Macron-Xi Informal Meeting - China-France Joint Statement - Regulating Unmanned Aircraft - Support for Foreign Trade & College Grads - 'Countermeasures' Following Tsai's US Visit
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition on Saturday, April 8, 2023. I don’t usually do weekend reports, but there was a fair bit to cover today. So I thought I’d do a brief run through.
Page 1: The lead report is about Xi Jinping’s informal meeting with Emmanuel Macron in Guangzhou. I think this is the third such informal summit that we’ve seen Xi engage in. There was the Sunnylands meeting with Obama in 2013; then the 2018 and 2019 meetings with Narendra Modi in Wuhan and Mamallapuram; and now this. If one looks at the state of China-US and China-India ties, the record of these summits in improving ties has not been great.
Anyway, Xinhua tells us of how Xi wooed Macron:
“The two leaders strolled through the Pine Garden close to Baiyun Mountain, chatting and stopping at times to enjoy the unique scenery of the southern Chinese garden. They had tea by the water, enjoying the view and discussing the past and present. Xi and Macron listened to the Guqin melody ‘High Mountain and Flowing Water’ at Baiyun Hall. Xi then invited Macron to dinner.”
“Xi said that to understand today's China, one must begin by understanding its history. Guangzhou is the cradle of China's democratic revolution and the vanguard of China's reform and opening-up. Now Guangzhou is actively promoting the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, continuing to play its role as a locomotive for high-quality development. Briefing Macron on the essential features and core elements of Chinese modernization, Xi noted that China is advancing Chinese modernization in an all-round way. This is a socialist modernization theory and practice with Chinese characteristics, which has gradually come into being through repeated reform, opening up and innovative development. It conforms to the general laws of modernization and has unique characteristics. ‘We have full confidence in China's future development. We welcome France to continue to actively participate in the China Import and Export Fair, the China International Import Expo, and the China International Fair for Trade in Services to further expand the Chinese market,’ Xi told Macron. Macron said true friendship means mutual understanding and mutual respect. France appreciates China's consistent support for France and Europe to be independent and united, and is ready to work with China to respect each other's core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity, open their markets to each other, and strengthen technological and industrial cooperation, as well as cooperation in artificial intelligence, to help each other achieve development and prosperity.”
The next bit is interesting:
“On the Ukraine crisis, Xi noted that its cause is complex and a prolonged crisis serves no one's interests. He said a ceasefire as soon as possible would serve the interests of all parties concerned, and a political settlement is the only correct solution. China will never handle the Ukraine issue out of selfish interests, but always stands for fairness and justice. All relevant parties should shoulder their responsibilities and make joint efforts to create conditions for a political settlement, Xi said.”
“China welcomes France's concrete proposal for a political solution to the crisis, and stands ready to support it and play a constructive role, Xi added. Macron said France also believes that a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis needs to take into account legitimate concerns of all parties. France attaches great importance to China's international influence and is willing to work closely with China to facilitate an early political settlement of the crisis…Xi said he is glad that they have the same or similar views on China-France relations, China-EU relations and many international and regional issues, which demonstrates the high level and strategic nature of China-France relations. He said he would like to maintain close strategic communication with Macron and elevate the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height.”
On Page 2, the entire China-France joint statement has been published. The key points made are:
The two sides will hold meetings of their three key dialogue mechanisms this year: the strategic dialogue, the high-level economic and finance dialogue and the high-level dialogue on people-to-people/cultural exchanges
The two sides will deepen dialogue between the PLA’s Southern Theater Command and the Command of French forces in the Asia-Pacific Zone (ALPACI), and strengthen mutual understanding on international and regional security issues
France reaffirms its commitment to the one-China policy
In a multipolar world, China and France will work to strengthen the multilateral international system with the United Nations at its core.
China and France reaffirmed their support for the Joint Statement on the Prevention of Nuclear War and the Avoidance of an Arms Race issued by the leaders of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States (P5) on January 3, 2022. As stressed in the statement, ‘a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.’ The two countries called for no action that could increase the risk of tensions.
Both sides backed the NPT; they see the JCPOA as an “important achievement of multilateral diplomacy.”
They “support all efforts to restore peace in Ukraine on the basis of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.” They also called on all parties to “observe international humanitarian law” and “oppose(d) armed attacks on nuclear power plants and other peaceful nuclear facilities.” The statement mentions the Zaporizhya nuclear power plant.
China and France will continue to maintain close communication on the Korean Peninsula issue. China and France agreed to continue exchanges through the Sino-French dialogue mechanism on cyber affairs.
“France and China are committed to providing fair and non-discriminatory conditions of competition for businesses, particularly in the areas of cosmetics, agriculture and agri-food products, air traffic management, finance (banks, insurance, asset management), health (medical supplies, vaccines), and energy, investment and sustainable development. To this end, the two countries are committed to providing a favourable environment for business cooperation, improving market access for companies from both countries in the other country, improving the business environment, and ensuring respect for the intellectual property rights of all companies in both countries. In the digital economy, including in the area of 5G, France is committed to continue to process applications for licences from Chinese companies in a fair and non-discriminatory manner on the basis of the laws and regulations of both countries, including national security.” 中法两国承诺为企业提供公平和非歧视的竞争条件，特别是在化妆品、农业和农食产品、空中交通管理、金融（银行、保险、资产管理人）、卫生健康（医疗物资、疫苗）以及能源、投资和可持续发展等领域。为此，两国致力于为企业合作提供良好环境，改善两国企业在对方国家的市场准入，改善营商环境，确保尊重两国所有企业的知识产权。在数字经济领域，包括在5G方面，法方承诺在两国包括国家安全在内的法律法规基础上，继续以公平、非歧视方式处理中国企业的授权许可申请。
France will be the guest of honour at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS).
France and China welcomed the ‘volume purchase agreement’ for the purchase of 160 Airbus aircraft by Chinese airlines. Depending on the recovery and development of China's air transport market and fleet, the two countries will study the needs of Chinese airlines for cargo and long-haul transportation in due course. The two sides welcome the enhanced cooperation between the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and will accelerate the airworthiness certification process on the basis of agreed international safety standards, especially for the Y12F, H175, Dassault 8X and other projects. The two sides welcome the agreement reached between the two countries' enterprises on sustainable aviation fuels. The two sides continue their industrial cooperation, in particular the new Airbus Tianjin assembly line project.” 中法两国对达成中方航空公司采购160架空客飞机的“批量采购协议”表示欢迎。两国将视中国航空运输市场和机队恢复和发展情况，适时研究中方航空公司的货运和长途运输等需求。双方欢迎中国民航局和欧盟航空安全局加强合作，将在均认可的国际安全标准基础上加快适航认证进程，特别是Y12F、H175、达索8X等项目的适航认证进程。双方欢迎两国企业就可持续航空燃料达成协议。双方继续开展工业合作，特别是空客天津新总装线项目。
2024 will be the Sino-French Year of Culture and Tourism; Both sides reaffirmed their willingness to strengthen cooperation in the field of culture and creative industries, especially in literature, cinema, television documentaries, publishing (including games), music, architecture and digitalization, through co-productions, copyright cooperation, competitions and exchanges of artists…” 双方重申愿通过联合制作、版权合作、竞赛、艺术家交流等方式，加强在文化和创意产业领域，特别是文学、电影、电视纪录片、出版（含游戏）、音乐、建筑和数字化等领域的合作，提升针对最广泛受众的传播潜力.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in the field of cultural heritage conservation, restoration and development.
The statement mentions exchanges of youth and researchers and calls for holding a meeting of the China-France Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation
In the section on global challenges, there are three key points, which are then followed by significant emphasis on biodiversity, environmental protection and climate change. First, the two sides discussed maintaining the food supply chain by facilitating exports of cereal products and fertilisers; they “stressed their support for the rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, their commitment to create a free, open, transparent, inclusive and non-discriminatory trade and investment environment, their support for the necessary reforms of the World Trade Organization…”; China will attend the Global Compact on Climate Change Financing Summit to be held in Paris in June 2023, and the French side will attend the third BRI forum.
My limited understanding of environmental diplomacy means that I cannot summarise what’s important in what’s been said in the statement. There is a reiteration of earlier stated commitments; but beyond that, I am not sure what’s really new or important, apart from the fact that there is a lot of talk about working together.
Also this is worth noting:
“The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation under the G20 framework, promote the G20's role as the main forum for international economic cooperation, and advance the reform of the international monetary and financial system in accordance with the commitments made by the leaders of the Bali Summit.” 两国同意在二十国集团框架下加强合作，推动二十国集团发挥国际经济合作主要论坛作用，按照巴厘岛峰会领导人承诺推进国际货币金融体系改革。
On Page 3, a report informs that 36 Chinese and French companies signed 18 cooperation agreements in Beijing after the China France Business Council meeting.
Back to the front page, there’s a report on the Executive Meeting of the State Council. The focus was on policies and measures to promote the stability of the scale of foreign trade, clearing regulations on unmanned aircrafts, and support for college graduates.
The meeting said that:
“It is necessary to find ways to stabilise exports to developed economies, and guide enterprises to explore the markets of developing countries along with regional markets such as ASEAN. It is necessary to give full play to the role of the major foreign trade provinces as the main force in stabilising foreign trade, encourage localities to introduce supportive policies according to local conditions, and enhance policy synergy.” 要想方设法稳住对发达经济体出口，引导企业深入开拓发展中国家市场和东盟等区域市场。要发挥好外贸大省稳外贸主力军作用，鼓励各地因地制宜出台配套支持政策，增强政策协同效应.
This is because “foreign trade plays an important supporting role in stabilising growth and employment, building a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development.” 会议指出，推动外贸稳规模优结构，对稳增长稳就业、构建新发展格局、推动高质量发展具有重要支撑作用.
Xinhua reports: “The meeting also adopted a draft on the regulation of unmanned aircraft flight. Stressing the need to coordinate development and security, the meeting urged efforts to regulate the flight of unmanned aircraft and related activities, promote the sustainable and healthy development of relevant industries, and safeguard aviation, public security and national security.” The PD report adds says that:
“Focusing on the whole chain of production and sales, assembly and modification, registration and identification, personnel qualification and operation monitoring, we will speed up the improvement of the regulatory system and mechanism, improve the regulatory service platform, enhance the regulatory service capacity, and ensure the safety and order of flight activities. Adhere to innovation-driven development, vigorously promote research in key core technologies, accelerate the construction of independent, controllable, safe and reliable industrial chain and supply chain, promote technology integration and innovation, enrich application scenarios, improve industrial ecology, and better promote the high-quality development of related industries.” 坚持安全为本，着眼生产销售、组装改装、登记识别、人员资质、运行监控等全链条，加快完善监管体制机制，健全监管服务平台，提升监管服务能力，确保飞行活动安全有序。坚持创新驱动发展，大力推进关键核心技术攻关，加快构建自主可控、安全可靠的产业链供应链，促进技术融合创新，丰富应用场景，完善产业生态，更好推动相关产业高质量发展.
Xinhua English summarises the rest well.
“To continue to reduce the burden on college graduates from families with financial difficulties, the meeting decided to continue the policy of interest-free and deferred principal repayments for government-subsidized student loans. More efforts will be made to increase policy and financial support for companies that recruit large numbers of college graduates and promote the multi-channel employment of new graduates, according to the meeting. It underlined that current economic recovery is in a critical period, calling for efforts to do solid work in economic operation monitoring, situation analysis and countermeasure study based on in-depth investigation and research. Practical and effective measures will be introduced in due time to further stabilize market expectations, boost development confidence, maintain a sound momentum of growth, and promote the sustained and overall improvement of economic operations, it added.”
Also on the page is a report on the appointment of new ambassadors to Japan and North Korea.
Wang Yajun was appointed ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, replacing Li Jinjun.
Wu Jianghao was appointed ambassador to Japan, replacing Kong Xuanyou.
Page 3: There’s another Zhong Sheng commentary on Tsai Ing-wen’s transit via the US. The piece reiterates some familiar arguments about the DPP acting out of political self-interest and seeking to push the independence agenda. It says that the transit was not a “private activity” but rather an “attempt to create ‘one China, one Taiwan’ and ‘two Chinas’ and to “seek the support of anti-China forces in the United States.” 明眼人一看便知，“过境”窜美根本不是“私人性质”的活动，本质上是“倚美谋独”“媚美卖台”，企图制造“一中一台”“两个中国”，伺机在国际上兜售“台独”主张，并谋求美国反华势力的支持。
The US, meanwhile, is accused of “playing the Taiwan card” and seeking to “contain China” and in doing so, it is “disregarding the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and the fundamental interests of the people of Taiwan. It is a troublemaker and destroyer of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” 民进党当局出于政治私利，利用各种机会从事谋“独”分裂活动，美方大打“台湾牌”，企图“以台制华”，置台海和平稳定和台湾民众根本利益于不顾，完全是台海和平稳定的麻烦制造者和破坏者.
The piece adds: “The ‘separation of powers’ is not an excuse for the US to ignore its international obligations, violate basic norms governing international relations, provoke China's sovereignty and violate its commitments on the Taiwan question…The mistakes of the past do not excuse the mistakes of today, and superimposing mistake upon mistake does not provide any legitimacy. The United States keeps saying that its one-China policy has not changed, but in fact it is constantly engaged in salami slicing, distorting, tampering, blurring and hollowing out the one-China principle. What the US has done is to regard Taiwan as a pawn to contain China's development and progress, and ultimately sacrifice the interests, well-being and bright future of Taiwan compatriots.” 无论根据国际法还是美国内法，“三权分立”都不是美无视国际义务，违反国际关系基本准则、挑衅中国主权、违背其在台湾问题上所作承诺的理由。过去的错误不能为今天的错误开脱，犯错次数的叠加不能提供任何合法性。美国口口声声称其一个中国政策没有变，实际上却在不断“切香肠”，歪曲、篡改、虚化、掏空一个中国原则。美方的所作所为，就是把台湾当作遏制中国发展进步的棋子，最终牺牲的是台湾同胞的利益福祉和光明前途.
The next paragraph says that China’s “countermeasures” fall within its “legitimate and lawful rights to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity”. “They are necessary, timely and defensive countermeasures, aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and security and preventing the anti-China forces and the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces in the US from going further on the wrong and dangerous path. 中国政府采取的一切反制措施都属于中方维护国家主权和领土完整的正当合法权利，是必要、及时的防守反制，旨在维护国家主权和安全、阻止美国反华势力和“台独”分裂势力在错误和危险的道路上走得更远.
Then we get this interesting perspective on Beijing’s view on the gains from its “countermeasures”. “Facts have proved that by resolutely waging a major struggle against separatism and interference, the China government has further grasped the strategic initiative to realise the complete reunification of the motherland and further consolidated the pattern of the international community adhering to the One-China principle.” 事实证明，通过坚决开展反分裂、反干涉重大斗争，中国政府进一步掌握了实现祖国完全统一的战略主动，进一步巩固了国际社会坚持一个中国原则的格局.
Next, there’s a report on MoFA announcing sanctions targeting the Hudson Institute, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and relevant people in charge of these organisations. This is part of China’s countermeasures to Tsai’s transit through the US. Xinhua reports:
“The two organizations provided a platform and convenience for her separatist activities seeking "Taiwan independence," seriously violating the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and seriously infringing upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to the statement. In accordance with China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, China will strictly restrain transactions, exchanges and cooperation between colleges, institutions, and other organizations and individuals within China with these two institutions, said the statement. It stated that countermeasures will also be taken against four individuals, Sarah May Stern, John P. Walters, John Heubusch, and Joanne M. Drake, who are in charge of these two organizations. The four people's movable properties, real estates and all other assets in China will be frozen, and all organizations and individuals in China are prohibited from engaging in transactions and cooperation with them, the statement said, adding the four individuals are banned from obtaining Chinese visas or entering the country.”
Also on the page are announcements of sanctions targeting Taiwan's Prospect Foundation and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the United States. I covered these yesterday.
Other reports also inform that the PLA has begun three days of military exercises around Taiwan. Al Jazeera reports: “The drills, dubbed United Sharp Sword, involve exercises in the Taiwan Strait to the north and south of the island as well as in the sea and airspace to its east. ‘This is a serious warning to the Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces’ collusion and provocation, and it is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,’ the PLA said.”
Taiwan’s defense ministry, meanwhile, reported that “a total of 42 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval ships were detected in areas around Taiwan Saturday, including 29 warplanes that crossed Taiwan Strait median line or flew into the southwestern part of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ)...Among the Chinese military planes were Chengdu J-10 combat aircraft, and Shenyang J-11 and Shenyang J-16 jet fighters that crossed northern, central, and southern parts of the median line, the MND said, adding that the maneuvers were detected as of 11 a.m. Saturday.”
Finally, there’s a brief report on He Lifeng meeting with Evan Greenberg, vice chair of the National Committee on United States-China Relations.