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SCO summit: Putin says sanctions making Russia stronger

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his country’s opposition to Western sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking at the virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, his first international address since the recent mutiny in Russia, Putin expressed defiance towards the West, stating that Russia would counter external sanctions and pressures while continuing to develop. He emphasized the importance of trade agreements between SCO nations in local currencies, seen as a measure to mitigate the impact of sanctions. Putin also welcomed Belarus’s application to become a permanent member of the SCO. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hosting the summit, called for increased trade, connectivity, and tech cooperation among member states.

However, he did not directly address the war in Ukraine or China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting India’s delicate diplomatic position as it strengthens ties with both the West and China. Instead, Modi urged SCO members to cooperate on countering cross-border terrorism, with his statements commonly interpreted as aimed at Pakistan. China’s President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of regional peace and security and called for solidarity and mutual trust among SCO members. All members agreed on the need to maintain stability in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover.

The SCO, formed in 2001 by China, Russia, and four Central Asian countries, has gained relevance as relations with the West deteriorate for Russia and China. With around 40% of the world’s population and over 20% of global GDP, the SCO holds significant potential, and the inclusion of Iran as a full member further enhances its energy portfolio.

However, India’s ability to strike a diplomatic balance between its global partners, including Russia, China, and Pakistan, will impact the future of the SCO. Indian diplomats assert their commitment to an independent foreign policy without favoring any particular group.

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Ukraine’s Zelensky holds first war phone call with China’s Xi

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Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky announced that he had a significant and lengthy conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping over the phone, marking their first communication since the beginning of the Russian conflict. Zelensky expressed optimism that the call, coupled with the appointment of an ambassador to Beijing, will positively impact the relationship between the two nations.

China acknowledged the conversation and emphasized their commitment to peace, though they have previously maintained a neutral position regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Notably, President Xi visited Russia recently, indicating a close relationship between the two nations.

During a recent meeting, Ukrainian President Zelensky referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as his “dear friend” and presented a 12-point peace plan, but did not promise to supply Russia with weapons. Following the meeting, Zelensky invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Kyiv for further discussions, as they had not been in contact since the start of the war in February 2022. In a statement regarding their recent phone call, Xi emphasized China’s commitment to peace and stated that they would not take advantage of the crisis for profit or simply watch from afar.

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China disowns ambassador’s remarks questioning Ukrainian independence

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China’s Paris ambassador Lu Shaye’s recent comments questioning the sovereignty of Ukraine and other former Soviet countries have caused outrage and led to calls for Beijing to clarify its stance. However, on Monday, China’s foreign ministry stated that it respects the independence of all post-Soviet republics.

Despite being a major ally of Russia, China has not condemned President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last year, and sees itself as a key player in efforts to bring peace to the region. However, many in the West doubt China’s impartiality on the issue due to its increasing trade ties with Russia amid Western sanctions prompted by the invasion.

Ambassador Lu was interviewed by the French LCI network, where he was asked about China’s view on Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. The interviewer argued that according to international law, the region belongs to Ukraine.

Chinese Ambassador Lu Shaye’s recent remarks questioning the sovereignty of Ukraine and other former Soviet countries, including his suggestion that international law could not be relied on to defend their sovereignty, have been rejected by China’s foreign ministry. The ministry’s spokesperson affirmed Beijing’s respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all countries, and upheld the principles of the United Nations Charter.

The Chinese embassy in Paris issued a statement calling Ambassador Lu’s remarks a personal point of view and not to be over-interpreted. However, the remarks have caused concern among some countries, and the representatives of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have summoned China’s representatives to clarify the situation.

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Macron counting on Xi to ‘bring Russia to senses’

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Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, has pleaded with Xi Jinping, the leader of China, to assist in ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

He told Mr. Xi in Beijing, “I know I can count on you to bring Russia to its senses, and bring everyone back to the negotiating table.” China and France, according to Mr. Xi, have the “capacity and obligation” to preserve world peace.

Moscow, meanwhile, declared that the onslaught will carry on since there were currently “no prospects for a peaceful conclusion.”

After years of deteriorating relations between the West and China, which has hesitated to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Mr. Macron is in China on a state visit that is being closely watched.

Also, Mr. Macron wants to improve business connections. He is joined by a sizable business group as well as Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, who he asked to participate in meetings with the Chinese leadership.

In the late afternoon on Thursday, Mr. Macron was treated to a lavish military display in Beijing before meeting Mr. Xi for private talks that were described as “frank” and “warm” by Chinese and French officials.

Following the meeting, Mr. Xi addressed the media and urged “reasonable restraint” from the international community, stating that China “advocates for peace talks and wants a political settlement.”

He also reaffirmed the prohibition against using nuclear weapons in the conflict. Earlier this week, Russia declared its intention to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, close to the ally’s western border with Nato countries.

Mr Macron said “we can’t have a safe and stable Europe” as long as Ukraine remained occupied, and that it was “unacceptable” that a member of the UN Security Council had violated the organisation’s charter.

The French president addressed Mr. Xi directly throughout the press conference, striking a friendly tone throughout his statement. It contrasted with Mr. Xi’s lethargic press conference delivery.

Later, in a different press conference, Ms. von der Leyen emphasised that it would be against international law and “seriously undermine” the relationship between the EU and China if Beijing sent weapons to Russia.

She said that she wanted Beijing to play a role that “promotes a just peace” and that she “firmly” supported Volodymyr Zelensky, the leader of Ukraine, in his peace proposal, which asks for the complete departure of Russian soldiers.

China has released its own peace plan which Western nations have been generally dismissive of, saying it sides too much with Russia. But Mr Zelensky has expressed interest in it and called for direct talks with Mr Xi – who has yet to publicly respond.

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No G20 Joint Statement After China Objects To Use Of “War” Over Ukraine

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Although China tried to tone down references to the Ukraine war, G20 finance ministers were unable to reach agreement on a common statement on the status of the world economy on Saturday during discussions in Mumbai.

Instead, India, the G20’s current president, released a “chair’s report” in which it was stated that “the majority of members strongly denounced the war in Ukraine” and that “various evaluations of the situation and sanctions” were made during the two-day Bengaluru summit.
Two paragraphs about the conflict that were taken from the G20 Bali Leaders’ Declaration in November, according to a footnote, “were agreed to by all member countries with the exception of Russia and China.”

Nadia Calvino, a spokesperson for Spain, had earlier stated that it was “difficult” to agree on a statement due to some unnamed nations’ “less productive” attitudes during the discussions among the top 20 economies of the globe.

According to sources speaking on the condition of anonymity, China intended to remove the word “war” from the declaration’s language as of November.

Since G20 member Russia invaded its neighbour in February, previous gatherings of the group’s finance ministers and central bankers have similarly failed to result in a shared declaration.

The Chinese and Russian officials refused to ratify the language on Ukraine, according to senior Indian official Ajay Seth, since “their job is to deal with economic and financial matters.”

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European companies face a ‘logistical nightmare’ in Shanghai, according to a business group

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Western companies in Shanghai are facing a “logistical nightmare,” according to a European business group, as they begin to reopen following a city-wide lockdown.

According to the European Union Chamber of Commerce, the problems are expected to last for several more weeks. Chinese officials announced on Friday that they will assist more than 600 businesses in the major financial centre in resuming operations.

It comes after business groups in the United Kingdom and the United States said their members had been affected by Covid measures in China.

Although some businesses have resumed operations in Shanghai by keeping their employees on-site, “many businesses continue to face labour shortages and logistical challenges,” according to Bettina Schoen-Behanzin, vice president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and head of the Shanghai chapter.

“We estimate that due to the ongoing lockdowns, less than 30% of their workforce is eligible to go to work, so there’s a huge gap between policy and reality,” she added in a statement on Thursday.

Other business organisations representing companies in the United Kingdom and the United States have expressed concern about the impact of lockdowns in Shanghai and other Chinese cities.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai also stated on Thursday that officials were still coordinating the movement of workers and goods across Chinese provinces.

Meanwhile, according to a survey released on Wednesday by the British Chamber of Commerce in China, UK companies in China expect profits to fall this year as a result of local Covid restrictions.

More than two-thirds of the more than 200 businesses polled predicted lower revenue this year. Almost half of them said that the restrictions had hampered their ability to recruit and retain foreign workers.

Covid infections spiked earlier this year in Shanghai, a financial, manufacturing, and shipping hub. Authorities shut it down in late March for mass testing.

Tesla’s ‘giga factory’ in the city has recently resumed production after restrictions were eased.

Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, admitted on Wednesday that “we did lose a lot of important days of production.”

The Shanghai factories of German automaker Volkswagen (VW) and Apple iPhone maker Pegatron, on the other hand, remain closed.

VW said it was assessing the “feasibility” of resuming Shanghai operations.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Pegatron told the BBC that it was “waiting for further instruction from local government.”

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In talk with Xi; US President Biden raises aggressive policies of China

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U.S. president Joe Biden talked with his Chinese partner Xi Jinping on Wednesday evening (Washington time), the principal call between the two chiefs since Mr. Biden accepted office on January 20.

Mr. Biden featured worries about Beijing’s monetary practices, its basic liberties record and “confident activities in the district” while asserting his need of protecting a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” the White House said in a readout of the call.

“President Biden confirmed his needs of ensuring the American individuals’ security, thriving, wellbeing, and lifestyle, and saving a free and open Indo-Pacific. President Biden underscored his key worries about Beijing’s coercive and out of line financial practices, crackdown in Hong Kong, denials of basic freedoms in Xinjiang, and progressively decisive activities in the area, including toward Taiwan,” the White House said.

In any case, the Biden organization desires to expand on the Trump organization’s fortifying of the Quad (the Indo-Pacific gathering of nations containing India, the U.S., Australia and Japan), U.S. Public Security Adviser Jake Sullivan as of late said.

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China denounces EU’s resolution on Hong Kong crackdown

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The Asian superpower of China has strongly denounced the European Union resolution against the crackdown launched against Hong Kong democratic activists by the Communist Country.

The Communist China has termed the resolution as an interference.

The resolution has been passed by the European Union Parliament. It has demanded sanctions against certain Chinese and Hong Kong officials.

Hong Kong was under the control of the UK. The region, which is situated close to China, was recently handed over to China.

Since the transfer of the territory, China has been slowly injecting its political thought into the region, which inherited a liberal political thought process from its former master.

It is not clear at this moment whether the issue will affect the relation between China and the European Union.

It is less likely China take up a tough retaliatory action against the European Union.

The EU and China maintain a deep economic tie. In that sense, both depend on each other.    

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China launches crackdown Hong Kong

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The Asian country of China has launched a severe crackdown in the embattled territory of Hong Kong.

As many as 53 people have been booked in connection with the crackdown launched in the region by the Chinese government.

Those booked in connection with the crackdown includes journalists, activists, opposition leaders, lawmakers, workers and students.

The action has been carried out with the support of the National Security Law, which were imposed over the territory by the Chinese government.

Hong Kong is at present in the state of a severe political turmoil. The city was under the control of the United Kingdom. Hong Kong was handed over to China by the UK several years. At the time of handing over, the country reached an agreement with China. In the agreement, China assured that it would not alter the political framework of the territory which the region acquired from its colonial master.

The recent development indicates that the communist country has stepped back from the assurance it made at the time the territory was handed over to it by the UK.

Hong Kong is technically a part of China. Yet, it is different. It is ruled by a one country two governments formula. The people in Hong Kong are not open to the communist culture shared by the people in the Chinese mainland.

The west, particularly the UK, has raised its voice against the unwelcoming attitude towards the region by China.     

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EU demands immediate release of journalist Zhang Zhan

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The European Union has demanded the immediate release of citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who was jailed by China as his report regarding the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan irritated the Chinese government.

Apart from the journalist, the world’s most powerful economic union has sought the release of several reporters, lawyers and human right activists.

Ms. Zhang is the first journalist who has reported about the outbreak in Wuhan. She is a very fearless journalist.

A top EU official has revealed that the union has received a credible report to assume that the journalist has been subjected to torture and ill-treatment during the Chinese official custody.

The EU has recently reached a trade agreement with China. China considers the EU as an option to overcome the damage made by the US’ trade war. Considering the said realities, the EU’s suggestion is likely to be taken seriously by the Chinese government.

At this moment, it is not easy for China to damage its relation with the EU, which is set to become one of the main trading partners of the communist country.

It is expected that the western world will increase its pressure over China to make the country more democratic in nature.

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