Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik reported that Zhang Hanhui, China’s Ambassador to Russia, told Sputnik that in principle there is no problem with Russia borrowing money from China by issuing bonds or taking out loans; only technical matters of how to implement such borrowing remain.

Zhang said, “More than 90% of bilateral settlements [between China and Russia] are now denominated in RMB. The percentage may grow even higher in the future. Both sides conduct settlements in RMB as well as in other currencies, including the Ruble. Regarding [Russia] issuing Bonds in China and borrowing money in China, this matter is open for discussion. There is no problem in principle [with Russia taking out debt from China], though the technical matter of how specifically to accomplish this requires further discussion among [financial] professionals.”

Zhang also said that the recent obstacles to cross-border transfers between Russia and China have to do with interference from third-party countries. He said “The obstacles occurred because some countries created troubles for us, but I believe we can find ways to overcome them.”

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said in an earlier interview with Sputnik that he had been in discussions with his Chinese counterpart about the feasibility of RMB borrowing, with the two countries’ finance ministries touching on the topic near the end of 2023, but as of yet no final decision has been made.

Source: Sputnik, February 28, 2024
https://sputniknews.cn/20240228/1057339595.html

On March 4th, chairman Wang Huning of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference delivered a statement on the topic of China-Taiwan relations. The statement, titled “Work Report of the Standing Committee,” proposed a strategy of “strengthening cross-strait industrial cooperation, building a common market across the straits, holding the sixth Cross-Strait Grassroots Governance Forum, and promoting the integrated development of both sides of the strait.”

Song Guocheng, a Senior Researcher at the International Relations Research Center of Taiwan’s Chengchi University, called Wang Huning’s plan a “spider strategy” to gradually swallow Taiwan. Song published an article on the implications of Wang’s strategy, analyzing four key phrases used in Wang’s statement. Below are translations of the major points from Song’s analysis.

The first key phrase from Wang Huning’s statement was “cooperation” (合作). Cooperation sounds great. By just saying “cooperation,” the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) can sidestep sanctions and allegations over foreign interference, as it is not “changing the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.” Cross-strait cooperation is, however, a “big brother leading the little brother” style. It could lead to the so called “peaceful evolution” of Taiwan – using economic ties to drive political change, using profit to lure Taiwanese people into acting against their country’s best interest, merging with Taiwan [economically], and making its people willing to submit to subjugation [by China].

The second key phrase is “shared marketplace” (共同市場). This term implies “mutual benefit and shared interests.” But the strategy behind this term is to use the “big economy” of mainland China to “melt/dissolve” the “small economy” of Taiwan; this is the “spider strategy,” with the big enveloping the small, trapping Taiwan in a huge “economic spider web,” using honey as poison to slowly consume Taiwan.

The third key phrase is “grassroots cross-strait governance” (兩岸基層治理). Governance sounds neutral, but it is a sovereignty issue when one discusses “cross-strait governance.” Neither side of the [Taiwan] strait is subordinate to the other, and the governance on each side is unrelated to that on the other side. Of course, the CCP will be able to achieve [such governance] if it can rope in Taiwan’s municipal leaders, public figures, community organizations, agricultural associations, guilds, chambers of commerce, student unions, hometown associations… etc. It uses various pretexts such as “exchange, learn, observe, and inspect” to break through the wall of sovereignty between the two sides. This is its softest, most gentle, and most intimate “slow swallowing” policy.

The fourth key phrase is “integrated development” (融合發展). Development sounds so pleasant, and integration sounds wonderful: you are part of me, and I am part of you! But the true meaning behind this phrase is as follows. “Integration” means slow erosion of Taiwan’s anti-communist consciousness, and “development” means gradual subsumption of Taiwan’s sovereignty. This is a “patchwork policy” to unify Taiwan, also known as the “stacking blocks” policy or the “great dissolution” strategy. Once the puzzle is completed and the blocks are stacked, the time will be ripe for natural unification of China.

Source: Up Media, March 7, 2024
https://www.upmedia.mg/news_info.php?Type=2&SerialNo=196367