IN FOCUS
By Avishka Ashok

China-Africa Think Tanks Meeting: Beijing's soft-power strategy

On 20 October, China organized the 10th China-Africa Think Tanks Forum in Hangzhou. The two-day forum gathered over 200 Chinese and African representatives from the political, academic, media, and business arenas. African representatives from South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Morocco, Madagascar and Liberia participated at the forum and engaged in elaborate discussions on improving cooperation between China and the African countries. The forum aimed to boost the relations and work towards a shared Chinese-African future.

During the opening ceremony of the forum, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Deng Li said: "During the tough times when China fought the virus, African governments and people offered valuable help. When Africa needed help, China offered the largest-scale humanitarian support by sending vaccines, pandemic control supplies and medical teams. Now, China and Africa need solidarity and cooperation more than ever." The Cameroon Delegate from the Ministry of External Affairs also represented his country at the opening ceremony and encouraged the mutual cooperation between countries within the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and said: "Africa and China can stimulate the necessary infrastructure and economic development required to boost African economic integration while facilitating the border goals of shaping a closer Africa-China community."

On 21 October, the forum held three parallel sessions within the forum. The three sessions focused on "The new plan for FOCAC and the establishment of a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," "Promoting Urban Development in African Cities and Towns, Deepening China-Africa Digital Cooperation and Jointly Building the BRI" and "Promoting Unity between China and Africa in the Fight against COVID-19 by Improving the Health Governance Capacity and the Quality of Medical and Health Services."

The forum is a part of China's soft power strategies where it tries to establish its influence in African countries and also strengthens its roots in the academic and intellectual arena along with the political and economic sectors. The Think Tank Forum was first initiated in 2011 when China realized its "intellectual disadvantage" in the continent. In the past decade, China has grown to be more influential and has led African countries to depend more openly on the Chinese economy. On 20 October, the Foreign Policy think tank of the London School of Economics published a report that looked at China's growing influence in Africa. The report revealed that China was becoming increasingly influential in the African Space Industry as it launched six out 45 African satellites and also supported African countries with Tracking, Telemetry and Control (TT&C). China is also a significant part of Africa's digital infrastructure, security and military engagement and public diplomacy.

According to Peter Kagwanja from the African Policy Institute, China-Africa Think Tanks Forum is being carried forward by China through four measures: replacing hard-power tactics with soft-power strategies, promoting development cooperation, involving itself in trade and investment and encouraging people-to-people diplomacy by increasing the dialogue between the non-state actors in China and Africa.

References

Wang Wenwen, "10th China-Africa Think Tanks Forum kicks off as runup for the FOCAC," Global Times, 20 October 2021

"FOCAC at 21: Future Trajectories of China-Africa Relations," China Foresight, LSE IDEAS, 20 October 2021

"China-Africa Think Tanks Forum: China broadens soft power campaigns in Africa," Brookings, 01 October 2015

Daniel Boyco, "The china-africa think tank forum and the negotiation of soft power," On Think Tanks, 12 December 2015

IN BRIEF
By Dincy Adlakha and Keerthana Nambiar

INTERNAL
Evergrande readies fund for bond payment avoiding default
On 22 October, an anonymous source told Reuters that the Evergrande Group has arranged USD 83.5 million worth bond payment. The amount was remitted to a Citibank account of a trustee. This is to pay an installment of a US bond whose grace extension deadline is on 23 October. This will avoid Evergrande from defaulting. However, experts have voiced their distrust mentioning that this payment does not wiggle much room if the other demands are not met. The next grace deadline is on 29 October. The news is a relief to investors and markets throughout the world, allowing space for recorrection. (Clare Jim and Andrew Galbraith, "China Evergrande lines up funds to pay interest, avert default - source," Reuters, 22 October 2021)

Xi Jinping to deliver address on 50th anniversary of China's UN seat
On 22 October, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that President Xi Jinping will deliver an important address to commemorate the 50th anniversary of China's lawful seat restoration in the UN. The speech will be delivered on Monday. China signed the UN charter in 1945. However, Taiwan was the sole representative of China for a long time. In 1971, all legal rights of the People's Republic of China had been restored legally by the UN. ("Xi to deliver speech on 50th anniversary of PRC's UN seat restoration," Global Times, 22 October 2021)

Beijing issues new guidelines for green development
On 21 October, the Communist Party of China's Central Committee and the State Council issued a new guidelines to increase green development in urban and rural areas. The guidelines set a target of instilling institutional mechanisms and policy systems to support green development by 2025. The country also aimed to cut carbon emissions by 2035 and spread green development in a comprehensive manner to all urban and rural areas. The guideline pledged to improve ecological capacities by adding fiscal and financial inputs. ("China issues guideline on green development in urban, rural areas," Xinhua Net, 21 October 2021)

Beijing announces for five more National Parks
On 21 October, Tang Xiaoping, chief of the Institute of National Park announced that China will be building more ecological national parks in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, the Yangtze River basin, and the sea, and the Yellow River basin. He declared that the steps were taken after considering China's ecological security needs and public concerns. The plan to establish the first five national parks was announced at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15). The parks will cover 230,000 square kilometers at Sanjiangyuan National Park in Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Wuyi Mountain National Park in the provinces of Fujian and Jiangxi, Giant Panda National Park in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, and Hainan Rainforest National Park in Hainan Province. ("China plans to build more national parks in key ecological areas like Xizang, Yellow River basin," Global Times, 21 October 2021) 

INTERNATIONAL
US-China cooperation will be regained for LNG
On 21 October, Global Times Voice published an editorial on the US-China energy cooperation. It focuses on China's energy transition progress as the demand for natural gas is expected to grow in the coming times forcing both countries to return to normal bilateral relations. According to the US Department of Energy website, US exporter Venture Global LNG and Chinese state oil giant Sinopec have signed two twenty-year deals on supplying a combined four million tons of liquefied natural gas. The article says that this new deal is a positive development when it comes to energy since 2018 and increases the chances of both countries coordinating. It further says, "The US should take more responsibility for the imbalance in bilateral trade, which requires greater efforts from the US side by removing all trade barriers, including export of high-tech products to China." The note ends with a warning that if the US does not make positive efforts to improve the relations between the US and China it might lose China's LNG provider agent. ("GT Voice: LNG deals opens door for US-China energy cooperation," Global Times, 21 October 2021)

The new US ambassador's makes strong remarks on China 
On 21 October, the newly appointed US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said, "the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century" in a US Senate hearing. He made strong remarks on China's domestic and foreign policies. The ambassador talked about Xinjiang's "genocide", China's Hong Kong policy and declared that the US "cannot trust China." He further added that China has been "stonewalling" on the accusations related to the origins of the COVID-19. Global Times says, "Beijing may just welcome this new US ambassador with a calm mind. He does not have the positive desire and energy to improve China-US relations, but he also has very few tools to attack us." "We have noticed that in his statement, Burns did not suggest new additional moves for the US to deal with China. Therefore, his statement of toughness seemed to be a bit hollow," claims Global Times. ("With such arrogance, Burns will suffer setbacks in China: Global Times editorial," Global Times, 21 October 2021)

China warns US and EU of wrong signals over Taiwan
On 21 October, Global Times published an article criticising the recent comments from the US ambassador to China, and the EU resolution on Taiwan. The EU resolution that is being pushed is promoting deeper economic and political remains with Taiwan. While the US ambassador to China said that US will make sure Taiwan is "a tough but to crack." As per a statement made by Biden to media houses, the US has "commitment" to defend Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and the White House is not changing its policy on Taiwan. China has expressed displeasure at all these events, calling the west an anti-China alliance and a "dangerous chorus." (Chen Qingqing and Yan Yuzhu, "EU, US send wrong signals on Taiwan, risking miscalculation," Global Times, 21 October 2021; Trevor Hunnicutt, "Biden says United States would come to Taiwan's defense," Reuters, 22 October 2021)

China receives support from 80 countries at the UN General Assembly
On 22 October, at the 76th session UN General Assembly, more than 80 countries voiced their support to China and to develop its own pattern for human rights development and opposing the politicized human rights issues. On behalf of 62 countries, Cuba made a joint statement at the UN General Assembly, "to support China for developing its own pattern on human rights that fits its conditions and oppose other countries' interference in China's internal affairs under the banner of human rights." "The joint statement was made at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly as the Third Committee reviewed human rights issues but a few countries, including the US and France, made groundless accusations targeting China's human rights record," reported Global Times. ("More than 80 countries voice support to China amid US and a few Western countries smearing at UN session," Global Times, 22 October 2021)