize China's development. The West treats China with a twisted mentality, which prevents it from having a correct view of China's practices. China's policies in Xinjiang are an exploration of how to eradicate terrorism, extremism and radicalization. These evils know no boundary and threaten the stability of many countries, including European ones. China's governance in Xinjiang has prevented violent terrorist attacks in Xinjiang and brought peace and development back to the region. This is what all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are willing to see. China will not be led by the nose by the Western opinion war. Professor Mestre's opinion that "France and other European countries [haunted by terrorism] could take the answers given by Xinjiang" back in 2019 was not to please China, but an earnest suggestion for the West. Western societies also face the baffling issue of religious extremism and have suffered from bloody terror attacks. In 2020 alone, nine cases of terror attacks occurred on French soil. The Western world, including France, could learn from China's experience. But as the West spares no efforts to crack down on China by exploiting Xinjiang governance, it may eat the bitterness itself at the end. ^ top ^
BCI removes statement on Xinjiang cotton from its website (China Daily)
2021-04-16
The Better Cotton Initiative announced last year that it was ceasing all operations in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region amid accusations of "forced labor" there. The statement has disappeared from its website as backlash grows in China against the organization and its members' attempts to boycott Xinjiang cotton. BCI Shanghai office said it didn't find any case of "forced labor" in Xinjiang in a statement released on its WeChat account at the end of March. "In response to overseas reports about 'forced labor' [in Xinjiang], our Shanghai office conducted a strict review of the projects in Xinjiang," Wu Yan, chief representative of the BCI Shanghai office said in an exclusive interview with China Central Television. The screenshot of BCI statement on Xinjiang cotton released in October 2020 has been removed from its website. [CGTN] Wu said, "We submitted two investigation reports to the headquarters. We also compiled and submitted inspection reports made by third-party inspection agencies, such as the SGS, in the past several years." The decision made by BCI to suspend licensing in Xinjiang will prevent nearly 500,000 tons of Xinjiang cotton from entering the global supply chain of cotton textile production, according to Wu. "Human rights organizations required the BCI to suspend licensing in Xinjiang and demanded BCI claim that any decisions made by it have nothing to do with these human rights organizations," Liu Haoran, project manager of the BCI Shanghai office, said in the interview. Founded in Switzerland in 2009, BCI sets the global standard for cotton industries and certifies cotton farms worldwide. It has 2,100 members worldwide, including cotton farmers, textile businesses and retail brands. Some multinational companies like H&M and Nike, members of the BCI, have been facing a backlash in China after they announced to suspend sourcing cotton from Xinjiang. Chinese e-commerce platforms Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Suning.com, and Meituan's Dianping removed H&M from their platforms in March, and Chinese Android app stores removed H&M as well. ^ top ^
Xinjiang tomato farms dismiss Japanese firm's ban as publicity stunt with no impact (Global Times)
2021-04-16
Tomato farmers in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have shrugged off a hostile move by Japanese firm Kagome, known as Japan's "king of ketchup," which banned tomatoes from the region over widely debunked "forced-labor" claims, in what has been described as a publicity stunt that has no major impact. With the boycott, Kagome became the first major Japanese company to sever business ties with Xinjiang firms based solely on vicious allegations pushed by some Western anti-China forces. A Kagome representative claimed that, along with costs and quality, "human rights problems have become a factor in making decision," the Nikkei Asian Review reported on Wednesday. The move instantly drew backlash in China, where tomato growers forcefully pushed back on those allegations and harshly criticized the decisions, while saying the move will hardly have any major impact. Zhang Ting, deputy general manager of Shanghai Pusha Investment Development Co, denied that there are human rights issues in the tomato industry in Xinjiang, as claimed by Western media. His company owns 800 tomato greenhouses in Kashi Prefecture and employs around 800 local workers, Zhang told the Global Times on Thursday. "The income for local farmers growing tomatoes for ketchup is higher, with most of the processes having been mechanized and automated," he said, noting that all employees including Uyghur ones work eight hours a day. Zhang stressed that the company produces about 5,000 tons of the crop a year, all of it sold across the country, and therefore the action of the Japanese company poses no threat. Kagome and Western brands' halt of imports of agricultural products from Xinjiang are a form of downright disinformation and a smear of China's nationwide effort in alleviating poverty in Xinjiang and aiding Xinjiang's development, Sun Wenhua, director of the China Agriculture Industry Chamber of Commerce at All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, told the Global Times on Thursday. Despite the viciousness of the boycott by the Japanese company, farmers in Xinjiang have very few concerns about sales. Kagome's tomato imports from China have already been on the decline for at least two to three years, as it also imports from Europe and the US, according to media reports. Even Japan as a whole only ranks 10th among destinations for Xinjiang tomato, according to a chart compiled by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. Italy, Russia and the United Arab Emirates are among the top destinations. The Japanese firm is also basically non-existence in the Chinese market. Kagome has no sales base in the Chinese mainland, where it generates only 0.4 percent of its revenue in 2020. Some analysts believe that the company's failure in the Chinese market is one of the reasons why it decided to boycott Xinjiang tomato, which is more of a publicity stunt. Companies that have a huge market in China will not make arbitrary moves that politicize products from China's Xinjiang, based on groundless claims, experts said. Companies such as H&M and Nike that took such a step have already drawn widespread backlash from Chinese consumers and faced consequences, a clear example for others to think twice before splashing dirty water on China for political purposes, experts noted. Even if the move poses temporary challenges to some tomato farmers in Xinjiang, it will be overcome within half a year by developing new market channels or launching highly processed projects, Sun Beiguo, dean of the Beijing-based Chuanglian Agricultural Sciences Institute, told the Global Times on Thursday. However, in a stunning sign of Kagome's publicity stunt, the Global Times found on Thursday that even after the announcement of the ban, the company's official website still says it uses tomatoes from Xinjiang, that China is one of the world's few crop suppliers, and that Xinjiang is a world-class tomato producer. As an important production and export base of tomato products in China, Xinjiang has unique advantages in tomato cultivation because of long hours of sunshine, big temperature differences between day and night, a dry climate and little rain, experts said. Nationally, China supplied about 62.76 million tons of tomatoes in 2019, accounting for about 35 percent of global production, data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations shows. ^ top ^
Anti-China forces can never halt Xinjiang's growth (Global Times)
2021-04-16
The photovoltaic industry appears to be the latest target caught up in the political farce orchestrated by anti-China forces over their cooked human rights abuse in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In a list of questions regarding alleged "forced labor" in Xinjiang, several members of the Dutch parliament urged the Netherlands government to explain if it is aware that solar panels and other components imported from China may contain raw materials from Xinjiang, according to local media reports. They also asked the government to explain the possible impact on Dutch and European renewable energy markets if imports of Xinjiang-produced solar modules are suspended. Nothing can be more hypocritical than those questions, which clearly showed that some Western politicians are never really concerned about the alleged "forced labor" related with Xinjiang. They either didn't bother to get to know the issue but choosing to turn a blind eye to the basic facts. When the US and some other Western anti-China forces accuse Xinjiang of using "forced labor," they have never provided any evidence, but these forces keep fabricating the claim to discredit China. China has for many times rebuked the "forced labor" fabrications by offering evidence and figures, but they have been ignored by the politicians in the US and some Western nations. Facts speak louder than words, but sometimes you can never wake up a person that is pretending to be asleep. China is the world's largest photovoltaic modules producer, and Xinjiang is the key region for PV development, while the Netherlands is one of the fastest growing PV markets in Europe. If those Western forces label solar modules produced in Xinjiang as "forced labor" products, just like they did previously to Xinjiang cotton, and force government projects and local businesses to stop sourcing Xinjiang PV products, it would certainly raise a red flag for Xinjiang's PV industry. At the same time, the global PV market may also be vulnerable to supply chain disruption. In fact, the alleged "forced labor" in Xinjiang region is nothing but an excuse for those anti-China forces to make up and cook human rights violations, with an aim to impede the rapid economic development in Xinjiang, by curtailing exports of Xinjiang products. Isn't it a humiliation to true human rights when some Western anti-China forces take actions to harm a region's growth based on lies, impeding local development and improvement of people's livelihood there? The cotton and photovoltaic industries are among the fastest growing and export-oriented sectors in Xinjiang, which have the potential to help upgrade the economic development in the autonomous region. And the impact to possibly slow down the region's pillar industries will deprive Xinjiang residents of their basic interests and the right to improving their livelihood, and that is the real violation of human rights. Of course, anti-China forces' shame is unlikely to stop the momentum of Xinjiang's economic and social development. The region has witnessed rapid growth in areas such as renewable energy, cross-border trade. And, most importantly, China's central government will continue to channel sizable investments to Xinjiang. ^ top ^
Beijing goes all out to improve education in Xinjiang (People's Daily)
2021-04-16
Over the past five years, Beijing has actively supported northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region with the construction of kindergartens and primary and middle schools, in a bid to lay the foundations of and bolster areas of weakness in Xinjiang's education. From 2016 to 2020, Beijing allocated a fund of nearly 2.1 billion ($320 million) yuan to aid Xinjiang in improving schools. The city established, renovated, and expanded a total of 193 kindergartens and primary and middle schools, which cover an area of over 2.6 million square meters, and built a batch of demonstration schools including the Moyu Beijing Senior High School and Hetian Beijing Haidian Primary School in Xinjiang. Beijing has significantly scaled up the various education infrastructure in Xinjiang and helped the autonomous region resolve the shortage of education facilities overall at this stage. Meanwhile, Beijing has helped create over 150,000 places in the schools of Xinjiang, effectively guaranteeing the access to education for children who have reached school age. Raziya Abdirehim, a six-grade student at the Hetian Beijing Haidian Primary School, enjoys rope skipping with friends at the tartan tracks of the schoolyard. "I really like the big playground as we can play games and do activities there," said the student. Before it bid farewell to poverty last year, Hotan prefecture in Xinjiang, where the Hetian Beijing Haidian Primary School is located, was one of the severely impoverished areas in China and was faced with a prominent lack of education resources. For a while, the schools in villages and towns of the prefecture were equipped with rough wooden tables and chairs, whose colors didn't even match; a teacher needed to take care of an entire class of 50 to 60 children in the kindergartens, which was pretty hard work; and in some schools, the walls fell into decay, and the ceilings of offices had cracks and started to peel. As a key project of Beijing's assistance with the education of Xinjiang, the Hetian Beijing Haidian Primary School took shape on an open space within merely over one year and officially started to enroll students in the autumn of 2018. Wei Hengbo, a teacher of the Hetian Beijing Haidian Primary School, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, poses for a photo in front of the school. When he was still in college, he already volunteered to teach in Xinjiang. (Photo/People's Daily Online) With novel designs and complete facilities, the modern school accommodating over 2,100 students now has become a star school in the area, and serves as an epitome of the fruits Beijing has achieved in assisting Xinjiang in the field of education. When it started to enroll students, the Hetian Beijing Haidian Primary School was troubled by the lack of experience and professional skills among some local teachers though equipped with first-class hardware facilities. Liu Quanhua, a teacher from Haidian district of Beijing in the Hetian Beijing Haidian Primary School, has encouraged fellows assigned by Beijing to instruct local teachers, which pushes the rapid improvement in their quality. It is crucial to train a team of high-quality teachers for the area, and stimulate the vitality of local teachers so that they can independently animate the class and benefit the students, according to Liu, also the first principal of the school. Liu has devoted himself to the development of the school and couldn't help but shed tears when he attended the flag-raising ceremony at the school for one last time before leaving the school and returning to Beijing last year. Since 2016, Beijing has assigned 647 excellent teachers in four batches to help teach students in Xinjiang. The teachers from Beijing have formed over 800 pairs in a master-apprentice relationship with local teachers in Xinjiang to improve their competences, staged demonstration courses for more than 1,500 times, and trained over 10,000 fresh hands in schools. Beijing has also creatively launched a program to encourage college students across China to teach in the schools of Xinjiang. Since 2018, Beijing has invested over 200 million yuan, and recruited over 20,000 college students to teach in Xinjiang, effectively dealing with the insufficiency of teachers in the autonomous region. ^ top ^
Xinjiang: will the West's sanctions on China force the issue or unravel? (SCMP)
2021-04-16
Since 2019, dozens of Chinese officials and companies have been sanctioned or blacklisted by the West over alleged human rights abuses against Uygurs and members of other minorities in China's western Xinjiang region. In January, alleged widespread use of forced labour in Xinjiang prompted the United States to ban imports of cotton and tomato products from the region, and Canada and Britain to announce similar bans. The latest sanctions in March from the European Union, the US, Britain and Canada mean that specified Chinese officials will be unable to travel to the sanctioning countries, and their assets there will be seized. They will probably have difficulty maintaining bank accounts, even Chinese ones. As international pressure on Beijing increases, it remains to be seen whether blacklisting firms and banning imports of Chinese products connected to Xinjiang will have a substantial economic impact. Some observers see the sanctions as merely symbolic objections to growing claims of repression in the region, which are unlikely to be heeded by Beijing. According to Nick Marro, global trade lead at the Economist Intelligence Unit in Hong Kong, the sanctions would probably not have a discernible macroeconomic impact on China because they were "quite targeted" and carried "more symbolic than economic weight". The real economic impact also depended on how stringently they would be enforced, he said. "The cotton industry is notoriously complex, and it could be difficult to clearly trace cotton items back to production in Xinjiang – a lot of this could ultimately come down to regulatory discretion by US authorities," Marro said. Even if broad bans risked more consequences for US consumers rather than the Chinese economy, it would force compliance from companies looking to sell in the US market, he said. "In effect, these companies had little choice but to disavow the use of Xinjiang cotton in their supply chains," Marro said. "And that doesn't even touch on the potential ethical and reputational risks that Western firms might face among their home market consumers." There have been mounting accusations of mass detention of an estimated 1 million Uygurs and members of other mostly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang since reports first emerged in 2018. The US and Canada have labelled China's policies there genocide. Multiple international media, think tanks and non-governmental organisations have published photographs, documents and analysis showing claimed forced labour in Xinjiang. In December, an analysis of Chinese government documents by the Washington-based Centre for Global Policy found that in 2018 "at least 570,000" people had been forcibly mobilised to pick cotton there. Beijing has dismissed the accusations against it, calling for evidence and repeating its combative rhetoric that Western countries should not intervene in Chinese politics. It has repeatedly accused Western governments of raising concerns about human rights in Xinjiang to destabilise China, and has defended its camps in the region, calling them "re-education" or "vocational training" centres for counterterrorism purposes, whose success it says is proven by an absence of terror attacks in the past four years. During a visit to Xinjiang that coincided with the introduction of the latest sanctions, Minister for Public Security Zhao Kezhi, the country's police chief, said Beijing would oppose "attempts to use Xinjiang to contain China" and "attempts to use terrorism to contain China" – lines used in Chinese state media to refer to the sanctions. Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, who was the EU's ambassador to China until 2019, said the bloc had a responsibility to respond. Its sanctions on four individuals and one entity accused of human rights abuses in Xinjiang were the bloc's first against China since the bloody Tiananmen crackdown of 1989. "I do not think anybody in Europe was under the illusion that this would change China's position immediately," he said. "But the EU could not fail to make its position clear without losing its credibility." Leaked state documents describe repressive operations at China's detention camps in Xinjiang Although unable to quantify the amount of tomato products imported from Xinjiang specifically, US Customs and Border Protection said in January that US$10 million worth of tomato products had been imported from China into the United States in the previous year. About a quarter of the world's supply of tomato ketchup is sourced from Xinjiang, according to Chinese state media reports. Xinjiang's cotton industry is more significant, producing a fifth of the world's cotton and more than 80 per cent of China's domestic cotton output. Mei Xinyu, an economist and researcher at the Chinese commerce ministry, declined to say how China's cotton production supply chain would shift if companies abandoned Xinjiang, but insisted China was too strong to be affected. "The price of cotton will depend on supply and demand of the entire market," Mei said. "Even if there are price fluctuations, we are still very resilient. Last year, even with increasing pressure from the US [previous sanctions over Xinjiang], and the pandemic, there was still growth in Xinjiang cotton exports. "All we have to do is keep up the good quality of Xinjiang cotton production. I believe a lot of companies will still want to use Xinjiang cotton. Businesses are very smart; they will find ways to solve this problem," Mei said, without specifying how. "The ones who suffer will be US companies and consumers." In recent months, multinational brands have been scrambling to unwind their supply chains from the region. Every year, US companies import about 1.5 billion garments that contain Xinjiang cotton, worth more than US$20 billion, according to Washington-based labour rights organisation Workers Rights Consortium. Major companies such as Swedish retailer H&M and US brand Nike have stated they will not source their products from Xinjiang, putting them in the crosshairs of state-led consumer boycotts in China. US customs authorities already moved last December to block imports of products made anywhere in the world that contained raw cotton harvested by the quasi-military Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, which is responsible for a third of China's cotton production and accounts for 17 per cent of Xinjiang's economy. Chen Daoyin, a political commentator and former professor at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, said he saw little possibility of China changing its approach towards Xinjiang regardless of cost, given the issue has escalated to become an important part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's nationalism campaign. "Relations between China and the world have fundamentally changed, and the Chinese government appears not to take Western democracies' standards into consideration when it makes moves," Chen said. "As long as the Communist Party keeps pushing the narrative of achieving the 'Chinese dream' … foreign sanctions will have no impact on China's internal policies." Achieving what it calls "social stability" in Xinjiang, a region riddled for years by ethnic conflicts and violence, has become central to the party's ruling legitimacy as China grows in stature on the world stage and its leaders try to present an alternative to Western ideals. Activists and political figures argue there is scope to increase the pressure on China to make meaningful changes to its policies. Zumretay Arkin, advocacy manager at the World Uygur Congress, an international organisation of exiled Uygur groups, said sanctions on Xinjiang were a "step towards accountability". She said more could be done, including calls to boycott the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. "China can no longer hide," she said. "The international community has been aware now of all the atrocities they're committing, and I think we're going to move towards even more concrete action in the coming months. "I think [Beijing is] now focused on combating that narrative with its own propaganda and misinformation. In the eyes of the international community, [China has] become a country that doesn't accept any sort of legitimate criticism. Retaliatory attacks have proven our point and made it easier to advocate for Uygur human rights, because we don't really have to prove how China will behave … the world already knows." Although there was room for further sanctions to be placed on China – such as on more agricultural products, on imports and even financial sanctions – François Godement, senior adviser for Asia at think tank Institut Montaigne in Paris, doubted the West was ready to do so. "Naming and shaming might impose a reputational cost – I think it already does – on China's actions in Xinjiang, but [pressuring China is] a long, drawn-out process," he said. "It's very clear that the Chinese leadership is extremely determined not to give in to any form of material or moral pressure." But Schweisgut, the former EU ambassador to China, said Chinese counter-sanctions on members of the European Parliament had put ratification of the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment in doubt. "It is likely to be delayed, and is also linked to China's commitment to ratify two International Labour Organization conventions on forced labour. This will now come under increased scrutiny," he said. "Hopefully, the Chinese leadership will eventually accept meaningful access by independent experts to Xinjiang, in particular by the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, and live up to its own proclaimed standards of openness and transparency." ^ top ^
Warning on traveling to Xinjiang misguided, ministry says (China Daily)
2021-04-14
China dismissed on Tuesday an unfounded travel advisory issued by Canada that warns its citizens about visiting Xinjiang, and said facts and truth will stifle the lies and disinformation. In an update to travel advice for Canadians visiting China, the Canadian government has added more detail regarding the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, warning that Canadians with ethnic ties to the region could be "at risk of arbitrary detention". China has repeatedly refuted rumors related to Xinjiang, which are fabricated by certain institutions and individuals from the West, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily news conference. Xinjiang now enjoys social stability and sound development momentum, and the local people are living safe and happy lives, Zhao said, adding that all residents in Xinjiang fully enjoy their rights, including the rights to subsistence and development. There is no need for Canadian citizens and other foreign citizens in China to worry as long as they abide by the laws, he said. Tourists from home and abroad visiting Xinjiang have broken records in recent years, he said. The region received more than 200 million visitors in 2019. "We welcome more foreigners to visit Xinjiang to see the real situation," he said. Also at the news briefing, Zhao warned the United States to stop playing with fire over the Taiwan question and prudently deal with issues related to the island. Zhao made the remark after the US State Department issued guidelines on Friday that will enable US officials to meet more freely with officials from Taiwan. China urges the US to immediately stop any form of official contacts with Taiwan and to avoid sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces, so as not to subversively influence and damage Sino-US relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, he said. ^ top ^
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| Hongkong |
HK events highlight State security (China Daily)
2021-04-16
Ensuring Hong Kong is administered by patriots is key to safeguarding political security, which is an essential element of national security, local political leaders stressed during this year's National Security Education Day, the first in the city since the implementation of the National Security Law. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the education day on Thursday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said political security and national security are inseparable. In order to safeguard national security, administrative power must be firmly kept in the hands of patriots. To protect political security, the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress－the nation's top legislature－initiated the revamp of Hong Kong's electoral system in March and amended Annex I and Annex II of the Basic Law to advance the reform. A bill put forward by the Hong Kong government to revise local electoral laws passed its first reading on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the city's leader also vowed to put more efforts into raising local residents' awareness of national security and ensuring that public officials perform their duties well in terms of protecting national security, in a bid to comprehensively perform the city's constitutional duty in safeguarding national security. In a speech at the ceremony, Luo Huining, the central government's top liaison official in the Hong Kong SAR, stressed that to protect national security, it is imperative to revamp the city's electoral system to ensure the city is administered by patriots. "When it comes to matters of principle such as national sovereignty and security as well as the fundamental well-being of Hong Kong residents, true patriots should step up to the plate to meet the challenge in the administration of Hong Kong," said Luo, who is also the national security adviser to the Hong Kong SAR. The liaison chief also said that the central authorities will lend full support to the Hong Kong SAR in cracking down on criminal activities endangering national security and to individuals and institutions that have been subjected to threats and sanctions for safeguarding national security. "Any act endangering national security as well as Hong Kong's prosperity and stability will be dealt with swiftly and effectively. Any attempt by foreign countries and external forces to flagrantly interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong, and to exploit Hong Kong as a pawn, will be met with impactful countermeasures," he said. Zheng Yanxiong, director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, said at the event that the city has to implement the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" to ensure the sustained and sound implementation of "one country, two systems". Given that, he said the city's electoral reform is an important part of the package of decisions to guarantee the implementation of the principle and can ensure the city's political stability. A range of activities took place across Hong Kong in schools and communities to raise awareness of national security. After participating in a national flag-raising ceremony at a primary school, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said the city's Education Bureau would give all-around support to schools in conducting national security education. The academies of five of the Hong Kong Disciplined Services－which include the city's police, fire, correctional services, customs and immigration departments－were also open to the public on Thursday, with exhibitions and performances related to their work on safeguarding national security. For the first time, members of the Hong Kong Police College publicly performed marching in the style of China's armed forces. After watching anti-terrorism exercises by the Special Duties Unit, a 19-year-old student surnamed Lai told reporters that he is more determined to join the Hong Kong Police Force in order to contribute to the safeguarding of national security. ^ top ^
HK Police College stages Chinese-style foot drills as city celebrates National Security Education Day for first time: Exclusive with Commissioner of Police (Global Times)
2021-04-16
As Hong Kong celebrates the National Security Education Day for the first time, the Hong Kong Police College staged, also for the first time, performed the Chinese-style foot drills for the public, including commanding swords and flags, to allow local residents experience the sentiment for the motherland, Commissioner of Police Chris Tang Ping-keung told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Thursday. This was also the first time the college, besides during graduation ceremonies, staged a ceremony raising the Chinese national flag and playing the national anthem for the local residents, Tang said. More than 23 years after Hong Kong returned to the motherland, putting an end to its colonial past, the Hong Kong Police College held Chinese-style foot drill trainings for the first time in February. These drills were taught by members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison, who were invited by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF). "The training of the HKPF continues to keep up with the changing times, so as to deal with all kinds of challenges that may arise. The foot drills are, of course, no exception," Tang said, noting that although the HKPF foot drills style is derived from the historical background, under the command of college instructors, it has been evolving to adopt local characteristics. Some experts and representatives from the HKPF consider such training in Chinese style a very necessary one, as the HKPF still has strong colonial characteristics that need to change. "We will continue to review various cooperation and training plans, and make preparations in line with the needs of the events. We will also consider using different types of foot drills for different ceremonies," Tang said. Hong Kong celebrated the National Security Education Day on Thursday with a number of activities to promote public awareness. Schools across the city raised Chinese national flags and sang the national anthem to celebrate the day. Once hit by black-clad protests and riots, Hong Kong has stepped up efforts to fix local governance loopholes while enhancing education of the young generation to eradicate radical ideas. An opening ceremony for unveiling the National Security Education Day in the city was held on Thursday morning at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. Both local and central government officials were in attendance. Carrie Lam, chief executive of the HKSAR government, Luo Huining, director of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, Zheng Yanxiong, who leads the central government's office of safeguarding the national security in the city, as well as Yang Yirui, acting commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, delivered speeches at the ceremony. Since the national security law for Hong Kong took effect, a total of 100 people allegedly engaging in activities endangering national security have been arrested. The law has been playing a significant role in the city's stability, Tang said. However, we have to stay vigilant to prevent illegal activities from happening again. Safeguarding the national security is one of the top priority missions for both the 2021 Commissioner of Police and the HKPF, the official noted. ^ top ^
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| Taiwan |
China opposes so-called new rules for U.S. contacts with Taiwan: spokesperson (Xinhua)
2021-04-15
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a daily news briefing here Tuesday that China firmly opposes the so-called new rules for U.S. government contacts with Taiwan and has lodged solemn representations with the United States. The U.S. State Department on April 9 unveiled new rules for U.S. government contacts with Taiwan in a statement, saying that the Biden administration intends to "liberalize" the rules to reflect the "deepening unofficial relationship" between the United States and Taiwan. "These new guidelines will continue the U.S. government's longstanding practice of providing clarity throughout the U.S. executive branch of how to implement our 'one-China' policy," the department said. In response, spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. The Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the United States clearly states that the U.S. people will maintain cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations with Taiwan people, and it has been the prerequisite for the development of China-U.S. relations over the past 40-odd years, he said. Zhao said the so-called new rules for U.S. government contacts with Taiwan openly encourage the U.S. government to engage in cooperation with Taiwan, which seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, the serious political commitment made by the United States on the Taiwan question and sent the wrong signals to separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence." Noting that the Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and core interests, Zhao urged the United States to recognize the situation, strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, immediately stop any form of official exchanges with Taiwan, handle Taiwan-related issues carefully and properly, and refrain from sending any wrong signals to separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" to avoid subversive damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. ^ top ^
Taiwan navy's new amphibious vessel 'no match to PLA counterpart, of minimal threat' (Global Times)
2021-04-15
The island of Taiwan launched its first 10,000 ton-class amphibious landing ship on Tuesday, a move Chinese mainland experts said on Wednesday will only add to the rising military tensions in the Taiwan Straits. Named the Yu Shan, Taiwan's first domestically built 10,000 ton-class amphibious transport dock was launched in Kaohsiung on Tuesday, and it's expected to be delivered in 2022, Taipei-based Central News Agency reported. Attending the launch ceremony, Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen claimed that the ship will enhance the defense capabilities of the island, the report said. The ship's launch will not help to ease the ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Straits, Song Zhongping, a Chinese mainland military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Five PLA aircraft, namely a Y-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft and four J-16 fighter jets, entered Taiwan's self-proclaimed air defense identification zone on Tuesday, the island's defense authorities said on Twitter. Recently, a ship-borne helicopter regiment under the PLA Navy organized helicopters to launch live anti-ship missiles in an exercise in the East China Sea, enhancing the pilots' combat capabilities under complicated situations, navy.81.cn, the news website of the PLA Navy, reported on Tuesday. The Taiwan navy's new ship will not be a significant threat to the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Because in a potential military conflict, it would be the PLA that use amphibious landing ships against Taiwan's military, and by comparison, Taiwan's ship is much inferior, Song said. The PLA operates a number of Type 071s, a type of amphibious landing ship that displaces about twice as much as Taiwan navy's Yu Shan, according to openly available information. Taiwan media reports boasted the Yu Shan, equipped with radar, air defense missiles and rapid-fire guns, as being capable of transporting armored vehicles, amphibious assault vehicles, landing craft and helicopters in amphibious combat missions. US-based media outlet Defense News said on Tuesday that the Yu Shan could hold anti-ship missiles, which is unusual for an amphibious landing ship. The Yu Shan will also be dispatched in transport missions in the South China Sea and other offshore islands, Taiwan media reported, citing the president of the ship's manufacturer. While the Yu Shan is of minimal threat to the PLA, from another point of view, the Taiwan authorities should use it in safeguarding the common sovereignty interests of the Chinese nation against foreign threats, Song said. Coincidentally, the PLA Eastern Theater Command Navy also operates an amphibious ship named Yushan. ^ top ^
China warns of military action against Taiwan to block relations with US on eve of American visit (SCMP)
2021-04-15
Beijing warned on Tuesday it was determined to stop Taiwan getting close to Washington with the use of military action, ahead of a visit by a former US politician and officials to the island at US President Joe Biden's request. Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the recent deployment of the largest fleet of warplanes to Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) was to tell Taiwan that moving closer to the US to seek independence would fail. "The signal given by the military drills is that we are determined to stop Taiwan independence, and stop Taiwan from working with the US. We are doing it with action," Ma told reporters on Tuesday. "We do not promise to abandon the use of force, and retain the option of taking all necessary measures. We are aimed at the interference of external forces and the very small number of separatists and their separatist activities. We are definitely not aimed at compatriots in Taiwan". Ma's warning came as former US senator Chris Dodd and former deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg headed to Taiwan on Tuesday at Biden's request. The White House said the exchange was a "personal signal" of Biden's commitment to Taiwan and its democracy. They are expected to meet Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday. The State Department said on Friday it was issuing new guidelines to enable US officials to meet more freely with officials from Taiwan, a move that deepens relations with Taipei amid intensified Chinese military activity around the island, which China claims as its own. Ma said the US should respect the one-China principle and properly handle the Taiwan issue. "The external forces using Taiwan to control China and those independence camps using force to seek independence, are doomed to fail in the face of the 1.4 billion Chinese people's strong determination," he said. Taiwan unveils new amphibious assault and transport ship for service in the South China Sea Beijing sent 25 warplanes into Taiwan's ADIZ on Monday, including 14 J-16 fighter jets, four J-10 fighter jets, four H-6K bombers, two Y-8 anti-submarine warfare planes and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft. It was the biggest ever incursion by People's Liberation Army warplanes into Taiwan's ADIZ. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned Beijing against invading Taiwan. But Ma said the drill was necessary to safeguard national sovereignty. "The current complex and severe situation across the Taiwan Strait is mainly because the Democratic Progressive Party is colluding with separatist and external forces to seek independence provocations," he said. ^ top ^
US urged not to escalate use of Taiwan card (China Daily)
2021-04-15
The United States has been escalating its move to play the Taiwan card and making the Taiwan question a hot spot as US President Joe Biden's first delegation of former US senior officials arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday, an expert said. The three-day visit is the latest diplomatic outreach made by the US after Washington issued a new guideline on Friday, enabling US officials to meet more freely with officials from Taiwan. China responded by warning the US "not to play with fire". Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that China has lodged stern representations over the visit, urging Washington to stop sending any wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces. Zhao said at a daily news conference that China urged the US to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, and to stop all forms of official contacts with Taiwan. The US should prudently deal with Taiwan-related issues to avoid further damaging cross-Straits stability as well as China-US relations, he said. The three members of the visiting delegation are former US senator Chris Dodd and former US deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg. The delegation was set to meet with Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen. The delegation is visiting Taiwan on the 42nd anniversary of the so-called Taiwan Relations Act, which Biden backed when he was a senator. China has repeatedly expressed opposition to the act. Lyu Xiang, a China-US relations expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the US delegation's visit is testing China's limits on the Taiwan question. Although China's response to the meeting is cautious and calm, he said, the US should not underestimate Beijing's resolve to take countermeasures or the efficacy of the measures. The US has escalated and is making a more aggressive move on Taiwan because it is hiding "Sinophobia" and trying to contain China using Taiwan as a pawn, he said. On the other hand, Washington has begun to "raise its voice" on issues like Taiwan and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to embolden itself, and to unite its allies in an attempt to form a so-called alliance of Western values to contain China, he added. Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on Wednesday that the visit will not help improve cross-Straits relations, and will do little to stabilize the situation but will intensify tension in the Taiwan Straits. The visit will not change the fact that Taiwan is a part of China, Ma added. He urged the US to take concrete actions to honor its promise on the Taiwan question. The US must first figure out right and wrong, he said, adding that the root cause of the complex and severe situation in the Taiwan Straits rests with the Democratic Progressive Party authorities and "Taiwan independence" separatists' colluding with external forces. Ma said China is willing to make utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification, but will never leave room for any forms of separatist activities seeking "Taiwan independence". Ma said the People's Liberation Army's organizing of actual combat exercises in the Taiwan Straits is a necessary action to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Straits and to safeguard national sovereignty. The PLA's military exercises and training operations are sending a signal that China's determination to curb "Taiwan independence" and Taiwan-US collusion is not just talk, Ma said. China opposes the US hyping up the so-called Chinese military threat and playing the Taiwan card, he said. ^ top ^
Beijing shows it's 'not taking its foot off the gas' with latest incursion into Taiwan airspace (SCMP)
2021-04-14
Beijing's move to send 25 warplanes into Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Monday aimed to heap more pressure on the island and send a message to Washington, according to analysts. Taiwan's defence ministry said 14 J-16 fighter jets, four J-10 fighter jets, four H-6K bombers, two Y-8 anti-submarine warfare planes and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft were sent into the southwest of the ADIZ. It was the biggest ever incursion by People's Liberation Army warplanes into Taiwanese airspace, according to the defence ministry. Jon Grevatt, a warplane specialist and Asia-Pacific defence analyst at Janes, said the aircraft involved suggested the PLA saw it as similar to a combat air patrol, but it was also a show of force. Why has the relationship between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan taken a turn for the worse? Why has the relationship between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan taken a turn for the worse? "It [combat air patrol or surveillance missions] usually happens in territories that are your own – obviously, China regards Taiwan as its own," Grevatt said, adding that some of the warplanes like the anti-submarine aircraft would have picked up useful information. "As it enters Taiwan airspace, it's also a show of force as well. It is intended to show that China is not taking its foot off the gas, that China is not retreating following the US secretary of state's comments," he said. A day before the latest incursion, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Beijing against invading Taiwan, a self-ruled island of 24 million that the Chinese government regards as a breakaway province that must eventually be reunited with the mainland – by force if necessary. Blinken stressed that Washington has a long-standing commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to ensure that the island "has the ability to defend itself" and to ensure peace and security in the Western Pacific. "We stand behind those commitments," he said. Monday's flights came little more than two weeks after the PLA sent 20 warplanes to the same area on March 26, just after Taipei and Washington signed their first agreement under the Joe Biden administration, for coastguard cooperation. Beijing is using this patrol to tell the island not to take advantage of those closer US ties while also reaping economic benefits from the Chinese mainland Beijing-based military expert Zhou Chenming After making a record number of incursions into Taiwan's ADIZ in 2020, there has been no let-up in PLA activity near the democratic island this year. The Taipei-based Liberty Times newspaper estimated aerial incursions had taken place on at least 86 out of the 102 days this year up to Monday. It has already put a strain on Taiwan's military, with Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng saying last month that the island may use aircraft other than just fighter jets to respond to PLA warplanes entering the ADIZ, to reduce costs. Beijing-based military expert Zhou Chenming said the latest deployment of warplanes was a clear message to Taipei. "The independence-leaning [President] Tsai Ing-wen has increasingly edged closer to Washington, and Beijing is using this patrol to tell the island not to take advantage of those closer US ties while also reaping economic benefits from the Chinese mainland," Zhou said. According to Chieh Chung, a professor of international relations and strategic studies at Tamkang University in Taipei, the PLA sortie could also have been training for a possible attack on US Navy ships. "It was an attack group … with the KJ-500 to monitor the situation, bombers to attack targets and fighters to provide protection," Chieh told Taiwan's semi-official Central News Agency on Tuesday. "But since Beijing didn't dispatch any tanker aircraft, the mission was a short-range one." The US has boosted its military presence in the region as tensions continue to rise. China and the US have both sailed aircraft carriers in the South China Sea in recent weeks, with the USS Theodore Roosevelt conducting exercises with Malaysia last week and the USS Makin Island amphibious warship also sent to the disputed waters. Both were reportedly seen patrolling south of Taiwan during the incursion on Monday. In addition, the USS Mustin guided-missile destroyer was in the East China Sea and edged close to China's Yangtze River on April 4, the Beijing-based South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative said, citing satellite data. Meanwhile, Taiwan on Tuesday launched its first modern amphibious assault and transport vessel to meet its defence needs in the South China Sea. ^ top ^
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| Economy |
Q1 foreign investment tops 300b yuan, ministry says (China Daily)
2021-04-16
China will remain increasingly attractive to foreign investment, as the world's second-largest economy continuously improves its business environment and expands its domestic market under the dual circulation development paradigm, according to experts and business leaders. The Ministry of Commerce reported on Thursday that the first quarter of 2021 saw the country's actual use of foreign investment hitting 302.47 billion yuan ($46.35 billion), up 39.9 percent year-on-year. "Compared with the same period in 2019, the country's actual use of foreign investment during the first quarter saw an increase of 24.8 percent," ministry spokesman Gao Feng said at a news briefing. In US dollar terms, China's actual use of foreign capital in the first quarter reached $44.86 billion, up 43.8 percent year-on-year. Moreover, 10,263 foreign-invested enterprises were established during the period, up 47.8 percent year-on-year. The figure was 6.7 percent higher than the same period in 2019. Zhang Fei, associate director of the Institute of Foreign Investment of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the data demonstrates the upward momentum of China's use of foreign capital, considering the number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises and the amount of foreign investment have both swelled significantly no matter how they are compared with the same period last year or in 2019. "Foreign companies have generally enjoyed high-level profit growth in the China market, which enhanced their confidence to keep investing in China, thanks to continuously enhanced negative lists, the ever-improving business environment and the efforts by local governments at different levels to serve foreign investment projects," Zhang said. She also said the quality of China's use of foreign investment is also improving, as inflows of foreign capital into high-tech industries, especially high-tech services, keep growing quickly, while sources of foreign investment also expand. Rapid foreign investment growth in high-tech services is mainly propelled by favorable policies on opening-up in the services sector, she added. Data from the ministry showed the actual use of foreign capital in the services sector rose 51.5 percent year-on-year to hit 237.79 billion yuan during the first quarter. The high-tech sector's actual use of foreign capital expanded 32.1 percent on a yearly basis. The year-on-year growth in high-tech services was 43.9 percent and in high-tech manufacturing sectors was 2.5 percent. ^ top ^
JD.com, Meituan and ByteDance among the first to pledge antitrust compliance after being told by Beijing to learn a lesson from Alibaba (SCMP)
2021-04-15
JD.com, Meituan and ByteDance led the first group of Chinese Big Tech companies to pledge compliance with the law, a day after regulators told them to "learn a lesson" from Alibaba Group Holding in Beijing's latest antitrust crackdown. On Wednesday, 12 of the 34 tech companies lectured by authorities on Tuesday had issued public statements disclosing their commitment to do business in compliance with laws, after being told to take note of Alibaba's recent antitrust punishment and to conduct self-inspections in the coming month. Alibaba, the owner of the South China Morning Post, was fined a record US$2.8 billion for its monopoly conduct of forcing merchants to pick its platforms as their sole online venue for sales and promotions, a practice known as "picking one from two". The remainder of the companies are expected to publish their public commitments in the coming two days. In all cases, the public statements strictly toed the line from Tuesday's meeting which was co-hosted by China's antitrust watchdog the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the country's cyberspace administration, and its taxation authority. JD.com, for instance, made eight promises that included "never implementing measures to force merchants to pick one from two [and] never abusing dominant market position or implementing any monopoly deals". The e-commerce giant also said it would "never publish illegal advertisements [and] never sell products with substandard quality". Meituan promised it would not impose unreasonable measures that force merchants to "pick one from two" and that it would not abuse its market position to restrict competition. In addition, the company offered its full support to China's regulators. "Once we find evidence of illegal behaviour, we will report it to regulators in a timely manner and fully cooperate with any investigation," Meituan said. ByteDance, the owner of short video app TikTok and Douyin, made 13 promises in its public statement. China's most valuable unicorn said it would "not illegally collect and misuse user data" and follow "the minimum principal" in collecting data from users. E-commerce platform Pinduoduo said it would "shoulder more social responsibilities in a proactive manner", as well as comply with legal and regulatory requirements. Shares of Chinese stocks surged in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning. Meituan gained 5 per cent, rebounding from a 7 per cent fall on Tuesday. Beijing's targeting of the country's key internet platforms, which included Kuaishou, Bilibiliand Didi Chuxing – and the compliance from Big Tech which has a combined market capitalisation of at least US$2.7 trillion – comes at a time when the Chinese government is trying to use antitrust laws and other regulatory approaches to contain "disorderly" expansion of the Chinese economy and society. China's regulators have lectured Big Tech on misconduct such as forcing merchants to pick one platform, abusing dominant market positions, making hostile bids to acquire top players in specific market segments, misusing big data to charge unfair pricing to certain clients, turning a blind eye to inferior quality products, leaking customer data, as well as evading tax payments. "Regulatory lines can't be crossed and red lines of the law can't be touched," SAMR's said on Tuesday. The 34 internet service providers targeted in the move, many of which are listed in the US and Hong Kong, were told to "enhance their sense of responsibility and give priority to national interests". "You must strictly avoid disorderly expansion of capital to ensure China's economic and social security, and you must strictly avoid disorderly monopolies to ensure fair market competition," according to the statement, referring to Beijing's guidelines for the companies. The companies were given one month to carry out a "self-check and self-correction", after which the government would conduct follow-ups and "severely" punish those that failed to address misconduct, the SAMR said. ^ top ^
China offers rule-of-law safeguards for market entities (Xinhua)
2021-04-15
A State Council executive meeting Wednesday passed a draft regulation on the registration management of domestic market entities. It aims to provide rule-of-law safeguards for developing market entities and boost fair competition. During the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period, more than 60 million new market entities were added. It has enhanced the economic vitality and created numerous jobs, according to the meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang. China will continue to deepen its reforms, seeking to streamline administration and delegate power, improve regulations, upgrade services, and optimize the market-entity registration management system, the meeting said. The draft has detailed unified regulation measures on the registration of various market entities, including companies, individually-owned businesses and farmer cooperatives. The draft has made it more convenient for market entities to register, with both application materials and procedures being streamlined. Efforts should be made to promote one-stop services, the online processing of registration applications and inter-provincial approval, according to the meeting. Market entities shall register with their real names and be responsible for the authenticity, legality and validity of the materials they submit. The draft has also clarified the legal responsibilities and punishment for illegal acts to safeguard market order, the meeting said. ^ top ^
Budget moves focus on risk prevention (China Daily)
2021-04-14
Policymakers have decided to optimize budget management and tighten debt financing regulations to prevent risks and improve fiscal sustainability, the Ministry of Finance said in a document published on its website on Tuesday. The reform measures, which have been approved by the State Council, the nation's Cabinet, emphasize six key areas to further regulate the government's budget-making process. The reform process has called for formulation of the revenue budget based on facts like the actual economic situation and results of tax and fee reductions. Authorities have also emphasized on more risk prevention as the economic recovery has seen stable momentum this year. Some of the fiscal measures, such as temporary tax cuts, have ended, while other measures have been extended to further consolidate the recovery, experts said. Budget reforms will focus on keeping the fiscal deficit and debt targets in line with the countercyclical adjustment of economic policies, which highlight efforts to keep leverage ratio at reasonable levels and reserve policy space to deal with changes in the economic cycle, the finance ministry said. "Now and in a period of time in the future, China's fiscal condition is expected to be in a tight balance," said an official from the Ministry of Finance, who did not want to be identified. "As the reform is deepening, more issues related to budget management may be exposed." In order to prevent potential debt risks, the reform guidance stressed that "local governments should strictly implement the source of repayment funds, scientifically calculate and evaluate the expected income for debt repayment and make feasible repayment plans that could be reflected in the medium-term fiscal program." Local governments have also been encouraged to establish a provision system for paying debt, based on the fiscal revenue level, indicate the guidance, and improve the government debt risk assessment system. The reforms will also extend the government's financial information content. They will not only cover budgetary revenue and expenditure, but also include information on assets, liabilities, and investment. In addition, government procurements will support innovation and green development. Yang Zhiyong, a researcher with the National Academy of Economic Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said some problems in budget management need to be solved, such as the lack of coordination among various budgets, which has led to idle funds. "Reforms will also pay attention to risk prevention and financial sustainability, especially in improving the debt financing mechanism according to laws. They will help curb the rise of local government implicit debt and maintain financial sustainability based on an institutional system," said Yang. "Tight fiscal balance means that the government should further tighten the belt and standardize the management of budgetary expenditure. The document also highlighted the need to put risk prevention in a more prominent position to prevent systemic risks," said Yang. In terms of fiscal policy, the government's deficit rate for this year has been set at around 3.2 percent, down from last year's 3.6 percent. Fitch Bohua, Fitch Rating's wholly owned unit in China, said maintaining the necessary spending level and gradually withdrawing from some of the short-term supportive measures implemented in 2020 due to COVID-19, will be the main objectives for this year. "A key theme in this year's fiscal policy is the return to the pre-COVID long-term policy objectives, which include improving people's livelihood and promoting structural transformation of the economy," the ratings agency said. The firm expects the government's fiscal spending to increase this year, with higher spending on long-term policy objectives. Government revenue will also improve on the back of the steady recovery in the economy. ^ top ^
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China looks set to reopen border with North Korea (SCMP)
2021-04-14
A Chinese city on the border with North Korea is looking to upgrade its cross-border trade facilities amid speculation that the two countries are moving to strengthen their relationship in the face of increased pressure from the United States. Government documents show the local authorities in Dandong in Liaoning province recently started soliciting bids for a series of projects that suggest the long-delayed New Yalu River Bridge may soon be open for use. The eight-lane road bridge was designed to replace the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge built by the Japanese occupiers in 1943, which is only wide enough for a single rail track and a one-way road. The bridge could help bring investment to an economic zone planned in Dandong, a city of 2.5 million people that stands opposite the North Korean city of Sinujiu, and boost trade with its impoverished and isolated neighbour. Work on the project started 10 years ago and it was originally due to open in 2014. Neither side has explained why it is still not ready but it is widely believed that the North Korean side was responsible. But recently the Dandong city authorities put out to tender an updated feasibility study into a new border port project on the Chinese side of the bridge. Last month, the Liaoning provincial transport authority also started the bidding process for a six-month safety inspection contract for the new bridge, which it said would be "put into operation soon". In January, the natural resources bureau in Dandong announced that an environmental consulting firm based in Shenyang, the provincial capital, had been given a contract to carry out an environmental impact assessment "to ensure the sustainable development of the border economic cooperation zone", a project first approved in 1992. Visitors walk on the Broken Bridge over the Yalu river which separates North Korea's Sinuiju from China, in Dandong. Photo: Reuters Visitors walk on the Broken Bridge over the Yalu river which separates North Korea's Sinuiju from China, in Dandong. Photo: Reuters Apart from the delays in opening the bridge, cross-border trade has been severely hit by United Nations sanctions imposed following North Korea's nuclear tests, and it came to a near-halt in January last year when North Korea closed its borders after the start of the Covid-19 outbreak. The latest efforts have revived speculation that China and North Korea are moving to strengthen their relationship in the face of pressure from the US. On Monday, Beijing announced that Liu Xiaoming, the former ambassador to Britain had been named as new special representative on Korean peninsula affairs, filling a position left vacant for nearly two years. Citing trade sources, South Korean broadcaster JTBC reported that officials in Dandong have started accepting export registration for a potential border reopening on Friday, a day after the birthday of North Korea's late leader Kim Il-sung, one of the most important public holidays in the country. An unnamed trader in Dandong told JTBC that customs officials in China and North Korea "are carrying out quarantine education for trading companies," adding that goods, mostly coal and chemical fertiliser for spring seeding season, are ready for shipping. Another source told the broadcaster that the resumption of trade would be limited to goods while strict curbs on people-to-people exchanges, including tourism, would remain in place. The leaders of China and North Korea have recently expressed their desire for closer relations. In a message delivered by the newly appointed ambassador Ri Ryong-nam, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to strengthen a relationship that is "envied by the world", while Chinese President Xi Jinping replied that the traditional friendship between China and North Korea was the "common treasure" of both peoples. North Korean soldiers on patrol along the border. Photo: Kyodo North Korean soldiers on patrol along the border. Photo: Kyodo Lu Chao, a Korean affairs specialist at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, said that if the border does reopen, the volume of trade would be small and "mainly limited to farm production materials such as chemical fertiliser, tractors and agricultural machinery parts that are now badly needed in North Korea as spring seeding season is approaching". "But a significant recovery is unlikely in near future as the pandemic risks and UN sanctions remain," Lu said. "While the Chinese side is ready and the North Korean side is working hard on its end of the New Yalu River Bridge, fully resuming trade channels is not that urgent." ^ top ^
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| Mongolia |
Cabinet meeting news in brief (Montsame)
2021-04-15
Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry was tasked to establish an on-lending loan agreement of 'Tractors and other agricultural equipment and machinery supply project' within the framework of Mongolia-Belarus Intergovernmental General Agreement on the Provision of Export Loan, in line with relevant laws and regulations. - The Cabinet members heard 2020 general report of Mongolian Land Unified Fund and implementation progress of the general plan for State Land Management respectively. - The Cabinet discussed the 2022 budget framework statement, draft bill on budget assumption for 2023-2024 and a revised bill on Digital Signature respectively and decided to submit them to the Parliament. - The Cabinet also discussed a draft parliamentary resolution on measures to protect security of the Mongolians' gene pool and support population growth, initiated and developed by MP G.Temuulen, and agreed to combine recommendations for the draft resolution and convey them to the initiator. In addition, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the State Emergency Commission S.Amarsaikhan briefed current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing responsive measures. ^ top ^
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Embassy of Switzerland
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