World

China’s new ambassador to US says relations face ‘serious’ challenges

China’s new ambassador to the US said the relationship between the world’s two biggest economies is facing “serious difficulties and challenges.”

“We hope the United States will work together with China to increase dialogue, to manage differences and also to expand our cooperation,” Xie Feng said after his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Tuesday.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Xie, who earlier in his career had served in several roles at the embassy in Washington and was Beijing’s top representative in Hong Kong, fills a key post that had been vacant for five months. His predecessor, Qin Gang, left in early January after being promoted to foreign minister.

The appointment comes as Washington aims to stabilize ties between the two global competitors. Relations were derailed in recent months amid disputes over spying allegations, Taiwan’s sovereignty and US technology export controls.

During his brief remarks Tuesday, Xie said he intended to “engage extensively with Americans and learn about the country, as well as “properly handling sensitive and important issues, like the Taiwan question.”

The relationship remains on edge thanks to Washington’s aggressive efforts to curb China’s technology ambitions, which includes banning the sale of semiconductor equipment. Beijing showed its limited ability to retaliate by targeting imports of Micron Technology, a memory chip company that is relatively easy for China to replace.

President Joe Biden voiced optimism Sunday at the close of the Group of Seven summit that relations would “thaw very shortly.” That message as mixed with a G-7 resolution to fight what it called China’s “economic coercion,” while officials in Beijing said they questioned Biden’s “sincerity.”

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met China’s top diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna earlier this month, while China’s Commerce minister Wang Wentao is scheduled to meet this week with both US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in Washington and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai in Detroit.

Top support

Xie’s career path signals he has the trust of the country’s President Xi Jinping.

Xie, 59, was serving in Hong Kong in 2019 when the city was beset by historic and sometimes violent protests. At a forum that year, he said “the true motive of the opposition in Hong Kong and the foreign forces behind them is to mess up the city, overthrow the legitimate government.”

The “fighting spirit Xie displayed in the former British colony won him the approval of senior leaders in Beijing, helping advance his career,” the Sing Tao Daily reported in 2021, just before Xie was promoted to vice foreign minister.

“Xie is a veteran of the Foreign Ministry whose promotion likely owes to his ability to adjust his work to reflect the shifting demands of China’s top leadership,” Neil Thomas, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, said before Xie was named to the post. “When Xi wants him to be pragmatic, Xie will be pragmatic. When Xi wants him to be aggressive, Xie will be aggressive,” he said.

In his most recent post, as vice foreign minister, Xie has met with several representatives from US companies and groups, including Ford Moto’s chief policy officer and general counsel Steven Croley and Blackstone Chief Executive Officer Steve Schwarzman, as well from the National Committee on US-China Relations and The Julliard School, according to the ministry’s website.

Xie is also a vice director of a research center dedicated to Xi’s thinking on how diplomacy should be handled. On Oct. 14, he gave a “lecture” to the nation of 1.4 billion people on state broadcaster China Central Television that focused on “Xi diplomacy,” saying its ultimate aim was to care for the people.

Xie was also involved in negotiating a deal that led to China releasing two Canadian citizens and the return of Huawei Technologies Co. executive Meng Wanzhou to Beijing, according to the Wall Street Journal.

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM