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In this edition of the Global Impact newsletter, we look at Beijing’s position on Russia and Taiwan after President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and following Joe Biden’s remarks about the self-ruled island. Photo: AP

Economy Global Economy

Global Impact newsletter: With China’s 20th party congress less than a month away, Russia and Taiwan remain hot topics

Global Impact is a fortnightly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world
In this edition, we look at Beijing’s position on Russia and Taiwan after President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and following Joe Biden’s remarks about the self-ruled island.

China’s 20th Party Congress

Daniel Kwan

Published: 2:00pm, 27 Sep 2022

Why you can trust SCMP

The 20th party congress is less than a month away. Apart from the opening date of October 16, little information about the conclave has been released.

A monthly Politburo meeting is expected this week. It will be followed by the seventh plenum of the 19th Central Committee on October 7 – just over a week before the start of the congress – during which members will review a draft report, amendments to the party constitution and a work report by the party’s top anti-corruption watchdog.

In the interim, China will also celebrate its National Day on Saturday, which kicks off a seven-day holiday on the mainland.

Unlike previous “golden week” holidays in the pre-pandemic era, expectations are low about a holiday-induced consumption binge due to the country’s zero-Covid policy and sluggish economy. Tales of doom and gloom under lockdowns have also discouraged potential holidaymakers to travel this year.

01:54

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin speak in person for first time since Russia invaded Ukraine

Yet, there is little evidence that China’s senior leaders are overly concerned. President Xi Jinping just made his first overseas visit in more than two years to Kazakhstan before attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan. On the sidelines of the summit in Samarkand, Xi met Russian President Vladimir Putin – their first face-to-face meeting since before the Ukraine war – and the two sides vowed to support each other “on issues concerning their respective core interests”.

The Xi-Putin meeting and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit were closely watched around the world for clues as to how far Beijing would go in backing Moscow, especially as Russia has suffered major setbacks in Ukraine, and about China’s growing influence in Central Asia.

While Xi has largely kept to the official line in his public comments about ties with Russia, National People’s Congress Standing Committee chairman Li Zhanshu, who had visited Russia just over a week earlier, was less subtle. In a meeting with Russian lawmakers, he raised a few eyebrows by saying China is “providing help” to Russia and praised the resilience of its economy in spite of “harsh sanctions from the US and the West”.

If the Chinese president has opted for ambiguity over Beijing’s support for Russia, US President Joe Biden was more blunt in talking about Taiwan. In a TV interview that aired a few days after Xi’s meeting with Putin, he said that the US would defend the self-ruled island if there was an “unprecedented attack”.

While White House officials quickly played down Biden’s remarks. reiterating that there was no change in Washington’s policies, Beijing lodged “stern representations”, criticising him for sending the “wrong signals” to Taiwan-independence separatist forces.

00:57

US President Biden says US troops would defend Taiwan from attack by Beijing

Beijing – which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be reunited, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. Washington, however, opposes any attempt to take the island by force.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi fired a similar salvo when he met former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger in New York, warning that failing to manage the Taiwan issue would have a subversive impact on China-US ties.

Taking advantage of the United Nations General Assembly’s general debate, Wang met dozens of foreign leaders and ministers on the sidelines, promoting Beijing’s positions on issues from the Ukraine war to sustainable development.

Also representing China on the diplomatic front was Vice-President Wang Qishan, who attended Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. Wang, 74, is one of those who is set to retire from the leadership after the congress.

60 second catch-up

Chinese envoys help plan likely visits to Beijing by French and German leaders

China offers Russia ‘strong support on core interests’ as Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin meet for first time since Ukraine invasion

Biden says US troops would defend Taiwan from attack by Beijing

Video: US President Biden says US troops would defend Taiwan from attack by Beijing

Infographic: The Politburo

Infographic: The 19th Central Committee

Comment: China’s Xi rose to power on his anti-corruption drive, but the fight’s grown more political – and it’s far from over

Infographic: Faces to watch

Explainer: 7 ‘Xiconomic’ policies that have guided growth over the past decade

Infographic: Friends in high places

Deep Dives

What does it take to get promoted in Chinese politics? Up-and-comers offer clues

Those with regional leadership experience, technical backgrounds and ties to the top most likely to ascend the Communist Party ranks, observers say
Loyalty still matters, but those closest to Xi are ‘not necessarily tied to any particular ideological position’, according to Chinese politics expert

The Communist Party is set to hold its 20th national congress in mid-October, a gathering that will usher in a new line-up of the party’s leadership. In the third piece in a three-part series exploring the rules of the personnel reshuffle, Mimi Lau looks at the shared traits among those likely to be promoted to key national positions.

In February 2020, the Communist Party faced one of its worst crises in three decades as the deadly coronavirus, first detected in the central Chinese province of Hubei, rapidly spread across the country, and a poor initial response fuelled rare public discontent.

China’s military told to ‘resolutely do what the party asks it to do’

PLA Daily runs lengthy article telling soldiers to follow the party’s leadership and take ‘whatever risks and challenges’ are needed

It comes as Beijing’s propaganda machine goes into overdrive ahead of next month’s twice-a-decade national congress

China’s military mouthpiece has published a lengthy article on President Xi Jinping’s ideas on the armed forces, as Beijing’s propaganda machine goes into overdrive ahead of a key gathering of the ruling Communist Party.

The article, published in PLA Daily earlier this week, told the People’s Liberation Army to follow the party’s leadership and carry out assigned tasks, regardless of how difficult and dangerous they are.

Revised code for Chinese officials lays out quickest ways to lose a job

Updated directive seeks to galvanise leaders around Chinese President Xi Jinping, while weeding out cadres with ‘shaky ideals and beliefs’

Amended code issued less than a month before party’s pivotal 20th national congress

Chinese officials who fail to effectively perform in tough and urgent missions, or those who have a vague stance on key political issues, should be sidelined, according to a Communist Party directive recently amended and published on Monday.

The code is intended to create a political environment that ensures the capable are promoted, the outstanding are awarded, the mediocre are demoted and the unqualified are abolished, according to the code, which was published by state news agency Xinhua.

China brings cash to former Soviet republics in bid to win favour with Central Asian ‘stans’

New investments and agreements illustrate how deals between China and Central Asia are being increasingly prioritised following President Xi Jinping’s visit

China could be looking for ‘a new Silk Road’, the ancient Eurasian trade network that bypassed what’s now Russia to reach parts of Europe

China is manoeuvring to play a more pivotal role in Central Asia, as new investments and agreements further consolidate relationships in the wake of President Xi Jinping’s first overseas trip since the coronavirus pandemic began, analysts say as the world’s second-largest economy re-evaluates its trade ties amid rising geopolitical tensions and decoupling calls.

There are strong economic complementarities between China and Central Asia – a cluster of often Russian-leaning former Soviet republics – that are expected to open new doors for deeper cooperation on economic matters after Xi’s visit last week to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

02:46

Biden in UN speech slams China over nuclear arsenal, Xinjiang but says US ‘not seeking conflict’

Beijing may use Anti-Secession Law to seek Taiwan reunification, Wang says

Wang Yi says if the law is violated, Beijing will take ‘resolute actions to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity’

He also warns that US approach may have ‘subversive impact’ on ties, during meeting with former secretary of state Henry Kissinger

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said Beijing could invoke its Anti-Secession Law to seek reunification with Taiwan, in an escalation of rhetoric over the self-ruled island.

Wang also warned that Washington’s pro-Taiwan, anti-Beijing approach might have a “subversive impact” on US-China ties, during a meeting with former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger on Monday. Wang is in New York for the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly this week.

SCO summit: China urges member states to ward off foreign-backed ‘colour revolutions’

Addressing leaders in Samarkand, Xi Jinping says competition between unity and division around the world is growing

We must jointly oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs, Xi says

The world is not at peace and confrontation is intensifying, Chinese President Xi Jinping told a security summit in Uzbekistan on Friday, calling on countries in the region to foster mutual trust.

“The world today is not peaceful,” Xi told his counterparts at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Samarkand. “The competition between the two policy orientations of unity and division, cooperation and confrontation has become more pronounced. It undermines world peace and stability, and is not conducive to the long-term development of the region.

01:36

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Kazakhstan on first trip abroad since pandemic began

China’s No 3 official calls for united front with Russia against sanctions

Li says China and Russia should fight together against ‘external interference’

He thanks Russian lawmakers for Moscow’s support of Beijing’s stance on Taiwan

Cooperation between China and Russia should be strengthened in light of Western sanctions on the two countries, China’s No 3 official said before he wrapped up his trip to Russia last week.

In a readout by Chinese state news agency Xinhua released on Saturday night, Li was quoted as saying the two sides should share more experience in “legislation regarding fighting against external interference, sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction”.

China holds firm on its Ukraine stance while Putin sends more troops

Beijing reiterates call for negotiated resolution after Russian president activates 300,000-strong military reserve

In an address to the nation, Putin also accused the West of ‘nuclear blackmail’ and promised to use ‘all means’ to protect territorial integrity

Beijing reiterated support for a “peaceful resolution” of the Ukraine crisis, after Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of engaging in “nuclear blackmail” against Moscow and activated the army reserves.

“If there is a threat to the territorial integrity of our country, and for protecting our people, we will certainly use all the means available to us – and I’m not bluffing,” Putin said in an address to the nation on Wednesday.

Understand China’s leadership reshuffle with Global Impact newsletter. View all 20th party congress issues here.

Global Impact is a fortnightly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world.

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