Tuesday China links:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrives in China today for a four-day visit aimed at cementing ties with China’s new leaders. It will be his sixth as UN Chief but his first since China’s leadership transition. Ahead of Ban’s trip the United Nations’ launched a WeChat account. In an interview with Xinhua, Ban said that the Korean Peninsula, Syria, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of Congo will all be on the agenda of his talks with Chinese leaders.
In a trip to Khartoum, Chinese special envoy to Africa Zhong Jianhua appears to have successfully mediated (for now at least) the latest spat between Sudan and South Sudan over oil sales, the Sudan Tribune reports. For more on China’s involved in the Sudanese conflict, read U.S. Ambassador David H. Shinn’s piece on The Diplomat from last September.
On Monday the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC), which has close ties to former President Hu Jintao and current Premier Li Keqiang, began its 17th National Congress. Politburo Standing Committee Member and Propaganda Czar, Liu Yunshan, delivered the keynote opening speech.
Many are accusing China’s national football (soccer) team of corruption after Saturday’s loss to Thailand—which is ranked 47 places below the Chinese team.
In his weekly Dealbook column, Bill Bishop gives an overview of the State Council’s (Cabinet) new package to combat air pollution. Bloomberg News reports that part of this package will include providing easier financing to China’s already troubled solar panel makers.
Over at the Lowy Interpreter, Peking University’s Simone van Nieuwenhuizen throws cold water on China’s recent Middle East initiative. “While China appears to have the intention of playing a greater role in the Middle East peace process, it still lacks the capacity,” she writes.
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