24/09/2019
- Observers say domestic issues prompted Kremlin to tighten environmental protection around the lake in Siberia, but Chinese activities also played a part
- Businesses catering to growing number of visitors from China may be easy scapegoats as they are ‘among the most visible because they are foreign’
A growing number of Chinese tourists are visiting Lake Baikal in Siberia. Photo: Shutterstock
Russia has tightened environmental protection around Lake Baikal amid growing concerns over degradation, with Chinese development and tourism at the heart of recent debates on the nationally treasured Siberian lake.
New protocols signed by President Vladimir Putin on September 12 clarify how authorities will monitor “compliance with the law on Lake Baikal’s conservation and environmental rehabilitation”.
They also call for improved state environmental monitoring of the lake’s unique ecosystem, aquatic animal and plant life; prevention of and response to risks; analysis of the pressure from fishing on its biological resources; as well as measures to conserve those unique aquatic resources.
Observers say domestic issues – including a backlash over the government’s hand in accelerating environmental damage – prompted the Kremlin to act, but concerns over Chinese activities in the area also played a part.
Eugene Simonov, coordinator of the Rivers Without Boundaries International Coalition, said the protocols were a bid by Moscow to show it was concerned about the lake, where mismanagement and relaxed standards had damaged water quality and the ecosystem – drawing concern from Unesco, which has designated it a World Heritage Site.
But it was also related to local concerns that an influx of Chinese money and tourists in the region was making matters worse.
“One of the leading causes of problems on Lake Baikal is the development of the lake shore for tourism these days, which, at least in the Irkutsk region, is greatly driven by Chinese business,” said Simonov, who has worked extensively on the area’s environmental issues.
He pointed to the “not legal” hotels opened by local and Chinese businesses that cater to the increasing number of tourists from China, saying they stood out as easy scapegoats.
“The real driving force is the desire of locals to privatise the lake shore, illegally, but the Chinese demand is one of the reasons they want to privatise it, while Chinese businesses are among the most visible because they are foreign,” he said.
Public opposition to a water bottling plant being built by a Chinese-owned company pushed local authorities to halt the project in March. Photo: Weibo
Some 186,000 Chinese tourists visited the region last year, up 37 per cent from 2017, according to official Irkutsk figures. But while they accounted for about two-thirds of foreign visitors to the Irkutsk region, they made up only about 10 per cent of the 1.7 million tourists who visited last year.
Concern about Chinese investment and development in the region reached a crescendo in March, when public opposition pushed local authorities to halt the construction of a water bottling plant operated by AquaSib, a Russian firm owned by a Chinese company called Lake Baikal Water Industry, based in China’s Heilongjiang province.
The Irkutsk government acted after more than a million people – more than the city’s population – signed a petition calling for the “Chinese plant” to be halted.
Adventures in the frozen wilderness: a Hong Kong man’s trek across icy Lake Baikal
“There were at least 10 problems [around Lake Baikal] that were much more important at that moment, but it was the Chinese plan that was the focus,” Simonov said, noting the nationalism surrounding the lake as a Russian point of pride.
Paul Goble, a Eurasia specialist who has been tracking the issues at Lake Baikal, said stirring up resentment over Chinese encroachment in Siberia and the country’s Far East had long been a government tactic to quell dissent and unite popular opinion.
But he said the new protocols showed Moscow realised that locals – facing the effects of a deteriorating environment including deforestation driven by China’s domestic market demand – may not be satisfied with that explanation.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev exchange documents after talks in St Petersburg on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
“People are angry not at China, as might have been the case a year ago or more, but they are angry at Moscow for not standing up to China and what it’s doing,” he said, pointing to this as the reason the Kremlin tightened environmental controls on the lake.
Concerns about the impact of Chinese activities on Russia’s environment come as the two neighbours are playing up closer diplomatic and economic ties. One of the outcomes of a
between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Russian heads of state last week was an agreement to increase bilateral trade to more than US$200 billion over the next five years.
But how that investment could be sustainable for Russia – a key supplier of raw materials needed by China such as oil, gas and timber – remained to be seen, observers said.
Are Chinese tourists the greatest threat to Lake Baikal?
“Our great relationship is going well, but we have not seen the accompanying rise in Chinese foreign direct investment into Russia – that remains very small, despite all the talk,” said Artyom Lukin, an associate professor with the School of Regional and International Studies at Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok.
“Russia is not satisfied with that, they would like to see more Chinese money, more Chinese greenfield investment coming into Russia, into more productive areas of the Russian economy, not just into the extraction sector like oil, timber or coal,” he said.
Lake Baikal has been seen as an area that could draw a lot of Chinese investment. Back in 2016 there were reports of a tourism development deal, worth up to US$11 billion, between Russian operator Grand Baikal and a consortium of Chinese firms, according to Russian state media reports.
But so far most development from Chinese businesses has remained at the small and medium scale.
The reasons for that, according to experts, range from the difficulty of competing with powerful local rivals and the need to tread carefully around anti-China sentiment.
However, the burden and liability of complying with environmental standards also kept operations at a smaller scale.
China and Russia: a fool’s errand for Trump to try to come between them
“It’s simpler and easier to operate smaller businesses and facilities, and it’s easier to monitor and manage them,” said Vitaly Mozharowski, a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in Moscow, who specialises in environmental law, noting that concerns included management of waste water and garbage.
Meanwhile, big complexes were obvious targets for scrutiny, and that would only increase with the new protocols in place, Mozharowski said. “Any large-scale initiatives would be considered from the very top of the Russian establishment,” he said.
Source: SCMP
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19/09/2019
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 18, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
MOSCOW, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin to discuss bilateral relations.
Li arrived at Moscow after holding talks and co-chairing the 24th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, in St. Petersburg.
The Chinese premier firstly extended Chinese President Xi Jinping’s sincere greetings to Putin.
Recalling his meeting with Medvedev, Li said this visit helped draw a comprehensive plan for exchanges and cooperation between China and Russia in various fields, and achieved a lot of new results.
The three-day visit came as the two countries are celebrating the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. During Xi’s visit to Russia in June this year, China-Russia relationship was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.
China and Russia are each other’s biggest neighbor, said Li, adding that a healthy and stable development of bilateral relations is not only beneficial to both sides, but also conducive to the region and the world.
China is willing to continue to consolidate friendship, deepen cooperation and strengthen exchanges with Russia, as well as jointly safeguard an international system with the United Nations at its core and a multilateral trading system based on the World Trade Organization’s rules, which is of great significance for promoting development, prosperity, peace and stability of the world, said the premier.
Noting that China and Russia have broad prospects for cooperation, Li said that China stands ready to better synergize the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with the Eurasian Economic Union, to promote the simultaneous increase in both the scale and the quality of the two-way trade.
“China is further expanding opening up and the huge market potential will bring more opportunities to enterprises from all over the world including Russia,” Li said, expressing hopes that the two countries can continue to open up to each other, broaden investment and market access and create more cooperation opportunities for enterprises from the two countries.
With joint efforts, China-Russia practical cooperation will achieve more fruitful results and deliver greater benefits to the two peoples in the new era, Li said.
Congratulating on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Putin said relations with China are a priority of Russian diplomacy.
Bilateral cooperation has recorded remarkable achievements since the two countries established diplomatic ties 70 years ago, he said, noting that their relations have been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.
Russia-China relations are an important stabilizing factor in international relations, Putin said.
Noting the meeting between Li and Medvedev has effectively promoted bilateral practical cooperation with its many new results, he pledged Russia’s willingness to better align its development strategy with the BRI, constantly expand the two countries’ trade and promote common development.
Also on Wednesday, Li laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow.
Source: Xinhua
Posted in 70th anniversary, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Chinese President Xi Jinping, diplomatic ties, Dmitry Medvedev, Eurasian Economic Union, founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Kremlin, Moscow, Russian counterpart, Russian diplomacy, Russian President, russian president vladimir putin, St. Petersburg, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Uncategorized, United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO), wreath |
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18/09/2019
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev jointly meet the press in St. Petersburg, Russia, Sept. 17, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) — China and Russia should open up more to the world and to each other to achieve mutual benefit and common development, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Tuesday.
Jointly meeting the press with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Li said that as the two countries observe the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year, the sound and stable development of bilateral relations is in the interests of both sides and also conducive to human progress under current circumstances.
Describing bilateral pragmatic cooperation as comprehensive, broad and of high level, Li said while the two countries’ cooperation in traditional spheres like energy is making new breakthroughs, their cooperation in new areas like cross-border e-commerce and sci-tech innovation is also gaining steam.
He expressed hope that the two sides will actively explore deepening refining-petrochemical integration, and increase the added value of energy cooperation to help realize their goal of doubling bilateral trade on time.
Noting that both countries support multilateralism and free trade, Li said China is furthering opening up with its manufacturing sector fully open now. He invited Russian companies to seize the opportunity and invest in China.
Li also urged the two countries to tap their cooperation potential in sci-tech innovation as they have designated the years of 2020 and 2021 as “Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation” in each other’s country.
Medvedev said the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has entered a new era, and the two sides are in close communication with pragmatic cooperation in various areas achieving new progress.
Earlier Tuesday, Li and Medvedev co-chaired the 24th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government.
Medvedev said that during the meeting, the two sides signed a slew of cooperation agreements in a wide range of areas. He pledged Russia’s willingness to work with China to expand their cooperation from traditional energy to high-tech to inject new vitality to their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.
Source: Xinhua
Posted in 70th anniversary, Chinese premier Li Keqiang, cross-border e-commerce, diplomatic ties, Dmitry Medvedev, High tech, Russian Prime Minister, sci-tech innovation, St. Petersburg, traditional energy, Uncategorized, vitality |
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17/09/2019
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, Sept. 16, 2019. Li arrived in St. Petersburg on Monday afternoon for a three-day official visit to Russia. During the visit, Li and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will co-chair the 24th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in St. Petersburg on Monday afternoon for a three-day official visit to Russia.
During the visit, Li and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will co-chair the 24th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia diplomatic ties, and bilateral relations have recently been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, Li said upon his arrival.
A new stage for bilateral relations of higher level and greater development has started, he said. “I hope the regular meeting this time will promote our two countries’ all-round pragmatic cooperation to bear new fruits, further enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, and better benefit the two peoples.”
Amid complicated and profound changes in the international situation and an increasing downward pressure on the world economy, Li pledged China’s willingness to step up coordination and cooperation with Russia on international affairs, jointly defend multilateralism and free trade, and work together for improving global governance, forging an open world economy, and safeguarding regional and world peace, development and prosperity.
Li and Medvedev will hold talks, sign a joint communique of the 24th regular meeting, witness the signing of cooperation documents, and jointly meet the press in St. Petersburg. The Chinese premier is also scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Source: Xinhua
Posted in 70th anniversary, China-Russia diplomatic ties, Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow, official visit, Russia, Russian President, russian president vladimir putin, Russian Prime Minister, St. Petersburg, Uncategorized |
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16/09/2019
BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) — At a time when the China-Russia relationship is at an all-time high, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit will further enhance strategic mutual trust and inject fresh vitality into practical cooperation between the two partners.
Li’s visit, scheduled from Monday to Wednesday, comes as the two countries are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties, and have embarked on a new historic journey since Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia in June.
During Xi’s visit, China and Russia agreed to lift their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, opening a new chapter of bilateral cooperation conducive to global stability and prosperity.
Under the strategic leadership of the two heads of state, Xi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, relations between Beijing and Moscow have seen closer cooperation and growing mutual support on a wide range of issues in the past several years.
Bilateral trade has maintained a steady growth momentum. In 2018, two-way trade surged 27.1 percent to hit a record of 107.1 billion U.S. dollars, the highest growth rate among China’s top 10 trading partners. The two countries are working hard to double the trade volume by 2024.
Sub-national exchanges are blossoming. With 2018 and 2019 designated as the years of China-Russia local cooperation and exchanges, local regions of the two countries have carried out close economic and trade cooperation as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Meanwhile, the two sides are actively seeking greater synergy and cooperation between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union to boost connectivity across the continent.
During his stay in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city, Li and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will co-chair the 24th regular meeting between the two countries’ heads of government, a key mechanism and platform to promote cooperation and facilitate communication.
They will exchange in-depth views on how to fully translate the consensus between Xi and Putin into win-win cooperation, and sign a series of agreements on trade, energy, technology and other areas, so as to demonstrate both countries’ determination to strengthen their friendly and fruitful ties.
In the face of rising unilateralism, protectionism and anti-globalization, China and Russia, both responsible major countries, share a similar view on building a more open world economy, improving global governance and promoting democracy in international relations.
During Li’s visit, the two sides are expected to jointly voice their support for multilateralism and global free trade. That will further enrich the close China-Russia partnership and give better play to its role as a model of cooperation between the world’s major countries.
Standing at a new starting point, the two close neighbors will continue to play a constructive role in promoting world peace, stability and development.
Source: Xinhua
Posted in Beijing, Belt and Road Initiative, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China-Russia relationship, Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Dmitry Medvedev, Eurasian Economic Union, Moscow, Russia, Russian Prime Minister, St. Petersburg, Uncategorized, Vladimir Putin |
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12/09/2019
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev here on Wednesday.
Calling Kazakhstan China’s friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner, Li said the two countries enjoy solid political mutual trust, fruitful cooperation results and a long-standing friendship.
China stands ready to better synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with Kazakhstan’s development strategy, Li said.
The two countries should intensify all-round cooperation, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region, he said.
Cooperation between China and Kazakhstan is based on mutual trust, geographical proximity, huge potential and broad prospects, Li said, promising that China will facilitate cooperation with Kazakhstan in energy, production capacity, nuclear electricity, finance, and science and technology.
The Chinese premier also called for better use of cross-border e-commerce platforms and expansion of bilateral trade.
Tokayev congratulated the People’s Republic of China on its 70th anniversary.
China is viewed as an important strategic partner of Kazakhstan, said Tokayev, reiterating that his country is willing to be an active participant in the construction of the Belt and Road, boost bilateral cooperation in all areas, and expand exports to China.
He added that Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest in Kazakhstan, and voiced hope for more tourism cooperation and closer exchanges among young people.
Source: Xinhua
Posted in 70th anniversary, Beijing, Belt and Road Initiative, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakh President, Kazakhstan, The People's Republic of China, Uncategorized |
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11/09/2019
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with an American delegation visiting China for a dialogue with Chinese entrepreneurs and exchanges views with them on China-U.S. trade relations in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 10, 2019. The delegation consists of U.S. business entrepreneurs and some former high-level officials. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) — Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday met with American delegation visiting China for a dialogue with Chinese entrepreneurs and exchanged views with them on China-U.S. trade relations.
The delegation consists of U.S. business entrepreneurs and some former high-level officials.
This year marks 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States. Over the past 40 years, the two countries have witnessed forward-moving economic and trade ties with win-win results, Li said.
While stressing the importance of extensive common interests between China and the U.S., Premier Li suggested that both sides, in accordance with the consensus reached by the two heads of state, should follow principles of equality and mutual respect, seek common ground and continue to explore approaches accepted by both sides to resolve differences.
China will open only wider to the outside world, and is committed to creating a market-oriented, law-based international business environment where domestic and foreign enterprises are treated equally and protection of intellectual property is given priority to.
China has fully liberalized its manufacturing sector and accelerated the opening up of its service sector, the premier said.
“China has a vast market. We welcome enterprises from all countries, including those from the United States, to expand economic, trade and investment cooperation with China and achieve mutually beneficial results,” Li added.
The American entrepreneurs said that U.S. companies, which were inspired by China’s new measures to open up, are looking at the current U.S.-China trade frictions from a long-term perspective, opposing actions to weaken economic relations with China and economic decoupling between the two countries.
They also voiced their hope that bilateral economic and trade consultations will gain ground with an agreement being reached at an early date.
Source: Xinhua
Posted in 40th anniversary, American delegation, Chinese entrepreneurs, Chinese premier Li Keqiang, diplomatic relations, People's Republic of China (PRC), Premier Li Keqiang, Uncategorized, United States |
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10/09/2019
BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s upcoming visit to Russia will open up broader space for pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in the new era and boost bilateral ties, a Chinese Foreign Ministry official said Monday.
At the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Li will pay an official visit to Russia from Sept. 16 to 18 and co-chair the 24th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government with Medvedev, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said at a press briefing.
The visit comes as the two countries are embracing the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and ushering in a new era in their relations.
Noting that the China-Russia relationship has become more mature, stable and tenacious over the past 70 years, Le said it is now a major-country relationship featuring the highest degree of mutual trust, coordination and strategic value.
“China and Russia enjoy solid political mutual trust and firmly support each other on issues concerning core interests and major concerns, while their all-round mutually beneficial cooperation has continued to expand and their interests have been more closely interconnected,” Le said, adding that the bilateral trade volume exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars for the first time last year.
According to Le, the two countries also have close and effective communication and coordination in international affairs.
The upcoming meeting between the two countries’ heads of government will focus on two major objectives, Le said. The first is to promote the implementation of the major consensus reached by the two countries’ heads of state, deepen the integration of interests and consolidate the material basis of bilateral relations.
The second is to contribute the two countries’ wisdom to and voice their support for safeguarding multilateralism, open economy, and the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, Le said.
During the visit, Li will hold talks with Medvedev in St. Petersburg and sign a joint communique of the 24th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government. Li will also meet with Putin in Moscow
Source: Xinhua
Posted in 70th anniversary, China-Russia relationship, Chinese premier Li Keqiang, diplomatic ties, Dmitry Medvedev, mature, Moscow, pragmatic cooperation, Putin, Russia, Russian Prime Minister, St Petersburg, stable, tenacious, Uncategorized, Vice Foreign Minister, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng |
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09/09/2019
BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will pay an official visit to Russia from Sept. 16 to 18 at the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced Monday.
During the visit, Li and Medvedev will hold the 24th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government, according to spokeswoman Hua Chunying.
Source:Xinhua
Posted in Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Dmitry Medvedev, invitation, official visit, Russia, Russian Prime Minister, Uncategorized |
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09/09/2019
- Merkel makes the case on sensitive issues in Beijing without being offensive, observer says
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (centre) talks to staff at manufacturer Webasto during a visit in Wuhan on Saturday. Photo: EPA-EFE
German Chancellor Angela Merkel may be slowly declining in influence in European politics but she remains the EU’s strongest voice in dealing with China, analysts said after her latest trip to China last week.
During the two-day visit, Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the sensitive topic of Hong Kong and the social credit system in China.
German diplomats also averted a plan by Chinese officials to scrap a joint press conference by Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang out of concerns that it could be dominated by questions about the escalating protests in Hong Kong.
Two sources told the South China Morning Post that the Chinese side initially suggested not letting journalists ask questions during the press conference. German diplomats persisted, saying that Merkel would hold her own press conference to take media questions, the sources said.
Germany’s Angela Merkel renews call for peaceful resolution to Hong Kong protests
After talks with the Chinese president and premier, Merkel said Beijing had listened to her views about resolving the Hong Kong conflict without violence, adding: “This is important.”
She said she also pressed the European Union’s position that the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong remained effective, countering Beijing’s assertion that the 1984 document has ceased to be valid.
“Merkel navigated the narrow line to raise these sensitive issues without being overly offensive,” said Jan Weidenfeld, of the Berlin-based Mercator Institute for China Studies.
Joerg Wuttke, president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, said Merkel’s biggest achievement was to raise the issue about the social credit system in China, a policy that aims to rank every individual and corporate entity based on their compliance with state-stipulated social norms.
“It is important to us that she makes the Chinese leadership aware that the German business community would like to get better briefed and prepared for this major change in company compliance by the Chinese authorities,” Wuttke said. “Merkel was the first foreign leader to do so.”
Despite Merkel’s tough approach, China’s foreign ministry was full of praise for the German leader’s visit, saying both sides were “satisfied” with the outcomes.
“This is Chancellor Merkel’s 12th China visit, so she should be one of the Western leaders who visited China the most times and knows China the best,” ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Monday.
Hong Kong is a matter for China, Premier Li Keqiang tells Angela Merkel
Back home, however, German media and businesses remained sceptical about the future.
Bild, the country’s biggest-circulation newspaper, has been following closely the arrest of Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung, who was detained at Hong Kong airport on his way to Berlin at the newspaper’s invitation. Wong was later cleared to travel abroad.
Several newspapers have put pressure on Merkel to speak out for Hong Kong, with one calling on her to replace a stop in mainland China with one in the former British colony, which she refused.
On the business side, German businesses also urged Merkel to caution Beijing against sending troops to Hong Kong out of concerns that the lucrative Chinese market would become subject to international sanctions.
Another concern is the slow pace of structural reforms that would open up Chinese markets to foreign businesses.
Source: SCMP
Posted in Angela Merkel, averted, Beijing, Berlin, Bild, China alert, Chinese leadership, Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Europe, European Union, former British colony, German business community, German Chancellor, German diplomats, Hong Kong, Hong Kong airport, Joshua Wong Chi-fung, Mainland China, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, social credit system, south china morning post, strong voice, Uncategorized, views, Webasto, Wuhan |
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CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon 