YesFormer Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif are on a visit to Beijing. A Covid-19 policy rumor fueled a $450 billion market rally. Taiwan’s Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs, Chen Chern-chi leads a delegation to India. Ambassador US Qin Gang may become China’s next foreign minister. Beijing has named 11 bridges after Galwan soldiers. ChinaScope this week takes the news about China and the world out of the straw of the rumor mill.
China in a week
A rank different from other European and G7 leaders, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made his much-anticipated visit to Beijing on 3 November. Scholz became the first G7 leader to visit Beijing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Political trust is easy to destroy, but it is difficult to rebuild it, which requires mutual care from both sides. I appreciate former German Chancellor Scholz’s approach,” Xi Jinping said during his meeting with Scholz.
scholz and sheo discussed Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Read also: All Chinese CPEC workers will drive in bullet proof cars in Pakistan: Report
“China supports Germany and the European Union in playing an important role in promoting peace talks and building a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework,” Xi said.
International media have described Xi’s remarks on nuclear weapons as a “success” for Scholz’s visit. But this is a low bar. Xi also called for joint efforts to thwart the threat or use of nuclear weapons in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Beijing will not openly support Russia’s rhetoric on nuclear weapons, but that doesn’t mean China is backing out of its ideological alignment with Moscow.
Scholz’s delegation was full of German business. corporate associations who are reluctant to reduce dependence on Beijing – and instead, want Berlin’s continued involvement.
It can be challenging to understand what Scholz wanted to achieve with the Beijing visit. But a comment gives us some insight.
“If I am traveling to Beijing as Federal Chancellor of Germany, I am also doing so as a European. Not to speak on behalf of the whole of Europe – it would be arrogant and wrong – but because German policy on China can be successful only if it is embedded in European policy on China,” Scholz said.
The so-called German version of the ‘European policy on China’ comes down to maintaining economic ties with Beijing while examining America’s power in Europe. The approach is tried and trusted in Berlin’s power circles.
may be sholz played Beijing’s ‘divide and rule’ approach by rejecting French President Emmanuel Macron’s request to attend the visit.
Before meeting with Scholz, Xi met with another foreign leader, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
“Building of supporting infrastructure at Gwadar port should be expedited so that the port’s role as a radiation driver for regional connectivity and development is fully realized. The two sides should work together to create conditions for the early implementation of the No. 1 Railway Mainline Upgrade Project and the Karachi Ring Road Project. Told According to the news agency Xinhua, Xi.
Xi also said he was “extremely concerned” about the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan.
“I hope that Pakistan can provide a reliable and safe environment for Chinese institutions and personnel,” Told She.
The visit of top leaders may give some impression that China is about to adjust its Kovid policy.
Rumors about Chinese politics, economy and society are almost weekly diet for China watchers. Optimism in the financial markets increased over the past week.
a Basic lesson In black on a white background, with no information linking it to any government entity, an internal WeChat group of financial analysts and fund managers has begun to spread.
The screenshot of the post claimed that Wang Huning, one of the seven Politburo Standing Committee members, had a meeting with COVID-19 experts based on Xi Jinping’s request. The screenshots called Xi Jinping “Big Boss” and Wang Huning was referred to as “WHN” to bypass social media censors. Screenshots show that a “reopening committee” headed by Wang Huning began reviewing data from the US, Hong Kong and Singapore to develop a process for “reopening” China to foreign visitors was.
The rumor gained credibility when “96 Old Stock Trader” shared it on XueQ, a Chinese-language financial platform. was rumored enough To fuel a market rally of $450 billion over a period of two days.
But Chinese health officials soon denied this.
Read also: China posts 6-month high COVID count as it sticks to strategy
National Health Commission (NHC) has repeated Beijing’s commitment to a “holistic policy of dynamic zero” during a press conference on November 5.
“At present, China still faces the double risk of importing epidemics from abroad and the spread of local epidemics, and the prevention and control situation is still serious and complex. We need to adhere to the principle of ‘people first, life first’, The general strategy of ‘prevention of foreign transmission and internal spread’ and the general policy of ‘COVID zero’ should be followed without hesitation and coordinate prevention and control of epidemics with economic and social development.” Told Hu Jiang, the second level inspector of the National CDC’s Department of Communications and Prevention, during the press conference.
The rumor highlights the growing frustration among the domestic Chinese population and some financial investors to end the current regime of almost arbitrary lockdown.
Veteran China watcher Bill Bishop suggests this may not be entirely true, but the rumor could indicate some upcoming adjustments to the quarantine and overall COVID policy to ease economic tensions.
“This dynamic is not a sign of a change from zero-Covid, but a sign of calibration to end some throttling of economic activity,” wrote Bill Bishop.
The discussion about the direction of the COVID policy is one of the most discussed topics on Chinese social media.
The hashtag “National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention responds whether to adjust prevention and control policies in the near future” was viewed 330 million times on Sina Weibo.
As the Chinese public continues to deal with COVID restrictions, Chinese state media continues to remind them about 15 June 2020 Conflict in Galwan.
On November 4, the Chinese state-run Global Times informed of That China had named 11 bridges along the G219 highway connecting Tibet to Xinjiang after soldiers who died during the Galwan conflict. The Global Times story in English was based on accounts linked to the party and videos on Weibo shared by social media users.
On November 2, Xinjiang Communist Youth League share A video showing roadside signs with the names of Galwan soldiers.
“Deep into the Karakoram mountains, the bridges are named after the martyrs remembering their charge. Heroes always stand in Karakoram!” Told Posted by Xinjiang Communist Youth League.
China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is a multi-faceted technological innovation that powers a wide range of industries. Beijing released the white paper on Friday title ‘China’s BeiDou navigation satellite system in the new era.’
Read also: Manufacturing is coming from China to India, but trade deficit is a matter of concern: Mark Mobius
China in world news
From reluctant partners to enthusiastic allies, diplomatic relations between Taiwan and India continue to grow.
Taiwan’s Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chi led a delegation in New Delhi.
“We work with local partners. We rely heavily on the Indian government to help us invest here,” Chen said.
The synergy between Taiwan’s ‘Go South’ and India’s ‘Make in India’ policy is set to find many enthusiasts in both the countries.
there were three agreements Put signature on jointly at the 2022 India-Taiwan Industrial Cooperation Summit during Chen’s visit to New Delhi.
New Delhi is not even shy solid relations with taiwan
“The nature of geopolitics, the nature of geopolitical change and supply-chain restructuring … [make] “It is imperative for Taiwan to look at India afresh,” said Gauranglal Das, director general of the India Taipei Association.
When Qin Gang began his term as Beijing’s ambassador to Washington, some suggested he would approach relations with the US through the prism of engagement. But it has been far from the truth.
20. in the latest power transition onth The National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Qin was listed next to join the Politburo – professing his loyalty to Xi.
Qin is one of the possible candidates who could become the next foreign minister, replacing Wang Yi, who could be promoted to director of the Foreign Affairs Commission.
Qin has stayed away from reconciliation during his posting in Washington. Last month, they sent a Comment US Senator Josh Hawley accused him of being an “arrogant low”.
The animosity in US-China relations is not one-sided. After reaching his position in September 2021, Qin was given access to only a handful of US officials, including Kurt Campbell, the Indo-Pacific coordinator of the National Security Council, and Laura Rosenberger, senior director of the NSC for China, Politico. Huh. revealed,
Could the US change the Chinese approach to international affairs by giving Qin a warm welcome? This is unlikely as the policy is being driven from above by Xi himself. Qin Gang is playing Xi’s favorite tune, and so, it may have just won the promotion.
Read also: Covid disruption at Apple plant in China to reduce iPhone 14 shipments
Must read this week
What China’s past can tell us about Xi’s future Howard W French
The author is a columnist and a freelance journalist, currently pursuing an MSc in International Politics with a focus on China from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. He was previously a Chinese media reporter for the BBC World Service. He tweeted @aadilbrar. Thoughts are personal.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)