De Chinese Wouden, woensdag 22 maart: gezamenlijke verklaring Xi en Poetin
Terwijl de media in Nederland continu praten over het staatsbezoek van Xi Jinping aan Rusland in de context van de oorlog in Oekraïne, valt op hoe relatief weinig het bezoek daar over gaat. Het is natuurlijk nog wachten op het beloofde telefoontje van Xi met Zelensky. Maar zoals het er nu uitziet, lijkt de gang van zaken de sceptici te bevestigen. De aanname is dat Peking bemiddelende geluiden over Oekraïne voornamelijk gebruikt om weg te komen met het uitbouwen van de relatie met Rusland.
Er is nog geen Engelse vertaling van de gezamenlijke verklaring, maar zelfs als je alleen de vrijgegeven Engelse stukjes kunt lezen, zal je opvallen hoe zeer beide landen zich positioneren als hoeders van de wereldorde. Voor China doet Rusland ertoe om drie redenen, in afnemende prioriteit: buurland met enorme grens, grondstoffen en handel, en als medestander in het herordenen van de wereld. Oekraïne is aan dat alles ondergeschikt.
Je kunt de manier waarop Xi zijn nauwe banden met Poetin etaleert ook begrijpen als middelvinger richting de Westerse internationale gemeenschap. Hij laat zien zich niet aan te trekken van de sociale regels over wie paria is en welk gedrag afgekeurd hoort te worden. De reis is een symbool van de ‘dewesterisering’ – wat China noemt: ‘democratisering’ – van de wereldorde die Peking graag ziet. Zoals de Chinese woordvoerder Hua Chunying op Twitter citeerde: „They shared the view that this relationship has gone far beyond the bilateral scope and acquired critical importance for the global landscape and the future of humanity.”
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Kabinet verbiedt TikTok op werktelefoons van rijksambtenaren – NOS 🇳🇱
Beyond TikTok, Dutch tell government staff to uninstall Chinese and Russian apps – POLITICO Europe: ‘apps from countries that wage an “offensive cyber program” against the Netherlands’ 🇳🇱
Defensie wist niet dat inrichter pantserwagens Chinees staatsbedrijf was – RTL Nieuws: „staat op de website van het bedrijf dat het in handen is van CIMC en hangt er buiten een grote vlag van het Chinese staatsbedrijf.” 🇳🇱
Germany’s biggest utility RWE criticises US ban on imports from China’s Xinjiang region – FT 🇩🇪
German education minister praises ‘esteemed’ Taiwan, China protests ‘vile’ visit – Reuters: ‘signing of a technology cooperation agreement with Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council’ 🇩🇪
Czech delegation heads to Taiwan, hopes for chip investments – EUractiv 🇨🇿
Xi in Moskou 🇨🇳🇷🇺
As war in Ukraine grinds on, Chinese companies help refill Russian drone supplies – The New York Times
Xi-Putin talks highlight Russia’s role as ‘junior partner’ to China – FT: ‘Chinese customs data shows that exports of certain semiconductors to Turkey […] more than doubled in 2022, while Turkey, whose high-tech exports were previously negligible, increased sales to Russia.’
Inzichten rond Moskou-reis Xi: „China begon oorlog niet, maar heeft er wel baat bij” – NOS
Oekraïne
Xi, Putin back ‘peace talks’ for Ukraine war — but blame NATO and make no offer to withdraw – POLITICO Europe
Overleg Xi met Poetin brengt vrede in Oekraïne niet zichtbaar dichterbij – NRC
President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin Sign Joint Statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era and Stress Settling the Ukraine Crisis Through Dialogue – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China: ‘On the Ukraine issue, the two sides believe that the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter must be observed and international law must be respected. The Russian side speaks positively of China’s objective and impartial position on the Ukraine issue. The two sides oppose the practice by any country or group of countries to seek advantages in the military, political and other areas to the detriment of the legitimate security interests of other countries. The Russian side reaffirms its commitment to the resumption of peace talks as soon as possible, which China appreciates.’
de echte redenen voor Xi’s bezoek
Xi and Putin vow to ‘significantly increase’ trade between China and Russia – SCMP
Xi Jinping invites Vladimir Putin to China for this year’s Belt and Road Forum as the two leaders project unity in Moscow – SCMP
Xi and Putin signal unity against US in joint statement – Nikkei Asia
💡 President Xi Jinping Holds Talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China: ‘President Xi noted that changes unseen in a century are evolving faster and the international balance of power is undergoing a profound shift. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and major countries in the world, China and Russia have natural responsibilities to make joint efforts to steer and promote global governance in a direction that meets the expectations of the international community and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The two sides should support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests, and jointly resist the interference in internal affairs by external forces.’
Xi says China to expand cooperation with Russia in trade, investment, supply chain, mega projects, energy, and hi-tech – Xinhua
Russia and China ready to cooperate on development of Northern Sea Route, says Putin – TASS
President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin Jointly Meet the Press – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
中华人民共和国和俄罗斯联邦关于深化新时代全面战略协作伙伴关系的联合声明 – 中华人民共和国外交部
Geert Groot Koerkamp: „China’s bezoek aan Rusland is al geslaagd, alleen maar ómdat het heeft plaatsgevonden” – De Volkskrant
Xi meets Russian Prime Minister after long chat with Putin – Bloomberg
‘He is my best friend’: 10 years of strengthening ties between Putin and Xi – The Guardian
Zoals al eerder gedeeld, in mijn gegevens zie ik dat Poetin al vanaf 2000 jaarlijks staatsbezoeken uitwisselt met China. Dat gaat dus verder terug dan Xi Jinping.
Call me anytime: Zelenskyy plays the long game with Xi Jinping – POLITICO Europe: ‘Many critics note that China’s chief goal is maintaining a strategic alliance with Russia that can help it counterbalance the democratic West. Commercial concerns and its image as a mediator come a distant second to that.’
China is Ruslands grote broer – maar met welke gevolgen? – Luuk van Middelaar in NRC
Japan’s PM Kishida Fumio makes surprise visit to Ukraine, vows to continue support – Kyodo News: ‘Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Tuesday criticized Kishida’
Russia flies strategic bombers near Japan as its PM visits Ukraine – Reuters
Zeitentechwarwende ⏱️💽
Commentaar: Het strategisch belang van recycling verdient meer aandacht van Europa – NRC 🇳🇱
China gives chipmakers new powers to guide industry recovery – FT
US seeks to prevent China from benefiting from US$52 billion chips funding – Reuters
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Chinese foreign vice-minister Sūn Wèidōng 孙卫东 to visit Philippines for talks on South China Sea – SCMP
China and Cambodia hold first-ever joint maritime military exercises – Reuters
What does Xí Jìnpíng 习近平’s third term mean for China-Mongolia relations? – Bolor Lkhaajav for The Diplomat
The growing Chinese investment in illegal American weed – POLITICO
Chinese trade restrictions and other punitive measures against countries seen as offending its interests have a poor record of getting Beijing the outcome it wants, a new study finds – WSJ
Deny, Deflect, Deter: Countering China’s Economic Coercion – CSIS
China economie
SVB collapse: US rate hikes raise risks for banks, emerging markets, top Chinese officials warn – SCMP
Zoveelste keer in afgelopen tijd dat Chinese autoriteiten zich opwinden over Amerikaanse rentebeleid. Vaak met beschuldiging dat het ontwikkelingslanden zou uitbuiten, maar gaat volgens mij vooral om eigenbelang.
China trade: Xinjiang’s [officiële, geregistreerde] US exports down 90 per cent in February, 8 months after ‘forced labour’ law came into effect – SCMP
China binnenland
Ignoring experts, unprepared China’s sudden zero-Covid exit cost lives – AP met het verhaal van de strijd achter de schermen.
Onderzoek: China hield meer coronadieren op markt geheim, probeerde openbaarmaking te voorkomen – de Volkskrant
China launches nationwide fact-finding drive to seek public feedback on policies – SCMP
Hong Kong
Screening of ‘Winnie the Pooh’ horror film cancelled in Hong Kong for technical reasons – Reuters
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan president to visit US but no word on House Speaker meeting – Reuters
US will stand with Taiwan, ex-US official Robert O’Brien says during visit – Taipei Times
How Taiwan’s top diplomat sees the world – Nisid Hajari interviews foreign minister Joseph Wu for Bloomberg
Honduran official: US ‘respects’ decision on China relations – Reuters
No notification from Honduras ending diplomatic ties yet, says foreign ministry – Focus Taiwan
Ruling parties of Taiwan and Japan exchange views on diplomacy and defence in Taipei – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan binnenland en economie
蘇起:習近平已構建「能打也能談」布局 第三任完成統一 – 聯合報
【侯備戰選總統1】馬英九2字點破最大罩門 侯幕僚急找名師補學分 – Mirror Media:「知情人士向本刊透露,馬所說的『補習』,即是指侯友宜在宣布參選前,就應在兩岸論述上完成補強」