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Blinken arrives in Shanghai

April 25, 2024
01

Blinken arrives in Shanghai

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday afternoon to begin the second official visit to China of his tenure. Some Chinese experts said whether this visit, which shows Washington’s eagerness to cooperate with China, can achieve a breakthrough depends on the US’ mind-set and attitude.

But given that the US continues to send signals of “pressuring for demands,” experts hold low expectations for a positive outcome from Blinken’s ongoing China visit.

Blinken is scheduled to travel to China from Wednesday to Friday where he will meet with senior Chinese officials in both Shanghai and Beijing to talk about a range of bilateral, regional and global issues.

Some Western media also hold a cautious view of this visit. The New York Times said “Blinken goes to China with potential trouble on horizon” as the visit comes as Democrats and Republicans are vying to appear tougher on China. Reuters said Blinken arrived with bilateral ties “on a steadier footing,” but with a daunting array of unresolved issues threatening the stability of relations between the two countries.

02

China facilitates developing nations to learn about space exploration

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a congratulatory letter to the first China-Latin American and Caribbean States Space Cooperation Forum on Wednesday, highlighted that China is ready to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries to build a high-level space cooperation partnership, promote space technology to better benefit both peoples, and continue to promote the building of a community of China and the Latin American and Caribbean countries with a shared future.

The event, co-hosted by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Hubei provincial government, took place in Wuhan, Hubei Province on Wednesday. The forum holds great significance in inspiring space scientific innovation, deepening international space cooperation, and showcasing the high level of political trust between China and the Latin American, Caribbean countries.

Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum jointly announced by the leaders of the two sides, Xi said that China and Latin American and Caribbean countries have seen prosperous development over the past decade in their cooperation in various fields within the framework of the China-CELAC Forum to usher in a new era featuring equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and tangible benefits for the people.

Xi said that China is ready to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries to build a high-level space cooperation partnership, promote space technology to better benefit both peoples, and continue to promote the building of a community of China and Latin American and Caribbean countries with a shared future.

03

Xi calls on Chongqing to promote high-quality development

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed further efforts to usher in a new stage in the development of China’s western region featuring well-coordinated environmental conservation, greater openness and high-quality development, when he chaired a symposium on boosting the development of China’s western region in the new era in Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an inspection tour in Chongqing from Monday to Wednesday. During the visit, he called on Chongqing to further deepen reform and opening up across the board and write its own chapter in advancing Chinese modernization.

The remarks and the inspection tour highlighted the great importance the top leader attaches to the development of the western region, which covers more than 70 percent of China’s land area and is home to nearly 30 percent of the country’s population. The region plays a critical role in China’s pursuit of high-quality development and Chinese modernization, and holds great potential in various areas.

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