News in Brief

DIPLOMACY XI’S TRIP BOOSTS CHINA-GREECE TIES AND BRICS COOPERATION

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at the closing ceremony of the BRICS business forum in Brasilia,Brazil,on November 13.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Greece upon an invitation from Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and attended the 11th summit of BRICS,an emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil,Russia,India,China and South Africa,in Brasilia from November 10 to 14.

Amid profound changes unseen in a century,the trip has further consolidated the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership and invigorated BRICS cooperation in various fields.Xi’s trip once again demonstrated China’s responsible role as a major country and commitment to working with its partners to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

The BRICS summit in Brasilia arrived as crucial developments are gripping the world economy and international landscape.President Xi called for concerted efforts to intensify strategic communication and coordination,tackle various risks and challenges,and safeguard the BRICS countries’ respective sovereignty,security and development interests.

The Brasilia Declarationreaffirmed BRICS nations’ commitment to upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter,championing multilateralism,and seeking political settlement of hotspot issues.

Meanwhile,President Xi urged the BRICS members to seize opportunities afforded by reform and innovation,deepen the BRICS Partnership on the New Industrial Revolution,and strive for more productive cooperation in fields such as digital economics and connectivity.

For the first time,leaders of the BRICS nations put membership expansion of the New Development Bank on the group’s agenda,indicating that“BRICS Plus”cooperation has achieved important progress in key areas.

10+1 UPHOLDING MULTILATERALISM AND FREE TRADE

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called on China and ASEAN to uphold multilateralism and free trade,resist risks and realize common development at the 22nd China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders’meeting in Bangkok on November 3.

Since China and ASEAN established dialogue relations,they have created benefits for each other and the wider region,Li said,adding that China and ASEAN countries should stick to the principle of shared benefits and win-win outcomes while accelerating work to upgrade economic and trade cooperation.

He called for an early conclusion of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to lay the foundation for East Asia’s economic integration and implementation of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Upgrade Protocol to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (fifth left) poses for a group photo with other leaders at the 22nd China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders’ meeting in Bangkok,Thailand,on November 3.

Li said he hopes all sides will actively continue consultations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea according to the previously agreed timetable,meet each other halfway and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.

ASEAN leaders expressed congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China,noting that the ASEAN-China partnership is the most dynamic of all the partnerships ASEAN has forged.Speaking highly of new cooperation progress over the past year,the leaders said their countries would like to play an active role in building the Belt and Road,expand cooperation in areas of inter-connectivity,technological innovation,e-commerce,smart cities and the blue economy while increasing two-way investment.

During the meeting,China and ASEAN agreed on an action plan to implementThe Joint Declaration on China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (2021-2025),issued statements on the Belt and Road Initiative,smart cities and media exchange and announced that the year 2020 will be the year of China-ASEAN digital economic cooperation.

CHINA-LAOSTIES CPC OFFICIALS MEET LAOTIAN RULING PARTY DELEGATION

Senior officials of the Communist Party of China(CPC) met with a delegation of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) led by Khamphanh Phommathath,member of the Political Bureau of the LPRP Central Committee and the Secretariat of the committee and head of the Publicity Department of the committee on November 25 in Beijing.

Ding Xuexiang (right),member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee,member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee,and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee,meets with a delegation of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) in Beijing on November 25.

Huang Kunming (right),member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee,member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee,and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee,meets with a delegation of the LPRP in Beijing on November 25.

Ding Xuexiang,member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee,member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee,declared that China-Laos relations had reached a new era under the leadership of the two parties’general secretaries.

“China is willing to work with Laos to implement the major consensus reached by top leaders of the two parties and countries as we seek steady progress in building a China-Laos community with a shared future,”said Ding.

Huang Kunming,member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee,member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee,and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee,also met with the delegation.

Huang expressed hope that the publicity departments of the two parties would strengthen governance experience exchange and deepen pragmatic cooperation in publicity and cultural fields.

Khamphanh said Laos is willing to further learn from the CPC’s experience in governing the party and the country as Laos also seeks new progress in building a China-Laos community with a shared future.

CHINA-VIETNAM TIES CHINESE STATE COUNCILOR MEETS SENIOR VIETNAMESE DIPLOMAT

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) meets with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung in Beijing on November 27.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung in Beijing on November 27.

Wang extended congratulations for the expected results of the meeting between Chinese and Vietnamese heads of Governmental Delegation on Border Negotiation and consultation between vice foreign ministers,which have been anticipated by both sides.

Noting that next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam,Wang stressed that both sides should carry forward the traditional friendship while keeping the strategic position of bilateral ties in mind.

He called on both sides to abide by the important consensus reached by the two heads of state,enhance mutual trust and cooperation,overcome differences properly and seize the 70th anniversary as an opportunity to lift the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

Le Hoai Trung said that the Vietnamese are enthusiastic about maintaining the momentum of high-level exchange between the two countries,promoting alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the Two Corridors and One Belt,and improving bilateral relations.

BRI STAGGERING 197 BRI COOPERATION DOCUMENTS

China had signed 197 Belt and Road cooperation documents with 137 countries and 30 international organizations by the end of October,a spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC),told a news conference on November 15.

Alongside developing and developed economies,a number of companies and financial institutions from developed countries have collaborated with China to expand the thirdparty market as well,noted the spokesperson.Construction on the China-Laos Railway,China-Thailand Railway,Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway and Hungary-Serbia Railway are making solid headway while projects including Gwadar Port,Hambantota Port,Piraeus Port and Khalifa Port are also proceeding smoothly.

Meanwhile,construction work on China-Belarus Industrial Park,the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone and the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone is also forging ahead.

From January to September,China’s trade with B&R countries totaled about US$950 billion,and its non-financial direct investment in these countries topped US$10 billion.

DEFENSE COOPERATION STRENGTHENING DEFENSE TOGETHER

China and ASEAN pledged to further strengthen defense cooperation to safeguard regional stability at the 10th China-ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting,which was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan,in Bangkok,Thailand,on November 17.

Over the past year,China and ASEAN have been working to boost cooperation in defense and security and actively implement consensus reached by the two sides,making notable achievements,Wei said.

China and ASEAN have conducted two joint naval drills and the first ever exchange of defense think tanks,noted Wei,adding both sides also conducted the first friendly exchange of middle-aged and young military officers.

Wei called on the two sides to carry out defense communication at all levels,continue to hold joint naval drills,boost cooperation in staff training,equipment and technology,disaster relief and the fight against terrorism to maintain regional security and stability and contribute to the building of a closer community with a shared future between the two sides.

ASEAN defense leaders spoke highly of the development of the China-ASEAN ties and expressed support for China’s proposals to promote China-ASEAN defense ties.

The officials expressed willingness to continue enhancing communication and coordination with China and promoting practical cooperation on defense and security to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability and achieve development and prosperity.

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe(fifth left) and Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan (fourth left) attend the 10th China-ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Bangkok,Thailand,on November 17.

FURTHER OPENING ACCELERATING DEVELOPMENT OF HAINAN PILOT FREE TRADE ZONE

The Hainan Pilot Free Trade Zone will introduce 30 policies already applied in other pilot free trade zones,according to a notice issued by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and 17 other agencies.

The move aims to boost the development of Hainan pilot free trade zone and implement a plan issued by the central government in October last year on building the southern province of Hainan into a pilot free trade zone,the MOC said.

The 30 policies are classified in four aspects:

First,to facilitate investment and trade,12 policies will be piloted in Hainan including allowing foreign law firms to establish joint ventures with Chinese counterparts.

To open the financial sector,seven policies will be implemented to support private capital entering the financial sector and strengthen strategic cooperation with the offshore Chinese currency (RMB) market.

To accelerate the development of the shipping sector,seven measures will be implemented to allow foreign ships to be chartered for temporary transportation under specific conditions and to facilitate international ship management enterprises to engage in seafarer assignment service.

In other aspects,the notice proposes to establish a complementary mechanism of public credit information and financial credit information and to establish a new model of intensive and economical use of land.

Hainan was approved in April 2018 to build a pilot free trade zone covering the whole island and explore the establishment of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics.

ADMM-PLUS ADMM-PLUS COUNTER-TERRORISM DRILLL

A joint counter-terrorism actual-troop drill among ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus(ADMM-Plus) countries wrapped up in China on November 21.

More than 800 personnel from 10 ASEAN member states,eight dialogue partners and an ASEAN military medical center participated in the drill.

The drill began on November 13 in Guilin in southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

As the largest land-based counter-terrorism drill since 2011 when an experts’ working group on counter-terrorism was established for ADMM-Plus countries,the exercise was aimed at deepening the exchange and cooperation among the militaries of the countries and enhancing their capabilities to jointly tackle various security challenges.

ADMM-Plus countries include the 10 ASEAN member states and eight“plus”countries,namely Australia,China,India,Japan,New Zealand,the Republic of Korea,Russia and the United States.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE CHINESE MEDICAL AID IN THE PHILIPPINES

On November 21,the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC) and a medical company launched a program under a United Nations’ initiative to support local hospitals and train local doctors in the Philippines to treat women and children suffering burns.

Under the program,named UN Every Woman Every Child China Partnership Network Life Regeneration Action Program in the Philippines,the CPAFFC and medical company Mebo International will cooperate with the Philippine government and hospitals to provide training courses on burn treatment for more than 1,000 local doctors in 2020.

Maria Francia Laxamana,assistant secretary of the Philippine Department of Health,expressed gratitude for the medical program and assistance.

The UN initiative Every Woman Every Child was formally launched by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in September 2010 with an aim to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health through global collaboration.

Ji Yongjun,deputy director of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of CPAFFC,said during the program’s launch ceremony that the UN program has already been successfully organized in Thailand,Malaysia,Egypt and Lebanon in 2017 and 2018.

In the future,the action will be carried out step by step to help women,children and adolescents suffering from poverty in China,Africa,South America,Southeast Asia and East Asia,Ji said.

FOREIGN ASSISTANCE HELPING CEASEFIRE MONITORING

On November 8,China provided financial assistance of US$300,000 for ceasefire monitoring work being carried out by Myanmar authorities.

The cash assistance was presented by Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Sun Guoxiang to Lt.General Yar Pyae,chairman of the Union-Level Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC-U) at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) in Yangon.

Thanking China,Yar Pyae pledged that the cash would be properly used in the committee’s activities.

Sun noted that the Chinese government has been providing assistance to the peace process being implemented by Myanmar government and pledged that China will continue its assistance to Myanmar as it promotes bilateral paukphaw(fraternal) friendship between the two countries.China has been providing both financial assistance and vehicle assistance for the committee’s monitoring activities for three consecutive years since 2017.