The signatures of almost 300 foreign political leaders on a document praising Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) contribution to world peace have provided him valuable ammunition to counter arguments by those who fear the country’s rising international clout.
The so-called Beijing Initiative was signed on Sunday at the end of a four-day Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gathering that brought together hundreds of political representatives, including Burmese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The document said, among other things, that: “We highly praise the great effort and major contributions made by the Chinese Communist Party with General Secretary Xi Jinping as its core leader to build a community of shared future for mankind and a peaceful and fine world.”
China’s largest-ever global interparty dialogue represented Xi’s latest play for greater overseas clout since he outlined plans in October to make China a great power by 2050.
One challenge facing Xi is overcoming suspicion that China, which already has the world’s second-largest economy and one of its most powerful militaries, would seek to use its growing influence to coerce smaller countries.
The Beijing event showcased a growing willingness to let China assume a leadership role as US President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies and Brexit negotiations undermine confidence in the established Western powers.
While most participants were from left-leaning parties in developing nations, Italy’s Democratic Party, New Zealand’s Labour Party, South Korea’s Democratic Party and Japan’s Komeito party also sent representatives.
“Many political parties in the world are confused and struggling and searching for a new path,” said Wang Yiwei (王義桅), director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University, who was a speaker at the event. “As Brexit and Trump have shown, there’s no teacher of liberal democracy and teachers have made mistakes. There is no universal model of development.”
Xi, who in October emerged from CCP’s 19th National Congress as China’s most powerful leader in decades, told cadres then that the CCP’s party-state model could provide an alternative for developing countries.
Xi on Friday sought to reassure attendees that China would neither import foreign development models nor export its own.
The document signed in Beijing also endorsed his signature “Belt and Road” initiative, saying it “suits people’s interests” in the countries along the route.
OPTIMISTIC: A Philippine Air Force spokeswoman said the military believed the crew were safe and were hopeful that they and the jet would be recovered A Philippine Air Force FA-50 jet and its two-person crew are missing after flying in support of ground forces fighting communist rebels in the southern Mindanao region, a military official said yesterday. Philippine Air Force spokeswoman Colonel Consuelo Castillo said the jet was flying “over land” on the way to its target area when it went missing during a “tactical night operation in support of our ground troops.” While she declined to provide mission specifics, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala confirmed that the missing FA-50 was part of a squadron sent “to provide air support” to troops fighting communist rebels in
PROBE: Last week, Romanian prosecutors launched a criminal investigation against presidential candidate Calin Georgescu accusing him of supporting fascist groups Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Romania’s capital on Saturday in the latest anti-government demonstration by far-right groups after a top court canceled a presidential election in the EU country last year. Protesters converged in front of the government building in Bucharest, waving Romania’s tricolor flags and chanting slogans such as “down with the government” and “thieves.” Many expressed support for Calin Georgescu, who emerged as the frontrunner in December’s canceled election, and demanded they be resumed from the second round. George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), which organized the protest,
ECONOMIC DISTORTION? The US commerce secretary’s remarks echoed Elon Musk’s arguments that spending by the government does not create value for the economy US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on Sunday said that government spending could be separated from GDP reports, in response to questions about whether the spending cuts pushed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency could possibly cause an economic downturn. “You know that governments historically have messed with GDP,” Lutnick said on Fox News Channel’s Sunday Morning Futures. “They count government spending as part of GDP. So I’m going to separate those two and make it transparent.” Doing so could potentially complicate or distort a fundamental measure of the US economy’s health. Government spending is traditionally included in the GDP because
Hundreds of people in rainbow colors gathered on Saturday in South Africa’s tourist magnet Cape Town to honor the world’s first openly gay imam, who was killed last month. Muhsin Hendricks, who ran a mosque for marginalized Muslims, was shot dead last month near the southern city of Gqeberha. “I was heartbroken. I think it’s sad especially how far we’ve come, considering how progressive South Africa has been,” attendee Keisha Jensen said. Led by motorcycle riders, the mostly young crowd walked through the streets of the coastal city, some waving placards emblazoned with Hendricks’s image and reading: “#JUSTICEFORMUHSIN.” No arrest
RSS