Translation Tag: people-to-people exchanges
In this article, Renmin University scholar Cui Shoujun assesses the drivers of evolving China-Latin America relations and identifies tailwinds and headwinds for this relationship down the road. He identifies 2015 as a transformative year in this relationship, marked by the establishment of the China-CELAC forum and more strategic regional engagement by China in the following years. He suggests that going forward, Beijing will need to appreciate diversity among regional capitals, encourage broader and more even Chinese commercial engagement across Latin American countries, and navigate U.S. intentions and anxieties about PRC presence in Latin America in seeking to develop ties with the region.
Lou Yu, a scholar from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), traces opportunities and challenges for continued development of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and broader regional engagement in Latin America. Lou is relatively sober on prospects for bilateral ties, pointing to the geopolitical situation in Latin America (specifically, growing U.S. and European interests in the region), substantial crime rates and associated security challenges to Chinese investment, and political instability in many Latin American countries. Nevertheless, Lou suggests that political trends in the region – including a resurgence of left-leaning governments – may result in greater openness to BRI engagement going forward.
The CCP Politburo holds “collective study sessions” on a semi-regular basis, in which an outside academic or government expert leads a discussion on a selected topic. Such sessions are important signals as to what issues the senior leadership finds important. The 17th collective study session of the 20th Central Committee Politburo was held on October 28, 2024 and was presided over by Xi Jinping. Xi delivered a speech emphasizing the need to build China’s soft power and cultural influence abroad.
Hu Jintao delivered this address on the 30th anniversary of the 1979 “Message to Taiwan Compatriots,” which was published by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress when the United States and PRC established diplomatic relations. In this speech, Hu puts forth six points as part of a policy promoting the “peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.”
The PRC issued the “Anti-Secession Law” during the administration of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) President Chen Shui-bian in Taiwan after the administration undertook actions that Beijing viewed as provocative, such as declaring that there was one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait. The “Anti-Secession Law” reiterated the core elements of Beijing’s Taiwan policy and its red lines—including outlining the circumstances under which Beijing would consider employing “non-peaceful means” to annex Taiwan.
Gao Xiang, President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, details the motivations and intent behind China’s Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) proposed by Xi Jinping in March 2023. The Chinese development experience, Gao suggests, shows that viable paths to modernization extend beyond what he describes as the Western capitalist model. For Gao, the GCI will democratize international relations in the face of perceived “power politics and hegemonism” of other major powers by institutionalizing people-to-people and cultural exchanges, thereby engendering greater respect for the diversity of national histories, cultures, and conditions.
This is an official readout from the November 2015 meeting in Singapore between Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou, who was then serving as President of Taiwan—marking the first face-to-face meeting between leaders of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) since 1949. In the meeting, Xi outlines four points he sees as necessary to advance further development of cross-Strait relations, including mutual adherence to the “1992 consensus” and greater economic integration and people-to-people exchanges.
This is an official readout from a May 2014 meeting between Xi Jinping and James Soong, the founder and Chairman of the People First Party (PFP). In the readout, Xi states that Beijing will continue to pursue the “peaceful development of cross-Strait relations” by facilitating increased cross-Strait economic integration and people-to-people exchanges.
This is an official readout from a May 2015 meeting between Xi Jinping and the then-recently elected chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), Eric Chu. In the meeting, Xi says cross-Strait are at a “critical point,” and emphasizes the importance of mutual adherence to the “1992 Consensus” and opposition to “Taiwan independence” as pre-requisites for Beijing’s engagement with political bodies in Taiwan.
In this speech delivered to a group of Taiwan delegations attending the third session of the 12th national Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Xi Jinping invites Taiwan “compatriots” to participate in economic and educational opportunities on the mainland, and more broadly to contribute to further development of cross-Strait relations.