China Digest (1-15 May 2023)

India China Relations

State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s India visit for SCO Meeting: Xinhua News, May 4, 2023

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang reiterated that the situation at the India-China border is generally stable and both sides should consolidate the present achievements and strictly abide by the relevant agreements while pushing for further cooling and easing of the conditions for sustainable peace and tranquillity at the frontier.Further Qin Gang added that the two sides should continue to Implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both India and China, consolidate the existing achievements, strictly abide by relevant agreements, push for further cooling and easing of the border issue and maintain sustainable peace and tranquillity in the border region. Click here to read... [2]

China International

Chinese Defense Minister meets with Pakistani Chief of Naval Staff: China Military Online, May 8, 2023

Chinese State Councillor and Defense Minister General Li Shangfu met with Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi, Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistani Navy, in Beijing. Li Shangfu pointed out "The two militaries should explore new areas of exchange, spark new highlights of cooperation, continuously improve their ability to tackle various security risks and challenges, and work together to safeguard the national and regional security interests." Click here to read... [3]

With eye on Ukraine, top Chinese general calls for unconventional warfare capabilities: Reuters, May 15, 2023

Drawing lessons from the Ukraine crisis, a top Chinese general urged greater integration of novel capabilities, including artificial intelligence, with conventional warfare tactics ahead of any confrontation with the West.A new genre of hybrid warfare has emerged from the Ukraine conflict, with the intertwining of "political warfare, financial warfare, technological warfare, cyber warfare, and cognitive warfare," General Wang Haijiang, commander of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Western Theatre Command. Click here to read... [4]

China’s concern about the new military alliance between Japan, South Korea and the United States: South China Morning Post, May 9, 2023

Beijing voiced concerns about the prospect of resuming a trilateral summit with Tokyo and Seoul, following a joint call by leaders from Japan and South Korea to work with the United States to address growing security threats in Asia. Click here to read... [5]

Australia's first trade minister to visit China in four years seeks pathway to end trade disputes: AU News, May 10, 2023

Senator Farrell was met at Beijing International Airport by Australia's ambassador, Graham Fletcher.As momentum grows on a potential reset of relations with Australia's largest trading partner, senator Farrell said he hoped for a pathway for China to drop all major restrictions on Australian imports by the end of the year. Click here to read... [6]

China’s Domestic Affairs

Xi presided a meeting on promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region: Xinhua News, May 12, 2023

President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to reach new heights in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and to make it a pioneer and example in pursuing Chinese modernization.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks as he inspected Hebei Province and presided over a meeting on promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.Xi visited Cangzhou City, where he learned about the cultivation of crops that are tolerant of drought and high alkalinity at a wheat field. Further, Xi stressed the need to prioritize the comprehensive use of saline-alkali land, leverage the key role of scientific and technological innovation, expand the cultivation area of suitable crops and develop the intensive processing of farm products. Click here to read... [7]

China’s Economy, Technology and Development

China’s State Council emphasised on accelerating development of advanced manufacturing clusters: Xinhua News Agency, May 5, 2023

China State Council deliberated and adopted a guideline for the development of China’s manufacturing capacity. It says that the priority shall be given to the de development of China’s manufacturing clusters, taking the whole country into account, guiding all localities to leveragetheir comparative advantage, and intensifying work related to specialization and differentiation. Click here to read... [8]

Xi stresses building of modern industrial system and high-quality population development: Xinhua News, May 5, 2023

President Xi emphasized that the work of the commission should be well carried out and underlined research and efforts on speeding up the building of the country's modern industrial system and advancing Chinese modernization with support from the high-quality development of the population. In his important speech at the meeting, Xi stressed that the newly grouped CCFEA should continue to play its role in formulating major guidelines for economic work and further strengthening and improving the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee over economic work. Click here to read... [9]

Xi highlighted for strengthening of theoretical study to guide development and practice (study ideas, strengthen party spirit, focus on practice and make new achievements): Renmin Ri Bao, May, 2 2023

Xi Jinping’s thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era systematically promotes the study of innovative theories, investigation and research practice, high-quality development and improvement, inspection and rectification of problems, and adheres to the integration of learning, thinking and application, and the unity of knowledge, faith and action. Click here to read... [10]

Xi urges modernization of industrial system, high-quality Development: Xinhua News, May 5, 2023

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and director of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs (CCFEA), made the remarks while presiding over the first meeting of the CCFEA under the 20th CPC Central Committee.Xi said a modern industrial system is the material foundation of a modern country, and the focus of economic growth must be on the real economy to provide a solid material foundation for China to realize the Second Centenary Goal. Click here to read... [11]

China’s Defense and Security

Chinese general calls for military to prepare for ‘hybrid’ modern warfare: South China Morning post, May 15, 2023

General Wang Haijiang, commander of the People’s Liberation Army Western Theatre Command, made the remarks in an official newspaper, revealing Beijing’s thinking on the year-long war in Ukraine.Wang wrote that China needs to better integrate its strategic forces and fully prepare for “military struggle” as the country continues to face suppression and containment by Western nations that could “escalate at any time”. Click here to read... [12]

Xi Jinping wrote back to encourage a certain crew team of the Navy Submarine Force to work hard to forge comprehensive and excellent underwater pioneers to make greater contributions to the realization of the centenary goal of the army: Xinhua News, May 11, 2023

Xi Jinping emphasized that the submarine force is fighting in the deep sea and ocean, and its mission is glorious and its responsibility is heavy. I hope that comrades will keep in mind the great trust of the party and the people, continuously improve their ability to fulfill missions and tasks, strive to forge comprehensive and competent underwater vanguards, and make greater contributions to the realization of the centenary goal of the army. Click here to read... [13]

China, Laos hold joint military drill in Laos: China Military News, May 11, 2023

Major-General Yang Wenlin, deputy commander of the 75th Group Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theatre Command, said the China-Laos Friendship Shield-2023 joint exercise serves as a platform for exchanging experiences between the two militaries, as well as a concrete measure to deepen friendship and boost cooperation between the two countries. The launching ceremony was also attended by Major General Phanseng Bounphanh, deputy chief of the General Staff of the LPAF, and Chinese Ambassador to Laos Jiang Zaidong. Click here to read... [14]

Long Read

China can play active role in bringing back peace, prosperity in Afghanistan: Xinhua News, May 15, 2023

Unlike the United States, China supports sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries around the globe including Afghanistan. It supports peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan with the intention of helping Afghan people in fighting terrorism, which posed a major threat to regional stability and beyond. Click here to read... [15]

Chinese Navy’s Operation at Sea: Foreign Policy Research Institute, May 3, 2023

A Chinese aircraft carrier battle group, led by the Shandong (China’s second aircraft carrier and the first that it built from the keel up), sailed through the Bashi Channel to an area about 400 kilometers east of Taiwan. There, it conducted some eighty J-15 fighter sorties that simulated air strikes on the island. By 2024, China’s third aircraft carrier is expected to enter service. The Fujian will be China’s first aircraft carrier equipped with catapults to launch its aircraft. That will enable its fighters to fly strike missions at longer ranges and with heavier ordnance loads, making the new carrier even more formidable than its predecessor. Click here to read... [16]