Interessant, die deutsche Berichterstattung über das Xi- Biden-Treffen in San Francisco am Rande der APEC- Konferenz. Hier etwa die FAZ:

„Biden-Xi-Treffen : USA und China wollen Militär-Kommunikation wieder aufnehmen

• Aktualisiert am 16.11.2023-04:10

Um den Austausch zwischen Washington und Peking war es zuletzt nicht besonders gut bestellt. Sorgen bereitete den Amerikanern vor allem der mangelnde Draht zum chinesischen Militär. Nun kamen Biden und Xi zu Gesprächen zusammen.

Nach längerer Funkstille wollen die USA und China die Kommunikation zwischen den Streitkräften beider Länder wiederaufnehmen. Das kündigte US-Präsident Joe Biden am Mittwoch (Ortszeit) nach einem Treffen mit Chinas Staatschef Xi Jingping in Woodside südlich von San Francisco an. Der Schritt sei von „entscheidender Bedeutung“, sagte Biden. Ohne Austausch könne es zu Unfällen und Missverständnissen kommen.

Geplant sei nun unter anderem, dass US-Verteidigungsminister Lloyd Austin seinen chinesischen Kollegen treffen werde, hieß es der mitreisenden Presse zufolge aus dem Weißen Haus. Außerdem solle es operative Gespräche hochrangiger militärischer Führungspersonen beider Länder geben. Auch der US-Befehlshaber der Pazifischen Luftstreitkräfte werde sich daran beteiligen, hieß es weiter. Auch Schiffsführer sollen sich miteinander austauschen.

Peking schlug Gesprächswünsche aus

Die US-Regierung hatte in den vergangenen Monaten mehrfach beklagt, dass die sonst übliche direkte Militär-Kommunikation mit China nicht funktioniere und dies zu gefährlichen Missverständnissen und Fehlkalkulationen führen könnte. Peking hatte zum Beispiel Gesprächswünsche auf Ebene der Verteidigungsminister ausgeschlagen.

Washington hatte wiederholt gemahnt, zur verantwortungsvollen Steuerung der Beziehungen sei die Kommunikation zwischen dem Militär beider Länder von entscheidender Bedeutung. Die Chinesen hätten diese Kommunikationsverbindungen im Grunde gekappt, was Gefahren berge.

Vereinbarung im Kampf gegen Fentanyl-Epidemie

Im Kampf gegen die Einfuhr der tödlichen Droge Fentanyl in die USA sichert sich Biden mehr Unterstützung aus China. Er habe mit Xi Maßnahmen vereinbart, um die Ausfuhr von Bestandteilen zur Fentanyl-Produktion und Tabletten-Pressen aus China einzudämmen, sagte Biden am Mittwoch. Die Droge töte in den USA viele Menschen – mehr als Waffengewalt, betonte er. Nach Angaben des nationalen US-Instituts, das Drogenmissbrauch erforscht, starben durch eine Überdosis synthetischer Opioide – vor allem Fentanyl – allein im Jahr 2021 mehr als 70.000 Menschen.

Die US-Regierung wirft China vor, eine entscheidende Rolle in der Drogen-Epidemie Amerikas zu spielen – durch die Produktion von Fentanyl, das in Massen in die USA gelangt. Das synthetische Opioid ist 50 Mal stärker als Heroin und hat in den USA zu einem massiven Drogenproblem geführt. Für Biden, der im November 2024 zur Wiederwahl antritt, ist die Einigung vor allem innenpolitisch bedeutsam. Die Drogen-Epidemie in den USA bewegt die Menschen im Land, und die Republikaner hatten in den vergangenen Monaten Druck auf den Präsidenten gemacht, in der Frage eine härtere Gangart gegenüber China einzuschlagen.

Biden und Xi wollen telefonisch Kontakt halten

Biden und Xi wollen künftig einfacher füreinander per Telefon erreichbar sein. Das hätten sie bei ihrem Treffen vereinbart, sagte Biden. Er und Xi hatten sich seit dem G20-Gipfel im November 2022 in Bali nicht mehr persönlich gesehen und auch nicht gesprochen.

Zugleich bekräftigte Biden am Ende seiner Pressekonferenz auf eine entsprechende Frage hin, dass er Xi weiterhin als einen „Diktator“ betrachte – in dem Sinne, dass dieser „ein kommunistisches Land führt, das auf einer ganz anderen Regierungsform basiert als bei uns“.

Biden hatte Xi zuvor im Juni beiläufig einen Diktator genannt und damit Empörung in Peking ausgelöst. Das chinesische Außenministerium nannte die Äußerung „absurd und extrem unverantwortlich“ und sprach von einer „politischen Provokation“. Biden sagte damals bei einer Wahlkampfveranstaltung mit Spendern, Xi sei verärgert gewesen, nichts von dem chinesischen Überwachungsballon gewusst zu haben, der im Februar über die USA geflogen sei. „Das ist eine große Peinlichkeit für Diktatoren, wenn sie nicht wussten, was passierte“, sagte der US-Präsident.

In Vorbereitung auf das Treffen von Biden und Xi hatten sich beide Länder zuletzt wieder um eine Annäherung auf verschiedenen Ebenen bemüht, unter anderem durch diverse Treffen hochrangiger amerikanischer und chinesischer Regierungsmitglieder. Auch auf militärischer Ebene kamen sich beide Seiten beim Xiangshan Forum Ende Oktober wieder näher.

Taiwan birgt großes Konfliktpotenzial

Nach monatelanger Funkstille reiste eine US-Delegation zu dem Sicherheitsdialog nach Peking, der quasi eine chinesische Ausgabe der Münchener Sicherheitskonferenz für den Asien-Pazifik-Raum ist. Chinas zweithöchster Befehlshaber im Militär zeigte sich dort offen, wieder mit der US-Seite zu sprechen.

Das ist auch von Bedeutung angesichts von Spannungen im Indopazifik. Großes Konfliktpotenzial zwischen den USA und China birgt etwa das Thema Taiwan. Die Inselrepublik, die nur durch eine Meerenge von China getrennt wird, hat seit Jahrzehnten eine demokratische Regierung. China sieht das Land mit mehr als 23 Millionen Einwohnern jedoch als Teil seines Territoriums an.

Das Gebiet ist immer wieder Schauplatz militärischer Machtdemonstrationen. Es gibt Sorge, dass China in Taiwan einmarschieren könnte wie Russland in die Ukraine. Biden hatte Taiwan für einen solchen Fall militärische Unterstützung auch durch US-Truppen zugesichert. Peking wiederum verbat sich in der Vergangenheit stets jede „Einmischung“ der USA in innere Angelegenheiten. Das schürte Ängste, dass der Welt womöglich der nächste große internationale Konflikt bevorstehen könnte.

https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/biden-xi-treffen-usa-und-china-wollen-militaer-kommunikation-wieder-aufnehmen-19317234.html

Bei Taiwan alles beim alten, man will nur militärische Kommunikationskanäle, dass es nicht zu unvorgesehenen, ungeplanten Zwischenfällen kommt. Sollte man aufeinander schießen, will man nichts dem Zufall überlassen, ja vielleicht auch eine Krise zuvor deeskalieren oder lenken können. Biden nennt Xi weiterhin einen Diktator, was auf keinen Protest chinesischerseits stößt anders als bei der deutschen Außenministerin Baerbock. Aber die Weltmacht USA ist eben nicht eine Mittelmacht Deutschland und Quod licet Jovi, non licet bovi. Zudem kam Xi in die USA und nicht umgekehrt Biden nach Peking.

Fentanylkrise auch auf der Tagesordnung des Xi-Biden-Treffens.  Mehr Tote durch Fentanyl als bei Waffengewalt. Ersteres sollen die Chinesen lösen zweiteres ist gottgegeben durch die US-Verfassung, eine Mehrheit waffenbegeisterter Amerikaner beider Parteien und der reorganisierten NRA. Jedenfalls nach dem Chinavirus ist nun Chinas Schuld bei der Opiodkrise in den USA im Wahlkampf Thema und schon scheinbar erwiesene Tatsache, ja Trumpisten sehen dies auch als chinesische „Unrestricted Warfare“ und .gezielter Kriegsführung der KP China, um das US- Volk zu dezimieren.

Seltsamerweise haben sich andere Republikaner und Trumpisten bisher noch nicht lautstark zu Wort gemeldet. Dies überläßt man wohl dem Führer:Trump hat sich nun doch zu dem Xi-Biden-Treffen gemeldet. Ihn interessiert scheinbar aber nicht militärische Fragen, KI, Taiwan, Südchinesisches Meer, etc., sondern nur das Thema Fentanyl und er behauptet, dass er mit Xi einen Deal gehabt habe, Fentanyldealer- und Produzenten mit der Todesstrafe in China und Singapur zu bestrafen, da das Problem dann gelöst sei, was Experten allgemein bezweifeln. Wegen der angeblich gestohlenen Wahlen sei das Thema aber nun vom Tisch genommen worden. Wie schon beim „Chinavirus“ versucht Trump hier China für den Tod von Amerikanern direkt und ursächlich verantwortlich zu machen: Statt einem britisch-chinesischem Opiumkrieg mit der Queen als Dealerin  ist diesmal umgekehrt Trumps War on Drugs ein War on China mit Xi als Oberdealer, der Amerika süchtig machen will:

“Donald Trump Rages That China Isn’t Embracing the Death Penalty

Nov 16, 2023 at 3:16 PM EST

Xi Jinping’s Ominous Warning For America

By Nick Mordowanec

Staff Writer

Donald Trump believes the „stolen“ 2020 presidential election has resulted in China being less willing to enforce the death penalty for fentanyl manufacturers.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in private and as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco. The two leaders discussed fentanyl trafficking, the restoration of communication between their countries‘ militaries, and cooperation in slowing methane emissions and increasing renewable energy by 2030.

Though Biden maintained that he wants the U.S. to economically compete with China „responsibly,“ there was no resolution to tensions over the possibility that China could invade Taiwan. And, for the second time in five months, Biden referred to Xi as a „dictator“—much to the chagrin of Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Trump, for his part, reacted to the meeting by writing Thursday on Truth Social: „President Xi and I had a deal whereby China was going to criminalize at the highest level, THE DEATH PENALTY, the manufacturing of Fentanyl. That deal miraculously disappeared with our RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2020. Too bad!!! One more thing to add to the Stolen Election List of Disasters!“

In 2022, roughly 68 percent (about 72,000) of approximately 107,081 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. directly involved synthetic opioids other than methadone, notably fentanyl, according to a report published this past June by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The fentanyl crisis has garnered plenty of attention during the 2024 election cycle among the Republican candidates.

Rajan Menon, director of the Grand Strategy Program at Defense Priorities, told Newsweek that the „staggering amount“ of fentanyl infiltrating both the U.S. and China remains a concern for leaders trying to take proper measures that will disrupt trafficking.

„Time will tell whether they’ll do it,“ Menon said. „The problem is if the Chinese went out 100 percent and the precursors [raw chemicals for making fentanyl] were shut out, there are so many fentanyl makers in the drug market. There is a demand, especially in wealthy countries, and dealers can lace drugs and it’s primarily a problem among whites.“

The impact of U.S. and Chinese governmental action on the fentanyl crisis won’t be known for a while, he predicted.

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In February 2020, during a meeting with governors across the U.S., former President Trump praised „maximum“ penalties and executions for drug-related convicts in countries like China and Singapore. He sounded envious of countries that execute drug dealers after „fair but quick“ trials, adding that he was unsure whether the U.S. was „ready“ to follow such protocols.

In 2018, Trump spoke just as highly about death penalties for drug users and encouraged China to stiffen its laws to execute dealers and „pushers“ responsible for the rise in the use of fentanyl, a drug 100 times more powerful than morphine.

„One of the very exciting things to come out of my meeting with President Xi of China is his promise to me to criminalize the sale of deadly fentanyl coming into the United States. It will now be considered a ‚controlled substance,'“ Trump said in December 2018.

He went on: „This could be a game changer on what is considered to be the worst and most dangerous, addictive and deadly substance of them all. Last year [2017], over 77,000 people died from fentanyl. If China cracks down on this horror drug, using the death penalty for distributors and pushers, the results will be incredible.“

Even after leaving office, Trump has spoken about wanting to emulate Xi and China’s policies toward drug producers.

During a July 2022 speech in Las Vegas, the former president said he asked Xi why his country doesn’t have a drug problem. Trump said this was due to swift justice against dealers.

„If you look at countries all throughout the world…the only ones that don’t have a drug problem are those that institute the death penalty for drug dealers. They’re the only ones, you understand that? China has no drug problem,“ Trump said to applause.

China’s drug problems have been disputed by various reports, including one published by the Brookings Institution, which documented an increase in drug use in China. The U.S. think tank’s report said that „drug addiction does not receive much public sympathy or priority in government funding.“

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-rages-that-china-isnt-embracing-death-penalty-1844529

Chinaexperte Professor Van Ess meinte dazu noch:

„Bei den Verteidigungsministertreffen wäre interessant zu wissen, wieso China die Beziehungen gekappt hat. Gibt es irgendwelche Gründe außer demjenigen, dass Li Shangfu abgesetzt wurde?

Und Fentanyl: Wenn China durch Produktion schuld daran ist, warum ist das dann für Europa kein Problem? Das wahre Problem ist doch, dass das Zeug jahrelang in den USA freigiebigst verschrieben wurde, aus was für Gründen auch immer. In San Francisco habe ich zahllose Obdachlose gesehen, die ganz offenbar an Fentanyl hingen – und dem Tod näher waren als dem Leben. Aber das Elend, das man da sieht, kommt nicht aus China, sondern hat seine Wurzeln eben doch in der amerikanischen Gesellschaft.“ 

Das chinesischerseits lang erwartete und erhoffte Xi- Bodentreffen in den USA sieht BILD  wiederum vor allem sehr eurozentrisch nur unter der Perspektive einer Ohrfeige für Putin und im Rahmen des Ukrainekriegs:

„Dieser Handschlag wird Putin richtig ärgern!

Präsidenten versuchten Neustart ++ Tauziehen um Klima, Militär und KI

Ein Neuanfang? Am Rande der Konferenz für Asiatisch-Pazifische Wirtschaftskooperation in Woodside (Kalifornien) reichen sich US-Präsident Joe Biden und Chinas Herrscher Xi Jinping (70) die Hände

Von: herbert bauernebel

16.11.2023 – 08:01 Uhr

Ein Jahr war Funkstille. Jetzt reden sie wenigstens wieder miteinander …

Inmitten der schlimmsten Eiszeit zwischen den Supermächten USA und China seit Jahrzehnten haben sich die Präsidenten Joe Biden (80) und Xi Jinping (70) zum ersten Gipfelgespräch seit dem Vorjahr getroffen. Im prächtigen Anwesen „Filoli Estate“ in der Nähe von San Francisco (Kalifornien) wartete eine Liste explosiver Themen.

Das Signal an die Welt: Entspannung, Wille zur Wiederannäherung. Schlecht für Kreml-Despot Wladimir Putin, der sich seit Monaten an Peking ranwanzt, unter anderem mit milliardenschweren Energie-Deals, und für den der Riss zwischen den Supermächten gar nicht tief genug sein kann.

Viele Streitthemen bei Marathon-Gespräch

Als TV-Kameras die beiden an einem langen Konferenztisch gegenübersitzenden Delegationen in leicht steifer Atmosphäre festhielten, gab es positive Töne. Die Welt sei „groß genug für den Erfolg beider Länder“, säuselte der KP-Chef. Biden hoffte bei Xis erster US-Visite seit sechs Jahren auf einen „ehrlichen Austausch“.

Hinter verschlossenen Türen gab es dann statt diplomatischer Floskeln ein härteres Tauziehen über akute Weltprobleme, darunter Künstliche Intelligenz (KI), die Kriege in Nahost und der Ukraine, Pekings Aggression gegenüber der Inselrepublik Taiwan, globale Drogenströme und generell das Duell der Top-Wirtschaftsnationen.

Zuletzt schienen die bilateralen Beziehungen richtig festgefroren: Im Februar befahl Biden den Abschuss eines chinesischen Spionageballons. Persönlich machte er Xi als „Diktator“ herunter. Ex-Speakerin Nancy Pelosi (83) hatte durch ihren Taiwan-Besuch das Regime in Peking ebenfalls in Rage versetzt.

Peking schlug sich beim Ukraine-Kriegs auf die Seite von Kreml-Despot Wladimir Putin (71). Und forcierte eine globale Allianz gegen westliche Demokratien. Doch innenpolitisch ist Xi zuletzt unter Druck geraten: Die chinesische Wirtschaft stottert wegen der Covid-Nachwehen und einer Schuldenkrise. Das dürfte der wahre Grund sein, dass Xi gerade jetzt verbesserte Beziehungen des Exportlandes besonders mit den USA sucht. Biden wollte sich den Niedergang an die eigenen Fahnen heften: „Das passiert, wenn amerikanische Leadership in der Welt gestärkt wird – jetzt haben die große Probleme!“

Xi bestärkte laut Insidern während des insgesamt vier Stunden langen Gesprächs, dass er grundsätzlich die Beziehungen zwischen den USA und China „stabilisieren“ möchte. Es klang wie ein Zeichen der Entspannung. Harmonisch sollten auch die Bilder wirken, als die beiden Präsidenten durch die Gartenanlage schlenderten.

Nach dem Treffen nannte Biden die Gespräche „konstruktiv“ und „produktiv“. Ebenfalls verkündete er, dass beide Staatsoberhäupter fortan im Krisenfall miteinander telefonieren werden. Sie hätten sich darauf verständigt, „dass jeder den Hörer abnehmen und den anderen direkt anrufen kann und sofort angehört wird“.

Bodyguard.

Das waren die Knackpunkte des Gesprächs

Bei dem Gespräch gab es einige Knackpunkte:

► Biden suchte ein Zugeständnis des China-Anführers, die Ausfuhr der für die Herstellung der Todesdroge Fentanyl nötigten Chemikalien einzufrieren. China exportiert Komponenten nach Mexiko, wo Fentanyl produziert und in die USA geschmuggelt wird. 2022 starben 109 000 Amerikaner an Drogenmissbrauch. Biden wollte hier politisch punkten. Aber: Peking hatte ähnliche Zusagen schon früher gemacht.

► Bei dem Treffen sollte auch diskutiert werden, wie KI aus Militärsystemen, besonders jenen zur Steuerung von Atomwaffen, ferngehalten werden kann.

► Wichtig auch: Die Wiederherstellung der Kommunikationskanäle zwischen den beiden größten Armeen der Welt. So sollen die Gefahren von „Missverständnissen“ minimiert werden. Wegen des Taiwan-Streits hatte die chinesische Volksarmee alle direkten Kontakte mit dem Pentagon gekappt. Diese Kanäle sollen jetzt wieder etabliert werden.

Biden traf Xi am Rande des APEC-Gipfels (Asiatisch-Pazifische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft) mit 21 Nationen. Im diesjährigen Veranstaltungsort San Francisco wurden Obdachlose aus dem Stadtzentrum entfernt. Die Sicherheitslage blieb angespannt: Am Rande des Gipfels kam es zu zahlreichen Kundgebungen gegen das chinesische Regime.

Der abgeschirmte Xi dürfte davon wenig mitbekommen haben …

https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/joe-biden-trifft-xi-jinping-welt-ist-gross-genug-fuer-erfolg-beider-86111912.bild.html?t_ref=https%3A%2F%2Fm.bild.de%2Fpolitik%2Fausland%2Fpolitik-ausland%2Fjoe-biden-trifft-xi-jinping-welt-ist-gross-genug-fuer-erfolg-beider-86111912.bildMobile.html

In den westlichen Medien werden mehr die Kooperationsfelder genannt, in der Global Times mehr die schon oder noch zu schaffenden Institutionen von Arbeitsgruppen, Hotline bis hin zu intergovermental meetings.  Auch wird KI herausgestellt. Der nächste Schritt sei eine Weiterentwicklung des Geistes von Bali. Stopp der Waffenlieferungen and Taiwan und Aufhebung der unilateralen US-Sanktionen sowie eine Neuadjustierung der US-Politik werden gefordert. China selbst will nichts an seiner Politik ändern, nur die andere Seite soll das. Klar wird auch der Wahlkampf samt schärfere antichinesischer Rhetorik benannt, die erwartet wird, aber eingepreist ist. Bidens Diktator-Äußerung wird logischerweise nicht erwähnt. Jedenfalls wird die Wiederaufnahme militärischer Kontakte und die AI -Regulierung als wichtig herausgestellt, sowie eine Institutionalisierung der Kontakte für eine stabile und gesunde Entwicklung der Beziehungen erwünscht.

“China-US San Francisco summit concludes, agreeing on enhancing cooperation on AI and resuming military communication

By GT staff reporters Published: Nov 16, 2023 09:43 AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with US President Joe Biden for a summit at the Filoli estate in the south of San Francisco on Wednesday local time. The two leaders had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on strategic, overarching, and directional issues concerning China-US relations, as well as major issues concerning world peace and development. 

The two sides agreed to promote and strengthen dialogue and cooperation in various fields, including establishing an intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence, setting up a China-US drug control cooperation working group to carry out anti-drug cooperation, resuming high-level military-to-military communication, China-US defense department working meetings, China-US military maritime security consultation mechanism meetings based on equality and respect, and conducting China-US military regional leaders‘ conversations.

They also agreed to significantly increase flights early next year, expanding exchanges in education, international students, youth, culture, sports, and business circles, among others. 

The meeting began around 11 am on Wednesday and concluded at 1:35 pm local time, lasting for approximately two hours, according to media reports.

Following opening remarks, several sessions, and a working lunch, the two leaders closed out with a walk around the historic estate south of San Francisco, as reported by CNN. 

During the meeting, Xi pointed out that the world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, and China and the US have two choices: one is to strengthen unity and cooperation, join hands to meet global challenges, and promote world security and prosperity. The other is to hold a zero-sum mindset, provoke bloc confrontation, and let the world head toward turmoil and division. 

These two choices represent two different directions and will determine the future of humanity and the planet. As the most important bilateral relationship in the world, China-US relations should be considered and planned against this grand backdrop, he said.

China and the US cannot turn back against each other and it is unrealistic to try to change the other, and the consequences of conflict and confrontation are unbearable for anyone, Xi stressed. „Great power competition will not solve the problems China, the US, and the world face. This planet is big enough for both China and the US. The success of each is an opportunity for the other.“

Xi pointed out that China’s development follows its own logic and rules, and China is advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through modernization in its own unique style. 

China does not follow the old path of colonial plunder or engage in ideological confrontation with any country. It does not export ideology either. Xi emphasized that China has no plans to surpass or replace the US, and the US should not attempt to suppress or contain China. 

President Xi also highlighted the importance of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, which are lessons learned from the 50-year history of China-US relations and historical conflicts between great powers. These principles should guide joint efforts by China and the US.

As long as both sides adhere to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, it is entirely possible to transcend differences and find the correct way for two major countries to coexist, Xi said. 

At last year’s Bali meeting, the US side stated that it does not seek to change China’s system, does not seek a „new Cold War,“ does not seek to oppose China by strengthening alliances, does not support „Taiwan independence,“ and has no intention of having conflict with China. At this San Francisco meeting, China and the US should have a new vision, Xi said, working together to solidify the five pillars of China-US relations, including establishing correct mutual recognition, managing differences effectively, jointly promoting mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly shouldering big-power responsibilities and promoting cultural exchanges. 

On the Taiwan question, Xi emphasized that it remains the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations, and China values the positive statements made by the US side during the Bali meeting.

The US should implement its stance of not supporting „Taiwan independence“ into concrete actions, stop arming Taiwan, and support China’s peaceful reunification, according to the Chinese president. 

He also highlighted that the US‘ continuous implementation of export control measures, investment reviews, and unilateral sanctions have severely harmed China’s legitimate interests. 

Suppressing China’s technology aims to contain its high-quality development and deprive the Chinese people of their right to development. Xi emphasized that China’s growth follows its own internal logic, which cannot be halted by external forces. China hopes that the US will take its concerns seriously, take appropriate action, lift unilateral sanctions, and provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese enterprises.

Biden told reporters during the walk that the talks were going „well“ and added on social media that „real progress“ was made, according to media reports. 

The two heads of state stressed the importance of China and the US accelerating efforts to address the climate crisis during this critical decade. They welcomed the recent positive discussions between the two countries‘ climate envoys, including domestic emissions reduction actions in the 2020s. They also expressed their joint commitment to promoting the success of the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai (COP28) and announced the launch of the China-US Enhancing Climate Action in 2020s working group to accelerate specific climate actions. 

Some experts believe that during this highly-anticipated meeting, the Chinese leader has further clarified China’s stance on China-US relations, expressing hope that the US side can fundamentally adopt a correct and responsible attitude, rather than merely making tactical adjustments.

 „This continues the tone set in Bali. Looking forward, it will be important to see whether the US can truly achieve a correct understanding,“ said Diao Daming, an associate professor at the Renmin University of China in Beijing, in an interview with the Global Times on Wednesday. 

Diao added that if the US can adjust its understanding and truly adopt a responsible perspective, recognizing each other’s positions, effectively managing differences, and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation, it will further stabilize the relations between the two countries.

From the latest China-US summit, we can see that the expectations of both sides are beginning to align, Sun Taiyi, assistant professor of Political Science at Christopher Newport University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

Neither Washington nor Beijing harbor any illusion of a rapid breakthrough or significant improvement in relations. The leaders of both countries, each for their own reasons, also see the benefits of restraining tensions at the current level to prevent further deterioration, Sun said. 

Maintaining multi-channel and multi-level communication to construct guardrails for the bilateral relationship may be the most crucial measure required, the expert noted. 

On one hand, the summit may be the last opportunity for Biden to meet with Chinese leader face-to-face during the US President’s current term. On the other hand, US elections will inevitably be accompanied by politicians‘ various accusations and denigrating remarks about China. Some incumbents may also propose tough bills on China to sway voters, Sun noted. 

„Therefore, it will be essential to continue exploring cooperation in limited fields, activate the various working groups and communication channels that are already in place, and seek common ground while reserving differences in controversial areas,“ he said. 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301935.shtml

Angesichts der wirtschaftlichen Schwierigkeiten Chinas infolge des sinoamerikanischen Konflikts, hofft man immer noch auf profittüchtige US- Kapitalisten, die zudem als Chinalobby in die Politik reinagieren. Immer witzig, wenn seitens der KP China von „people“, „people-to-people-exchanges“ ,Volk und Völkern oder Völkerfreundschaft die Rede ist. Xi meint im Westen vor allem die Business-CEOs wie Musk, Cook, u.a., die in China aktiv sind, zumal er weiterhin auf das Credo des guten alten Lenins hofft: „Die Kapitalisten werden uns auch noch die Stricke liefern, an denen wir sie aufhängen“. Irgendwelche Joe, the Plumber, working class-Typen oder Joe Does sind da nicht von Interesse für die KP China:

“Future of China-US relations created by people: President Xi

Warmly welcomed speech aims to eliminate misunderstandings, paves way for more trade exchanges

By Shen Weiduo Chen Qingqing , Xie Wenting, Bai Yunyi and Xing Xiaojing in San Francisco Published: Nov 16, 2023 09:37 PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at a welcoming dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the US, including the US-China Business Council and the National Committee on US-China Relations, in San Francisco on local time November 15, 2023. Photo: Xinhua

The future of China-US relations is created by the peoples of the two nations, Chinese President Xi Jinping told a gathering of representatives from different communities in the US on Wednesday evening, noting that China is willing to be „a partner and a friend“ of the US.

The remarks were delivered at a welcoming dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the US, including the US-China Business Council and the National Committee on US-China Relations, with the attendance of US top executives such as Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook.

„The foundation of China-US relations was laid by our peoples, … the door of China-US relations was opened by our peoples, … the stories of China-US relations are written by our peoples, … the future of China-US relations will be created by our peoples,“ Xi said. „We should build more bridges and pave more roads for people-to-people interactions. We must not erect barriers or create a chilling effect.“ 

President Xi’s face-to-face talks with the attendees will eliminate some US businesses‘ misunderstandings of China’s policy – which has long been „smeared and misinterpreted“ by some foreign media, and will also help to rebuild trust and bridge more cooperation that will benefit both economies, observers said.

Moreover, the reception dinner, featuring many from US business communities and coming just hours after Xi’s summit meeting with US President Joe Biden, also indicates that trade cooperation with the US as well as a commitment to opening-up remain one of the most „significant agendas“ of the Chinese leadership, Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Warmly welcomed

In his speech, Xi said the most fundamental question shaping US-China relations is whether the countries are rivals or partners. „If we regard each other as the biggest rival, the most significant geopolitical challenge and an ever-pressing threat, it will inevitably lead to wrong policies, wrong actions and wrong results,“ Xi told the audience.

„China is willing to be a partner and a friend of the US,“ he remarked.

The speech was applauded many times, suggesting the talk is a success, said attendees of the meeting reached by the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that many in the US knows China through the media, but an interaction like this will help them know the true China – friendly and peaceful rather than „hostile.“

A great speech and communication like this is very helpful, Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, who attended the dinner, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

At the moment, the main thing for China-US ties is „don’t be prejudiced, mutual understanding, and co-existence,“ Dalio said.

„I hope China and the US can work together for richer prosperity of the world,“ Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk, who made a trip to China just months ago, said after the dinner, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency.

Others on the guest list also included executive chairman of NIKE, CEO of Pfizer, CEO of Qualcomm, chair of Mastercard, among others.

The dinner was very animated among the US company executives. A Bloomberg report said that executives were „scrambling“ for seats or to be put on a waiting list for the dinner to meet with the Chinese president, citing people familiar with the situation. 

„Some on the waiting list even waiting outside of the dinner venue in hopes of securing a last-minute opportunity to dine with the Chinese president,“ said the above-quoted person, who asked to remain anonymous.

Apart from business executives, a group of Chinese President Xi’s „old friends“ also attended the dinner. For instance, Gary Dvorchak, son of Eleanor and Thomas Dvorchak, the family that hosted Xi during his 1985 visit to Muscatine, was also in attendance. 

Gary Dvorchak, who is now also doing businesses in the US and China, told the Global Times that Xi sent the message of openness in commerce and economics. He said that the Chinese government definitely has a policy of encouraging investment and trade.

According to Dvorchak, his family developed amiable friendship with Xi after his visit in 1985. In his description, Xi will join those old friends in family talks which are not political but shows sincere caring for them.

Bumpy road ahead

The lively atmosphere at the event makes it difficult to imagine that the economic relationship between the world’s two largest economies is currently facing very challenging times. The retaliatory tariffs imposed by the US government against Chinese imports have not been lifted, and there are additional efforts to exert pressure on Chinese high-tech enterprises, citing the so-called national security reasons.

Experts also noted that although cooperation and two-way investment is in the interest of willingness of businesses from both sides, challenges remain serious.

„The US government should be clear and forceful that it applauds US firms doing trade  or investment with China outside national security areas,“ Gary Hufbauer, a nonresident senior fellow at the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics, told the Global Times. 

Economic and trade relations in the China-US ties are crucial, Hufbauer said. „By our calculations, US-China trade provides a strong spur to economic growth in both countries. We estimate that a $100 billion increase in bilateral trade results in a $30 billion growth in GDP in each country. Bilateral foreign direct investment generates more gains.“

Conversely, US congressional „China hawks“ who seek to decouple our two economies would make both countries poorer if their goals were realized, said Hufbauer.

The trade frictions and barriers established are unlikely to change substantively in the short term, Sun Taiyi, assistant professor of Political Science at Christopher Newport University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Of course, against this backdrop, there is still room for cooperation that the US and China can jointly explore, especially since the economy is not a zero-sum game, and stabilizing prices and growth are common goals for both, Sun said.

„We are in an era of challenges and changes. But it is also an era of hope. The world needs China and the US to work together for a better future. We, the largest developing country and the largest developed country, must handle our relations well. In a world of changes and chaos, it is ever more important for us to have the mind, assume the vision, shoulder the responsibility, and play the role that come along with our status as major countries,“ Xi said in his remarks at the dinner reception.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301988.shtml

Zumal Bidens Hitech- und Chipssanktionen Chinas Tech- Giganten vorerst schon noch treffen und es noch dauern kann, bis China da eine unabhängige nationale Entwicklung hinbekommt.

„Aufspaltung abgesagt : Bidens Chip-Verbote schütteln Alibaba durch

• Von Gustav Theile, Schanghai
• -Aktualisiert am 17.11.2023-12:17

Der chinesische Tech-Riese trennt seine Cloud-Sparte jetzt doch nicht ab. Als Begründung führt er die Geopolitik ins Feld. Die Börse reagiert heftig.

In San Francisco bewegten sich Xi Jinping und Joe Biden vorsichtig aufeinander zu, Chinas Präsident bemühte sich, die US-Wirtschaftseliten wieder für die Volksrepublik zu gewinnen. Doch während es an der amerikanischen Westküste nach Monaten der Zuspitzung nach Tauwetter aussah, fand der Computerchip-Konflikt der Supermächte in Hangzhou sein nächstes Opfer. Und vernichtete rund 20 Milliarden Dollar Börsenwert.

Der Alibaba-Konzern, einer der größten Tech-Riesen Chinas und auf der ganzen Welt, blies am Donnerstagabend die Abspaltung seines Cloud-Arms ab. Damit steht die gesamte Aufspaltung des Imperiums, das mit seinen Apps im chinesischen Alltag allgegenwärtig ist, in sechs Teile infrage. Konzernchef Eddie Wu, der erst seit einigen Monaten im Amt ist, schob die Schuld für den Schlingerkurs auf die Geopolitik: Aufgrund der immer schärferen US-Regeln für Chiplieferungen nach China müsse man die Pläne hinterfragen. Er sprach von einem strategischen Neustart. Die im Oktober verschärften Exportregeln hätten deutliche negative Auswirkungen auf die Cloud-Sparte, hieß es in einer Mitteilung. Eine Abspaltung würde den Börsenwert deshalb nicht mehr so steigern wie gewünscht.

https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/bidens-chip-verbote-schuetteln-alibaba-durch-19320934.html

Nach dem Spirit of Bali spricht die KP China nun die „San Francisco Vision“, angeblich Konsens in 20 Themenfeldern, ein historisches Treffen, wenngleich noch ein starting point,  der aber erst noch Realität werden müsste. Die Fentanylkrise wird auch noch einmal hervorgehoben und dass China da helfen werde.

“World looks forward to seeing ‚San Francisco vision‘ translated into reality: Global Times editorial

By Global Times Published: Nov 17, 2023 12:30 AM Updated: Nov 17, 2023 12:26 AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with US President Joe Biden at Filoli Estate in the US state of California, November 15, 2023. Photo: Xinhua

Whether it is from the Chinese and American sides or the international community, there has been unanimous high praise for the China-US summit held on November 15 in San Francisco, reflecting the epochal significance of this meeting. Against the backdrop of the critical stage in China-US relations and unprecedented global anticipation for the return of bilateral relations to the right track, President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden engaged in a continuous exchange for four hours during the summit, utilizing simultaneous interpretation throughout and conducting face-to-face in-depth discussions. They established the „San Francisco vision“ oriented toward the future, providing direction and outlining a blueprint for the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of China-US relations. This summit is a strategically significant and far-reaching meeting of the heads of state, leaving a unique and profound mark in the history of China-US relations.

In this historic meeting, President Xi and President Biden had a candid and in-depth exchange of views, indicating that the communication between the two sides not only did not avoid differences but was also positive, comprehensive, and constructive. It was an important meeting that aimed at building trust and dispelling doubts, managing differences, and expanding cooperation. The two sides reached consensus on more than 20 issues in areas such as politics, diplomacy, cultural exchanges, global governance, and military security on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. These significant agreements and outcomes further illustrate the wide-ranging common interests between China and the US, reaffirming that mutual benefit and win-win cooperation are fundamental characteristics of China-US relations. Dialogue and cooperation are the only correct choices for both countries.

San Francisco should become a new starting point for stabilizing China-US relations. Charting the „San Francisco vision“ and turning it step by step from a blueprint into reality is not only in the long-term interests of both China and the US but also the fervent expectation of the international community. During the meeting, President Xi insightfully pointed out that China and the US should jointly develop a right perception, manage disagreements effectively, jointly advance mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly shoulder responsibilities as major countries, and jointly promote people-to-people exchanges. These are the five pillars and the foundation for the stable development of China-US relations. Only with this foundation firmly in place can China-US relations withstand the test of storms.

Everyone has seen that the journey from Bali to San Francisco was not easy. San Francisco is a new starting point, and the key to the smoothness of the next journey still lies in the implementation of these consensuses by the US side. This is the uncertainty that China-US relations cannot avoid, and it largely tests the political credibility of the US. The San Francisco meeting has attracted worldwide attention, and the consensus and achievements made are also eagerly anticipated by the world. We hope that the US and China will meet each other halfway, make the correct historical choices, and find the right way to get along with each other.

President Xi pointed out in his speech at the Welcome Dinner by Friendly Organizations in the US on the evening of November 15: Are China and the US adversaries, or partners? This is the fundamental and overarching issue. President Xi once again reiterated China’s consistent attitude: China is ready to be a partner and friend of the US. This statement has received great attention and has greatly encouraged various sectors in the US, including the business community. In the atmosphere of demonizing China in the US public opinion, it is fair to say that many American companies, which hope to engage with China and cultivate the Chinese market, have doubts. The friendly and open attitude shown by China’s top leader in San Francisco is undoubtedly like sunlight piercing through the clouds, allowing those who cherish China-US relations to regain confidence.

China’s goodwill and sincerity toward China-US relations have always been consistent, as shown in the extensive achievements reached during the San Francisco meeting. Many American media outlets have noticed that both sides will further cooperate on the fentanyl issue. This demonstrates China’s goodwill as a partner and friend to help the US solve its domestic problems. Similarly, Washington should also demonstrate the correct way of getting along between partners on issues that the Chinese people care about. We have observed that President Biden reiterated the five commitments made at the Bali meeting, further clarifying that the two economies are mutually dependent; the US is glad to see prosperity in China; it does not seek to contain or suppress China’s development or to decouple with China. However, these statements need to be followed up with concrete actions.

„The world is big enough to accommodate both countries, and one country’s success is an opportunity for the other.“ The San Francisco meeting marks a new starting point for China-US relations in a new historical period. It has had a good beginning, and China and the US have begun to promote dialogue and cooperation in various fields such as diplomacy, economy and trade, culture, education, science and technology, agriculture, military, law enforcement, and artificial intelligence. We should make the cooperation list longer and the pie of cooperation bigger. Only by doing so can China-US relations be steered toward a healthy, stable, and sustainable direction, injecting certainty and enhancing stability into a world characterized by turmoil and change.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1302014.shtml

Die ansonsten mehr prochinesische Singapurer Strait Times jedoch kritisiert, dass Xi von den USA in der Substanz nichts erhalten habe, sich auch nichts wesentliches ändern würde, der Taiwankonflikt als wichtigster Punkt weiterhin vor sich hinschwehle und ungelöst bleiben werde und alle Zusagen Bidens möglicherweise nur für 1 Jahr gelten, da dann Trump wieder die Regie übernehmen könne. Die „San Fancisco Vision“ könnte sich dann eben als Endpunkt oder starting point bzum Schkechteren herausstellen und man möchte nicht den Kissinger-, Lee Kuanyew- und Deng Xiaopingfreund, den sogenannten Realpolitiker Helmut Schmidt zitieren, der einst meinte, dass Leute mit Visionen dringends einmal einen Nervenarzt aufsuchen sollten, wenngleich er diese Aussage dann in späterem Lebensalter relativierte.

Xi scheint jedenfalls mit dem Treffen zufrieden, eine Erweiterung des vielzitierten Geistes von Bali zur „San Francisco Vision“ wird gefordert, was auch die Wiederaufnahme der Pandadiplomatie zu bedeuten scheint. Only Xi could go to the USA? Jedenfalls gibt es jetzt scheinbar wieder Pandas. Mal sehen, ob die erst bei einer Wiederwahl Bidens in US-amerikanische Zoos geliefert werden oder das Ganze wieder rückgängig gemacht wird.

“Chinese president signals more pandas will be coming to the United States

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

November 16, 2023 at 15:45 JST

Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji plays at his enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, Sept. 28, 2023. (AP Photo)

SAN FRANCISCO–Chinese President Xi Jinping signaled late Wednesday that China will send new pandas to the United States, calling them “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.”

“We are ready to continue our cooperation with the United States on panda conservation and do our best to meet the wishes of the Californians so as to deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples,” Xi said during a dinner speech with business leaders.

The gesture came at the end of a day in which Xi and President Joe Biden held their first face to face meeting in a year and pledged to try to reduce tensions. Xi did not share additional details on when or where pandas might be provided but appeared to suggest the next pair of pandas are most likely to come to California, probably San Diego.

The bears have long been the symbol of the U.S.-China friendship since Beijing gifted a pair of pandas to the National Zoo in Washington in 1972, ahead of the normalization of bilateral relations. Later, Beijing loaned the pandas to other U.S. zoos, with proceeds going back to panda conservation programs.

The National Zoo’s three giant pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji, eight days ago began their long trip to China. After their departure, only four pandas are left in the United States, in the Atlanta Zoo.

“I was told that many American people, especially children, were really reluctant to say goodbye to the pandas, and went to the zoo to see them off,” Xi said in his speech. He added that he learned the San Diego Zoo and people in California “very much look forward to welcoming pandas back.”

Xi is in California to attend a summit of Indo-Pacific leaders and for his meeting with Biden. He made no mention of the pandas during his public remarks earlier in the day as he met with Biden.

When bilateral relations began to sour in the past few years, members of the Chinese public started to demand the return of giant pandas. Unproven allegations that U.S. zoos mistreated the pandas, known as China’s “national treasure,” flooded China’s social media.

But relations showed signs of stabilization as Xi traveled to San Francisco to meet with Biden. The two men met for about four hours Wednesday at the picturesque Filoli Historic House & Garden, where they agreed to cooperate on anti-narcotics, resume high-level military communications and expand people-to-people exchanges.

The National Zoo’s exchange agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association had been set to expire in early December and negotiations to renew or extend the deal did not produce results.

The San Diego Zoo returned its pandas in 2019, and the last bear at the Memphis, Tennessee, zoo went home earlier this year.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15058697

Interessanter Punkt bei der BILD- Berichterstattung, der bei anderen Berichten nicht auftaucht. China und die USA wollen KI bei Atomwaffen raushalten oder zumindestens regulieren. Ein Punkt, der beim Global AI Safety Summit in GB gar nicht auf der Tagesordnung stand. Desweiteren gab es auch noch die Kurzmeldung, dass China eventuell zu Rüstungskontrollgesprächen mit den USA bereit sei, nachdem .in der Global Times der ehemalige nationalistische Chefredakteur Hu Jinxin in seiner Rubrik “Hu´s Voice“ gleich unter „Xi´s Letters“ zuvor mit der Ausweitung der chinesischen Nukleararsenale und auch der ICBMs gedroht hatte. Das du Rüstungskontrollverhandlungen  scheinen nun noch nicht auf der Tagesordnung gestanden zu sein und man hat nach der Kurzmeldung auch nichts mehr diesbezüglich gehört

Das weitere zeitliche Umfeld: Südkorea und die USA haben gerade beschlossen ihre nukleare Abschreckungsstrategie gegenüber Nordkorea zu erneuern, wie auch über eine neue US-Nuklearstrategie gegenüber die nukleare Triade China-Russland-Nordkorea diskutiert wird, auch angesichts Russlands Rückzug aus dem Atomtestvertrag, der konventionellen Rüstungskontrollvertrag und aktuellen Diskussionen über eine neue russische Nuklearstrategie ,wie sie Karaganow losgetreten hat. Zudem. nun Taiwan erstmals eigene Mittelstreckenraketen mit Reichweite von 2000 km und damit Nordchina und Peking als potentielles Ziel entwickelt hat und Japan enemy base strike capabilities gegen Cihina und Nordkorea stationieren will, die deren Festland treffen können..

Gleichzeitig geht die Modernisierung nicht nur neuer neuer nuklearer Sprengköpfe und Atomwaffen seitens Chinas und der USA weiter, sondern auch weiterer Träger- und Waffensysteme. So etwa der Stealthbomber. Nach B2 nun der B 21, über den zu lesen ist:

#Revolution in der Luftfahrt: USA testen neuen Tarnkappenbomber B-21 Raider

Stand: 16.11.2023, 05:24 Uhr

(…) Der Lieferzeitpunkt der Bomber durch den Hersteller ist jedoch noch unklar. Northrop Grumman plant, die ersten B-21 Mitte der 2020er Jahre an die US Air Force auszuliefern. Der neue Bomber soll langfristig den B-2 Spirit und den B-1 Lancer ersetzen. Das Flugzeug kann sowohl mit konventionellen als auch mit nuklearen Waffen bestückt werden. Dies wurde vom US-Verteidigungsministerium und der US Air Force bestätigt. Durch fortschrittliche Technologie kann der B-21 Raider weltweit Ziele erreichen, die 90 Prozent der US-Bomber nicht erreichen können, so das Verteidigungsministerium.“

https://www.tz.de/politik/usa-testflug-tarnkappenbomber-b-21-raider-palmdale-kalifornien-atomwaffen-92677058.html

In Taiwan wiederum wird das Treffen seitens der DDP und der DDP- nahen Taipeh Times argwöhnisch beobachtet, wenngleich man da keinen Punktsieg für Xi sehen will, sondern betont, dass dies angesichts der wirtschaftlichen Schwierigkeiten in China eher eine Art Canossagang Xis in die USA sei, der keine wesentlichen Änderungen brächte:

Thu, Nov 16, 2023 page8

“What the Biden-Xi meeting means

• By Paul Lin 林保華
•  
• US President Joe Biden met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday before an APEC summit in San Francisco. Prior to the meeting, Biden was the more eager party, but it is Xi who does not wish for a complete decoupling, and harbors a desire to turn back the clock so that both nations can create a win-win situation and ensure strategic cooperation.
• The so-called win-win situation would be a ruse. The US would be duped by China to facilitate the theft of intellectual property, and Beijing would become an increasingly influential country that would grow to outperform its biggest competitor.
• Under former US president Donald Trump and certainly at the beginning of the Biden administration, relations between the US and China became extremely frayed. The pandas at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park returning to China this month was a symbolic mark of the end of an era that began with a cuddly gift at an inflection point in the Cold War and has ended with the anxious dawn of a new one, with an empty panda house in Washington.
• Even though the US was the more proactive side, it was Xi who flew to meet with Biden, instead of Biden visiting Beijing. With the advantage of home turf, Biden would not face the same humiliation as former US president Barack Obama did when he was diplomatically snubbed by China in Hangzhou in 2016.
• With Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) under US sanctions and prevented from attending the APEC events in California, China sent Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan (陳茂波) to represent the territory, hinting at Xi’s focus on business links.
• Xi wanted to meet business leaders ahead of his meeting with Biden, but the proposal was nixed by the White House. It was clear that Xi wanted to tell the business community that China is still open for business to put pressure on Washington to back off its export restrictions.
• China has resumed its “gifting” trick by lifting a ban on Boeing 737 Max aircraft and placing orders, as well as making a massive purchase of more than 3 million tonnes of US soy. Nonetheless, its ties with the US are not based on “gift-giving.”
• China has always purchased from Boeing and Airbus SE, while soy is a domestic necessity. If China thought it could acquire high technologies with such purchases, it had better think again. After all, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has said on multiple occasions that the US would not budge on matters concerning national security.
• Nevertheless, a worldly wise leader like Biden would always give Xi a grace period.
• Despite trade restrictions, Chinese imports of semiconductor manufacturing equipment surged by more than 93 percent last quarter, with imports from the Netherlands spiking sixfold. Most of the equipment is believed to have come from ASML Holding NV.
• Nvidia has also announced that it has developed three new chips tailored for China, aiming to meet the region’s growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technology, while Corning Inc has agreed to sell its German laser technology business to China’s Suzhou Delphi Laser.
• Nonetheless, the most sensitive issue that Washington and Beijing face is still Taiwan.
• Xi wants to hear from Biden that he would not support Taiwanese independence, but the US leader, unlike the fawning dog former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), is unlikely to comply.
• Instead it might be the other way around.
• If Biden were to ask China not to interfere in Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections, Xi would be in a tight corner. If he denies interference, it would only mean that Taiwan and China are two independent nations, and if he admits interference, Biden could have more to say on the matter.
• Biden wants to re-establish military-to-military ties with China in a bid to prevent conflict.
• With China ousting its minister of foreign affairs, perhaps the chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission — ie, Xi — has boosted that aspect of his power.
• However, before the meeting with Biden, Xi sent his most trusted man, Chinese Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia (張又俠) to reassure Russian President Vladimir Putin, meaning Xi would not have a change of heart about military ties with the US, even after his meeting with Biden.
• As long as Xi maintains that stance, the icy diplomatic relationship will remain.
• Biden would have to know that Xi is using strategic duplicity in a bid to solve its domestic and external predicament. After former US president Richard Nixon met with Mao Zedong (毛澤東) in 1972, there was a shift in the relationship, but that was because many Chinese of the time had a favorable view of the US and were easily swayed to direct their antagonism toward the Soviet Union.
• With Chinese nationalists, known as “little pinks,” today brainwashed to harbor ill feelings toward the US, there is no way that Xi could explain away a policy of “strategic duplicity” with Washington.
• Paul Lin is a political commentator.
• Translated by Rita Wang

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2023/11/16/2003809230

Interessanterweise vertritt TSMC-Gründer Morris Chang taiwanesische Präsidenten auf den APEC-Treffen. Schon unter Chen Shuibian und nun 6 mal für Tsai Yingwen. Wie war das wohl unter Ma Yingjiu? Jedenfalls gleich ein offener Appell von 22 republikanischen Senatoren an Biden beim Treffen mit Xi keinen inch an irgendwelchen Kompromissen einzugehen.

„Thu, Nov 16, 2023 page1

• TSMC founder in US for APEC meet

SUPPORT: A group of 22 US senators called on Joe Biden not to make concessions to China, including on Taiwan, when meeting Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit

• By Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writer with CNA and Bloomberg

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀) has arrived in San Francisco, where he is to represent President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.

Chang, 92, and his wife landed at 3pm on Tuesday and were greeted by Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴).

Chang did not answer questions about whether he would meet with US President Joe Biden. The couple headed straight to their hotel, where they were greeted by a group of about 50 overseas Taiwanese and later attended a welcome banquet hosted by Hsiao.

Hsiao, who is expected to be Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Vice President William Lai’s (賴清德) running mate in January’s presidential election, did not comment on the issue when she arrived at the hotel, where Taiwanese media are staying during the summit.

Before leaving Taiwan, Chang pledged to enhance the nation’s visibility at the APEC summit, which runs until tomorrow and is themed “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All.”

Speaking at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Chang said he would engage with other APEC leaders and convey the nation’s willingness and ability to contribute to regional peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, and to develop more resilient supply chains.

He said he would also convey Taiwan’s readiness to work with partners on transitioning to green energy and bridging the regional digital divide.

Chang has served as the president’s envoy to APEC seven times. He first attended the annual APEC summit on behalf of then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in 2006, and has attended the meeting on Tsai’s behalf six times.

Taiwan’s presidents have been unable to attend the annual APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting due to China’s objections, even though Taiwan is a full APEC member under the name “Chinese Taipei.”

Meanwhile, 22 US senators on Tuesday issued a joint statement urging Biden not to make “more concessions” to China, including on Taiwan, when meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday.

US Senator Jim Risch, a ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led fellow Republicans in releasing the statement.

“It is paramount that Biden and his administration don’t give an inch on US policy on Taiwan,” the statement said, adding that it would be “one more grave error” regarding competition between the two superpowers.

“Few issues are more urgent than ensuring Taiwan has the capabilities and training it needs to deter Chinese aggression,” the statement said. “Vital US national and economic security interests, and the future of the entire Indo-Pacific region, are both at stake here.”

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2023/11/16/2003809240

Die Chipsparte bleibt weiterhin für alle Seiten wichtig. Aufmerksam wird die Entwicklung und die Investitionen von Chinas „Big Funds“ in die Hightech-, Chip- und AKI-Sparte registriert:

„Tue, Nov 07, 2023 page12

• China invests US$5.4 billion in chipmaker
  • Bloomberg
• Semiconductor start-up Changxin Xinqiao Memory Technologies Inc (長鑫新橋) has raised 39 billion yuan (US$5.4 billion) from government-backed investors, a sign Beijing is doubling down on its efforts to achieve technological self-sufficiency and counter US sanctions.
• In its latest funding round, Hefei-based Changxin Xinqiao secured 14.6 billion yuan from the state-backed China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund Phase II late last month and funding from two other investors affiliated with the local government, according to Chinese corporate data provider Tianyancha (天眼查).
• It is one of the biggest investments China’s flagship semiconductor fund, better known as the Big Fund, has made since Beijing probed its former heads for corruption about a year ago.
• Founded in 2021, the little-known Changxin Xinqiao shares some shareholders and its general manager with China’s leading DRAM chipmaker Changxin Memory Technologies Inc (長鑫存儲), which is also headquartered in the eastern Chinese city of Hefei, according to Tianyancha.
• Changxin Memory aims to compete with global leaders including Micron Technology Inc and Samsung Electronics Co, and it is planning to file for an initial public offering in China that could value the chipmaker at more than US$14.5 billion, Bloomberg News reported earlier this year.
• Beijing has been intent on making breakthroughs in its semiconductor industry even as the US is trying to limit China’s access to cutting-edge chip technologies. It scored an early success with Huawei Technologies Co’s (華為) release of a 5G phone with silicon made by top Chinese chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (中芯國際) in August.
• The Big Fund, the main financing vehicle for Beijing’s long-term semiconductor objectives, has gradually ramped up funding this year. So far this year, it has made at least a dozen investments including the one in Changxin Xinqiao, Tianyancha data shows.
• Founded in 2014, the fund drew about US$45 billion in capital and backed scores of companies including US-blacklisted Yangtze Memory Technologies Co (長江存儲), before the graft probe chilled activity.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2023/11/07/2003808782

Gelichzeitig werden US- Bemühungen die Lieferketten zu diversifizieren, vielleicht auch von Taiwan weg, geographisch ausgewogen aufmerksam verfolgt, z. B. bei Intel:

„Wed, Nov 08, 2023 page12

• Intel building geographically balanced supply chain
  • By Lisa Wang / Staff Reporter
  •  
• Intel Corp is expanding semiconductor capacity in the US, Europe and Asia as part of its efforts to satisfy the world’s need for a geographically balanced supply chain, while Taiwan has built itself into a foundry hub of Asia, CEO Pat Gelsinger told a media briefing in Taipei yesterday.
• As a major part of its IDM2.0 (integrated device manufacturing) strategy, Intel aims to become a leading foundry service supplier to the world, Gelsinger said.
• Taiwan has strong foundry companies, but Intel believes that “as the world wants a resilient geopolitical balanced supply chain, so our strategy is to align with that,” Gelsinger said. “Other than a strong Asian supply chain, with the hub built in Taiwan, there will be the need for a strong supply chain in America and Europe.”
• To address such needs, the US chipmaker is building a diverse manufacturing network around the world with multiple manufacturing operations in the US, Europe and Asia, he said.
• In the US, Intel is building new fabs in Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico and Ohio, he said. The company also operates fabs in Israel and has unveiled major investment plans in Ireland, Poland and Germany to build leading-edge semiconductor factories, he said.
• In Asia, Intel is expanding its footprint in Malaysia and Vietnam. The chipmaker is deploying wafer-level assembly and chip packaging manufacturing capabilities in Malaysia, Gelsinger said.
• Intel’s investment in building geographically diversified fabs is well justified, as the global semiconductor market is expanding rapidly and is expected to reach an estimated US$1 trillion by the end of this decade from US$600 billion last year, he said.
• To become a reliant foundry service provider, Gelsinger said Intel has to be “customer-obsessed,” as it has to become customers’ factories.
• “No matter what, a good factory is making products that make their customers successful. Intel was never customer-oriented. We were a leadership technology provider,” Gelsinger said.
• Commenting on growing competition from computers powered by ARM-based chips, Gelsinger said ARM has been unable to gain a sizeable share of the world’s PC market. At the same time, a growing number of companies are ushering into artificial-intelligence-enabled PCs, and Intel expects shipments of AI PCs to rise to 100 million units in 2025, he said.
• Intel sees ARM-based chipmakers as potential customers of its foundry services, given that Intel’s OpenVINO, an open-source toolkit for optimizing and deploying AI inference, supports the ARM architecture, he said.
• Gelsinger also told Intel’s local partners in Taipei that the company is confident about reaching its goal of delivering five advanced process nodes in four years. After successfully shipping the first node, the Intel 7 processor, Intel is on schedule to ramp up production of the Intel 18A, the last node of the plan, in the second half of next year.
• Gelsinger took the reign of Intel in 2021.
• Showing support for Intel, Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) chairman Jonney Shih (施崇棠) yesterday demonstrated the generative AI features on PCs.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2023/11/08/2003808835

Desweiteren werden nun detailierte Listen von taiwanischen Firmen in China und deren Risiko („risk exposure“)  und Abhängigkeit veröffentlicht.  Terry Gous Hou Yin und Fox ´conn an führender Stelle, zumal China versucht ihn zugunsten einer Koalition zwischen TPP und KMT gegen die DDP aus dem Präsidentschaftsrennen in Taiwan rauszubewegen.

Sun, Nov 12, 2023 page1

• By Kao Taiwanese firms have invested NT$8.5tn in China

DATA: Of the 68 Taiwanese firms that had more than 100% risk exposure to China, Longchen Paper & Packaging topped the list with investments totaling NT$11.8bn

• Chia-ho and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwanese firms had, in terms of book value, invested approximately NT$8.5 trillion (US$262.73 billion) in China and Hong Kong as of June 30, while 68 out of 700 Taiwanese companies that had explored business opportunities in China had 100 percent risk exposure, government reports showed.

China last month announced that it was auditing the taxes of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), known internationally as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), sparking concern over the risks faced by Taiwanese firms with investments in China and Hong Kong.

Risk exposure is calculated based on the amount invested elsewhere compared with the net worth of the parent company, which represents the rights of the shareholders.

Listed Taiwanese companies are expected to submit a quarterly report showing all funds wired from Taiwan, all funds wired and the dividends made, as well as the net quarterly profit or loss and total book value at the end of the quarter.

If the amount of investment in China exceeds the net worth of the parent company, it is considered overt risk exposure.

Of the 68 Taiwanese companies that exceeded 100 percent risk, 26 were listed as registered in the Cayman Islands or were foreign companies that were not listed abroad but were listed in Taiwan.

Disregarding companies registered in the Cayman Islands and companies whose parent companies had a net worth under NT$10 billion, there were 16 firms whose risk exposure in China exceeded 100 percent, with paper manufacturing company Longchen Paper & Packaging Co (榮成) topping the list with an overexposure rate of 165.98 percent.

Longchen Paper is China’s fourth largest paper manufacturer, with more than 20 subsidiaries. As of June 30, it had invested NT$11.8 billion in China, or more than 50 percent of the net worth of its parent company.

In second place was computer firm Clevo Co (藍天電腦), with an overexposure rate of 156.11 percent and investments of NT$63 billion.

Hon Hai had a net worth of NT$1.39 trillion, an overexposure rate of 117.12 percent and an end-of-quarter book value of NT$1.6 trillion. It had invested NT$203.8 billion in China.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) with a total net worth of NT$3.18 trillion, had only invested NT$49.4 billion, and its exposure rate was 5.6 percent.

Ninety percent of Taiwanese firms invested via third-party intermediaries, with only 10 percent making a direct investment. Hon Hai, for example, made all of its investments via third-party intermediaries.

Statistics showed that funds wired to China from Taiwan exceeded NT$2.2 trillion, but if the investment capital was multiplied by the stakes held by Taiwanese businesspeople, the total value of Taiwanese funds wired to China exceeded NT$3.3 trillion.

From 1991 through the end of September, Taiwan approved 45,444 applications to invest in China, with total funds valued at NT$6.4 trillion, data from the Ministry of Economic Affairs showed.

However, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that up until the end of last year, it had only approved 120,000 investment applications from Taiwan, with total funds valued at NT$2.3 trillion.

Additional reporting by Fang Wei-chieh

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2023/11/12/2003809041

Dsweiteren überlegt man in Taiwan, ob man eine ähnliche geostrategische Monolpolstellung beii KI wie jetzt schon TSCM bei Chips bekommen könnte:

„Tue, Nov 14, 2023 page8

• EDITORIAL: AI could be the next ‘cash cow’
•  
• Taiwan plays a growing essential role in the global artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain, from upstream chip design, foundries and chip assembly to downstream AI-enabled servers and computers, indicating that the country could duplicate its success in the high-technology sector, where it supplies 80 percent of the world’s PCs and feeds 90 percent of the data center market globally.
• With voracious appetites for AI-related applications, this trend is becoming more marked, reflected in the increasing frequency of visits by leaders of the world’s most prominent technology companies.
• Micron Technology Inc CEO Sanjay Mehrotra arrived in Taichung on Monday last week to attend the opening ceremony for the US’ biggest memorychip maker’s new fab with 3D packaging and testing capacities to enable production of Micron’s most advanced, high-bandwidth HBM3E memory chips, used mainly in AI devices, data centers, and edge computing and cloud applications. Taiwan is already a major manufacturing hub for Micron, manufacturing 60 percent of the firm’s total shipped DRAM chips.
• Intel Corp CEO Pat Gelsinger came to Taipei the next day, his second trip to Taiwan this year. Gelsinger showcased new processors for AI PCs in collaboration with its local partners Asustek Computer Inc, Acer Inc and Quanta Computer Inc, during the chipmaker’s annual Intel Innovation event in Taipei.
• Finally, Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) showed up in Taipei unexpectedly on Friday last week and attended KT Li Foundation’s awarding of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀) for his contribution to the nation’s high-tech and economic development. The media reported that Huang was also here to ensure smooth shipments of the company’s new, but less powerful AI graphics processing units (GPU), aimed at the Chinese market to comply with Washington’s restrictions on semiconductor exports to China
• With Nvidia’s GPU computing, the company realized that AI has started an industrial revolution that might be even greater than the PC, mobile devices and the Internet, Huang said during his award ceremony speech. Nvidia would not be possible without TSMC, he added.
• The three CEOs share common ground in that they are here to strengthen partnerships with Taiwan’s AI sector. Taiwanese companies design AI chips for the world’s major cloud service providers such as Amazon, who are racing to build AI capacities to provide differentiated services, yet lack chip development capabilities. Alchip Technologies Ltd is one of a few local semiconductor companies offering application-specific ICs (ASIC) designing services with an expertise in AI chip design. AI startup Kneron Inc develops neural processing units that power AI edge devices. Taiwan Web Service Corp offers tailor-made AI algorithm capabilities and large-language-model training services, targeting budget-sensitive small and medium-sized businesses.
• Since Taiwanese companies have deployed such an extensive AI industry network, it is easy to imagine that those AI companies could evolve into a major growth driver for the manufacturing industry. It is also easy to imagine them gradually becoming the successor to the semiconductor companies as the county’s new “cash cow.”
• According to the Industrial Technology Research Institute’s (ITRI) forecast, global AI semiconductor production value is expected to surge to US$111.55 billion in 2027, up from US$51.26 billion this year. AI chips are expected to constitute a larger portion of the overall semiconductor production value at 14.8 percent by 2027, up from 9.6 percent this year, ITRI said.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2023/11/14/2003809126

Die Frage aber ist dabei, ob China , aber eben auch die USA da an solcher Konkurrenz und geopolitischen Erpressungspotential wie bei TSCM im Falle einer Taiwankrise interessiert sind nebst rein wirtschaftlichen Faktoren.

Auch ist interessant, dass sich in China vor allem das Ministerium für Staatssicherheit der KI-Regulierung, scheinbar auch bis zu militärischen Fragen annimmt. KI und Überwachungsstaat werden da eben zentral gesehen, wie auch Xis Global Governance Initiative eben keine Global Safety Initiative ist, sondern da den chinesischen Überwachungsstaat samt dazu passender Technologie und KI eben zu exportieren gedenkt:

“Chinese authority warns AI may greatly alter national security landscape

By Global Times Published: Nov 16, 2023 01:27 PM

China’s security authority highlighted a new frontier in national security—Artificial Intelligence (AI) security on Thursday, warning its hidden risk is very likely to profoundly alter China’s existing national security landscape in the near future.

Despite AI technologies represented by ChatGPT having rapidly advanced since 2023, creating enormous opportunities via its wide usage in finance, healthcare, transportation and manufacturing, it can heighten the risk of data theft, cyber-attacks, economic security, „data poisoning“ and military security, according to an article released by China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Thursday.

The MSS said AI could be used to steal significant volumes ofsensitive information and to help hackers easily launch targeted and covert attacks against specific targets at anytime and anywhere. As an „efficient substitute“ for human labor to some extent, AI technologies could impact national economic security, social security, and even political security.

„Data poisoning“ refers to the act of injecting malicious data into AI training datasets to disrupt the normal operation of data analysis models, the MSS explained,citing the example of „data poisoning“ in intelligent automotive systems leading to traffic accidents or through media channels to negatively influence public sentiment.  

MSS said AI could be used in Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAW), helping to conceal the origin of attackers through autonomous target recognition and remote automated operations. It could also make military actions more targeted, objectives clearer, and the range of strikes broader by interconnecting networks, decision-makers and operators. 

National security officials stressed the need to enhancetechnological and digital empowerment to address the risks and seize the strategic initiative of AI development.

It said clearer laws and regulation should be passed to ensure the privacy and data security of individuals, urging companies and individuals in AI industry to consciously enhance their security awareness. MSS also emphasized international information exchanges and technology cooperation.

In late October, China launched the Global AI Governance Initiative, offering an open, inclusive and fair approach for the development, security and governance for emerging artificial intelligence technologies and services.”

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301942.shtml

“China launches Global AI Governance Initiative, offering an open approach in contrast to US blockade

Move stresses openness, fairness, in stark contrast to US’ bullying restrictions

By Wang Cong and Yin Yeping Published: Oct 18, 2023 05:33 PM

AI Photo: VCG

China on Wednesday launched the Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Initiative, offering an open, inclusive and fair approach for the development, security and governance of emerging artificial intelligence technologies and services, in stark contrast to the US‘ restrictions and blockade aimed at preserving its hegemony.

Even as China stressed fairness and non-discrimination in AI development so as to benefit all countries and regions, the US intensified unilateral restrictions over normal global cooperation in AI and other technologies. Western countries have also been seeking to set rules for AI, which experts say is mostly aimed at protecting their own interests.

The Global AI Governance Initiative, announced at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing, represents another Chinese proposed solution for global AI governance, which has brought both tremendous opportunities as well as challenges and risks, underscoring China’s approach of openness and inclusiveness in global cooperation and development, experts said.

In a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third BRF, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China will launch the Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Initiative at this year’s forum.  

The initiative covers various aspects of AI governance, calling for adopting a people-centered approach and upholding the principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit in AI development that benefits countries and regions, according to the Cyberspace Administration of China.

„We should respect other countries‘ national sovereignty and strictly abide by their laws when providing them with AI products and services,“ the initiative read. „We oppose using AI technologies for the purposes of manipulating public opinion, spreading disinformation, intervening in other countries‘ internal affairs, social systems and social order, as well as jeopardizing the sovereignty of other states.“

The initiative also called for the establishment of a testing and assessment system based on AI risk levels and the establishment and improvement of relevant laws, regulations and rules, so as to ensure personal privacy and data security. It also urged the adherence to the principles of fairness and non-discrimination, and to avoid biases and discrimination based on ethnicities, beliefs, nationalities, genders, etc., during the process of data collection, algorithm design, technology development, and product development and application.

„The Initiative presents a constructive approach to addressing universal concerns over AI development and governance and draws up blueprints for relevant international discussions and rule-making,“ a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. „China stands ready to have exchanges and practical cooperation with all sides on global AI governance and deliver benefit for all human beings through AI technology.“

China’s cooperative and win-win approach is conducive to not only its own development but also common progress in technological innovation for all countries participating in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), said Sun Yuzhong, a researcher at the Institute of Computing Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

„Especially in cutting-edge fields such as AI, we can jointly promote the improvement of scientific and technological levels in various countries, rather than just our own progress and hindering the development of others,“ Sun told the Global Times on Wednesday.

China’s AI governance initiative came as the US continues to intensify its arbitrary restrictions on normal cooperation in AI chips and other technologies.

On Tuesday, the US further tightened the export restrictions on artificial intelligence-related chips and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China, and added a number of Chinese entities to the „entity list“ of export control.

The move prompted a harsh response from China on Wednesday. In a statement, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said it firmly opposes and deplores the US‘ abuse of export controls and unilateral bullying tactics. It urged the US to immediately drop such restrictions and vowed to take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.

Apart from the US‘ unilateral restrictions, Western countries have also been „competing to write the definitive rules for artificial intelligence,“ and they have hit major bump as „they all want to win,“ US news outlet Politico reported in August. Such an approach is not conducive for global AI governance, which should include input from all the countries and regions, Chinese experts noted.

„China’s proposal is that regardless of the capabilities of different countries in the field of AI, all countries, including those that are relatively lagging behind, should be able to participate in setting the rules, instead of being spectators or being forced to abide by rules set by others,“ Ma Jihua, a Beijing-based senior industry analyst, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

China’s approach is starkly different from that of the West, which put more emphasis on the participation of the strong, Ma said, noting that the announcement of the Global AI Governance Initiative at the BRF underscored China’s commitment for win-win cooperation in not just traditional projects but also technological development with all the BRI partners.

Given China’s rising capabilities, countries are hoping that China plays a greater role in promoting technological cooperation in Asia and beyond.

Kairat Sarybay, secretary-general of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measure in Asia, said that the 28-member multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation toward promoting peace, security and stability in Asia is also promoting economic cooperation, specifically technological exchanges.

„So I hope that China, because of its new weight in economic and technological development, can help,“ Sarybay said in an interview with the Global Times on Monday.“

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202310/1300092.shtml

Chinas KI- Regulierung sei das Gegenmodell zu der restriktiven, diskriminierenden US- Modell, was übersetzt einfach bedeutet, dass China sich um Datenschutz einen Scheiß kümmert, neototalitäre Staaten und Diktaturen gerne inkludiert und ja mit diesen diesbezüglich auf einer Wellenlänge ist, gerne dazu auch noch die demokratischen Saaten mit seiner Spionage- und Technologie infiltrieren will, zumal das auch ein Geschäft ist und da eine Aufhebung von Sanktionen gegen sich erhofft. China will also seine totalitäre KI Governance mit XI- Algorithmen exportieren, autoritäre Regime stützen und festigen und die demokratischen abhängiger machen und aushöhlen.

 In diesem Zusammenhang ist auch interessant zu lesen:

„China to boost security intelligence cooperation with Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand

China has exchanged views and reached broad consensus with Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand on deepening security intelligence cooperation after China’s Minister of State Security Chen Yixin made visits at the invitation of the three countries and held talks with senior officials from November 2 to Saturday.

In addition to separately meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Chen also held talks with high-level officials from Cambodia’s National Information Technology Center, Vietnam’s Public Security Ministry and Thailand’s National Intelligence Agency, according to information released by the Chinese Ministry of State Security on Monday.

During the respective meetings in Cambodia, the two sides emphasized the need to deepen pragmatic cooperation in security intelligence to better preserve social stability in China and Cambodia, and promote public well-being.

China and Vietnam also vowed to further strengthen pragmatic security intelligence cooperation to make a greater contribution to the two countries‘ national security and help upgrade and enhance bilateral relations. Both China and Thailand see cooperation in security intelligence as an important aspect of deepening bilateral relations, and both want to jointly ensure the safety of overseas projects, institutions, and personnel of both countries.

Chen also visited Chinese enterprises and projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the three countries.

Cooperation in various aspects has been deepened among China and ASEAN members. From mid-November to late November, China will hold a joint military exercise with five Southeast Asian countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, in Zhanjiang, South China’s Guangdong Province for the Aman Youyi-2023 (Peace and Friendship-2023) multilateral drills, China’s Ministry of National Defense said on Sunday.

Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong and Vietnamese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu held the meeting between heads of the government-level negotiation delegation on border issues in Hanoi on Thursday. The two countries held in-depth exchanges of views on China-Vietnam relations, territorial border and maritime issues in a candid and friendly atmosphere. The two sides have ensured that the border and maritime situation remains stable and under control, and speak highly of the progress made in port gate opening and upgrading and infrastructure connectivity.

The security intelligence cooperation and the joint military exercise reflected the further deepened political mutual trust and closer integration of interests between China and Southeast Asian countries, Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

Xu said Chen’s visit is related to cross-border crime, especially telecom fraud, a closely watched issue that not only affects people in China but also harms the tourism industry in Southeast Asian countries.

Security and development have continued to enhance relations between China and Southeast Asian countries, as Southeast Asia is where Chinese enterprises first headed to and flagship projects under BRI were implemented, Xu said.”

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301732.shtml

“Thai government defends Chinese police cooperation proposal; Western media’s hype of ‘sovereignty concern’ ill-intentioned and unfounded: experts

By GT staff reporters Published: Nov 14, 2023 04:11 PM

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Monday defended the proposal to cooperate with Chinese police on information exchange about criminal networks, but denied there are plans to invite Chinese police officers to patrol local tourist destinations.

The cooperation would boost the confidence of Chinese tourists, Srettha told reporters in San Francisco on Monday, according to Bloomberg on Tuesday.

Chinese experts refuted individual Western media reporting such as Bloomberg’s bad-faith hyping of „national security“ concerns, stressing that this police cooperation, if it happens, would only be based on mutual respect for each other’s laws and regulations and has nothing to do with independence or sovereignty.  

Experts stressed police cooperation can help the two countries share experiences on combating crimes and boost Chinese tourists‘ confidence to visit Thailand amid public safety concerns following a deadly shooting in Bangkok in early October that killed one Chinese tourist and injured another.

„Please do not exploit this matter for political gain. It would be better if all sides concentrate in working for the benefit of the country and the people,“ a Thai government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said earlier on Monday, Thai media outlet the Bangkok Post reported.

Chai said the idea of the cooperation with Chinese police was raised by Royal Thai Police (RTP) representatives during a meeting on security for Chinese tourists with prime minister at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on Sunday. Representatives of the Tourism Authority of Thailand were also present. 

According to the Thai government spokesperson, the RTP said they had found Chinese tourists were afraid they could be targeted for attack by Chinese criminals while visiting Thailand. Police representatives suggested the best way to cope with Chinese criminals was for Chinese police to be invited to come and work alongside Thai police. They could provide Thai police with information to enable effective operations against Chinese criminals, and prevent them from destroying tourists‘ confidence, Chai said.

Criticism that the presence of Chinese police would be tantamount to Thailand giving up its independence and sovereignty was unfounded, the spokesperson stressed.

The Thai spokesperson’s remarks came after Thai media outlet The Nation reported that Thapanee Kiatphaibool, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), announced on Sunday a decision to invite Chinese police officers to participate in patrols in several tourist cities. 

However, the police cooperation plan triggered controversy after Bloomberg on Monday tried to smear the police cooperation proposal, citing some unidentified Thai internet users as saying that „they are worried that Thailand would become another location for covert operations targeting Chinese dissidents overseas.“

Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the police cooperation is only about public security and has nothing to do with „national security“ issues. 

Western media’s hype is over-interpreted and unfounded, Xu said, noting that police cooperation will be maintained in compliance with relevant Thai laws and regulations and so it will be impossible to affect Thailand’s independence or sovereignty.

Experts noted that the Thai tourism industry is eager to have more Chinese travelers amid the sluggish economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bangkok Post reported on October 17 that about 60,000 tourists from the country had canceled trips to Thailand after a 14-year-old went on a deadly shooting rampage in a Bangkok mall on October 3 during the Chinese National Day holidays, which is a golden week in China for tourism. Airports of Thailand data showed the number of Chinese arrivals has declined by 9.2 percent from 650,000 to 590,000 visitors following the incident. 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301805.shtml

Schon ungewöhnlich. Kommen da auch nicht deutsche oder amerikanische Polizeipatrouillien um die Sicherheit der Ugl American und Ugly German-Touristen zu gewährleiste? Gleichzeitig wurde zwischen Thailand, Vietnam und China auch eine engere Kooperation bei Security intelligence vereinbart. Wohl nicht nur aus touristischen Gründen. Dann braucht es ja auch keine illegalen chinesischen Polizeistationen mehr wie in den USA und Europa 

Eine neuere Entwicklung im Sicherheitsbereich, aber im militärischen in Taiwan, dürfte in China aber aufmerksam registriert werden:

Mon, Nov 13, 2023 page1

• New missiles can travel 2,000km: source

DOMESTICALLY DEVELOPED: The air force is using the Ching Tien missile, meaning the military now has four missile types that have ranges of more than 1,000km, a source said

• By Lo Tien-pin and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The air force has received domestically developed supersonic cruise missiles with a range of 2,000km, a source said on Saturday.

The Ching Tien (擎天) missile, which can hit targets north of Beijing, is being deployed by the air force and has entered mass production, the source said.

The addition of the Ching Tien means that the military now has four missile types with ranges of more than 1,000km, including an extended-range variant of the Hsiung Feng IIE, the source said.

The Ching Tien was discussed in a report by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank when the missile was still in development.

Then codenamed Yunfeng (雲峰), the missile was reported to have a range of 1,200km to 2,000km, making it Taiwan’s longest-range missile.

More recent information suggests that the Ching Tien’s range is on the higher side of that estimate, and the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), which developed the missile, is continuing to make improvements, the source said.

A screen grab taken from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Web site shows an array of Taiwan’s missiles.

Photo: Screen grab from Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Web site

The Hsiung Feng IIE, of which there are two main variants — the Type A and Type B — is also undergoing improvements, the source said.

“Type A has a range of 500km, while the extended-range Type B has a range of more than 1,000km,” the source said.

“The two variants use different propulsion systems,” they said. “Type B uses a turbofan engine propulsion system, which can fly further while conserving fuel.”

The Type A missiles were first successfully tested in 2004, while the Type B missiles were first successfully tested in 2007, the source said, adding that both are now mass-produced and are being used by the air force’s special missile brigade.

“The Type B has been reported to have a range anywhere between 1,200km and 1,500km, meaning it can strike inland targets in China. It could be fired from mobile launchers during a counterattack,” the source said.

Former CSIST president Kung Chia-cheng (龔家政) previously said that Taiwan’s first domestically produced ballistic missile had been developed during the administration of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) as part of the “Tien Gung Project.”

That project produced two types of missiles — one with a range of 600km and the other with a range of more than 1,000km, the source said.

“Kung says in his book that Chen once inspected the tunnels at the Jiupeng base where the missiles were tested, and he was astonished by the size of the missiles,” the source added.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2023/11/13/2003809084

Argwöhnisch wird auch Japans neue Raketenentwicklung beäugt, zumal Japan ja auch angekündigt hat enemy base strike capablities aufzubauen, die chinesisches und nordkoreanische Territorium zur Abschreckung treffen können sollen. Anders als Taiwan können die in der Global Times kritisierten japanischen Raketen scheinbar nicht Nordchina und Peking erreichen, aber könnten bei einem Taiwankrieg stören:

„Japan’s early deployment of upgraded missiles accelerates crisis, to plunge region into vicious arms race

By GT staff reporters Published: Nov 13, 2023 08:34 PM

Japan Illustration: Liu Rui/Global Times

 
Japan’s Defense Ministry has decided to fast-track the deployment of an upgraded version of its Ground Self-Defense Force’s anti-ship missile, Japanese media outlets have recently revealed. Chinese military observers warned Monday that the early deployment reflects the expansion of Japan’s military ambitions and will inevitably undermine peace and stability in the region, plunging it into a major crisis and a vicious arms rac
According to the NHK on Sunday, the Type-12 surface-to-ship missile is a domestically produced guided missile. The Japanese ministry originally planned to deploy upgraded Type-12 missiles in fiscal year 2026.

Military experts speculated that this batch of upgraded Type-12 missiles is expected to extend the range to over 500 kilometers, and may also be used in the direction of the Taiwan Straits. 

As the system is equipped with an inertial navigation system and strengthened satellite guidance ability, it can be predicted that the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force will be equipped with a stronger strike capability, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times on Monday.

According to NHK, the Japanese defense ministry has yet to decide how much sooner it will deploy them. But in the draft supplementary budget for the current fiscal year, it earmarked 152.3 billion yen ($1 billion) for the procurement of upgraded Type-12 missiles and high-speed glide bombs.

Chinese experts warned that the early deployment reflects the expansion of Japan’s military ambitions. The reason for the early deployment is that the current Japanese Self-Defense Force (SDF) is eager to obtain a long-range strike capability under a preemptive strategy. Once it perceives that the ballistic missile bases of neighboring countries pose a threat, it will start to carry out long-range fire strikes in advance. 

Japan wants to use sensitive regional issues to flex its muscles, which will inevitably undermine peace and stability in the region and plunge it into a major crisis and a vicious arms race, Wei warned.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio told members of the Self-Defense Forces on Saturday that he will steadily build up Japan’s defense capabilities at a review ceremony at the SDF’s Iruma Air Base in Saitama Prefecture.

Kishida pledged to secure the necessary budget and drastically boost Japan’s defense capabilities. The country is experiencing the most severe and complicated security environment since the end of World War II, NHK cited Kishida as saying, referring to the recent „joint Chinese and Russian bomber flights.“

Mentioning China and Russia in his speech, Kishida is trying to spread the „military threat theory“ among neighboring countries, label China and Russia as „threats,“ and make excuses for the deployment of long-range firepower, experts noted.

There are already some signs of a return to militarism within Japan’s senior leadership, Wei warned. 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301745.shtml

Weitere Diversifizierungen bei den Lieferketten werden nun auch als Gegenmodell zu den früheren die über lange Lieferketten und Transportwegen in der Ferne investierenden Globalisierung nun auch unter dem Begriff Nearshoring diskutiert.

Ob das Nearshoring da anteilsmäßig soviel am Welthandel ändern wird? Auch mit China.? Zudem den USA ja nur Mexiko und Kanada bleibt und die eben wie auch SOA als Umettiketierungsstationen dienen, um den US-Protektionismus zu unterlaufen. Zumal die FDI in Mexiko immer noch recht marginal verglichen mit Asien und selbst China sind .Allein schon eine 10 Mrd. Euro Investition von BASF in China oder Elon Musks Teslawerk in Shanghai ist da mehr als alle US-Investitionen in Mexiko zusammengenommen.

„09.11.2023

Nearshoring als Vorbote für das Ende der Ära der Globalisierung

Neue kapitalistische Nähe

Unternehmen tendieren seit einiger Zeit dazu, Teilbereiche ihrer Produktion in das nächstgelegene Land mit qualifizierten Arbeitskräften und ähnlichen Zeitzonen zu verlagern. Wieso in die Ferne der ­kapitalistischen Dauerkrise schweifen, wenn Ausbeutungs- und Verwertungsketten auch in der Nähe aufgebaut werden können?

Von

Tomasz Konicz

In der Wirtschaftspresse macht ein neues Schlagwort Karriere, das geradezu paradigmatisch das Ende der Ära der Globalisierung signalisiert: Near­shoring. Als Gegensatz zum sogenannten Offshoring konzipiert, bezeichnet Nearshoring die Tendenz zum Aufbau regionaler Produktionsketten, mit denen die globalen Organisationsformen in der Warenproduktion, wie sie sich im neoliberalen Zeitalter herausgebildet haben, revidiert werden sollen.

Historisch niedrige Transportkosten und die globale Echtzeitkommunikation im Gefolge der IT-Revolution versetzten seit den achtziger Jahren des vergangenen Jahrhunderts transnationale Konzerne in die Lage, die gigantischen Lohnunterschiede zwischen der Peripherie und den Zentren des kapitalistischen Weltsystems durch den Aufbau globaler Fertigungsketten auszunutzen, indem kosten- und arbeitsintensive Fertigungsschritte in Billiglohnländer ausgelagert wurden – Offshoring genannt. Damit ging Outsourcing in großem Maßstab einher: Konzerne schlossen gleich ganze Produktionsbereiche in den traditionellen Industrieländern und lagerten sie an Subunternehmer, etwa in China, aus. Deswegen produziert Apple keine eigenen Smartphones, sondern lässt sie von Auftragsfertigern wie Foxconn in chinesischen Fabrikkasernen unter brutalen Arbeitsbedingungen fertigen.

Es ist nicht zuletzt der Aufstieg Chinas zur Werkstatt der Welt, der in den deindustrialisierten und immer protektionistischer agierendenUSA das Nearshoring populär macht.

Und es ist nicht zuletzt der Aufstieg Chinas zur Werkstatt der Welt während der Ära der Globalisierung, der insbesondere in den deindustrialisierten und immer protektionistischer agierenden USA das Nearshoring populär macht. Der Kampf zwischen den USA und China um die Hegemonie lässt die Gefahr eines Großkriegs steigen, so dass Washington auch aus geopolitischem Kalkül bemüht ist, die enormen US-Handelsdefizite und Abhängigkeiten von der Volksrepublik abzubauen. Den Hintergrund der wachsenden Spannungen im pazifischen Raum bildet der drohende Zusammenbruch der globalen Defizitkonjunktur des neoliberalen Zeitalters, bei der eine schneller als die Weltwirtschaftsleistung steigende Kreditaufnahme – insbesondere in den USA – als der wichtigste Konjunkturtreiber fungierte, etwa für exportorientierte Länder wie China oder Deutschland.

Generell lässt die zunehmende Krisenanfälligkeit des überschuldeten, ökologisch zerrütteten und von Konflikten, immer neuen disruptiven Extremereignissen und Krisenschüben erschütterten kapitalistischen Weltsystems entsprechende Tendenzen zur Deglobalisierung aufkommen. Einen Umschlagspunkt bildete in dieser Hinsicht sicherlich der durch die Pandemie eingeleitete Krisenschub, der 2020 zur Unterbrechung vieler globaler Lieferketten führte; dazu kam der russische Überfall auf die Ukraine im Februar 2022, in dessen Gefolge Wirtschaftskriege und Protektionismus sich ausweiteten und stets weiter verschärfen.

Die stärksten Tendenzen zum Near­shoring lassen sich derzeit in Mexiko beobachten, das dem Wirtschaftsnachrichtendienst Bloomberg zufolge zu den »Gewinnern« der handelspolitischen Auseinandersetzungen zwischen den USA und China zähle. Im Juli 2023 verzeichnete der Import mexi­kanischer Waren einen historischen Höchst­wert von 15 Prozent aller Einfuhren in die USA, womit erstmals die Lieferungen aus China (14,6 Prozent) überflügelt wurden. Während Chinas Anteil an den Importen in die USA – der seinen historischen Höchstwert im Frühjahr 2018 mit 21,8 Prozent verzeichnete – auf den niedrigsten Stand seit 2006 fiel, avancierte der südliche Nachbarstaat der USA zum wichtigsten Handelspartner der Vereinigten Staaten. Der bilaterale Handel umfasste in den ersten vier Monaten dieses Jahres 263 Milliarden US-Dollar.

Und er soll weiter wachsen. Die Investmentbank Morgan Stanley pro­gnostiziert für die kommenden fünf Jahre einen raschen Anstieg der mexikanischen Industrieexporte in die USA, deren Umfang von 455 Milliarden US-Dollar auf 609 Milliarden jährlich zunehmen soll. Der Anteil der Industrieproduktion am Bruttoinlandsprodukt Mexikos ist tatsächlich in den vergangenen Jahren – eigentlich seit der Einleitung des offen protektionistischen Kurses durch die Regierung Donald Trumps gegen in erster Linie chinesische Importe – stark gestiegen: von rund 15,6 Prozent im Pandemiejahr 2020 auf circa 16,7 Prozent im ersten Quartal 2023.

Mexiko – ein zweites Mittelosteuropa?
Das Lohnniveau südlich des Rio Grande ist zudem immer noch sehr niedrig. Ende 2021 beliefen sich die Lohnkosten in der mexikanischen Industrieproduktion auf durchschnittlich 2,80 Dollar pro Stunde, während es in den USA Anfang 2022 im Schnitt 24,55 Dollar waren. Mexiko ist somit immer noch ein Billiglohnland. Doch es sind inzwischen nicht nur arbeitsintensive Fertigungsschritte, wie sie seit dem berüchtigten Nordamerikanischen Freihandelsabkommen Nafta zwischen den USA, Mexiko und Kanada von 1994 in die zoll- und steuerfreien Industriezonen, die Maquiladoras, im Grenzgebiet zu den USA ausgelagert wurden und in denen sich Montagebetriebe ansiedelten, die den Industrieaufschwung Mexikos anfachen. Inzwischen verlagern Konzerne auch forschungs- und kapitalintensive Bereiche nach Mexiko, wie der Spiegel unter Verweis auf die deutschen Unternehmen Audi und den Chemiekonzern Evonik berichtete.

Der Abgrund, der bei den Lohnkosten zwischen Zentrum und Semiperipherie klafft und der zu einer Industrialisierung der Letzteren führt, erinnert oberflächlich betrachtet an die Situation in Mittelosteuropa nach dem Beitritt zur EU. Damals war es exportorientiertes deutsches Industriekapital, das in der ersten Dekade des 21. Jahrhunderts die räumliche Nähe zu den osteuro­päischen Billiglohnländern ausnutzte, um diese als verlängerte Werkbänke in seine globalen Produktionsketten einzubinden – und hierdurch enorme Konkurrenzvorteile auf dem Weltmarkt zu erlangen.

Der große Unterschied zwischen der Fertigungsauslagerung nach Mittelosteuropa und dem Nearshoring in Mittelamerika besteht somit darin, dass es derzeit nicht mehr darum geht, Konkurrenzvorteile auf globalisierten Märkten zu erlangen. Die Industrieinvestitionen in Mexiko werden von dem Kalkül geleitet, hierdurch eine bessere Stellung – oder einen zollfreien Zugang – auf dem großen, sich immer weiter abschottenden US-Markt zu erlangen.
Bei den aktuellen Direktinvestitionen in Mexiko ist US-amerikanisches ­Kapital bei weitem führend. Im ersten Quartal 2023 investierten US-Konzerne mit 6,4 Milliarden Dollar fast doppelt so viel Kapital im südlichen Nachbarland wie Unternehmen aus Spanien, die 3,8 Milliarden Dollar aufwendeten. Aus Deutschland flossen im selben Zeitraum 1,3 Milliarden Dollar in das mittelamerikanische Schwellenland.

2022 gingen mit 15 Milliarden Dollar rund 42 Prozent aller ausländischen Direktinvestitionen (foreign direct investment, FDI) aus den USA nach Mexiko. Europa kam im vergangenen Jahr für 12,3 Prozent aller FDI in Mexiko auf, knapp gefolgt von Kanada mit 10,7 Prozent. Dieses Kapital floss hauptsächlich in die nördlichen Bundesstaaten und in den Großraum Mexiko-Stadt. Die Industrieproduktion, und hier insbesondere der Automobilsektor, bildeten einen Schwerpunkt der ausländischen Investitionstätigkeit.

Die Rache der Globalisierung
Auch die chinesischen Konzerne, die bislang kaum eine Rolle in Mexiko spielten, weiten ihre Investitionstätigkeit stark aus. Während Unternehmen aus der Volksrepublik 2019 gerade mal 67 Millionen US-Dollar in Mexiko investierten, waren es 2022 schon 406 Millionen. Ähnliches gilt für FDI aus Hongkong, die im selben Zeitraum von zehn auf 124 Millionen anstiegen. Mit dieser Investitionsstrategie bemüht sich China schlicht darum, den neuen US-amerikanischen Protektionismus zu unterlaufen. In den kommenden Jahren wollen chinesische Konzerne sogar fünf Milliarden Dollar in einem Industriepark im nördlichen Bundesstaat Nuevo León investieren, um dort 120 Unternehmen anzusiedeln und 7.000 Arbeitsplätze zu schaffen, berichteten chinesische Medien.

Von einem ähnlichen Kalkül dürfe auch die Investitionstätigkeit deutscher Konzerne in Mexiko motiviert sein – es geht faktisch darum, unter das Dach der die USA, Mexiko und Kanada umfassenden nordamerikanischen Freihandelszone USMCA (die 2018 aus der Reform des Nafta-Abkommens entstand) zu gelangen. Das britische Wirtschaftsblatt The Economist jammerte, dass die von der Regierung Joe Bidens fortgeführte protektionistische Strategie seines Vorgängers Trump schlicht nicht funktioniere, da die Lieferketten zunehmend »verheddert und undurchsichtig« würden, denn die Regularien des USMCA benachteiligten alle außerhalb dieser Zone gelegenen Standorte.

Die zunehmende Krisenanfälligkeit des überschuldeten, ökologisch zerrütteten und von Konflikten erschütterten kapitalistischen Weltsystems lässt Tendenzen zur Deglobalisierung aufkommen.

Doch die alte Globalisierung rächt sich sozusagen am neuen Protektionismus. Demnach sind etwa chinesische Solaranlagen Ende 2022 über südostasiatische Länder in die Vereinigten Staaten ausgeführt worden, indem an ihnen beim Zwischenstopp »geringfügige Modifizierungen« vorgenommen worden seien. Ähnliche »Umdeklarierungsfabriken« scheint China nun auch in Nordmexiko errichten zu wollen. Der dortige Boom allerdings ist selber ein weiteres Krisenphänomen, sein Fortgang alles andere als gesichert. Zwar sind die Investitionen in Mexiko in den vergangenen Jahren angestiegen, von rund 28 Milliarden Dollar 2020 auf circa 36 Milliarden 2022, doch wurde damit bislang nur das Investitions­niveau vor dem Beginn der Pandemie erreicht.

Flüchtiger Boom?
Zudem galt Mexiko bislang als ein Verlierer des Freihandels, da das Schwellenland nur ein durchschnittliches Wirtschaftswachstum von zwei Prozent pro Jahr verzeichnete. Dies sei »zu wenig, um Millionen Mexi­kaner aus der Armut zu führen«, wie selbst der Wirtschaftsdienst Bloomberg bemerkte. Der derzeitige ­Aufschwung der Industrie­tätigkeit in dem Schwellenland ist somit tatsächlich weitestgehend auf die strategische Entscheidung der USA zurückzuführen, die ökonomische Abhängigkeit von China zu reduzieren.

Somit ist Mexiko immer stärker vom Absatzmarkt in den USA abhängig, der seinen Aufschwung mittels schuldenfinanzierter Investitions- und Konjunkturprogramme sowie höher werdender Handelsbarrieren aufrechterhält. Die US-amerikanische politische und ökonomische Führungsschicht muss derweil mit allen zur Verfügung stehenden geopolitischen wie letztendlich militärischen Mitteln die Stellung des US-Dollar als Weltwährung verteidigen. Der nächste Krisenschub in den Vereinigten Staaten, wo immer gigantischere Haushaltsdefizite akkumuliert werden und die Inflationsbekämpfungsmaßnahmen die Anleihezinsen auf über fünf Prozent steigen lassen, wird folglich auch den Industrie- und Investitionsboom in Mexiko beenden, der faktisch ein Anhängsel dieser US-Defizitkonjunktur darstellt.

Und schließlich sind es die ökologischen Grenzen des Kapitals, die sich in Mexiko ganz konkret immer stärker abzeichnen. So verschärft sich die Wasserkrise im ausgedörrten und unter extremen Hitzewellen leidenden Nordmexiko, was viele Industrieansiedlungen wegen deren hohen Wasserbedarfs behindert. Im Februar etwa versuchte Mexikos Präsident Andrés Manuel López Obrador, den US-Elektroautohersteller Tesla dazu zu bewegen, eine in Nuevo León geplante Fabrik im wasserreichen Süden des Landes zu errichten, da der Wassermangel im Norden inzwischen ein ernstes Problem darstelle.

Im vergangenen Jahr warnte der mexikanische Wasserversorger Rotoplas, dass die sich häufenden Dürren das Wasserproblem langfristig verschärfen dürften, worunter auch die Wirtschaft leiden werde. Hinzu kommt die ruinöse Erbschaft des neoliberalen Zeitalters, in dem staatliche Investitionen in die Infrastruktur gerne zusammengestrichen wurden. Mexikos Bundesregierung wendete etwa 2012 umgerechnet rund 2,6 Milliarden Dollar für Projekte zur Verbesserung der ­Wasserversorgung auf – 2022 waren es nur noch 1,3 Milliarden. Immerhin will die Regierung mit Blick auf den Industrieaufschwung umsteuern und in diesem Jahr den entsprechenden Haushaltsposten auf umgerechnet 3,53 Milliarden Dollar erhöhen.

https://jungle.world/artikel/2023/45/nearshoring-ende-der-aera-der-globalisierung-neue-kapitalistische-naehe

Inzwischen wird auch eine neue G9 gefordert .G9 war ja auch mal die Überlegung Schröders-mit Russland und China. Das ist Geschichte. Jetzt wird überlegt, ob man als Antwort zur BRICS plus nicht die G7 um Südkorea und Australien erweitern sollte, um die Eurozentrik zu eurasisieren.

“It’s Time for the G9

Ronald A. Klain

• November 09, 2023
• Commentary

Summary:  The G7 was created fifty years ago in a different geopolitical era. Now is the moment to expand the core group.

At a dangerous time in the world—with violence in the Middle East and escalating economic and security challenges to the democratic market economies from Russia and China—national alignments continue to shift. A headline in the New York Times last month proclaimed, “With Putin by His Side, Xi Outlines His Vision of a New World Order”—a disconcerting pronouncement at any time, especially now. And just a few weeks ago, the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—moved to expand their ranks by inviting Saudi Arabia and the UAE to join their group of emerging economies. In issuing the invitation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “I would like to assure all our colleagues that we will continue the work that we started today on expanding the influence of BRICS in the world.” Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the expansion would “inject new impetus into the BRICS cooperation mechanism and further strengthen the power of world peace and development.”

While the United States has strong—and indeed strengthening—relations with key BRICS members, such as India and Brazil, the addition of more nations to a group dominated by Russia and China raises the question: shouldn’t the democratic free-market countries try to grow their team as well? For the United States, the “core team” for more than fifty years has been the other G7 members: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom. The G7 was created before the end of the Cold War and in a different geopolitical moment, and aside from an ill-fated effort to add Russia in the late 1990s, its membership has not changed. But as the world faces the economic fallout from Russia’s attack on Ukraine and rising economic and geopolitical tensions with China, and given the complexities of working within the G20, perhaps now is the time to add some new countries to the G7 core group.

Given that the group is already Eurocentric, with Japan the only Asian member, and given the challenge posed by China, adding additional nations in that region seems sensible. The two largest economies by GDP that are neither BRICS members nor existing G7 members are South Korea and Australia, both of which would be excellent additions. U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has devoted considerable efforts to strengthening ties with both nations, as critical economic and security partners in the region.

South Korea’s innovative and growing economy is not only a global leader in semiconductors and technology products, but Seoul is also making major investments in new manufacturing facilities in the United States and Europe—signs of lasting mutual interest and alignment. 

As the Ukraine war has increased ties between Russia and North Korea—and U.S. tensions with China have made South Korea’s ties with its number one trade partner more difficult—the case for having South Korea at the table as a full member of the G7 (and not just an oft-invited guest) seems especially compelling. It should have a say when the world’s major democratic free market economies plot strategy for dealing with the challenges posed by Putin and Xi—and anything that strengthens economic ties between South Korea and the existing G7 nations will create more jobs and more innovation in those nations. Likewise, as the United States works to improve relations between Japan and South Korea—overcoming their historical tensions—giving South Korean officials a seat at the G7 table on the same terms as Japan will help soften any domestic South Korean opposition to closer relations with Japan. South Korea’s economy deserves its spot in the G7, and this moment in history makes including South Korea in the group the right thing to do.

And if we are going to grow the G7, why not go to a G9, and add Australia as well? Australia’s GDP is as large as South Korea’s, and although its level of investment in the United States and Europe does not match South Korea’s surge in semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries, and auto manufacturing of recent years, it is the anchor democratic free-market country of the southern Pacific. Australia’s inclusion in the G7 would add to the group’s geographic coverage as Canberra embraces its key role vis-à-vis China—a point that U.S. leaders frequently made during the recent Australian state visit to Washington. 

The G9 would have to make clear to partners in the so-called Global South that this expansion can benefit them, too, by enabling the United States and democracies with advanced economies to work together to solve global challenges that are among the concerns they share, including climate change and pandemic readiness. Adding Australia and South Korea would bring technological know-how, resources, and two additional, competent governments to the table to strengthen the G7 toolkit.

The G7 has served the United States and the world well for fifty years. But the world has changed, and so too should this elite grouping. Let’s strengthen this platform for democratic free-market nations by adding South Korea and Australia and making it a G9.

Ronald A. Klain served as White House chief of staff from January 2021 to February 2023. He is now a partner at the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers LLP and a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The views expressed here are solely his own and not necessarily shared by his firm or CEIP.

https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/11/09/it-s-time-for-g9-pub-90969?utm_source=ctw&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=buttonlink&mkt_tok=ODEzLVhZVS00MjIAAAGPVWei8QRrxwzj9IWX-SDSjHKxDuVeN-U59-FatrB28lpW0MKaUDeUUaEo2OKp4k-hSG4IsTSsU7p5oDV3dsoDyoNO_-FioNV9mpMDTEQj

Auch würde es dann spannend, ob Nordkorea dann in die BRICS plus wollen würde. Würde das gewollt oder ist Nordkorea so ein Pariah, das das gleich abgelehnt würde? Und wie würde sich China verhalten? Russland würde einer Mitgliedschaft wohl eher zustimmen. Indien, Südafrika und Brasilien auch oder eher nicht?