Hu Xijin, the former chief editor of the CCP’s mouthpiece Global Times, published an article explaining China’s position in the Russia-Ukraine war. Below is a translation of the article:
“Some people in China have always advocated that we should follow the West in condemning and sanctioning Russia as a nice gesture to improve relations with the United States. This claim is very naive. Let me explain here plainly and clearly why Russia is crucially and strategically important to China.
“The most obvious reason is that China and Russia are mutually supportive diplomatically. This, however, is only the most superficial reason. I don’t need to say more about Russia’s support for China on Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet and other issues. The most important thing is the ‘back-to-back’ mutual strategic relationship between China and Russia.
“Let me ask you, who is the number one strategic adversary of the United States today? It is China, not Russia! Now that Russia is in the whirlwind, the United States is putting most of its pressure on Moscow. In the Trump era, Washington wanted to improve its relations with Russia.” Pence once said, “Forget Russia. Please believe that, over time, the primary edge of American pressure will definitely turn back to China. At that time we will feel how valuable it is to have the support of Russia, even just a neutral Russia.”
“Even now, Russia has suddenly taken away a large part of the pressure from the United States. Russia and the United States will be dead (worst) enemies to each other for a long time into the future. Since the trade war began, China has been at the forefront of fighting against U.S. hegemony. Now it is happening that Russia is standing at the forefront. Isn’t it equally significant for China to accumulate power? It is a completely different geopolitical situation for the two countries, China and Russia, to resist U.S. hegemony than for one country to face the U.S. alone.
“The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the 21st century is very special and its ‘no upper limit’ connotation is a deterrent to the United States. For example, if the United States carries out extreme strategic coercion against China, with Russia as a partner, China will not be afraid of the United States’ energy blockade and our food supply will be more secure, as will many other raw materials. It will be even harder for the United States to make up its mind to have a comprehensive strategic showdown with China.
“In the event of a war between China and the United States in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea, China’s conventional forces will increasingly have the power to overwhelm the U.S. military. With Russia as a super-nuclear force hostile to the United States (regardless of whether Moscow supports China at that time or is neutral), it will be more difficult for the United States to deal with China using nuclear blackmail. Because China itself is a feared nuclear power, the United States must also be wary of Russia’s leap from nuclear parity with the United States to nuclear superiority.
“The strengths of China and Russia have strong strategic complementarity. The geopolitical potential formed by the two countries is boundless. For example, the Sino-Russian strategic relationship has a certain potential effect containing Japan. It also has a certain influence on India. Also, importantly, China and Russia together are powerful enough to strategically stabilize Central Asia.
If China and Russia are successfully divided by the United States, today’s Russia will immediately face a strategic dead chess fate. In the future Sino-U.S. conflicts, China will also face a dead chess fate. Today we are facing many challenges and uncertainties in the east and south. If Russia is pulled away by the United States, and China and Russia return to the hostility of the 1970s, China will be back to the 1960s’situation of ‘anti-American imperialist’ and ‘anti-Soviet (revisionist)’ at the same time. Fighting on both fronts, is that conceivable?
Some people suggest to abandon Russia in exchange for reconciliation with the United States. How naive it is to make such a claim. The ultimate goal of the United States on Russia is only to make it no longer a ‘nuclear threat,’ whereas its goal on China is to make China completely lose its development ability and its competitiveness. It is best to divide China into several pieces. Each piece becomes a parallel piece next to Japan, South Korea, and the ASEAN countries so that every individual one is controlled by the U.S. They will buy its weapons, and produce cheap goods for the U.S.
“Those naive Chinese people should stop dreaming. China should not take the initiative to challenge the United States and should try to avoid Sino-U.S. confrontation, but we must use our own strength to make the United States accept peaceful coexistence with China. Russia is China’s most important partner to achieve this goal. Therefore, China can’t do anything against Russia, i.e., against China-Russia relations today. The Chinese government’s balanced stance on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is most in line with China’s actual and long-term national interests.”
Source: ifeng.com, March 20, 2022
https://news.ifeng.com/c/8EXkKXoIC8D
US-China Relations - 23. page
China’s True View between the U.S. and Russia
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The Arms Control Division of China’s Ministry of Diplomacy reposted Liu Xin’s tweet in both English and Chinese on its official Weibo account, “Strategic Security and Arms Control Online,” with three Chinese characters as the comments: “真相了!” (meaning “Truth!”)
Source:
1. Twitter, March 19, 2022
Can you help me fight your friend so that I can concentrate on fighting you later?
— CGTN LIU Xin 刘欣 (@LiuXininBeijing) March 19, 2022
2. Weibo, March 19, 2022
https://weibo.com/5594165638/LkuxHEles
The State Department Placed Restrictions on CCP Officials Who Repress Minority Groups, Dissidents, and Human Rights Defenders
iThe U.S. Department of State announced on March 21 that it is taking action against officials of China (the People’s Republic of China, or PRC) for their involvement in repressive acts against members of ethnic and religious minority groups and religious and spiritual practitioners inside and outside of China’s borders, including within the United States.
The statement said, “The United States rejects efforts by the PRC officials to harass, intimidate, surveil, and abduct members of ethnic and religious minority groups, including those who seek safety abroad, and U.S. citizens, who speak out on behalf of this vulnerable population.” It “imposes visa restrictions on PRC officials who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, policies or actions aimed at repressing religious and spiritual practitioners, members of ethnic minority groups, dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, labor organizers, civil society organizers, and peaceful protestors in China and beyond.”
Source: Department of State website, March 21, 2022
https://www.state.gov/promoting-accountability-for-transnational-repression-committed-by-peoples-republic-of-china-prc-officials/
Global Times: U.S. Revoked Chinese Telecom Companies’ Licenses Again
Global Times recently reported that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues to target Chinese telecommunications companies,and revoked the operating licenses of two Chinese companies in the United States on the grounds of “national security.” The FCC officially decided on March 16th to terminate the licenses of Pacific Networks and its wholly-owned subsidiary ComNet for providing interstate and international communication services in the United States. In its announcement, the FCC offered a range of reasons for the action. The FCC indicated that Pacific Networks and ComNet belong to Chinese state-owned enterprises and are exploited, influenced and controlled by the Chinese government. They are likely to be compelled to implement the Chinese government’s demands without adequate legal procedures under independent judicial oversight. China’s national security environment has changed since the FCC authorized the companies to provide communications services in the United States. Their ownership structure gave them, their parent companies and affiliates, and the Chinese government the opportunity to access, store, disrupt and mislead the U.S. in its communications, allowing them to engage in espionage and other harmful activities against the United States, thereby greatly increasing the U.S. national security and law enforcement risks. Earlier this year, the FCC also revoked the licenses of China Unicom, China Telecom and China Mobile. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs both responded by stating that the United States continues to generalize the concept of national security, abuses government power, and maliciously suppresses Chinese telecommunications companies without a factual basis. China firmly opposes this.
Source: Global Times, March 18, 2022
https://world.huanqiu.com/article/47EcXX8ntB9
Global Times Editorial: Washington Cannot Expect China’s “Cooperation” while Suppressing China
China’s state-run media Global Times published an editorial following a meeting of Yang Jiechi, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee with Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor to the President of the United States, in Rome, Italy on March 14. Below is an excerpt from the article:
“We noted that the White House’s statements both before and after the meeting mentioned the Ukraine issue and ‘maintaining open channels of communication between the United States and China.’ Some analysts believe that it is more likely that the United States offered to meet. In the context of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, it is the United States who has demands for China.”
“In any case, if the U.S. really wants to make “continuous efforts” to maintain “open communication channels” between the two sides, it should at least show a sincere attitude first. However, just a day before this meeting, the U.S. played a lot of disgraceful tricks, all of which are related to the Ukraine issue. For example, the U.S. media reported the news through a so-called “anonymous senior U.S. official,” saying that after the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Russia asked China to provide “military assistance,” including drones. In another example, Sullivan himself also said on the same day that if Beijing assists or supports Russia to evade sanctions on a large scale, “there will definitely be consequences.” The threat is obviously expressed in words. Using rumors and intimidation to seek favorable conditions for negotiation is an old means of American diplomacy, China never buys this strategy.”
“These actions also show from another aspect that Washington is really anxious about the Ukraine issue. It wants China to dance with its own pace. What the United States hopes is to weave a big net to strangle Russia all over the world, so that all countries can become a node in this net, and no ‘loopholes’ are allowed. The United States is the initiator in the Ukraine crisis. But it wants the world to be a ‘tool man’ for its expansion of strategic interests. It makes one wonder, where does the United States get its confidence? Have you been dominating the world for so long that you even think that the joystick that turns the earth is in your hands? If Washington wants to forcibly tie Sino-U.S. relations to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, it obviously has ‘deviated’ from the path, and it will definitely be disappointed.”
“Last year, U.S. leaders and some senior officials successively stated that the U.S. does not seek a ‘new Cold War,’ does not seek to change China’s system, does not seek to strengthen alliances against China, does not support ‘Taiwan independence,’ and has no intention of confronting China. But these ‘four does nots and one no intention” are still only on the lips. Just two days ago, the U.S. Congress passed a bill to use the so-called map of the Taiwan region to engage in political manipulation, creating ‘two Chinas’ and ‘one China, one Taiwan.’ This is not only a blatant provocation against China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also another proof of Washington’s disloyalty toward its commitments. There are many more such things. Under such circumstances, why does the U.S. think that China should ‘cooperate’ with it?”
Source: Global Times, March 15, 2022
https://opinion.huanqiu.com/article/47CLWUTMWQN
Duowei News: China’s Retort to NATO’s Call to Condemn Russia: “We Will Never Forget the Embassy Bombing Incident”
Duowei News, a Chinese news media based in North America and a major media portal of China’s “great overseas propaganda” network, reported that, in a press conference on March 15, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed that China has an obligation as a member of the UN Security Council actually to support and to uphold international law and join the rest of the world in condemning Russia’s invasion.
In response, the spokesperson for the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union retorted, “We have taken note of the relevant remarks. The Chinese people can fully relate to the pains and sufferings of other countries because we will never forget who bombed our embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.[ [ ] We need no lecture on justice from the abuser of international law. As a Cold War remnant and the world’s largest military alliance, NATO continues to expand its geographical scope and range of operations. What kind of role has it played in world peace and stability? NATO needs to do some good reflection.”
[ [ ] Referring to the bombing of its embassy in Yugoslavia by Nato forces decades ago
Source: Duowei News, March 17, 2022
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3170821/china-harks-back-belgrade-embassy-bombing-after-nato-cites-its?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article&campaign=3170821 https://www.dwnews.com/全球/60282371/北约呼吁中国谴责俄罗斯中方强硬回击永不会忘炸馆事件
Duowei News: Reflections on the Ukraine War: This Is a Period of Strategic Opportunity for China
Duowei News, a pro-Beijing Chinese News media stationed in North America, published an article stating that the Russia-Ukraine war is giving China another golden development opportunity. The following are excerpts from the article.
“China’s rise can be attributed to a number of reasons, but there is one thing upon which everyone generally agrees. That is the fortune of the country. Take the China-U.S. relationship as an example. At the beginning of the millennium, when George W. Bush took office, the U.S. had already vaguely felt the momentum of China’s rise. Bush gradually changed China’s position from a partner to a competitor. During his campaign, George W. Bush also made it clear that if there were a war in the Taiwan Strait, he would help defend Taiwan.”
“Given China’s level of technological and economic development at that time, if the United States had started to contain China with all its strength, encouraged Taiwan independence, forced China to attack Taiwan, and then intervened on a large scale to conduct political, diplomatic and economic blockades, it is not difficult to imagine what China would look like now.“
“However, the 9/11 incident suddenly occurred. All the focus of the U.S. military diplomacy turned to the war on terrorists. China also quickly showed its sympathy and support for the United States. As a result, during Bush’s tenure, Sino-U.S. relations not only did not decline. The relationship entered one of the most stable and peaceful periods in history.”
……
“The Ukrainian war broke out and all the development plans (of containing China) that were planned according to the wishes of the United States were disrupted. Although the United States has gained a lot of military-industrial and economic benefits from this war, the Biden administration’s most important strategic appeal to win over Russia and unite Europe and other Western societies to contain and isolate China with all its strength can no longer be achieved.” “At least for the next 10 to 20 years, Russia’s economy will be in shambles, plunged into its worst isolation since World War II, further deepening its economic and diplomatic reliance on China.”
“At the same time, due to the military pressure from Russia, the United States has also begun to show goodwill toward China. Since the war, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has taken the initiative to call the Chinese Foreign Minister twice to discuss the Ukraine issue, hoping that China can play a constructive role during the war. In addition, on issues such as the economy; trade, Taiwan, and others, the United States has also begun to make concessions and adjustments covertly but slowly.”
“Because the contradiction between China and the United States is structural, and associated with strong cultural, ideological and power conflict factors, it is impossible for China-U.S. relations to return to the past. However, at least for the next 5 to 10 years, there will be a period of a relatively easy time. This is a very rare opportunity for China’s development. During this period, China must focus its energy on development and seize this rare opportunity to develop and strengthen itself as soon as possible.”
“Of course, there is a premise here. That is, the Taiwan issue. The next 5 to 10 years will also be a window for China to solve the Taiwan issue. How China and the United States will deal with this issue will especially test the political wisdom of both sides. That is to not only resolve China’s core concerns of accomplishing national reunification, but also not to embarrass the United States. At the same time, it also depends on the fortune and wisdom of Tsai Ing-wen and the next Taiwan government (which is likely to continue to be the DPP). Maybe, what is happening in Ukraine today will be repeated in Taiwan tomorrow. The fight that Russia and the United States and Europe are going through will also be the fight that China and the United States and Japan will experience in the future.”
Source: Duowei News, March 6, 2022
https://www.dwnews.com/中国/60281141/乌克兰战争随思录这是送给中国的战略机遇期?itm_source=universal_search&itm_campaign=universal_search&itm_content=这是送给中国的战略机遇期&itm_medium= web
Optimism of U.S. Companies in China is Declining
The American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) recently published its 24th annual edition of the China Business Climate Survey (BCS) Report.
According to the 2022 BCS Report, In 2021, US companies in China reported a declining level of optimism due to multiple challenges. These included sustained air travel disruptions, an increasingly uncertain regulatory environment, difficulty attracting and retaining talent, and the strained US-China relationship.
US companies operating in China faced mounting pressure and risks on politically sensitive issues as well. One example is navigating US-China bilateral tensions, which remains a top challenge and concern for companies. 42 percent of companies have been facing mounting pressure to speak out and make (or not make) statements on politically sensitive issues. This has often caused them problems in both the U.S. and Chinese markets.
More than twice as many companies feel “much less welcome” in China compared to last year. One-third of respondents report that foreign companies are treated unfairly versus domestic competitors.
Most believe labor costs will increase in 2022, in line with fears that labor costs and wages are a growing HR challenge.
47 percent of the over 300 respondents report they are confident or very confident that the Chinese market will open up more to foreign investment over the next three years. This figure is down 14 percentage points from last year.
Optimism is down across almost all aspects of business operations in China and pessimism up more than 10 percentage points with regard to the regulatory environment and economic growth. 37 percent of members see China’s investment environment improving, a 13 percentage point decrease from last year and the lowest in four years. Concerns about an uncertain Chinese policy environment is the most-cited reason for declining investment.
Source: AmCham China, March 2022.
https://www.amchamchina.org/2022-china-business-climate-survey-report/