NIAS Area Studies
PAKISTAN READER
Photo : Global Times/ AFP
IN BRIEF
By Avishka Ashok and Arshiya Banu
INTERNATIONAL
G7: China’s Foreign Ministry responds to statements on internal issues
On 29 June, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian responded to the statements made by the G7 on China-related issues. Zhao urged the countries to stop attacking and smearing the country while also imploring the countries to keep aways from its internal issues. Zhao claimed that the G7 had hyped the democracy versus autocracy narrative and had no intentions of cooperating and conducting dialogues on the basis of equality and respect. Zhao stressed on Hong Kong and Taiwan issues and reaffirmed China’s stance on the issues. Zhao said: “Concerning Hong Kong affairs, since Hong Kong returned to the motherland, the democratic rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents according to the law have been fully guaranteed. The Chinese government has governed Hong Kong in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR.”
Zhao further emphasized on the One-China principle and said: “There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and certain countries' attempt to "use Taiwan to contain China" are the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.” Referring to the G7, Zhao pointed that the group of countries had benefited the most from globalization and should have taken up the task of resolving economic challenges around the world. Zhao said: “What I have to point out is that the population of G7 countries accounts for only around one 10th of the global total. They are in no position to represent the whole world, and still less are entitled to take their own values and standards as internationally universal.” (“China urges G7 to cease all attacks, smears against country,” Xinhua Net, 29 June 2022)
SCO: Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends and celebrates 20th anniversary of signing charter
On 29 June, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the roundtable meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of signing the SCO charter and the 15th anniversary of signing the “Treaty on Long-Term Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO member countries. Wang Yi reconfirmed China’s commitment to work with the SCO in carrying forward the “Shanghai Spirit” and the desire to build a closer community with a shared future. Wang said: “The Treaty stipulates mutual respect for the development path chosen by each other, reaffirms the principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-direction at the third party, endows the "Shanghai Spirit" with new connotations and has played a demonstration role for countries to live in harmony and pursue win-win cooperation.” He further called on the countries to strengthen solidarity and coordination within the organization while collectively addressing the risks and challenges and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation. (“China stands ready to work with SCO members in building closer community with shared future: Chinese FM,” Xinhua Net, 30 June 2022)
NATO: Organization focuses on growing Chinese "challenges”
On 30 June, the Strait Times reported that for the first time, NATO has singled out China as one of its strategic priorities for the coming ten years, expressing concern over its expanding military ambitions, confrontational rhetoric toward Taiwan and other neighbours, and deepening relations to Russia. China joined the list of the Western alliance's most concerning security issues on Wednesday, despite the fact that Russia's conflict with Ukraine has dominated discussions at the NATO summit. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: “China is not our adversary, but we must be clear-eyed about the serious challenges it represents." (“NATO pivots to highlight Chinese 'challenges' for 1st time,” The Strait Times, 30 June 2022)
REGIONAL
Philippines: China’s Vice President discusses bilateral relations with President Duterte
On 29 June, China’s Vice President Wang Qishan and the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte confirmed the promotion of bilateral relations and the improvement of cooperation between the two countries. Wang noted the turnaround in the bilateral relations between the countries and said: “The two sides have redefined their relationship as comprehensive strategic cooperation, enhanced good-neighborly friendship and cooperation, properly managed differences, and jointly worked for common development, which have ushered in a new era for furthering cooperation in various fields.” China noted that the investment by Chinese businesses had quadrupled its investments in the Philippines in the last six years while the bilateral trade had doubled in the same time. On the maritime issues, Wang said that China and the Philippines had stuck to dialogue and consultation to manage the differences while moving forward in the right direction. (“China, Philippines vow to further promote bilateral ties,” Xinhua Net, 30 June 2022)
Taiwan: Philippines complaint regarding drills in the South China Sea rejected
On 29 June, Taiwan rejected a complaint from the Philippines on live-fire near an island under its control that is located deep in the South China Sea, claiming that it had the right to conduct the drills and that it always gave advance notice of them. In a tweet posted late on Tuesday, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs voiced "strong objection" to Taiwan's planned illegal live-fire drills surrounding the island, also known as Itu Aba. The island is referred to as Taiping in Taiwan and Ligaw Island in the Philippines. (“Taiwan rebuffs Philippines complaint about South China Sea live-fire drills, The Strait Times, 29 June 2022)
INTERNAL
Legislature: Publicity Department reveals enactment of 69 laws in the last decade
On 29 June, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee announced that 292 laws had been enacted by the National People’s Congress and its Standing Committee. The department said that over 69 new laws had been enacted in the last decade while 237 laws had been revised by the two bodies. The Deputy Secretary-General of the NPC Standing Committee Wang Tiemin said: “The NPC and its Standing Committee have accelerated the pace of legislative work while ensuring quality legislation. A batch of laws urgently needed for the country's governance and satisfying the people's growing needs for a better life were introduced or revised.” He further revealed that a total of 1.2 million people had contributed to the process by providing over 3.8 million suggestions and providing their opinion on 217 draft laws. (“China's top legislature enacts 69 new laws in ten years,” Xinhua Net, 30 June 2022)
COVID-19: Flight searches increase as China reduces quarantine
On 29 June, the Strait Times reported that travel platforms witnessed a sharp increase in online searches for airline tickets on international routes with China after Beijing suddenly announced it would lower COVID-19 quarantine norms, indicating pent-up demand following two years of strict restrictions. The border restrictions had a negative impact on business travel and reduced the number of Chinese tourists visiting foreign countries, like Thailand's beaches or South Korea's shopping districts, which had become dependent on their business over the previous ten years. According to China's Qunar, searches on its travel platform more than doubled within an hour of the announcement that time in quarantine had been cut in half for travellers arriving from overseas. (“Searches for overseas flights surge after China shortens quarantine,” The Strait Times, 29 June 2022)
TECHNOLOGY
Space: Images of the south pole of Mars acquired by Chinese spacecraft
On 29 June, the Strait Times reported that a Chinese spacecraft that is unmanned completed more than 1,300 orbits of Mars since the beginning of last year, resulting in the collection of photographic data that includes images of Mars' south pole. China's Tianwen-1 successfully completed its first journey to the Red Planet in February 2021. Since then, a robotic rover has been placed on the planet's surface while an orbiter examined it from space. China captured the first images of the Martian south pole, where almost all of the planet's water resources are trapped. (“Chinese spacecraft acquires images of entire planet of Mars, The Strait Times, 29 June 2022)