China-Russia Axis, Xi's Diplomatic Thought & Maritime Talks with Japan
Below are the stories that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s February 05, 2021, edition.
Page 1: A rather unexciting front page today, given that we’re in the holiday season. First, a few changes of ambassadors. Cai Run is now ambassador to Israel. Lu Kun is the ambassador to Ghana. And Li Chenggang is China’s new representative to the WTO. Then you have a report (English version) on Li Keqiang’s speech at a New Year banquet held by Britain’s 48 Group Club. Li said that Britain is an important partner of China in Europe, and that both countries should expand cooperation and enhance the stability of bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect and equal treatment.
The London-Beijing relationship has been rather frosty of late, with tensions over Hong Kong and now the media likely to worsen. Last night Britain’s broadcasting regulator Ofcom withdrew CGTN’s license. This was done in part because of CGTN’s affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party. Ofcom said that this violates broadcasting laws. License holders must have editorial oversight over their content and cannot be controlled by political bodies, Ofcom said. Check out NYT’s story on this. And then you have the response from Beijing, which is targeting the BBC for its latest coverage of Xinjiang and the pandemic. Global Times called the BBC a “rumormonger.” China’s Foreign Ministry yesterday demanded an apology from the BBC, while accusing it of airing “fake news.” As this Reuters report notes:
“The foreign ministry’s criticism of the BBC was among the top trends on China’s Weibo social media platform on Friday. ‘BBC shall not become Bad-mouthing Broadcasting Corporation,’ Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Twitter.”
Page 3: A couple of stories to note. First, China’s trade volume with the 17 Central and Eastern European countries reached $103.45 billion, surpassing $100 billion for the first time, an increase of 8.4% year on year. So far, China has cumulatively invested $3.14 billion in these 17 countries, across sectors like energy, minerals, infrastructure, logistics, and auto parts. The value of contracts signed between China and the 17 countries is at $5.41 billion.
Second, Wang Yi’s conversation with Sergei Lavrov. The report says that the two sides “emphasized that they should adhere to the basic norm of non-interference in internal affairs in international affairs, and work together to maintain global and regional strategic stability.” This comes amid UNSC discussions about the coup in Myanmar. But this is about much more than just what’s happening in Myanmar; Xinhua’s report clearly mentions that they discussed their ties with the US. The PD report is basically very similar to Xinhua English’s coverage. Wang spoke about pandemic cooperation, technological development and BRI, but here’s what’s most significant:
“The international situation is at an important watershed...it is even more important for China and Russia to strengthen strategic communication.” What this means is that he wants both sides to “add new dimensions” to the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. The purpose of this is to “send a clear message to the world that the two countries will safeguard the security of themselves and along their peripheries.” Is this a formal acknowledgement of setting up clear spheres of influence?
Here’s more: “China sees no limit or restricted area for China-Russia strategic coordination that is all-weather and all-dimensional, Wang said. The two countries have conducted efficient coordination within multilateral frameworks and safeguarded international fairness and justice as well as legitimate interests of developing countries, he added. China firmly supports the measures Russia has taken to safeguard its national sovereignty and social stability, and is willing to work with Russia to continuously strengthen coordination on such issues as rejecting interference in internal affairs and fighting against false information, Wang said.”
Lavrov, as per Xinhua, said that the importance of Russia-China relations has long gone beyond bilateral to gain international and regional significance...Russia is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China on international and regional issues...the two sides should firmly support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests, jointly and staunchly defend multilateralism and safeguard international and regional stability.
Third, China and Japan held (English report) the 12th round of high-level consultations on maritime affairs. The Japanese side raised the issue of China’s new Maritime Police Law. The PD report says that the Chinese side “emphasized that the enactment of this law is China's normal legislative activity and is fully in line with international law and international practice.” Basically, Beijing did try to offer an explanation to calm anxieties. They ended with a bunch of agreements:
They agreed to hold annual and special meetings for the maritime and air liaison mechanism as soon as possible.
They will accelerate the construction of a direct telephone line under the mechanism to ensure better management. This language tells you that it’s not likely to go through immediately.
The China Maritime Search and Rescue Center and the Japan Coast Guard will carry out joint drills.
The coast guards of the two countries will coordinate to carry out exercises to deal with maritime crimes and promote exchanges between law enforcement officers.
They will work together for marine environmental protection and to strengthen cooperation on the prevention and control of marine plastic waste.
Next, there’s talk of personnel visits and exchanges, and combating illegal fishing, promoting eel resource management and the conservation of North Pacific fishery resources.
Fourth, a piece by Wu Xi, China’s ambassador to New Zealand. She basically talks about the recent China-NZ FTA, which upgrades the 2008 FTA between the two sides. Here’s the pitch: “For the Chinese side, the protocol will promote trade and investment in New Zealand, and Chinese consumers will enjoy better quality New Zealand dairy products, beef and mutton, kiwifruit, honey, etc. For the New Zealand side, the protocol will further expand exports to China, improve the country's economic resilience and accelerate economic recovery.” And then the deal is connected to the “new development strategy,” i.e., signalling to Party seniors, telling them how it fits with the “new development concept”.
“The signing of the upgrade protocol is also an important step in implementing China's strategy to upgrade its free trade zones and build a global network of high-standard free trade zones, and an important practice in implementing the new development concept and building a new development pattern.”
Anyway, this is followed by a very positive assessment of China-New Zealand relations. Here’s the paragraph on this:
“The friendship between China and New Zealand is deeply rooted, and the fruitful exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the fields of science and education, culture and tourism have further enhanced mutual understanding between the two countries and deepened the friendship between the two peoples. New Zealand is the first developed Western country to establish a national Chinese Language Week, and the Chinese language learning fever has been rising. China is the second largest source of tourists and the largest source of overseas students in New Zealand. The two countries have established more than 40 pairs of friendly provincial and municipal relations. Recently, Beijing, the capital of China, and Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, celebrated the 15th anniversary of their friendship, demonstrating the fruitfulness and vitality of local cooperation between the two countries.”
Page 4: Two stories that I’d like to highlight. First, a short report saying that “China conducted a land-based mid-course missile interception test within its territory on February 4, 2021 and achieved the desired test objective. The test is defensive in nature and not targeted against any country.” Global Times’ story says more on this:
“It was the fifth land-based ABM technical test China has publicly announced and the fourth land-based, mid-course ABM technical test publicly known. Mid-course is the most vital phase in the interception of a ballistic missile, and a mid-course ABM means to intercept the missile while it is in its free flight phase outside of the atmosphere, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert.”
Second, China’s Permanent Mission in Geneva and the Xinjiang government jointly held a video presentation titled ‘Xinjiang is a Good Place’ on Feb. 3. Diplomats from more than 50 countries in Geneva including nearly 20 ambassadors, UN Human Rights Office officials, Human Rights Council Special Mechanism experts and other guests participated, PD says. It adds that they “felt the social stability, economic prosperity, and the good situation of people of all ethnic groups living and working in peace and contentment in Xinjiang.” The report adds that “the envoys of Laos, Cuba, North Korea, Russia, Belarus, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Iran, Eritrea and other countries made their speeches and thanked China for hosting this briefing.”
Here’s what the Chinese representative, Chen Xu, said at the meeting:
“some countries and certain forces do not want to see the great situation in Xinjiang, and intentionally distort the facts, smear China, and have been fabricating lies for centuries. Individual countries also wield the stick of sanctions, trying to deprive the people of Xinjiang of their right to develop and create a better life, and their actions are resolutely opposed by the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. The Chinese government will unswervingly promote economic and social development in Xinjiang, maintain social stability, and meet the aspirations of the people of all ethnic groups for a better life, and will also unswervingly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.”
Page 9: Just one thing on the page that I found useful. It’s a report about the Xi Jinping Diplomatic Thought Research Expert Seminar that was hosted by the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing recently. This new research center was set up last year.
The report says that there needs to be study of “contemporary orientation, core meaning, historical connotation and internal logic” of Xi’s thought. They also talked about the need to “conduct thematic studies on a series of important ideas, concepts and initiatives, and better introduce to the world the Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions contained in Xi Jinping's diplomatic thought.” Finally, “based on the practice of great power diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, (they) will focus on the major issues in the interplay of the two major situations, i.e., providing theoretical support and intellectual support for creating a favorable external environment and maintaining the important strategic opportunity period for China's development.”
Finally, here’s what you have on the international page:
