As Chin. President #XiJinping visits Moscow, what signals #China and #Russia are sending each other, the world, and re #UkraineRussianWar? Comparison of statements 🧵:
1.Both Xi and Putin published articles in leading media, Putin in @PDChina and Xi in @rianru. Some diff.: 1/20
On #CH-#RU ties, Xi repeats the Chinese definition of ties: "China and Russia are committed to no-alliance, no-confrontation and not targeting any third party in developing our ties.坚持不结盟、不对抗、不针对第三方“。 2/20 CH: mfa.gov.cn/zyxw/202303/t2…
EN: fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_6…
Russian President #Putin, on the other hand, REPEATS the "NO LIMITS" 提法/formula from 2022: Russia-China ties "surpass Cold War-time military-political alliances in their quality, with no one to constantly order and no one to constantly obey, without limitations or taboos." 3/20
Russian version: Российско-китайские отношения... по своему качеству они превосходят военно-политические союзы времён холодной войны, в них нет ведущего и ведомого, нет каких-либо ограничителей или запретных тем. 5/20 kremlin.ru/events/preside…
The "no limits and no forbidden zones" is (not surprisingly) ABSENT in Xi's article from today (March 20, 2023). The formula in the Feb. 4, 2022 joint statement, pre #Russian#invasion of #Ukraine️ is only slightly different: 两国友好没有止境,合作没有禁区/ 6/20
"Дружба между двумя государствами не имеет границ, в сотрудничестве нет запретных зон" "Friendship between the two States has no limits, there are no ”forbidden“ areas of cooperation" 7/20
The "no-alliance, no-confrontation and not targeting any third party" formula was repeated by FM Qin Gang at the March 7, 2023 Two Sessions presser, but Qin had an interesting addition, that has NOT gone unnoticed by Russian friends: 8/20 @ru_global
Qin Gang: "Head-of-state interaction is the compass and anchor of China-Russia relations/元首交往是中俄关系的指南针和定盘星。"(literally, 定盘星 means "steelyard" or 'fixed point'). This phrase is absent from the articles by Xi and Putin. 9/20
2.On World Order: Both #China and #Russia push against the #US-led global order, support UN centrality, reject sanctions, etc. But Xi's article naturally gives more weight to the Chinese vision and moves of reordering the world, e.g. Global Security Initiative 全球安全倡议 10/20
Putin: China's GSI corresponds with RU's view: В этой связи отмечаем конструктивную роль китайской «Инициативы в области глобальной безопасности», которая созвучна российским подходам в этой сфере. 我们赞赏中国全球安全倡议发挥的建设性作用,这与俄罗斯在这一领域的立场相契合11/20
Putin: In this regard, we note the constructive role of China's Global Security Initiative, which is in line with the Russian approaches in this area. 12/20 en.kremlin.ru/events/preside…
3. Position on #Ukraine: here Xi again highlights China's efforts in positioning itself as an objective player and China's suggestions: "China has all along upheld an objective and impartial position based on the merits of the issue, and actively promoted peace talks....13/20
"..I have put forth several proposals, i.e., observing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect of the legitimate security concerns of all countries, ....and ensuring the stability of global industrial and supply chains. 14/20
"Not long ago, we released China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis, which takes into account the legitimate concerns of all parties and reflects the broadest common understanding of the international community on the crisis. " 15/20
Putin concurs..."Признательны за взвешенную линию КНР в связи с происходящими на Украине событиями, за понимание их предыстории и подлинных причин. Приветствуем готовность Китая сыграть конструктивную роль в деле урегулирования кризиса." 16/20
EN: We appreciate the well-balanced stance on the events in Ukraine adopted by the PRC, as well as its understanding of their historical background and root causes. We welcome China's readiness to make a meaningful contribution to the settlement of the crisis." 18/20
Bottom line: both sides are using each other - China wants to present itself as a responsible stakeholder, whereas Russia wants to show that it's not alone. Thank you for reading thru. 19/20
Gas, technology and (geo)politics - a thread on Israel-US-China triangle. Lately, there's been a flood of news on the heavy #US pressure on #Israel to curtail ties with #China. Israel has always been treading carefully between the superpowers, but recent developments show..1/n
..US pressure is working. Israel has curtailed Chinese involvement in local infrastructure, but now US is demanding Israel to limit Chinese investment even further. Israeli Cabinet discussed tightening rules on foreign investment, where government intervention threshold 2/n
would be lowered to 20% stake from 50%, in some cases even 5%. Here's a detailed scoop (in Hebrew) by Avi Bar-Eli in @TheMarker 3/n themarker.com/dynamo/2022-10…
Using the #Chinese Civilization as a benchmark to measure Human Civilization? This is what #China's leader Xi Jinping seems to suggest in his new piece for the theoretical party journal Qiushi/Seeking Truth. 🧵 Titled "Bringing the study of the history of Chinese civilization 1/x
..to a deeper level, enhancing historical consciousness and strengthening cultural confidence," at first the article repeats tropes as "5000 years of Chinese civilization," cultural confidence," and exhorts a better study of China, etc. But then Xi drop a few gems: 2/x
E.g. "The Chinese Civilization Exploration Project proposes DEFINITION OF CIVILIZATION and identifies CHINESE SOLUTIONS for entering a civilized society" (中华文明探源工程提出文明定义和认定进入文明社会的中国方案). (emphasis mine) Or this: 3/x
#Chinese Foreign Ministry gives very interesting details from #China FM Wang call with #Israel FM @yairlapid. Thread: As far as I remember, this is 1st time China praises the #AbrahamAccords, if without naming them. Wang Yi says "China is pleased to see Israel establishing 1/9
and developing normal ties with countries in the region, which is part of the reconciliation in the broader #MiddleEast 中方乐见以方同地区国家建立并发展正常友好关系,这应是中东整体和解的组成部分." So far, China has been was quiet re Israel's closer ties with #UAE, #Bahrain 2/9
despite its professed support for stability. Wang repeats China's stance re Israel ties with #Palestinians, says supports resuming talks on #two#state solution, repeats China's offer to facilitate direct negotiations between Israel and Palestinians. China had already hosted 3/9
Time for that Democracy lesson, or "#China vs #West – the Battle of Systems" – Xi Jinping expounds on “whole-process democracy.” Highlights: China’s National People’s Congress/#NPC system ensures ultimate power resides with the people and ensures the people are sovereign 1/
and a big institutional advantage of the Chinese political system, says Xi Jinping at an important conference on work related to people's congresses. @NPC_Observer
The people's congress system “organically combines the party’s leadership, the people’s sovereignty, and 2/
the rule of law, and effectively guards against the historical cycle of rise and fall of the states.” 人民代表大会制度,坚持国家一切权力属于人民,最大限度保障人民当家作主,把党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机结合起来,有效保证国家治理跳出治乱兴衰的历史周期率。3/ @NeysunM
#China official messaging on unification with #Taiwan has been on a tear lately. #PeoplesDaily runs front page article today, expanding ("thoroughly studying") #XinJinping's speech on 110th anniv. of Xinhai Revolution, titled 共同创造祖国完全统一、民族伟大复兴的光荣伟业 1/10
"Creating together the unification of the motherland and the glorious enterprise of national rejuvenation." Article repeats that Xi Jinping's sentence that "The complete reunification of our country will be and can be realized." 2/10 paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2021…
What is interesting is the length the piece spends on connecting the #CPC with founding father Sun Yatsen, and how the party is the true heir of the Xinhai revolutionaries 作为孙中山先生革命事业最坚定的支持者、最忠诚的合作者、最忠实的继承者 3/10
#China#propaganda In May 31 #Politburo meeting, #XiJinping calls for strengthening China's external media outreach, build "international discourse clout commensurate with China's overall power and int'l standing 形成同我国综合国力和国际地位相匹配的国际话语权". Highlights 1/6
Some of the principles enunciated by Xi are familiar - need to show "a more holistic, more comprehensive image of China," need to "build a strategic media system more obviously Chinese 构建具有鲜明中国特色的战略传播体系" 2/6
Xi call for better outreach "to help foreign audiences understand that the Communist Party truly struggles for the happiness of the Chinese people 帮助国外民众认识到中国共产党真正为中国人民谋幸福而奋斗" 3/6