The China Now program informs about this country's news, culture and technological advances. This episode features segments on Li Keqiang, China's recently deceased former premier, relations with the United States, China's space program, the crisis in Gaza, development of robotics and more. teleSUR
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - Hello, Televisión Inglés presents
00:11 a new episode of China Now,
00:13 a way media's production that showcases
00:15 the culture, technology, and politics of the Asian giant.
00:18 In this first segment, we have the news
00:20 of the passing away of former Premier Li Keqiang
00:23 on October the 27th, who had just retired
00:26 from La Paz earlier this year on March.
00:29 Also, we have the Israel-Palestine conflict
00:32 and the Chinese government's condemnation
00:34 against the actions that harm civilians.
00:36 Let's see.
00:37 - China Current is a weekly news talk show
00:40 from China to the world.
00:42 We cover viral news about China every week
00:44 and also give you the newest updates
00:46 on China's cutting edge technologies.
00:48 Let's get started.
00:49 (upbeat music)
00:58 - Hi, welcome to China Current, I'm Chris.
01:01 Before diving into the latest situation in Gaza,
01:04 let's turn to a breaking news first.
01:06 Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang,
01:08 who had just retired from the post earlier this year
01:11 in March, passed away on October 27th.
01:15 It was 68, and according to a report
01:17 from China's state media, Li suffered a heart attack
01:20 while he was in Shanghai.
01:22 Li Keqiang served as the Chinese Premier
01:24 from 2013 to 2023.
01:27 His previous career includes the Vice Premier
01:29 and Provincial Governor of Henan and Liaoning,
01:32 two highly populated provinces.
01:34 The news of the sudden loss of an ex-national leader
01:37 took Chinese people by surprise
01:39 on an otherwise uneventful Friday morning.
01:42 Alongside state media outlets,
01:44 Chinese netizens are mourning in the comment sections
01:47 a variety of threats, remembering the ex-premier
01:49 for the challenges he weathered
01:51 during the last years of his office,
01:53 including the trade war waged by the US, COVID,
01:56 and the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.
01:58 Next up, let's turn to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
02:02 On October 23rd, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
02:05 held separate phone conversations
02:07 with his Palestinian and Israeli counterparts.
02:10 In both talks, Wang stressed China's condemnation
02:13 against all acts that harm civilians
02:15 and actions that violate international law,
02:18 calling for an immediate ceasefire.
02:20 He firmly reiterated to both sides
02:23 that a two-state solution remains the only solution
02:26 to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
02:28 and advocated for a more authoritative, wide-ranging,
02:32 and effective international peace conference.
02:35 In his talk with the Palestinian Foreign Minister,
02:37 Wang Yi vowed to continue providing humanitarian aid
02:40 to Palestine tailored to the needs of the people in Gaza.
02:43 During the exchange with Israeli counterparts,
02:46 Wang acknowledged that all countries
02:48 have the right to self-defense,
02:50 but emphasized that such actions
02:52 should abide by international humanitarian law
02:54 and protect the safety of civilians.
02:57 Wang's statement aligns with his previous condemnation
03:00 of Israel's military operation
03:02 as beyond the scope of self-defense,
03:05 referring to numerous attacks
03:06 on Palestinian civilian targets.
03:09 This diplomatic effort marks the first direct mediation
03:12 by China since the escalation
03:14 of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict earlier this month.
03:18 A week prior, Wang Yi held phone talks
03:20 with the US, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey,
03:24 all of which have significant geopolitical interests
03:26 in the region.
03:28 And throughout these discussions,
03:29 Wang repeatedly emphasized that China has no self-interest
03:33 in the Palestinian issue.
03:35 Following the prelude to assure relevant parties,
03:38 the conversation with Palestine and Israel
03:40 demonstrate China's proactive step
03:42 toward mitigating the situation
03:44 from a humanitarian standpoint.
03:47 Following the tension in Palestine on October 25th,
03:50 the Joint Naval Special Operations Training exercise
03:53 between China and Saudi Arabia, Blue Sword 2023,
03:57 began its maritime training phase.
03:59 Following a two-week period
04:01 of comprehensive basic and specialized training,
04:03 participants from both sides are now embarking on exercises
04:07 focused on rescue operations, reconnaissance missions,
04:10 and logistical support.
04:12 The training curriculum includes a range of courses,
04:15 such as helicopter fast-roping, tactical group maneuvers,
04:18 ship climbing exercises, drone operations,
04:21 observation device handling, and ship-to-sea firing drills.
04:25 China has deployed a landing ship
04:27 equipped with two helicopters to actively participate
04:30 in this collaborative maritime training endeavor.
04:33 Despite Joe Biden's top aides scrambling on October 8th
04:36 to reaffirm their commitment to the potential normalization
04:39 of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel,
04:42 the Blue Sword 2023 training commenced on October 9th,
04:46 which is just two days after Saudi Arabia urged Israel
04:49 to immediately halt the escalation with Palestine.
04:53 Next up, let's take a look at diplomacy.
04:55 On October 22nd, the Ministry of Commerce of China
04:58 announced that China and Australia
05:00 have recently conducted friendly consultations
05:03 on their WTO disputes
05:05 and reached an agreement for a proper resolution.
05:08 Ahead of the visit of the current Australian Prime Minister,
05:10 Anthony Albanese, to China,
05:12 consensus has been reached
05:14 to resolve all three WTO dispute cases
05:16 between China and Australia.
05:18 Albanese has expressed intention to restore relations
05:21 with China since he assumed office last year.
05:24 For instance, on April 11th,
05:27 China and Australia reached a consensus
05:29 on the WTO dispute over barley
05:31 through friendly consultations.
05:33 As a result, on August 5th,
05:35 the Chinese Ministry of Commerce
05:36 terminated anti-dumping duties
05:39 and countervailing duties on Australian barley.
05:41 Australian Prime Minister Albanese
05:43 is scheduled to visit China from November 4th to 7th,
05:46 and Chinese experts believe
05:48 that the current Sino-Australian relationship
05:50 has moved beyond mere warming
05:52 and can be described as rebooted,
05:55 entering a positive trajectory.
05:57 Next up, on October 26th,
05:59 the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
06:01 met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
06:04 in Washington, DC,
06:05 marking the first day of Wang's three-day US visit.
06:09 In a pre-meeting press conference,
06:11 Wang stated that China and the US
06:13 need an in-depth and comprehensive dialogue
06:16 to help reduce misunderstanding
06:18 and stabilize the relationship.
06:20 There will always be some noise in China-US relations,
06:23 Wang said.
06:24 The public considers that Wang's visit to the White House
06:26 will pave the path for a Xi-Biden meeting in San Francisco
06:30 where the Summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
06:32 will be held next month.
06:35 Next up, on October 24th,
06:37 China's central government has announced the approval
06:39 of additional 1 trillion yuan in sovereign debt issuance
06:42 to bolster a country's economic recovery efforts.
06:46 The move was officially ratified
06:48 during the sixth session of the Standing Committee
06:50 of the 14th National People's Congress
06:52 where the resolution on approving the issuance
06:54 of sovereign debt and adjusting the central budget
06:56 for 2023 was passed.
06:59 This decision aims to provide financial resources
07:02 to aid post-disaster reconstruction
07:04 and addresses deficiencies in disaster prevention,
07:07 mitigation and relief efforts.
07:10 China has experienced a series of severe weather events,
07:13 including heavy rainfall, floods and typhoons
07:16 in various regions throughout this year.
07:19 The country has also faced a growing frequency
07:21 of extreme natural disasters,
07:23 highlighting the need to strengthen
07:25 its disaster management capabilities.
07:27 The Ministry of Finance has stated that $68.5 billion
07:32 will be allocated for immediate use this year
07:34 with the remaining $68.5 billion carried over
07:38 for use in the following year.
07:39 This targeted distribution of funds
07:41 will contribute to the country's ability
07:43 to withstand and recover from natural disasters.
07:46 As China continues its path
07:48 towards sustainable recovery and resilience,
07:50 the approved sovereign debt will play a crucial role
07:53 in promoting economic stability,
07:55 facilitating reconstruction efforts
07:57 and enhancing disaster resilience across the country.
08:01 Next up, at 8 p.m. on October 24th,
08:04 the 22.3 T-Mall Double 11 Day Sale
08:06 kicked off its pre-sale campaign.
08:08 It's the world's largest online shopping event
08:11 and has consistently been a barometer
08:13 for consumer trends and brand performance in China.
08:16 This year's event revealed a surge in consumer spending
08:20 with over 1,300 brands witnessing
08:22 their year-on-year sales growth exceeding 200%
08:26 and nearly 700 brands seeing their sales grow
08:29 by more than 500% within just the first hour.
08:33 While international brands such as L'Oreal,
08:35 Guerlain and Nike successfully broke
08:37 the 1 billion yuan sales mark,
08:39 many Chinese domestic brands
08:40 also made it to the top selling list.
08:42 Chinese netizens argue that it demonstrates
08:45 the increasing popularity of homegrown brands
08:47 among Chinese consumers.
08:49 There was once a time when Chinese consumers
08:51 were willing to pay premium prices for foreign brands.
08:55 However, the trend seems to be shifting.
08:57 Today, Chinese brands are providing products
08:59 that are on par and in some cases,
09:01 even superior to foreign counterparts.
09:04 National pride is not a sole driving factor for this shift.
09:08 Chinese companies have become more responsive
09:10 to market trends, aligning closer with consumer needs
09:13 and are more daring in their investments.
09:16 This evolving landscape of Chinese retail
09:18 suggests a growing local confidence
09:21 in an increasingly competitive domestic market.
09:24 Next up, on October 25th,
09:26 China officially launched
09:27 its new National Data Administration Agency
09:30 to oversee the country's data strategy.
09:33 The NDA will be led by
09:34 the National Development and Reform Commission.
09:37 The National Data Administration
09:38 will coordinate data infrastructure development
09:40 and promote sharing of data resources
09:43 across government bodies.
09:44 We'll also oversee initiatives
09:46 to build China's digital economy and society,
09:48 taking over some responsibilities
09:50 from the Cyberspace Administration.
09:52 According to the State Council's reform plan last March,
09:55 the NDA was proposed to integrate fragmented data
09:58 and leverage technologies like AI.
10:01 With the exponential growth in data volumes
10:03 driven by technologies,
10:05 data resources have become crucial
10:07 to China's digital transformation goals.
10:10 The National Data Administration aims to maximize value
10:12 from this strategic resource.
10:15 Next up, on October 23rd,
10:17 the Chinese State Council announced the establishment
10:20 of a pilot area for digital Silk Road in Shanghai.
10:24 According to custom statistics,
10:25 China's cross-border e-commerce import and export volume
10:29 reached 21.1 trillion yuan in 2022.
10:32 At present, China has established
10:34 bilateral e-commerce cooperation mechanisms
10:37 with 29 countries across five continents.
10:40 The digital Silk Road will become a new channel
10:43 for economic and trade cooperation.
10:45 Shanghai is China's largest distribution center
10:48 for import goods and a preferred gateway
10:50 for international brands to enter the Chinese market.
10:53 It leads the country in e-commerce transaction scale
10:56 and is home to a number of leading domestic
10:58 and international e-commerce companies.
11:01 Chinese netizens argue that the establishment
11:03 of the pilot area will strongly promote
11:05 e-commerce exchanges between Shanghai
11:07 and countries jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative
11:11 and connect more overseas high-quality products
11:13 to the Chinese consumer markets.
11:15 Last but not least, at 11.14 Beijing time on October 26th,
11:20 the Shenzhou 17 crewed spacecraft carrying Chinese astronauts
11:24 Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinling
11:27 successfully lifted off, marking another milestone
11:30 in China's crewed space program.
11:32 The primary objective of this mission
11:34 is to facilitate a crew rotation with the Shenzhou 16 team
11:38 and enable a six-month stay
11:39 aboard China's Tiangong space station.
11:42 During their tenure, Chinese astronauts
11:44 will conduct a range of activities
11:46 including scientific experiments,
11:48 extravehicular operations, and routine maintenance tasks.
11:52 This launch signifies the 30th flight mission
11:55 of China's crewed space endeavour
11:57 since its autonomous inception
11:59 and the 12th manned flight overall.
12:01 Remarkably, China's maintained an impeccable safety record
12:05 throughout its crewed space program
12:07 with zero astronauts casualties
12:09 since the maiden voyage of Shenzhou 1 in 1999.
12:13 Lin Shicheng, the spokesperson
12:15 for China's crewed space program,
12:17 emphasised China's preparedness to invite foreign astronauts
12:20 for future Chinese space station missions.
12:23 We extend a global invitation,
12:25 welcoming nations and regions
12:26 dedicated to the peaceful utilisation of outer space
12:29 to collaborate with us and participate in our endeavours
12:32 aboard the Chinese space station.
12:35 Well, that's all for today.
12:36 Thank you for watching this episode of China Currents.
12:38 If you have any thoughts and comments about our show,
12:40 please reach us at the email address below.
12:43 I'm Chris, looking forward to hearing from you
12:45 and see you next time.
12:47 (air whooshing)
12:49 We'll go for a short break now,
12:53 but we'll be right back.
12:54 Stay with us.
12:55 (upbeat music)
12:59 Welcome back to China Now.
13:15 In this second segment,
13:16 we have Thirst Hole with some tech innovation
13:19 and announcement that happened in China last week.
13:21 Just as a new frontier of senior US competition,
13:25 China's plans to implement
13:26 near-Earth asteroid defence mission
13:29 and the US target open or add SCV standards
13:33 as a new front in tech war with China.
13:36 Meanwhile, in Thinkers 4.0,
13:38 we have Critty O'Poco,
13:41 the co-founder of the Socialist Movement of Ghana,
13:44 talking about how the Belt and Road Initiative
13:46 looks from a Pan-African perspective.
13:49 Also in the Thinkers forum are the Shannwei Wade
13:52 and Bruno Mazzis,
13:53 likewise talking about the Belt and Road Initiative.
13:56 Let's have a look.
13:57 Hi, I'm Lisa and this is Thirst Hole in China.
14:04 Today, we are going to share some exciting tech innovations
14:07 and announcement that happened in China last week.
14:10 (upbeat music)
14:12 Robots are coming.
14:16 Tesla recently introduced
14:18 its cutting-edge humanoid robot, Optimus,
14:22 and at the same time, Xiaomi introduced CyberOne.
14:25 The two companies reflect the larger picture
14:28 of the fierce competition in robotics
14:30 between China and the United States.
14:32 Let's take a look at this new report
14:34 that tells us where each country is at.
14:37 The United States has been at the forefront
14:39 of the robotic research.
14:41 It has the largest number of first authors
14:43 and institutions publishing papers in top journals,
14:47 solidifying its dominance.
14:49 Meanwhile, China has emerged as a rapidly developing force,
14:53 securing the second position,
14:55 overtaking Europe, Canada, and Japan.
14:58 Data shows a changing of the guards,
15:00 with China surpassing the US in 2022
15:03 in the number of first authors
15:05 and institutions publishing in top journals.
15:08 Hence, China is narrowing the research gap.
15:11 Prominent Chinese universities,
15:13 such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
15:15 Tsinghua University,
15:16 Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology,
15:19 and Harbin Institute of Technology
15:22 are making significant contributions.
15:25 Keyword analysis shows that there are differences
15:28 between China's and US research directions.
15:31 From 2022 to mid-2023, China focused on deep learning,
15:36 reinforcement learning, digital twins,
15:38 cloud manufacturing, soft, grippers,
15:41 and technologies with variable stiffness.
15:44 In contrast, the US zeros in
15:46 on safety collision avoidance,
15:48 robot perception system, multi-robot system,
15:52 and past planning.
15:54 The focus area differ according to strategic priorities.
15:58 China aimed to transform manufacturing
16:00 through innovative technologies.
16:02 This will contribute to China's lead
16:04 in industrial robot development.
16:07 According to the IFR,
16:09 over half of new installations last year occurred in China.
16:14 Therefore, its main robotic research
16:16 concentrates on areas facilitating
16:19 advanced automation solutions.
16:21 Deep learning and reinforcement learning
16:23 are crucial for developing more autonomous robotic system
16:27 capable of complex tasks.
16:30 Another focus has been on digital twins,
16:32 which are virtual representation
16:35 that allows the digital modeling of physical systems
16:38 so they can perform model, test,
16:40 and optimize processes remotely.
16:43 This aligns with China's goal
16:45 of transforming manufacturing through technologies
16:48 like cloud-based factories.
16:50 Soft grippers and variable stiffness mechanisms
16:53 aim to make robots safer
16:55 and able to interact with unpredictable environments,
17:00 like in medical or logistic applications.
17:03 Meanwhile, the US centers on safety technologies.
17:06 Algorithms for navigation, perception,
17:08 and collision avoidance are priorities,
17:11 ensuring robust coordination
17:13 and autonomous machine operating around human.
17:17 The different focuses each country have on research
17:20 reflect their economic goals and societal needs.
17:24 We can expect the China-US tech war
17:27 will intensify as the robotic field evolves.
17:30 China has announced its plans for deep space exploration
17:39 over the next 15 years.
17:41 According to Wu Weiren,
17:43 chief designer of China's lunar exploration program,
17:47 the country aims to carry out
17:49 10 major engineering missions across three areas,
17:52 lunar exploration, planetary exploration,
17:55 and launch vehicle technology.
17:58 We have talked about the four lunar exploration mission
18:01 in previous episodes,
18:03 so if you're interested, the links are down below.
18:05 Let's dive into the planetary exploration.
18:09 China plans to launch Tianwen-2 in 2025
18:13 to sample an asteroid and fly by a name belt comet,
18:18 bringing pristine out-of-Earth material back to Earth.
18:22 China will also carry out its first ever
18:25 near-Earth asteroid defense mission
18:28 to address the small but potentially catastrophic
18:31 probability of an asteroid hitting the Earth.
18:34 China will perform a kinetic impact on an asteroid
18:38 located millions of kilometers away,
18:41 altering its trajectory
18:42 and assessing the impact's effectiveness.
18:46 Other planetary missions in the pipeline
18:48 include Tianwen-3
18:49 to collect the first ever Martian samples
18:52 and explorations of Jupiter and Uranus.
18:56 The United States, through NASA,
18:58 has a long history of successful missions
19:01 to various planets,
19:02 including Mars, Venice, and Jupiter.
19:06 NASA's Mars rovers, such as Curiosity and Perseverance,
19:10 have provided insights into the Red Planet's geology
19:14 and potential habitability.
19:17 The United States has also successfully landed
19:20 multiple spacecrafts on Mars,
19:22 including the InSight lander,
19:23 studying the planet's interior.
19:26 China, on the other hand, has caught up in recent years.
19:29 In 2020, China landed on Mars for the first time
19:33 with their Tianwen-1 mission,
19:35 which successfully placed a rover called Zhurong
19:38 on the surface of Mars.
19:40 The next major task of China
19:42 focuses on exploring the edge of the solar system.
19:46 China plans to launch a new type of spacecraft
19:49 that will reach the solar system's edge
19:52 100 astronomical units away.
19:55 This mission aims to contribute to humanity's understanding
19:59 of the characteristics of the solar system's edge
20:02 and its planet and the exploration of aliens.
20:06 To support these ambitious deep space endeavors,
20:09 China aims to develop a super-heavy-lift
20:12 Long March 9 rocket with 10-meter diameter cores
20:16 and large liquid oxygen methane engines.
20:20 This would increase China's launch capability
20:22 to 150 tons in low-Earth orbit.
20:26 Regarding the rocket's technology,
20:28 NASA has also been at the forefront for decades
20:31 with iconic rockets such as the Saturn V,
20:35 which carried astronauts to the moon
20:37 during the Apollo missions.
20:39 In recent years, private companies like SpaceX
20:42 have emerged as key players,
20:45 developing innovative and reusable rocket systems
20:49 like the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
20:52 As a counterpart,
20:53 China has been steadily advancing its rocket technology.
20:57 The Long March series of rockets
20:59 developed by China's National Space Administration
21:02 has been the backbone of China's space program.
21:06 These rockets have successfully launched various missions,
21:09 including Luna, a Mars mission,
21:11 and the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft
21:13 for resupplying the space station.
21:15 And they've just sent a new batch of astronauts
21:18 to China's Tiangong space station
21:20 on another Long March rocket.
21:23 The nation's progress in deep space exploration
21:25 over the past few decades has been remarkable.
21:28 With that said, research benefits greatly
21:31 from international collaboration,
21:33 but the question is when does collaboration
21:35 overcome competition?
21:38 (upbeat music)
21:41 Recently, US lawmakers urged to put restrictions on RISC-V,
21:48 which is an open-chip architecture standard
21:50 increasingly embraced by China.
21:53 RISC-V lets anyone customize computer processor design
21:57 using its open instructions.
22:00 Its flexibility has advantages.
22:02 It reduces cost and allows custom chip for different needs.
22:07 However, this openness has drawn the attention
22:10 of US lawmakers who fear that it might pose
22:13 a national security risk.
22:15 They urged the Biden administration
22:17 to regulate companies' involvement with RISC-V,
22:20 potentially limiting its growth and use.
22:24 Since RISC-V is an open standard specification,
22:27 it cannot be prevented from being downloaded
22:30 and used by anyone.
22:32 So this raised the question of how the United States
22:35 can regulate it since it is almost impossible to do so.
22:39 There is no monopolistic control on RISC-V standard,
22:43 and this is the driving force behind this global adoption
22:46 and the catalyst for the next phase
22:48 of the chip technology revolution.
22:51 However, US politicians contradict this trend
22:54 by excluding themselves from the upcoming
22:57 wave of transformation.
22:59 So why are these politicians so scared?
23:01 The underlying reason is that RISC-V disrupts the monopoly
23:05 of the AT6 and the ARM systems,
23:09 creating a new ecosystem where the United States
23:12 does not enjoy an absolute advantage.
23:15 Currently, the Intel-developed AT6
23:18 is the dominant chip design architecture
23:20 for desktop and laptop computers,
23:23 while the design architecture behind most smartphone chip
23:26 in the world is controlled by ARM.
23:29 RISC-V provides an open instruction set architecture
23:32 to customize chip designs.
23:34 Its flexibility is beyond established standards
23:37 like AT6 and ARM, and offer China a way
23:41 to reduce foreign IP.
23:43 Although RISC-V originated at RUCU Berkeley,
23:46 China has become a major adopter.
23:49 RISC-V's popularity in China is evident.
23:53 According to statistics,
23:54 among the 22 senior member organizations
23:58 in the RISC-V International Foundation,
24:01 12 are from China, such as Alibaba Cloud,
24:04 Huawei, ZTE, and TensorToby,
24:06 and 7 are from the United States.
24:09 Among the 179 strategic member organizations,
24:13 49 are from China, 41 are from the United States,
24:17 and 43 are from the European Union.
24:20 Furthermore, to mention RISC-V servers,
24:23 10 gigabyte switches and other products
24:26 are manufactured by Chinese companies.
24:29 If the RISC-V ecosystem flourishes,
24:32 the global processor landscape will no longer
24:34 be monopolized by the United States.
24:37 So the US politicians are really concerned
24:40 with losing their dominant position
24:42 in the processor industry.
24:44 However, what they have proposed could be counterproductive
24:47 in achieving their stated goals.
24:49 It risks dividing an otherwise open community,
24:52 severing the tie between Chinese
24:54 and US researchers and engineers.
24:57 As Chinese firms and institutions
24:59 continue to advance RISC-V,
25:01 China is poised to shape the next generation
25:04 of processor technology on its own terms.
25:08 And that is all for today's Threshold.
25:10 We hope you like this new section
25:11 on science and technology in China.
25:13 As usual, we welcome your feedback and thoughts.
25:20 Good evening, comrades.
25:22 It's a great honor to be invited back to Thinkers Forum.
25:27 I've been asked to share a few brief thoughts
25:30 on how the Belt and Road Initiative looks
25:33 from a Pan-African perspective.
25:37 I will try and be very brief.
25:40 What does the BRI mean for Africa?
25:45 First, the obvious.
25:47 BRI is a massive visionary infrastructure program.
25:53 It's warehousing, it's road and rail systems,
25:57 it's air, land, and sea ports,
26:00 it's energy and power infrastructure
26:02 across three large continents.
26:06 There's also the cell towers, servers,
26:08 and perhaps even foundries that can power,
26:13 automate, digitize, and digitize production,
26:18 and make real-time communication and engagement
26:21 of all the millions of people within the initiative possible.
26:24 And of course, with infrastructure,
26:30 there will be opportunities for additional soft technology
26:33 investments from China and other participants,
26:37 hopefully as joint ventures that transfer technology
26:42 to our peoples.
26:45 In practice, BRI also enables critical social infrastructure,
26:51 hospitals and schools in particular,
26:54 where we can train people to develop and use
26:56 all this infrastructure and technology.
26:58 As a result of Western exploitation over five
27:04 centuries and the complete lack of integrated planning
27:07 since independence, Africa has the poorest infrastructure
27:11 in the world, both productive and social.
27:14 What economic infrastructure there is,
27:22 is mostly foreign private investment,
27:25 and often tied to former colonial masters
27:28 and their industrial establishments.
27:32 This gives them the power to dictate
27:34 the pace of our development, or more often,
27:38 our underdevelopment.
27:41 Our infrastructure deficit allows Western companies
27:44 to use their capital resources to expropriate
27:47 our massive natural resources, leaving our people
27:51 in poverty and despair.
27:54 And it prevents us from making a rapid measured transition
27:58 to industrial production and development.
28:03 A case in point is France's stranglehold
28:06 over Nigerian uranium mining capacity.
28:09 Its massive transfer pricing ensures
28:12 that Arriva pays negligible, if any, tax
28:15 to the Nigerian people.
28:19 And Niger, poor country that it is,
28:21 effectively subsidizes the 30% of power generation
28:26 that their uranium guarantees France.
28:30 Niger itself, after 40 years of supplying 25% of the EU's
28:37 uranium, second only to Kazakhstan,
28:40 only has a 12% electricity penetration.
28:45 Now, obviously, the infrastructure
28:47 that is available to Niger through BRI
28:50 will make a huge difference to living standards
28:53 and to the prospects of the Nigerian people.
28:56 Comrades, as the character of this imperialist infrastructure
29:05 becomes more evident and more controversial,
29:08 the West is investing now in military infrastructure,
29:12 this infrastructure that surrounds our countries
29:15 with the threat and reality of violence and domination.
29:20 This is deployed to protect the status quo
29:23 and to exclude others who, like China,
29:27 would like to invest on more fair terms in Africa.
29:33 BRI is a state-led policy, which means
29:37 that it reflects the CPC's socialist internationalism
29:42 and its commitment to global development and poverty
29:45 eradication.
29:47 It is executed by a combination of state-owned and private
29:51 Chinese enterprises, and thus enjoys a significant solidarity
29:55 component.
29:58 We expect Chinese and other investors
30:01 in BRI to make good returns on their investment,
30:05 and China owes no apologies for this.
30:08 We also expect Chinese businesses, too,
30:12 to benefit from the use of this new infrastructure
30:15 in developing businesses in Africa.
30:17 Again, no apologies.
30:20 The point, however, is that this will not
30:22 be on an exclusive Chinese colonial or neocolonial
30:28 basis, as BRI detractors love to suggest.
30:34 And they suggest that because they themselves
30:37 can see no other framework for international relations
30:40 other than exploitation.
30:43 BRI will not be paternalistic, like Americans and Europeans,
30:50 who, having built the corrupt cultures of our middle classes,
30:53 then turn around to the Chinese and the British
30:56 our middle classes, then turn around
30:58 to seek to impose their supposed values as a condition
31:03 for our development.
31:07 Our states, and perhaps soon our continental institutions,
31:11 will be able to determine holistically
31:14 what priorities should be served within a planned development
31:18 process.
31:19 Africans will decide how we connect with the wider Silk
31:25 Road.
31:28 The sheer existence of the opportunity
31:31 is knocking even the hardest heads together
31:33 around the continent.
31:35 In other words, BRI becomes a driver
31:39 of regional integration, collective self-determination.
31:44 It means that we, too, can tackle poverty and build
31:47 prosperity.
31:48 It holds open the door for building
31:51 peaceful economic and political pan-Africanism
31:54 and taking a constructive position
31:56 in the world and the management of its affairs.
31:59 Soon, we hope also to see the agricultural research
32:09 and development components of this massive project.
32:14 President Xi committed to this recently
32:17 at the China-Africa Leaders Forum in South Africa.
32:21 There are many of us who hope that this initiative will
32:24 focus on our nearly one billion peasant farmers
32:27 and help uplift them from where they are today
32:31 and develop agroecological technologies that
32:35 can bring them into the global economy on their own terms,
32:39 on a secure, equitable, and a profitable basis that
32:43 addresses both the growing global nutrition crisis,
32:48 but offers them, too, modest prosperity and a chance
32:52 to manage the transition to higher levels of production
32:57 and to socialism on their own terms.
33:01 So to sum up, BRI means civil infrastructure,
33:05 and that means independence and self-determination.
33:09 It means greater peace and security,
33:12 the possibility of eliminating the structures,
33:15 the infrastructure of destruction
33:16 that the West is surrounding us with.
33:19 It means a flip to integration and dignity.
33:21 Now, comrades, does the BRI change the dialogue
33:28 between Africa and China?
33:32 Yes, it does, in positive ways.
33:36 It creates admiration and interest in Chinese solutions.
33:42 It opens up in Africa consideration
33:44 of other ways of organizing society,
33:47 away from the neocolonial institutions promoted
33:49 by the West.
33:51 It makes even the most backward leaders ask,
33:55 how did China do it?
33:57 Can we learn from China?
33:59 And if China holds the course of open, principled engagement
34:04 based on internationalist principles,
34:07 its considerable influence in Africa can only grow.
34:12 Are there challenges?
34:14 Yes, BRI can only open a door.
34:20 It is up to Africa to walk through that door
34:23 and reset the terms of our development.
34:27 Infrastructure acquisition has unfortunately
34:30 been one of the major areas of corruption
34:33 in our independent history.
34:36 While we are fully aware of the decisive measures China
34:39 under President Xi has taken to control private abuse
34:43 of public office, these are struggles
34:46 that we are still very much waging in Africa.
34:49 And capitalists are capitalists.
34:52 So there will continue to be challenges
34:54 with some private Chinese investors and contractors
34:58 and how they engage with the questionable integrity of many
35:01 of our national procurement systems.
35:03 China and its friends in Africa must
35:09 be proactive in publicizing the integrity standards that
35:14 exist in China and that are expected around BRI
35:18 development and in publicizing the checks and balances
35:23 as these evolve, as we evolve these together.
35:26 There's also a question whether Africa can absorb and properly
35:32 utilize all the projects we so desperately need.
35:36 Can we absorb them at the rate at which they
35:39 appear to become available?
35:42 Or do we need help in building up our public planning
35:45 and management capacity?
35:47 Can more such assistance be available
35:50 within the BRI framework?
35:52 That's a challenge we have to address.
35:53 Finally, Africa is heavily indebted.
36:01 What can we do about the terms of BRI investment
36:05 and related funding?
36:08 What can we do about the current crisis that besets us?
36:11 These are challenges that the overall program,
36:21 together with its participants in Africa
36:25 and increasing the youth of Africa
36:27 and the progressive community in Africa, must focus on.
36:31 There are problems that we must try and solve so
36:34 that the BRI achieves its full potential in developing
36:39 humanity for itself.
36:43 Thank you very much, Comrade Chairman Eric.
36:46 And good to see you again.
36:49 And I'll end here.
36:50 Thank you very much.
36:51 Bruno, welcome to China.
36:58 Welcome to Beijing.
37:00 And as you know, we have just completed this major event,
37:05 the 10th anniversary of the BRI initiative.
37:09 So many leaders from other countries
37:11 came to Beijing to stay in this hotel.
37:15 So what's your take on the whole about BRI?
37:18 How do you perceive this whole event as well?
37:23 Well, it seems to be doing well.
37:25 It is not dead.
37:28 We read in a lot of Western media that it was dead.
37:32 I was very worried because I wrote a book on the Belt
37:34 and Road, and I want my book to survive.
37:38 But it seems to be changing.
37:42 I always thought it would be an evolving process with crises,
37:45 with transformations.
37:46 Seems to be a lot less about infrastructure.
37:49 In my book, I already wrote that infrastructure
37:52 would become secondary.
37:54 By the way, I think there are conditions for the Belt and Road
37:57 to succeed that are prior to infrastructure.
38:00 They're about politics, culture.
38:02 There has to be cultural and political understanding
38:05 for the infrastructure projects to succeed.
38:08 So what I noticed this time is that there
38:10 was enormous focus on culture and politics,
38:14 and a lot less on concrete and construction.
38:19 And from Chinese point of view, we
38:22 feel that with the Ukrainian crisis,
38:25 somehow the EU or Europe as a whole
38:30 had been somehow misled by the United States,
38:34 the Chinese biased view.
38:37 So were the Europeans' own interests?
38:43 The other day, I met an Italian friend in this forum.
38:46 I said one major problem for Europe
38:49 is immigration from the Middle East, from North Africa.
38:54 So with the Belt and Road, we tried
38:57 to help develop Africa and the Middle East.
39:03 As a result, there will be less refugees to Europe.
39:07 So why EU or EU members don't want to join the BRI?
39:15 I know the American pressure.
39:17 And Italy is talking about quitting the EU.
39:20 I think something goes wrong here.
39:23 My personal view, what's your take?
39:26 Well, BRI was interpreted, and I think correctly,
39:31 as a project of power, that it would
39:34 increase Chinese influence.
39:37 I don't think Chinese officials and intellectuals deny this,
39:43 that the BRI will increase China's influence in the world.
39:47 That is part of the purpose.
39:49 So there was a lot of resistance in Europe
39:54 to the idea that this project could
39:56 increase China's influence.
39:58 And a process of geopolitical competition started.
40:02 Europe now wants to have its own BRI.
40:05 This is the dynamics, and I think
40:07 are going to be very difficult to avoid.
40:10 Each major bloc wants to have its own projects.
40:14 I think that's what explains why Europe is not joining the BRI.
40:18 We want to have our own BRI.
40:20 You could say that China was successful in the sense
40:23 that it showed the whole world the importance of a project
40:27 like this.
40:28 But I don't think it will be able to convince
40:31 European countries to join.
40:35 And anyway, now over 150 countries have joined.
40:42 And the total investment has been more than $1 trillion.
40:46 Some people say even $2 trillion,
40:48 both Chinese and non-Chinese.
40:51 So the projects, despite all the challenges, opportunities
40:55 on the whole, are moving up.
40:58 And this trend, I think, will continue.
41:01 Now, I read your articles about Eurasianism,
41:05 about the civilizational state, about rise
41:09 of civilizational discourse around the world.
41:14 So could you say a bit on your view
41:17 concerning civilizational state, civilization discourse?
41:21 Why at this particular juncture more talk about this?
41:27 I think as human beings, we are profoundly dissatisfied
41:35 with the idea that history is finished,
41:39 that nothing new will happen.
41:41 And it's much more appealing to think
41:43 that different parts of the world have different visions
41:46 and that there is a dialogue, there is a learning process,
41:49 and that history continues.
41:51 So the sense that liberalism was the end,
41:54 and everyone would join, and everyone would have the same
41:57 view, is a very frustrating view,
42:01 which is slowly disappearing.
42:04 We now have different projects in different parts of the world.
42:06 And the Chinese project is a project
42:08 to be taken very seriously.
42:10 One can agree with certain elements of the Chinese project
42:14 for the future, and one can disagree with other elements.
42:17 But I think the sense that civilizations
42:22 and the difference between civilizations is a good thing
42:26 is very important.
42:27 And second, the sense that civilizations are fundamentally
42:31 forms of human thoughts, of practical human thought.
42:36 And so there is no reason for civilizations to clash.
42:39 Usually, we have a clash of nationalism.
42:42 That's a different thing.
42:43 But civilizations should not clash.
42:45 They should communicate.
42:46 This is why I've been interested in the Belt and Road
42:49 from the beginning, and why I wish the Belt and Road all
42:53 the best, because a China that is open to the world, that
42:58 is curious about the world, is a much better China for everyone
43:01 than a China that would be closed.
43:03 So why should we be critical of a project that
43:07 is fundamentally a way for China to open up?
43:12 That is, I think, where we are.
43:15 Of course, it will be very tricky to navigate this world
43:18 where there are disagreements.
43:22 But in the end, it's a better world than a world
43:24 where we all agree.
43:26 I remember I was reading some time ago your thesis
43:32 on Western civilization.
43:35 And I remember you said something like that.
43:38 You know, there are some people like the French president
43:46 and some Hungarian prime ministers.
43:50 They were talking about this European civilization,
43:53 Western civilization, and return to its own rules.
43:57 Yet some of them want to go to the rules of the Enlightenment.
44:01 Then you said something like this.
44:03 Again, this is a problem.
44:04 If you want to continue this Enlightenment tradition,
44:07 it's still about universal appeal
44:10 rather than return to your own rules.
44:12 Could you elaborate a bit on this view
44:14 if my memory serves me right?
44:16 Yeah.
44:17 Yes.
44:17 I think we should give up on this ambition of having
44:22 universal rules that apply to everyone.
44:26 Because what that means is that the rules are going
44:29 to be rather empty and formal and not
44:33 rules that can satisfy human aspirations.
44:37 So we are, I think, in the process of leaving that behind.
44:43 The idea of completely neutral rules is impossible.
44:47 What we're realizing is that many parts of the world
44:51 don't even understand that project,
44:53 or they resist it because rules that look neutral at first,
44:57 they turn out not to be neutral.
44:59 I mean, a very simple example is,
45:02 when do you have a day of holiday in the week?
45:08 Of course, a Muslim would want a Friday.
45:10 And a Christian would prefer the Sunday.
45:13 And it's not possible to have a neutral rule.
45:17 We should, of course, embrace these differences
45:20 and allow for them to grow in depth
45:24 and for civilizations to develop rather than trying
45:28 to replace them with a completely abstract
45:32 and neutral framework.
45:35 Do you think eventually the European Union
45:38 can become a kind of civilizational community
45:41 or civilizational state?
45:44 It is becoming.
45:45 It is becoming.
45:48 It is meant to overcome nationalism.
45:52 But it's no longer in the direction of universalism.
45:55 It's in the direction of a civilization state.
45:58 The countries join on the basis of their civilizational
46:02 affinity.
46:03 For example, we see now that Russia does not
46:07 have that civilizational affinity,
46:09 and perhaps it has a civilizational affinity
46:11 with China.
46:12 And Ukraine has that civilizational affinity.
46:14 So we see that civilizational states are growing
46:18 and coalescing, solidifying.
46:22 I can even tell you what I think the European civilizational
46:26 state is about.
46:27 I think it's about a certain form of anarchism.
46:31 Europeans don't like state power.
46:33 This is a big difference between China and Europe.
46:37 In China, state power is seen as a good thing for reasons
46:40 that we can--
46:41 Necessary virtue, not the necessary evil.
46:44 That's right.
46:45 Exactly.
46:46 For Europeans, for a long time, for many centuries,
46:49 the state is something that in the end,
46:51 one should abolish, if possible.
46:53 And I think the European Union, in a sense, is not a state.
46:57 It's a regime of rules, automatic rules, but not a state.
47:02 So we may even have succeeded in abolishing the state in Europe.
47:07 So this is not for everyone.
47:09 This is not for the Chinese, who have a different tradition.
47:12 For us Europeans, there's, of course, a set of ideas
47:17 that appeal to us.
47:19 And one final question.
47:22 If there is this European civilizational community
47:25 or civilizational state, what will
47:28 be the position of religion?
47:32 I know it's very controversial, because we have so much
47:34 diversified population.
47:36 And this whole idea of the European
47:39 has a Christian tradition is controversial.
47:42 Do you think that will be included
47:43 in your idea of European civilizational community
47:47 or state?
47:49 I think, to be honest, we have overcome religion in Europe.
47:55 Perhaps in China, too.
47:56 There is some commonality there.
47:59 Religion survives, but as a personal experience,
48:03 as a psychological experience, not as a truth anymore.
48:09 Of course, as liberalism is in crisis in Europe,
48:13 people are looking for something to replace it.
48:16 Religion is sometimes offered as an alternative.
48:20 Until we find a better alternative,
48:22 a European civilizational state, we're
48:25 going to continue looking for a solution in religion,
48:31 looking for a solution in liberalism.
48:34 I don't think they will work.
48:36 And Hungary, which represents a little bit of that return
48:40 to religion, is not a majority voice in Europe.
48:44 It's not taken very seriously.
48:46 And I think Europe has already moved beyond religion.
48:51 Good.
48:52 So I enjoyed this conversation very much.
48:54 Thank you very much.
48:55 Thank you.
48:56 Thank you.
48:57 And this was another episode of China Now,
48:59 a show that opens a window to the present and the future
49:02 of the action giant.
49:03 Hope you enjoy it.
49:04 See you next time.
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49:13 (upbeat music)