India-China Ties - Wang Yi's Visit to Russia - Yunnan's Support for Private Sector - Lai Ching-te a 'War Instigator' - Zhong Sheng: Trade War will Hurt US Agriculture Exports to China

Apr 02, 2025

Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People's Daily’s edition on Wednesday, April 02, 2025.

Page 1: At the top of the page is a report on Xi Jinping and Indian President Droupadi Murmu exchanging greetings to mark the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties. Xinhua reports:

“China and India, Xi said, both ancient civilizations, major developing countries and important members of the Global South, are both at a critical stage of their respective modernisation efforts. The development of China-India relations demonstrates that it is the right choice for China and India to be partners of mutual achievement and realize the ‘Dragon-Elephant Tango’, which fully serves the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples, Xi said. He called on both sides to view and handle bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, seek a way, which features peaceful coexistence, mutual trust, mutual benefit and common development, for neighboring major countries to get along with each other, and jointly promote a multi-polar world and greater democracy in international relations. Xi also said he stands ready to work with Murmu to take the anniversary of ties as an opportunity to enhance strategic mutual trust, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, deepen communication and coordination in major international affairs, jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the China-India border area, push forward a sound and steady development of bilateral relations and contribute to world peace and prosperity.”

Premier Li Qiang also exchanged messages with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While on this subject, separately, there was also an event held at the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi yesterday. The event was themed: “Riding the East Wind, Setting Sail Anew and Opening a New Chapter in China-India Relations”. A cake was cut by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and China’s ambassador to India Xu Feihong.

Here’s what Misri reportedly said that the event:

“Misri said, “In past few years, since our relations have gone through a difficult phase, but largely due to the guidance by our leaders and untiring efforts by political leadership, by our military leaders and by our diplomats, who maintained communications throughout this time, our two countries have resolved several issues along the border areas. This too holds the message for us, which is that peace and tranquility on the border areas is critical for the smooth development of our overall bilateral nations. And it is on the basis of this fundamental understanding, which was shared in a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan, that both of us are now working together to chart a roadmap for our bilateral relations to return to a stable, predictable path, as agreed by our leaders…a durable basis for rebuilding these ties is the three-fold formula of mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests… path forward may be a difficult one, but it is one that we are prepared to walk, and it is on the basis of the steps that we have already taken in the last five months that we have seen promising beginnings.”

Xu, meanwhile, wrote in The Hindu today. He says that “bridging differences through dialogue stands as the ‘one and only key’ of China-India relations…Even within a family, not everything is always perfect. But our focus is to ensure that these differences do not turn into disputes.” He also termed the boundary question as one “left over from history”. He then put forward three steps for the two sides to take:

“Both sides should adhere to the strategic judgment made by the two leaders that ‘China and India are partners rather than rivals, and development opportunities rather than threats to each other’. We should uphold the principles of mutual respect, mutual understanding, mutual trust, mutual accommodation and mutual accomplishment. We should properly handle differences through dialogue, and never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question, or let specific differences affect the overall picture of bilateral ties, so as to ensure that China-India relations always move forward along the track of sound development.”
“Both China and India are at a critical stage of national development and revitalisation. It is our common goal to develop the economy and improve people’s livelihoods. China is actively promoting high-quality development and pursuing higher-standard opening up. India is committed to realising the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’. We should strengthen the alignment of our development strategies, resume and promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and push forward the modernisation of the two countries.”
“As important members of the Global South, China and India have the responsibility to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation, and inject stability into a world fraught with uncertainties. As the rotating president of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation this year, China is willing to work with all parties including India to jointly hold a SCO summit featuring friendship, solidarity and fruitful outcomes, and lead the SCO into a new stage of high-quality development featuring stronger solidarity, coordination, dynamism and productiveness.”

Earlier, he had an interview in The Global Times. Speaking about recent high-level engagements, the report quoted him as follows:

“The Chinese Ambassador noted that such frequent and constructive interactions have been rare in recent years, signaling that China-India relations are at a crucial stage of improvement and development. Moving forward, both sides will need to further overcome obstacles, remove disruptions, and take proactive steps to sustain and build on this positive momentum.”
On development cooperation, he said: “We are willing to work with the Indian side to strengthen practical cooperation in trade and other areas, and to import more Indian products that are well-suited to the Chinese market. We also welcome more Indian enterprises to cross the Himalayas and seek opportunities for cooperation in China, sharing the dividends of China’s development. At the same time, we hope India will create a fair and transparent business climate for Chinese companies, further expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and delivering more tangible benefits to the two countries and their peoples.”
“Xu urged both sides to help build a fairer global order and jointly address major challenges including climate change, terrorism, and food and energy security, contributing to peace and shared prosperity of the world.” — These are all useful domains for a bilateral dialogue between India and China.
“In 2019, about 50 direct flights connected the two countries each week. These routes were suspended due to the pandemic and remain inactive. Many Indian and Chinese friends have complained (about) this, Xu said, noting that the lack of direct flights forces them to transit through third countries, which is time-consuming, costly, and inconvenient. There is a strong expectation on both sides for the early resumption of direct flights. Media plays a crucial role in boosting China-India understanding. However, due to certain reasons, China has not been able to dispatch resident journalists to India for the past two years. At present, the relevant authorities of both countries are engaged in active consultations on the resumption of direct flights and the exchange of resident journalists, working on specific arrangements, said the ambassador. Xu expressed hope that India will move toward the same direction to achieve concrete progress, enhancing people-to-people ties and practical cooperation.”

With all that covered, I am sharing below my article in the Indian Express on Sunday, discussing the current state of bilateral ties.

“There’s been an uptick in engagement between India and China at the government level over the past week. On March 25, the 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held in Beijing. The MEA readout said that the two sides “explored various measures and proposals to give effect to the decisions taken” during the Special Representatives’ meeting in December last year “to advance effective border management”. Also discussed was the “early resumption of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including on trans-border rivers and Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra.”

This was followed by a foreign ministerial-level consultation. The meeting discussed the resumption of direct flights, the interaction of media and think tanks, and the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, along with modalities to resume the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. Along with resuming government-level engagement, a report in this newspaper suggests a potential deepening of economic cooperation between the two countries. Some of the issues on the table are easing restrictions on Chinese investments along with visa restrictions for Chinese personnel, lifting some tariff and non-tariff barriers on imports, permitting some Chinese apps, and resumption of direct flights.

There is clearly an incentive for both sides to explore greater cooperation to mitigate the disruptive impacts of the changes in US policies following Donald Trump’s return to power. Mutual hostility, however, narrows the options both countries can exercise.

For instance, from Beijing’s perspective, access to the Indian market is useful to alleviate some of the pressures following restrictive American and European trade policies. Despite all the talk about boosting domestic consumption, China’s economic policy remains focussed on supply-side stimulus in order to pursue industrial upgradation and sustain production and employment. On the other hand, for Indian manufacturing, access to Chinese intermediate and capital goods is critical. Likewise, in certain sectors, such as railways and urban transport, access to skilled Chinese personnel is important. In other words, there are some synergies that are evident.

There are, however, significant divergences between the two sides on a whole range of issues, starting from the state of affairs at the boundary, the matter of India attracting Chinese investment and reciprocal access for key Indian goods and services to the Chinese market.

First, both sides continue to view each other as competitors rather than partners. In fact, there is little to suggest that either is fundamentally rethinking this perspective. For instance, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar underscored this, arguing that although there is an effort to “rebuild” the relationship “step-by-step”, “there will be issues” between the two sides for the foreseeable future”. Likewise, Chinese restrictions on the travel of some skilled personnel to India and equipment like tunnel boring machines are indicative of a zero-sum mindset. It’s also interesting to note that even Chinese scholars like Mao Keji, who are arguing for closer India-China economic cooperation are skeptical of a “fundamental improvement” in the relationship.

Second, while trade with China remains important for India, there are clear security and economic concerns that will inhibit its expansion. This means that any easing will be difficult, slow and very limited. From an Indian perspective, the concerns are particularly around certain technologies and connected products, along with worries about cheap Chinese goods hollowing India’s manufacturing potential. For instance, in February, the Ministry of Defense cancelled three contracts for the procurement of 400 drones, owing to concerns over the presence of Chinese components and electronics. In contrast, the Chinese government’s emphasis on supporting domestic enterprises and boosting self-reliance will continue to hinder key Indian goods and services. Take the example of the pharma sector. Indian pharma products have historically faced regulatory and market access barriers in China. This is likely to persist, particularly with a new plan issued by the State Council in January seeking to expand the innovation, creativity and global competitiveness of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry.

Finally, while there has clearly been a rethink in India about easing up on Chinese investments, one must not assume that the money will flow any time soon. Even before the issuance of Press Note 3 in April 2020 (introducing the requirement of prior government approval in case of any FDI from entities of countries that share land borders with India), there wasn’t a flood of Chinese investment looking to enter the Indian market. In other words, Chinese investors anyway had a limited appetite for the Indian market even when scrutiny was virtually non-existent. It is unlikely that after five years of restrictive policies and observing law-enforcement actions against Chinese firms, this appetite would have been whetted. More importantly, there is evidence to suggest that Chinese analysts and thinkers increasingly view the expansion of Indian manufacturing as a strategic and security challenge. It is, therefore, best for expectations to be tempered.”

Back to the front page of the paper, there’s a report on Han Zheng meeting Roy Jakobs, chief executive officer of Royal Philips, in Beijing. Xinhua says:

“Noting that both China and the Netherlands are open economies, Han said the two countries are advocates, promoters and beneficiaries of economic globalization. China is committed to building an open global economy, upholding high-standard opening-up to promote China-Netherlands and China-EU economic and trade cooperation, and creating new development opportunities for multinational corporations, Han said. He welcomed Philips to continue tapping the Chinese market, expand R&D investment in the country, and play an active role in promoting the healthy development of China-EU economic and trade cooperation.”

Third, there’s a Zhong Yin article, which makes the case for investing in China. It argues that in 2024, nearly 60,000 new foreign-invested enterprises were established in China, up 9.9% year-on-year. The article makes several points in this regard:

First, policy support. Under this, it mentions the 2025 action plan for stabilising foreign investment. It expanded pilot openings in fields such as telecommunications and healthcare, optimised the national pilot demonstration for expanding the opening of the service industry, and encouraged foreign investment to engage in equity investment in China. The negative list for foreign investment access has undergone eight reductions, continuously loosening restrictions, shrinking from the original 190 items to the current 29 items on the national version and 27 items on the free trade pilot zone version. In November last year, the new national version of the negative list for foreign investment access was officially implemented, with all restrictive measures in the manufacturing sector being cleared. 前不久，《2025年稳外资行动方案》出台，明确扩大电信、医疗等领域开放试点，优化国家服务业扩大开放综合试点示范，鼓励外资在华开展股权投资。外资准入负面清单历经8次缩减，不断放宽准入，从最早190项缩减到现在的全国版29项和自贸试验区版27项。去年11月新版全国外资准入负面清单正式施行，制造业领域限制性措施“清零”.
Second, a “first-class business environment.”
Third, ability to empower innovation owing to innovation and industrial chains. “Not long ago, international pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced a plan to invest $2.5 billion in the next five years and establish its sixth global strategic R&D center in Beijing. The ‘industrial agglomeration effect and innovation ecosystem’ are key factors in this investment decision. Increasingly, foreign-funded enterprises are setting up R&D centers in China to ‘bring more technology from China to the world.’ More and more first launches and first tests are arranged in China, as ‘there is no other place in the world that can test new technologies as quickly as China.’ Shifting from ‘seeking production’ to ‘seeking R&D’ is a testament to the steady improvement of China’s innovation capabilities.” 从“产业链、创新链”看创新赋能之“强”。前不久，国际医药巨头阿斯利康宣布未来5年投资25亿美元计划，将在北京建立第六个全球战略研发中心，“产业集聚效应和创新生态”是其重要投资判断。越来越多外资企业把研发中心设在中国，以“把更多技术从中国带到全世界”；越来越多的首发、首测安排在中国，“世界上没有其他地方能像中国这样迅速地测试新技术”。从“谋生产”转为“谋研发”，见证中国创新能力的稳步提升. It adds: “The number of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in China exceeds 5 million each year, and the total number of scientists and engineers is close to 20 million, which is equivalent to the total number of similar talents in G7 countries.” 我国每年科学、技术、工程、数学专业毕业生的数量超过500万人，科学家与工程师的总体规模接近2000万人，与G7国家同类人才数量的总和相当……
Fourth, China offers a massive market.
Fifth, China offers “‘stability’ in terms of the policy environment.” Under this, the article says: “China’s system has strong vitality and great advantages, precisely because it has institutional resilience for self-improvement, being able to continuously reform and innovate while maintaining stability and continuity. ‘China's system’ guarantees ‘China’s governance,’ ‘the scenery is uniquely beautiful on this side.’ Against the background of increasing global protectionism, China has consistently injected stability into the global economy with an open attitude and made important contributions to global economic growth. Opening up to the outside world is China’s basic national policy. China’s door of opening up will only open wider, and the policy of utilising foreign investment has not changed and will not change. ‘China’s long-term maintenance of political stability and social order’ and ‘transparent, stable, and predictable policy environment’ have become the investment environment most valued by foreign investors. China is recognized as one of the safest countries in the world. In 2024, criminal cases nationwide decreased by 25.7% year-on-year. Whether viewed from the criminal offense rate or the number of homicide and gun cases, they are far lower than many developed economies.” 从“透明、稳定、可预期”看政策环境之“稳”。中国制度具有强大生命力和巨大优越性，正在于有自我完善的制度韧性，既能不断改革创新，又能保持稳定性与连续性。“中国之制”保障“中国之治”，“风景这边独好”。在全球保护主义日益加剧的背景下，中国始终以开放姿态为全球经济注入稳定性，并为全球经济增长作出重要贡献。对外开放是中国的基本国策，中国开放的大门只会越开越大，利用外资的政策没有变也不会变。“中国长期保持政局稳定、社会安定”“透明、稳定、可预期的政策环境”，成为外商最看重的投资环境。中国是世界公认的最安全国家之一。2024年，全国刑事案件同比下降25.7%。无论是从刑事犯罪率看，还是从命案、枪案数量看，都远远低于许多发达经济体.

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Page 2: There’s an interview with Yunnan Party Secretary Wang Ning on the approach to private enterprises. In response to the first question about how Yunnan has been working to aid the private sector, Wang said:

First, Yunnan is implementing the “two unwaverings”. It treats state-owned enterprises and private enterprises equally, and has formulated and issued the ‘Opinions on Accelerating the High-Quality Development of the Private Economy’. It supports private enterprises in participating in major national strategies such as the BRI, the large-scale development of western China, and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. We encourage them to take part in major projects in infrastructure, industrial cultivation, technological innovation, and ecological protection, allowing private enterprises to take root and thrive in Yunnan.
Second, private enterprises have been invited to participate in key conferences and invest in Yunnan.
Third, a province-wide high-quality development conference for the private economy was held, proposing 10 measures, including optimising government services, strengthening legal protections, and enhancing factor support.
Fourth, building a healthy government-business relationship. “In February this year, we released three lists for government-business interactions: a positive list, a negative list, and an advocacy list. These lists clearly specify what can be done, what cannot be done, and what should be proactively done in government-business interactions.” 今年2月，我们发布了政商交往的3张清单，一张是正面清单，一张是负面清单，还有一张是倡导清单。通过这3张清单，政商交往中哪些可以做、哪些不能做、哪些要主动做，被一条一条列出来，让干部放开手脚、大胆干事，让民营企业放心投资、安心发展.

In response to the second question, Wang talks about the tech and industrial development in Yunnan. He says:

“In recent years, we have fully utilised our resource advantages, insisted on grasping projects, nurturing industries and helping enterprises. For 13 consecutive quarters, we have coordinated and advanced major industrial projects, launched more than 8,100 projects, completed and put into operation more than 5,300 projects, with an annual output value of 450 billion yuan; green aluminum, silicon photovoltaic, and new energy battery industries have grown rapidly, with a total output value reaching 250 billion yuan; the proportion of industrial investment in total investment has increased from 26.7% in 2019 to 52.1% in 2024, promoting industrial value-added, enterprise efficiency, and income growth for the masses.” 这些年，我们充分发挥资源优势，坚持抓项目、育产业、帮企业，连续13个季度调度推进重大产业项目，落地开工8100多个项目，竣工投产5300多个项目，年产值4500亿元；绿色铝、硅光伏、新能源电池产业快速成长、总产值达2500亿元；产业投资占全部投资比重从2019年的26.7%提升至2024年的52.1%，促进了产业增值、企业增效、群众增收。

He also talked about Yunnan’s coffee industry, which is dominated by private players. He says that the output value of the industry has expanded from less than 10 billion yuan three years ago to 80 billion yuan. This has led to an increase in income for more than 1 million coffee farmers, with an average increase of about 30,000 yuan per household. 云南咖啡产业迅猛发展，产值从3年前不足百亿元，增加到现在的800亿元，带动了100多万咖农增收，户均增收约3万元.

The final question is about what innovative steps Yunnan has taken to help private enterprises. Wang makes three points:

First, there’s a consultation mechanism that has been put into operation, wherein directors from departments such as the Development and Reform Commission, the Department of Industry and Information Technology, and the Department of Commerce set time aside to meet private enterprises for consultations. So far, 8 sessions of activities have helped more than 160 enterprises solve more than 200 problems. 一是开展服务企业“厅局长坐诊接诉”活动。每个月我们都会提前公布“接诊”时间，让企业预约“挂号”，发展改革委、工业和信息化厅、商务厅等部门的厅局长来“坐诊”“开方”。目前，8期活动已帮助160多家企业解决了200多个问题.
Second, a specific financing support platform has been built to solve the problem of financing difficulties and lack of channels for SMEs. The system has collected more than 350 types of enterprise-related data from 40 departments in the past five years on this platform, formed enterprise credit through data evaluation, and issued loans. This has allowed tailored loans such as Coffee Loans, Homestay Loans, etc. In the two years since the platform’s launch, it has granted over 360 billion yuan in credit, with enterprises receiving an average loan of over one million yuan, benefiting a wide range of businesses. 二是建设“融信服”平台，专门解决中小微企业融资难、缺渠道的问题。我们将40个部门近5年的350多类涉企数据，都归集到这个平台，通过数据评价形成企业信用，发放贷款。针对不同企业需求，推出“云花贷”“咖啡贷”“民宿贷”等特色产品。平台运行两年时间，已授信3600多亿元，企业平均可贷到100多万元，受益面广.
Third, he talks about specific steps in terms of input support, from land to energy and reducing financing costs.

Also on the page is a report informing that the household appliances industry and light industry as a whole has witnessed significant sales and revenue growth in the first two months of the year. For instance, the household appliance industry’s operating income grew by 9.9% and profits grew by 10.3%.

Page 3: There’s a report on Wang Yi’s visit to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. Xinhua reports:

Wang “highlighted that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have matured into a resilient and stable partnership characterized by deepening political trust, closer strategic alignment, and sustained practical cooperation. This cooperation, he noted, has safeguarded both nations’ development and shared interests in major international and regional affairs. Wang said that China-Russia collaboration ‘never targets third parties’ and remains impervious to external interference, emphasising that the relationship will ‘keep broadening, not stagnate’, with a vision oriented to the long-term future.

Wang Yi said that over 80 years ago, the peoples of China and the Soviet Union fought bravely on the main battlefields of Asia and Europe, making great national sacrifices and ultimately defeating Japanese militarism and Nazi fascism (纳粹法西斯), making a significant contribution to the cause of human peace. Today, 80 years later, as important forces for stability in a turbulent world, China and Russia should work together to defend the results of the victory of the Second World War, jointly safeguard the post-war international order and the core position of the United Nations in the international system, and jointly promote the multipolarization of the world and the democratisation of international relations. The two sides have conducted a comprehensive exchange of views on supporting each other in holding important commemorative activities for the ‘80th Anniversary’. It is believed that the important exchanges between the two heads of state this year will once again write a new chapter in China-Russia relations.” 王毅说，80多年前，中苏两国人民分别在亚洲和欧洲主战场上前仆后继、浴血奋战，付出巨大民族牺牲，打败了日本军国主义和纳粹法西斯，为人类和平事业作出了重大贡献。80年后的今天，中俄作为动荡世界中的重要稳定性力量，要携手捍卫二战胜利成果，共同维护战后国际秩序和联合国在国际体系中的核心地位，共同推进世界多极化和国际关系民主化。双方已就支持彼此举办“80周年”重要纪念活动进行了全面对表，相信两国元首年内重要交往将再次书写中俄关系的新篇章.

As per the Chinese readout, Putin said:

“This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War. We look forward to the Chinese side visiting Russia to attend the commemorative activities and jointly celebrate the victory in the fight against Nazi fascism and Japanese militarism. The Russian side is making every effort to advance the preparatory work and is willing to take this opportunity to push the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Russia and China to a new level and continuously deepen the cooperation between the two sides under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the BRICS. Faced with the turbulent international situation, Russia and China should continue to send a strong signal of enhanced strategic coordination to the world.” 今年是苏联伟大卫国战争胜利80周年，期盼中方来俄出席纪念活动，共同庆祝抗击纳粹法西斯和日本军国主义的胜利。俄方正全力推进筹备工作，愿以此为契机推动俄中全面战略协作伙伴关系迈上新台阶，不断深化双方在联合国、上海合作组织、金砖国家等多边框架下的合作。面对动荡不定的国际局势，俄中双方应持续向世界发出加强战略协作的有力信号.

Wang also met with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov. The Chinese readout says:

“Wang Yi stated that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Back then, the Chinese and Russian peoples fought bravely and defeated Japanese militarism and German fascism (德国法西斯), and defended human conscience with their blood and lives, winning global peace. China is willing to work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities as permanent members of the UN Security Council, eliminate interference, adhere to the right path, defend the results of the victory in World War II and international fairness and justice, promote world multipolarity and democratization of international relations, and make new contributions to the cause of peace and development for humanity. I believe that under the strategic guidance of the heads of the two countries, the comprehensive strategic coordination between China and Russia in the new era will certainly radiate new vitality and enter a new stage.” 王毅表示，今年是中国人民抗日战争、苏联伟大卫国战争胜利80周年，也是联合国成立80周年。当年中俄两国人民前仆后继，浴血奋战，打败了日本军国主义和德国法西斯，用鲜血和生命捍卫了人类良知，赢得了世界和平。中方愿同俄方一道，肩负起作为联合国安理会常任理事国的特殊责任，排除干扰，坚守正道，捍卫二战胜利成果和国际公平正义，推动世界走向多极化和国际关系民主化，为人类的和平与发展事业作出新的贡献。相信在两国元首的战略引领下，中俄新时代全面战略协作一定会焕发新的活力，迈上新的阶段。

Lavrov reportedly said that bilateral ties are at an “unprecedented high level”. He added that “Russia and China share a long tradition of good-neighbourliness and friendship, a long border and broad common interests…”

Xinhua adds:

“Lavrov noted that facing the complex international landscape, Russia and China have maintained close coordination to inject stability to the world. Russia highly appreciates the global initiatives that China proposed, fully supports China's position on the Taiwan question, and is willing to jointly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard a just and equitable international order, he noted.”

The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination between the two foreign ministries and prepare for exchanges at all levels within the year, deepen practical cooperation in various fields and consolidate the material foundation of bilateral relations.
They pledged to make the China-Russia Years of Culture a success, enrich cultural exchanges and enhance friendship between the two peoples.
They also agreed to enhance coordination within frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, the G20 and the UN to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Global South countries.
The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Lavrov said that Russia eyes for eliminating the root causes of the crisis and is committed to building a lasting security architecture for Eurasia. Wang reiterated China’s consistent position and expressed support for all peace efforts, noting that China is willing to continue to build more international consensus through the Group of Friends for Peace and play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the crisis.
The two sides also coordinated their positions on the current international situation, particularly developments in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Wang also gave an interview to Russia Today. This excerpt captured by Xinhua is useful to note:

“Wang said that despite headwinds against global development, China-Russia practical cooperation has continued to forge ahead, maintaining steady growth in volume and improvement in quality. The foremost factor behind this progress is the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, Wang said, noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have maintained close exchanges, providing top-level design and a solid strategic foundation for China-Russia relations in the new era. The second factor is the common development needs of both sides. China and Russia are companions on the path to development and revitalization, he said, adding that the two countries share a border of more than 4,300 km and enjoy complementary advantages, ample potential and huge space for cooperation. The third factor is the sustained internal driving force. The China-Russia cooperation aims to benefit the two peoples, and the two sides have formed a well-established cooperation mechanism, Wang said, noting that no matter what external interference or oppression it faces, the China-Russia cooperation can overcome difficulties and stay on course without losing momentum. Lastly, the strong public support serves as a foundation. The two peoples share common historical memories, similar values and profound traditional friendship, and cherish their mutually beneficial cooperation, accumulating an inexhaustible driving force for cooperation, he said.”

“During the interview, Wang likened China-Russia cooperation to a high-speed train, saying that although the scenery and weather may change along the journey, the direction and steady pace of advancement remain unchanged. He further noted that facing a turbulent and changing world, China-Russia cooperation will continue to move forward along its established track and advance toward three key goals as follows: The first is to strengthen the material foundation of bilateral relations, solidify the fundamentals of economic and energy cooperation, explore opportunities in such areas as technological innovation and green development, and foster new growth drivers. The second is to create more opportunities for the common revitalization of both countries, further expand mutual openness, learn from each other’s valuable experiences, share innovation outcomes, and deepen industrial integration. The third is to inject greater momentum into global development, further synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with the Eurasian Economic Union, lead regional cooperation, and contribute to the security, stability, and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains through high-quality China-Russia collaboration.”

So is this excerpt:

“Under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two countries have continuously deepened their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, a practice that aligns with the logic of history and has strong self-driven momentum, he said. The Chinese foreign minister outlined three defining characteristics of the current China-Russia relationship.

First, the relationship is based on the philosophy that the two countries will live in lasting friendship and will never be adversary against one another. China-Russia relations matured on the basis of constantly summarizing historical experience and drawing lessons from the past. The leaders of the two countries, with a long-term political vision, made a historic decision to end the past and unlock the potential for the future, said Wang. He noted the principle that the two countries will live in lasting friendship and will never be adversary against one another, enshrined in the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, provides a solid legal basis for the strategic cooperation between the two sides at a higher level. Based on the correct strategic understanding of each other, the two countries have found a way of dealing with each other in the long run that aligns with their shared interests, he said.
Second, the relationship is based on equality and win-win cooperation. In the early 1990s, the two countries established the principle of equality, mutual benefit and complementary advantages, he said, noting that a decade later, the principle of win-win cooperation became the guidance for practical cooperation between the two countries in various fields. By aligning with the trends of the times and accommodating each other’s legitimate concerns, the two sides have deepened all-round cooperation and seen their common interests grown, said Wang. Over decades of development, China-Russia relations have been enriched and expanded, and cooperation at various levels has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples as well as huge dividends to the whole world, he said.
Third, the relationship is based on the principle of ‘non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party.’ As major global powers and neighbors, neither alliance nor confrontation serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the two countries or their peoples, Wang said. The commitment to ‘non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party’ ensures that the China-Russia relationship does not pose a threat to any other country and keeps it free from external pressure or interference, he noted. The China-Russia relationship serves as an example of a new model of major-country relations and as a stabilizing force in a turbulent and changing world, Wang said, adding that the principle of ‘non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party’ is a pioneering undertaking in international relations, representing an inevitable choice for the development of China-Russia relations.”

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Moving on, we have the second Zhong Sheng commentary on China-US ties today. This one talks about the importance of agricultural trade cooperation between China and the US. It is as much a call for re-thinking tariffs as it is a thinly-veiled threat.

The author says: “China is the world's largest importer of agricultural products, and the United States is the world’s largest exporter of agricultural products. Sino-US agricultural cooperation has complementary advantages…”

“According to data from the US Department of Agriculture, in 2023, the United States exported $29.1 billion worth of agricultural products to China. China is the largest export destination for US agricultural products, accounting for nearly 1/5 of the total US agricultural exports. In 2024, the total export volume of US soybeans reached $24.5 billion, of which the total export volume of soybeans to China was nearly $12.8 billion, i.e., half of the soybeans exported by the US were sold to China.” 美国农业部数据显示，2023年美国对华农产品出口达291亿美元，中国是美国农产品第一大出口目的地，占美农产品总出口近1/5。2024年美国大豆出口总额达245亿美元，其中对华大豆出口总额近128亿美元，美国出口的大豆一半销往中国.

“In 2023, the average export of each American farmer to China was nearly $9,000. In January last year, China and the United States restarted the agricultural cooperation mechanism, providing new opportunities for the joint development of climate-smart agriculture and increasing food production, and the list of agricultural cooperation between the two countries has been further extended. As China advances from a major agricultural country to a strong agricultural country, nearly 500 million farmers as a whole are stepping into modernisation. The Chinese people's demand for high-quality agricultural products will grow even faster, and China-U.S. agricultural cooperation will embrace broader space in an open market.” 2023年，平均每个美国农民对华出口近9000美元。去年1月中美重启农业合作机制，为共同发展气候智能农业、提高粮食产量提供新机遇，两国农业合作的清单进一步拉长。随着中国从农业大国向农业强国迈进，近5亿农民整体迈入现代化，中国人民对高质量农产品的需求将更快增长，中美农业合作将在开放市场中迎来更广阔空间.

The article also makes the case that China-US agricultural cooperation is an “important driving force for global agricultural modernisation” and food security. Then the author criticises US trade policies.

“In recent years, China-US agricultural cooperation has faced challenges. With the US imposing tariffs, China-US agricultural cooperation is shrouded in a dark cloud. The Washington Post recently reported that the US government’s highly protectionist tariff and trade policies have once again put American farmers at the forefront of the ‘global trade war’. The US media once calculated that from 2018 to 2019, the tariff policies adopted by the US government led to a loss of nearly $26 billion in US agricultural exports. The income of American farmers in 2019 fell by about 8% compared with 2017. The ‘2025 Agricultural Outlook Report’ released by the US Department of Agriculture predicts that US agricultural exports to China will be $22 billion in 2025. Jim Sutter, CEO of the US Soybean Export Association, bluntly said: ‘It is the farmers who pay the price for the trade war.’ This sentence echoes the views of many American farmers.” 近年来，中美农业合作面临挑战。伴随美国加征关税，中美农业合作阴云笼罩。《华盛顿邮报》日前报道说，美国政府极具保护主义色彩的关税和贸易政策，让美国农民再次站在了“全球贸易战”的风口浪尖上。美国媒体曾算过一笔账：2018年至2019年，美国采取的关税政策导致美国农产品出口损失近260亿美元，2019年美国农民的收入比2017年下降约8%。美国农业部发布的《2025农业展望报告》预计，2025年美国对中国的农产品出口为220亿美元。美国大豆出口协会首席执行官吉姆·萨特直言：“为贸易战付出代价的是农民。”这句话道出众多美国农户的心声.

The piece ends with calling for dialogue as opposed to unilateralism and protectionism, arguing that agriculture is related to people’s well-being and should not be held hostage to politicisation and securitisation.

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India-China Ties - Wang Yi's Visit to Russia - Yunnan's Support for Private Sector - Lai Ching-te a 'War Instigator' - Zhong Sheng: Trade War will Hurt US Agriculture Exports to China

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