Podcasts about road forum

In October 2023, during the third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China's leader Xi Jinping signaled a shift in focus from more grandiose physical infrastructure projects to 'small yet smart' initiatives. This shift underscores the need to understand China's ambitions to reshape global digital governance, moving away from an open and free internet towards a model rooted in government control and mass surveillance. The advocacy group Article 19 documents this shift in a recent report titled "The Digital Silk Road: China and the Rise of Digital Repression in the Indo-Pacific," examining China's influence on digital infrastructure and governance in Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal, and Thailand. As the Indo-Pacific remains strategically significant for China in deploying next-generation technologies, the report argues that assessing China's regional partnerships and their implications for digital repression is crucial for understanding its broader ambitions to reshape global digital norms. To discuss these issues in more depth, Justin Hendrix is joined by:Michael Caster, Asia Digital Program Manager at ARTICLE 19; andCatherine Tai, the deputy director for Asia and the Pacific team at Center for International Enterprise (CIPE).

President Xi Jinping reiterated on Monday China's commitment to advancing the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era to benefit the two countries and their people as he congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his reelection.In a congratulatory message, Xi said that the Russian people have been united as one to overcome challenges and make steady progress in national development and revitalization in recent years.Xi told Putin that his reelection fully demonstrated the Russian people's support for him and said he believes Russia will surely make greater achievements in national development and construction under Putin's leadership.Russia's Central Election Commission said on Monday that Putin had won his fifth term with a record number of votes. With nearly 100 percent of all precincts counted, Putin got 87.29 percent of the vote.Speaking at a news conference following the completion of the presidential elections early on Monday morning, Putin said the Russia-China relationship is a stabilizing factor in the Eurasian region and expressed his confidence that bilateral collaboration will continue to strengthen in the coming years."The most important thing is the coincidence of state interests. This creates a very good tone for solving common problems in the field of international relations," he said.Putin said China is very active in the international arena, is achieving great success and has a lot of friends all over the world.On China's economy, Putin said: "China is developing by leaps and bounds, at a fast pace, very confidently, and what is very important is that the structure of China's economy is changing toward innovation, toward making the economy more innovative. And we are trying to do the same within the country. We face exactly the same tasks in Russia."This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. The trade volume between the two countries reached a record-breaking $240 billion in 2023, a year ahead of the time set to hit the target of $200 billion.In recent years, Xi and Putin have met on more than 40 occasions. In March 2023, Xi chose Russia as the destination of his first overseas trip of the year. In October, Putin came to Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, marking the third consecutive time that he attended the forum.Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said, "We are glad to see Mr Putin has gained firm support from the Russian people during the presidential election, and under his leadership, Russia will continue to take the path that suits its national conditions."Zhang said that China is willing to work together with Russia to firmly implement the strategic consensus of the two heads of state, support and closely cooperate with each other on the road to the modernization of their respective countries, and promote the greater and stronger development of China-Russia relations.Observers from both countries said that relations between China and Russia will remain close and stable after the reelection of Putin, given their current close cooperation and communication at different levels.Li Yonghui, a researcher of Russian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the two countries are expected to further strengthen their political mutual trust during Putin's new term."China and Russia will also expand their strategic coordination on the global stage, elevate their relations with developing countries and play a bigger role in the Global South," she said.Alexander Dynkin, president of the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said trust and mutual understanding between the two leaders facilitate mutual support on the most important security and development issues between China and Russia."Russia-China relations have become a factor of global stability and a true example of a relationship between two major countries. Russia and China are not allies, but they trust each other more than average participants of Western formal alliances," Dynkin said.Kirill Babaev, director of the Institute of China and Modern Asia at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said China and Russia have maintained close cooperation and communication at different levels.The new administration will continue to coordinate with China in various aspects, especially some nontraditional fields, such as infrastructure construction, biotech and the development of new energy, he said.Reporter: Mo Jingxi, Ren QiXinhua contributed to this story.

On New Year's Eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered his 2024 New Year message via China Media Group and the Internet. The following is the full text of the message:大家好！冬至阳生，岁回律转。在这辞旧迎新的美好时刻，我在北京向大家致以新年的祝福！Greetings to you all! As energy rises after the Winter Solstice, we are about to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new. From Beijing, I extend my best New Year wishes to each and every one of you!2023年，我们接续奋斗、砥砺前行，经历了风雨洗礼，看到了美丽风景，取得了沉甸甸的收获。大家记住了一年的不易，也对未来充满信心。In 2023, we have continued to forge ahead with resolve and tenacity. We have gone through the test of winds and rains, have seen beautiful scenes unfolding on the way, and have made plenty real achievements. We will remember this year as one of hard work and perseverance. Going forward, we have full confidence in the future.这一年的步伐，我们走得很坚实。疫情防控平稳转段，我国经济持续回升向好，高质量发展扎实推进。现代化产业体系更加健全，一批高端化、智能化、绿色化新型支柱产业快速崛起。粮食生产“二十连丰”，绿水青山成色更足，乡村振兴展现新气象。东北全面振兴谱写新篇，雄安新区拔节生长，长江经济带活力脉动，粤港澳大湾区勇立潮头。中国经济在风浪中强健了体魄、壮实了筋骨。This year, we have marched forward with solid steps. We achieved a smooth transition in our COVID-19 response efforts. The Chinese economy has sustained the momentum of recovery. Steady progress has been made in pursuing high-quality development. Our modernized industrial system has been further upgraded. A number of advanced, smart and green industries are rapidly emerging as new pillars of the economy. We have secured a bumper harvest for the 20th year in a row. Waters have become clearer and mountains greener. New advances have been made in pursuing rural revitalization. New progress has been made in fully revitalizing northeast China. The Xiong'an New Area is growing fast, the Yangtze River Economic Belt is full of vitality, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is embracing new development opportunities. Having weathered the storm, the Chinese economy is more resilient and dynamic than before.这一年的步伐，我们走得很有力量。经过久久为功的磨砺，中国的创新动力、发展活力勃发奔涌。C919大飞机实现商飞，国产大型邮轮完成试航，神舟家族太空接力，“奋斗者”号极限深潜。国货潮牌广受欢迎，国产新手机一机难求，新能源汽车、锂电池、光伏产品给中国制造增添了新亮色。中国以自强不息的精神奋力攀登，到处都是日新月异的创造。This year, we have marched forward with robust steps. Thanks to years of dedicated efforts, China's innovation-driven development is full of energy. The C919 large passenger airliner entered commercial service. The Chinese-built large cruise ship completed its trial voyage. The Shenzhou spaceships are continuing their missions in space. The deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe reached the deepest ocean trench. Products designed and made in China, especially trendy brands, are highly popular with consumers. The latest models of Chinese-made mobile phones are an instant market success. New energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products are a new testimony to China's manufacturing prowess. Everywhere across our country, new heights are being scaled with dogged determination, and new creations and innovations are emerging every day.这一年的步伐，我们走得很见神采。成都大运会、杭州亚运会精彩纷呈，体育健儿勇创佳绩。假日旅游人潮涌动，电影市场红红火火，“村超”、“村晚”活力四射，低碳生活渐成风尚，温暖的生活气息、复苏的忙碌劲头，诠释了人们对美好幸福的追求，也展现了一个活力满满、热气腾腾的中国。This year, we have marched forward in high spirits. The Chengdu FISU World University Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games presented spectacular sports scenes, and Chinese athletes excelled in their competitions. Tourist destinations are full of visitors on holidays, and the film market is booming. The "village super league" football games and "village spring festival gala" are immensely popular. More people are embracing low-carbon lifestyles. All these exhilarating activities have made our lives richer and more colorful, and they mark the return of bustling life across the country. They embody people's pursuit of a beautiful life, and present a vibrant and flourishing China to the world.这一年的步伐，我们走得很显底气。中国是一个伟大的国度，传承着伟大的文明。在这片辽阔的土地上，大漠孤烟、江南细雨，总让人思接千载、心驰神往；黄河九曲、长江奔流，总让人心潮澎湃、豪情满怀。良渚、二里头的文明曙光，殷墟甲骨的文字传承，三星堆的文化瑰宝，国家版本馆的文脉赓续……泱泱中华，历史何其悠久，文明何其博大，这是我们的自信之基、力量之源。This year, we have marched forward with great confidence. China is a great country with a great civilization. Across this vast expanse of land, wisps of smoke in deserts of the north and drizzles in the south invoke our fond memory of many millennium-old stories. The mighty Yellow River and Yangtze River never fail to inspire us. Discoveries at the archeological sites of Liangzhu and Erlitou tell us much about the dawn of Chinese civilization. The ancient Chinese characters inscribed on oracle bones of the Yin Ruins, the cultural treasures of the Sanxingdui Site, and the collections of the National Archives of Publications and Culture bear witness to the evolution of Chinese culture. All this stands as testament to the time-honored history of China and its splendid civilization. And all this is the source from which our confidence and strength are derived.中国不仅发展自己，也积极拥抱世界，担当大国责任。我们成功举办中国－中亚峰会、第三届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛，一系列主场外交迎来五洲宾朋。我也访问了一些国家，出席了一些国际会议，会晤了不少老朋友、新伙伴，分享中国主张，深化彼此共识。世事变迁，和平发展始终是主旋律，合作共赢始终是硬道理。While pursuing its development, China has also embraced the world and fulfilled its responsibility as a major country. We held the China-Central Asia Summit and the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and hosted leaders from across the world at many diplomatic events held in China. I also paid visits to a number of countries, attended international conferences, and met many friends, both old and new. I shared China's vision and enhanced common understandings with them. No matter how the global landscape may evolve, peace and development remain the underlying trend, and only cooperation for mutual benefit can deliver.前行路上，有风有雨是常态。一些企业面临经营压力，一些群众就业、生活遇到困难，一些地方发生洪涝、台风、地震等自然灾害，这些我都牵挂在心。大家不惧风雨、守望相助，直面挑战、攻坚克难，我深受感动。辛勤劳作的农民，埋头苦干的工人，敢闯敢拼的创业者，保家卫国的子弟兵，各行各业的人们都在挥洒汗水，每一个平凡的人都作出了不平凡的贡献！人民永远是我们战胜一切困难挑战的最大依靠。Along the way, we are bound to encounter headwinds. Some enterprises had a tough time. Some people had difficulty finding jobs and meeting basic needs. Some places were hit by floods, typhoons, earthquakes or other natural disasters. All these remain at the forefront of my mind. When I see people rising to the occasion, reaching out to each other in adversity, meeting challenges head-on and overcoming difficulties, I am deeply moved. All of you, from farmers in the fields to workers on factory floors, from entrepreneurs blazing the trail to service members guarding our country -- indeed, people from all walks of life -- have done your very best. Each and every ordinary Chinese has made an extraordinary contribution! You, the people, are the ones we look to when we fight to prevail over all difficulties or challenges.明年是新中国成立75周年。我们要坚定不移推进中国式现代化，完整、准确、全面贯彻新发展理念，加快构建新发展格局，推动高质量发展，统筹好发展和安全。要坚持稳中求进、以进促稳、先立后破，巩固和增强经济回升向好态势，实现经济行稳致远。要全面深化改革开放，进一步提振发展信心，增强经济活力，以更大力度办教育、兴科技、育人才。要继续支持香港、澳门发挥自身优势，在更好融入国家发展大局中保持长期繁荣稳定。祖国统一是历史必然，两岸同胞要携手同心，共享民族复兴的伟大荣光。Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. We will steadfastly advance Chinese modernization, fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, speed up building the new development paradigm, promote high-quality development, and both pursue development and safeguard security. We will continue to act on the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, and establishing the new before abolishing the old. We will consolidate and strengthen the momentum of economic recovery, and work to achieve steady and long-term economic development. We will deepen reform and opening up across the board, further enhance people's confidence in development, promote vibrant development of the economy, and redouble efforts to boost education, advance science and technology and cultivate talents. We will continue to support Hong Kong and Macao in harnessing their distinctive strengths, better integrating themselves into China's overall development, and securing long-term prosperity and stability. China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.我们的目标很宏伟，也很朴素，归根到底就是让老百姓过上更好的日子。孩子的抚养教育，年轻人的就业成才，老年人的就医养老，是家事也是国事，大家要共同努力，把这些事办好。现在，社会节奏很快，大家都很忙碌，工作生活压力都很大。我们要营造温暖和谐的社会氛围，拓展包容活跃的创新空间，创造便利舒适的生活条件，让大家心情愉快、人生出彩、梦想成真。Our goal is both inspiring and simple. Ultimately, it is about delivering a better life for the people. Our children should be well taken care of and receive good education. Our young people should have the opportunities to pursue their careers and succeed. And our elderly people should have adequate access to medical services and elderly care. These issues matter to every family, and they are also a top priority of the government. We must work together to deliver on these issues. Today, in our fast-paced society, people are all busy and face a lot of pressure in work and life. We should foster a warm and harmonious atmosphere in our society, expand the inclusive and dynamic environment for innovation, and create convenient and good living conditions, so that the people can live happy lives, bring out their best, and realize their dreams.当前，世界上还有一些地方处在战火硝烟之中。中国人民深知和平的珍贵，我们愿同国际社会一道，以人类前途为怀、以人民福祉为念，推动构建人类命运共同体，建设更加美好的世界。As I speak to you, conflicts are still raging in some parts of the world. We Chinese are keenly aware of what peace means. We will work closely with the international community for the common good of humanity, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make the world a better place for all.此时此刻，夜色斑斓，万家灯火。让我们一起，祝愿祖国繁荣昌盛、世界和平安宁！祝愿大家福暖四季、顺遂安康！Right at this moment, when the lights in millions of homes light up the evening sky, let us all wish our great country prosperity, and let us all wish the world peace and tranquility! I wish you happiness in all the four seasons and success and good health in the year ahead!谢谢大家！Thank you!来源：新华社

This week our guest is the incomparable Mark Sleboda! You can find me and the show on social media by searching the handle @DrWilmerLeon on X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube. Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/Drwilmerleonctd All our episodes can be found at CTDpodcast.com.   Transcript: Dr Wilmer Leon (00:48): Welcome to the Connecting the Dots podcast with Dr. Wilmer Leon. I'm Wilmer Leon. Here's the point. We have a tendency to view current events as though they occur in a vacuum, failing to understand the broader historical context in which most events take place. During each episode of this podcast, my guests and I will have probing, provocative, and in-depth discussions that connect the dots between current events and the broader historic context in which they occur. This will enable you to better understand and analyze the events that impact the global village in which we live. On today's episode, we will discuss the recent belt and road form for international cooperation. Recently, over 500 people were killed as a result of an Al Ali Arab Hospital bombing in Gaza. And the US has provided Ukraine long range attack s missiles for insight into this. Let's turn to my guest. He's a Moscow based international relations and security analyst, mark Sloboda. Mark, let's connect some dots. Mark Sleboda (01:58): Pleasure to on connecting the dots. Dr Wilmer Leon (02:02): So Russian President Putin recently went to Beijing to participate in the third Belt and Road forum for international cooperation. Mark, how significant was this meeting? Mark Sleboda (02:17): Yeah, so I think that this meeting was significant for a number of reasons. First, for President Putin on a personal situation, it is the first time that he has left Russia since the Wess pushed international criminal court charged Vladimir Putin with the crime of helping families and caretakers in East Ukraine move their own children out of the range of Kiev regime artillery that had been bombing them for the last 10 years, also known as abducting children, which evidently is a crime when Russia does it in a time of conflict, but is not a crime when the US does it, when they move thousands of children out of Afghanistan and many thousands of children out of Vietnam in a previous generation of conflict. But besides that, the Russian Chinese relationship bilaterally, I think is probably the most important bilateral relationship for both countries. And both presidents seem to have a good working relationship, often described as a friendship and a deep understanding with each other. (03:47) And each time one of the others has been reelected to their positions. The first country that they go to is each other's, and I think that is a symbolic sign of the relationship, how important it is with each other's countries. But in a wider perspective, this Belt and Road Forum summit, it is actually the 10th anniversary of China's launching of the Belt and Road Project with the goal of which is to build deep infrastructure all along certain geographic pathways along a lot of what could have been considered the old Silk Road to facilitate trade and connections between the countries of this part of the world. And this is something that China does wherever it goes and does business is build infrastructure because it considers that as a long-term investment, not only in the process of conducting trade, but of helping their trade partner develop to a level where they can better trade with each other. (05:09) So physical infrastructure, but also schools, hospitals, things like this. Now a lot of Russian and Chinese and many other countries, leaders have done a lot about talking about the construction of a new, more multipolar, fairer and more equitable world order. And this would stand, I think, in contradiction and an obvious opposition to the current rules based orders. We make the rules, we give the orders of US led Western global hegemony, but in this emerging, shall we say, nascent being born multipolar world order, there are several countries that come to the fore as the first among equals, but certainly China and Russia, our foremost political drivers amongst that. And China stands of course head above the rest if only in terms of their population and their economic strength, which by many measures already exceeds that of the United States. And if there is a meeting and a display of this alternate world order of which China is playing such an important part, a China centric world order, if you want to call it, that was on display in this Belt and road summit. (07:00) It was a bringing together of all the countries participating in this physical implementation of a more multipolar world order. The only Western leader in attendance, very interestingly is the right wing prime minister of Hungary, the foreign policy black sheep, victor or Bond who has refused to participate in the West's proxy war in Ukraine. And its existential economic war of sanctions weaponizing its control of the global financial and economic architecture against Russia, primarily from a Hungarian national interest perspective rather than any great love of Russia or the Russian president, which is I think a position that most people would agree is something that should be something that every world leader should aspire to, that they put their own nation's interest and people above all others. Although in the current world that's not even specific. It's not, we know that it's not the case. Dr Wilmer Leon (08:25): Just asked Olaf Schultz in Germany that question you mentioned each time gee and Putin get elected, we keep hearing from Western narrative, particularly from Biden authoritarians, authoritarians G is an authoritarian, Putin is an authoritarian, can just briefly explain the fact that they're elected, they don't control their elections. They have different electoral processes than we do. They have different democratic constructs than we have, but that doesn't mean that they're authoritarian. Mark Sleboda (09:14): Yeah, I mean this is a label that is tapped on essentially to any country now that lies outside of US-led western global hegemony that does not align itself and does not meet the West's self-reflective standard of what democracy looks like. And it really, it is a way of exerting moral superiority. The idea that we are both morally and systemically superior than those people over there who are our adversaries in a different time. It was communists of course, and there have been other labels in history and certainly labels are applied to the Western countries. They are imperialists. They are hegemons. This is a standard othering device. I live in Russia, I immigrated to Russia from the United States, and I have lived here for most of two decades. And I have to be honest, after having some experience as a volunteer for the US Democratic Party, I find that politics in Russia on a whole is no more or less substantive than the democratic nature beneath the sheets of politics in the United States. I don't want to go out of the way to make it seem like it's a democratic utopia or anything like that far from it. But on a whole, knowing the warts inside and out of political systems in US and Europe and now Russia, I think that over in a general context that they're expressed themselves roughly equally. There is Dr Wilmer Leon (11:18): Politics plus they also reflect the intricacies of their cultures. And so I was having a conversation with some folks a couple of days ago and I said they were, oh, well G is an authoritarian. And I said, well, I've seen polls from Harvard and Princeton and some other western universities that show like 96% of Chinese people like their government. And I think it was 87% of Russians polled like their government support government. So if it's working for them, then who in the world am I to say that it's not good, it's not right, or what we have is better. I know Joe Biden would love to see 60% approval rating, let alone 96% approval rating. Mark Sleboda (12:15): Yeah, I think not only approval of the current government, but I've seen similar polls that asking peoples of different countries whether they think they live in a democracy and quite overwhelmingly, certainly over the 50% margin, the people of Russia feel they live in a democracy and certainly the people in China do as well to an even greater degree. Again, it doesn't look like western liberal democracy, but perhaps you could consider it of a more technocratic bureaucratic nature. But as you point out, there is a thousand multi-thousand year history of Chinese bureaucratic constructs that they are laying their future and their choices on top of. Meanwhile, in the United States, people generally feel that they don't live in a democratic system, that their government is not responsive to their needs and interests. And you could say that that is, oh, I mean all the people in Russia and China are ignorant. (13:35) They don't know the real situation of what they live and what we live in. And I got to tell you, Russian people, even Chinese people, despite the great Chinese firewall, their coordinate of the internet generally have a far higher degree of reading and understanding western media than the other way around. That is they hear our perspective and thoughts, but as Westerners, you quite often don't hear at least on your own media unless you go actively looking for it, the opinions and perspectives of other countries. So I think that assumption that all the people over in that other part of the world, they don't live in a real democracy and that they think they do is only a sign of how brainwashed and ignorant they are compared to us enlightened people on the shining city on the hill. That is a hallmark of the supremacist ideology of exceptionalism that unfortunately has come to dominate not American political culture, but I think far more important, the American political elite, the ruling class. And that has disastrous consequences for us foreign policy and the world. Dr Wilmer Leon (15:05): You are absolutely right. I've been to Iran twice and was very blessed to lecture at probably somewhere between 10 and 15 universities throughout the country. And as I traveled throughout Iran, I was amazed at how well informed the questions that these students asked me. They were right on it, man, in terms of an understanding of the politics of the moment. And again, the questions that they asked me were spot on. It indicated that they were going beyond the rhetoric, they were going beyond the talking points. And it was shocking to me how well-informed in spite of the wall that you talk about in terms of the internet, they were on point, man. Mark Sleboda (16:11): Yeah, I think it's interesting that this label is applied to adversaries like Russia and China, Russia, which has opposition parties and elections. They don't do very good right now because since the economic catastrophe of the nineties, I think the Russian population has been more united in their political vision of a path out of that and forward and retaking what they see as their place in the world after the self dissolution of the Soviet Union. That will not last forever. And a lot of people question whether it will last after Putin at all. But there is opposition political structures. The biggest opposition political party in Russia is the communist party of the Russian Federation, which polls generally somewhere around 15% of the population. And in foreign policy, it must be said, they largely agree with the current government of Vladimir Putin, but in domestic issues, they constantly fight for the Duma for things that leftist parties always fight for, more social benefits, more spending on education and medicine and other things. And if anything, I think probably the communists would probably, if they were leading the country, would probably take a more hard line foreign policy position than the current government. I think that when the US Dr Wilmer Leon (18:02): Speak to that, because a lot of people listening this will say, wait a minute, a harder line than Vladimir Putin. Oh my God. You can't get a harder line than that when the people making those observations have never listened to the man, have never read any of the speeches that he's given. And so they, again, he's evil, he's insane, all of these, he's a dictator, all of these kinds of things. Mark Sleboda (18:36): Yeah. Again, the fact that they don't hear what Vladimir Putin has to say for himself because the western media specifically does not reproduce it for them. And I have to say that Russian media does this. I mean, there are still government funded projects in Somi that translate word for word western articles in print media and televised and put it out there for Russians to listen to, not only from the United States and Europe, but from all over the world. That tradition doesn't exist on the west. It's not that it is banned, although in some cases in Europe, Artie and Sputnik are banned, aren't they? Or everything is done to take them off the airwaves as is done in the United States, and of course not just with RT and Sputnik, but now with press TV from Iran. And there are calls of course to do the same to the Chinese CCTV and now even Al Jazeera in the current climate because as the state media arm of Qatar, they are now seen as being anti-Israeli. (19:55) So a very similar phenomenon is now taking place. And in a previous conflict, there was very much the same argument being made about Al Jazeera over the situation in Iraq. So this rears its head regularly, but why is the authoritarian label not linked to actual authoritarian countries? That is dictatorships, that are politically geopolitically allied with the United States, right? Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, these are states that are starting to diversify their foreign policy. Saudi joining Brix and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a dialogue partner and identifying China as their most important trade partner, but still they are very much linked to the United States, and certainly they have been for decades. Qatar has a giant US army base, similarly in Kuwait, the UAE. Why are the actual monarchic oligarchic dictators of these countries not referred to as authoritarian? Because the label is more about oppositional geopolitical alignment than it is in domestic, Dr Wilmer Leon (21:27): Domestic government leadership, Mark Sleboda (21:29): Any real assessment of their domestic political system. And I have to Dr Wilmer Leon (21:34): Say mbss is chopping heads. I mean Mark Sleboda (21:38): Literally as a chopping more than heads, these bones aren't sorry. Right. As a veteran, well, I'm both a military, a US military veteran and shall we say a veteran of the US political system with all the warts that the US political system has with its systemic suppression of third party movements. And I'm talking, I mean Americans don't even know this for the most part, but their own two parties of power, the Republicans and Democrats regularly sue third parties to keep them off the ballot, right? I mean, they regularly go to court every election cycle to keep them off the ballot and the whole structure of 50 separate elections and the intricacies run by the party in power, either the Republicans or the Democrats in the state does everything possible to prevent the emergence of any other voice than those two and the electoral college and the eternal problems with campaign finance and lobbying. But Americans somehow feel their political systemic superiority so strongly that they don't even think when their political and media elites judge the political system of another country. And as far as most Americans reflexively are concerned, they think they are the only democratic country on earth and the only good people, which is really kind of another iteration of we are the chosen people of God, political meme throughout history. Dr Wilmer Leon (23:35): What is more authoritarian than not having a presidential primary in a system that is based on primaries? What is more of a dictatorship than imposing Joe Biden upon Democrats instead of holding a primary look at what the Democrats did to Bernie Sanders during the Hillary Clinton campaign, hence Julian Assange's email leaks, which demonstrated all the machinations that the Clinton campaign went through to see to it that Bernie Sanders could not become the Democrat nominee. What is more authoritarian than that? Mark Sleboda (24:28): I got to tell you. Dr Wilmer Leon (24:31): Am I right? Mark Sleboda (24:32): Yeah, you're absolutely right. And I don't want to go too much myself into US domestic politics because Dr Wilmer Leon (24:40): I just raised that Mark Sleboda (24:40): As examples myself from that. I don't want to cast stones. I don't necessarily feel that it's my place to, but I'm actually a confession. I'm originally from Scranton, Wilkesboro, Pennsylvania. That's where I was born. Anyway, that's also Joe Biden's hometown, where he was born. And I distinctly remember the video. I mean, I was too young at the time to remember it politically, of course, but I've seen the videos of Joe Biden running for Congress admitting open, right, that the system is corrupt, that corrupt people are elected to office, and that at the time, the only reason he wasn't corrupt is because he wasn't given the money by the oligarchs, by the rich of the country that he had asked for because he was too untested of yet, but that if he was, he would've taken, I mean, I think there is no greater condemnation of the US political system than admissions like that coming from the very seat of the president, or I mean, shall we take the words of prior presidents Jimmy Carter coming right out and saying, America is no longer a democracy. It is an oligarchy. Dr Wilmer Leon (26:11): You mentioned that President Putin went to China for the conference and that this was the first time that he had left the country in quite a while. That to me speaks volumes in how comfortable he must be in the midst of the Russia, Ukraine conflict. His country is at war, and he feels comfortable enough to leave his go to China for a couple of days. That to me says that he's comfortable not only in his position domestically, but he's also comfortable in his country's position internationally. Mark Sleboda (26:59): Yeah, I don't think Putin does. He perfectly understands, I think as a leader what he knows and what he doesn't know. And he has made it quite clear that he does not micromanage his generals in the conflict and in the intervention, the special military operation as they call it in Ukraine, the intervention in the Ukrainian civil conflict that has been going on for a decade. Also, of course, neither Russia nor China, nor it must be said, or the United States or India, are signatories to the Rome statute of the international criminal court. So that is not an issue on the trip. In fact, when the international criminal court tried to bring charges against the US, US leaders and military leaders for crimes, alleged crimes, yeah, committed in Afghanistan, in Iraq, they sanctioned the court, they sanctioned the judges, they sanctioned the prosecutor, they threatened to remove funding from the United Nations. They put arrest warrants out for the judges and the prosecutor until the issue was withdrawn. From my understanding is there were even threats made against the families and lives of Dr Wilmer Leon (28:44): SDA was the judge. Yes. I don't remember her first name, but her last name is sda, and her family was sanctioned and threatened. Mark Sleboda (28:54): Yes. So I don't place any credits to that. And one of the reasons I don't place any credits on these charges is anything more than an instance of geopolitical capture of a un institution, which unfortunately happens far more often than it should. But my full disclosure, my wife is from Crimea, which is considered, at least according to the us, to still be part of Ukraine. And we have family all over East Ukraine, and there are some 5 million Ukrainians living and working in Russia. And that is a side of that conflict. The fact that there has been a civil conflict in that country since the openly US backed overthrow of the government there in 2014 is the internal divide in that country. And again, I know Americans think that through their propaganda bubble of the New York Times, the Washington Post, the ancient three networks and Fox and CNN, that they have a better idea what is going on in Ukraine than most Russians do. No, they don't because there are 5 million Ukrainians living in Russia who tell them all the time on tv, in media and in person because of how much families are interrelated on both sides of the border, they know far, far more about what is happening and has been happening politically in that country, not only for the last year or two, but of course going back decades. And it is the height of hubris, I think, to think otherwise. Dr Wilmer Leon (30:48): Switching gears a bit, recently, over 500 people were killed as a result of the Al Ali Arab Hospital bombing in Gaza. And we are seeing this escalation of the conflict in occupied Palestine. As I've been listening to President Xi, as I've been listening to President Putin, they have been trying to find a way to first of all bring about a ceasefire and second of all, negotiate a settlement. I listened to Joe Biden talk about peace, but all he really seems to say is we back Israel a hundred percent. We'll provide more weapons into the region, but we need to have peace. So Mark Sleboda (31:44): Go ahead. Joe Biden has also said, you don't need to be Jewish to be a Zionist. And I think Dr Wilmer Leon (31:49): And has said very clearly that he is a Zionist Mark Sleboda (31:52): And has said that if Israel did not exist, then the United States would have to create it to pursue its interests in the Middle East because it serves such as a convenient platform for the US projection of power into the Middle East. Dr Wilmer Leon (32:11): Wait a minute, lemme throw one more in there. Tony Blinken said the last time that he was in the region, he said, I am not only here as a Secretary of state, I am here as a Jew. So forget independent thinking. Forget being a neutral arbiter here in a Jewish state. That sounds more like imperialism and Mark Sleboda (32:38): Neocolonialism than anything. Mark Sabota. Yeah. Tony Blinken also by the way, mentioned that his family were originally from Russia and that they left the country, his grandfather because of pilgrims in Russia. And I'm really interested in the timing of pilgrims and his grandfather because certainly in the distant past there were pilgrims against Jews in Russia as there were many countries, but within the lifespan of his grandfather, it would make me really seriously question that characterization and feel he's inflating his family's political disagreements within the country. But that certainly also says in the current tensions with Russia in Ukraine and the proxy war there, that he also has a personal ax to grind as do so many people driving US foreign policy on the region like Victoria Newland, whose own family is originally from Ukraine, so there is that as well. But Putin, the Russia has already put forward at the UN Security Council a resolution calling for immediate ceasefire, and this was shot down by the US and Western countries with the US saying that the resolution could not, they couldn't vote for it because it did not criticize Hamas enough, which is obviously the most important thing when you're trying to craft a ceasefire to stop people from actively killing each other. (34:24) Russia and China have been in lockstep on their calls from this. They to a certain extent have been trying to be neutral in the sense that they are refraining from, I think overt criticism of one side or the other in the interest of attaining that ceasefire. Brazil, by the way, also put forward a UN security council resolution calling at least then for humanitarian ceasefires. And that was actually vetoed by the United States as well as France and the UK in lockstep there. Russia and China have been clear, while they don't support the tactics of Hamas, they feel that this is just the latest consequence of a long-term policy of a pretense of a peace process while backed by to the hilt by the us. Israel goes about its process of what it calls settlers, which is a policy of ethnic cleansing and colonization of Palestine, of the Palestine. (35:41) America, of course, does not recognize the state of Palestine, Russia and China both do, and they think they've made it clear that this is a result of the West, the world, but most importantly the West because they're not do it, not recognizing the Palestinian state, not granting its sovereignty and its own borders, and its right, of course, to defend its own country and borders and people a right that they extend to Israelis, but not to Palestinians. Because you'll hear from multiple US politicians and political elite that they don't believe that the Palestinians are a people to, which I would say you really, really need to go visit Gaza or the West Bank then. And Americans also seem to not understand, and I'm not so sure it would make a difference, maybe it would that a third of the Palestinians are actually Christians. I mean, would that help their perception, help them get past the inherent Islamophobia involved in the issue? (36:54) I don't know, but maybe people should point that out to them that it might help the situation some. But yeah, Russia and China have been quite clear net. Putin has talked to Netanyahu. He has also of course talked to the Palestinian leader, ABAs in the West Bank, and his government has been in contact with Hamas and the other political factions in Gaza. He's also been nonstop on the phone with every major Arab and other world leader that has interests in this conflict, Iran, Hezbollah the like. And he has been trying to do his best towards trying to come to some kind of sane cessation of hostilities. But instead, what we get obviously from the Biden administration, from the eu, the Western countries in general, is they have obviously given a green light to Israel to do a ground operation in Gaza. And Israel has demanded of the, it's a city of some more than 2 million people that has been rightly called the world's largest concentration camp or an open air prison with walls built around it. The real solution is the recognition of the Palestinian state, and that's the only way to relieve the pressure of the people in Gaza. Dr Wilmer Leon (38:59): One of the things that I found incredibly telling and quite a contrast was as Tony Blinken was on his Middle Eastern tour talking to US allies, the foreign minister of Iran was on his tour of the region talking to Iranian allies. In fact, lemme take a step back. When Trump assassinated Qem soleimani, the revered Iran in general, Iran said, we will retaliate. And a lot of people thought that that meant, oh my goodness, well, over the next few days, Iran's going to do something and Iran didn't do anything. Now we've got Tony Blinken, he was on his trip. Joe Biden was there on his trip, and at the same time, the Iranian foreign minister was talking to Iranian allies, and now the Iranian foreign minister has come out and said, Israel, your time is up. Talk about what an even height, another escalation of this conflict could mean in the region and what it could mean in the world. Mark Sleboda (40:21): Yeah, there was an interesting article out yesterday in the Financial Times where an anonymous US official acknowledged that as a result of the US and the rest of the West, so wholeheartedly backing Israel in this to the degree that they have, and this obvious green light for the ground operation, which is a ethnic cleansing of Gaza, of the Palestinian population, ordering 1 million people to get out of the way. Of course it's an impossibility, where would they go is the most obvious question, even if you were able to order a million people at a time to leave their houses. But there is an alignment of global sentiment and forces, political forces going on the financial Times. This US official and the Financial Times laments that as a result of this, that this is incredibly damaging to us influence in what the US usually likes to call the global south, where if you think of the West, you think of the rest and he says they will never listen to us again. I mean, if they were already, then we've lost them, not just the Islamic world, but more broadly. And because of the recent reproach month between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the normalization of diplomatic relations, thank Dr Wilmer Leon (42:18): You, China. Mark Sleboda (42:19): Yeah. It's brokered by China and not all peaches and cream. But the last week saw the first direct phone call between the president of Iran and the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, and they both agreed, they expressed a common position on what is happening in Palestine, in Gaza, and is what Israel is doing and how unacceptable it is. And that is already an amazing geopolitical change. Like the world has shifted, and I have to constantly ask myself, is this real right that the world has changed so much? And there's a saying attributed to Lenin that decades pass and nothing changes. And then at other times in weeks, decades pass decades of change ensue. And we're I think, living in one of those periods, one of those latter periods now where things are changing so fast and we Dr Wilmer Leon (43:37): Minute, wait a minute, a minute. Because to that point again, China helped to broker the reproach mon between the Saudis and the Iranians and the United States was in the process of brokering a reproach mon between the Saudis and Israel, and then Hamas attacks Israel and the Saudis say out Israel, that conversation we were about to have, let's put that on hold because that decade of change has taken place in the matter of a day. Mark Sleboda (44:17): Yeah, Saudi Arabia was really looking for under, shall we say, a newly foreign policy mature Moham bin Salman, who has obviously changed himself a lot in recent years from what he was when he first came into power as the heir to the ailing king who has really been running the country. He is looking for a multi-vector foreign policy with a minimal amount of conflict. So he wanted to have the foreign policy options with bricks, with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, but it doesn't mean that he wanted a complete severance of relations with the United States either. And since the Trump administration, the US has been pushing very, very hard on their policy of trying to get Arab countries to recognize in Israel and to normalize relations, diplomatic relations, and others, which would also be tantamount to accepting Israeli occupation of large parts of Palestine and ever increasingly more so, you can see where the Palestinians probably regarded a normalization deal being pushed by the US between Saudi Arabia and Israel as an existential issue for them. (45:55) Because as by many standards, the most important Sunni Islamic country, because of its holding not only of world's energy reserves with oil, but also the two holy mosques, the way Saudi Arabia goes, the rest of the SUNY Arab world would inevitably follow, and that would end any hope of Arab support for them if this deal went through. It. Also, by the way, the sweetener is a security guaranteed deal with Saudi Arabia, which would effectively elevate Saudi Arabia in security technical terms to the status of the relationship between the US and Israel, IE preferential deals on weapons systems, access to more advanced military technology, full access to intelligence training. Everything that the US provides now to Israel would also be provided at the same level, the same prices and so forth, more or less to Saudi Arabia. That was the sweetener of the deal, and I believe that Hamas' motivation in the, they killed civilians. I mean, there's been a lot of, I think, obvious beheading of babies. That's Kuwaiti incubator, baby type disinformation ized to, but that's not to excuse that they use terrorist tactics. They killed civilians. On the Dr Wilmer Leon (47:36): Other hand, wait a minute, and don't forget the Russian killing of babies in the Ukraine, the women's hospital that wasn't a women's hospital. Mark Sleboda (47:48): That is I think, a case for the point, again, for the way the US wages information war mostly against its own people, which is another fascinating at a rabbit hole to go down. But I mean, it's not to say that Israel doesn't routinely kill, I mean, on an essentially daily basis, Palestinian civilians through its process of settling, ethnic cleansing, political Dr Wilmer Leon (48:18): Oppression, it bulldozers, villages, indiscriminately arrests, detains people without charge, and basically Mark Sleboda (48:29): Regularly summarily executes people who resist that, Dr Wilmer Leon (48:34): Right? Mark Sleboda (48:35): So anyway, I believe that Hamas' primary motivation in launching this attack, a wasting military resources that they had spent years building in secret plans that they had. The timing of this tells me that it was to prevent that Saudi Israeli reproach month deal being pushed by the US from going through, because they saw it as existential for them. And if that was the goal, then it has been successful because as a result of Saudi's disproportionate response to, if Israel had said, we are going to do a targeted anti-terrorist operation in Gaza against the Hamas and the Islamic Jihad leadership who were responsible for this, and the people who carried it out, I think there would've been a very different global reaction to this. If instead we didn't have Israeli leaders saying that we're going to destroy Gaza, that we're going to wipe Gaza off the face of turn it to Dr Wilmer Leon (49:54): Dust, Mark Sleboda (49:54): Dust, and that all Palestinians civilians are the enemy. We heard that from Naftali Bennett. That would've been a very different situation. And there is, I think a much more substantial reaction, not only from the usual suspects, we've heard that from Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the Sufi, sorry, the Shia organization there. That is demonized wrongly in this particular case because it doesn't use terrorist tactics by the US and Israel, and no country in the world really outside the West as a terrorist organization that if Israel goes a ground operation and begins cleansing Gaza, then Hezbollah will open up a second front war on the Israeli north, and then there will be a two. Iran has voiced very similar that prospects that if the Israeli government's atrocities against the Palestinian people, which as a result right now are approaching 4,000 dead, which by the way is almost four times the number of people that the Hamas' operational s of flood attacks killed four times. (51:35) So obviously proportionality is not an issue when it comes to Israel, but that Iran would feel the need to intervene. We've heard even further, surprisingly, from the government of Jordan and the king of Jordan, right? Not called authoritarian by the way, but because he was educated in Oxford, I mean, he's largely regarded across the Arab world as a western puppet, as a western aligned Arab leader with a very large Palestinian refugee population, and a people who feel very close to that situation. Jordan has come out and said that if Israel looks set to drive the Palestinians out of Gaza as they appear to be planning to do, then Jordan would consider it an act of war. Which I mean, that totally surprised me coming from the modern. Now, a lot of it is probably motivated out of self-interest of the Jordanian king. If I don't react the way my people want me to, they will overthrow me in order to be able to do something. (52:53) But regardless of his personal motivations for it, it is certainly something I did not expect. And if Jordan does, so other countries around will become involved, and then there's the prospect of other countries or say Hezbollah as an organization becomes involved, that the US becomes involved. The US has two aircraft carriers. Well, the second one's steaming on its way to the Israeli coast right now, as well as a marine amphibious expedition ships with some at least 2000 Marines. And Joe Biden has kind of, I don't know on some type of idiotic loop reel, been saying about Hezbollah and Iran don't even, as it shovels tens of billions of dollars of emergency military support of crucial military supplies into Israel. And Biden is calling for 10 billion in military emergency, military or financial aid, sorry to be transferred as well. Russia is sitting there. Russia has military bases in Syria, naval base, several other military bases where it helped prevent a US backed jihadi overthrow of the Syrian government there with the us it must be said, still illegally occupying eastern Syria, east of the river, Syria's oil fields and wheat fields, and Turkey still sitting in northern Syria with a hundred thousand Jihadists still on its payroll. (54:46) But Russia has these military bases in Syria, and it sees the US just down the coast a little bit with two aircraft carriers. And Putin has asked the question, what are you going to do with those two aircraft carriers? And they're resulting fleets, Hezbollah seriously. And Putin was obviously expressing that he doesn't believe that. So Putin ordered that Russian jet fighters, they're most modern variants, fifth gen fighters will now be patrolling the Black Sea, the extent of it with al hypersonic long range missiles that have a range of a thousand kilometers. And he very directly pointed out that fired from the Black Sea that those missiles can hit US aircraft carriers where they're sitting in the Eastern Mediterranean and again, hypersonic. Hypersonic, yeah. So very, very hard to shoot down, if not impossible. And he said, this is not a threat. This is a response. (56:03) And basically he is saying, if you attack Syria, and it has to be said that Israel has already bombed Damascus airport very heavily again, and they've been shelling Southern Lebanon, if you attack our military bases in Syria, then will take out your aircraft carriers, right? I mean, you see where this spiral of escalation is leading, right? Israel goes into Gaza, Hezbollah, maybe Iran go in, Israel conducts cleansing operations in Gaza and Jordan and probably half of the rest of the Arab world join in. They join in, and the US joins in the US attacks Syria as part of this, because Iran power projects through Syria, Russia has bases in Syria. Russia bases get attacked. Russia attacks the US boom. We're in World War III in another conflict, right, that is going on simultaneously with ripple effects from the geopolitical tension and the conflict going on in Ukraine. So all of this has me feeling very much as my used to say, as a long tailed cat in a room full of Dr Wilmer Leon (57:22): Rocks, rocking chairs, and I want to reiterate hypersonic missiles. That means that Joe Biden has basically sent two targets for Russia to attack. Mark Sleboda (57:40): Now, Russia is not going to just attack American aircraft carriers Dr Wilmer Leon (57:45): World Mark Sleboda (57:46): War ii realize. No, I realize that it's meant as a deterrent, Dr Wilmer Leon (57:50): Which, so what is a deterrent that does not deter? Mark Sleboda (57:55): That's a good question. Unfortunately, I think Russia has seen several red lines be crossed in the recent years with the US escalation in Ukraine and hasn't responded, which has led numerous White House officials to say outright, we don't believe in Russian red lines. That means that we can keep poking the bear. And no matter what they do, they won't respond because they fear a nuclear conflict more than we do. That is, well, it's more than madness. It is the death of mad. It is the death of mutually assured destruction, which takes us back to a very early Cold War era that we should all be afraid of. Dr Wilmer Leon (58:44): Just really quickly, we have just about two minutes left, and I'm glad you made that point, because whether it's Ukraine, whether it's Syria, whether it is the Black Sea, the United States seems to continue to believe a, when Vladimir Putin or when Xi Jinping says something, they don't mean it. And when they make a commitment, they will not honor it. And what I have come to see over the years is they don't bluff. They don't play, they don't joke. We got a minute. Mark Sleboda (59:22): Yeah. So how to mesh that difference between, I think demonstrable reality and what the US ruling administration as seeing as their politicized reading of their opponents, that does not match up with reality. That's a recipe for disaster, Dr Wilmer Leon (59:46): Really. Wow. Well, I want to thank my guest, mark Sloboda. Mark, thank you for joining me today. Mark Sleboda (59:54): Thanks for having me, Dr. Leon. It's been an honor and a pleasure to be on the show. Dr Wilmer Leon (59:58): Thank you, mark. Big shout out to my producer, melody McKinley. Thank you so much for joining the Connecting the Dots podcast with me, Dr. Wimer Leon. This is where the analysis of politics, culture, and history, converge talk without analysis is just chatter, and we don't chatter on connecting the dots. Stay tuned for new episodes every week. Also, please follow and subscribe. Leave a review, share my show, follow me on social media. You can find all the links below in the show description. I'll see you next time. Until then, treat each day like it's your last, because one day you'll be right. I'm Dr. Wier Leon. Peace and Blessings. I'm out.

President Xi Jinping pledged on Monday to constantly deepen the relationship between China and Belarus, saying that Beijing is willing to strengthen strategic coordination with Minsk, firmly support each other and promote pragmatic cooperation.Xi made the remarks during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Both leaders exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, among other things.Lukashenko arrived in Beijing on Sunday, his second visit to China within the year. Xi recalled Lukashenko's state visit to China at the end of February, saying during that visit, they reached an important consensus on promoting the high-level development of China-Belarus relations.Xi said that over the year, the political mutual trust between the two countries has been further consolidated and their international coordination has become closer.China always views its relations with Belarus from a strategic and long-term perspective, firmly supports Belarus in following the development path that suits Belarus' national conditions, and opposes interference by external forces in the internal affairs of Belarus, he added.Xi pointed out that more than 150 countries have signed Belt and Road Initiative cooperation documents in the past decade.Mentioning the eight major steps he announced at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in October to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi called on Belarus to continue its active participation in joint building of the Belt and Road and gain more substantial development opportunities from it.Xi said the two sides should make greater efforts to implement projects such as the China-Belarus Industrial Park, a landmark cooperation project within the Belt and Road framework, and push for more results in industrial cooperation between the two countries.Both sides should work to enhance cross-border transportation, promote economic, trade, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, expand collaboration in education, healthcare, sports and tourism, support youth exchanges and cooperation, and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, he added.Noting that China and Belarus are important forces participating in the reform and development of the global governance system, Xi underlined the need for both countries to strengthen coordination and cooperation within multilateral mechanisms, such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.Lukashenko said that Belarus is firmly committed to developing friendly relations with China. It is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with China, firmly support each other, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthen international and multilateral strategic coordination, and push for greater development in their all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership, he said.Belarus sincerely hopes that China will continue to develop and become stronger, which is conducive to the cause of global peace and progress, Lukashenko said.He added that the initiatives proposed by President Xi, including the Belt and Road Initiative, are great endeavors that truly gather international consensus and cooperation, and his country will continue to actively participate in them.China is the second-largest trading partner of Belarus. In the first three quarters of this year, the trade volume between the two countries amounted to $6.45 billion, a year-on-year increase of 83.6 percent, according to the Foreign Ministry.Reporter: Cao Desheng

This audio is brought to you by Wearcheck, your condition monitoring specialist. South African ilmenite used to manufacture titanium dioxide pigment in KwaZulu-Natal has received a major value boost with the signing of an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the long-awaited sulphuric acid titanium dioxide project that has been championed over many years by Nyanza Light Metals CEO Donovan Chimhandamba. The project highlights the huge opportunity for Africa and South Africa to move up the value curve by establishing advanced material production companies that make competitive use of locally mined materials. The $750-million required for the far-reaching titanium dioxide (TiO2) project is no small change and has been awaiting the high-level EPC signing with East China Engineering Science and Technology Company (ECEC), a subsidiary of China National Chemical Engineering Group Company. The signing was essential to give the many finance houses committed to funding the 80 000 t/y project the confidence needed. This solace stems from ECEC having built 31 plants in China over 60 years, as well as the EPC signed being followed by an ongoing operational upkeep agreement. The important backdrop to all this is that South Africa's ilmenite, a heavy mineral sands derivative, sells at around $300/t on export markets, whereas using it to manufacture TiO2 pigment at the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone will enable it to potentially fetch a ten-times-higher $3 000/t. The first thing the R14-billion Nyanza project is seeking to achieve is to move Africa's abundant raw materials up the value curve, Chimhandamba emphasised to Engineering News & Mining Weekly in a Zoom interview earlier this year. The 80 000 t/y of TiO2 pigment is probably around half of Africa's buying capacity and just over 1% in terms of the global market. TiO2 is widely used in the fields of coatings, cosmetics, medicine, electronics and environmental protection. However, at present, there is not a single TiO2 factory in operation all across Africa, China Chemical Industry News journalists Li Dongzhou and Wang Peng have noted in their article sent to Engineering News & Mining Weekly. At last month's third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing, the EPC signing breakthrough was finally achieved. With shared technology and cooperation, Nyanza will produce TiO2 pigment in South Africa, demonstrating how the Belt and Road Initiative is benefiting development in Africa through cooperation with China, Dongzhou and Peng emphasise. Nyanza will be sourcing its ilmenite from within South Africa and Mining Weekly can report manufacturing costs could be lowered further if a way is found to blend in the 45-million tons of stockpiled ilmenite-containing slag at Evraz, the former Highveld Steel and Vanadium, in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga. The blending in could conceivably be brought about with higher-content ilmenite, or synthetic rutile from Richards Bay Minerals. Self-generation of 12 MW of solar power supported by battery storage is planned, augmented by cogenerated electricity from theTiO2 pigment plant itself once it is in operation. Already commissioned is a R200-million product testing and development centre, which is able to provide 700 t/y of TiO2 pigment sample to offtake partners. Offtake agreements for more than 60% of the 80 000 t/y capacity have already been signed and while the main plant is being built, the testing and development will be used to train the 850 employees that will be brought in early for upskilling. Africa Finance Corporation of Nigeria and African Export-Import Bank of Egypt are co-funders of the project's feasibility phase, and a third multilateral international finance institution is going through concluding the agreements. Senior debt is already oversubscribed, equity players have expressed interest, financial close is likely by year-end and construction is expected to begin next year. Arkein Industr...

In this episode, titled "10 Years On: China's Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East," our host Jonathan Fulton delves into the current state of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its implications for the Middle East. Jonathan will analyze the recently held Belt and Road Forum, the involvement of various countries in the initiative, and the challenges and opportunities it presents. Get ready to explore the complexities of China's global infrastructure plan and its impact on the Middle East, as we discuss the geopolitical dynamics, competing interests, and potential alternatives to the BRI.TakeawaysImpact of the Belt & Road InitiativeChina's Strategic Goals and Future PlansCompetition for Leadership in the Global SouthAlternatives and Response to the BRIThe EU's Global Gateway InitiativeChina's Renewed Commitment to the BRIBroader Foreign Policy Strategy of ChinaChina's Economic Relationship with the Middle EastQuotes"The Belt and Road Initiative exemplifies China's ambition to reshape global dynamics, providing growth alternatives to emerging nations against the prevailing US-led order." - Yun Sun"Developing countries will continue to engage with China, but they need to negotiate for better terms and develop resilience against negative effects." - David O. ShullmanFeatured in the EpisodeJonathan FultonNonresident Senior Fellow for Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council. Assistant Professor of Political Science at Zayed University in Abu Dhabihttps://ae.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-fulton-2627414bhttps://twitter.com/jonathandfultonDavid O. ShullmanSenior Director of the Global China Hub at the Atlantic Councilhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/david-0-shullman-56a85a24/Yun SunSenior Fellow and Co-Director, East Asia Program, Director of the China Program, Stimson Centerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/yun-sun-62871729/Chapters00:00 - Introduction02:29 Shaping Foreign Policy: China's BRI and the Global Order07:04 Reviving Commitments: China's Renewed Focus on the BRI11:07 Summit Dynamics: Sparse Western Presence at the Belton Road Summit12:37 Emerging Axis: China's Intensified Focus on the Developing World15:48 Geopolitical Chess: China's Quest for Influence in the Global South19:06 Global Rivalry: China's Strategy for Garnering Developing World Support24:40 Power Balance: India's Role in the Global Competition26:08 Mission Engagement: Challenging China's Diplomacy in Africa, Latin America, and Asia29:56 Resilience and Revolution: Offering Digital Alternatives to the BRI34:19 Economic Endurance: BRI's Stability Amid China's Economic Slowdown36:57 Strategic Partnerships: Gulf Countries' Economic Diversification with China39:56 Outro

Diese Woche im Tech Briefing: Die One Belt, One Road-Initiative oder auch „Neue Seidenstraße” soll China politischen Einfluss, sichere Lieferketten und Transportwege und den Zugang zu Rohstoffen ermöglichen. Beim dritten Belt and Road-Forum in Peking reisten Delegierte aus aller Welt an – von Russlands Präsident Putin bis zu Vertretern der Taliban. Denn der Ausbau der „Neuen Seidenstraße” gerät langsam ins Stocken. Was geht da vor?

Diese Woche im Tech Briefing:Thema der Woche: Die One Belt, One Road-Initiative oder auch „Neue Seidenstraße” soll China politischen Einfluss, sichere Lieferketten und Transportwege und den Zugang zu Rohstoffen ermöglichen. Beim dritten Belt and Road-Forum in Peking reisten Delegierte aus aller Welt an – von Russlands Präsident Putin bis zu Vertretern der Taliban. Denn der Ausbau der „Neuen Seidenstraße” gerät langsam ins Stocken. Was geht da vor? Plus: Auch die Europäische Union versucht sich mit der Global Gateway Initiative als Gegenpol zu China zu positionieren. Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen lädt zum „Global Gateway”-Gipfel in Brüssel. Eigentlich hätte die EU aktuell ein ideales Zeitfenster, doch weiß sie es zu nutzen? Dazu: Internationale Lieferketten, globale Transportwege – wie digitalisiert ist eigentlich die Logistik-Branche? Im Gespräch: Jürgen Matthes vom IW Köln über China und seine wirtschaftlichen und politischen Ambitionen. Stefan Kalmund, CEO und Gründer des Schweizer Unternehmens Nexxiot, das mit ihren Globehopper-Trackern Daten über die weltweiten Lieferketten sammelt und jeden Container fast in Echtzeit nachverfolgen kann. Live von der Bühne: Auf der My Way erzählte Donya Florence Amer, Chief Information Officer bei Hapag-Lloyd, die Geschichte vom Suchen von Finden ihrer Millionen von Containern. Plus: Nachrichten aus der Welt der BigTech, Startups und TechnologieDie kostenlose Economy Edition unseres Tech Briefing Newsletters können Sie hier kostenlos abonnieren.Ab sofort steht die neue The Pioneer Podcast App kostenlos im Apple App Store und im Google Playstore zum Download bereit.Haben Sie Fragen? Schreiben Sie uns gerne eine Mail an kontakt@mediapioneer.com.Moderation: Christoph Keese und Lena WaltleRedaktionsassistent: Clara Meyer-HornProduktion: Till Schmidt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Kim Byung-joo at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies joins us to analyze the results of the Belt & Road Forum and the implications of China-Russia interaction. 

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President Xi Jinping underlined China's readiness to enable a higher and deeper level of regional cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.The two leaders met shortly after the conclusion of the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. It marked the 43rd meeting between the two leaders since 2013; their last meeting was held in March, when Xi made his ninth visit to Russia.Xi started the conversation by calling Putin "my old friend", saying that Putin's attendance at the Belt and Road Forum for the third time in a row demonstrated Russia's support for the initiative."Our political mutual trust is deepening, our strategic cooperation is close and effective, and our bilateral trade volume has reached a historic high, moving steadily toward the goal of $200 billion that we jointly set," he said.Meanwhile, major infrastructure projects, including the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline, have been put into operation, delivering tangible benefits for people of the two nations, he said.Furthermore, the two leaders have also established "a good working relationship and a deep friendship" over the past decade, Xi noted.China hopes that the China-Mongolia-Russia natural gas pipeline project and cross-border tourism cooperation along the Great Tea Road will make substantive progress in an effort to develop the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor into a route of high-quality connectivity and development, Xi said.He emphasized that developing a China-Russia relationship featuring permanent good-neighborliness, comprehensive strategic coordination and win-win cooperation is a long-term commitment rather than a temporary fix.With both sides set to celebrate the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties next year, Xi emphasized Beijing's readiness to work with Moscow to accurately grasp the overall trend of history and continue substantiating cooperation based on the fundamental interests of both peoples.China supports the Russian people in pursuing a path of national rejuvenation based on their own choices and safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, the president said.He also highlighted the need for the two nations to promote high-quality development of bilateral pragmatic cooperation, actively explore cooperation in strategic emerging industries, and take the upcoming China-Russia Cultural Year as an opportunity to organize more cultural exchange activities.Xi expressed support to Russia in hosting a successful BRICS Summit next year and is willing to continue strengthening communication and cooperation with Russia within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and G20, he said.Addressing Xi as "my dear friend", Putin said the evolution of the international landscape fully vindicates Xi's strategic judgment that the world is facing major changes unseen in a century."We believe that your initiative to further promote the historical Silk Road traditions, which you proposed 10 years ago, has now become an internationally recognized public good," the Russian president said.Russia is willing to closely communicate and cooperate with China within multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS — the grouping of emerging economies that currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — and to uphold the international system based on international law and promote the establishment of a more just and equitable global governance system, he said.Putin reiterated Russia's adherence to the one-China principle, saying that Moscow firmly supports Beijing in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.Relations between China and Russia are built upon robust economic and trade cooperation, with bilateral trade hitting a record high of $190.27 billion in 2022, up 29.3 percent year-on-year, according to China's Foreign Ministry. China has been Russia's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. Reporter: Xu WeiEurasian Economic Unionn.欧亚经济联盟China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridorn.中蒙俄经济走廊BRICS Summitn.金砖国家峰会

The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing from October 17 to 18 under the theme of "High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity." Is Africa going to be able to catch-up considering the time set for BRI goals and how do Chinese and African partners plan to produce higher quality projects to increase engagement and deliver much concrete outcomes? Professors Liu Baocheng, Associate Dean, Director of Center of International Business Ethics, University of International Business and Economics, and Charles Onunaiju, Director of the Center for China Studies in Nigeria share their thoughts.

Five of the 24 heads of state who attended this week's Belt and Road Forum in Beijing were from African countries, highlighting the prominent role the continent played at the event.Many of the themes that emerged from the two-day forum align neatly with key African priorities related to new development finance and greater access to the Chinese market.Join Geraud, Cobus, and Eric for a lively discussion on the key takeaways from this year's forum and whether African countries really do stand to benefit from the next iteration of the Belt and Road Initiative.JOIN THE DISCUSSION:X: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @christiangeraudFacebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProjectYouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouthFOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineعربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfrJOIN US ON PATREON!Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug!www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouthSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover: 1) A quick review of Michael Lewis' SBF book 2) The impact of effective altruism on the tech industry 3) Why Apple and Jon Stewart are parting ways 4) China's Belt and Road Forum 5) How a multipolar world impacts Apple 6) Marc Andreessen's Techno-Optimism manifesto 7) Max Read's rebuttal to the manifesto 8) Twitter to charge $1 to some users for essential features 9) Twitter users decline since Musk took over, according to new data 10) A new era of misinformation in the middle east --- Enjoying Big Technology Podcast? Please rate us five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in your podcast app of choice. For weekly updates on the show, sign up for the pod newsletter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901970121829801984/ Questions? Feedback? Write to: bigtechnologypodcast@gmail.com

We are excited to welcome Noah Fraser to this episode of The Negotiation. Noah is based in Beijing, serving as Managing Director, China, for the Canada China Business Council (CCBC).  In our conversation, Noah discusses the business landscape in China for Canadian companies, highlighting the enormous opportunities in sectors like consumer goods, agriculture, and more. He also breaks down CCBC's government engagement priorities, advocacy for improved market access, and the current environment for foreign investment.   Noah talks about CCBC's upcoming Annual General Meeting in Beijing, which will welcome a large delegation of Canadian business and government leaders for the first time since before the pandemic. Noah also touches on the Belt and Road Forum, which he attended this week in Beijing alongside representatives from 150 countries.  In closing, Noah shares his experience suiting up in the Beijing International Ice Hockey League and his observations on the rise of hockey in China. Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The Belt and Road Initiative●      Return of high-level visits to China●      CCBC's upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM)●      Challenges and opportunities for Canadian companies in the Chinese market●      The significance of building strong local relationships and understanding the complexities of the Chinese market●      China's approach to foreign investment and the challenges and opportunities it presents●      CCBC's government engagement priorities and advocating for improved market access●      The Beijing International Ice Hockey League

The Chinese President has met his Vietnamese and Sri Lankan counterparts in his latest bilateral meetings with world leaders who attended the Third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.

Nearly 460 outcomes were achieved as the curtain came down on the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. These outcomes encompass a range of international cooperation proposals, multilateral agreements, practical projects, and bilateral agreements. During the event, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted eight major steps to bring Belt and Road cooperation to a new stage of higher-quality and higher-level development. As Belt and Road cooperation completes its vibrant first decade, how does the future of this initiative unfold within the eight major steps? How will participating countries together provide alternative choices to the ever-changing world through collaboration? Host Ge Anna is joined by Chen Weihua, Chief of the China Daily EU Bureau and former chief correspondent in Washington, DC; Zoon Ahmed Khan, Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization; and Giorgia Maset, Policy Officer in European and International Organizations.

Chip stocks drop after U.S. further curbs Nvidia sales to China, and Beijing warns EU probe of Chinese steel will disrupt global supply chains.   Subscribe to a bundle deal now to unlock all coverage by Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal for only $250 a year. It's a 60% discount.

China hosts the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this week, how does the BRI contribute to world economic integration (00:41)? China's telecommunications and Internet companies increase their investments in the cloud computing industry (18:39).

The last bits of Derek's sanity serve Danny's need for the headlines. This week: Biden visits Israel as it pummels Gaza and an IDF ground invasion looms (0:38); a number of countries hold elections, including New Zealand (8:19), Liberia (9:34), Poland (10:57), and Ecuador (13:28); China holds its annual Belt and Road Forum (14:48) while a U.S. report says the People's Republic is building its nuclear arsenal faster than previously believed (16:45); an update on the conflict in Sudan (18:02); Mali sees U.N. peacekeepers continue to withdraw from the north of the country, potentially leading to increased fighting (20:10); the State Duma in Russia greenlights the process to pull out of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (21:20); Ukraine hits Russian airfields in the occupied Luhansk Oblast (22:37) while the Russian assault on the Ukrainian city of Avdivka stalls (24:22); Islamist attacks in Belgium and France trigger free movement suspensions (25:59); Argentina prepares for the first round of its presidential election (27:48); the U.S. and Venezuela move forward with a sanctions relief deal (30:05); and the United States hits record oil production numbers (33:25).Donate to Palestinian Medical Assistance here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   We start by examining the contentious Gaza hospital bombing allegations. Although initial narratives blamed Israel for the massive loss of Palestinian lives, emerging details question this account.   Iran sending a stark message to Israel in the aftermath of the Gaza hospital incident, ominously stating, "Time is Up."   Shifting our gaze to Brussels, we uncover the horrific attack claimed by the Islamic State, which resulted in the tragic loss of two Swedish soccer enthusiasts.   Wrapping up in the Back of the Brief, we focus on the political arena with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping's meeting at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. Plus, Putin's reaction to the introduction of a fresh weapon in the Ukraine war zone.   Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.   Email: PDB@TheFirstTV.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pentagon released classified footage showing Chinese jets coming dangerously close to American aircraft—but it's not a one-off. The full tally now sitting at 180 recent incidents.   The United States, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are joining together to call out Beijing on technology theft in an unprecedented joint message.   In another unprecedented move, one state in America becomes the first to issue the order that a Chinese-owned company must now sell its land in the state.   Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Russia and China are pledging solidarity as war rages in the Middle East. Mr. Putin is attending China's Belt and Road Forum in a rare trip abroad.   ⭕️ Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says the third Belt and Road Forum has achieved the most important consensus of opening a new stage of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met world leaders who attended the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

The Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation has concluded in Beijing. As the most important diplomatic event hosted by China this year, what specific significance does it carry for international cooperation and global synergy? As the Belt and Road Initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary, what kind of new blueprint can it provide?

The government wants to secure as much as USD3 bn in fresh debt financing by the end of the fiscal year, this is set to include:USD 1.5 bn from a range of financial institutions;USD 500 mn from Deutsche Bank and the Arab Banking Corporation;The equivalent of USD 500 mn from the recently-closed panda bond;Another USD 500 mn from an upcoming samurai bond.Egypt's 5-year CDS rate rose to 18.82% on Wednesday, two days before S&P credit rating review for the country, increasing 1.8% compared to 11 October levels.Chinese cable manufacturer Hengtong will invest USD18 mn to expand its factory in the TEDA zone under an agreement signed yesterday at the Belt and Road Forum, the Suez Canal Economic Zone.Intro Group subsidiary Intro Sustainable Resources will work with Siemens to build 300 MW of combined heat and power (CHP) plants in Egypt and the region by 2030.The government is considering issuing green bonds worth USD700 million through one of the Ministry of Electricity's affiliated entities, for launching a green project for the benefit of the private sector or in partnership with it.Egypt will study at a later stage the issuance of sustainability bonds and social bonds, so that it diversifies its debt market instruments to attract foreign investors.EGBE (FV: USD0.55, OW) released 3Q23 standalone financial indicators implying net profit after taxes of EGP388 mn (+81% y/y,+13.8% q/q), partially driven by the growth in the top-line, along with a probable growth in non-interest income and decline in provisioning. EGBE is currently trading at annualized P/E23 of 3.7x, P/B23 of 0.7x.A consortium of seven banks are arranging a syndicated loan for TAQA worth EGP3 billion, to finance the purchase of Wataniya fuel stations. Cheiron Petroleum, Egypt's largest independent energy company, will invest some USD160 million in natural gas exploration and production in the West El Burullus concession.The Arab Organization for Industrialization signed an MoU with Gama Construction to study the implementation of a Petrochemicals complex in Egypt.AXPH (FV: EGP169.46, EW) declared a cash dividend of EGP13.00/share (DY 9.3%, DPO 52%) for FY22/23. Distribution date is November 15, 2023. Record date is November 12, 2023. DSCW's shareholders have until 15 November to respond to The Toma family's bid to acquire an additional 46.9% starting today. The offered price is EGP0.65 per share. DSCW is currently trading at a FY24 PE of 2.9x and an EV/EBITDA of 3.2x.

President Joe Biden visited Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a show of solidarity on Oct. 18. U.S. intelligence confirmed Israel's claim that the rocket that hit the hospital in Gaza did not come from Israel.   The Treasury Department announced new sanctions on ten Hamas members and operatives. Meanwhile, a group of Republican Senators blamed the Biden administration's Iran policies for emboldening the Hamas terrorists.   Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Beijing and met with Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum. The 2 leaders discussed the war in the Middle East, as well as the deepening relations between their two countries.   Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) failed to secure the gavel on his second attempt, and this time two additional Republicans voted against him. Mr. Jordan doesn't expect any more votes today, but says he's staying in the speaker's race.   ⭕️ Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 500 people have been killed in a bombing of a Baptist hospital in Gaza City.

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World leaders attending the Belt and Road forum in Beijing have pledged to bolster collaboration and elevate the Belt and Road Initiative to a new era of high-quality development.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the BRI forum in Beijing(02:38). Hundreds are dead in a hospital blast in Gaza(23:57). Ukraine confirms deployment of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles(27:36).

When President Xi Jinping presented his vision 10 years ago for the Silk Road Economic Belt, few might have imagined the global implications of the policy address, delivered to faculty and students at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan.In the eyes of many analysts, the speech marked a historic starting point to reshape the global economic landscape, heralding changes leading to infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and closer people-to-people ties.A month later, during a speech to the Indonesian Parliament, the Chinese president expounded his vision for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which, together with the Silk Road Economic Belt, became known as the Belt and Road Initiative.Ten years on, Xi is set to host representatives from over 140 countries and 30 international organizations at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Tuesday and Wednesday in Beijing.Regarding the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Tatiana Urzhuvtseva, former director of the research center of China and the Pacific Rim at St. Petersburg State University of Economics, said, "Looking back, one cannot but feel assured that those were truly historic initiatives in favor of goodwill cooperation between nations."Urzhuvtseva, who is now head of the Russian Culture Center in Beijing, said the personal role of President Xi in leading the development of the BRI cannot be overstated.Xu Xiujun, director of the International Political Economy Department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics, said the Chinese president has personally planned and promoted the BRI's transition into a new stage of high-quality development.Through his intense diplomatic agenda, Xi, on bilateral and multilateral occasions, has promoted high-level policy coordination and strategic alignment, created a favorable international environment and established a solid political foundation for the steady and long-term development of the BRI, Xu said.Over the past decade, more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have joined the BRI family, with many agreements inked during bilateral meetings attended by the Chinese president.The BRI has taken much-anticipated infrastructure projects from vision to reality in much of the developing world, ranging from bridges, highways and railways to hospitals and sports stadiums. It has created 420,000 jobs for participating countries and lifted about 40 million people out of poverty.The China-Laos Railway, for instance, has employed over 3,500 Laotian workers and created more than 100,000 jobs through its impact on logistics, transportation, trade, commerce and tourism.Charles Okechukwu Onunaiju, director of the Center for China Studies in Nigeria, said that through participation in the Belt and Road, key projects including highways, ports and energy infrastructure are remarkably taking shape in West Africa."The BRI is the concentrated expression of globalization in its broadest sense of accommodation, inclusion and participation, and it carries Africa's fervent historic wish and will," he said. "In the past 10 years, Africa has witnessed the most impactful revolution in infrastructure construction and facilities connectivity."President Xi hosted global leaders at the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in 2017, and at the second Belt and Road Forum in 2019 in Beijing, both times delivering speeches that outlined the future road map for BRI cooperation.The BRI has also been a priority of Xi's domestic agenda, with the president having chaired high-level symposiums three times on promoting the high-quality development of the landmark initiative.Hu Biliang, executive dean of the Belt and Road School at Beijing Normal University, said the BRI has led the way for China's greater strides in opening-up and emerged as a key part of the national drive to foster a new development paradigm.According to a white paper released earlier this month, the cumulative value of imports and exports between China and BRI partner countries reached $19.1 trillion, with an average annual growth rate of 6.4 percent.Building a better regional connectivity network will inject new momentum into the development of a more open and in-depth partnership between China and other countries participating in the BRI, Hu said.Silk Road Economic Beltn.丝绸之路经济带21st Century Maritime Silk Roadn.21世纪海上丝绸之路Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperationn.“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛China-Laos Railwayn.中老铁路

World leaders gather in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Hundreds are dead in a strike on a Gaza hospital, with Israel and Palestinians blaming each other for the tragedy. U.S. Republican Jim Jordan fails the first House speaker vote.

China vs. U.S. Stance on Israel Self DefenseSuspect Arrested in Attack on Israeli Embassy StafferBeijing Asks Its Citizens in Israel to Buy Their Own Travel Tickets HomeXi, Putin to Reunite in Beijing This WeekTaliban to Join China's Belt and Road Forum‘96.7% Off': China-Made Airplanes on Sale in NepalU.S. to Tackle Loopholes in China Chip Curbs‘Bridgeman' Nominated for Nobel Peace PrizeRally Highlights Withdrawals from the CCPChina Criticizes Israeli Self-Defense; Gives ‘A License for Iran to Join War': Fleming

Russia's President Vladimir Putin is expected to meet China's President Xi Jinping as the programme marks its 10th anniversary. Over that ten years has it benefitted China or the developing countries where the building projects have taken place? Roger Hearing discusses this and other business news from around the world with Sharon Bretkelly, Presenter at Radio New Zealand in Auckland, and Peter Morici, Economist at the University of Maryland.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has welcomed his Kazakh and Chilean counterparts to Beijing to attend the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Representatives from over 130 countries are gathering in Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum this Tuesday. The Chinese initiative, launched in 2013 to boost infrastructure investments around the world, has attracted a lot of attention over the past decade. We take a look at the project's pros and cons and how it's evolved over the years. Also in this edition, Chinese real estate group Country Garden nears defaulting on its debt. Plus, Goldman Sachs's CEO says he's giving up his DJ side gig.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with foreign leaders who are in Beijing to participate in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation(02:43). Israeli military continues pounding Gaza with air strikes(19:44). And police shoot dead the suspect accused of killing Swedish football fans in Brussels(27:23).

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with foreign leaders who are in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Hamas launches more rocket attacks on Israeli targets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The UN Security Council rejects a draft resolution proposed by Russia calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East.

On today's podcast:(1) President Biden will travel to Israel tomorrow in a show of US solidarity with its closest ally in the Middle East. (2) Russian leader Vladimir Putin has arrived in Beijing for China's Belt and Road Forum. (3) The Bank of England Chief Economist Huw Pill says sticky inflation in the UK may require a long-lasting response. (4) Reports suggest that Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon has stopped his controversial hobby of DJing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heuQd54wkAg #2023 #art #music #movies #poetry #poem #photooftheday #volcano #news #money #food #weather #climate #monkeys #horse #puppy #fyp #love #instagood #onelove #eyes #getyoked #horsie #gotmilk #book #shecomin #getready 

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and deliver a keynote speech on Wednesday in Beijing.

World leaders arrive in Beijing for the 3rd Belt and Road Forum.(02:39) China attracts a wave of foreign entrepreneurs from BRI countries.(10:26) And Australians reject a proposal over Indigenous rights.(20:56)

The conflict between Israel and Palestine has killed over 4100 people on both sides. More world leaders arrive in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Daniel Noboa is declared as president-elect of Ecuador.

Kenyan President William Ruto and Chilean President Gabriel Boric have arrived in Beijing to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Taiwan Sets Up Task Force to Monitor Israel WarIsraeli Envoy to China: Talk with Iran, Stop EscalationChina Sents Planes to Taiwan Strait Amid U.S. FlightCandidate to Replace China Defense Minister EmergesChina Re-Elected to United Nations Human Rights CouncilChina's Belt and Road Forum to Open Next WeekBeijing Makes $4 Billion Debt Deal with Sri LankaChinese Consulate Car Crash Driver IdentifiedWill China Be a Mediator in Israel-Hamas Conflict?

President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, a global gathering that will help outline a road map for the future growth of the landmark vision and build up consensus for cooperation between China and its BRI partners.Xi will deliver a keynote speech at the opening of the forum, which will be held in Beijing on Oct 17 and 18, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying announced on Wednesday. The president will also hold a welcoming banquet and bilateral events for the guests attending the forum.Themed "High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity", the forum, to be held on the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, is set to bring together representatives from over 130 countries and more than 30 international organizations.Qu Bo, director of the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University, said that the gathering next week, the largest diplomatic event hosted by China this year, could be monumental as it will outline a new road map for the high-quality development of BRI in the coming decade.Xi's speech at the opening ceremony is expected to be a policy address of major global significance, with the global community looking for clues on how Beijing will integrate the BRI with other major initiatives also put forward by Xi, such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative."The fact that representatives from so many countries and international organizations will be present at the forum speaks volumes about the level of global support for the BRI," Qu said."What is more important is that it shows that so many countries have benefited from the initiative," he added.Beijing had signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations as of June, according to a white paper released on Tuesday. From 2013 to 2022, the cumulative value of imports and exports between China and its BRI partner countries reached $19.1 trillion.In addition to the opening ceremony and bilateral meetings, the forum will feature a wide range of side events, including a CEO conference. Three high-level forums on connectivity, green development and the digital economy will be held. There will also be six thematic forums on trade connectivity, people-to-people connectivity, think tank exchanges, a clean Silk Road, subnational cooperation and maritime cooperation.Zhou Taidong, vice-president of the Center for International Knowledge on Development, said the forum's agenda reflects the principles upheld in BRI cooperation and offers clues for its future development."The BRI has always been committed to open, green and clean cooperation toward inclusive and sustainable development," he said. "In the future, the BRI will continue to prioritize connectivity and the growth of the digital economy, further advance green development, and ensure the stability and smooth operation of industrial and supply chains."Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperationn.“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛Global Development Initiativen.全球发展倡议Global Security Initiativen.全球安全倡议Global Civilization Initiativen.全球文明倡议

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held next week in Beijing.

China marks the progress of the Belt and Road Initiative as Beijing and its partners celebrate 10 years of cooperation under the framework.(01:06) The Israeli military has retaken border areas seized by Hamas militants.(12:14) And Romania pledges ongoing support for Ukraine's efforts to export grain to global markets.(22:10)

The impressive facts and figures in the encompassing policy document unveiled by China on Tuesday on the 10-year-old Belt and Road Initiative are a convincing illustration of the vast and tangible results achieved by the nation and its partners, and highlight the potential for the landmark vision's further growth, experts said.They made these observations as the State Council Information Office held a news conference in Beijing to issue a white paper titled "The Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future".In September and October of 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the initiatives of jointly building a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which became known as the Belt and Road Initiative.Over the past decade, the BRI has "helped to resolve global development challenges and improve the global governance system", and "has also opened up a new path for all humanity to realize modernization", the white paper said.Noting that the BRI is "a public road open to all, not a private path owned by any single party", the document said the vision "is free from geopolitical calculations"."Countries from Eurasia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania are all welcome to participate in the initiative, regardless of their political system, historical background, culture, development stage, ideology, or religious beliefs, as long as they seek common development," it said.Cong Liang, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, noted that China's total imports and exports with countries involved in the BRI reached $19.1 trillion in the 2013-22 period, registering an average annual growth rate of 6.4 percent.Speaking on the overall progress of the initiative, he noted that more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations have so far joined the BRI family.Over the past decade, the countries' efforts to jointly build the Belt and Road "have fully realized the shift from a concept to actions, and from a vision to reality".Guo Tingting, vice-minister of commerce, noted that two-way investment between China and other countries involved in the BRI totaled more than $380 billion between 2013 and 2022, among which China's outward direct investment exceeded $240 billion.These countries "have also actively invested in China and shared China's development opportunities, with a cumulative total of more than $140 billion invested in China over the past decade and close to 67,000 new enterprises set up in China", she said.Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Studies and director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, said that over the past 10 years, "the BRI has found the key to spur economic growth, as it catalyzes infrastructure construction, the reshaping of production chains, and negotiations on investment and trade facilitation"."Advancing poverty relief, narrowing wealth disparity and boosting effective global governance are the three major effects of the BRI's focus on infrastructure and connectivity," he said.Highlighting fruitful outcomes achieved within the BRI framework, Xu Xiujun, director of the International Political Economy Department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics, said the initiative "has listed producing tangible benefits for the peoples in countries taking part in the BRI as one of its major goals, and their sense of gain has indeed been constantly on the rise and increasingly self-evident".He noted that as the vision has entered the stage of seeking high-quality development, it should work for more coordinated growth in connectivity among hardware and software.Beijing is set to host the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation later this month, an event that will provide a venue for a wide range of highly anticipated bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.Representatives from over 130 countries and more than 30 international organizations have confirmed their plans to attend the forum, Li Kexin, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Department of International Economic Affairs, told reporters. China has so far held major gatherings on the BRI in 2017 and 2019.The upcoming forum "is not only the grandest event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the BRI, but also an important platform for discussing BRI cooperation", Li said, adding that the forum's detailed schedule will be released in due course.China is ready to take the upcoming forum as an opportunity to make new achievements in high-quality co-building of the Belt and Road, he added.Reporter: Zhang Yunbi

Europe avoids China's Belt and Road Forum, keeping a distance from Xi and Putin. And the Bank of Japan hints it will accept higher rates, lifting bond yields. Keith Collins hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Belt and Road Initiative drives an economically vibrant Eurasian region while delivering increasing benefits to the world, President Xi Jinping has urged stronger synergy between the initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union to boost Asia-Europe cooperation.While addressing the opening ceremony of the plenary session of the second Eurasian Economic Forum of the Eurasian Economic Union via video link late on Wednesday, Xi reiterated that the ultimate goal of the BRI is to "explore new ways for countries from near and far to achieve common development and to open up a path of happiness that benefits the whole world".The forum was held in offline and online formats in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, with the theme "Eurasian Integration in a Multipolar World". The Eurasian Economic Union is an international organization of regional economic integration whose members are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan — all of which are partners of China under the BRI framework.Xi said that in a turbulent and changing world, proceeding with Asia-Europe cooperation concerns not only the well-being of people in the Eurasian region, but also will have a profound impact on global development.The development of China, a member of the Eurasian family, cannot be achieved without the Eurasian region, which also will benefit from the development, he added.Xi expressed his hope that the synergy between the BRI and the Eurasian Economic Union will be deepened, and that all countries will work together with unity and dedication to open up new prospects for Asia-Europe cooperation.This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI. China will host the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in the second half of the year.Xi said that China is ready to work with participating countries, including the members of the Eurasian Economic Union, to continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, share opportunities and overcome difficulties in trying times to have a better future, and join hands to write a new chapter in the progress of civilizations in a multipolar world.Guided by the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the BRI has deepened mutually beneficial cooperation with participating countries, becoming a global public good and international cooperation platform.Since the initiative was proposed in 2013, over 3,000 cooperation projects have been launched, involving nearly $1 trillion of investment, according to the Foreign Ministry. Many nations have thus realized their dreams of railways, bridges and other infrastructure as well as poverty alleviation.Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular news conference on Wednesday that "to date, over three-quarters of countries around the world have joined this initiative, which has generated 420,000 jobs in these countries and helped more and more countries speed up economic growth. All those fruitful outcomes fully indicate that the BRI is a pathway to common development."We believe that the advancement of high-quality BRI cooperation will create more opportunities for the common prosperity of countries," Mao added.Kirill Babaev, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of China and Modern Asia, said that the BRI has promoted the development of infrastructure in the Eurasian region, bolstered the construction of transportation and logistics corridors and facilitated trade and investment, enhancing Eurasian economic integration.Noting that China's economy has enormous potential for further growth and that it actively invests in emerging markets and develops economic projects outside China, Babaev said that given the strong economic complementarity of Russia and China, strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation will benefit the peoples of both countries.Eurasian英/juˈreɪʒn; juˈreɪʃn/ 美/juˈreɪʒn/adj.欧亚的Multipolar英/ˌmʌltɪˈpəʊlə(r)/ 美/ˌmʌltəˈpoʊlər/adj.多极的

读书嘉宾：广西外事办公室翻译室主任、译审。北京外国语大学高级翻译学院硕士研究生毕业。英文文本：Strengthen CPC Central Committee Leadership over Foreign AffairsSince the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, we have worked creatively to break new ground in our diplomatic theories and practices. We have better pursued and expanded our global diplomatic agenda. We have initiated the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). We have been more actively involved in reform and improvement of the global governance system. We have been firm in safeguarding China's sovereignty,national security and development interests.The Party's centralized and unified leadership over our foreign affairs has been enhanced. We have pursued a distinctive Chinese approach to diplomacy befitting a major country, and achieved historic successes.Given the build-up of factors of uncertainty and instability in the world today,we are faced with both opportunities and challenges.We must therefore have a correct reading of the evolving international environment and the development trends in both China and the world, while being conscious of potential risks and challenges that may arise on our journey ahead. We must be prepared to address problems should they arise.Now and in the time to come, we should pursue a broader diplomatic agenda, and see that our major initiatives are delivered as planned. We should guard against risks and dangers, and make sure that China's sovereignty, national security and development interests will never be compromised.BRI cooperation provides a solid platform for building a global community of shared future. In just a few years, this initiative has evolved from vision into action, a results-oriented project of international cooperation. We should follow up on the programs and projects agreed at the First Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and work closely with other BRI participants to build consensus and plan for future cooperation. We should open up further and enhance dialogue, consultation, and cooperation with other parties.We should see that BRI cooperation makes solid and sustainable progress and deliver true benefits to the peoples of participating countries.The conduct of foreign affairs at the sub national level is an integral part of the foreign affairs agenda of the Party and the government. It can make a significant contribution to international exchanges and cooperation and to reform and development of local areas.The conduct of foreign affairs at the sub national level must be planned under the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs to ensure success. The resources for foreign affairs at the sub national level should be managed centrally and used for localities with clear and specific objectives.To advance China's foreign affairs in the new era, the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs should play its role of policy-making,deliberation and coordination. The commission should encourage and promote new breakthroughs in diplomatic theories and practices, and provide guidance in opening up new horizons.We should strengthen top-level design and coordination, and build up our capacity to chart the right course, craft overall plans and design policies. We should advance reform of foreign affairs-related systems and mechanisms, and strengthen the training and management of officials involved.We should ensure that priority programs are carried out through proper management,inspection and follow-up measures and that the Party Central Committee's decisions on foreign affairs are implemented in full.

The byzantine rules and procedures of multilateral institutions form the backdrop for China's global power play, following President Xi Jinping's 2018 call for China to “lead the reform of the global governance system with the concepts of fairness and justice.” As the US pulls back from its global obligations, there's increasing evidence that China is simply changing the rules inside these global bodies. In this episode, we explore whether China is influencing three international organizations: the U.N. Human Rights Council, the World Trade Organization, and the World Health Organization. To ask whether Xi’s vision of a new global order is being realized, Louisa and Graeme are joined by Sophie Richardson, the China director at Human Rights Watch, trade expert Weihuan Zhou from the University of NSW’s law school, and freelance journalist Hinnerk Feldwisch-Drentrup who is the co-founder of MedWatch. Credit: UN Photo / Yun ZhaoCaption: Secretary-General Meets with President of China. Secretary-General António Guterres (left) meets with Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, in Great Hall of the People during the 2nd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China.26 April 2019See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Australian federal election happening on Saturday 18 May, in this episode Allan and Darren follow the practice of all government departments in preparing an “incoming government brief”: a document presented to the new (or returning) minister for each department, for the purpose of providing a descriptive overview of what the department does, and highlighting the most important issues facing that particular portfolio as the new term commences. Allan and Darren’s brief contains three “chapters”. Chapter 1 is on the structure of national security and foreign policy making, and the discussion turns on the best way of coordinating decision-making given the complex challenges faced in Australia’s international relations. Chapter 2 is on Donald Trump, where Allan and Darren largely agree on the impact of the Trump presidency on the world so far, but diverge slightly in their resulting degree of pessimism. Chapter 3 is on China, where the disagreement is more on the quality of Australia’s policy response to this most difficult set of policy dilemmas. Along the way, the two discuss recent events relating to Iran, the White House’s contrasting approaches to diplomacy, the second Belt and Road Forum and the US-China trade war. As always, we invite our listeners to email us at this address: australia.world.pod@gmail.com We welcome feedback, requests and suggestions. You can also contact Darren on twitter @limdarrenj Our thanks go to AIIA intern Charlie Henshall for his help with audio editing, and Rory Stenning for composing our theme music. Relevant links “Morrison says 'no difference' with Bishop on China relationship”, SBS News: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/morrison-says-no-difference-with-bishop-on-china-relationship Tyler Cowen, “How real news is worse than fake news”, Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-09-05/how-real-news-is-worse-than-fake-news Adam Tooze, “Is this the end of the American century”, London Review of Books: https://www.lrb.co.uk/v41/n07/adam-tooze/is-this-the-end-of-the-american-century Tanner Greer, “The utterly dysfunctional Belt and Road”, Scholar’s Stage Blog: http://scholars-stage.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-utterly-dysfunctional-belt-and-road.html Andrew Batson, “The Belt and Road is about domestic interest groups not development”: https://andrewbatson.com/2019/05/02/the-belt-and-road-is-about-domestic-interest-groups-not-development/ Nadege Rolland, “Beijing’s response to the Belt and Road Initiative’s ‘pushback’, Asian Affairs (currently free to access): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03068374.2019.1602385?scroll=top&needAccess=true&

  Dan Aum, director of NBR’s Washington, D.C., Office, interviews NBR Senior Fellow Nadège Rolland and Brookings-Yale Postdoctoral Fellow in Foreign Policy Rush Doshi on the recent Belt and Road Forum. Topics discussed include takeaways from the forum, the strategic implications of BRI, forecasting China’s moves, and more. Bios: Rush Doshi is the Brookings-Yale Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center. His research has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the Washington Post, and the Washington Quarterly, among other publications. Dr. Doshi received his PhD from Harvard University, where he wrote his dissertation on Chinese grand strategy, and his BA from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School with a minor in East Asian Studies. He is proficient in Mandarin and Hindi. Nadège Rolland is Senior Fellow for Political and Security Affairs at NBR. Prior to joining NBR, Ms. Rolland was an analyst and senior adviser on Asian and Chinese strategic issues to the French Ministry of Defense (1994–2014) and a research analyst for the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) (2007–8). She is the author of the book China’s Eurasian Century? Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative (2017). Her articles have appeared in various publications, including the Washington Quarterly, Foreign Policy, the Diplomat, the Asan Open Forum, the Lowy Institute Interpreter, and Strategic Asia, and her comments have been published by the Wall Street Journal, Libération, Les Echos, the Indian National Interest, Radio Free Asia, and BBC World Service. Ms. Rolland is a graduate of the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (MSc Chinese Language and Contemporary Chinese Studies, 1994) and RSIS (MSc Strategic Studies, 2007). Timestamp: Q1 [1:56] What major changes took place between the first BRI Forum in 2017 and the recent forum in April 2019? Q2 [3:28] What were Xi’s key objectives for the 2019 forum? Q3 [4:49] Were the message and tone different this time around? Q4 [7:03] What are your key takeaways from the 2019 forum? Q5 [10:58] The challenges associated with being a recipient country of BRI projects are well known. Yet countries continue to sign up for BRI projects. Why? Q6 [13:48] Are BRI projects meeting universal standards of quality? Why? Q7 [18:58] How is China expanding its people, assets, and values abroad? Q8 [21:57] How is China using financial tools to support BRI, and what are the broader strategic ambitions at play? Q9 [24:33] How is China seeking to reshape the international financial architecture? Q10 [28:12] What triggered China’s desire to create a new set of international messaging and financing systems? Q11 [30:08] We’ve seen several phases of BRI. What phase are we in now? What will happen next? Q12 [34:27] As China increases its emphasis on soft power, should we expect a de-emphasis in the more tactile areas like infrastructure? Q13 [35:19] What are the vulnerabilities facing BRI? Q14 [40:20] Is China applying its soft power approach to the United States? Q15 [41:56] How should the United States respond to China on any of the key fronts we’ve discussed? Q16 [45:45] Is there anything about BRI that is obvious to you that other people still don’t appreciate? Q17 [48:53] What grade would you give Xi on the recalibration of BRI? About Asia Insight The NBR podcast series Asia Insight features interviews with top Asia experts about key issues affecting the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on implications for U.S. policy and businesses. Subscribe to Asia Insight on Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think of the podcast on Twitter. Media Contact: Dan Aum, media@nbr.org or (202) 347-9767. Asia Insight theme music is by Laura Schwartz of Bellwether Bayou. This podcast was co-edited by Dan Lee and Matt Ropeik at NBR.

Asia’s economic prospects by 2025 appear strong. Yet despite historic economic success and resilience since the global financial crisis, the continent faces a range of challenges including escalating trade protectionism, graduation from international support measures, external debt and an ageing population. Asia is diverse with countries of varying population size, geography and economic dynamism. Asia’s giants, China, India and Japan, are experiencing varying growth challenges, while several middle-income countries (MICs) are likely to be vulnerable to trade and income shocks, as well as rising income inequality. Asia’s MICs also offer substantial opportunities for trade and investment.  After Beijing's Belt and Road Forum, this event examines the economic implications of China’s development strategy for other Asian countries and explores macroeconomic prospects for Asian economies and how countries such as the UK could work to seize opportunities and address vulnerabilities.

This episode explores current developments in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the lead-up to the second Belt and Road Forum. Our guest, Mr. Jonathan Hillman, discusses the BRI’s current projects and financing, including recent backlash and scrutiny from partner countries. Mr. Hillman also details the approach the U.S. is taking toward the initiative in the face of recent agreements on the BRI between other democratic nations and China. Jonathan Hillman is a senior fellow with the Simon Chair in Political Economy and director of the Reconnecting Asia Project at CSIS. His research focuses on the intersection of economics and foreign policy, including trade, globalization, economic statecraft, and China’s BRI. Prior to joining CSIS, he served as a policy adviser at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.  

As Beijing has started the week after the 2nd Belt and Road Forum, where more than 30 world leaders and 5000 participants gathered in Beijing upon President Xi Jingping's invitation to discuss the BRI strategy, Olesya Dovgalyuk and Olim Alimov dove deep into a very particular element of the modern Belt & Road Initiative: the CPEC and wider China-Pakistani relations. A special guest joining them in this discussion is **Zoon Ahmed Khan**, a researcher at Tsinghua University's Belt & Road Strategy Institute and a member and Curator of the SCOLAR Discussion Club. Zoon's professional journey started in Pakistan, where she was a researcher at Lahore University of Management Sciences and anchored a current affairs programme at Daily Nai Baat. She is currently researching CPEC, Belt&Road and China's relations with Muslim world at Tsinghua University's Belt & Road Strategy Institute, after anchoring “The Belt and Road: Face to Face” at China Economic Net. How has the approach to bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and China changed from the first to the second Belt & Road forum? What is Pakistanis' perception of China and what is the state of the people-to-people relations? What are the current developments on the trade scene? Zoon gave us many insights into these and other questions. We hope you enjoy the episode, and don't forget to subscribe!

As Beijing has started the week after the 2nd Belt and Road Forum, where more than 30 world leaders and 5000 participants gathered in Beijing upon President Xi Jingping's invitation to discuss the BRI strategy, Olesya Dovgalyuk and Olim Alimov dove deep into a very particular element of the modern Belt & Road Initiative: the CPEC and wider China-Pakistani relations. A special guest joining them in this discussion is Zoon Ahmed Khan, a researcher at Tsinghua University’s Belt & Road Strategy Institute and a member and Curator of the SCOLAR Discussion Club. Zoon’s professional journey started in Pakistan, where she was a researcher at Lahore University of Management Sciences and anchored a current affairs programme at Daily Nai Baat. She is currently researching CPEC, Belt&Road and China’s relations with Muslim world at Tsinghua University’s Belt & Road Strategy Institute, after anchoring “The Belt and Road: Face to Face” at China Economic Net. How has the approach to bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and China changed from the first to the second Belt & Road forum? What is Pakistanis’ perception of China and what is the state of the people-to-people relations? What are the current developments on the trade scene? Zoon gave us many insights into these and other questions. We hope you enjoy the episode, and don’t forget to subscribe!

This week we sit down with USCBC’s Shanghai chief Owen Haacke to talk about a range of issues. First up, some details on the business environment and USCBC’s engagement with provincial governments. Next up is the potential of a Trump-Xi […]

This week we sit down with USCBC’s Shanghai chief Owen Haacke to talk about a range of issues. First up, some details on the business environment and USCBC’s engagement with provincial governments. Next up is the potential of a Trump-Xi

Squawk Box anchors discuss Amazon’s record Q1 profits which have beaten expectations, but are there clouds on the horizon as the retail giant flags a lower operating profit in Q2. Ride-hailing app Uber begins its IPO road show today seeking a listing of up to $90bn. In Beijing, President Xi Jinping addresses the Second Belt and Road Forum, asking for fair trade practices from partners. Following the collapse of merger talks, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank shares both fall but Deutsche CFO James Von Moltke tells CNBC that consolidation of the lender’s asset management arm DWS is still a possibility.

China will host its second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on April 26-27, two years after hosting its inaugural forum that was attended by dozens of world leaders and put a spotlight on Beijing’s massive signature initiative and its global leadership ambitions. This conference features two panels: The first discusses cross-regional trends and concerns about BRI, alternatives to the Chinese model of investment and development, and strategies for increasing the sustainability of international development efforts. The second panel examines the on-the-ground impact of BRI in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa and implications for conflict dynamics in these regions.   Panel 1: Toward High-Quality Projects: Comparing BRI’s Implementation to Global Standards Samantha CusterDirector of Policy Analysis, AidData Scott MorrisSenior Fellow and Director of the U.S. Development Policy Initiative, Center for Global Development Pauline MuchinaPublic Education and Advocacy Coordinator, Africa Region, American Friends Service Committee Fei YuDeputy Representative, North American Representative Office of the Asian Development Bank Patricia Kim, moderatorSenior Policy Analyst, China Program, U.S. Institute of Peace    Panel 2: BRI’s Impact on Local and Regional Dynamics: Force for Stability or Driver of Conflict? Brian HardingDeputy Director and Fellow, Southeast Asia Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies Khin Khin Kyaw KyeeLead Researcher, Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar Paul Nantulya Research Associate, Africa Center for Strategic Studies Andrew Small Senior Transatlantic Fellow, Asia Program, German Marshall Fund of the United States Jacob Stokes, moderatorSenior Policy Analyst, China Program, U.S. Institute of Peace

Tonight’s call will feature the starkest contrast between two dynamics: one which is taking place in China and is exemplified by the Second Belt and Road Forum, which commenced this morning in Beijing and involves leading figures from 140 countries, including nearly 40 heads of state, deliberating the development of large scale economic infrastructure and the creation of modern economies throughout the formerly underdeveloped nations of the world. The other features a United States where the British led efforts at destroying the nation by hobbling its presidency for the next two years, continues. Fools will proclaim that the attempted coup has ended, it has not. It was not just aimed at Donald Trump. It was aimed at the nation itself. The Democratic Party, which put itself fully in the British pocket when Russiagate commenced, now can’t retreat because they are deeply implicated in a coup against the Presidency and face prosecution. Like the infamous Sorcerer’s Apprentice in Goethe’s Tale, they have unleashed a “magic” they are incompetent to control or change. It is a dynamic which is wholly destructive.

Harley Schlanger, LaRouchePAC.com, IMPERIAL GEO-POLITICIANS ENGAGE IN FUTILE, BUT DANGEROUS EFFORTS TO BLOCK BRI, Belt and Road for All Nations, World Trade or World War, Defense of Earth, Future Tech and Solutions for Mankind as We Leap Off Earth to Moon Mars and Milky Way Worlds, collapsing London-directed Trans-Atlantic system,Dr Bill Deagle MD AAEM ACAM A4M, NutriMedical Report Show, www.NutriMedical.com, www.ClayandIRON.com, www.Deagle-Network.com,NutriMedical Report Show,https://harley.larouchepac.com/imperial_geo_politicians_engage_in_futile_but_dangerous_efforts_to_block_briIMPERIAL GEO-POLITICIANS ENGAGE IN FUTILE, BUT DANGEROUS EFFORTS TO BLOCK BRIBy Harley Schlanger26April 2019As the second Belt and Road Forum opened in Beijing on April 25, the defenders of the collapsing London-directed Trans-Atlantic system have stepped up their rhetorical assault and financial/military activities against the New Paradigm, which is emerging around President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While engaging in endless repetition of bogus charges, such as that of an “aggressive and escalating Chinese military threat”, “state-sponsored spying”, “imperial ambitions” and “currency manipulation”, these war party operatives display the same lack of regard for truth that characterized their use of discredited charges of “Russian hacking” and “Trump collusion” to target President Donald Trump’s outreach to Russia and President Putin. And just as their continuing assault against Trump and Putin has been revealed to be a regime change coup organized by top elements of the British Empire—including their operatives in the Obama intelligence community and their Bush League neocon allies—there is no evidence to back the claims they now are making against China’s President Xi Jinping and his BRI.But these attack dogs are not concerned with truth, nor evidence. Instead, they wish to create a hostile environment against improved U.S.-Chinese relations, to prevent Trump from succeeding in bringing the U.S. into a coordinated relationship with the BRI, based on his often-expressed friendship with Xi. This friendship has provided a basis for productive U.S.-Chinese cooperation in addressing the North Korean nuclear threat, and has survived a rough patch of trade talks, in which the U.S. has imposed tariffs aimed at addressing the continued existence of a large trade deficit with China. The resolve of both leaders to succeed in these talks has resulted in progress, as a new round of trade negotiations begins April 30 in Beijing, with both sides saying they are nearing an agreement, which Trump has repeatedly tweeted will be “historic”.For their part, the Chinese have continued to express a desire for the U.S. to be partners in the BRI process. On the eve of the event, China’s Ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, appealed to the U.S., to accept this challenge.“Imagine the potential of China and the United States,” he said, “the world’s two largest, most vibrant economies, collaborating on the most ambitious development project in history. The scenario is no fantasy: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which kicked off almost six years ago, will eventually connect a vast swath of the world, creating huge yields in economic activity, and wiring the world together as never before. However, the United States remains on the sidelines, and this has implications not only in terms of missed opportunities for growth in the U.S., but for the cause of global development which needs the ingenuity and the industry of the U.S.”END OF GEOPOLITICSThe unwillingness of the anti-China mob in the U.S. to respond positively to this challenge has nothing to do with fears that the Chinese are about to establish a new global empire, to threaten U.S. hegemony. Instead, it is an explicit rejection of an earlier offer made in August 2018 by President Xi, in discussing the goal of the BRI.“The Belt and Road,” he stated, “is an initiative for economic cooperation, instead of a geopolitical alliance or military league, and it is an open and inclusive process rather than an exclusive or ‘China club.'”In language which directly echoes the Schiller Institute’s Helga Zepp LaRouche, who has defined the New Paradigm as one in which “geopolitics” has been eliminated, Xi is clear that he sees the threats against achieving peaceful cooperation as coming from the geopolitical doctrines developed at the end of the 19th century by British imperial strategist Halford Mackinder. A staunch defender of the British Empire, Mackinder argued that the greatest threat to continued British world domination would be the development of new trade routes over land, utilizing rail, which would diminish greatly the dominant position in world trade, based on British sea power.Mackinder’s doctrine defined the emergence of rail connections, such as the Trans-Siberian railroad, or the Berlin-Baghdad line, as existential threats to the Empire. The precedent of Lincoln’s Transcontinental railroad in the U.S., connecting the east and west coasts of the U.S. by land, which was seen as a danger by Britain’s imperial predators, was viewed as a positive precedent by leaders in Europe. To prevent this, the British orchestrated regional wars—such as the Russo-Japanese war, and the 1912-13 Balkan Wars—and employed divide-and-rule tactics, to undermine the strategic cooperation between nations required to achieve peaceful commercial and cultural ties. The geopolitical intervention by the Empire was directly responsible for both World Wars of the twentieth century. Their heirs in today’s anti-Russia, anti-China policy gaggle are pushing a course leading toward a possible World War III, a horrific potential result, but one which does not at all deter them from provocative actions.WILL RUSSIAGATE BECOME CHINAGATE?What is not surprising is that many of those spouting nonsense about China are the same as those who previously—and still are—using Russiagate to control, or remove President Trump. A leading anti-Trump figure in the U.S. Senate, Republican Marco Rubio, is a point man against China, using his Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to spread lies about China. This committee just released a report, “Made in China 2025 and the Future of American Industry”. In introducing the report, Rubio accuses China of “blatant industrial espionage and coercion”, adding that China intends to “steal and cheat their way to world dominance.” In an op ed he wrote on April 25, he accused the U.S. of being “stunningly naive” in pursuit of a trade partnership, a direct attack on Trump’s effort to negotiate with China. He branded the BRI as part of “an unprecedented effort to supplant America’s role as the leading economic and military power,” and warned nations not to fall into China’s “debt trap.” Note that Rubio led the Republican attack on Trump’s negotiations with Russia’s Putin at Helsinki, and has defended the FBI from charges of engaging in a coup against Trump: I have seen “no evidence” that the FBI spied on the Trump campaign, he said on multiple occasions.Rubio’s effort has bipartisan support, with Democratic Party presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren chiming in that China “has weaponized its economy” in its effort to overtake the U.S. This line, which is heard from many Democrats with ties to Hillary Clinton, is coherent with the G.W. Bush era geopolitical dogma of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), which held that, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. must remain the unilateral power in the world. It is also reflected in the reconstitution of the Cold War Committee on the Present Danger (CPD), this time focusing on China rather than Russia. CPD-China, as it is known, held an event in Washington on April 9, featuring Sen. Ted Cruz, a former Trump opponent, Newt Gingrich, an occasional spokesman for Trump, and Steve Bannon, who worked for the Trump campaign and presidency as a “strategist”, but was later fired. Cruz said that China is “the greatest long term geopolitical risk that the U.S. faces”, while Gingrich accused the U.S. of “sleepwalking” while China asserts its new-found power. Bannon has a long history of anti-China posturing, claiming that we are in “an economic war with China”, one which “China foisted on us.”The CPD-C was set up to “inform America about the existential threat” of China. While its personnel are mostly recycled neocons from the Bush era, such as Frank Gaffney, its vice-chair, more concerning is the chorus of voices from within the Trump administration attacking China. These include Vice President Pence, who has accused China of “economic aggression”, having an “unparalleled surveillance state”, and using “‘debt diplomacy’ to expand its influence”; and Secretary of State Pompeo, whose mid-April tour of four nations of Latin America included harsh rhetoric and threats against those wishing to collaborate with China. While in Chile, Pompeo claimed that China deploys its companies abroad to “enter the house, set traps, ignore the rules and propagate disorder.” Pence, Pompeo and special Venezuela envoy Eliot Abrams have taken the point in threatening both Russia and China over what they say are unwelcome intrusions into “our hemisphere”, with their support of the Maduro government in Venezuela, which the British faction has targeted for regime change.Will such absurdly provocative allegations and threats stop China from succeeding with their “win-win” economic and strategic diplomacy? As Mrs. LaRouche has emphasized, China’s efforts are “unstoppable,” except by war, as they address needs in many nations, for infrastructure and development aid, which is not available elsewhere. This was evident in an April 20 article in “Foreign Policy” magazine, “Catching China by the Belt (and Road)”, which wrote about the newly-established U.S. government agency, the International Development Finance Corp. (IDFC), as a plan to counter the BRI. The IFDC was created, the authors posit, to prevent the developing world from falling “under China’s sway,” to “help Washington push back against Beijing’s sweeping BRI.”However, they admit that the IFDC has offered a paltry $60 billion in capital, compared to the more than $1 trillion already pledged by China. Further, the aid comes with the requirement that the IMF and World Bank be involved in overseeing the fund disbursement. Saying this is necessary to prove that China is violating “well-established norms with its lending policies”, and to “draw attention to the corruption of the BRI”, it is well known that one of the reasons so many nations have welcomed the BRI is their rejection of IMF/World Bank conditionalities, which have prevented real development from occurring, while maintaining the colonial lending practices favorable to the financial institutions controlled by the British empire.As Russiagate has crumbled, brought down by its blatant lies and increasingly transparent evidence that it was nothing but a coup, run by a foreign power—Britain—to overturn the result of the 2016 election, “Chinagate” will ultimately fail. The potential benefits of peaceful cooperation between the U.S. and China, recognized by both Presidents Trump and Xi, in light of the great success of the BRI, are a preferred outcome to trade war and military confrontation. The media may hide from the American people the dynamic story of China’s BRI, but, if the truth becomes known, it is likely that Americans would reject the McCarthyite scare mongers, as they have in the past, and embrace the possibilities in a “win-win” relationship with China. For information regarding your data privacy, visit Acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

China will hold its second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) from Thursday to showcase its trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) without India's presence for the second consecutive time, while 37 heads of the state and government, including from Pakistan, would attend the three-day grand event. The BRI was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of Xi's ambitious BRI. India has been boycotting the BRI to protest over the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. For more, listen to this podcast...

The second summit of the Belt and Road Initiative began on 25th April 2019. Will this summit, attended by more than 37 heads of the countries and several other delegations, bring clarity from China on issues like Transparency and economic sustainability of the BRI? Manoj and Suyash join Shambhavi to discuss the BRI initiative, its geopolitical and geo economic implications, new players in the forum, and India's approach to it.

Yesterday, Attorney General Bill Barr said he was investigating spying on the Trump Campaign, stating the obvious implication which anyone would draw from the FISA warrants, informants, and wiretaps which have already been disclosed as critical aspects of the fake Russiagate attempted coup against the President of the United States. Barr noted, “spying on a political campaign is a big deal.” The reaction among frenzied Democrats, who stand to be exposed as credulous fools unqualified for any office by any real investigation, was equivalent to the reaction you might expect if the extremely dignified Barr had stood up and relieved himself on the floor of Congress. John Brennan, who stands to go to jail if any real investigation is conducted, opined that Barr had deliberately thrown an incendiary stink bomb, violating the “rules” of the game, requiring some form of immediate draconian discipline. At the same time, those involved in the coup are moving to coverup its most crucial features. That is what is involved in the arrest this morning of Julian Assange in London. Assange knows all about the so- called “predicate” for Russiagate which Barr has sworn to investigate – how the leaked materials from the DNC and John Podesta got to Wikileaks. As a result, Assange’s life is very much in danger. Similarly, Bill Binney, the former technical Director of the NSA has demonstrated that there was not a Russian hack of the DNC resulting in the WikiLeaks disclosures at the heart of Russiagate. Despite the fact that Binney briefed Mike Pompeo on his findings at Donald Trump’s direction, Binney’s findings seem to have not made their way to the President and were not followed up. In fact, Binney is being blacked out by the same mainstream news media who Donald Trump calls the enemy of the people. So, far, this also includes Fox.

Last month China held a major international forum on its Belt and Road Initiative, the first of its kind since Beijing announced the project in 2013. Drawing official delegations, scholars, entrepreneurs, as well as representatives from financial institutions and media organizations from 130 nations, the forum was an important step in China’s drive to develop infrastructure and connectivity along the “Belt and Road Corridors” from China to Africa, Europe, South and Southeast Asia. Though many important details about the initiative remain unclear, foreign businesses are already vying for opportunities to join the initiative, and their excitement was primed by President’s Xi Jinping’s promise at the Forum to raise tens of billions of dollars in new financing. The event generated some concern about whether actual profits and benefits will match expectations. From the perspectives both of recipient countries and investors, the Belt and Road Initiative represents huge potential and significant risk. Amid the enthusiasm and apprehension surrounding the project, a robust dialogue and accurate information are critical. In support of this, the National Committee and the India China Institute of the New School hosted a delegation of financial and economic scholars led by the director general of the International Finance Department of the China Development Bank, Mr. Liang Huijiang, to discuss the May 2017 Belt and Road Forum on June 20, 2017 with moderator Mark Frazier, professor of politics and director of the New School’s India-China Institute. Mr. Liang Huijiang is director general of the International Finance Department of the China Development Bank (CDB). He oversees strategy and policy making of the bank’s international business operations as well as cooperation with national and multilateral development banks.  He also manages an overseas loan portfolio of over USD 300 billion, and is instrumental in expanding the bank’s global network. From 2005 to 2009, Mr. Liang was deputy director general of the bank’s Treasury Department, playing a key role in building a professional team for the bank’s liquidity and investment portfolios as it reached several milestones in overseas bond offerings and underwritings. Between 1998 and 2003 Mr. Liang was special assistant to Mr. Chen Yuan, then president of the CDB. In that capacity, he was in charge of developing strategies as the CDB transformed itself from a semi-government agency into a market-oriented bank. Before joining CDB, Mr. Liang worked in the International Department of the People’s Bank of China, where he was involved in annual consultations between China and the IMF and reform of China’s exchange rate regime. Mr. Liang holds a master’s degree in finance from the London Business School (2004), a master’s in economics from the PBC School of Finance, Tsinghua University (1996), and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hangzhou University (1993). Dr. Wang Wen is a professor and executive dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China. He also serves as a consultant fellow at the Counselors’ Office of the State Council of China, secretary general of the Green Finance Association of China, and standing director of World Socialism Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. As a leading think tank professional since 2013, Dr. Wang was named a “2014 Top Ten Figures of Chinese Think Tanks,” and a “2015 China Reform and Development Pioneer.” Dr. Wang worked as chief op-ed editor and editorial writer at Global Times before 2012, and won a China News Awards in 2011. He has written and edited over 20 books including Think as a Tank; Anxiety of the U.S.; Visions of the Great Powers; 2016: G20 and China; Theories of World Governance: A Study in the History of Ideas; and The G20 and Global Governance. Dr. Zha Daojiong is a professor of international political economy at the School of International Studies, Peking University, where he holds concurrent appointments in the University’s Institute of South-South Cooperation and International Development and Institute of Ocean Research. He specializes in studying non-traditional security issues in China’s foreign relations, including energy, food, public health, and transboundary water management. His recent research interests have expanded to political risk management for Chinese investments overseas. Professor Zha has served as Arthur Ross Fellow at the Center on US-China Relations of the Asia Society in New York, as the inaugural Rio Tinto China Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney, and as senior research fellow at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He is also a member of the China chapter of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific, and a senior advisor to the Chinese Association for International Understanding. He is an active participant in the National Committee’s longstanding track II economic dialogue. Professor Zha has written and edited seven academic books, in addition to dozens of journal articles. He taught in Japan for six years and holds a doctoral degree in political science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the East-West Center.   Dr. Zhai Kun is a professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University, and director of the Center for Global Interconnectivity Studies, Peking University.  Dr. Zhai was formerly director of the Institute of World Political Studies (2011-2014) and director of South and Southeast Asian and Oceania Studies (2007-2011) at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR). He is a council member of China People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, a China expert and eminent person of the ASEAN Regional Forum, and deputy president of the China Association of Southeast Asian Studies. Dr. Zhai has published extensively on China’s diplomacy and strategic thinking. He frequently writes for the People’s Daily, China Daily, World Knowledge, and Oriental Morning Post. Dr. Zhai received his Ph.D. in international relations from CICIR, and his M.A. in international relations and B.A. in international journalism from the University of International Relations.

On 14 May this year 33 world leaders gathered in Beijing for what has been touted as the inaugural Belt and Road Forum for international Cooperation. Billed as the biggest diplomatic event in China this year the summit was ostensibly about improving economic integration between East and West and providing leadership to a global economy going through difficult times. Dr Luca Anceschi (Lecturer in Central Asian Studies, University of Glasgow) joins Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) to discuss the Belt and Road Initiative and its potential to usher in a new era of Chinese global dominance. Follow Luca Anceschi on Twitter: @anceschistan Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: @nickbisley

On 14 May this year 33 world leaders gathered in Beijing for what has been touted as the inaugural Belt and Road Forum for international Cooperation. Billed as the biggest diplomatic event in China this year the summit was ostensibly about improving economic integration between East and West and providing leadership to a global economy going through difficult times. Dr Luca Anceschi (Lecturer in Central Asian Studies, University of Glasgow) joins Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) to discuss the Belt and Road Initiative and its potential to usher in a new era of Chinese global dominance. Follow Luca Anceschi on Twitter: @anceschistan Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: @nickbisley

On 14 May this year 33 world leaders gathered in Beijing for what has been touted as the inaugural Belt and Road Forum for international Cooperation. Billed as the biggest diplomatic event in China this year the summit was ostensibly about improving economic integration between East and West and providing leadership to a global economy going through difficult times. Dr Luca Anceschi (Lecturer in Central Asian Studies, University of Glasgow) joins Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) to discuss the Belt and Road Initiative and its potential to usher in a new era of Chinese global dominance. Follow Luca Anceschi on Twitter: @anceschistan Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: @nickbisley

On today'e episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Massoud Shadjareh of the Islamic Human Rights Commission. Donald Trump’s first trip abroad continues as Israel’s President Netanyahu welcomed him to Tel Aviv. He’ll meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today -- but is there any indication that Trump will deviate from the United States’ decades-old fervently pro-Israel orientation? Trump’s proposed budget reportedly includes $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid over ten years in line with the “TrumpCare” bill that passed the House of Representative. Will these cuts, along with others to a number of social programs, spell disaster for millions of Americans who rely on these services? Brian is joined by Dr. Carol Paris, President of Physicians for a National Health Plan. New developments are shaping the tumultuous relationship between the United States and China. Recent revelations about the break up of a CIA spy ring and the confirmation of a new U.S. ambassador have come on the heels of China’s historic Belt and Road Forum. Keith Bennett, China expert, joins the show.

Welcome to the sixth installment of the Caixin-Sinica Business Brief, a weekly podcast that brings you the most important business stories of the week from China's top source for business and financial news. Produced by Kaiser Kuo of our Sinica Podcast, it includes a business news roundup, conversations with Caixin reporters and editors, and a selection of complete stories from the news, read by Kaiser and Sinica rotating co-host Ada Shen. This week, we look at some of the big numbers from the Belt and Road Forum, which concluded after two days of clear skies in Beijing. We hear about "combustible ice," a source of methane gas that can be found in permafrost and under seabeds. We look at Alibaba's earning results, which owe at least some of their shine to the tremendous penetration that mobile payment platform Alipay is making. We then speak with Caixin Global editor Doug Young about the state of mobile payments in China, and with Caixin macroeconomics reporter Fran Wang about some of the macro numbers for April. We also bring you five complete stories: China Unicom admits to huge falsification of revenues in Shaanxi Province. Chinese smartphone brands are faring very well in the fast-growing Indian smartphone market. Ant Financial plans to seek a massive loan for a planned acquisition of MoneyGram. A massive algae bloom in Yunnan's Erhai Lake is hurting tourism and agriculture in the region. Poor practices of supposed conservation workers threaten a 600-year-old early Ming heritage site in Anhui Province.   We'd love to hear your feedback on this new product. Please send any comments and suggestions to sinica@supchina.com.

1. Take off the blinkers, Australia: China's Belt and Road a turning point for mankind! 2. UK election a unique opportunity for the world Presented by Elisa Barwick and Craig Isherwood

The high-profile Belt and Road Forum just concluded in Beijing, with representatives from over 100 countries in attendance. While details for the China's One Belt, One Road or OBOR remain vague, the overarching idea is to rebuild old maritime and overland trading routes between Asia, the Middle...