- Foreign Minister Wang Yi: China is not a ‘systemic rival’ of the EU
- Growing military spending only for defense?
- Cautious growth forecast – high Q1 exports
- Beijing backs nuclear power for climate change
- China to vaccinate 40 percent of population by summer
- Emissions up 1.7 percent in 2020
- EU opposes electoral reform in Hong Kong
- Profile: Sigrun Abels
It was a demonstration of economic strength that China’s Premier Li Keqiang combined with the announcement at the start of the National People’s Congress on Friday that the country’s domestic product will increase by at least six percent this year. This was followed on Sunday by the foreign minister’s demonstration of his geopolitical claim to power. In no uncertain terms, Wang Yi forbade any form of interference in “internal affairs”, whether it be Hong Kong or Taiwan. Frank Sieren summarizes the essential details of the annual press conference.
The announced economic growth and military spending plans, you, as a reader of China.Table, already know about since Friday morning. Felix Lee and Christiane Kühl now analyze the background in this briefing.
China is by far the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide and it stands to reason that the international community is watching Beijing’s ambitious plans to cut emissions with the greatest interest. In the 14th Five-Year Plan, which the National People’s Congress is debating this week, one is hard-pressed to find specific references to this. The only exception: nuclear power projects, as Finn Mayer-Kuckuk writes. China wants to add twenty gigawatts by 2035.
Wishing you a successful start to the week,
Antje Sirleschtov
Feature
Foreign minister: China is not a ‘systemic rival’ of the EU
Once a year, China’s foreign minister holds a major press conference to coincide with the National People’s Congress session, at which Western and Chinese journalists are admitted. This was also the case yesterday, on the occasion of the fourth session of the 13th Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC). Media representatives asked about 30 questions – including controversial topics: Xinjiang province and the accusation of genocide against the Uyghurs, China’s vaccination diplomacy, Hong Kong’s security law, Taiwan, India, Myanmar, climate change, forced labor, difficult relations with the United States, as well as border disputes in the South China Sea. As expected, the foreign minister’s answers were routine. Wang makes it clear right at the beginning that the “party is the anchor of diplomacy“.
No concrete steps for ILO requirements
And within the framework of this diplomacy, Wang first had warm words for the EU: He praised the confederation for cooperating with China and thus giving the world “positive signals” despite the COVID pandemic. However, he rejected the EU’s claim that China is a “systemic rival”. Brussels has been wrangling with its position on Beijing for some time. With Joe Biden’s inauguration as US president, a rekindling of transatlantic ties was assumed – but the EU does not want to see itself as a junior partner of the US and stresses its “strategic autonomy”.
China has no interest in driving a wedge between Washington and Brussels, Wang said. “China is willing to see the EU strengthen its strategic autonomy, uphold multilateralism and devote itself to coordination and cooperation among major powers,” Wang said.
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