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Showing posts with label Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Show all posts

Monday 16 October 2023

BRI provides clear path for world in turbulence to restore ‘peace, development’, US fans the flames of war, China exports peace and development with BRI, BRF answer to global challenges

     



BRI provides clear path for world in turbulence to restore ‘peace, development’

 

A foreigner is being interviewed by Chinese journalists in the media center for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF). The center started a trial run at the China National Convention Center on October 15, 2023.Photo:VCG

Amid turbulence as conflicts and bloodshed continue around the globe in countries like Palestine, Israel, Ukraine and Russia, members of the international community have never stopped seeking hope and solutions to make development sustainable, and maintain or restore peace and stability, with leaders and representatives from more than 140 countries as well as 30 international organizations arriving in China to participate in the upcoming Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation to be held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the forum where he will deliver a keynote speech, and later hold a welcome banquet and bilateral events for guests attending the forum, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The BRF this year will be held under the theme "High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity."

Kenyan President William Ruto on Sunday arrived in Beijing to attend the BRF, and Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who will also attend the forum, arrived in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, to start his trip in China, the Xinhua News Agency and CGTN reported.

China Central Television aired an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, with TASS reporting that this is an interview ahead of Putin's visit to Beijing. TASS said on Sunday that the Russian leader will visit China to attend the BRF as well as a China-Russia summit.

Great significance

"In 2008-2011, the world had just experienced the global financial crisis, and the developed economies had stagnated," Huang Renwei, executive director-general of the Fudan Institute for Belt and Road and Global Governance, told the Global Times on Sunday. "The flow of funds in the global economy as well as the mainstream of globalization had changed, so China had to search for new markets to change its old system that was heavily reliant on developed Western markets. This was the background against which China proposed the BRI in the first place," Huang said.

Through the BRI, China used its investments, technologies and infrastructure projects to link more and more developing countries which had been marginalized in the West-dominated globalization, Huang noted. "The initiative [BRI] is not just about building bridges and roads, but inevitably a phenomenon based on the changing of the world and China's economic structure."

Huang said that "the BRI is a historically significant, innovative and far-sighted move proposed by China. If the BRI hadn't been proposed 10 years ago, the recession in the global economy and market would have been severer, the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic would have been heavier, and the US launched trade war against and 'decoupling' from China will be more destructive."

To bring hope

Chinese analysts said the BRF will provide a thorough summary of the achievements and lessons of the past decade, and will discuss and conclude with a consensus and a significant plan about how to keep pushing the construction of the Belt and Road in the future. It seeks to improve and reform globalization and global governance, especially when world peace and development are facing serious challenges and global post-pandemic recovery is fragile.

The third BRF is the most important diplomatic event hosted by China this year, and the most significant celebration for the 10th anniversary of the proposal of BRI, said Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Friday.

Shen Yi, a professor of international relations at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Sunday that he hopes the upcoming BRF will be an event that "continues with the past and opens up the future."

"The world is in persistent unrest, as the ongoing Ukraine crisis and the latest Palestine-Israel conflict are bringing more uncertainties and bloodshed. After the COVID-19 pandemic, global economic growth lacks new impetus," he said.

The disadvantages and problems of the old US-dominated unipolar world order and West-dominated globalization have been exposed, and the world is asking for new solutions and more contributions from China, experts said.

"The BRF is expected to produce substantial outcomes, both in the form of cooperation documents, initiatives and mechanisms, and in terms of projects, funds and measures. The total number of deliverables is likely to exceed those of the previous two forums," Ma said.

"In this world of change and volatility, the BRF will showcase how the BRI, a Chinese initiative with international support, has delivered benefits to all, and present the new progress China has made in advancing major-country diplomacy on all fronts since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. It will send a message of solidarity and win-win cooperation of countries around the globe, and add positive energy and stability to the world," Ma told the media.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the joint construction of the Belt and Road is a key part of China's idea of building a global community of shared future, and in the future, China will keep invest and promote the BRI to make it a better public good for the world, so that more countries are able to benefit from it.

'Don't be jealous'

Some Western media and politicians have always tried to badmouth and stigmatize the BRI, and very recently they said the forum has not seen participation by Western developed countries. Chinese experts said the arrogance of the West makes them fail to understand the BRI and fail to provide any meaningful alternative to compete with the BRI.

The China-proposed initiative has changed the world significantly, and compared to 10 years ago, more countries have participated in this initiative, so the BRI is successful and will keep being successful with or without the participations or the compliments from the US and its allies, analysts noted.

Huang said the US-led West's attitude toward the BRI was different according to the phase of the initiative: In the first two to three years after the BRI was proposed, the West downplayed and looked down on it as they did not believe China could afford to or effectively promote such a huge plan with so many uncertainties and risks. From 2018 to 2019, the West realized the influence and achievements of the BRI, so they started to badmouth and stigmatize the BRI, with the rumors like it being a "debt trap" and a manifestation of "China's neocolonialism."

"Since 2021, in order to compete with the unstoppable BRI, the US, the EU, Japan and India proposed global infrastructure initiatives as well. It's just like plagiarism. These attempts are mainly lip-services. They lack funds and they don't have enough investments. In some cases they have political conditions for their partners, or their infrastructure projects get delayed again and again," Huang noted.

Build Back Better World (B3W) is an initiative undertaken by the G7. Launched on June 12, 2021, it would provide "an alternative" to the China-proposed BRI for infrastructure development of "low- and middle-income countries," Reuters reported in 2021.

However, the B3W has not been mentioned by international mainstream media in the past two years. In 2022, the US and its allies created a new term "the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII)" and US President Joe Biden unveiled "a proposed corridor linking India, the Middle East and Europe" at the G20 summit in New Delhi in September - and pledged there would be more corridors to come.

Due to the outbreak of war in Palestine, and the different stances among the West, India and the Islamic countries on the Palestine-Israel conflict, analysts said prospects for Biden's ambitious initiative is not optimistic at all.

China and the world welcome more participants to make joint efforts to boost global recovery and improve globalization, but those strategies which are exclusive and prioritize major power competition will never serve the demands of the world and will fail to win support from the majority of the international community, experts noted.


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As US fans the flames of war, China exports peace and development with BRI

Illustration: Tang Tengfei/GT

The world seems to have been set ablaze by the flames of war that have broken out in the Middle East.

The re-emergence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict demonstrates that the world is still in a transitional phase between the old and new epochs and has not yet moved beyond the post-World War II "order."

The ashes left behind by the old Cold War are beginning to rekindle, and the footsteps of the "new cold war" are clearly audible. The conflict in the Middle East has already reopened old wounds and may lead to larger-scale religious, ethnic, ideological and geopolitical disputes.

As peace and stability become more precious, what is the US doing as the prescriber and dominator of the post-war order? And what can it do for peace?

Despite the deployment of two carrier strike groups by the US, it appears unlikely that the nation, often referred to as the "world's policeman," will succeed in extinguishing the turmoil in the Middle East. Washington has even gone so far as to avoid saying terms like "de-escalation/ceasefire," "end to violence/bloodshed," and "restoring calm." According to the US media, the US State Department has asked diplomats not to use these terms. Additionally, the legislators, are eager to expedite the restoration of Congress' normal functioning to promptly facilitate the provision of additional weaponry to the "front line" of global conflicts.

Neither the US nor Europe can extricate themselves from a conflict that has deep historical roots in their expansion in the world. They face the resulting deep divisions in their societies and public opinion.

Most countries around the globe, especially in the South, in general, need stability and development and more solid forces to support peace.

Looking ahead from this perspective, the rise of China and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative are clearly of extraordinary significance. The Third Belt and Road Summit Forum on International Cooperation to be held in Beijing will give the world a clearer understanding of peaceful development.

As a force for joint development and an anchor of stability for global peace, China shoulders the responsibilities of an emerging power in this era of transition between the old and the new.

China does not have the historical burden of Western colonist powers' expansion. China remains impartial, refrains from fueling the fire, maintains neutrality and strives for peace. It encourages conflicting parties to escape the cycle of confrontation and conflict. This stance aligns with China's choice and is consistent with the universal concept of human rights.

Outsiders primarily view the Belt and Road through an economic lens. However, China's proposal of this initiative is not solely due to its financial strength but also because China has consistently pursued stable domestic growth and remained committed to the path of peaceful development. Only when all three are added together can it give the world's peaceful development a more decisive impetus. Even if the world is in chaos, China has the strength to maintain stability.

China's domestic political and social stability starkly contrasts the US' domestic political chaos, social division and polarization of public sentiment.

People can explain the Belt and Road from a geopolitical perspective, discussing Chinese manufacturing's global reach and China's domestic and foreign affairs. However, one core aspect is China's exportation of development and peace, resulting in a win-win situation.

When Washington does not mention the term "ceasefire" and tries to impose its own political choices on other nations, can it still be seen as the power prioritizing global peace and development?

The world cannot always dance to the tune of the US. When more countries view the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through the lens of the US perspective and take into account the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is expected that more countries will align their choices with the development trend of the new order.


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Beijing fully prepared for BRF; ‘world expects China’s answer to global challenges’

This photo taken on Oct. 14, 2023 shows a floral decoration for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) near China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China. The BRF will be held from Oct. 17 to 18 in Beijing. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)


The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will be held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday, as the year marks the10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Leaders and representatives of countries from around the globe and international organizations have arrived in China, and Beijing is fully prepared for this major home diplomatic event.

In recent days, floral decorations, flags and banners bearing slogans for the third BRF can been seen in many parts of the capital, and some foreign guests who came for the event told the Global Times that with so much bad news about wars, conflicts and chaos elsewhere, China makes them believe that peace and development are still the mainstream of the world, and they are confident that by working together, members of the international community will eventually find solutions to the global challenges.

More world leaders arrived in Beijing on Monday. Following Kenyan President William Ruto and Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who arrived on Sunday, foreign leaders including Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso have arrived in Beijing for the event, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also arrived on Monday. During his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Lavrov said Russian President Vladimir Putin is very much looking forward to having a summit with President Xi Jinping in China and participating in the forum, expressing confidence over the success of the event, according to Xinhua.

The first press briefing of the Media Center of the third BRF was held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing on Monday. Officials of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and other related departments were invited to brief the press and take questions from journalists of different countries, Xinhua reported.

Chinese analysts said the BRF will be a key and historic event, because the world is in turbulence and needs solutions and answers, and China, just like it has done in the past decade, will continue playing a role to guide and contribute to global development and governance when world peace and stability are facing serious challenges.

The BRI has distinguished China from traditional major powers. The BRI is a rejection of zero-sum confrontation, it is not even a "national strategy" by the traditional definition, nor a policy to serve the interests of only one country, said experts.

"In the past, many people asked what China's rise will bring to this world, and the BRI is an answer from China. The reason why more and more countries have become interested and participated in the initiative, despite some noises and stigmatizations from some Western politicians and media, is simple: It brings benefits to everyone," said Shen Yi, an expert on international relations and professor at Fudan University.

Some Chinese netizens said the world is thread-worn and China is sewing it up, which is a vivid and accurate metaphor.

The world today needs new answers, and this is why representatives of over 140 countries and 30-plus international organizations, including state leaders, heads of international organizations, ministerial officials and representatives of the business sector, academia and nongovernmental organizations are expected to participate the forum, said experts.

High expectations 

 Expectations for the upcoming BRF are high, with national leaders, former foreign officials, foreign scholars and representatives from foreign business communities all looking to hear about the remarkable achievements the BRI has made in the past decade and how the cooperation platform will lead to more opportunities and benefit more people.

"The important thing is the celebration of the 10th anniversary of BRI and a presentation of all the BRI projects which are valued at over $1 trillion in investment," Michele Geraci, former undersecretary of state at the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, told the Global Times.

"The forum will bring the BRI to a higher level of discussion, and really increase the image of the BRI in the eyes of many Western countries. And I also expect there will be discussions on the role of BRI in bringing peace to the world," he noted.

Mario Renduli, President of the Chinese Southeast European Business Association, told the Global Times on Monday that the increasing number of participating countries and organizations could "lead to a more diverse range of perspectives, experience and opportunities for collaboration."

Having been to the BRF's first and second editions, Renduli? noted that the third edition is "built on the progress and experiences of the previous ones," and is thus widely anticipated to serve a platform for countries to chart the future course of BRI, with a great emphasis on quality and sustainable development.

"I'm very interested in hearing about the latest investment themes at the summit, and analyzing how [my company] can provide support," Rani Jarkas, chairman of Swiss financial group Cedrus Group, told the Global Times. Having traveled to many BRI countries and witnessed firsthand the great work Chinese investors are doing to benefit local communities, Jarkas praised BRI as "an astounding success and a major catalyst for global economic development."

The global vision and strategy for BRI development for the next stage, set to be discussed at the forum, has also come under the global spotlight.

Mansoor Nadeem Lari, CEO of the India-based Silk Route Trade and Industry Development Corp, who is a third-time participant of the forum, told the Global Times on Monday that the forum can bring greater consensus for discussion on a post-pandemic way forward and create a workable plan for cooperation among BRI participating countries, to "fast-track global economic recovery."

Abid Suleri, executive director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, told the Global Times that he will be paying attention to the opening ceremony and keynote speech by the Chinese leader, from which he expects to learn about the measures and initiatives for enhancing cooperation and partnership. 

"In the next stage, strengthening the synergy and coordination of BRI with other regional and global initiatives will be a focal point, with a view to promoting South-South and South-North cooperation," Suleri said.


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Chile expects to further promote BRI, aspires to engage in more projects: Chilean President

Chile is actively advancing the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and aspiring to participate in more projects advocated by China, including lithium mining and solar energy, Chilean President Gabriel Boric said at a Chilean economic and trade event during his visit to China on Monday.

Building the BRI, the majority of countries vote with their feet: Global Times editorial

When China hosts an event, it has always emphasized the practical results. The spirit of hard work is also reflected throughout the entire process of jointly building the "Belt and Road." The initiative, from its inception to its growth, from its initial stages to its comprehensive implementation, demonstrates its inherent vitality and resilience, and has already formed an irreversible momentum.

Friday 17 March 2023

Global Civilization Initiative proposed by Xi 'provides hope to heal the world in turbulence' – another gift from China to world

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, attends the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting via video link and delivers a keynote address in Beijing, capital of China, on March 15, 2023. Photo: Xinhua

 Global Civilization Initiative proposed by Xi 'provides hope to heal the world in turbulence'

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, proposed the Global Civilization Initiative. Experts said following the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, China is trying to share its wisdom and plans to bring new hope for all nations to consider together on how to escape the trap of the "Clash of Civilizations" and find a path that can help the world sail through the current turbulence.

Xi proposed the initiative during his  key note speech on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting via video link and delivered a keynote address.

Under the initiative, Xi called for respect for diversity of civilizations, advocating the common values of humanity, highly valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and jointly advocating robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

"We are ready to work together with the international community to open up a new prospect of enhanced exchanges and understanding among different peoples and better interactions and integration of diversified cultures. Together we can make the garden of world civilizations colorful and vibrant," Xi said.

World needs hope

According to a Xinhua News Agency story on Thursday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, also president of the African National Congress, and 11 other leaders of political parties and political organizations also addressed the dialogue on Wednesday.

They spoke highly of Xi's proposals in his keynote speech, and expressed their willingness to work with the CPC to play a leading and driving role in the modernization process.

"We fully agree with the four proposals put forward by Chinese President Xi in the Global Civilization Initiative," Ramaphosa said, noting the initiative is vital to the world today.

The event, with the theme "Path towards Modernization: the Responsibility of Political Parties," brought together more than 500 leaders of political parties and political organizations from more than 150 countries.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Global Civilization Initiative will help the world get rid of the old mentality for relations between different civilizations, and create a new landscape for the world which allows all countries to deal with each other based on stability, mutual respect and equality.

Experts said a very fundamental reason why the world at present is experiencing great turbulence is that the old international order dominated by the US-led West is making the world fall into the trap of "Clash of Civilizations," with many countries with different civilizations having a hard time to deal with each other peacefully.

Li said that within the US, people from different ethnic groups and with different religious beliefs are having more tensions rather than becoming more united. For the foreign affairs, during the time of the Trump administration, US senior officials openly hyped "Clash of Civilizations" and currently Washington is still having tensions with many countries with different civilizations, and even instigating conflicts between the countries in the same region with similar civilization.

At present, the old system and order dominated by the US-led West is causing huge problems and dangers to the world in the fields like geopolitics, supply and industrial chains, as well as the financial markets.

The Ukraine crisis is still far from easing, and the energy and foods crises are troubling many countries worldwide. At present, the new danger of a potential global financial crisis brought along by the collapse of US-based Silicon Valley Bank and the problem of Credit Suisse in Europe has made the world more unstable.

Liu Dian, an associate research fellow of the China Institute under Fudan University, told the Global Times on Thursday that in recent years, the world has been facing rising challenges and uncertainties.

"It's just about 15 years away from the financial crisis in 2008, the world is once again under the shadow of another crisis caused by the US," Liu noted. "The world is getting increasingly worried about the old system and getting more desperate to ask for new solution."

Contribute with action

From the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative to the latest Global Civilization Initiative, China has presented the world with an ideological system that gets increasingly mature. Adding to the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the ideal of the global community of shared future, China is trying to use its own wisdom, experiences and influence based on its own successful development and exploration in the past decades to help the world improve and reform the old problematic international system and order, experts said.

Liu said that the series of initiatives proposed by the top leader of the CPC and China are answering the questions for the world and our time. The combination of these three initiatives shows China's comprehensive thoughts that aim to solve global problems and improve global governance.

China is not just proposing the initiatives, but also making contribution through actions, and gain concrete achievements, analysts said. For instance, the successful mediation that lead to the resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the BRI that links countries with different civilizations to jointly realize development.

The vast majority of the international community welcomes and praises the latest reestablishment of Riyadh-Teheran diplomatic ties with China's support and assistance. This shows that the world in turbulence and regions in chaos desperately need new hope and new solution for peace and stability. China is actively utilizing its influence and wisdom to solve global challenges, as a result, more and more countries will be open to and carefully consider and research China's initiatives, Liu said. 

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Global Civilization Initiative – another gift from China to world: Global Times editorial

 

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, proposed the Global Civilization Initiative when he delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting on Wednesday. This is the third major global initiative presented by China after the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. It fundamentally answers a series of questions of the times, such as "What kind of modernization do we need?" and "How can we achieve modernization?" The initiative has become another important public good provided to the world.

The background of the Global Civilization Initiative is that in recent years, as geopolitical conflicts have intensified, the "clash of civilizations" and "superiority of civilizations" have returned to public attention under the instigation and hype of some politicians in the US and the West. The hatred and estrangement among different civilizations have seriously hindered international cooperation. At the same time, "black swan" and "grey rhino" incidents are occurring frequently in the international community, and multiple challenges and crises are intertwined and superimposed. Different countries and civilizations urgently need to work together to deal with global challenges that affect the future and destiny of mankind as a whole. The Global Civilization Initiative can be said to have emerged in response to the demand of the times, and has strong practical significance and practical value.

The Global Civilization Initiative puts forward four initiatives - respect for diversity of civilizations, advocating the common values of humanity, highly valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and jointly advocating robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. It covers the basic concepts and principles that different civilizations can tolerate each other and coexist, and has the source of motivation and a practical path for realization. It is a major initiative that is very constructive, operable and sustainable. Since it advocates respect for different civilizations and support for their development rights, it fully meets the strong needs of the international community and has shown strong vitality from the very beginning, arousing enthusiastic responses in the international community.

As abovementioned, after the end of the Cold War, the world entered an era of high globalization, but it has not really experienced peace. The Cold War mentality and practice of demarcating ideological boundaries and engaging in camp confrontation have not disappeared. On the contrary, in recent years it is resurging. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is essentially a remnant of the Cold War detonating a powder keg in the 21st century. In other parts of the world, the practice of distinguishing between friends and foes in the name of "values" and wooing one faction while fighting against another faction casts a huge shadow on world peace and development.

Furthermore, without true equality and inclusion among civilizations, the process of peace and development will always be at risk of being interrupted. There have been too many tragedies in this regard, both historical and current. In this sense, the Global Civilization Initiative is an extension and complement to the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and together they form the key components of a human community with a shared future.

The world does not need hatred, division or conflict, and the people of all countries want to live a good life. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Communist Party of China has led the Chinese people to create two miracles - rapid economic development and long-term social stability. These are by no means "out of luck." Instead, they have their own profound internal logic. The Global Civilization Initiative, Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative are highly condensed versions of China's past successful experiences, which China is willing to share with the world without reservation to achieve common development through mutual exchange and learning. It can be said that these three initiatives are all high-quality global public goods demonstrating China's sincerity and goodwill.

It should be emphasized that China is not only a "thinker" but also a "doer" in promoting building a human community with a shared future. In the past year or so, the number of countries and international organizations supporting the Global Development Initiative has increased to more than 100; the Group of Friends of the GDI established on the UN platform has expanded to more than 60 members; and platforms such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Trust Fund, the Global Development Promotion Center, and the China Global Development Knowledge Network have also been established one after another. Just a few days ago, Saudi Arabia and Iran held a dialogue and reached an agreement in Beijing, which also became a successful practice of the Global Security Initiative. This happened less than a year after the initiative was first proposed.

Thus, there are more reasons to expect that the Global Civilization Initiative, together with the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, will constantly inject stability and bring new hope to this world of turbulence and transformation. At the same time, we also believe that "Chinese modernization, as a new form of human advancement, will draw upon the merits of other civilizations and make the garden of world civilizations more vibrant." 

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Saturday 11 May 2019

Dialogue of civilizations can iron out cultural creases

lustration: Liu Rui/GT
The Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations will be held from May 15 to 22 in Beijing, and Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the event and deliver a keynote speech, officials said at a press conference on Thursday. #AsianCivilizations #XiJinping

https://youtu.be/DheuG_oEFaM

The Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations will kick off in Beijing soon. It is China's attempt to promote understanding among different civilizations, inclusive development, and to respond to the theory of the Clash of Civilizations with the philosophy of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

During the just-concluded second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, China defined the future of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a route that brings together different civilizations. It reflects China's ample confidence in the initiative to enhance civilizational exchanges, mutual understanding and civilized coexistence. Through BRI, countries can understand, respect, and trust one another.

Differences do exist between China and the US - the two most influential powers in the world - in terms of civilizations. Some in the US are even prejudiced about China's culture and disagree with the country's development path and value system.

China has always advocated mutual learning between civilizations. The country needs to strengthen its power of discourse and show Chinese civilization's unique charm to the US, the West, and the entire international community. The dialogue between Chinese and American civilizations, an important part of the dialogue of global civilizations, is of great significance in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Over the years, China and the US have already explored quite a lot in this regard. At the Mar-a-Lago summit between Chinese and US leaders in 2017, the two sides agreed to establish high-level dialogue mechanisms, including social and people-to-people contact. In addition, Chinese and US scholars organized the Sino-American Dialogue on Core Values as early as in 2011. The Foreign Affairs magazine published an article titled "China vs. America: Managing the Next Clash of Civilizations" in 2017.

Surprisingly, recent reports by the Washington Examiner and Voice of America indicate that the US State Department is developing strategies in response to the "clash" with Chinese civilization.

The Clash of Civilizations is a theory proposed in 1993 by Samuel Huntington, a well-known US political scholar who teaches at Harvard University. He argued that the clash of civilizations, instead of ideological and economic clashes, will be the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold War world. He conjectured that the core of international politics will be the interaction between Western and non-Western civilizations.

Huntington predicted that the clash of civilizations would be especially manifested in Western-Islamic conflicts after the Cold War. It is puzzling that US officials are now turning to China.

The Clash of Civilizations theory targeting China seems to be gaining traction among anti-China forces in the US. The National Security Strategy issued by the White House in late 2017 labeled China as a strategic competitor. The US adverse policies toward China have created obstacles in the path of smooth China-US relations.

If the US Department of State continues to promote policy measures against China based on the Clash of Civilizations, ties will be further hurt, and more specific steps taken. Not only that, the US may also take advantage of this theory and force other countries to follow its lead in containing China.

However, such attempts by adversarial US forces will eventually fall flat.

Their argument of Clash of Civilizations, violating mainstream American values based on pluralism and inclusiveness, has already triggered heated debate inside the US. Some senior US experts studying China have criticized the view for lacking understanding of China.

It will be tough if the US attempts to lead the West to a civilizational battle with China. The damage caused by the "America First" theory has yet to heal. Describing US competition with China as the clash of civilization may once again create contradictions and panic. Dialogue of civilizations is needed rather than a cold war.

By Xi Laiwang Source:Global Times

The author is a senior reporter and an observer of international issues. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn


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Yes to Belt and Road - Everyone will benefit from BRI

Saturday 27 April 2019

Yes to Belt and Road - Everyone will benefit from BRI

Centre of attraction: China’s President Xi Jinping greeting Dr Mahathir as he leaves with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the opening ceremony of the Second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China.


Dr M endorses the BRI - ‘Many countries are going to benefit from initiative’

With help from Chinese firms, Malaysia will have an AI park soon. That’s not all the good news that came from the Prime Minister’s trip to China. Businessmen are pleased that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has given the thumbs up to the Belt and Road Initiative. He says countries in its route will be the beneficiaries. And that means Malaysia too. WITH all of China as his stage, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave a massive endorsement to the country’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying all will benefit from the ease of travel and communication the development strategy will bring.

The Prime Minister said that with trade driving the world, it was only natural that land and sea passages be better developed.

“The Silk Road, the land passage between East and West, has not received much attention. Yet it must be obvious that with modern technologies the passage can be improved.

“Without a doubt, the utilisation of these passages will enrich all the littoral states along the way, as much as the great nations of the East and West. I am fully in support of the Belt and Road Initiative. I am sure my country, Malaysia, will benefit from the project,” he said in his speech at the High-Level Meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held at the China National Convention Centre here yesterday.

The forum attracted over 5,000 participants from 150 countries including leaders from around the world, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Rodrigo Duterte (Philippine), President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (Egypt) and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

The BRI, also known as the One Belt One Road (OBOR) or the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, is a strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in 152 countries and international organisations in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa.

Dr Mahathir said just as massive trade by ships helped spawn the development of huge bulk carriers, the land passage should also “respond” to the increased trade between East and West. He also suggested that bigger trains be built for the purpose.

“If ships can be built bigger, why can’t trains be equally big to carry more goods and raw material and people? Have we reached the limit in terms of the size and length of trains? I think not,” he pointed out.

Dr Mahathir, who is on his second visit to China since becoming the 7th Prime Minister last May, said the world has the technology and funds to bring about such improvements.

He said freedom of passage along these routes was important and warned against bureaucratic hassles slowing down the speed of travel.

“It is essential therefore for these passages to be free and open to all,” he said, adding that the passages must be made safe as terrorism and wars would render the modern marvels and also delivering the benefits promised.

“Yes, the Belt and Road idea is a great. It can bring the landlocked countries of Central Asia closer to the sea. They can grow in wealth and their poverty reduced.

“As the sea routes and land routes improve, trade and travel will grow, and with this, the wealth of the world will increase for the betterment of everyone.


Dr M in Beijing: Everyone will benefit from Belt and Road initiative



PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has endorsed the Belt and Road initiative by China, saying everyone would benefit from the ease of travel and communication that it would bring about.

He said this in his speech at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Friday (April 26).

"Today, trade drives the world. It is only natural that the land and sea passages have to be better developed.

"The Silk Road, the land passage between East and West, has not received much attention. Yet it must be obvious that with modern technologies, the passage can be improved.

"Without doubt, the utilisation of these passages will enrich all the littoral states along the way, as much as the great nations of the East and West," said Dr Mahathir..

According to the Prime Minister, just as the massive trade by ships helped spawn the development of huge bulk carriers, the land passage should also respond to the need from the increased trade between East and West.

He suggested that bigger trains be built towards this end.

"Although trains can now connect China with Eastern Europe, current trains are not designed for the increases in goods and people needing to travel along this passageway.

If ships can be built bigger, why can't trains be equally big to carry more goods and raw materials and people?

"Have we reached the limit in terms of the size and length of trains? I think not," he added.

The Prime Minister said the world had the technology and money to bring about such improvements.

He said freedom of passage along these routes, which pass through many countries via both sea and land, was important and warned against bureaucratic hassles slowing down the speed of travel.

"It is essential therefore for these passages to be free and open to all," said Dr Mahathir.

He added that the passages must be made safe as terrorism and wars would render the modern marvels that enabled the Belt and Road incapable of delivering the benefits they promised.

"Yes, the Belt and Road idea is great.

"It can bring the landlocked countries of Central Asia closer to the sea. They can grow in wealth and their poverty reduced.

"As the sea routes and land routes improve, trade and travel will grow, and with this, the wealth of the world will increase for the betterment of everyone.

"Everyone will benefit from the ease of travel and communication that the development of the Belt and Road project will bring.

"I am fully in support of the Belt and Road initiative. I am sure my country, Malaysia, will benefit from the project," said Dr Mahathir.




 PM’s BRI backing allays fears over KL-Beijing ties

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s full endorsement of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will allay concerns over Malaysia-China relations and lead to greater cooperation between both countries, according to China watchers here.

RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd vice-president and head of Economic Research Peck Boon Soon said Malaysia was trying to mend its relations with China.

“It is safe to conclude that relations between our two countries are back to normal,” he said, referring to the suspension and cancellation of several China-linked projects last year.

Peck said the revival of East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and Bandar Malaysia projects and the Prime Minister’s presence at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing yesterday would help restore confidence among businessmen from China.

He said it made perfect sense to have warm ties with China as the country was the largest export market for Malaysia.

ACCIM SERC Sdn Bhd executive director Lee Heng Guie said Malaysia’s expressed support of the BRI opened up mutual consultation, increased cooperation and connectivity benefits between both sides.

“With this strong endorsement, we expect the relationship to further deepen bilateral ties and enhanced economic relations based on the principles of mutual benefit,” he said.

Lee said Malaysia and its private sector could gain from the enlarged trade and investment opportunities along the passage and gateway of BRI, if the countries could adopt the freedom of passage along these routes through the easing of bureaucratic hassles.

National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia president Tan Sri Ter Leong Yap, who attended the Belt and Road CEO conference which was the first such conference at the forum, said the conference provided huge business opportunities for many companies in the region.

“This is a timely boost for the global economy,” he said, adding that there were nearly 1,000 participants from 90 of the world’s Top 500 companies, 78 of China’s Top 500 companies, more than 100 state-owned enterprises and 200 private companies at the conference.

Businessman Datuk Liu Thim Soon, who is vice-chairman to the United Nations Maritime-Continental Silk Road Cities Alliance, said the BRI was a visionary, long range direction by Chinese President Xi Jinping. “It is an enabler and platform for many developing smaller countries to be linked to investments, trade and tourism.

“With about 140 million China tourists travelling yearly, smaller developing countries can benefit and derive great economic potential if they can tap into this market,” he said. - By Yimie Yong

Who should you believe about BRI?

https://youtu.be/uK3-dhLp2yU


Deal inked to develop M’sia’s first AI park

MALAYSIA is to develop its first artificial intelligence (AI) park.

The park will serve as a platform for the development of AI solutions such as speech recognition, robotics and smart city technology.

It is also planned to be a regional epicentre for data management, research and development and commercial ecosystem.

An agreement was signed yesterday between Malaysian company G3 Global Bhd (G3) and its Chinese partners SenseTime Group Ltd and China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd (CHEC) on the setting up of the AI park, with the total investment at US$500mil (RM2.07bil).

The location of the park has yet to be identified.

The agreement was signed between G3 executive chairman Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad, SenseTime president for Asia-Pacific Business Group Jeff Shi, and CHEC chairman Lin Yi Chong.

The ceremony was held after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s visit to SenseTime’s office here.

The Prime Minister also tried his hands on the self-driving car system at the company, which specialises in AI technology.

G3 Global banks on AI 





Driven by technology: SenseTime Group Ltd founder Prof Tang Xiaoou with Dr Mahathir during the premier’s visit to SenseTime’s Beijing office.
Driven by technology: SenseTime Group Ltd founder Prof Tang Xiaoou with Dr Mahathir during the premier’s visit to SenseTime’s Beijing office. 
From jeanswear maker to one of Malaysia’s rising artificial intelligence (AI) companies. That is the interesting story ofG3 Global Bhd that is unravelling today.

While many companies can attempt to boast the AI buzzword as a business focus, it is not an easy area to venture into.

First you need super computers. Then you need the AI software or algorithms.

And then you need to use that software on vast amounts of data in order to build the AI applications for real use.

While G3 Global may have made some inroads into building its own Internet of Things (IoT) platform, it has yet to achieve anything big by itself in the AI space. That was until it signed a deal with China-based SenseTime Group Ltd, touted as the world’s most valuable AI startup.

On April 11, G3 Global told Bursa Malaysia that it will partner with SenseTime to set up Malaysia’s first AI park, in collaboration with China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC).

The AI park is expected to see more than US$1bil (RM4.13bil) in investments over the next five years.

According to G3 Global executive chairman Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad, the AI park is vital in order to build AI research-related public service infrastructure as the base to promote AI technology in Malaysia.

“In addition, this becomes a place for talent to be trained on AI and machine learning,” he said.

On Friday, the culmination of the relationship between G3 Global and SenseTime took place, following Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s ongoing official visit to China.

Dr Mahathir, accompanied by several Malaysian ministers, visited SenseTime’s Beijing office where they got a first-hand experience of the latest AI technologies and its application in smart city solutions, autonomous driving technology and remote sensing, among others.

During this visit, G3 Global had inked memorandums of understanding (MoU) with SenseTime and CHEC in relation to the AI park project.

G3 Global said in a statement that as the local partner, it will coordinate efforts with the Malaysian authorities and regulators, form local partnerships as well as promote and develop the AI park project.

Meanwhile, SenseTime will serve as the AI technology provider for the partnership while CHEC will provide infrastructure engineering and construction services as well as management and maintenance of the park.

Valued at over US$4.5bil (RM18.67bil), SenseTime is the fifth national AI platform in China and is also the country’s largest AI algorithm provider.

Although it is only less than five years old, the company now serves over 700 customers and partners globally, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Honda, Alibaba, vivo and Xiaomi, among others.

Based on SenseTime’s website, the startup leads the AI market in “almost all vertical industries” such as smart city, smartphone, mobile Internet, online entertainment, automobile, finance and retail.

“SenseTime has independently developed a deep learning platform, supercomputing centers, and a range of AI technologies such as face recognition, image recognition, object recognition, text recognition, medical image analysis, video analysis, autonomous driving and remote sensing,” it says.

According to a recent Bloomberg report, SenseTime has been profitable for two years and the company has recorded triple digit revenue growth for the past four years.

The collaboration between G3 Global and SenseTime aptly serves what both companies need. By setting up an AI park in Malaysia, SenseTime will be able to expand its global presence further while G3 Global gets to go big into the booming AI scene.

Overall, the AI hub in Malaysia is a nice sounding plan. But how real will it be and how extensive will it be?

Speaking with StarBizWeek over the telephone, Wan Khalik says that the move into AI has been a natural progression of the company.

“With IoT as our core business, the only logical next move was to get into the field of AI. We had been in search for a good partner to fast-track out entry into AI, which has a high entry barrier.

“That’s how we got to do a deal with Sensetime, which took much effort on our part, considering how successful Sensetime already is,” he says.

Perfect partner

Wan Khalik: With IoT as our core business, the only logical next move was to get into the field of AI
Wan Khalik adds that SenseTime is the perfect partner, considering that they are one of the biggest AI companies in the world and have their own AI algorithm as well as products and services.

“Their products are already deployed in the commercial world,” he points out.

While acknowledging that AI is still nascent in its growth in Malaysia and still suffers from a lack of understanding and appreciation, Wan Khalik points out two important aspects that the deal with Sensetime will bring about.

“First is that the lab will become an education tool to showcase what AI is all about and the benefits it brings. Second is the fact that we intend to address the issue of developing talent in Malaysia in the AI space.”

In the press release announcing the strategic partnership between G3 and SenseTime, it was revealed that SenseTime will be assisting in the development and deployment of training syllabus for universities in Malaysia.

Wan Khalik says that SenseTime has designed and developed part of the AI syllabus that is currently being taught in schools across China.

 “The good news is that the Malaysian government has expressed strong interest in AI and it wants industry to get involved in AI. But we need to invest in buidling up the talent in this field,” he adds.

The little-known G3 Global’s journey is an impressive one.

Its diversification into the information technology scene began less than four years ago after G3 Global (formerly known as Yen Global Bhd) acquired IoT solution provider Atilze Digital Sdn Bhd in December 2015.

Green Packet Bhd , image: https://cdn.thestar.com.my/Themes/img/chart.png , a mobile broadband and networking solutions provider, emerged as a major shareholder in G3 Global after it acquired a 22% stake in August 2016.

A year later, Green Packet boosted its equity interest in G3 Global to 32%.

The G3 Global stock’s trend has been rather flattish since mid-2017. However, since the start of April this year, shares of G3 Global surged by 106% to its record-breaking high of RM1.62.

On April 25, the company hit limit-up and was issued with an unusual market activity query from Bursa Malaysia, in relation to the rapid advances in its share price.

While the reasons behind the sharp increase in G3 Global’s share price were unclear, it seems to have some correlation with G3 Global’s partnership with SenseTime.

G3 Global also saw the entry of Wan Khalik as shareholder, after he assumed control of private vehicle Global Man Capital Sdn Bhd, which currently has the largest stake in G3. Global Man Capital increased its holdings of G3 Global to a 32.04% stake following an acquisition of 32.15 million shares in April, edging out Green Packet’s 32% stake.

On April 5, G3 Global appointed Wan Khalik as its new executive chairman.

Wan Khalik, who is also a substantial shareholder in DWL Resources Bhd, has some notable Sarawak connections, having been the principal private secretary to the Sarawak State government between 2013 until July 2018.

Wan Khalik’s background also includes experiences in corporate planning, public administration, IT strategic planning, and business development.

When asked on why did he pick DWL and G3 Global as companies to invest into, he says, “For DWL we see opportunities in project management of jobs of major infrastructure projects that the country is embarking on. That is why we have teamed up with the likes of Gadang to prepare to jointly bid for such jobs. As for G3 Global, it is even more interesting because of the future of AI. As you probably already know, AI is the world’s next great technological revolution. It is changing the way information is gathered, stored and used. We will not be able to do without it, whether as individuals, organisations, companies and governments. We believe our deal with Sensetime puts G3 Global on solid footing to bring AI to Malaysia and the Asian market.”

G3 Global recorded a net loss of RM17.15mil in the financial year of 2018 ended Dec 31, against a turnover of RM29.4mil. Both of its apparel and ICT business segments were in the red for the 12-month period.

“The ICT business continues to show growth potential despite incurring losses due to business development costs and we hope to see better contribution to sales from this division in the new financial year.

“The setting up of various new subsidiaries will drive the growth in the ICT business including the provision of IoT solutions and services like connected commercial vehicles and sensor hubs, and AI smart cameras. The group will be well positioned to take advantage of improving prospects of the ICT industry for the current financial year,” G3 Global said in a filing.

Moving forward, with the AI venture with SenseTime, the company is clearly on a new trajectory, especially considering the way AI is going to flood all our lives.

According to a recent study by Microsoft and IDC Asia Pacific, only 26% of organisations in Malaysia have embarked on their AI journeys, although about 70% of the business leaders polled agreed that AI is instrumental for their organisations’ competitiveness.

The immense untapped potential in the domestic AI market offers promising opportunities for local AI companies, including G3 Global.

With a strong backing from SenseTime, G3 Global could rise to become a leading AI solutions provider in the region.

By ganeshwaran kana The Star

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