News that caught our eye / The week ending March 24th
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NOTE: The news reports below are not in chronological order. There is often a time lag in their reaching the US and in gaining our attention. These reports reflect the opinions of a variety of news sources.
Xi Putin meeting: What to expect from China-Russia talks /March 19, 2023
Can Presidents Xi and Putin get what they both want this week? Putin needs an ally to be successful in Ukraine, but China may want to appear as a global negotiator. China is also watching whether public sentiment for war wanes in the West, signaling a possible opportunity for Xi in Taiwan (BBC News).
Full text: China’s position on settling the Ukraine Crisis / March 20, 2023
China’s 12-point peace plan for Ukraine appears diplomatic but chides the US and others for using sanctions in the conflict and makes China look like the responsible parent in the room. Respecting national borders and sovereignty will prove to be challenging to find an agreeable solution, though (Al Jazeera).
Putin welcomes China’s Xi to Kremlin amid Ukraine fighting / March 20, 2023
President Xi began his 3-day visit with Vladimir Putin on Monday, praising their new diplomatic partnership and enjoying Pacific seafood and roast venison at a state dinner. Multipolarity is the new buzzword as their new alliance challenges decades of US dominance in global affairs.
Xi, Putin pledge more cooperation in ‘new era’ of China-Russia ties / March 22, 2023
Presidents Xi and Putin not only strengthened the bonds between their two nations in their meeting this week but also pledged to cooperate in a greater development of China’s Belt and Road initiative in Asia, as well as furthering diplomatic and economic ties in the Middle East and South America (SCMP).
WHO blasts China for withholding info on COVID origin after data pulled offline / March 19, 2023
In an apparent about-face, the WHO condemned China for taking critical information about Covid-19’s origin offline after releasing it in January. Virus experts, however, were able to retrieve the data before it disappeared and found large amounts of canine DNA in the area of the virus’ origin.
China welcomes former Taiwan president’s plan to visit / March 21, 2023
Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan’s former president (2008-2016), plans to visit China next week, but not for government business. He plans to discuss student exchanges and visit the graves of his ancestors in central China. Ma’s KMT Party has a closer relationship with Beijing than the current president’s Democratic Progressive Party (Al Jazeera).
Wenzhou, school parents asked to sign a “Commitment Not to Believe in Religion” / March 24, 2023
Parents of kindergarteners in the Longwan District of Wenzhou, Zhejiang were instructed to sign a statement promising not to teach their children any religious education nor to encourage them in any religious faith. Rather, children are to be instructed in (atheistic) science, socialism and the Chinese Communist P
0arty (Bitter Winter).
Courtesy of the Two Sessions: Two New Powerful (and Dangerous) Chinese Agencies / March 24, 2023
The recent Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference produced two agencies that give the CCP a tighter grip on the nation’s banking system and the internet. President Xi stated that the West’s attempts to contain China and even overthrow the regime are the reasons for stronger controls in these sectors (Bitter Winter).
The Saudi-Iran deal: China’s first geopolitical moonwalk / March 21, 2023
China’s Saudi-Iran deal is China’s first international (and successful) mediation attempt, creating a potential new area in global conflict resolution. The author, however, claims that the US and the West played an unseen role in this negotiation and in China’s ability to access Middle East raw materials (The China Project).
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