Daily Briefs


Photo : Xinhua

22 March 2022 | Tuesday | China Reader Evening Brief | Vol.1, No. 146

China and Pakistan explore closer cooperation and mutual development

Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited China and proposed a four-point plan to further enhance the bilateral relations.

IN BRIEF
By Avishka Ashok and Dincy Adlakha 

INTERNATIONAL
Pakistan: Foreign Ministers discuss enhancing bilateral relations 
On 21 March, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi took part in a joint press conference and announced the countries’ decision to strengthen their strategic coordination and pragmatic cooperation. Wang Yi is currently in Pakistan, as a part of his first trip to the neighbouring country after the outbreak of COVID-19. Wang Yi also said that China would like to build strong partnerships with the Islamic world and desires to encourage unity, justice and development.

He proposed a four-point proposal to further enhance their cooperation. First, supporting each other in the international order and continuing their friendly policies towards each other. Wang said: “China will stick to its friendly policy toward Pakistan, firmly support the Pakistani people in taking a development path that fits their own national conditions, and support Pakistan in defending its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.” Second, China and Pakistan will enhance their common development and rural revitalization through the CPEC and also support Pakistan’s green development, digitalization, poverty reduction, and health. Third, the countries pledged to deepen their cooperation on counter-terrorism. Wang Yi said: “China supports Pakistan in severely punishing the perpetrators of the Dasu terrorist attack, appreciates its efforts to strengthen the security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan, and will, as always, help Pakistan improve its law enforcement and security capacity.” Fourth, maintaining closer multilateral coordination and taking a stand against power politics, bullying and unilateral sanctions. (“Chinese FM makes four-point proposal on China-Pakistan relations,” Xinhua Net, 22 March 2022)

The US: State Department expands ban on Chinese officials 
On 21 March, the US State Department expanded the existing travel ban against Chinese officials for their involvement in the alleged abuse of human rights in the Xinjiang Region. The department did not specify how many officials or who would be affected by the ban. The Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the sanctions were being imposed on officials who “are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, policies or actions aimed at repressing religious and spiritual practitioners, members of ethnic minority groups, dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, labour organisers, civil society organisers, and peaceful protesters in China and beyond.” The expanded ban also includes a ban on officials involved in the suppression of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and Tibet. (“US expands travel bans on Chinese officials accused of persecuting ethnic and religious minorities,” South China Morning Post, 22 March 2022)

The US: Military Commander accuses China of arming islands in the South China Sea
On 21 March, the Guardian reported the US Military Commander’s claim that China had militarized at least three islands in the South China Sea. According to US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral John C Aquilino, China had armed the islands with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, laser and jamming equipment and fighter jets. Admiral Aquilino observed that the actions were completely different from China’s promises of not transforming the islands in the disputed region. He said: ““Over the past 20 years we’ve witnessed the largest military buildup since world war two by the PRC. They have advanced all their capabilities and that buildup of weaponization is destabilizing to the region.” (“China has fully militarized three islands in South China Sea, US admiral says,” The Guardian, 21 March 2022)

Indo-Pacific: India and Australia discuss South China Sea and the border disputes
On 21 March, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison reiterated the country’s core interests and focus on the Indo-Pacific region during the India-Australia Summit. The Prime Ministers of India and Australia made no reference to China during the initial comments but stressed on greater cooperation in the region. Morrison said: “Our region is facing increasing change and much pressure.” Morrison also offered a detailed perspective of how Australia saw China and its actions in the South China Sea. Modi spoke about the India-China border dispute and reaffirmed that peace and tranquillity in the area was a prerequisite for normality in their relations. (“India and Australia agree Quad should focus on Indo-Pacific,” The Strait Times,  21 March 2022)

INTERNAL
Flight accident: Eastern Boeing 737 crashes with 132 onboard
On 21 March, a China Eastern Boeing 737 with 132 people and nine crew members crashed in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The crash also resulted in a mountain fire. The fire has now been stamped out but no survivors were found from the crash. Soon after the crash, President Xi Jinping initiated an all-out search and rescue efforts and launched an emergency operation. The State Council also pledged to assign officials and investigate the cause of the crash at the earliest. The flight crash is the first in a long time and broke the country’s record of 4227 safe flight days. The last crash in China took place in 2010 in Yichun, Heilongjiang province. (“A China Eastern Boeing 737 with 132 onboard crashes, casualties unknown,” Global Times, 21 March 2022)

Society: Divorce rates fall after introduction of ‘cooling-off’ period
On 21 March, the Ministry of Civil Affairs released new data according to which the divorce rates had dropped in China after the introduction of the “cooling-off” period. The data revealed that over 43 per cent of the  2.14 million pairs of couples who had registered for a divorce, dropped the idea after the plan was introduced. The “cooling-off” period was implemented in January 2021 and gives the couples a 30-day period during which either party can withdraw the application. The Director of the Guangdong Academy of Population Development said: “The period gives the couples time to calm down, think more rationally and avoid being hasty. Making good use of the 'cooling-off' period can effectively reduce impulsive divorces.” (“'Cooling-off' period credited for drop in divorces,” China Daily, 21 March 2022)

ECONOMY
Evergrande Group: Company announces delay in publishing audit report 
On 22 March, the China Evergrande Group announced that they would be unable to publish their financial results for the last year by 31 March 2022 as their audit had not been completed. The publishing of the audit report is required by the stock listings. The company explained in a stock exchange filing that the drastic changes in its operations since the last year had led the auditor to add a number of additional procedures. The company has promised to publish the results as soon as the audit work is completed and have continued with the suspension in trading its shares until the results are approved. (“China Evergrande, units unable to publish annual results by March 31,” Reuters, 22 March 2022)

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