Indholdsfortegnelse for Vol.66/No.13 i Beijing Review

On March 23, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity in his speech at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in Russia. Over the past 10 years, the concept has been put into practice around the globe and written into several major UN documents. In working toward this goal, China is committed to adhering to its opening-up policy and sharing opportunities with other countries. In 2013, it proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to promote connectivity worldwide. To date, over three quarters of the world’s countries have joined this initiative. In November 2018, it inaugurated the China International Import Expo, which attracted participants from 172 countries, regions and international organizations in its first year. The…

Eighteen months after the formation of the AUKUS alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, the final details of Australia’s first nuclear-powered submarine fleet were unveiled on March 13. Australia will spend as much as $245 billion over the next three decades to purchase up to eight U.S. Virginia-class submarines, and will eventually jointly produce and operate a new submarine class with Britain. This is the biggest single defense project in the country’s history and will make it one of only seven countries across the world that operate nuclear-powered submarines. The deal is widely seen as a part of the ongoing attempt by the U.S. to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. China has expressed firm opposition to the deal. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin…

‘The diversity of civilizations determines the diversity of development. It is in the process of inheriting and interpreting ancient civilizations, and in the dialogue of equal exchanges, that different countries find paths rooted in their own civilization,” Liu Li, President of Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), said in his opening remarks at the World Sinology Lecture co-hosted by the Chinese Association for International Understanding and BLCU on March 17. As one of the most prestigious universities for international students in China—for example, Golden Globe-winning actress Awkwafina, an American of Chinese descent, studied at the institution for two years—BLCU also dedicates itself to research into traditional Chinese language, literature, history, intellectual thought and the arts, and has, in that context, established the World Sinology Center. The World Sinology Lecture, then,…

Walking into the Beijing-based studio of Belgian designer Jehanne de Biolley, one will be immediately drawn to the robes adorned with beautiful handwritten English words. The elegant dresses seem to be entirely Western style, but a closer look will reveal the presence of four Chinese characters: Miao Zu Shi Shi, which translates as “epics of the Miao ethnic group.” The theme suggests the garments’ Chinese soul. “When I was around 18, I discovered Asia and I decided to dedicate my life to the study of Asian culture, and then that of Chinese culture,” De Biolley told Beijing Review. She was born into an aristocratic family in Belgium in the 1960s, with a lineage that traces back to medieval France. De Biolley first got into handicrafts like lace-making and knitting when…

Acrobats put on a show in Jinan, capital of Shandong Province, on March 21 during the 14-day 11th National Acrobatics Exhibition, which kicked off on March 16. This year’s event featured 50 acrobatic and magic shows as well as eight acrobatic dramas. Ming Wenjun, Director of the Art Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said in his speech at the opening ceremony the show’s 10 consecutive editions have played an important role in promoting the prosperity and development of the acrobatic performance art.…

Developments in the Middle East regularly capture international attention. Media stories primarily cover negative themes and focus on tensions and problems. The purpose of diplomacy is not to follow this trend but to look for potential solutions. This is the method China has followed when mediating between Iran and Saudi Arabia, resulting in the two countries determined to restore diplomatic ties during negotiations hosted in Beijing. The joint trilateral statement released by China, Saudi Arabia and Iran on March 10 was the fruit of hard efforts to start a new chapter in the relationship of the two Middle East countries. The resumption occurred after a seven-year freeze in diplomatic relations. However, even before 2016, relations between the two had been strained for several reasons including sectarian divides. The beginning of…

Creating a society of fairness and justice is pretty much the consensus among nations the world over. In the vast majority of countries, from the developed to the developing world, however, the common picture is that the gains of a few result in the losses of many. As a result, different social levels are often pitted against each other. In this context, China is keenly aware of the risks associated with a divided society. Like many other countries, it also faces pressing issues such as uneven regional development, rural and urban disparities and huge income gaps. How can it create an ideal society of justice? President Xi Jinping has proposed doing so by following a new development philosophy, which emphasizes sharing the fruits of development and covers five elements spurring…

Liu Xuezhou, a 17-year-old from Hebei Province, committed suicide in Sanya, Hainan Province, in January 2022. Liu, who had been sold by his parents at birth, was reunited with them, respectively, in December 2021 and January 2022, only to be abandoned by them again soon after. Liu posted a long suicide note in the early hours of January 24 last year on the Sina Weibo microblogging platform, then swallowed pills to end his life on a beach in Sanya before dying later in hospital. In the note, Liu said he was sold at birth by his biological parents, and at the age of 4 his adoptive parents died. After finding his parents, he asked them to buy or rent a house for him, since he had been staying in others’…

NEW REPRESENTATIVE TO UN ORGANIZATIONS Li Song was recently appointed China’s permanent representative to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and also China’s permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, replacing Wang Qun. Born in Beijing in 1967, Li spent his early working years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after graduating from China Foreign Affairs University. In 2012, he began serving as minister counselor of the Chinese Mission to the EU, and later minister counselor of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa. In January 2019, Li became China’s deputy permanent representative to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, as well as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary for disarmament affairs. In May 2020, he was elected vice president of the 73rd World Health Assembly.…

On March 10, Silicon Valley Bank, the 16th largest bank in the United States, became the second largest banking bankruptcy in U.S. history. It was the third U.S. lender to collapse in a week, following Signature Bank and the crypto-focused Silvergate Bank. Although analysts argue the “contagion” risk from the melt-downs is limited, there is reason to believe the situation could become more serious than the 2007-08 financial crisis. While the crisis of 2007-08 was caused by widespread corruption linked to fraudulently valued derivatives for sub-prime mortgages, the current banking turmoil is systemic and caused by overinvestment in treasury bonds. COVID-related measures created a vast transfer of wealth upward in the U.S. economy and banks invested this money in treasury bonds. However, this vast transfer, combined with supply chain disruptions…

Guangzhou, capital of the prosperous southern province of Guangdong, recently implemented a host of policy measures aimed at boosting business entities as the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. While these policies are welcome news for small businesses in the area, they are also emblematic of China’s broader efforts to support small businesses and promote economic growth this year. China’s efforts to support its micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are critical to economic growth. Private MSMEs are estimated to contribute 50 percent of taxes, 60 percent of the GDP, 70 percent of technological innovation, and 80 percent of employment, and account for 90 percent of all companies in the country. It’s clear that MSMEs are a vital part of China’s economic ecosystem and supporting them is essential to promoting…