Analyses on recent geo-political development

‘Russia alone can already confront the entire West…’

President Vladimir Putin (R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of talks in restricted format, Kremlin, Moscow, March 21, 2023

The Russian media reported that President Vladimir Putin made an extraordinary gesture as President Xi Jinping left the Kremlin following the state dinner last week on Tuesday evening by escorting him to the limousine and seeing him off. 

And Xi during the goodbye handshake reportedly responded, “Together, we should push forward these changes that have not happened for 100 years. Take care.” 

Read Full Article: https://www.indianpunchline.com/russia-alone-can-already-confront-the-entire-west/

Erdogan weighs up Russia, dares Biden

Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s (R) friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) annoys the US (File photo) 

Turkish President Recep Erdogan has disclosed that Russian President Vladimir Putin may attend the nuclear fuel loading ceremony on April 27 at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. 

Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov deftly handled the political bombshell, choosing not to refute Erdogan’s statement. According to Erdogan, Putin’s participation in the ceremony may form part of an official visit. 

Read Full Article: https://www.indianpunchline.com/erdogan-weighs-up-russia-dares-biden/

OPEC: Saudis aren’t afraid of US anymore

The shock oil production cuts from May outlined by the OPEC+ on Sunday essentially means that eight key OPEC countries decided to join hands with Russia to reduce oil production, messaging that OPEC and OPEC+ are now back in control of the oil market.

No single oil producing country is acting as the Pied Piper here. The great beauty about it is that Saudi Arabia and seven other major OPEC countries have unexpectedly decided to support Russia’s efforts and unilaterally reduce production. 

Read Full Text: https://www.indianpunchline.com/opec-saudis-arent-afraid-of-us-anymore/

Regional isolation of Syria may end soon

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad. (Photo: Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Saudi Arabia may invite Syria to attend the upcoming Arab League summit in Riyadh in May, Reuters reported on Sunday, April 2, quoting three unnamed sources close to the process. The report confirms the trend of Syria’s reintegration in regional politics after over a decade of isolation.  

While not officially confirmed yet, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is likely to visit Syrian capital Damascus in the coming weeks to formally invite Syria for the summit, the report claims.

The Arab League summit is scheduled to be held from May 19.  

Saudi Arabia and Syria have agreed to reopen their respective embassies in Damascus and Riyadh after Ramadan this year. 

Read Full Article: https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/04/03/regional-isolation-of-syria-may-end-soon/

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Xi Jinping’s Visit to Saudi Arabia and the overthrow of Atlanticism

Matthew Ehret

As Atlanticists continue their commitment to a future shaped by energy scarcity, food scarcity, and war with their nuclear-capable neighbors, most states in the Persian Gulf that have long been trusted allies of the west have quickly come to realize that their interests are best assured by cooperating with Eurasian states like China and Russia who don’t think in those zero-sum terms.

With Chinese President Xi Jinping’s long-awaited three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, a powerful shift by the Persian Gulf’s most strategic Arab state toward the multipolar alliance is being consolidated. Depending on which side of the ideological fence you sit on, this consolidation is being viewed closely with great hope or rage.

Xi’s visit stands in stark contrast to US President Joe Biden’s underwhelming ‘fist bump’ meeting this summer, which saw the self-professed leader of the free world falling asleep at a conference table and demanding more Saudi oil production while offering nothing durable in return.

China: Xi’s third term – part two: property, debt and common prosperity

Michael Roberts Blog | October 18, 2022

In part one of my analysis of China’s economic future, I dealt with the claims that China would slow towards stagnation because its investment rate was too high, the working population was falling fast and the economy needed to become like mature Western capitalist economies based on consumption-led growth.  I argued that the Western capitalist model was hardly great shakes, given its regular and recurring crises and the much lower levels of consumption growth.  Anyway, in an economy, consumption does not lead investment and national output.  On the contrary, it is investment that leads in capitalist economies just as much as in China.

China: Xi’s third term – part 3: chips, dual circulation and imperialism

Michael Roberts Blog | October 20, 2022

Even as Xi Jinping was promising China’s Communist Party’s national congress that China would “resolutely win the battle” in key areas of technology, employees of technology companies in China and elsewhere were being told to down tools. Dozens of the hundreds of executives and engineers with US citizenship or green cards who work in or with China’s semiconductor sector, many of them born in China, have been told by their employers – whether those are foreign or Chinese companies – to stop work while their employers seek clarification of a new US rule that bars US citizens and residents from supporting China’s advanced chip-making industry without a licence.

Historian Eric Zuesse: How CNN lies about Taiwan

Cultivated ambiguity to cover a treacherous policy toward China

The Greanville Post | August 01, 2022

On the morning of 1 August 2022 when U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi — third-in-line for the U.S. Presidency after only Vice President Kamala Harris — was starting her trip through Asia in order to whip up a war between China and America over Taiwan and other issues, CNN headlined on its home page, “What does Taiwan think about the possibility of a visit by Nancy Pelosi?”, and that article opened:

On the morning of 1 August 2022 when U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi — third-in-line for the U.S. Presidency after only Vice President Kamala Harris — was starting her trip through Asia in order to whip up a war between China and America over Taiwan and other issues, CNN headlined on its home page, “What does Taiwan think about the possibility of a visit by Nancy Pelosi?”, and that article opened:

Reports that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning a visit to Taiwan have sparked tense exchanges between the United States and China — and growing speculation over how Beijing might react.

While Pelosi — a forthright critic of Beijing — has so far declined to confirm the reports, she has said it is important for the US to show support for Taiwan, and lawmakers on both sides of Washington’s political divide have urged her to go. China, meanwhile, has lashed out at the idea, vowing to take “resolute and forceful measures” if any trip goes ahead.

Far less vocal, however, has been the island at the center of the controversy.

There has been no statement in favor of, or against, Pelosi’s potential trip from Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen or her office — though Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Wednesday that Taipei was “very grateful to Speaker Pelosi for her strong support and kindness towards Taiwan over the years” and that the island welcomes any friendly guests from overseas.

Analysts say the relative silence is because Taiwan, a democratic self-governed island of 24 million people that China’s ruling Communist Party claims as part of its territory, despite never having controlled it, finds itself in an awkward spot.

Taiwan, they point out, depends on US arms to defend itself against the possibility that China could invade and forcefully take it over — so it does not want to be seen as discouraging support from one of the US’ most powerful politicians.

Russia-China Should Stand Firm In Rejecting Western Interference: Putin And Xi Agree

Countercurents | December 17, 2021

Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping agreed in a video call on Wednesday: Russia and China should stand firm in rejecting Western interference and defending each other’s security interests.

The two presidents’ conversation, eight days after Putin spoke to U.S. President Joe Biden in a similar format, underscored how U.S.-Europe hostility to Russia and China is bringing the two powerful countries closer together.

Under The Guise of ‘Democracy’ And ‘Human Rights’

“At present, certain international forces under the guise of ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’ are interfering in the internal affairs of China and Russia, and brutally trampling on international law and recognized norms of international relations,” China’s state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying.

“China and Russia should increase their joint efforts to more effectively safeguard the security interests of both parties.”

‘Chairman Mao Returns’

A Frontier Editorial | Vol. 49, No.19, Nov 13 – 19, 2016

The latest decision of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to give the president of People’s Republic of China (PRC) Xi Jinping, the title of ‘core leader’ has been a subject of discussion among China-watchers. A communiqne issued by the Chinese Communist Party after a four-day plenary meeting of 370 top leaders in Beijing called on all its members to closely unite around CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core. In truth he has thus been elevated to the status that Mao Zedong once enjoyed in the Chinese Communist Party. If that is true, one must have a look at the perspective behind Mao’s rise to an authoritative position in the Communist Party of China as well as among one section of the Marxists all over the world.