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China-Central Asia’s growing cooperation irks US

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A milestone two-day summit is about to take place from tomorrow (18th and 19th) in the northwest Chinese city of Xian where leaders from five-Asian States will attend and they will be welcomed by the Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Beijing for the first time will host an in-person summit of central Asian leaders with core intention to cement ties in a region, where President Xi is expected to discuss deepening economic and security links with counterparts of the five-Asian countries.

The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will discuss ways and means to further strengthen ties among themselves and with China collectively. The core goal behind the summit is to build a strong foundation of cooperation and send a clear message of solidarity, peace and development to the world in such a tense situation.

The world is in dire of need of healing and solidarity. There is hardly any good news, rather the headlines are more on war, political crisis, economic hardship, racism, unhealthy competition, and so on… In such a tense situation, seeing at least leaders from Central Asians under one roof with the leader of China to work for peace and economic development is encouraging.

Diplomatic relations between China and five Central Asian countries goes back to 30 years ago, and since then they developed strategic partnership and tried to open new ways and paths to explore good neighborliness and engage in win-win situations.

The countries have gone through a batch of cooperation projects with China has been the main executor of them as Beijing is running big projects to create a good economic atmosphere for these five countries.

Achievements in exploring cultural communication, initiating people-to-people exchange programs with bigger development projects in oil and gas extrication plus transportation, trade, connectivity, investment and other projects made relations between China and these countries much different and unique. Meanwhile, it is not the way that all is good and there is no external threat to undermine their ties and great gap between them.

US unhappy with China-Central Asian countries growing relations

The Joe Biden administration has never wanted China and the Central Asian countries to come closer and engage in politics, economic, culture, educational and other mutual activities.

The US has recently tried to strengthen ties with Central-Asian states amid the Russian-Ukraine crisis and also to stop the rapid path of progress between China-Central Asian states. It is believed that the US is trying to gain influence in the region to secure its own interest in the region, especially after leaving Afghanistan in a hasty withdrawal process.

The US’s sudden interest in the region speaks loudly of US desperation to find a new alliance, but it seems difficult and the US is no more trust-worthy after looking at what it has done in regards to the situation in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

China-region ties won’t affect

The irresponsible withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years can serve as a concrete example of Central Asian states to avoid falling down to each empty promise of the US. In a clear attempt, earlier this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where he signaled that his country is changing tack in the region.

Bringing the Russian-Ukraine war as an excuse, the US said that Washington is seeking to step up engagement with the region in order to help countries facing economic fallout as a result of the conflict.

The US is undermining the relation between China-Central Asian states, and thinks it can easily penetrate and spoil the process. The US must understand that relations between China and Central Asian states are based on win-win results and mutual trust and respect. No chance stands for the US to affect China’s ties with the region, especially in such a time when it has become clear that the US is only serving its own interests and really doesn’t care about others.

Mutual trust

China wants to promote a new alternative to the global order and the Central Asian region is the best option for that achievement. This year, Xi also visited for the first time Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where he said they were “neighbors” connected by common mountains and rivers.

Xi also paid a state visit to Tajikistan where the leaders reached an important consensus to further deepen bilateral ties. During his speech, Xi said that China highly values its friendship and cooperation with these countries and takes them as a foreign policy priority.

To show in reality the policy priority, President Xi’s active involvement and personal engagement to the summit has been delivering the commitment he has to strengthen ties with Central Asian states. The summit also indicates the successful diplomatic efforts and growing regional influence of China by establishing comprehensive strategic partnerships with all five Central Asian countries. The process also demonstrates high levels of trust and cooperation between them.

It is worth mentioning that the summit comes just days before the G7 Summit due to be held from Friday to Sunday in Hiroshima, Japan. Reportedly the G7 member states are expected to discuss issues related to economic security and how to counter China’s economic coercion and ending dependence on China in fields such as semiconductors and critical minerals.

China is unstoppable

China is following its vision of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) where the Central Asian countries will be benefited the most. No power can stop China from pursuing BRI and the Central Asian states understand the economic and security benefits of the multi-billion dollar project.

Meanwhile, China’s trade with these five countries increased to $70.2 billion in 2022, a great achievement that could be doubled once BRI further implemented. Moreover, as of the end of March, China’s direct investment stock in the five Central Asian countries stood at over $15 billion.

In a press conference, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin had said that the summit, historically known as Chang’an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, will further build up the consensus between China and the Central Asian countries on high-quality development of the Belt and Road.

China invests in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is also one of the neighbors of China, and a great contributor to the Silk Road before war. Now when BRI is replacing the Silk Road, Afghanistan under the Taliban rule also showed interest to be part of the project. The Taliban has become a pioneer to promote the BRI and turn Afghanistan toward an economic country through active engagement in the project.

China has shown interest to invest in the gas and oil sectors in Afghanistan, and the spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum,  Homyaoon Afghan, said that they have provided essential facilities for the investors.

While thanking Chinese investors, Afghan said that Afghanistan is rich in gas and oil and it will help bolster up the economy once the extraction process starts.

In January, Taliban also signed a contract with a Chinese company to extract oil from the Amu Darya basin, where Afghan Minister of Mines and Petroleum Shahabuddin Delawar, said the first three years will be exploratory and that in this period more than $540 million will be invested.

It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce had earlier reported that China had invested and signed contracts worth $2 billion in investment in Afghanistan since the takeover of Taliban in 2021.

ASIA

Syria will not follow Afghanistan’s Taliban model of governance

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In an astonishing statement, Ahmed Shará, also known as Abu Mohamad Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) said that he will allow the girls to go to schools and will not turn Syria like Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban.

Jolani, the de facto ruler of Syria, said that he will distance himself from the Taliban’s strict policies on women’s rights, and said that Syria will not follow the Taliban’s mode of governance.  

Jolani, who brought down the government of Bashar al-Assad and also widely welcomed by the Taliban, said that he believes in the education of women and girls and will not make Syria like Afghanistan.

“Syria is a diverse society with various ideas, unlike Afghanistan, which is more tribal. The Afghan model cannot be applied here,” Jolani told a BBC reporter.

Jolani says that Syria is a diverse society with various ideas, unlike Afghanistan, which is more tribal.

Jolani’s comment came when the Taliban congratulated the HTS-led victory by Jolani over Assad’s regime after years of fighting. The Afghan Foreign Ministry celebrated Jolani’s victory through a statement and hoped Jolani can bring peace and stability in the country.

“It is hoped that the power transition process is advanced in a manner that lays the foundation of a sovereign and serve-oriented Islamic government in the line with the aspiration of the Syrian people; that unifies the entire population without discrimination and retribution through adoption of a general assembly; and a positive foreign policy with world countries the safeguard Syria from a threat of negative rivalries of foreign actors and creates conditions for the return of millions of refugees,” the statement by Taliban Foreign Ministry.

However, Jolan’s position on the rights of women and girls is in great contrast with the current view of the Taliban leadership. Women and girls have been banned from education and work since the return of the Taliban in August 2021, following the collapse of the Republic System and withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan. Girls and women are even banned from medical institutions and visiting public spaces.

Jolani says he has a plan to create a government based institution and a council chosen by the people. 

The situation got worse when the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice called women’s voices “immodest” compounding their exclusion from public life. This year, it has been marked as three years since girls were banned from pursuing education over sixth grade. Besides that, on December 20, 2022, the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education announced that women would be barred from attending public and private universities.    

In an interview with CNN, Jolani said that he has a plan to create a government based on institutions and a “council chosen by the people.”

“When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal,” said Jolani.

“The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it… the Iranians attempted to revive the regime, buying it time, and later the Russians also tried to prop it up. But the truth remains: this regime is dead.”

Moreover, he also said the Syrian people are the “rightful owners” of the country after the ouster of Assad, and declared a “new history” has been written for the entire Middle East.

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ASIA

Yoon summoned again for questioning on treason charges

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A joint law enforcement team investigating South Korea’s martial law case announced on Friday that it has issued a second summons to ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, requesting his presence for questioning next week. The inquiry concerns his alleged involvement in the failed implementation of martial law.

The team has scheduled the questioning for 10:00 a.m. next Wednesday at the Corruption Investigation Office for Senior Officials (CIO) headquarters in Gwacheon, located just south of Seoul. This marks the second summons after Yoon refused to cooperate with the initial notice earlier this week.

The decision to hold the questioning on a public holiday appears to be a strategic move by the CIO, likely aimed at addressing security concerns. The office confirmed that the summonses were delivered via express mail and electronically to both Yoon’s residence and the presidential office in Yongsan. Notably, after Yoon’s team refused to accept the first subpoena, the CIO opted against delivering the documents in person for this round.

The investigation focuses on Yoon’s role in the December 3 martial law declaration, which he revoked following a vote in the National Assembly. If Yoon continues to disregard the summons without valid justification, the CIO may seek a court order to detain him for up to 48 hours.

Yoon faces allegations of sedition and abuse of office, charges that have gained traction since his dismissal by parliament last Saturday. His suspension from office remains in effect pending a decision by the Constitutional Court, which will determine whether he is permanently removed or reinstated.

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ASIA

Xi Jinping champions economic diversification during Macau visit

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During a three-day visit to Macau commemorating the 25th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty from Portugal, President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of economic diversification and maintaining the “one country, two systems” framework.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for Macau’s new Chief Executive Officer, Sam Hou-fai, Xi urged the administration to make economic diversification the city’s primary focus. Sam, the fourth leader since the 1999 handover and the first mainland-born Chinese official to hold the position, is expected to align closely with Beijing’s objectives to reduce Macau’s reliance on gambling. The gambling industry, which accounts for approximately 80% of Macau’s tax revenue, has been the cornerstone of its rapid economic growth in recent years.

“Macau should prioritize proper economic diversification,” Xi stated, calling for enhanced policy support and investment in emerging sectors. He also reiterated the significance of the “one country, two systems” principle, stressing its role in ensuring the city’s “prosperity and stability” for the long term.

Xi’s visit included stops at the Macau University of Science and Technology, where he explored laboratories focusing on traditional Chinese medicine and planetary science. He also attended a cultural performance at the Macau Dome and met with local stakeholders, according to Chinese state media. His trip marked a shift in tone, with Anthony Lawrence, founder of Intelligence Macau, noting that it was the first time Xi publicly praised Macau for its progress rather than delivering critiques or instructions.

Since the liberalization of Macau’s gaming monopoly in 2002, the city has attracted significant foreign investment, including from prominent US casino operators such as Las Vegas Sands, MGM, and Wynn Resorts. However, the economy struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic due to travel restrictions, and recovery has only recently begun.

On Friday, Macau’s casinos were bustling with visitors, while non-gaming initiatives like a stamp exhibition co-organized by MGM China and Beijing’s Palace Museum showcased the city’s efforts to diversify its offerings.

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