Xi & Maduro Establish 'All-weather Strategic Partnership' - China-Vietnam Law-enforcement Cooperation - Zhong Sheng: US Competition Policy = Blockading, Containment & Suppression - New Amb. in Kabul
Hi folks, before we get cover today’s People’s Daily, I want to discuss a recent development, and invite thoughts from you.
Earlier today, it was reported that Zhao Sheng had been appointed as China’s new ambassador to Afghanistan. As per reports, Zhao met with Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hasan Akhund at the Presidential Palace in Kabul and presented his credentials. There was a fair amount of pomp and pageantry to Zhao’s arrival.
“Ambassador Zhao Sheng’s car swept through the tree-lined driveway of the Presidential Palace escorted by a police convoy. He was greeted by uniformed troops and met top-ranking Taliban officials, including Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who heads the administration, and Foreign Affairs Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. It is the first time since the Taliban takeover that an ambassador to Kabul has been afforded such lavish protocol.”
Zhao replaced Wang Yu, who had been serving in the position since 2019, i.e., well before the Taliban takeover of the country. Wang finished his tenure last month; so basically, he continued to remain in the same position despite the change in regime in Afghanistan. There has been some speculation about Zhao’s appointment now potentially hinting at a wider shift in Chinese policy towards the Taliban, potentially offering formal recognition. Muttaqi’s comment that Zhao’s appointment was a “significant step with a significant message” sort of hints in this direction. Al Jazeera’s report also says “Afghan officials (said) the new envoy’s arrival is a sign for other nations to come forward and establish relations with the Taliban-led government.”
The Chinese foreign ministry’s reported statement on Zhao assuming office, however, does not indicate that this is the case. It said:
“This is the normal rotation of China’s ambassador to Afghanistan, and is intended to continue advancing dialogue and cooperation between China and Afghanistan. China’s policy towards Afghanistan is clear and consistent.”
So what does one make of this? From my perspective, it is highly unlikely that Beijing will go ahead and be the first to accord formal recognition to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Doing so will have broader implications in terms of China’s policies with regard to Pakistan and in the Middle East. Any formal recognition, therefore, will only be the product of wider diplomacy and in congruence with other stakeholders. Most importantly, it is not like the lack of formal recognition has hindered China’s economic engagement in Afghanistan. This has expanded over the past two years. Let me cite two examples.
First, in January, the Taliban signed a nearly $700-million (over a period of four years) deal with Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Company (CAPEIC), a subsidiary of CNPC, to extract oil from the Amu Darya basin. Second, last month it was reported that Huawei is believed to be finalising a deal to install surveillance cameras across Afghanistan. To be fair, the Bloomberg report on this has a denial from Huawei about the deal, although it is confirmed that there was a meeting between the two sides.
From my perspective, Zhao’s appointment, the Taliban’s reception of him, and the narrative around potential recognition basically suits both sides, without actual recognition being on the table. For the Taliban, the arrival of Zhao allows it to nudge others by arguing that Beijing’s approach is shifting. For Beijing, engaging in the protocols without actually formally changing policy is useful to keep the Taliban in good stead while also testing waters in terms of how others are likely to respond. In that sense, it’s a win-win scenario for both sides to play out this narrative.
Of course, it would be really worth seeing what the Letter of Credence that Zhao presented mentions, whether it is addressed to the Islamic Republic or the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. That should provide us with a definitive answer. Perhaps, the Taliban regime can put that out and settle the matter?
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People's Daily's edition on Thursday, September 14, 2023.
Page 1: The top story on the page is about Xi Jinping’s meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros. Bilateral ties have been elevated to an all-weather strategic partnership. The report says:
“Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Venezuela are good friends who trust each other and good partners for common development. In recent years, China and Venezuela have both gone through extraordinary development processes. The two sides have supported each other in the changing international situation and have forged an ‘ironclad’ friendship. China has always viewed the development of relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective, firmly supports Venezuela’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, national dignity, and social stability, and firmly supports Venezuela's just cause of opposing external interference. The establishment of an all-weather strategic partnership between China and Venezuela is in line with the common expectations of the two peoples and conforms to the general trend of historical development. Both sides should push for more fruitful China-Venezuela strategic cooperation, bring more benefits to the people of the two countries, and inject more positive energy into world peace and development.” 习近平指出，中国和委内瑞拉是相互信赖的好朋友、共同发展的好伙伴。近年来，中委两国都走过了极不平凡的发展历程，双方在国际风云变幻中相互支持，结下了“铁杆”情谊。中方始终从战略高度和长远角度看待发展同委内瑞拉关系，坚定支持委方维护国家主权、民族尊严、社会稳定的努力，坚定支持委方反对外部干涉的正义事业。中委建立全天候战略伙伴关系，符合两国人民共同期待，顺应历史发展大势。双方要推动中委战略合作结出更多硕果，给两国人民带来更多福祉，也为世界和平和发展注入更多正能量.
“Xi Jinping introduced China’s reform and opening up, especially the construction of special economic zones, and pointed out that reform and opening up is an important magic weapon for China to make great strides to catch up with the times, and is a key measure to determine the destiny of contemporary China. China cherishes the valuable experience gained in this process and will continue to push forward reform and opening up. No force can stop China’s development and progress. China is willing to work with Venezuela to firmly support each other in exploring development paths that suit their national conditions, strengthen exchanges of experience in Party and state governance, support Venezuela in establishing special economic zones, and is willing to share relevant experience with Venezuela to help it advance national development. 习近平介绍了中国改革开放特别是经济特区建设有关情况，指出改革开放是中国大踏步赶上时代的重要法宝，是决定当代中国命运的关键一招，中国珍惜这一过程中取得的宝贵经验，将继续把改革开放推向前进。没有任何势力能够阻挡中国发展进步的步伐。中方愿同委方坚定支持彼此探索符合本国国情的发展道路，加强治党治国理政经验交流，支持委方兴办经济特区，愿同委方分享有关经验，帮助委方推进国家建设。
Xi then said that “China is willing to intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Venezuela, support the development of Chinese language teaching in Venezuela, run the Confucius Institute well, strengthen media exchanges, and tell the story of China-Venezuela friendship well…Xi said China is willing to import more high-quality Venezuelan products and congratulated Venezuela on becoming the first country in the Americas to join the China-initiated cooperation on the International Lunar Research Station. The two sides should work closely in multilateral mechanisms, including the United Nations, The Group of 77 (G77) and China, strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries, and jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the common interests of developing countries…China is willing to work with Venezuela and other regional countries to promote overall cooperation between China and Latin America and jointly build a community with a shared future for China and Latin America.” 习近平指出，明年是中委建交50周年，双方要予以隆重庆祝。中方愿同委方密切人文交流，支持在委开展汉语教学、办好孔子学院，加强媒体交流，讲好中委友好故事。双方要认真落实中委高级混合委员会第十七次会议取得的成果，加强下阶段各领域务实合作。中方愿扩大进口委内瑞拉优质特色产品。祝贺委内瑞拉成为美洲首个加入中国发起的国际月球科研站合作的国家。双方要在联合国、“77国集团和中国”等多边机制中密切配合，和其他发展中国家加强团结合作，共同维护联合国宪章宗旨和原则，维护广大发展中国家共同利益。中方高度重视中拉关系发展。明年是中拉论坛成立10周年。中方愿同委内瑞拉等地区国家一道，促进中拉整体合作，共建中拉命运共同体.
Two anniversaries are coming up next year, the 50th anniversary of China-Venezuela ties and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-CELAC Forum. A large part of Maduro’s reported remarks are about thanking China; he also backs BRI, GSI, GDI and GCI, and building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
The report ends by saying that a joint statement was issued and bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of jointly building the Belt and Road, economy and trade, education, tourism, science and technology, health, aerospace, and civil aviation were signed.
The joint statement is published on Page 2. Some of the key points from it:
Both sides commit to “jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.”
The Venezuelan side “believes that Chinese-style modernization provides a new option for humanity to achieve modernization”; it also “firmly believes that under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people will continue to achieve new and great achievements in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.”
“China firmly supports Venezuela in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, national dignity, socio-economic stability and the right to self-determination under the guidance of the legacy of the liberator Simon Bolivar. Venezuela reaffirms its firm position of adhering to the one-China principle, recognizes that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and firmly supports all efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification. The two sides unanimously agreed to resolutely oppose any external forces interfering in their internal affairs under any pretext, and oppose any forces interfering in China's internal affairs under the pretext of Taiwan Province, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, the South China Sea, human rights and other issues. 中方坚定支持委方，在解放者西蒙·玻利瓦尔遗志指引下，维护国家独立、主权、民族尊严、社会经济稳定和自决权。委方重申恪守一个中国原则的坚定立场，承认中华人民共和国政府是代表全中国的唯一合法政府，台湾是中国领土不可分割的一部分，坚定支持中国政府为实现国家统一所作的一切努力。双方一致同意坚决反对任何外部势力以任何借口干预本国内政，反对任何势力借台湾、涉港、涉疆、涉藏、南海、人权等问题干涉中国内政。
Both sides believe that it is necessary to work together to safeguard the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom for all mankind, and promise to continue to work together to safeguard the international order based on international law and the basic norms of international relations and the international system centred on the purposes and principles of the United Nations and its Charter, and oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, all forms of unilateralism, and the establishment of camps and exclusive blocs targeting specific countries. Venezuela thanks China for participating in the ‘Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations’ and promises to continue to work with China to build a new type of international relations, deepen and expand a global partnership of equality, openness and cooperation, and jointly promote world peace and development, strengthen a multi-centric and multipolar world, and jointly promote the construction of community of shared future for mankind.” 双方认为有必要共同努力维护和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，并承诺继续一道努力维护以国际法和国际关系基本准则为基础的国际秩序、以联合国和其宪章宗旨和原则为核心的国际体系，反对一切形式的霸权主义和强权政治，反对一切形式的单边主义，反对搞针对特定国家的阵营化和排他性小圈子。委方感谢中方参与“捍卫《联合国宪章》之友小组”，并承诺将继续与中方一道，致力于构建新型国际关系，深化拓展平等、开放、合作的全球伙伴关系，共同促进世界和平与发展，巩固多中心、多极化世界，携手推动构建人类命运共同体。
Venezuela supports GDI, GSI, GCI and BRI in the joint statement.
“Venezuela reiterated its interest in joining the BRICS. As a reliable energy supplier and the world’s largest oil and fourth largest natural gas reserve country, Venezuela can make important contributions to the energy agenda of this mechanism. China welcomes Venezuela’s positive intention to join the BRICS and supports Venezuela’s efforts to achieve this goal.” 委方重申对加入金砖国家的兴趣，委作为可靠能源供应国、世界上最大石油和第四大天然气储量国，可为该机制能源议程作出重要贡献。中方欢迎委方加入金砖国家的积极意愿，支持委方为实现这一目标所作努力. Venezuela also expresses its interest in joining the NDB and promoting the internationalisation of the RMB.
“Both sides agreed that it is necessary to proceed from the actual situation of a country and explore a development path for democracy and human rights that meets the needs of the people. We oppose any country abusing democratic values, interfering in the internal affairs of sovereign countries under the pretext of safeguarding democracy and human rights, and inciting division and confrontation in the world. We oppose the politicisation, instrumentalization and double standards of human rights issues, and oppose the imposition of one's own will and standards on other countries.” 双方一致认为，必须从本国实际出发，探索符合人民需求的民主和人权发展道路。反对任何国家滥用民主价值，借口维护民主、人权干涉主权国家内政，挑动世界分裂对抗，反对将人权问题政治化、工具化和双重标准，反对将自身意志和标准强加于别国。
“China firmly supports the Venezuelan people's just struggle to defend national sovereignty and oppose external sanctions; it opposes illegal coercive unilateral sanctions and so-called ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ imposed on Venezuela by certain countries under any pretext, opposes any political bullying, and opposes military intervention or threat of force.” 中方坚定支持委内瑞拉人民捍卫国家主权、反对外部制裁的正义斗争，反对个别国家以任何借口对委实施非法强制单边制裁和所谓“长臂管辖”，反对任何政治霸凌行径，反对军事干涉或以武力相威胁。
“Both sides agreed that dialogue and negotiation are the only feasible way to resolve the Ukraine crisis, and all efforts conducive to a peaceful resolution of the crisis should be encouraged and supported. Venezuela highly appreciates and firmly supports China’s relevant proposals. Both sides called on more countries to play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.” 双方一致认为，对话谈判是解决乌克兰危机的唯一可行出路，一切有利于和平解决危机的努力都应得到鼓励和支持。委方高度赞赏并坚定支持中方有关提议。双方呼吁更多国家为推动乌克兰危机政治解决发挥建设性作用.
Four MoUs are mentioned in the document: the “MoU on Further Strengthening Exchanges and Cooperation in the Field of Economic Development, MoU on Promoting Industrial Investment and Cooperation, MoU on Sustainable Development Cooperation, and MoU on Strengthening Digital Economy Cooperation.”
The document also talks about deepening legislative cooperation, people to people exchanges, cultural, education, and tourist exchanges. China also welcomed Venezuela joining China's International Lunar Research station, a long-term project to study the moon. The two sides also discussed deepening cooperation in the fields of communication and remote sensing satellites, lunar research and deep space exploration. The two sides welcomed the signing of the air transport agreement by the relevant departments of the two countries, and encouraged airlines of the two countries to open flights between China and Venezuela in a timely manner according to market principles. They also called for the “full and effective implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and agreed to promote environmental cooperation to cope with climate change and biodiversity loss.”
Venezuela had a positive view of the “Global Data Security Initiative proposed by China and is willing to promote the formulation of global digital governance rules.” 双方一致认为，数据安全攸关各国安全与经济社会发展，委方积极评价中方提出的《全球数据安全倡议》，愿推动制定全球数字治理规则.
Both sides support Latin America and the Caribbean as a nuclear-free zone and oppose Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea. 双方一致认为，数据安全攸关各国安全与经济社会发展，委方积极评价中方提出的《全球数据安全倡议》，愿推动制定全球数字治理规则.
Next, there are two reports on Vice President Han Zheng and then Zhao Leji meeting with Saqr Ghubash, speaker of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates.
Xinhua’s report on Han Zheng’s meeting with Ghubash isn’t really substantive. But the report on Zhao’s meeting with Ghubash says:
Zhao said that “China stands ready to strengthen exchanges at all levels to consolidate strategic mutual trust, and that it appreciates the UAE for its long-term, firm support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns. ‘We hope to deepen practical cooperation, steadily advance cooperation in established areas such as energy, investment and infrastructure, and tap into cooperation potential in emerging areas such as information technology’, Zhao said. Zhao expressed the hope that China and the UAE will strengthen cooperation on culture, tourism and civil aviation to consolidate popular support for bilateral relations, and extended congratulations to the UAE on becoming a member of the BRICS family. He said China supports the UAE in playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs, and stands ready to work with the UAE to practice true multilateralism and promote international fairness and justice. Zhao highlighted the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, stressing that China is willing to work with the UAE to promote cooperation on the three global initiatives and inject more positive energy into a turbulent world. The NPC of China is willing to strengthen friendly cooperation with the UAE Federal National Council, promote friendly exchanges at all levels, and deepen exchanges of experience in law-based national governance, economic development and the improvement of people's livelihoods, Zhao said. It is also willing to provide legal guarantees for the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and practical cooperation in various fields, he added.”
Next, there’s a report on Cai Qi meeting with To Lam, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese Minister of Public Security. Xinhua reports:
Cai “noted that both China and Vietnam are socialist countries led by communist parties and share common ideals, beliefs, and values. ‘China is willing to work with Vietnam to jointly implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties, consolidate traditional friendship, strengthen strategic communication, enhance political mutual trust and properly manage differences, and push the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era to a new level,’ he said. Cai called on the public security ministries of China and Vietnam to strengthen political and security cooperation, jointly crack down on transnational crimes, deepen cybersecurity cooperation, balance development and security, and strive to serve the construction of a strategic China-Vietnam community of shared future.”
China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong also attended the meeting. Separately, there’s a report on Page 2 informing that the ministers of public security of China and Vietnam have inked an MoU to enhance law enforcement cooperation in combating cross-border gambling. Xinhua says:
“Since the seventh meeting, the public security ministries of China and Vietnam have achieved fruitful outcomes in maintaining political security, tracing fugitives and recovering assets, combating human trafficking and other areas, and completing various cooperation tasks, Wang said. Wang stressed that China is ready to work with Vietnam to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and deepen cooperation in political security and cybersecurity. They will also strengthen practical cooperation in combating crimes, strengthen coordination and cooperation under multilateral frameworks, and enhance law enforcement capacity building to make a new and greater contribution to the security and stability of the two countries and the region at large.”
Finally, there’s a report on Ding Xuexiang’s comments at the 8th Belt and Road Summit forum held in Hong Kong. Ding said that BRI has “led China to a higher level of opening-up to the outside world, promoted common development and prosperity among countries, and contributed China's wisdom, solutions, and strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind.” 共建“一带一路”引领中国更高水平对外开放，促进各国共同发展共同繁荣，为构建人类命运共同体贡献了中国智慧、中国方案、中国力量，成为深受欢迎的国际公共产品和国际合作平台.
He added that “the central government supports Hong Kong in maintaining its unique status and advantages in the long term, consolidating its position as an international financial, shipping, and trade center, maintaining a free and open business environment in line with regulations, preserving the common law system, expanding smooth and convenient international connections, and playing a more important role in BRI.” 丁薛祥表示，中央支持香港长期保持独特地位和优势，巩固国际金融、航运、贸易中心地位，维护自由开放规范的营商环境，保持普通法制度，拓展畅通便捷的国际联系，在共建“一带一路”中发挥更为重要的功能.
He called for Hong Kong to:
Expand its economic and trade network
Improve financial services
Focus on professional services and leverage its talent advantages
Deepen people-to-people exchanges
Page 4: There’s a report on personnel changes at the State Council. Xinhua reports:
Chen Jiachang was appointed vice minister of science and technology
Hu Weilie was appointed vice minister of justice
Liu Zhao was removed from the post of vice minister of public security
Xu Hongcai was removed from the post of vice minister of finance
Xiang Dong will no longer serve as deputy director of the State Council Research Office
Yu Bing will no longer hold the position of deputy director of the National Energy Administration
Page 7: The article today from the Face-to-Face with Chinese-style Modernisation book covers the question about explaining how the 10 years of great changes in the new era have laid a solid foundation for the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country? This, as I did yesterday, is available behind the paywall below.
Page 17: There’s another Zhong Sheng commentary today focussing on China-US relations. It says:
“In recent years, the US has consistently emphasised ‘competition’ when discussing China-US relations, as if competition has become the predominant and even exclusive theme in China-US relations, shaping the entire agenda. From the ‘three-point approach’ of ‘competition, cooperation, and confrontation’ to the ‘three-point doctrine’ of ‘investment, alliance, and competition’, the idea of ‘competition’ dominates the main line of the US China policy. The many measures taken by the US fully demonstrate that the so-called ‘competition’ by the United States has become synonymous with comprehensive blockading, unrestricted containment, and suppression of China.” 近年来，美方在谈论中美关系时言必提“竞争”，仿佛竞争已经成为中美关系的最大主题，甚至是全部议题。从“竞争、合作、对抗”的“三分法”，到“投资、结盟、竞争”的“三点论”，“竞争”主导了美国对华政策的主基调。美方采取的诸多举措充分说明，美方所谓的“竞争”，已成为对华进行全方位围堵和无底线遏制打压的代名词.
“As two major powers, it is normal for China and the US to compete in some fields such as economy, trade, science and technology. This kind of competition should be fair and reasonable, benign and rule-based, with red lines and forbidden areas. The rules of market economy and the basic norms of international relations should not be ignored, let alone use issues of core interests as a tool of competition or a means of provocation. The US uses its state machinery to suppress other countries in the name of competition, seeking its own competitive advantage at the expense of other countries' interests or even blocking their development and progress. This completely deviates from the original meaning of competition and exposes a naked zero-sum Cold War mentality.” 中美作为两个大国，在经贸、科技等一些领域存在竞争是正常的。这种竞争应该是公平、合理的，是良性、有规则的，有红线、有禁区，不应无视市场经济规则和国际关系基本准则，更不能将核心利益问题作为竞争工具、挑衅手段。美国以竞争之名动用国家机器打压他国，企图牺牲别国利益甚至阻挡别国发展进步来谋求自身竞争优势，完全背离了竞争的本义，只能暴露出赤裸裸的零和冷战思维.
“The US has absolutely no intention to engage in reasonable competition. It engages in
wielding the big stick of sanctions wantonly, pushing for ‘decoupling and breaking chains’ and the so-called ‘de-risking’;
out of ideological prejudice, generalising the concept of national security, imposing arbitrary controls and censorship, and building ‘small yards and high walls’;
concocting false narratives of ‘democracy versus authoritarianism’, forming cliques to create a ‘containment circle’ around China, forcing other countries to choose sides, inciting confrontation and undermining peace;
continuous provocations on issues involving China’s political system, territorial sovereignty and other core interests, seriously violating the basic norms of international relations and seriously damaging the political foundation of China-US relations.
The US uses whatever it can to make things difficult for China, but the essence of its policy is to deprive the Chinese people the right to choose their own development path, deprive the people of China of their right to pursue a better life, deprive China of its right to legitimate development, deprive China of its right to achieve national reunification, and deprive China of its right to develop normal relations with other countries.” 美方完全没有进行合理竞争的意愿。肆意挥舞制裁大棒，强推“脱钩断链”和所谓“去风险”；出于意识形态偏见，泛化国家安全概念，滥施管制和审查、构筑“小院高墙”；炮制“民主对抗威权”虚假叙事，拉帮结派打造对华“围堵圈”，强迫其他国家选边站队，煽动对抗、破坏和平；在涉及中国政治制度、领土主权等核心利益问题上不断发起挑衅，严重违背国际关系基本准则，严重损害中美关系政治基础。美方不择手段给中方使绊子，其实质是要剥夺中国人民自主选择发展道路的权利，剥夺中国人民追求美好生活的权利，剥夺中国正当发展的权利，剥夺中国实现国家统一的权利，剥夺中国同别国发展正常关系的权利.
“The US treating competition as the entirety of its relations with China is fundamentally rooted in a directional issue in the US’ perception of China. The US consistently portrays China as the ‘most serious competitor’, ‘most significant long-term challenge’, ‘most significant geopolitical challenge’, ‘most significant systemic challenge’, and ‘the only competitor with the intent and ability to reshape the international order’. This perception is a product of mirror-imaging and viewing China through the lens of America’s own history of a strong nation seeking hegemony and misjudgement of China by applying the trajectory followed by traditional Western powers. When one looks at the world from the perspective of zero-sum thinking, division, competition, and conflict become the key words; when one looks at the world from the perspective of a shared future, openness, cooperation, and win-win emerge as the ultimate options. The US’ erroneous perceptions and practices not only ignore the reality of China-US interdependence, but also distort the history of win-win cooperation between the two countries, and are affecting Sino-US relations in a dangerous way. Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong recently warned that the US policy toward China is about to become ‘a big problem in the world’.” 美方将竞争视为对华关系的全部，根本原因在于美方的对华认知出现了方向性问题。美方持续将中国定位为“最严峻竞争对手”“最严重长期挑战”“最重大地缘政治挑战”“最重大系统性挑战”“唯一既有意图也有实力重塑国际秩序的竞争对手”，是拿其国强必霸的模板来镜像中国，是用西方传统大国走过的轨迹来误判中国。从零和思维的视角看世界，分裂、竞争、冲突就成为关键词；从命运与共的视角看世界，开放、合作、共赢就是终极选项。美方的错误认知和做法，既是对中美相互依存现实的漠视，更是对两国合作共赢历史的歪曲，正以危险的方式影响中美关系。新加坡副总理黄循财日前警告，美国对华政策即将成为“世界的大问题”.
“China and the United States shoulder special responsibilities for global peace, stability, prosperity and development, and the world needs overall stable Sino-US relations. From the perspective of the common interests of the two countries and the future and destiny of mankind, China and the US should see assess who can better govern their respective countries and ensure that their own citizens live and work in peace and contentment, who can provide greater momentum for global post-pandemic recovery and growth, who can provide more public goods to cope with climate change, who can provide better solutions to regional hotspot issues, and who can make the planet, where both sides and the global population of 8 billion people coexist, safer, more peaceful, and more prosperous.” 中美对全球和平稳定、繁荣发展肩负特殊责任，世界需要总体稳定的中美关系。中美应该从两国共同利益和人类前途命运的高度，看一看谁能把国家治理得更好、让本国人民安居乐业，谁能为全球疫后复苏增长提供更大动能，谁能为应对气候变化提供更多公共产品，谁能为解决地区热点问题提供更好方案，谁能让双方和全球80亿人民共同生存的星球更安全、更和平、更繁荣.
“The vast Earth can fully accommodate the respective development and common prosperity of China and the US. The US should abandon the zero-sum games and the Cold War mentality, break free from the logic of competition and confrontation, and approach China with a sense of responsibility toward history, the people, and the world to achieve mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. Only in this way can the two countries learn from each other, make progress together, shoulder the due international responsibilities of major countries and contribute their wisdom and strength to global peace and development.” 宽广的地球完全容得下中美各自发展、共同繁荣。美方应抛弃零和博弈和冷战思维，跳出竞争对抗逻辑，本着对历史、对人民、对世界负责的态度，同中方相向而行，实现相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢。只有这样，两国才能相互借鉴，共同进步，共同承担大国应有的国际责任，为全球和平与发展贡献大国智慧和力量.
Finally, although it is not in the paper today, if you are interested, Xinhua put out the formal proposal by China for reform and development of global governance. This comes ahead of the next UNGA session. It clearly highlights building a community of shared future for mankind as the alternative vision for the world order. This entails BRI, GDI, GSI and GCI. I am currently working on a document on this, which should be out soon. Let me share two graphics of frameworks from that document. These underscore what I think Beijing is proposing and seeking to achieve.
The proposal reiterates Beijing’s propositions and positions on key issues, such as the Ukraine war, the Iran nuclear issue, Afghanistan, etc. It also deals with human rights, global governance of emerging technologies and other new frontiers. It ends by pledging support for the UN-centered system, adding:
“China firmly supports the core role of the U.N. in international affairs. The reform of the U.N. should be conducive to safeguarding multilateralism and the role of the U.N., increasing the voice of developing countries in international affairs, and boosting the enforcement capacity and management efficiency of U.N. agencies. It is important to follow the basic principle of equal-footed consultation in the U.N., and help the U.N. stand firm for justice, uphold the rule of law, promote cooperation and focus on real action. China supports necessary and equitable reform of the Security Council to boost its authority and efficiency, enhance its capacity to tackle global threats and challenges, and let it better fulfill its mandate prescribed in the U.N. Charter. The Security Council should not become a club of the big countries or rich countries. Its reform should credibly increase the representation and voice of developing countries, redress the historical injustices done to Africa, and give more developing countries with independent foreign policies and just positions the opportunity to sit on the Security Council and participate in its decision-making. China supports making special arrangements to meet Africa's aspiration as a priority. Security Council reform concerns the future of the U.N. and the fundamental interests of the entire membership. All parties should uphold the role of the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform as the main channel, follow the member state-led principle, reach the most extensive political consensus through full and democratic consultation, and seek a package solution that addresses the interests and concerns of all parties on the five clusters of key issues related to the reform.”