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00:00Hello, Telesur English presents a new episode of China Now, our media's production that
00:14showcases the culture, technology, and politics of the Asian giant.
00:17In this first segment, we are going to start with China Currents, a huge port opens in
00:22Peru changing the history of Latin America.
00:25China launched moonsault bricks to space.
00:28Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China received 40 orders at the Xihua Airshow, and more.
00:34Let's see.
00:35China Currents is a weekly news talk show from China to the world.
00:42We cover viral news about China every week and also give you the newest updates on China's
00:48cutting-edge technologies.
00:49Let's get started.
00:50Welcome to China Currents, your weekly news report on what's happening in China.
01:04I'm Lisa.
01:05In this episode, a huge port that will change the history of Latin America opened in Peru.
01:11Ten Chinese EV makers launched new models at Guangzhou Auto Show.
01:16China launched moonsault bricks to space.
01:19Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China received 40 orders at Zhuhai Airshow.
01:25The British Museum gets more stolen goods.
01:28First, let's look at how Latin America is running too well.
01:32On 14th November, the Chiang Kai-shek Port, a joint venture between China and Peru, officially
01:38opened for business.
01:40And this holds revolutionally economic and political significance for Peru and Latin
01:44America.
01:45Economically, the opening of the Chiang Kai-shek Port has led to a substantial reduction in
01:50both time and cost of the port along its Pacific coast.
01:56Goods from countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Peru must pass through the Panama Canal.
02:01However, the Panama Canal has a limited capacity for having only 32 cargo ships per day on
02:07average.
02:08And a significant portion of this traffic is occupied by US and European companies,
02:13which severely constrained South America's exports.
02:16Moreover, the canal has imposed insurance fees ranging from 60,000 to 200,000 USD per
02:23ship, which significantly drove up the export costs.
02:27In contrast, the Chiang Kai port has direct access to the Pacific Ocean, and this reduced
02:32the time needed for ships to travel from Peru to China from 35 days to 23 days.
02:39With four docking sites and an annual capacity of 1.5 million TEUs, that's 20-foot equivalent
02:45units, the port can handle an extra 300 fully loaded cargo ships per year.
02:52This translates into an average daily export of over 40,000 tons of goods to China.
02:57With a depth of 17.8 meters, the Chiang Kai port can hold ultra-large container ships
03:03carrying 18,000 TEUs, establishing itself as a vital transport hub and logistics center
03:10along South America's Pacific coast.
03:13According to reports from Chinese official media, this development is expected to save
03:18Peru over 20% in logistic costs, generating more than 4.5 billion USD in annual revenue
03:26and create over 8,000 jobs opportunities.
03:29China has also built a complementary road network for the Chiang Kai port, such as a
03:34tunnel connecting the Andes Mountains to the Pan American Highway.
03:39This allows goods from Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela to quickly move from the Chiang
03:44Kai port to any countries along the Pacific coast.
03:48The port is expected to increase the trade competitiveness of Latin America across the
03:53entire Pacific region.
03:55From a political perspective, the opening of the Chiang Kai port is a major victory
04:00for the people of Latin America in resisting U.S. hegemony, and signaling that Latin America
04:06is the U.S. backyard is just a wishful thinking of the U.S. politicians.
04:11However, the construction of the Chiang Kai port was not without its challenges.
04:16Despite the continual support for its construction from former Peruvian presidents, the U.S.
04:22has hyped up concerns about the port.
04:24In October 2023, the American think tank CSIS claimed that the U.S. government was
04:30very concerned about Peru's national security.
04:33The Financial Times cited statements from General Laura Richardson, the U.S. Southern
04:38Command, alleging that the Chiang Kai port could definitely accommodate Chinese warships,
04:43suggesting that Peru could potentially be used by the Chinese Navy as a foothold in
04:48South America.
04:50In response to the objections from the United States, the Peruvian foreign minister pointed
04:55out that if the United States was concerned about China's foreign presence in Peru,
05:00then the U.S. should increase its own investments in Peru.
05:04The situation worsened on 1 January 2024, when the Peruvian National Port Administration
05:10announced that the exclusive operating rights granted to Costco Shipping Group in 2021 were
05:16a mistake and should be revoked.
05:19This decision was based on the Peruvian Congress' view that the port administration did not
05:24have the power to grant the exclusive rights to companies.
05:28However, this exclusivity was crucial for attracting further investments from Costco.
05:34If the contract was to be broken, Costco would be held accountable to its investors, and
05:39the Peruvian government would likely face significant compensation claims.
05:44The Chiang Kai port project, which was intended to be a win-win for both China and Peru, was
05:49now at risk of becoming a lose-lose situation.
05:53Based on China's non-interference policy, this dilemma was left for the Peruvian people
05:58to resolve in their own terms.
06:00Fortunately, on 13 May, Peruvian Congress passed an amendment to the National Port System
06:05Law with a vote of 68 in favour, 24 against, and 4 abstentions, confirming the port authority's
06:12right to grant exclusive operating rights to companies.
06:16On 24 June, the Peruvian Congress announced that the government lawyer had formally requested
06:22the judge to dismiss the civil lawsuit against the Congress, legally safeguarding Costco's
06:28exclusive operating rights over the Chiang Kai port.
06:32This once again boosted confidence in investors associated with Costco Shipping Group, allowing
06:37the Chiang Kai port to finally proceed with its original plans.
06:42On 14 November, the opening of Chiang Kai port was officially announced by the leaders
06:46of China and Peru, a gateway from Latin America to Asia opened.
06:51However, according to a report by Bloomberg on the 16th, Mauricio Claver-Coron, an advisor
06:57to the transition team, was not pleased.
07:00He claimed that any product going through Chiang Kai, or any Chinese-owned or controlled
07:06port in the region, should be subject to 60% tariff, as if the product was from China.
07:11In response, Chinese strategist Professor Wang Xiangshui pointed out that for the U.S.
07:17to improve its economy, it needs to rely more on constructive means rather than just impose
07:23tariffs.
07:24The main reason U.S. manufacturers have lost competitiveness, and in some cases the ability
07:29to produce certain products, is due to significant de-industrialization.
07:34The process resulted in a large number of technical workers and engineers leaving the
07:39workforce in the U.S.
07:41As a result, the U.S. manufacturers cannot quickly rebuild the industrial supply chains
07:45and technical expertise needed to produce these products.
07:50Imposing tariffs on Chinese products will only make them more expensive overnight, ultimately
07:55driving up the cost of living for Americans.
07:58According to a CNBC report from 2021, the U.S. bears over 90% of the cost associated
08:04with these tariffs on Chinese goods, which shows that Trump's tariff policies have
08:09hurt the U.S. economy.
08:11Unfortunately, it appears that the Trump administration has yet to learn these lessons.
08:16This situation may also explain why Latin America is more inclined to see economic cooperation
08:22with China rather than the United States.
08:25Not only has the U.S. government been unsuccessful in undermining the port, it has also failed
08:31to hinder Chinese EV manufacturers.
08:34On 15 November, the 22nd Guangzhou International Automobile Expedition kicked off.
08:40The 10-day event has drawn more than 80 automakers worldwide, showcasing a total of 1,171 vehicles.
08:48Among them are 68 global debut and a remarkable 512 EVs.
08:54According to Time Finance, 22 new models were unveiled at this year's auto show,
08:59including 10 from domestic Chinese brands.
09:02The lineup features 9 gasoline cars, 10 EVs, and 9 hybrids.
09:06Notably, Chery's iCar V23, an all-electric SUV with a starting price of just $15,000,
09:14has secured over 31,000 orders in less than 24 hours after pre-sales opened.
09:20Meanwhile, Xiaomi made its debut with the high-performance electric car, Xiaomi SEV7 Ultra.
09:27In less than a year, this Chinese smartphone manufacturer has quickly risen from being
09:32just another newcomer in the EV market to a name to remember.
09:36On 27 October, its SEV7 Ultra prototype lapped the Neubergering in 6 minutes and 46 seconds,
09:44setting a record as the fastest four-door car on the track.
09:48According to Road & Track, this time has surpassed the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT's record.
09:53Xiaomi's CEO Lei Jun, who has recently gone viral on Chinese social media, said that the
09:58new car would be faster than Tesla Model S Plaid.
10:02According to Reuters, Xiaomi's EV deliveries in China have reached 10,000 per month since
10:07June and hit more than 20,000 vehicles last month.
10:12Just a day before the auto show, Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers, CAAM, announced
10:18that the country's EV production has hit 10 million units for this year.
10:23This achievement comes against the backdrop of Western sanctions targeting Chinese-made EVs.
10:29Interestingly, the sectors most heavily targeted by Western restrictions have instead became
10:34the fastest-growing and most innovative in China's development.
10:38For instance, China's largest automaker, BYD, brought its three-independence brand
10:44to the show.
10:45Last month, it released its financial results for the first three quarters of the year,
10:50reporting a total revenue of $70 billion, a 19% year-on-year increase.
10:55Notably, its revenue in the third quarter reached $28 billion, surpassing Tesla for
11:02the first time.
11:03Moreover, in September alone, BYD sold nearly 420,000 vehicles, equivalent to its total
11:11sales for the entire year of 2020.
11:14As Chinese electric vehicle sales skyrocketed, there are also good news from China's manned
11:19moon project.
11:20On 15 November, China launched the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft.
11:25The supplies include various equipment and materials for scientific experiments.
11:30Notably, one of the experiments on this mission involves bricks made by China's moon soil.
11:37These bricks will undergo tests to assess their strength and durability in extreme environments
11:42and to observe how they perform in the vacuum of space.
11:46China plans to build its International Lunar Research Station in the 2030s.
11:50If these bricks prove suitable for construction buildings on the moon, China will be able
11:55to utilize local resources to assemble its Lunar Research Station.
12:00This will greatly reduce the transport costs and emissions of China's lunar base.
12:06Next up, let's move back inside the atmosphere.
12:08On 17 November, the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Expedition came to
12:14a successful close.
12:16China's homemade C919 passenger jet has once again captured the world's attention.
12:22C919 is a narrow-body airliner developed by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, COMAC.
12:29After C919's flight demonstration, COMAC received 40 orders from Hainan Airlines.
12:35Hainan Airlines was originally a loyal customer of Boeing, owning more than 118 Boeing-produced
12:41passenger aircraft.
12:42And this C919 order marks a historical turning point.
12:46This is largely related to Boeing's recent product quality problem and management scandals.
12:52On 8 January 2024, a door plug blew out of Boeing's 737 MAX 9.
12:58Several U.S. airlines have also found loose screws later in their purchased or leased
13:02Boeing aircraft.
13:03Similarly, safety concerns were identified even under U.S. Secretary of State Antony
13:08Blinken's Boeing aircraft.
13:10In Boeing's newly delivered carriers to government clients, tools, trash, and even
13:14empty tequila bottles were shockingly discovered.
13:17According to a disclosure by China Eastern Airlines, the published price for the C919
13:23is 99 million USD, or approximately 653 million yuan.
13:29This makes it more affordable than similar aircraft like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737
13:35MAX, which cost over 100 million USD.
13:38In terms of performance, the C919 is more fuel efficient than the Boeing 737 and Airbus
13:44A320, which will also save the airline a significant amount of money in the long run.
13:51More importantly, in China, people responsible for the safety of the C919 can be held accountable
13:56for their actions.
13:58In contrast to Boeing whistleblower John Barnett and Joshua Dean, who raised concerns about
14:03the company, died in 2024 after speaking out.
14:07If Boeing doesn't respond convincingly, we'll see more Chinese airlines make the
14:12same choices as Hainan Airlines.
14:14Moving on, the British Museum also lacks self-reflection.
14:18On the 13th of November, the British Museum received a donation of approximately 1,700
14:24Chinese ceramics from the David Foundation, a private British museum.
14:29The collection includes highly significant pieces associated with the Ming Dynasty's
14:33Chenghua Emperor.
14:35The David Foundation's founder acquired these artefacts in the early 20th century,
14:40when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded China, burning and looting the Royal Palace in Beijing.
14:46Therefore, for China, these artefacts symbolise a historical injustice that remains unresolved.
14:53In addition, the British Museum's professionalism is also doubtful.
14:56A former museum employee recently told Independence that security measures in storage areas are
15:02shockingly inadequate, with no effective oversight for the movement of items.
15:07Over the years, there have been frequent burglaries at the British Museum.
15:12Ancient Roman coins vanished in 1993, a 2,500-year-old Greek statue was stolen in 2002, and over a
15:20dozen of Chinese artefacts, including bronze mirrors and armour, disappeared in 2004.
15:26Most recently, in 2023, it emerged that hundreds of items were lost over the years due to
15:32poor management.
15:33For other masterpieces that the UK has stolen from Greece, Ghana, Ethiopia, and other Global
15:38South countries, it's never too late for the British Museum to return them to their
15:43motherlands.
15:44And that is all for today.
15:45Thank you for watching this episode of China Currents.
15:48If you have any thoughts or comments about our show, please reach us at the email address
15:52below.
15:53We look forward to hearing from you and see you next time.
16:03We will go for a very short break, but we'll be right back.
16:06Stay with us.
16:16Welcome back to China Now.
16:18In this second segment, we have Thinker's Forum with Busani Ndungkoweni, Director General
16:24of the National School of Government of South Africa.
16:27Dawei, Director of the Centre for International Security and Strategy, Chihuahua University.
16:33And Bidon Sin, Director of the BRICS Institute in New Delhi.
16:37Let's have a look on their topics.
16:46Let me start by saying that, you know, the motto of our foreign policy or the theme that
16:53has carried out over the years is that of building a better Africa and a better world.
17:00And by that, we mean a continent and the world that is at peace, where people can coexist,
17:08where they will pursue the common interest of developing our economies, developing our
17:15regions, and as they say in China, of strengthening people-to-people conduct.
17:21As all developing countries.
17:24Just recently, when President Ramaphosa was in charge of the AU, the African Union, when
17:30he was elected to lead the African Union, he put forward an idea that the AU must pursue
17:38the silencing of the guns.
17:40That was the theme that carried him during that period, that we must silence the guns.
17:46Because South Africa has a view that countries and regions cannot develop when there is a
17:52sound of a gun outside.
17:54It scares people.
17:56It drains resources.
17:58It destabilizes communities.
18:00And that's a context within which, therefore, South Africa's support for what emerged as
18:07a declaration out of the recent BRICS summit has to be seen, because all the interventions
18:14made by the leaders who were at BRICS, including the president of South Africa, the host president
18:20of Russia, the president of India, the president of China, in fact, we're speaking to this
18:26idea of silencing the guns, because there's a greater benefit in the silencing of the
18:31gun.
18:32But you must remember also that South Africa itself achieved freedom eventually through
18:39negotiations.
18:40And that is why the president Ramaphosa has been arguing over time that there could be
18:46a peaceful resolution of conflict.
18:49You cannot have a peaceful resolution of conflict if there are people who are relentless in
18:55sabotaging efforts for peaceful negotiations and resolution of conflict, if there are people
19:00who are arming and supplying deadly weapons, as we see in the Middle East.
19:07We have always argued in South Africa, all our presidents, that Palestine and Israel,
19:13both of them need to coexist peacefully, side by side, with a full right and sovereignty
19:20for the state of Palestine, that the existence of the other does not negate the other.
19:25That is a basic belief of the South African government.
19:28And all its statements and activities must be seen within that context from President
19:34Mandela until President Cyril Ramaphosa, that you've got to silence the guns and that
19:39you can settle that dispute peacefully, and that it could have avoided the genocide that
19:46is currently unfolding.
19:48You will be aware that our president, together with other African presidents, even embarked
19:53on a mission to engage the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, where they were pursuing this
19:58idea of a peaceful settlement.
20:00So across the terms of government, across all the heads of state, if you read their
20:05statements, there is continuity in what South Africa believes in, in terms of peaceful resolution
20:11of conflict, in terms of silencing the guns, in terms of transforming the multilateral
20:16system, in terms of shifting the agenda from hegemony, from bullying, from abusing smaller
20:25nations, to shifting the agenda to focusing on national development, on regional development,
20:32greater and fair trade across the world, strengthening people-to-people conduct, and making sure
20:38that you take care of the ecological concerns, which is one of our preoccupations right now.
20:44Yeah, you know, I have a theory that what is emerging in the global South is a counter
20:52to what we have seen as an exercise of statecraft from North America and Western Europe.
21:00Over the years, they have exercised what I call hegemonic statecraft, where they use
21:06all the resources at their disposal to impose themselves, to be hegemonic, to rule and dictate
21:14the terms to the people of the global South, in particular.
21:19And that results in an epistemic justice, ecological justice, and even democratic injustice.
21:26Those are all the injustices that have been suffered as a result of the exercise of hegemonic statecraft.
21:35I am putting forward an idea that the global South, through BRICS, FOCAC, and other such
21:42platforms, is emerging what I call developmental statecraft, which is shifting the idea to using
21:50the power, to using the resources at the disposal of the state towards developing people,
21:57developing economies, taking care of the environment, and so on.
22:02And I think it is important that the global South must pursue this idea of democratic
22:08and developmental statecraft that is more about human development than it is about human domination.
22:16Because the hegemony that we see in the global South, which is hegemonic statecraft manifestation,
22:24is destructive and delays the idea of achieving human progress, as it were.
22:33Hence, I am arguing for this developmental and democratic statecraft that is emerging and consolidating
22:40in the global South, that it needs to be supported, and that platforms like BRICS, like FOCAC,
22:47and many others are important for that purpose.
22:51Well, the example of this exercise of hegemonic statecraft is what we see happening in the Middle East right now.
22:59Because in the Middle East, if we were using democratic and developmental statecraft,
23:05we would be able to negotiate the settlement of the disputes and create two states living peacefully,
23:12side by side, with full sovereign as democratic states in that region.
23:18But hegemonic statecraft dictates that instead of supplying ideas to settle the disputes,
23:27arms and deadly weapons are being supplied.
23:31That is part of hegemonic statecraft, with the view that if there is human destruction,
23:37the destruction of property, you will be able to suppress the aspirations of others to be free.
23:44And we know in history that that has never happened.
23:47There is no war that has been fought that has circled all wars.
23:52In fact, you may circulate war today, but you know that the residual effect of it will linger in the hearts and minds of the people.
24:00It is therefore absolutely impossible that the claims of the people of Palestine can ever be extinguished.
24:07It is impossible.
24:09Even if all of them were to be cleansed, as it is happening right now, that is impossible.
24:15Ultimately, there has to be this democratic and developmental statecraft that I'm proposing,
24:22where the idea must prevail such that the matter must be settled,
24:28and that countries must coexist side by side, peacefully,
24:34and the countries must cooperate in pursuit of development of their people as well as their region.
24:42And that is what I am proposing as a frame for how we must do the analysis and understanding
24:49and pursue the idea of a multilateral system that is democratic, that is inclusive,
24:56that is focused on people-to-people conduct, on fair and greater trade between nations,
25:03where we can share expertise, share technologies, share ideas,
25:08and share relationships where nations must do as they've always done, where they culturally share ideas,
25:16they marry each other and multiply and break some of these artificial borders that have been put between people
25:24because of the pursuit of hegemonic statecraft,
25:27where some nations will live in small gardens that have got high walls and they are gated,
25:32and everybody else lives in the ghetto.
25:36That is what we need to challenge.
25:38And in fact, the outcomes of BRICS, if you read the full document,
25:43you can see that the concern is issues of peace, is issues of security, is issues of development,
25:50addressing ecological concerns, addressing youth concerns, addressing the plight of women,
25:58the plight of children, and ultimately advancing the cause of humanity.
26:07Trump's re-election would certainly take a great toll on U.S.-China relations, at least in the short term.
26:15For China, Trump's assent holds multiple implications.
26:19However, if we focus narrowly on short-term direct U.S.-China bilateral relations, the impact would be quite negative.
26:27Trump is very likely to implement high tariffs.
26:31He may also remove China's most favored nation status, as he has mentioned many times.
26:38He might also impose restrictions on the economic and trade sectors, possibly limiting U.S. investment.
26:44Beyond the economic and trade sectors, he may also restrict cultural and educational exchanges,
26:51such as tightening visas for Chinese students.
26:55Additionally, some Americans continue to blame China for the COVID-19 pandemic.
27:01Trump himself still uses terms like the China virus.
27:05All of these would take a toll on U.S.-China relations.
27:09In summary, I think he will take several actions.
27:13It may be difficult to pinpoint the timing of his actions in 2025.
27:17The shockwaves these actions will cause is foreseeable.
27:21Once he takes these actions, the Chinese government will surely respond.
27:25The intensity of the countermeasures may vary,
27:28but I expect a downward spiral of bilateral relations to be triggered as a result.
27:33Currently, China and the Biden administration maintain more than 20 dialogue mechanisms.
27:39By next year, these are likely to be terminated, or at least reviewed.
27:44I expect next year to see fewer formal communication channels between the two sides.
27:49The U.S.-China relations may enter a downward trajectory, and it could happen fairly quickly.
27:55Of course, you might ask whether it will stabilize after two years.
27:59For example, a 60 percent tariff is considered by many to be unsustainable for the country
28:05and harmful for U.S. consumers.
28:08I agree with that view, but the Trump administration will first need to come to this realization.
28:14If there is indeed an impact, because economists have different interpretations,
28:19if the impact is significant, it will still take some time for Trump to recognize it.
28:24Once he realizes it, he may then make adjustments, but it won't be a short-term matter.
28:30So, what I mentioned earlier is my prediction for the next year,
28:34which I believe will be quite negative for U.S.-China relations.
28:38It will be quite challenging.
28:40I describe the relationship between the U.S. and its allies as a tangled ball of string it's complex.
28:46The Ukraine crisis is one of the loose threads being unraveled.
28:50This tangled ball won't fully untangle because of the war, but it will be significantly affected.
28:57The war will affect how the Ukraine crisis will end,
29:00impact U.S.-Europe relations and also the China-Europe relations.
29:06It could even influence U.S.-Russia relations and possibly China-Russia relations.
29:13In other words, a round of power reshuffling will emerge.
29:18Of course, when I talk about a reshuffling, I don't mean it will be complete.
29:23A complete reshuffling won't happen.
29:25There won't be a U.S.-Europe split nor a close Sino-Europe tie.
29:30I always mention a range of 10 to 20 percent when discussing this issue.
29:35The U.S.-Europe relations could drift apart by 10 to 20 percent.
29:39Under Trump and Sino-European relations could improve by 10 to 20 percent.
29:45It's likely something along those lines.
29:48Changes in major power relationships are always limited, whether for the better or worse.
29:53These changes are not qualitative.
29:56For the U.S.'s allies in Europe and the Asia-Pacific,
30:00the presence of Russia is a fundamental reality.
30:04Even if the Ukraine war were to stop, Russia would still be there.
30:09In the foreseeable future, European countries do not have the ability to counter Russia on their own.
30:16So, despite their strong dislike for Trump, they still have to rely on the U.S. for support.
30:23The Asia-Pacific countries, such as Japan and South Korea, are in a similar situation.
30:30I can even say the same for ASEAN and Southeast Asian countries.
30:34Their mindset is the same, because for these countries,
30:38while China has no subjective intention to threaten them,
30:42they naturally worry about the presence of a large China.
30:46They feel the need for a major power to balance China.
30:50Southeast Asian countries are the most typical example.
30:54While China maintains friendly relations with many Southeast Asian countries,
30:58these countries still hope for the U.S. to balance China in this region.
31:03Not to mention Japan and South Korea, which are U.S. allies.
31:08So, I'm saying that while the relationship between the U.S. and its allies will loosen,
31:14this relationship will not completely collapse or transform due to structural factors.
31:21I believe that is highly unlikely.
31:23In terms of major power relations, I believe that after Trump takes office,
31:28the world will move towards a more multipolar or diverse direction.
31:32That is, the U.S., Europe, Russia, India, and China, right?
31:37It's not in China's interest to see the world arbitrarily divided into two camps.
31:43The current Biden administration is trying hard to divide the world into two camps,
31:48the so-called Western world versus the Eastern world.
31:52With China being placed into the Eastern camp.
31:56In reality, China's position is quite complex,
31:59but the Biden administration intentionally simplifies it for its own agenda.
32:05There are now various so-called Axis narratives.
32:09Both in action and in rhetoric,
32:11Western countries are intentionally grouping China with Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, and others.
32:19This does not reflect reality, nor is it aligned with China's policy,
32:24and it is not in China's interest.
32:27If you divide the world into these two blocks,
32:30China will be placed into that block, and China will be seen as the center of that block.
32:36Many in the U.S. consider China the true leader of the other block,
32:40with Russia merely serving as its facade.
32:43This narrative and perception are not in China's interest.
32:47When President Trump takes office,
32:49he will adjust the relationship between the U.S. and its allies.
32:54Although I don't believe the U.S. will end up isolated while everyone else joins the China side,
33:00that's not going to happen, and I don't expect it.
33:04It's impossible.
33:05However, I hope that we can move away from the idea of two blocks
33:10and towards a more diversified world where each country has its own interests and values.
33:16While the alignment between the U.S. and Europe may still be stronger than that between China and Europe,
33:22I hope to see Europe with greater strategic autonomy.
33:26I hope Europeans can see that China is not entirely their rival,
33:30and that China and Russia are not entirely aligned.
33:34I also hope that India can recognize that all countries are independent actors.
33:41I believe this perspective not only better aligns with the realities of international politics,
33:46but is also beneficial to China's interests.
33:53There are some countries who don't want India and China to be peaceful,
33:58especially the people in USA.
34:01They have military business, they want to sell their missiles and so many things to India.
34:07They really wish the military-industrial complex in America,
34:12they really want another war between India and China.
34:15But Indians are clear, they understand what America wants.
34:20We will work with America because we have many Indians in America,
34:25and we have some business and technology and cultural things.
34:30But that doesn't mean that we will listen to America.
34:33And today, no country wants to listen to America.
34:36America is not the same America 20 years back.
34:39We don't care what America is saying, really.
34:42The world has totally changed, and India can decide,
34:46and India has been deciding mostly for itself.
34:49In India, we don't have any problem choosing between one side and another side.
34:55No, never, never.
34:56We don't have to choose between USA or Russia or China.
35:00Why? Because we are not part of any military alliance, first of all.
35:05We don't have any military alliance with the United States at all,
35:08and neither do we have any declared enemy.
35:11We have never declared any country as our enemy.
35:15India is the only country where we don't have a so-called military alliance
35:21or we don't have a so-called enemy.
35:23We are a very normal country, and we are big.
35:28We have a huge population.
35:30So you can see we have some problems with Canada now.
35:33What's happening in Canada is not okay for us
35:36because we have many people living in Canada.
35:38Same way, China is so close to us, so we always have to deal with China,
35:43not only about borders, but we have a cultural issue.
35:48We have a business issue.
35:50So in one line, the kind of impact India and China have on each other
35:55is much more than in any of the two countries.
35:59You can say that China and USA influence each other very much.
36:04That's very unsuperficial on some technology,
36:07but culturally, on the thinking, on the mindset, on the thinking,
36:12the Indian impact on China and Chinese impact on India is very high.
36:17It's there for millennials for many years.
36:19So just for borders, just for some economic and other issues,
36:24I don't think India and China will stop talking to each other.
36:28Our foreign policy is our independent foreign policy.
36:31Nothing to do with America or Russia or China.
36:34So we are dealing with China one-to-one.
36:37Our interests, our national interests.
36:39So you don't have to bring America between India and China.
36:43The two biggest questions now today is many people doubt
36:47that the rise of China will not be peaceful.
36:50And what will happen when China and USA go for a new Cold War?
36:55It will have a big impact on the world.
36:57At the same time, all the Chinese friends, they ask one question.
37:01Why you Indian guys trust America? Why you go with America?
37:05The reality is not true.
37:07We never like America. We never like America.
37:10But in USA, after COVID-19, they just opened the green card.
37:16200,000 Indians, they got green card just now.
37:19So Canada, Australia, America, they have huge land.
37:24And you know, in India, our land is very little.
37:27My house is very small.
37:29So people want to have good life.
37:32That's why they go to America, but they don't become Americans.
37:35Indians, they still follow Indian life, Indian food, Indian culture.
37:40But at the same time, we also don't have any basic problem with United States.
37:45We don't have any issue.
37:47Two days back, they sanctioned 20 companies,
37:5019 Indian companies for supplying some material to Russia.
37:55We are just like China, Iran, Russia.
37:59India is also used to American sanction.
38:02We don't care it. We don't care it.
38:05Let them sanction it. We don't care.
38:07So the next president of USA will be very important for world peace.
38:12And every country has its own choice.
38:15So the next president of USA should be a peaceful president.
38:20What's happening in Russia and Ukraine, this war,
38:25or what's happening in Israel and Palestine and Middle East,
38:30the main issue is the US policy, right?
38:32If they want, they can stop it.
38:34But they're not stopping it.
38:36So whosoever will be the next potters,
38:39Indian foreign policy will be like expecting that stop the war.
38:44The very first thing, first stop the war.
38:47That's the first condition.
38:49Because in any war, it's the innocent people, the women, the children.
38:53It's very harsh to see.
38:55So it's the time that we should ask United States of America
39:00to stop supplying finance and weapons,
39:03and let's get back to the negotiation table.
39:06And we also don't want something like what Trump did in December 6.
39:10If you say you are a democracy,
39:13you have to accept the result of public voting.
39:16You can't say, no, no, no.
39:18The same thing was done by Hilary.
39:20She said, no, I don't concede the defeat to Trump.
39:23So the Americans, they talk something, but they do something.
39:27They have double standard.
39:29So inside America, it's no more safe.
39:32It's very unsafe, the country.
39:34If you're out in the night, you don't know what happens to you in America.
39:37So it's no more the American dream, you know.
39:40So let's see. Let's see what happens.
39:42But I wish America gets back to normal.
39:45It's good for all of us.
39:50And this was another episode of China Now,
39:52a show that opens a window to the present and the future of the ASEAN guy.
39:55And hope you enjoyed it. See you next time.
40:04.