Thread: The View, from China

Enormous potential in economic and trade cooperation between China and Vietnam
Mutual benefit and understanding

By GT special correspondent Huang Dongri in Guangxi, GT reporters Zhao Juecheng and Li Aixin in Beijing

Published: Dec 10, 2023 08:42 PM

"This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. High-level interactions between the two countries have been frequent, and exchanges in various fields such as the economy and trade have been increasing.

At the end of November, the 12th meeting of the China-Vietnam Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee, aimed at discussing the high-quality development of bilateral economic and trade relations, was held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. The Vietnam News Agency reported that enormous potential dwells in the China-Vietnam trade cooperation - a highlight in bilateral ties. Vietnamese media sources also pointed out that China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for many years, and Vietnam is China's largest trading partner within the ASEAN.

It proves that achievements in China-Vietnam economic and trade cooperation have been highly recognized by both sides. Recently, several Chinese and Vietnamese experts, based on their own research and observations, spoke to the Global Times about the cooperation between China and Vietnam in the field of economy and trade, and expressed their optimism about future development potential.

3,000 tons of durian export to China

Bui Trong Van, former minister counselor at the Vietnamese Embassy in China, told Global Times that economic and trade cooperation between China and Vietnam has evolved from a simple trade pattern to a higher level of cooperation closely related to the industrial and supply chains. This is mainly due to the political and strategic guidance of the top leaders of both countries, as well as the continuous, stable, and healthy development of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two sides. At the same time, the two economies have great complementarities. Deepening economic and trade cooperation fully serves the fundamental interests of both countries.

Data are the most convincing evidence. In 1992, when the two countries signed the economic cooperation agreement, the bilateral trade volume was only $179 million. In 2000, trade volume between the two countries surpassed $2 billion. Statistics provided by China's customs authorities showed that the two countries' trade increased by 19.7 percent to $230.2 billion in 2021, surpassing the $200 billion mark for the first time in history. In the first 10 months of this year, the bilateral trade volume has reached $185.1 billion.

Trade growth is inseparable from the comprehensive development of port infrastructure. In recent years, both central and local governments on both sides have attached great importance to port upgrading to improve customs clearance efficiency. Cross-border ports between the two sides are connected by highways, and China's high-speed rail has been extended to border cities in Vietnam and will soon be extended to port cities.

Border trade is drawing increasing attention from both China and Vietnam. For example, Dongxing, a county-level city in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is the only port city in China connected by both land and sea to Vietnam. Mong Cai is the largest, most open, and most promising economic zone in northern Vietnam.

At the end of November and the beginning of December, Dongxing and Mong Cai jointly held the 15th Vietnam-China International Trade and Tourism Fair, as well as a forum on promoting cross-border tourism between Dongxing and Mong Cai, attracting extensive media attention.

According to Vietnamese statistics, in the first 10 months of this year, Vietnam's vegetable and fruit exports to China reached $3.18 billion, a year-on-year increase of 165 percent. Among them, Vietnamese durian is a particular favorite for Chinese consumers. Since being allowed to enter the China market in July 2022, Vietnamese durian has directly promoted the surge in vegetable and fruit exports to China. A woman engaged in the fruit business in Vietnam's Long An Province told the Global Times, "In the first half of this year, my family exported over 3,000 tons of durian to China and made a lot of money."

Unique status

The highlights of the China-Vietnam economic and trade cooperation are not only reflected in trade, but also in the accelerated promotion of investment and industrial cooperation.

During the first half of 2023, Global Times' special correspondent conducted an in-depth research at the industrial zones in Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hai Duong, and Hai Phong in Vietnam, and found that compared to the situation five years ago, the proportion of Chinese-funded enterprises in various industrial parks has significantly increased, and the signboards of Chinese-funded enterprises are particularly prominent. Almost all interviewed representatives of Chinese-funded enterprises stated that their decision to invest in Vietnam has turned out to be correct, and they are optimistic about Vietnam's development prospects.

According to statistics from Vietnam, China is Vietnam's sixth-largest source of foreign direct investment, with 3,949 active projects, and total registered capital exceeding $25.8 billion.

Chinese enterprise investment in Vietnam has provided employment for hundreds of thousands of local people, improved local industrial support mechanisms, and driven local export growth. For example, China's investment in the Vietnamese textile industry has increased year-on-year, and several Chinese large-scale modern textile enterprises have formed a relatively complete industrial chain locally.

The China-Vietnam economic and trade cooperation has entered a new stage of building international industrial supply chains. Vietnam imports intermediate products like industrial raw materials and mechanical equipment from China, processes and assembles them, and then exports them to other countries, including the US, South Korea, Japan, and other Southeast Asian countries. It can be seen that the China-Vietnam main industrial and supply chains naturally extend to a global industrial and supply chains. This is the most vivid embodiment of the success of jointly building the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is not only of important economic significance but also of important strategic significance.

Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday that Vietnam regards its relationship with China as a strategic choice and a top priority in its foreign policy, and China regards Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy. Both sides attach great importance to their diplomatic positioning toward each other. Although Vietnam has elevated its bilateral relationships with the US and Japan to comprehensive strategic partnerships this year, its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China has lasted 15 years, which is apparently long, and we have one more element - cooperation.

Gu Xiaosong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute at the Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times that although Vietnamese businesspeople also realize that close cooperation with China in the industrial chain and supply chain may be under US pressure, this cooperation nonetheless holds huge commercial interests. If the chain with China is cut off, it will be difficult for the Vietnamese manufacturing industry to sustain itself based solely on its own industrial foundation and manufacturing capabilities. Therefore, Vietnamese companies often take measures to avoid adverse effects from the West.

Mutual benefits

At the 12th meeting of the China-Vietnam Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee, held on November 28, the Chinese side expressed its willingness to work with Vietnam for high-quality development of bilateral economic and trade relations. China will continue to take measures to promote unimpeded trade with Vietnam, support bilateral cooperation in railway, 5G, and other infrastructure projects, accelerate investment cooperation in the digital economy and green development, and expand cooperation in agriculture, border trade, supply chains, industrial parks, and at sub-national levels. China will ensure high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RECP) and accelerate the development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.

Zhao Weihua, director of the Center for China's Relations with Neighboring Countries at Fudan University, told the Global Times that Vietnam views the RCEP positively, as it brings tariff reductions that benefit countries like Vietnam and promote its exports to China. Vietnam attaches great importance to exporting agricultural products to China, which is its largest export market for agricultural products.

Zhao pointed out that Vietnam also recognizes that China's demand is changing, and ordinary agricultural products can no longer meet the demand. Instead, it needs to export high-quality agricultural products.

Therefore, in the agricultural sector, Vietnam holds a welcoming attitude toward various Chinese enterprises and hopes that they can assist Vietnam in food processing in areas such as rice, tropical fruits, and aquatic products, with the end products being exported to China, he noted.

Xu, who is currently on a research visit to Vietnam, pointed out that one area of focus in the China-Vietnam economic and trade cooperation is green energy.

Vietnam, with a high demand for solar energy, needs to promote the rapid development of the photovoltaic industry, Xu said, adding that Vietnam faces significant pressure to transition to new-energy sources but lacks the necessary technological expertise. On the other hand, China has been rapidly developing in the field of new energy. This creates strong complementarities between the two countries."

Enormous potential in economic and trade cooperation between China and Vietnam - Global Times

More damage to come from the parasitic chinky bastards.

And of course it always involves bribing dictators and their ilk.

I didn't realise the chinkies tried to cover up AIDs as well.

They never learn, do they?

Renowned Chinese doctor and activist Gao Yaojie who exposed the AIDS virus epidemic in rural China in the 1990s died Sunday at the age of 95 at her home in the United States.

Gao's outspokenness about the virus outbreak — which some gauged to have infected tens of thousands — embarrassed the Chinese government and drove her to live in self-exile for over a decade in Manhattan, New York.

Gao became China’s most well-known AIDS activist after speaking out against blood-selling schemes that infected thousands with HIV, mainly in her home province of Henan in central China. Her contributions were ultimately acknowledged to a certain extent by the Chinese government, which was forced to grapple with the AIDS crisis well into the 2000s.

Gao’s work received recognition from international organizations and officials. She moved to the U.S. in 2009, where she began holding talks and writing books about her experiences.

She told the Associated Press in a previous interview that she withstood government pressure and persisted in her work because “everyone has the responsibility to help their own people. As a doctor, that’s my job. So it’s worth it.”

She said she expected Chinese officials to “face the reality and deal with the real issues — not cover it up.”

A roving gynecologist who used to spend days on the road treating patients in remote villages, Gao met her first HIV patient in 1996 — a woman who had been infected from a transfusion during an operation. Local blood bank operators would often use dirty needles, and after extracting valuable plasma from farmers, would pool the leftover blood for future transfusions — a disastrous method almost guaranteed to spread viruses such as HIV.

Chinese Doctor and AIDS Activist Gao Yaojie Dies at 95 | TIME

China steps up positive propaganda in bid to boost economic growth

The ruling Chinese Communist Party vowed on Tuesday to step up propaganda to mobilize consumers to kickstart China's economic recovery, as analysts warned that an ideological approach to the economy would yield little of substance.


"[We must] step up economic propaganda and public opinion guidance, spreading the idea that there is a bright future for the Chinese economy," the Party's Central Economic Work Conference said in a communiqué issued as it concluded on Tuesday in Beijing.


The propaganda should focus on reviving economic growth following the three years of pandemic restrictions under the zero-COVID policy, said the communiqué, which was published by state news agency Xinhua.


People should be "cultivated" to spend more on smart homes, entertainment and tourism, sporting events and homegrown "trending products," it said.


Households and businesses should also be driven to upgrade their existing equipment through the use of new minimum standards for energy efficiency, vehicle emissions and other regulatory levers, Xinhua reported.

Upbeat articles about the "economic recovery" have already started appearing in official media, with the Global Times lauding the communiqué for confirming that China's economy "has achieved a recovery, with solid progress made in high-quality development in 2023."


"Anyone who truly understands the overall picture of the Chinese economy, without any malicious ideological bias against China, would find it difficult not to be optimistic about its development prospects," the paper said in an editorial on Tuesday.


State broadcaster CCTV reported on Dec. 11 that "The data highlights the surging vitality of China's economic behemoth, cutting through waves and making steady progress," while Xinhua published a special feature titled: "Ten datasets that bear witness to the great achievements of the new era" under the leadership of Xi Jinping.


Falling incomes and insurance coverage


The propaganda drive came as government figures showed that more than 17 million people dropped out of the national medical insurance scheme in 2022, amid rising premiums and copayments and dwindling coverage, as falling household incomes put coverage beyond many residents, especially those from rural areas.


The patchy healthcare cover and dwindling benefits sparked mass "silver" protests by older people in major Chinese cities earlier this year.

Beijing resident Guo Li said many people have seen a sharp drop in their income over the past year or two.


"Many people have seen their income reduced by 20%, 30%, or even halved, so the number paying into the insurance schemes has fallen," Guo said. "Also, a lot of people have lost their jobs, so they don't sign up for medical insurance any more."


"In short, the economic outlook is poor," he said, in comments that the government's new propaganda drive will likely be looking to discourage.


Meanwhile, the Politburo, the ruling party's largest decision-making body, said on Friday that fiscal policy would be kept "flexible, moderate, precise, and effective" to help spur the economic recovery, Reuters reported, suggesting that limited government spending is currently the plan.


Government advisers told Reuters they would recommend economic growth targets for 2024 ranging from 4.5% to 5.5%, with the majority favoring a target of around 5% – the same as this year, it said.


GDP vs 'actual economic growth'


The claims of robust economic health come after ratings agency Moody's issued a downgrade warning on China's credit rating, citing the likely cost of bailing out heavily indebted local governments and state-owned companies, as well as shoring up the embattled real estate sector, would affect economic growth.


"China sets its GDP growth targets in a top-down manner, and they aren't usually directly related to actual economic growth," economist Chen Songxing of Shanghai's Donghua University told Radio Free Asia.


According to Chen, the National Consumer Price Index and Industrial Producer Price Index data both showed negative growth in November, indicating that China is currently experiencing deflation, suggesting that government measures to stimulate consumption have had little effect so far.


But the central bank can't cut interest rates for fear of affecting the exchange rates, prompting capital flight, he said.

Chen said Beijing's plan to save the real estate sector consists of requiring banks to issue unsecured loans, making them carry all of the risk.


"A few days ago, Xi Jinping said in [the official party magazine] Qiushi that the party leads in everything, and the financial and insurance sectors must obey the party," he said. "Politics must trump professionalism, which means they are just postponing the financial crisis that could happen."


'Ideological control'


Current affairs commentator Cai Shenkun said that ideology is making a comeback under Xi as the main driver of government action, leaving behind the economic pragmatism of the economic reform era kicked off by late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979.


"When politics controls the economy, people can't have confidence in the economy, or in the future," Cai said. "They are trying to turn it around by ... subjecting the economy to ideological control."


"But in the end, this will result in nothing of substance," he said.


He said Xi has made his ideological direction clear, which is to control the economy using Marxist political theory, and bolstering the public sector at the expense of the private sector that once flourished under Deng’s economic reforms.


"Ten years after Xi Jinping came to power, the state sector has advanced and the private sector has retreated," Cai said. "Today, China's state-owned enterprises are already behemoths, and they have penetrated into all competitive fields, while private enterprises basically have no way to survive."

Meanwhile, viable private enterprises have long since been infiltrated by the government through the use of party committees and creeping nationalization in the name of "mixed-ownership reforms," he said.


Economic commentator Chen Pokong said in a Dec. 11 commentary for RFA Mandarin that the private sector is being "raided" under Xi's administration, while the zero-COVID restrictions along with Xi's anti-Western rhetoric had frightened off foreign investors.


"The Xi administration has been fanatically anti-American and anti-Western for years," Chen wrote. "It has been building momentum for seclusion, and accelerating the withdrawal of foreign investors."


"It seems that the Xi administration did not realize how serious the consequences would be until today."

China steps up positive propaganda in bid to boost economic growth — Radio Free Asia

The ruling Chinese Communist Party vowed on Tuesday to step up propaganda

Is that even possible?

Stoopid chinkies. If they reined in North Korea, it wouldn't be a problem now, would it?

Instead of which we get their interminable whining again.

They remind me of Viz's Spoilt Bastard.

China has erupted in anger after Tokyo deployed air defence missiles to a remote island, labelling Japan as a “dangerous country” that could launch an attack on the region within the decade.

Beijing-based Institute of Modern International Relations official Liu Jiangyong told the Communist Party’s Global Times that Japan was “hyping” the threat of China.

“Following the new national security plans, Japan would probably become a dangerous country that could take military action against other countries in the following five to 10 years,” Professor Liu said.

The accusation comes amid a growing diplomatic storm over the ownership of the strategic Ryukyu Islands that form an arc between Taiwan and mainland Japan.

This week, Japan announced it had deployed US-made Patriot PAC-3 anti-air missile systems to Miyako Island. The stated purpose is to defend against North Korea’s threatened use of nuclear ballistic missiles.

Beijing erupts in anger after Japan deployed air defence missiles to Ryukyu Islands | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

All for domestic use, Harry

Even dictatorships needs to justify growing millitary budgets.

Nothing unusual there

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

China has erupted in anger

China purchases more than 100m tons of autumn grain to secure food supplies

By Global Times

Published: Dec 24, 2023 09:26 PM

"China has purchased more than 100 million tons of autumn grain, in a bid to protect the interests of farmers and secure food supplies, the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NFSRA) said on Saturday.

Since autumn grain hit the market, purchases have been active and prices have remained relatively stable, said the NFSRA.

In Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, one of the nation's major grain producers, local governments have set up more than 200 grain depots with total storage capacity of more than 8 million tons.

Han Fulong, an official from a grain storage enterprise in Heilongjiang's Qinggang county, said that the grain purchase process - from collection to distribution - can be finished within one hour, and the purchase volume has increased by 6 percent year-on-year, or 100,000 tons, according to a report by the NFSRA.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's autumn grain output in 2023 stood at 1.04 trillion jin ($521 million tons), up 1.9 percent year-on-year.

China's total grain output in 2023 reached a record high of 1.39 trillion jin (695 million tons), having exceeded the target of 1.3 trillion jin (650 million tons) for a ninth consecutive year.

The annual Central Rural Work Conference held from December 19 to 20 emphasized strengthening food security by ensuring the area of farmland, in parallel to the increase of the grain yield. Efforts will be made in agricultural disaster prevention, mitigation and relief.

Thanks to years of endeavor, China feeds nearly 20 percent of the world's population with 9 percent of the world's cultivated land area and 6 percent of the world's fresh water resources, said Liu Huanxin, head of the NFSRA, in an article published on Wednesday.

Food security has been and will remain among China's most fundamental interests, and rural work in 2024 will focus on strengthening food security, analysts said.

"Next year's rural work will focus on improving food security capacity through enhancing the resilience and stability of the supply chain," Li Guoxiang, a research fellow at the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times."

China purchases more than 100m tons of autumn grain to secure food supplies - Global Times

China starts zero-tariff treatment for 6 least-developed African countries

Positive move to continue bolstering bilateral trade, show demonstration effect

By GT staff reporters

Published: Dec 25, 2023 09:45 PM

"The zero-tariff treatment China had granted for six least-developed African countries officially took effect on Monday. Experts and industry players noted that the move will bolster trade between China and Africa while showing a demonstration effect for China's cooperation with other markets.

The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, China's cabinet, announced on December 6 that 98 percent of taxable products from Angola, The Gambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Madagascar, Mali and Mauritania would be exempt from import tariffs starting on Monday.

Sarah Wang, executive director of Beijing Wise Century Trading Co, which sells a range of African products, told the Global Times on Monday that such measures will have a huge implication for trade between these countries and China.

"With zero tariffs, these countries could expand the sales channels for their local produce, find new ways to generate foreign exchange reserves and create jobs," Wang said.

The implementation of the tax break is a significant move contributing to fulfilling the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, and realize its responsibility under the WTO-led Aid for Trade Initiative, Song Wei, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.

Song said that elevating trade is a key tool that will enhance Africa's self-development and further integration into global supply chains.

Over the past two years, 21 African countries have benefited from China's elimination of tariffs on 98 percent of their taxable products, according to media reports.

The commission said that the move aims to embody the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, and facilitate a high-quality China-Africa community with a shared future. In the next step, China will expand its zero-tariff treatment to all the least-developed countries with which it has established diplomatic relations, according to the commission.

In addition to boosting bilateral trade, the zero-tariff treatment will help African countries with their post-pandemic economic recoveries, He Wenping, a senior research fellow in the African Studies Section under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

The tax exemption is also a major implementation of China's commitments made at the 8th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in 2021, including further increasing the scope of products enjoying zero-tariff treatment for the least-developed countries having diplomatic relations with China, Shen Shiwei, a non-resident research fellow of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, told the Global Times on Monday.

Observers said that the tax exemption will bolster trade, especially for the booming agricultural sector, while promoting more high-quality African products to enter the Chinese market at more competitive prices.

China's agricultural imports from Africa have increased markedly, with an average annual growth rate of 11.4 percent in recent years, according to the China-Africa Economic and Trade Relationship Report 2023 released by China Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, an institution under the Ministry of Commerce.

China remained Africa's second-largest export destination for agricultural products in 2022, with total imports worth $5.20 billion.

The export volume of agricultural products from Madagascar, Mali and Mauritania to China remains relatively good, so the tax exemption policy is beneficial for these countries, Tang Lixia, professor at China Agricultural University, told the Global Times on Monday.

For China, new sources of agricultural imports can beef up food security and diversify its import sources, and the yuan's internationalization will also gain momentum, Wang said.

The 98 percent of taxable products cover a wide range of food commodities from coffee, palm oil, seafood and spices to non-food crops such as sisal and rubber, according to media reports.

Moreover, these six countries are rich in resources. For instance, the DRC is an important producer of cobalt while Angola is major exporter of crude oil and diamonds, per the reports.

China-Africa trade in the first 11 months of the year totaled 1.81 trillion yuan ($253.65 billion), a year-on-year increase of 7 percent, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

Experts said that the zero-tariff treatment will have a demonstration effect on China's exchanges with other markets, especially the Global South countries.

China's zero-tariff treatment covering more products from African countries also provides a good reference for China to cooperate with other countries of the Global South, especially the least-developed countries and especially in policy connection and technical cooperation, Shen noted.

Song said that the trade structures of China and countries of the Global South are similar to that of Africa, which is dominated by the import and export of primary products, and cooperating with China can help these countries to optimize their product supply capacity and further integrate into global industry chains."

China starts zero-tariff treatment for 6 least-developed African countries - Global Times

Originally Posted by OhOh

China starts zero-tariff treatment for 6 least-developed African countries

Positive move to continue bolstering bilateral trade, show demonstration effect

There you go, Harry

The US wouldn't even allow Condom exports to Africa

Xi says to continuously consolidate, develop China-Russia ties serves fundamental interests of both countries

By Xinhua

Published: Dec 31, 2023 05:33 PM Updated: Dec 31, 2023 10:01 PM

"The development of China-Russia relations in the past three-quarters of a century has shown that to continuously consolidate and develop bilateral relations featuring permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, meets the expectations of the international community and conforms to the trend of the times, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday.

Xi made the remarks as he exchanged messages of New Year greetings with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi extended sincere congratulations and best wishes to Putin and the Russian people.

Xi said that in the face of changes unseen in a century and volatile international and regional situations, China-Russia relations have always maintained healthy and stable development, and moved steadily in the right direction in 2023.

During their two meetings in Moscow and Beijing this year, Xi said he and President Putin had candid exchanges and reached broad consensus on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern.

Under the two leaders' joint guidance, the two sides have further deepened political mutual trust, strengthened strategic coordination and achieved new results in mutually beneficial cooperation, Xi said.

As annual bilateral trade volume reached the target of 200 billion U.S. dollars ahead of schedule and the Years of Sports Exchange successfully concluded, Xi said the material and public foundations of bilateral relations have become more solid.

Xi said he and President Putin have jointly announced that the two sides will hold 2024-2025 China-Russia Years of Culture, noting that the two countries will also celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia.

Xi said he stands ready to maintain close contact with President Putin, and hopes to take the 75th anniversary and the China-Russia Years of Culture as an opportunity to guide the two countries to enhance mutual trust, expand cooperation and carry forward friendship so as to ensure that the China-Russia relationship is moving steadily along the right path.

In the message, Putin extended sincere New Year greetings to Xi and wished the friendly Chinese people happiness and good health.

Putin noted that they met twice this year, injecting strong impetus into the all-round development of Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been booming, with bilateral trade surpassing the target of 200 billion dollars ahead of schedule and setting a new record, Putin said.

The Russia-China Years of Sports Exchanges were successfully held, the Russia-China Years of Culture are poised to start and the two countries will soon celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, he said.

It is believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, the fruitful cooperation between the two countries in various fields will achieve greater results and bilateral cooperation within the framework of the United Nations, the G20, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS mechanisms will also make new progress, he added.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin exchanged New Year greetings.

Under the strategic guidance of Xi and Putin, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has been developing in a sustained, healthy and stable manner, and the practical cooperation between the two sides in various fields has been continuously deepened, Li said.

China is ready to continue to work with Russia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strive for more results of practical cooperation and inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations, Li added.

Noting that in 2023, the 28th regular meeting between Russian and Chinese heads of government has achieved fruitful results, Mishustin said Russia is ready to maintain constructive communication with China to push bilateral cooperation to a higher level."

Xi says to continuously consolidate, develop China-Russia ties serves fundamental interests of both countries - Global Times

Two years on, RCEP boosts trade amid protectionism, set to bring greater opportunities

By Global Times

Published: Dec 31, 2023 05:55 PM

"Chinese experts hail the significant role of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in promoting regional trade and investment cooperation despite rising protectionism, as the agreement celebrates its second anniversary on January 1, 2024.

The expected forthcoming upgrade of the world's largest free trade agreement in its new phase of comprehensive implementation should avoid geopolitical interferences and will unlock even greater opportunities for all involved economies, experts said.

The RCEP officially took effect on January 1, 2022. With the RCEP taking effect in the Philippines on June 2, 2023, the trade pact has come into full effect for all 15 signatory economies, entering a new phase of comprehensive implementation.

There have been greater dividends from the RCEP agreement since it took effect, Zhang Xin, a spokesperson for the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), said on Wednesday.

In November, CCPIT branches nationwide issued 19,834 RCEP Certificates of Origin, up 20.83 percent year-on-year. The certificates will mean companies are eligible for tariff reductions.

The trade pact of 15 Asia-Pacific countries is expected to lead to the gradual elimination of tariffs on over 90 percent of goods traded within the region, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

China's total imports and exports with the other 14 members of RCEP reached 6.1 trillion yuan ($860 billion), a year-on-year increase of 1.5 percent in the first half of 2023. It contributed over 20 percent to the growth of China's foreign trade, Lü Daliang, a spokesperson for the General Administration of Customs, said at a press conference on July 13.

According to Chinese customs data, over the first 11 months of 2023, ASEAN was China's largest trading partner. The total trade between China and ASEAN was 5.8 trillion yuan, with a growth of 0.1 percent, accounting for 15.3 percent of China's total foreign trade.

The implementation of the RCEP has played a significant positive role in promoting regional trade cooperation since it took effect on January 1, 2022, despite the impact of geopolitical interference and the US' interest hikes, according to experts.

RCEP cooperation needs to consolidate its achievements and further eliminate geopolitical influences. In particular, if the potential for trade and investment cooperation between China, Japan and South Korea is further realized, the benefits of the RCEP will be even more pronounced, said Huo Jianguo, a vice chairman of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies in Beijing.

Further upgrading the RCEP is expected to bring greater opportunities for regional economic and trade cooperation, Huo said.

As the comprehensive implementation of the RCEP enters a new stage, the agreement is poised for an upgrade that will unlock new development opportunities in investment and service trade, among other key areas, Chinese experts noted.

It is crucial for all member economies to continue to drive the effective implementation of the relevant provisions of the RCEP in the future, Sang Baichuan, dean of the Institute of International Economy at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times.

The RCEP is upgrading, and it is necessary to further enhance trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, Sang noted.

While the US is setting political barriers for global free trade, China, along with other economies, is pushing for the full implementation and upgrade of the RCEP, which helps promote the global free trade process.

When anti-globalization sentiments are on the rise, the steady implementation of the RCEP is a significant boon for global trade and peace. China's efforts in promoting the RCEP and other trade processes demonstrates its foresight and sense of responsibility, Mei Xinyu, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The RCEP can be expanded timely, and in terms of economic and trade relations, Bangladesh is a suitable participant, Mei said.

Following India's withdrawal from the RCEP four years ago, its neighboring country Bangladesh is considering joining the agreement. However, Indian media outlet Economic Times on December 25 claimed that if Bangladesh continues to seek to join the RCEP, India will reassess its negotiations on the free trade agreement with the country.

It is regretful, if India is indeed setting up barriers for neighboring countries to join the RCEP as reported, Mei said."

Two years on, RCEP boosts trade amid protectionism, set to bring greater opportunities - Global Times

China, Vietnam upgrade cross-border land port, boosting cooperation in Southeast Asia

By Global Times

Published: Dec 28, 2023 09:57 PM

"An upgraded land port between China and Vietnam officially reopened on Thursday, with several other land ports having resumed operations during the year. Analysts pointed out that the China-Vietnam land port will not only promote bilateral trade, but also facilitate trade within Southeast Asia.

The Longbang (China)-Tra Linh (Vietnam) port, including Naxi (China)-Na Doong (Vietnam) border crossing, reopened to public on Thursday, after being upgraded from a port limited to Chinese and Vietnamese personnel, goods and vehicles to an international port for global exchanges.

Trade ties between China and Vietnam witnessed rapid development in 2023, which promoted the upgrading of the cross-border port. Meanwhile, the building of China-Vietnam community with a shared future has enabled deeper bilateral connection at both economic and technological levels, Zhou Shixin, a research fellow at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"China and Vietnam are economically intertwined neighboring countries. They view each other as vital trade partners and continue to open more ports. With increasingly close economic and trade ties between the two sides, the relationship could also serve to strengthen the trade links between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)," Zhou said.

The newly reopened Longbang Port, which is located in Jingxi, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is one of the most accessible land routes connecting China's southwestern region with Vietnam and ASEAN.

In 2023, several China-Vietnam cross-border ports resumed operations and more ports opened to public. On October 17, Tianpeng (China)-Sam Pun (Vietnam) port began official operation.

Prior to this, the first cross-border smart port project between China and Vietnam started construction on September 15 at the border port located at the Youyi Pass, or Friendship Pass, expecting to double the maximum clearance capacity of the port after its completion in 2024.

In addition to the opening of new ports, China and Vietnam also promoted infrastructure connectivity.

One of the latest examples is the operation of a new railway line connecting Guangxi's Dongxing - at the China-Vietnam border - to China's national railway network on Wednesday, which is expected to boost trade and tourism along border areas.

The Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway started operation on Wednesday, which will make transportation between Guangxi, Vietnam and Southeast Asia more and more convenient. The railway is a dual-purpose line, handling both passenger and freight transportation.

In October, the Vietnamese government approved to have two more international border gates in the province of Lào Cai - both on the Vietnam-China border - opened and upgraded, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

The economies of China and Vietnam serve each other as mutually beneficial and complementary, with China having a significant amount of investment and construction projects in Vietnam. In the future, if a bilateral free trade agreement can be reached, Vietnam could better show its industrial potential while boosting economic and trade cooperation with China, Zhou noted.

As this year marks the 15th anniversary of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, China-Vietnam bilateral trade has maintained strong growth momentum.

In the first 11 months of 2023, trade volume between China and Vietnam reached 1.45 trillion yuan ($205 billion), up 3.6 percent year-on-year. Bilateral trade accounted for 25 percent of China's total trade with ASEAN, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs."

China, Vietnam upgrade cross-border land port, boosting cooperation in Southeast Asia - Global Times

China’s inbound foreign investment ‘still at historic high,’ attractiveness will be further upgraded: MOFCOM


By Global Times


Published: Dec 28, 2023 09:50 PM

"China's inbound foreign investment from January to November in 2023 was still at historic high amid fluctuation, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Thursday, vowing to further promote high-quality opening-up to attract foreign investment.

He Yadong, a MOFCOM spokesperson, made the remarks during a regular press conference held on Thursday in response to the fluctuation of China's inbound foreign investment in 2023 hyped by foreign media, noting that the situation was caused by various reasons and should be considered from multiple point of views.

"From 2019 to 2021, China's inbound foreign investment set new records for three consecutive years. During the first 11 months of 2022, China's foreign direct investment (FDI) reached 1.16 trillion ($164.278 billion) yuan, the highest level for any comparable period in history," He said.

Given this high base in 2022, it was normal to see fluctuation in inbound foreign investment from January to November this year, said He, noting that the 1.04 trillion yuan of inbound foreign investment during the period was still at historic levels.

In terms of external environment, He cited data from United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and stated that the global FDI fell by 12.4 percent in 2022 and kept declining in 2023.

However, from January to November this year, the number of newly established foreign investment-backed enterprises in China reached 48,000, jumping by 36.2 percent year-on-year, reflecting strong momentum for foreign investment to Chinese market, he noted.

With the upgrade of foreign investment structure, China's high technology sector attracted 386.65 billion yuan of foreign investment from January to November this year, accounting for 37.2 percent of total inbound foreign investment volume, He noted.

"In general, China's economic growth has maintained steady momentum and kept consolidating, and the nation will further promote high-quality opening-up. The attractiveness of Chinese market will further improve as the effects of policies rolled out earlier gradually emerge," He stated."

China’s inbound foreign investment ‘still at historic high,’ attractiveness will be further upgraded: MOFCOM - Global Times

Zhuhai Port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge sets one-day traffic record

By Global Times

Published: Dec 26, 2023 09:55 PM

"The daily traffic flow for the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge reached a milestone on Monday, as the number of vehicles crossing the boundary exceeded 16,000, setting a new record, China Media Group reported on Tuesday.

The traffic peak was primarily due to the public holidays in Hong Kong and Macao. From Saturday to Monday, Zhuhai Port recorded 308,000 passenger trips with 45,500 vehicles inspected at the port.

Among the inspected vehicles, 29,000 - or 64 percent - were Hong Kong and Macao single-plate vehicles.

The surge reflected the deepening of consumer integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), as convenient customs clearance mechanisms have helped boost tourism in the area, Jiang Yiyi, a deputy head of the School of Leisure Sports and Tourism at Beijing Sport University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

With the rapid development and increasing diversification of the tourism industry in the Chinese mainland, traveling north has attracted more and more tourists from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.

Coupled with targeted promotions in South China's Guangdong Province, more tourists from the two regions are expected to visit the mainland for various purposes, including vacations, Jiang said.

As the only entry port for northbound travel from the two regions, Zhuhai Port has seen rising numbers of Hong Kong and Macao single-plate vehicles passing through, resulting a new record for the highest traffic flow for the 19th time this year.

As of Monday, the number of Hong Kong and Macao single-plate vehicles crossing the Zhuhai Port had reached 169,000 in December, up 12.6 percent from the previous month. The daily trips made through the port exceeded 6,700, or 55.8 percent of the port's daily traffic flow.

Hong Kong single-plate vehicles have contributed the most to the bridge's rising traffic volume, with monthly growth exceeding 24.8 percent and the highest daily traffic volume of 5,400 trips.

More than 35,400 Hong Kong single-plate vehicles are registered at the port, 1.3 times as many as Macao single-plate vehicles.

Driven by the northbound travel policies for Hong Kong and Macao, traffic flows at the Zhuhai Port have grown. The boundary control point has inspected more than 15.8 million passengers so far this year, up 1.25 times from the same period in 2019, and more than 3.17 million vehicles, up 3.75 times.

The boundary control station of the Zhuhai Port has implemented new measures to cope with the growing traffic. On Saturday, the port launched a mobile inspection mode and reduced the average peak-period waiting time by 20-30 percent.

The growing traffic flows are showcasing a better integration of the GBA. For Hong Kong residents, going north has become a popular trend during the holiday season. More than 830,000 Hong Kong residents traveled north during the Christmas holidays, Sing Tao Daily reported."

Zhuhai Port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge sets one-day traffic record - Global Times

I see Mr. Shithole still won't take responsibility for fucking things up, but at least he's finally being forced to admit the problems he's caused.

China’s businesses are struggling and job seekers have trouble finding work, President Xi Jinping acknowledged during his Sunday New Year’s Eve speech.
This is the first time Xi has mentioned economic challenges in his annual New Year’s messages since he started giving them in 2013. It comes at a critical juncture for the world’s second largest economy, which is grappling with a structural slowdown marked by weak demand, rising unemployment and battered business confidence.
Acknowledging the “headwinds” facing the country, Xi admitted in the televised speech: “Some enterprises had a tough time. Some people had difficulty finding jobs and meeting basic needs.”
“All these remain at the forefront of my mind,” Xi said in remarks which were also widely circulated by state media. “We will consolidate and strengthen the momentum of economic recovery.”

Xi Jinping rings in 2024 with rare admission that China’s economy is in trouble

Meanwhile Trade/Trade continues.

China launches new sea routes to South America as trade booms

By Tao Mingyang

Published: Jan 04, 2024 10:34 PM

"A new sea shipment route connecting Dalian port in Northeast China's Liaoning Province and South America started operation on Tuesday, marking the opening of the first South American container ocean trunk line by the port, according to China Media Group.

The launch shows there's an active trade market between China and South American countries as well as strong growth momentum, Zhou Zhiwei, an expert on Latin American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The route serves multiple countries in a much wider region including Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador, with the total journey taking around 25 days. That's up to seven days faster than previous routes.

The route will enhance the connectivity between China's northeastern region and Latin American countries, and promote imports of cold-chain products including fruits and aquatic products by China, which is their key trading partner.

Tianjin Port in North China's Tianjin Municipality launched a direct route to South America on December 21, 2023, according to China News Service. Ten ships carrying 3,500 to 4,500 containers each will serve the route, transporting regional products such as shrimp, beef, tropical fruits, wine and grain from South America and China-made products ranging from glass and steel to bicycles and automobiles.

The expanding sea routes reflect strong trade flows between China and the region. In 2022, China-Latin America trade approached the $500 billion mark, maintaining a rapid growth for six consecutive years.

"China and Latin American countries have high economic complementarity, which generates ample room for foreign trade growth on both sides," said Zhou, noting that free trade agreements (FTAs) will accelerate the process.

An FTA between China and Nicaragua took effect on January 1, and about 60 percent of goods in bilateral trade were exempted from tariffs. Tariffs on more than 95 percent of goods will gradually be eliminated, the Ministry of Commerce said on December 30, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Honduras, which established diplomatic relations with China on March 26, 2023 and launched negotiations toward a FTA, sees opportunities and development options within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"The number of sea routes between China and South America will increase as economic ties get closer. China has assisted and invested in infrastructure projects under the BRI in the region, and cooperation will facilitate cargo-handling capacity and benefit people on both sides," said Zhou."

China launches new sea routes to South America as trade booms - Global Times

What are the chinky parasites after from them then?

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

What are the chinky parasites after from them then?

Everything, Harry

EVERYTHING !

The ‘walking route’: How an underground industry is helping migrants flee China for the US

They come with backpacks carrying a few spare changes of clothes and whatever money and phones they weren’t robbed of by criminals or cartels along the way, arriving at the United States-Mexico border exhausted from the stress of the journey north.


Like the hundreds of thousands of people around them who have also trekked weeks to reach the US, they’re driven by a desperation to escape and make a new life, despite the uncertainty of what’s on the other side.


But these migrants are fleeing the world’s second largest economy and an emerging superpower.


On a recent winter day, dozens of Chinese nationals waited in different makeshift camps scattered outside San Diego, California, just north of the Mexican border.

Bundled in hoodies and jackets, they huddled around fires as they, and others there, counted the time before US border control agents would take them away for processing – and what they hoped would be the start to their lives in America.


These arrivals are part of a staggering new trend. In the first 11 months of 2023, more than 31,000 Chinese citizens were picked up by law enforcement crossing illegally into the US from Mexico, government data shows – compared with an average of roughly 1,500 per year over the preceding decade.

MORE China-US migration: How an underground industry is helping people illegally cross the border | CNN

Can't blame them really.

Chinese growth has hit what I call "the authoritarian wall".

Both Russia and China will never grow past a certain point for the simple reason that when there's no surity of your company not just be stolen and handed to a member of the ruling party after you being thrown in jail or murdered, any great ideas will just be released in the safety of a western country, with rule of law.

Keeping what you work for is the core of western democracy and the reason we will always have better ideas, higher quality products, even better weapons.

Russia and China can grow in short bursts due to temporary high oil prices or from Stone Age to relative modernity, but the best ideas will always gravitate toward rule of law, safely attached to their originators.

https://twitter.com/JayinKyiv/status...73700634214538

Must have run out of shit to knock off.

harrybarracuda 13-01-2024, 11:23 PM

Hoohoo will be sulking.