Latest news with #RenminUniversityofChina
Mint
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
How could China step in after Iran's nuclear setback following US strikes? Experts weigh in
In a surprise attack, the United States struck Iran's nuclear facilities — Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow — on Saturday night. Slamming the attack, China said it has damaged the US's credibility, warning the situation 'may go out of control', according to its state broadcaster. Experts have weighed in on Beijing's role as Tehran suffers a serious setback to its nuclear programme. China's UN Ambassador Fu Cong said parties should contain the 'impulse of force, avoid exacerbating conflicts and adding fuel to the fire', particularly Israel 'should immediately cease fire to prevent the situation from escalating and avoid the spillover of war'. Iran was impacted 'but the United States' credibility was also damaged - both as a country and as a participant in any international negotiations,' he said. In a statement exclusively to Livemint, former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed said, 'At this stage, it can be assessed that Iran's military nuclear programme has been significantly set back, though not entirely dismantled.' He believes Beijing is expected to pressure Iran to de-escalate. Melamed opined, 'The Iranian regime now faces two paths, both of which it perceives as choosing the lesser of two evils. One option is to continue the military confrontation. The other is to return to the negotiating table. The distinction is critical: the military path would dramatically escalate the threat to the regime's survival, while a negotiated path—though requiring the regime to swallow a bitter pill and accept conditions it once refused to even discuss—could allow it to preserve a core power base and maintain its grip on power.' He added, "In this context, China's role is worth watching closely. It is likely that Beijing will exert quiet but deliberate pressure on Iran to de-escalate and resume negotiations. In either scenario, a period of intense internal turbulence within the regime is expected, with consequences that remain unclear at this time.' Senior Analyst at the Renmin University of China, Zhou Rong said, "In the war between Russia and Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi was very clear that China stood with peace and not with either side. So this time, whether it's Israel or Iran, China's position remains the same,' according to The National News. 'China will do its best to promote peace in the region. It will act within its capacity. We will do more to support Iran, morally, but no one – not China or any other country – can stop Israel's attacks. All we can do is try to form a united front against Israel's aggressive behaviour and help Iran with some level of resistance. But even then, China still hopes to stop the war between the two sides," Zhou further remarked. Meanwhile, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, mentioned that the Chinese citizens in Iran who were showing readiness to leave had all been evacuated to safe areas. As many as '3,125 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated from Iran' with the help of China's foreign ministry, the Chinese embassy in Iran and other authorities, Jiakun informed. While Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said the world must ensure Iran does not become a nuclear threat again, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to stop Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz. 'I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil. If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. It's economic suicide for them if they do it,' Fox News quoted Rubio as saying. He added, "If they [close the Strait]... it will be economic suicide for them. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries' economies a lot worse than ours."
Malaysia Sun
19-06-2025
- Business
- Malaysia Sun
Growing Chinese market offers greater stability, opportunity to world economy
BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- From durian plantations to iron ore mines, producers around the world are placing their bets on China's consumption boom. As the world's second-largest importer, China boasts a vast market of 1.4 billion increasingly prosperous individuals. This market is offering much-needed stability amid subdued global growth and rising protectionism and unilateralism. As China strives to stimulate domestic demand across the board while expanding voluntary and unilateral opening up in an orderly manner, its vast market will create more opportunities and choices for the world. A MARKET TOO BIG TO IGNORE A freshly harvested durian in Malaysia can now land on a Chinese plate within a day -- a logistic sprint to satisfy China's growing appetite for the "king of fruits." Eyeing a bigger slice of the multi-billion-U.S. dollar market in China, the Southeast Asian country began exporting fresh durian to China last August, adding to its existing trade in frozen pulp and processed products. "Over 70 percent of Malaysia's durian exports went to China between 2017 and 2023," said Edwyn Chiang, secretary general of the Malaysia International Durian Industry Development Association. The durian frenzy in China, the world's top consumer of the spiky fruit, epitomizes the nation's broad import appetite. From Brazilian soybeans to German machinery, the breadth of China's consumption continues to buoy global trade even as other engines sputter. Boosting imports is critical to China's high-quality development. By bringing in high-quality foreign goods and services, they not only directly meet domestic production and consumption needs, but also stimulate market competition, elevate overall supply standards, and ultimately fulfill people's aspirations for better lives, said Yu Chunhai, a professor at Renmin University of China. AN ANCHOR OF STABILITY Nearly half a world away, in Nyagatare, a district in Rwanda's eastern province, the sun beats down on the vibrant chili fields of Gashora Farm PLC, where a story of cooperation and prosperity is unfolding. The farm's link to the Chinese market began in 2018 when Managing Director Dieudonne Twahirwa attended the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. "The Chinese market is enormous. We saw strong demand for Rwandan dried chili," Twahirwa said. In 2024, the Gashora Farm partnered China's Hunan Modern Agriculture International Development Co., Ltd. to launch the Rwanda-Hunan Chili Pepper Industry Demonstration Project. Under a contract farming model, the project covers 100 hectares and spans the entire value chain -- from seedling cultivation to export. In the first season following the signing of the deal, 200 tonnes of dried chili were shipped to China. "The Chinese market offers more than orders. It brings stability and investment," said Twahirwa. Chili is among the growing number of African products entering the Chinese market. In the first five months of 2025, China's imports of African coffee, cocoa beans and frozen strawberries surged 145.7 percent, 88.6 percent, and 82 percent, respectively, according to Chinese customs data. "China's expanding imports directly benefit other countries by creating more trade opportunities. For instance, more African products are entering the Chinese market thanks to China's favorable trade policy for the region," said Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. China has recently announced that it is ready to negotiate and sign the agreement of China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development to implement the zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines for 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. CHALLENGES REMAIN Despite China's huge potential to expand imports, challenges and difficulties remain due to the uncertainty of international trade policies and slowing global economic growth, experts cautioned. This trend is evident in the recent decline of imports into China. Commenting on the decline of imports in May, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) spokesperson Fu Linghui said at a press conference early this week that slowing global trade growth inevitably affected China's import growth and the restrictive trade measures by some countries also had adverse effects on imports. The drop in international commodity prices, meanwhile, also impacted import data. In the first five months of 2025, the average prices of China's imported iron ore, crude oil, coal and soybeans all decreased. As China makes efforts to promote economic restructuring and consumption-led growth, Bai noted that it would be an exaggeration to say that the decline in imports in recent months indicates weak progress in China's transition toward consumption-driven growth. The latest NBS data showed that China's consumer spending in May posted its strongest growth in nearly 18 months, with retail sales of consumer goods expanding 6.4 percent year on year in May, a 1.3-percentage-point increase from April. Bai said China's import expansion would also hinge on the availability of high-quality and price-friendly foreign products, and whether foreign supplies can match the country's consumption needs. He added that some countries' restrictive measures on exports to China further complicated the matter.
Malaysia Sun
18-06-2025
- Business
- Malaysia Sun
Economic Watch: Growing Chinese market offers greater stability, opportunity to world economy
BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- From durian plantations to iron ore mines, producers around the world are placing their bets on China's consumption boom. As the world's second-largest importer, China boasts a vast market of 1.4 billion increasingly prosperous individuals. This market is offering much-needed stability amid subdued global growth and rising protectionism and unilateralism. As China strives to stimulate domestic demand across the board while expanding voluntary and unilateral opening up in an orderly manner, its vast market will create more opportunities and choices for the world. A MARKET TOO BIG TO IGNORE A freshly harvested durian in Malaysia can now land on a Chinese plate within a day -- a logistic sprint to satisfy China's growing appetite for the "king of fruits." Eyeing a bigger slice of the multi-billion-U.S. dollar market in China, the Southeast Asian country began exporting fresh durian to China last August, adding to its existing trade in frozen pulp and processed products. "Over 70 percent of Malaysia's durian exports went to China between 2017 and 2023," said Edwyn Chiang, secretary general of the Malaysia International Durian Industry Development Association. The durian frenzy in China, the world's top consumer of the spiky fruit, epitomizes the nation's broad import appetite. From Brazilian soybeans to German machinery, the breadth of China's consumption continues to buoy global trade even as other engines sputter. Boosting imports is critical to China's high-quality development. By bringing in high-quality foreign goods and services, they not only directly meet domestic production and consumption needs, but also stimulate market competition, elevate overall supply standards, and ultimately fulfill people's aspirations for better lives, said Yu Chunhai, a professor at Renmin University of China. AN ANCHOR OF STABILITY Nearly half a world away, in Nyagatare, a district in Rwanda's eastern province, the sun beats down on the vibrant chili fields of Gashora Farm PLC, where a story of cooperation and prosperity is unfolding. The farm's link to the Chinese market began in 2018 when Managing Director Dieudonne Twahirwa attended the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. "The Chinese market is enormous. We saw strong demand for Rwandan dried chili," Twahirwa said. In 2024, the Gashora Farm partnered China's Hunan Modern Agriculture International Development Co., Ltd. to launch the Rwanda-Hunan Chili Pepper Industry Demonstration Project. Under a contract farming model, the project covers 100 hectares and spans the entire value chain -- from seedling cultivation to export. In the first season following the signing of the deal, 200 tonnes of dried chili were shipped to China. "The Chinese market offers more than orders. It brings stability and investment," said Twahirwa. Chili is among the growing number of African products entering the Chinese market. In the first five months of 2025, China's imports of African coffee, cocoa beans and frozen strawberries surged 145.7 percent, 88.6 percent, and 82 percent, respectively, according to Chinese customs data. "China's expanding imports directly benefit other countries by creating more trade opportunities. For instance, more African products are entering the Chinese market thanks to China's favorable trade policy for the region," said Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. China has recently announced that it is ready to negotiate and sign the agreement of China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development to implement the zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines for 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. CHALLENGES REMAIN Despite China's huge potential to expand imports, challenges and difficulties remain due to the uncertainty of international trade policies and slowing global economic growth, experts cautioned. This trend is evident in the recent decline of imports into China. Commenting on the decline of imports in May, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) spokesperson Fu Linghui said at a press conference early this week that slowing global trade growth inevitably affected China's import growth and the restrictive trade measures by some countries also had adverse effects on imports. The drop in international commodity prices, meanwhile, also impacted import data. In the first five months of 2025, the average prices of China's imported iron ore, crude oil, coal and soybeans all decreased. As China makes efforts to promote economic restructuring and consumption-led growth, Bai noted that it would be an exaggeration to say that the decline in imports in recent months indicates weak progress in China's transition toward consumption-driven growth. The latest NBS data showed that China's consumer spending in May posted its strongest growth in nearly 18 months, with retail sales of consumer goods expanding 6.4 percent year on year in May, a 1.3-percentage-point increase from April. Bai said China's import expansion would also hinge on the availability of high-quality and price-friendly foreign products, and whether foreign supplies can match the country's consumption needs. He added that some countries' restrictive measures on exports to China further complicated the matter.
The Mainichi
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
500 Japanese, Chinese university students take part in exchange event
BEIJING (Kyodo) -- About 500 Japanese and Chinese college students took part in an exchange event Thursday at Renmin University of China in Beijing, with dance, martial arts and calligraphy performances featured on stage. Some 300 Japanese students got together in the Chinese capital to interact with about 200 Chinese students after visiting areas such as Shanghai and the provinces of Shanxi, Jiangxi and Yunnan in several groups since Saturday. Chikara Oe, a 21-year-old student from Tohoku University in Japan, said he joined the exchange program and visited China for the first time as he was interested in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence in the country. "I only had information (on China) from social media, so I wanted to see the country with my own eyes," Oe said. "Shanghai was like a future city and I thought it was more developed than Japan. After I return home, I will recommend my friends to visit China and have first-hand experiences." Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi said in his speech at the event that it is "the will of the two countries' leaders to further promote personal and cultural exchanges," stressing the importance of deepening mutual understanding among younger generations who will be responsible for future bilateral ties. The envoy called for more people-to-people exchanges, saying negative public sentiment toward each other remains a challenge. An annual survey showed last year that nearly 90 percent of respondents in each of the neighboring Asian countries had an unfavorable impression of the other.
Japan Today
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
500 Japanese, Chinese university students take part in exchange event
About 500 Japanese and Chinese college students took part in an exchange event Thursday at Renmin University of China in Beijing, with dance, martial arts and calligraphy performances featured on stage. Some 300 Japanese students got together in the Chinese capital to interact with about 200 Chinese students after visiting areas such as Shanghai and the provinces of Shanxi, Jiangxi and Yunnan in several groups since Saturday. Chikara Oe, a 21-year-old student from Tohoku University in Japan, said he joined the exchange program and visited China for the first time as he was interested in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence in the country. "I only had information (on China) from social media, so I wanted to see the country with my own eyes," Oe said. "Shanghai was like a future city and I thought it was more developed than Japan. After I return home, I will recommend my friends to visit China and have first-hand experiences." Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi said in his speech at the event that it is "the will of the two countries' leaders to further promote personal and cultural exchanges," stressing the importance of deepening mutual understanding among younger generations who will be responsible for future bilateral ties. The envoy called for more people-to-people exchanges, saying negative public sentiment toward each other remains a challenge. An annual survey showed last year that nearly 90 percent of respondents in each of the neighboring Asian countries had an unfavorable impression of the other. © KYODO
