Authored by Federico Pieraccini via The Strategic Culture Foundation,
While the world continues to decipher, or digest, the new Trump presidency, important changes are afoot within the grand strategic triangle that lies between Russia, Iran and China
As part of the previously previewed "Two Sessions" which started on Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday delivered the annual report on the work of the government in Beijing, summarizing the country’s achievements in the past year, and setting goals for this year. In his policy speech, lasting 97 minutes and 18,600 Chinese characters, Li signaled a course adjustment for the world's second-largest economy and some important changes in tone.
A 90-second summary of the key highlights from Li's Two Sessions address is shown in the clip below:
When it comes to the latest US stance vis-a-vis China's currency manipulation, the jury is out, and based on two recent statements it is more confused than ever.
Over the weekend, following reports that China has banned all North Korean coal imports - in the aftermath of last week's North Korean ballistic missile launch- which marked a troubling escalation in relations between the two formerly "amicable" nations, we discussed how China was tipping its hand that not only was Kim Jong-Un potentially losing a "very big ally", but that it could also lead to "jeopady" for his regime, and a potential political coup in the generally unstable dictatorship.
One day after the US announced it had dispatched the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group in the contested South Chine Sea on "routine" patrols (through a post on the aircraft carrier's Facebook page), China responded and predictably, it wasn't thrilled. In a statement by the foreign ministry, Beijing said on Tuesday that it opposed action by other countries "under the pretext of freedom of navigation" that could "threaten and damage" its sovereignty, a clear reference to US patrols in territory that China considers its own.