Xi Meets Brazil's Lula da Silva - China's Policy on Afghanistan - Baerbock's Visit & China-EU Ties - National Security Education Day - State Council Focuses on Employment
Hi folks,
Another Saturday with lots to cover. So I am doing a special weekend edition today to broadly cover three developments.
First, the visit of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
The visit of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and China-EU ties
Developments related to Afghanistan during the meetings in Uzbekistan
But there are other reports from the paper that I have also covered. Some of the content in this weekend edition is paywalled. So please do consider upgrading your subscription for full access.
Cheers,
Manoj
Xi Meets Lula da Silva & China-Brazil Joint Statement
The lead story in the paper today is about Xi Jinping’s meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The report (English report) says:
“Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Brazil are the two biggest developing countries and emerging markets in the Eastern and Western hemispheres. As comprehensive strategic partners, China and Brazil share extensive common interests. The overarching, strategic and global influence of the China-Brazil relations continues to grow. China always views and develops relations with Brazil from a strategic and long-term perspective, and sees the relationship as a high priority on its diplomatic agenda. China is willing to work with Brazil to open up a new future for bilateral relations in the new era, bring more benefits to the two peoples, and play a positive and important role in the peace, stability, prosperity and development of the region and the world at large.” 习近平对卢拉访华表示热烈欢迎。习近平指出，中国和巴西分别是东西半球最大的发展中国家和重要新兴市场国家，互为全面战略伙伴，拥有广泛共同利益，中巴关系的全局性、战略性、全球性影响日益突出。中方始终从战略高度和长远角度看待和发展同巴西关系，将中巴关系置于外交优先位置。中方愿同巴方一道，开辟新时代中巴关系新未来，给两国人民带来更多福祉，为地区乃至世界的和平稳定和繁荣发展发挥积极重要作用.
In the next paragraph, Xi says that “China is promoting high-quality development and high-level opening to the outside world, and comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization. This will bring more opportunities to all countries in the world, including Brazil. The two sides should maintain regular strategic communication, strengthen exchanges of experience on national governance, firmly regard each other as important development opportunities, firmly support each other in pursuing a development path that suits their own national conditions, and firmly support developing countries in strengthening solidarity and coordination.” 中国正在推动高质量发展和高水平对外开放，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，将为包括巴西在内的世界各国带来更多机遇。双方要保持经常性战略沟通，加强治国理政经验交流，坚定视彼此为重要发展机遇，坚定支持彼此走符合本国国情的发展道路，坚定支持发展中国家加强团结协作.
Xinhua English has the next bit:
“The two sides need to deepen cooperation, steadily advance the major cooperation projects, and further unleash cooperation potential in agriculture, energy, infrastructure, space, aviation, innovation, etc, Xi said, adding that the two sides need to explore ways for stronger cooperation on green economy, digital economy, clean energy, etc. ‘China welcomes more high-quality products from Brazil into its market. China will actively explore greater synergy between its Belt and Road Initiative and Brazil's reindustrialization strategy’...”
“Xi pledged China's firm support for Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries to cement the sound momentum of peace, stability, independence, solidarity and development, advance regional integration and play a greater role in international affairs. China will work with Brazil to ensure the continued success of the China-CELAC Forum, take cooperation between China and LAC countries to a new level, and achieve common development. China will also work with Brazil to strengthen cooperation with the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). Facing global changes of a magnitude unseen in a century, China and Brazil are resolved to stand on the right side of history, practice true multilateralism, advocate the common values of humanity, work for a more just and equitable international governance system, truly safeguard the common interests of developing countries and international justice and equity, and build a community with a shared future for mankind. China will step up strategic coordination with Brazil on global issues of mutual interest in the UN, BRICS, the G20 and other multilateral institutions, and enhance coordination on climate response, according to Xi.”
The next paragraph in PD is on Lula da Silva’s comments.
“‘China is an indispensable force in global politics, economy and trade, science and technology, and plays a vital role in promoting world peace and development. Brazil is committed to building closer relations with China from the strategic perspective of shaping a just and equitable international order,’ Lula said, adding that Brazil's legislature and society share this strong desire for building strong, multifaceted relations with China. Noting his delightful visit to Huawei where he met Chinese business representatives, Lula expressed deep admiration for China's 5G progress and his hope to expand Brazil-China cooperation in relevant fields. He welcomed Chinese investment in support of Brazil's digital transformation and low-carbon development. Lula expressed the belief that deeper and greater cooperation with China will contribute to Brazil's reindustrialization, help address poverty and other issues and deliver benefits to the people. Brazil stands ready to develop closer exchanges and cooperation with China in education and culture to enhance mutual understanding between their people.”
“Lula said Brazil and China share common views and interests on many important international issues. The two sides both uphold multilateralism and international equity and justice. Brazil stands ready to work with China to strengthen strategic coordination in the G20, BRICS and other multilateral institutions, enhance coordination and cooperation in international finance, climate response and environmental protection, and contribute to developing countries' effort to shake off unfair rules and realize fairer and more balanced development. Lula expressed his full confidence that Brazil-China relations will embrace a brighter future. The two presidents also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Both sides agreed that dialogue and negotiation is the only feasible way for settling it and that all efforts that are conducive to its peaceful resolution should be encouraged and supported. They appealed to more countries to play a constructive role for a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The two presidents agreed to stay in communication on the issue.”
Finally, deals were signed covering the following areas: trade and investment, digital economy, scientific and technological innovation, information and communications, poverty reduction, quarantine, space and other areas.
Also, a joint statement was issued after the meeting. The document is available on Page 2. Key excerpts from the statement are shared below behind the paywall.
Baerbock’s Visit & China-EU Ties
On the front page of PD is a brief report on Vice President Han Zheng meeting visiting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. She also met with Foreign Minister Qin Gang (covered on Page 3), and their press engagement was rather interesting. First, the Xinhua story on the Qin-Baerbock meeting.
“Qin said since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have always been committed to mutual respect, equality, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and pursuing mutual benefit, which has not only promoted bilateral cooperation, but also guided the development of China-Europe relations and contributed to world peace and stability. China-Germany relations have shown strong resilience and made substantial progress in the past three years, Qin said, adding that it fully demonstrates that different civilizations can coexist with each other and that dialogue, exchanges and cooperation are the mainstream and right path of China-Germany ties. Stressing that China and Germany are partners, not rivals, Qin said the two sides should develop their relations independently. China is committed to enhancing high-quality development and high-level opening up, which will provide a larger Chinese market to the world, bringing more development opportunities to all countries including Germany, Qin noted.”
“He said China is willing to promote all-round exchanges and cooperation with Germany, calling on both sides to jointly prepare for China-Germany inter-governmental consultation and high-level people-to-people dialogue, and activate more than 70 dialogue mechanisms between the two countries.”
“Qin said both China and Germany are major countries that have a bearing on the world, and relations between the two countries have long gone beyond the bilateral scope. To meet global challenges together, he calls on both countries to uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity and jointly defend multilateralism and the basic norms governing international relations based on the UN Charter. China and Germany have the responsibility and ability to be the guardians and propeller of globalization, Qin said, adding that both sides should oppose "decoupling economies or severing supply chains," and that Germany should provide a fair, open and non-discriminatory market environment for Chinese enterprises. Qin stressed that to resolve the Ukraine crisis, the only way is to promote peace talks. He expressed China's support for Europe in achieving strategic autonomy to achieve long-term peace and stability.”
As per Xinhua, “Baerbock said she was impressed by China's high-speed railway. She added that Germany develops relations with China independently and looks forward to an early resumption of bilateral exchanges and dialogue in various fields. The German side attaches great importance to supply chain security and does not agree to ‘decoupling economies or severing supply chains,’ and looks forward to close cooperation with China on global issues, said Baerbock.
But more than the report, this Twitter thread on their press briefing tells us the story of the disagreements that exist between the two sides.
https://twitter.com/rbsw/status/1646827229567909888
While on Europe-China ties, here’s Josep Borrell’s latest remarks on China, particularly since he could not travel owing to testing positive for COVID. In this, he addresses two questions “how do we see China? And under what conditions can we learn to work together?”
“How do we see China? We see it as a power with a large population, the rise of which is part of the long history of humanity. With an average annual GDP growth rate of 9% over the last fifty years and a massive eradication of poverty. However, we know from experience that as soon as a country achieves economic power it also naturally wants to project itself on political and strategic levels. If China has made great progress, it is thanks to its industrious and creative people, but it would not have happened without the introduction of market principles, the economic opening and the existence of an open multilateral system guaranteed by rules such as those of the World Trade Organization. It is in the interest of all of us to respect these rules. But it is also in our interest to update them. Because between the beginning of the 2000s and today the world has undergone fundamental changes. Many issues as important as export subsidies, energy transition, digitalisation, cyber security or intellectual property protection, which were not as pressing at the time, have become so since then. And in this new world there are new powers emerging. They demand their place in the world order. We must accept the reality of the advent of a more multipolar world, in which claims with often different and sometimes divergent meanings are expressed. This reality is therefore imposed on us as on others, including of course China. We do not fear China's rise. However, we know that the history of tomorrow's world will also depend on how China uses its power.”
He further said that:
Trade “imbalance must therefore be reduced. They must also be addressed by allowing much better access to the Chinese market for Europeans.”
“The weaponisation of technology and interdependence is a reality to which we have become very sensitive. The pandemic and the Russian energy blackmail have taught us that we cannot be dependent on a single country. We know, for example, that we depend excessively on certain countries, including China, for certain raw materials such as cobalt, manganese or magnesium. In the end, our real dependence stems from the integration of these products in manufactured imports. Hence, the need to diversify our value chains because the strategic importance of a product does not only depend on the place where it is produced, but also on the place where it is refined or manufactured. We must also prevent our sensitive technologies from being used for military purposes.”
In terms of areas of cooperation, he mentioned protecting biodiversity and terrestrial and maritime ecosystems; tackling the excessive debt of the least developed countries; draft international treaty on pandemics; climate change;
“We remain fundamentally committed to EU’s One China Policy. We see no reason to question it. We must lower the tension; avoid verbal outbursts or provocations that can only fuel mistrust. However, any attempt to change the status quo by force would be unacceptable.”
“it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the European Union to maintain a relationship of trust with China, which I would like to see, if China does not contribute to the search for a political solution based on Russia's withdrawal from the Ukrainian territory. Neutrality in the face of the violation of international law is not credible. We do not ask anyone to align with our own position. We simply ask to admit and recognise that in this case there was a serious violation of international law. This is why I believe that it would be helpful if President Xi spoke to President Zelenskyy, and if China provided more substantial humanitarian aid to the battered Ukrainian people.” — Comment: This is such a low-bar in terms of Europe’s ask from Beijing.
“Russia is in great difficulty. The lightning war that Putin imagined has ended in failure. And because it is in trouble, it obviously wants to involve China on its side. Right after committing with China not to deploy nuclear weapons outside their territory, it announced that it would do so in Belarus, increasing the nuclear risk. China rejects the block mentality. So do we. This is why we will be particularly attentive to any steps that China might take to finally make the Russian leaders listen to reason. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has major responsibilities. We hope that it will take on more of them, as it has for instance done in the Middle East by facilitating the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.”
Discussions on Afghanistan
First, we have the Samarkand Declaration of the Fourth Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan’s Neighboring States. Key excerpts below
The Parties reaffirmed the commitment to the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, united, sovereign and independent state, free from the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking.
The Parties noted the importance of building an inclusive and broad-based governance system in Afghanistan that reflects the interests of all segments of Afghan society.
The Parties noted that the terrorism-related security situation in Afghanistan was still severe and reaffirmed their commitment to enhance cooperation on counter-terrorism and security among neighboring countries and to develop a united front against terrorism.
The Parties pointed out that all terrorist groups, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Al-Qaeda, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Jundallah, Jaish al-Adl, Jamaat Ansarullah, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), and other terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security.
The Parties stressed the importance of combating the drug threat and called for support for the development of drug crop substitution programs, as well as for combating drug production and trafficking.
The Parties emphasized the necessity for the international community to maintain dialogue and communication with Afghanistan and called for further measures to improve the living conditions of the people and expressed confidence that the Afghan authorities will respect fundamental human rights, including the rights of all ethnic groups, women and children, and will provide every citizen of Afghanistan with equal rights to participate in the socio-political, economic and cultural life of the country.
The Parties took note of the initiative of Uzbekistan to create an International Negotiation Group under the auspices of the UN and Tajikistan’s initiative on creating a “security belt” around Afghanistan, and look forward to receiving comprehensive concept notes from the initiators.
Urged the countries mainly responsible for the current predicament in Afghanistan to earnestly fulfill commitments on the economic recovery and future development of Afghanistan.
The parties reaffirmed the launch of three working group meetings namely political and diplomatic, economic and humanitarian, security and stability at an early date.
Joint statement of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran foreign ministers. Select excerpts:
Afghanistan “should be a venue for international cooperation rather than a stage for geopolitical rivalries.”
“The Ministers emphasized their deep concerns regarding the terrorism-related security situation in Afghanistan, pointed out that all terrorist groups, namely the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-KP), Al-Qaeda, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Jaish al-Adl etc. based in Afghanistan continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security. The Ministers took note of the Afghan Interim Government's efforts to counter ISIS-KP, and urged it to take more visible and verifiable measures in upholding its stated commitments on counter-terrorism, dismantling and eliminating all sorts of terrorist groups, with a view to preventing the soil of Afghanistan from being used by any terrorist group. The Ministers emphasized that, the Afghan authority should take effective measures to protect the safety, security and legitimate rights of foreign institutions and citizens. Any person responsible for any attack and threat to attack foreign institutions and citizens should be held responsible.”
“The Ministers pointed out that NATO countries should bear primary responsibility for the predicament in Afghanistan, should create opportunities for economic development and prosperity in Afghanistan, should instantly lift unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan and return its overseas assets, for the benefits of Afghan people. The Ministers stressed that, dialogue and consultation is the only way out for the political settlement of the Afghan issue. Firmly opposed the reestablishment of military bases in and around Afghanistan by these countries responsible for the current situation, which is not conducive to regional peace and stability.”
“The Ministers emphasized that a peaceful, stable and secured border among Afghanistan and its neighbors is vital and in the interests of all sides. Illegal cross-border activities should be monitored and prevented. Cross-border issues including the water issues with neighbors should be handled properly through dialogue and consultation.
Finally, in PD today, there’s an article with views from Chinese analysts on China’s recent position paper on Afghanistan. The breakdown of this is behind the paywall below, along with a breakdown of the China-Brazil joint statement, a review of the State Council’s weekly meeting, the commentary on China’s national security education day and more.