Missing Newspapers - Deep Dive into Xi's France Visit
Dear subscribers,
I hope this finds you well. It’s a strange day today. It’s well into the afternoon, but the People’s Daily’s edition for the day is unavailable on the website. It’s usually updated fairly early in the morning. I have, on occasion, accessed it as early as 6 am Beijing Time. However, the edition was uploaded late yesterday, going up around 10:15-10:30 Beijing Time.
In fact, even the PLA Daily and Guangming Daily have not been updated on their respective websites. For instance, if you go to the PLA Daily’s website, you get yesterday’s edition as default. When you click for the next edition, you get this colourful error page
For Guangming Daily, there is an option to click on May 7th edition, but it leads to an error page too.
That said, reports and updates are available on Xinhua’s mandarin website. So I am not quite sure what’s going on.
Given all this , I don’t have a breakdown of the paper to offer today. But I have covered all the key reporting and readouts from Xi Jinping’s visit to France in this edition.
Cheers,
Manoj
Let’s begin with the Chinese readout of the meeting between Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron.
“As the world goes through transformation not seen in a century, the two sides should stay committed to independence, mutual understanding, long-term vision, and mutual benefit, which represent the spirit that guided the establishment of their diplomatic ties. They should also enrich it with new features of the new era, build a China-France relationship in the new era characterized by mutual trust, stability, commitment to fundamental principles while breaking new ground, and a strong sense of responsibility. The two sides should uphold independence and jointly prevent a new cold war or bloc confrontation; they should continue to understand each other and jointly promote harmonious coexistence in a colorful world; they should take a long view and work together for an equal and orderly multipolar world; and they should pursue win-win cooperation and jointly oppose decoupling and cutting off supply chains.”
“President Xi stressed that China is ready to maintain strategic communication with France, respect each other’s core interests, consolidate the strategic stability of the bilateral relations, unleash the great potential of mutually beneficial cooperation, and strive for upward balance in bilateral trade. China is ready to import more high-quality products from France and enable the ‘French farm to Chinese dining table’ mechanism to deliver more practical outcomes. He also expressed the hope for France to export more high-tech products with high added value to China. The two sides should better synergize their development strategies, deepen cooperation in areas of traditional strength such as aerospace and aviation, and step up cooperation on nuclear energy, innovation and finance, and expand cooperation in emerging areas such as green energy, smart manufacturing, biomedicine and artificial intelligence (AI). China has fully opened up its manufacturing sector, and will move faster to expand market access in the service sector such as telecommunication and medical services. China welcomes investment by more French companies and also hopes that France will provide a good business environment and stable development expectation for the investment and cooperation by Chinese companies in France.”
“China welcomes visits by more friends from France and will extend the short-stay visa-exemption policy for citizens from 12 countries including France to the end of 2025, bring the total number of French students in China to more than 10,000, and double the number of young Europeans on exchange programs to China in the next three years.”
Xi added that “China supports France in hosting a great Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to which China will send a strong delegation. China is ready to deepen cooperation with France in areas such as climate response and biodiversity. China supports France in hosting a successful U.N. Ocean Conference, and encourages partnerships between relevant national parks and natural reserves of the two countries. China is also willing to increase dialogue and communication with France in areas including AI governance and the reform of the international financial system.”
The readout has Macron saying:
“The two sides, through mutual respect, a long-term perspective and strengthened cooperation, will play an important and positive role in addressing global challenges and opposing any logic of bloc confrontation. France would like to have closer economic ties and multilateral communication and collaboration with China, and work for more outcomes in the France-China strategic partnership. France hopes to export more agricultural products to China. At the same time, it will continue to open its market to China, and will not adopt discriminatory policies against Chinese companies. France welcomes investment and cooperation by more Chinese companies, including high-tech firms. France is ready to step up cooperation with China in such areas as aerospace and aviation, and nuclear energy for civilian use, and jointly hold the France-China Year of Culture and Tourism activities.”
“The two sides issued four joint statements on the situation in the Middle East, on AI and global governance, on biodiversity and oceans, and on agricultural exchanges and cooperation. Close to 20 bilateral cooperation documents were signed in such areas as green development, aviation, agrifood, commerce and people-to-people exchanges.”
China and France will also advocate “cessation of hostilities” during the Olympics.
The two leaders also attended a press conference. The Chinese readout of that has Xi making four points on bilateral ties:
Consolidate the strategic stability of bilateral relations: This refers to respecting core interests and ensuring timely conduct policy communication and coordination.
Exploring mutually beneficial cooperation: “The two sides will expand cooperation in agri-food, finance and other sections, and advance joint R&D and innovation in areas including aviation, aerospace and civil nuclear energy…expand cooperation in emerging areas such as green energy, smart manufacturing, bio-medicine, artificial intelligence and third-party markets…the two sides signed 18 cooperation agreements between government agencies, covering such areas as aviation, agriculture, people-to-people exchange, green development and SME cooperation.”
Accelerating people-to-people exchanges: “We have decided to extend the short-stay visa-exemption policy for citizens of 12 countries including France to the end of 2025…We support opening direct flights between Shanghai and Marseilles…In the next three years, we want to bring the total number of French students in China to more than 10,000, and double the number of young Europeans on exchange programs to China.”
Building greater consensus on global cooperation: This touches on climate change, biodiversity, AI and finance
On Ukraine, he said:
“China did not start the Ukraine crisis, nor is it a party to or a participant in it. Instead of being an onlooker, we have been playing an important role for peace. The special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs is on his third round of shuttle diplomacy. At the same time, China opposes attempts to use the Ukraine crisis to scapegoat or smear a third country or to stoke a new cold war. History has proven time and again that at the end of the day, conflicts can only be resolved through negotiation. We call on all parties to resume engagement and dialogue to build mutual trust. We support holding at a proper time an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans. We support a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture in Europe.”
Finally, we have the Chinese readout of the trilateral meeting between Xi, Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Xi said that:
“As the world enters a new period of turbulence and transformation, China and the EU, as two important forces, should continue to see each other as partners, stay committed to dialogue and cooperation, deepen strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust, build strategic consensus, carry out strategic coordination, work for steady and sound growth of China-EU ties, and continue making new contributions to world peace and development…China-EU relations enjoy strong endogenous driving force and bright prospects of development. This relationship does not target any third party, nor should it be dependent on or dictated by any third party. It is hoped that the EU institutions will develop the right perception of China and adopt a positive China policy. The two sides should respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, safeguard the political foundation of their relations, and uphold the basic norms of international relations. The two sides should make good preparations for a new round of China-EU Summit and the high-level dialogues in the strategic, economic and trade, green, and digital fields, and foster a partnership on industrial and supply chains featuring stability and mutual trust. It is important to make good use of China’s visa-exemption policy for European countries and relevant arrangements to facilitate travel for foreign visitors, and encourage exchanges between the peoples and at the subnational level as well as cooperation on education and scientific research, in an effort to enhance popular support and public opinion for growing China-EU relations.”
The next bit is important:
“China’s new energy industry has made real progress in open competition and represents advanced production capacity. It not only increases global supply and alleviates the pressure of global inflation, but also contributes significantly to global climate response and green transition. The so-called ‘problem of China’s overcapacity’ does not exist either from the perspective of comparative advantage or in light of global demand. China-EU cooperation is in essence complementary and mutually beneficial. The two sides have extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation in green and digital transition. It is necessary that they properly address economic and trade frictions through dialogue and consultation, and accommodate each other’s legitimate concerns.”
On Ukraine and Palestine, the readout says:
“On the Ukraine crisis, President Xi pointed out that China, France and the EU all wish to see an early ceasefire and return of peace in Europe, and support political settlement of the crisis. The three parties need to jointly oppose spillover and escalation of the fighting, create conditions for peace talks, safeguard international energy and food security, and keep industrial and supply chains stable. China did not create the Ukraine crisis, nor is it a party to it. All along, China has been working vigorously to facilitate talks for peace. China’s objective and just position and its constructive role have been widely recognized by the international community. China is ready to stay in communication with relevant parties. On the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, President Xi stressed that the pressing task is to realize a comprehensive ceasefire as quickly as possible; the key priority is to ensure humanitarian assistance; and the fundamental way out is to implement the two-State solution. China supports Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations. China and the EU share many important commonalities on the question of Palestine. China is ready to work with the EU to support a more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference to be held as quickly as possible to set a timetable and a roadmap for the two-State solution, and to promote comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date.”
The statement by von der Leyen after the meeting says:
On Ukraine: “We agree that Europe and China have a shared interest in peace and security. We count on China to use all its influence on Russia to end Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. President Xi has played an important role in de-escalating Russia's irresponsible nuclear threats, and I am confident that President Xi will continue to do so against the backdrop of the ongoing nuclear threats by Russia. We have also discussed China's commitment not to provide any lethal equipment to Russia. More effort is needed to curtail delivery of dual-use goods to Russia that find their way to the battlefield. And given the existential nature of the threats stemming from this war for both Ukraine and Europe, this does affect the EU-China relations.”
On the Middle East: “No effort can be spared in de-escalating tensions and preventing a wider conflict in the region. Once again, we call for a ceasefire and for the release of all hostages, and we continue to work to provide all humanitarian support possible while working for a two-state solution. We also made clear our concern on Iran's direct threat to stability in the region, and we believe that China can play an important role in limiting the irresponsible proliferation of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.”
On economic ties: “I am convinced that if the competition is fair, we in Europe will have thriving, durable economies that will support more good jobs. But of course, today we also discussed the imbalances that remain significant, and this is a matter of great concern. As we have shown, we will defend our companies; we will defend our economies. We will never hesitate to do so if this is required.” She made three key points:
She called on China to address “structural overcapacities” and promised to “closely coordinate with G7 countries and emerging economies that are also increasingly affected by China's market distortions.”
She stressed on the need for reciprocity and said that “we stand ready to make full use of our trade defence instruments if this is necessary”.
She stressed the importance of de-risking. “Our market is and remains open to fair competition and to investments, but it is not good for Europe if it harms our security and makes us vulnerable.”
Now, let’s look at the joint statements, which are available on the French government’s website.
First, the joint statement on the Middle East says:
“France and China condemn all violations of international humanitarian law, including all acts of terrorist violence and indiscriminate attacks against civilians. They recall the absolute imperative to protect civilians in Gaza, in accordance with international humanitarian law. The two heads of state marked their opposition to an Israeli offensive on Rafah, which would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe on a new scale, as well as to any forced displacement of Palestinian civilians.”
“The two heads of state stressed that an immediate and lasting ceasefire is urgently needed to allow the large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip. They called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the guarantee of humanitarian access to meet their medical and other humanitarian needs as well as respect for international law with respect to all those detained. They called for the effective and immediate implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions, in particular Security Council resolutions 2712, 2720 and 2728. This is the only credible way to guarantee peace and security for all and ensure that neither Palestinians nor Israelis relive the horrors they have experienced since the October 7 attacks.”
“The two heads of state called for the effective opening of all access routes and all necessary crossing points in order to allow rapid, safe, sustainable and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid in the entire Gaza Strip. They underlined the importance of strengthening the coordination of international efforts on the humanitarian level.”
“The two heads of state called on all parties to refrain from unilateral measures on the ground that could fuel tensions and condemned in this regard the Israeli settlement policy, deemed illegal under international law and a major obstacle to any lasting peace as well as to the possibility of establishing a viable and contiguous Palestinian state in the future. They emphasised in this regard that the future governance of Gaza cannot be separated from a comprehensive political settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the ‘two-state solution’.”
“The two heads of state called for a decisive and irreversible relaunch of a political process in order to concretely implement a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, both having Jerusalem as their capital, and with the creation of a viable, independent, and sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. They reiterated their commitment to this solution, the only way to meet the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians for lasting peace and security.”
On other regional issues:
“France and China reiterate their commitment to promoting a political and diplomatic settlement on the Iranian nuclear issue. The conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iranian nuclear power (JCPOA) in 2015 constituted an important achievement of multilateral diplomacy. Both sides are concerned about the risks of escalation, emphasised the importance of cooperation with the IAEA and the promotion of diplomatic efforts, and reiterated their commitment to working towards the preservation of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, as well as the promotion of peace and stability in the Middle East.”
“The two heads of state stressed the importance of preserving freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They call for an immediate cessation of attacks against civilian vessels in order to preserve maritime security and global trade, prevent regional tensions and humanitarian and environmental risks.”
The joint statement on and AI and global governance issues says:
China will continue to participate actively in the follow-up meetings of the committee established after the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in June 2023 and is seriously considering the Paris Pact for People and the Planet (4P).
France and China agree on the importance of fostering the development and security of AI and promoting appropriate international governance to achieve this.
They agree “to strengthen global governance of AI with the aim of promoting development and usage in the service of the common good.”
In order to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by Artificial Intelligence, France and China undertake to deepen their exchanges on the modalities of international governance of artificial intelligence. Governance must allow for flexibility in the development of this rapidly evolving technology while ensuring the necessary protection of personal data and the rights of users utilizing AI or whose productions are utilized by it.
Both countries are fully committed to promoting safe, secure, and reliable AI systems following the principle of AI in the service of the common good, harnessing the potential of AI and mitigating its risks through global and inclusive dialogue. They will also endeavour to strengthen international cooperation and interoperability between frameworks and initiatives for AI governance, drawing on the work done at the United Nations level - for example, within the Secretary-General's High-level Advisory Board on AI or UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
Both countries recognize that the opportunities, risks, and challenges related to AI are global in nature. They emphasised the importance of enhancing international cooperation in the context of rapid technological development to ensure international security and stability, sovereignty, and respect for fundamental rights.
China is ready to participate in the Summit on Artificial Intelligence organized by France in 2025 and its preparatory work. China invites France to participate in the World Conference on AI and the High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance that China will host in 2024.
“France and China agree on the need to contribute to strengthening the cyber capacities of states, especially developing countries, to address all types of cyber threats, including those related to the development of artificial intelligence.”
The final few points talk about addressing the digital divide, ensuring inclusive access for all, and guarding against risks to employment and workers.
If you are interested, I recommend following SCMP’s Finbarr Bermingham’s work. Here are a couple of useful tweets:
Finally, Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the Sixth Meeting of the China-France Business Council. Xinhua has the full English text. Some excerpts:
“Our two countries do not have geopolitical conflicts, and we do not have clashes of fundamental interests. What we do have in common is we both think independently, both are fascinated by our splendid cultures, and we are engaged in result-oriented cooperation based on many shared interests. Our experiences in the past and at present both show that there is no reason for failures in bringing out the best in China-France relations. We have now reached a new crossroads in the development of mankind and face global changes unseen in a century. Against this backdrop, China is ready to enhance all-round exchanges and cooperation with France, bring the China-France relationship to a new stage and make it even more productive.”
“We are committed to expanding our business relations in both width and depth by opening up new areas, creating new models and fostering new growth areas. China will continue to make full use of the ‘French farm to Chinese dining table’ whole-chain rapid coordination mechanism, and bring more cheese, ham, wine and other quality agricultural products from France to the dining tables of Chinese families. China has decided to extend visa exemption entry for citizens from 12 countries including France on short-term visits to China until the end of 2025, a step that will further boost people-to-people exchanges.”
“China and Europe are two major forces in building a multipolar world, two big markets that promote globalization, and two great civilizations that advocate cultural diversity. China-Europe relations are crucial for peace, stability and prosperity of the world. The two sides should always define China-Europe relations as a comprehensive strategic partnership, continue to enhance political mutual trust, remove various distractions, and jointly oppose attempts to turn business relations into political, ideological or security issues. We hope that Europe will work together with us to increase understanding through dialogue, resolve differences through cooperation, and defuse risks with enhanced mutual trust. We should turn China and Europe into each other's key partners for business cooperation, priority partners for cooperation in science and technology, and trustworthy partners for cooperation in industrial and supply chains. China will, on its own initiative, further open up the service sector including telecommunication and medical services, and open its market wider to create more opportunities for companies of France, Europe and beyond.”
“The world today is facing growing peace deficit, development deficit, security deficit and governance deficit. Both China and France are independent major countries and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. This means our two countries need to shoulder our responsibilities and missions to enhance stability in China-France relations to address uncertainties of the world. We need to step up coordination in the U.N. and provide more leadership and support for global governance so as to build an equal and orderly multipolar world. China and France need to practice true multilateralism, further promote all-round WTO reform, uphold the authority and performance of the multilateral trading regime with the WTO at its core, keep the global economy open, and promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. China and France need to urge the international community to pool strengths, stand by the goals and principles of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, actively address climate change, advance the global process of biological diversity protection, and jointly protect the Earth, our common home.”
With the third plenary session set for July, this bit is really important to note:
“Reform and opening up, a truly remarkable endeavor, is the defining feature of China today. China is pursuing high-standard opening up to advance in-depth reform and high-quality development. We are upgrading traditional industries, fostering emerging industries, laying the groundwork for future industries, and moving faster to promote new quality productive forces. We are considering and taking major steps to further deepen reform across the board, steadily expand institutional opening up, further expand market access, and shorten the negative list for foreign investment. All this will create an even bigger market and present more opportunities for win-win cooperation for France and other countries. We welcome French entrepreneurs present toady to play an active part in the Chinese modernization process and benefit from China's development opportunities.”
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