分类： politics

In a landmark event held in Guangzhou, senior judicial officials from China and 12 African nations convened at the China-Africa Prosecutorial Cooperation Forum. The forum, themed ‘The Role of Prosecution in the Modernization Process of China and Africa,’ aimed to strengthen legal ties and enhance prosecutorial exchanges to support mutual modernization efforts. Chen Wenqing, a key figure in China’s political and legal affairs, emphasized the importance of aligning laws and policies to create a conducive legal environment for trade and development between the two regions. This initiative is part of the broader framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Ying Yong, China’s top prosecutor, highlighted the role of law-based governance in China’s modernization and expressed readiness to collaborate with African counterparts in combating transnational crimes and enhancing judicial cooperation. African representatives, including Firmin Mvonde of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Dorcas Agik Abuya Oduor of Kenya, lauded China’s legal advancements and expressed eagerness to learn from its experiences in areas such as anti-corruption and digital economy legal frameworks. The forum concluded with the signing of the ‘Minutes of the China-Africa Prosecutorial Cooperation Forum,’ solidifying commitments to mutual legal assistance and the protection of shared interests.

President Xi Jinping has departed for a significant diplomatic mission, attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and undertaking a state visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK). This journey underscores China’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation and strengthening bilateral ties. The APEC meeting, a pivotal platform for economic collaboration, will address critical issues such as trade, innovation, and sustainable development. Xi’s presence highlights China’s proactive role in shaping the Asia-Pacific economic landscape. Additionally, his state visit to South Korea aims to deepen strategic partnerships, enhance cultural exchanges, and explore new avenues for economic cooperation. This dual engagement reflects China’s broader strategy to bolster its influence in the region and promote mutual growth. The visit is expected to yield significant agreements and reinforce the foundation for long-term collaboration between China and South Korea.

When Donald Trump meets with Xi Jinping on October 30, he will not be engaging with just any leader of a rival nation. Instead, he will be facing the chief representative of what the Pentagon terms the United States’ ‘pacing threat.’ This concept, which has gained traction in military and academic circles since the early 21st century, defines China as a rising near-peer whose capabilities and ambitions directly challenge the US’s global dominance. The term was notably used by Trump’s former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in 2020 and has been continued by Biden’s Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, who emphasizes that China poses a systemic challenge across economic, technological, political, and military domains. This designation has profound implications, as it reorients US defense planning, industrial policy, and global posture around the central question of how to keep pace with—and potentially outpace—Beijing. However, this focus on China as the primary pacing threat carries risks, including potential blind spots regarding other adversaries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Moreover, the US must balance long-term strategic planning with immediate readiness, ensuring it can address crises both now and in the future. Critics argue that China may already be ahead in certain areas, such as defense-industrial output and technological innovation, underscoring the urgency for the US to enhance its responsiveness and productive capacity. Ultimately, the competition between the US and China is not merely about military might but about the ability to innovate, build, and adapt more swiftly in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

As the Republic of Korea (ROK) prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting this week, with China set to take the helm next year, there is a growing sense of optimism among officials, scholars, and business leaders. They believe that the success of these consecutive events will significantly bolster free trade, economic growth, and governance across the Asia-Pacific region. The historic city of Gyeongju, once the capital of the ancient Silla Dynasty, will serve as the venue for this year’s meeting, focusing on critical themes such as sustainability, digital transformation, and trade cooperation. Park Jang-ho, director of the APEC Preparation and Support Office, highlighted Gyeongju’s selection due to its cultural heritage, historical significance, and state-of-the-art facilities. He also noted that the ROK plans to showcase its advancements in cutting-edge technologies, with prominent figures like Tesla CEO Elon Musk expected to attend. Park emphasized the deep-rooted historical ties between China and the ROK, underscoring the ROK’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. He remarked, ‘Hosting the APEC meeting in Gyeongju is highly significant, and with China assuming the APEC presidency next year, the interactions between our two nations will become even more frequent, further enhancing our bilateral ties.’ Recent months have seen a series of high-level exchanges between the two countries, covering key areas such as APEC collaboration and bilateral cooperation. During a recent phone conversation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his ROK counterpart Cho Hyun expressed mutual support and a shared commitment to fostering consensus among various stakeholders. Both nations are expected to reinforce their solidarity, uphold the international trading system, champion multilateralism, and accelerate the establishment of a free trade area in the Asia-Pacific region, contributing positively to the creation of an Asia-Pacific community.

A recent poll conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) reveals that a significant majority of Palestinians are against the disarmament of Hamas and remain skeptical of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. The survey, conducted between October 22 and 25, 2023, involved 1,200 respondents from the occupied West Bank and Gaza, with a margin of error of 3.5 percent. Approximately 70 percent of Palestinians oppose Hamas’s disarmament, even if it means a return to Israeli attacks. Opposition is particularly strong in the West Bank, where 80 percent of respondents support Hamas retaining its weapons, compared to 55 percent in Gaza. The poll also highlights widespread pessimism about Trump’s peace plan, with 62 percent of Palestinians doubting its ability to end the conflict permanently. This skepticism is more pronounced in the West Bank (67 percent) than in Gaza (54 percent). Despite the ongoing violence, 53 percent of Palestinians believe the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel was justified, with higher support in the West Bank (59 percent) than in Gaza (44 percent). Hamas continues to enjoy greater popularity than Fatah, with 35 percent of Palestinians supporting Hamas compared to 24 percent for Fatah. The poll also reveals dissatisfaction with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, with 85 percent of respondents calling for his resignation. Trump’s peace plan proposes a committee of Palestinian technocrats to govern Gaza, overseen by a U.S.-led ‘Board of Peace.’ While 45 percent of Palestinians support this idea, opposition remains strong in the West Bank. The plan also includes deploying Arab and Muslim peacekeepers to Gaza, which faces mixed reactions, with 78 percent opposition in the West Bank and 52 percent in Gaza. However, support increases when peacekeepers are tasked with securing Gaza’s borders without disarming Hamas. The ceasefire has been marred by Israeli violations, including a devastating attack on Gaza City and Khan Younis, resulting in over 100 Palestinian deaths, including 46 children.

The Elders, a distinguished group of former world leaders and officials, have issued a compelling appeal for the immediate release of Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian politician currently incarcerated in an Israeli prison. Barghouti, who has been detained since 2002 and is serving five life sentences, is regarded as the most high-profile Palestinian prisoner. The Elders, established by Nelson Mandela in 2007, argue that Barghouti’s release could be a pivotal step towards revitalizing the two-state solution. They emphasized his longstanding advocacy for peaceful means to achieve this goal and his consistent popularity in Palestinian opinion polls. The group includes notable figures such as Juan Manuel Santos, Helen Clark, Mary Robinson, and Gro Harlem Brundtland, among others. They condemned the alleged ill-treatment and torture of Barghouti and other Palestinian prisoners, urging Israeli authorities to adhere to international law. Barghouti, a former senior leader of Fatah and elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was convicted in 2004 of multiple counts of murder, charges he has consistently denied. The Elders highlighted that his trial was marred by breaches of international law and lacked fairness. They also noted his role as a unifying figure, with opinion polls suggesting he would likely win the Palestinian presidency if elections were held. The group welcomed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s commitment to free and fair elections within the next year, emphasizing Barghouti’s potential role in this process. They recalled Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 2013 call for Barghouti’s release, stating that freeing him would signal Israel’s commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Some Israeli figures, including a former Shin Bet leader, have also called for his release. Barghouti’s wife, Fadwa, recently appealed to US President Donald Trump to secure her husband’s release, emphasizing his potential as a partner for peace. Trump has indicated he is considering the matter. The Elders urged global leaders to seize this opportunity to enhance the prospects of lasting peace and security in the region.