China
Biden’s strategy traces the Cold War’s mental map
Author: James Curran, University of Sydney
Within days of each other, revealing portraits of the United States and China have been unveiled. In Washington, the Biden administration released its national security strategy. It says much about American psychology at a critical juncture. And Beijing witnessed the opening of the 20th Party Congress on 16 October that will see Xi Jinping confirmed as president for a record third term.
It comes as the White House launches arguably its biggest move to compete with, and restrain, China in its technology war, curbing the ability of world and US chip makers to sell semiconductors and chip-making equipment to Chinese customers. As Bloomberg notes, it strikes at the foundation of China’s efforts to build its own chip industry.
This represents a dramatic escalation in technology decoupling and has been met with a forceful Chinese response. Furious officials in Beijing already threaten economic retaliation.
With Trump’s trade tariffs still in place, Beijing has no doubt that the US is out to cripple its capacity to compete on equal terms. On top of its property crash, strains arising from Xi’s zero-COVID-19 policy and slowing economic growth, it is not the atmosphere Xi desired to shadow the Congress.
Biden’s national security strategy is, like those of his predecessors, sonorous in style and pronouncement. It puts America on a footing for what the president calls a moment of ‘inflection’ for the world, a ‘decisive decade’ for the United States.
Crucially, it projects humility about past failures. Washington stresses it has learnt from mistakes, delivering a relieved farewell to the post-Cold War era. Even more remarkably, it appears to have relinquished the goal of democracy promotion. ‘We will not use our military to change regimes’, it says, ‘or remake societies’. This is the sharpest break of all. Largely missing is Biden’s pre-election stress on a ‘foreign policy for the middle class’. The shackles, it seems, are once more off.
This remains an America that will not easily — if ever — embrace the prospect of being a ‘normal’ nation, or even just a conventional great power. To do so would be to deny the very essence of what makes them Americans.
The enterprise sketched by US policymakers in this strategy remains vast and all-embracing. It touches all corners of the globe, embraces a panoply of policies. The community of nations, it assumes, in a statement that could have been uttered by Woodrow Wilson in Paris in 1919, ‘shares our vision for the future of international order’.
The mental map of the old Cold War with all its obvious contradictions still has a powerful hold. Though divine providence is not openly summoned, its pulse quickens the American system, fuels its self-belief. ‘Primacy’, appearing only once in the document, is no longer the beating heart of US grand strategy. But its replacement, namely ‘out-competing’ Russia and China, carries the same meaning, even as it commits to avoiding the ‘temptation to see the world solely through the prism of strategic competition’.
Indeed, in looking to eschew the notion of a new Cold War and resist a world of ‘rigid blocs’, the document remains a manifesto for the very binary Biden declared at the outset of his presidency — that between democracies and autocracies.
In doing so, the strategy is in some ways reminiscent of former US diplomat George Kennan’s Long Telegram from Moscow in 1946 — which essentially established the intellectual basis for containment of the Soviet Union. Biden’s document similarly depicts Russia and China as beset by problems associated with ‘the pathologies inherent in highly personalised autocracies’ that are ‘exporting an illiberal model of international order’.
This is a key judgment of the strategy — Russia has proven form in its invasion of Ukraine and ‘imperialist foreign policy’, and the China threat is depicted as spreading.
But older rhetorical threads are also woven through the document’s fabric, from presidents Truman through to Kennedy and Nixon. There are echoes of Truman’s speech to Congress in March 1947 in its pledge to ‘defend democracy around the world’. There are strains of Kennedy’s inaugural address in January 1961 in the strategy’s commitment to ‘support every country in exercising the freedom to make choices’. And more than a dose of Richard Nixon’s call from Guam in July 1969 — at another moment of relative American vulnerability — for even greater allied burden…
China
The US and China Forge Strategic Alliances in Northeast Asia
The U.S. and China compete in Northeast Asia, strengthening alliances and pursuing economic ties with Japan and South Korea, despite past stagnation. A new cooperative era began with the August 2023 summit.
The Geostrategic Landscape of Northeast Asia
Northeast Asia resembles a weiqi board where the United States and China strategically counter each other’s moves to limit their opponent’s influence. The U.S. is enhancing trilateral security partnerships with Japan and South Korea, expanding these alliances beyond military aspects to include economic cooperation. Meanwhile, China seeks to utilize its economic clout to engage both countries, aiming to diminish security threats posed by the U.S.-led initiatives.
The foundations for trilateral cooperation were laid in April 1999 when the U.S. formed the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group with South Korea and Japan to tackle North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. This was followed by a meeting in November 1999 among China, South Korea, and Japan during the ASEAN+3 Summit, marking the start of their own cooperative endeavors. However, both mechanisms faced stagnation due to historical tensions and trust issues.
Under President Joe Biden, a proponent of multilateralism, the U.S.-Japan-South Korea trilateral partnership has been revitalized, becoming integral to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy. The first Camp David Summit in August 2023 heralded a “new era” of cooperation in the region, attempting to navigate the evolving geopolitical environment and enhance security collaboration amid ongoing tensions with China.
Source : The US and China draw strategic triangles in Northeast Asia
Business
US vs. China: Who’s Misleading Africa? – The East African
The article discusses the influence of the U.S. and China in Africa, exploring their strategies, investments, and impacts, ultimately raising questions about motivations and the true benefits to African countries.
US vs. China: Influence in Africa
The rivalry between the US and China is reshaping geopolitics in Africa. Both nations are vying for influence, promoting their economic models and strategic partnerships to gain favor with African countries. While the US emphasizes democratic governance and human rights, China focuses on infrastructure investment and development assistance, appealing to many African governments seeking immediate economic relief.
Africa’s diverse and resource-rich nations find themselves at a crossroads, often leveraging competing offers from both powers. This dynamic creates opportunities for economic growth but also poses risks of dependency. African leaders must navigate this complex landscape, balancing foreign interests while prioritizing their countries’ long-term goals.
Ultimately, the question remains: who is fooling Africa? As both the US and China expand their footprints on the continent, it’s essential for African nations to critically assess these relationships, ensuring they benefit from foreign investments without sacrificing sovereignty.
Source : US vs China: Who’s fooling Africa – The East African
China
China Monthly Tax Update: November 2024
On November 24, the State Taxation Administration announced the nationwide rollout of fully digital electronic invoices (e-fapiao) effective December 1, 2024. This follows a successful pilot program. Digital invoices, legally valid, feature unique 20-digit numbers and streamline tax processes.
On November 24, the State Taxation Administration (STA) announced the official nationwide rollout of fully digitalized electronic invoices (e-fapiao) through its website. This decision follows the successful pilot program, which has been implemented smoothly across various regions. The pilot program has delivered notable achievements, including optimizing the business environment, improving administrative efficiency, and facilitating the digital transformation of the economy and society.
The nationwide rollout will take effect on December 1, 2024. According to the STA, digital invoices are classified as a type of “electronic invoice” under the Regulations on the Administration of Invoices of the People’s Republic of China and hold the same legal validity as traditional paper invoices. Unlike paper invoices, digital invoices exist solely in digital format and are issued as single-copy documents. Each digital invoice features a unique 20-digit number, structured to include the last two digits of the calendar year, a regional code for the provincial tax authority, a digit indicating the issuance channel, and a sequential code.
After receiving the electronic invoice, if the recipient needs to use it for declaring and deducting input VAT, fuel consumption tax, applying for export tax rebates, handling tax refunds on behalf of others, or selecting fuel inventory, they should confirm the purpose through the digital tax account.
Key points of the STA announcement are summarized in the table below:
Read more about fully digitalized e-fapiao, its impact, and how to prepare for it.
On November 6, 2024, the State Taxation Administration announced the promotion of fully digitalized electronic invoices (e-fapiao) for civil aviation passenger transport. The announcement, made in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, will take effect on December 1, 2024. This announcement specifies that public air transport companies and registered air transport sales agencies in China are permitted to issue electronic invoices for domestic passenger transport services.
| This article was first published by China Briefing , which is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The firm assists foreign investors throughout Asia from offices across the world, including in in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, and India . Readers may write to info@dezshira.com for more support. |
Read the rest of the original article.
- The US and China Forge Strategic Alliances in Northeast Asia
- US vs. China: Who’s Misleading Africa? – The East African
- China Monthly Tax Update: November 2024
- Drawing lines in the South China Sea: what Beijing’s new claims over a disputed coral reef mean
- Zheng Bijian Inspires at the 2024 Understanding China Conference, Promoting Global Cooperation – Thailand Business News
- India Indicates Willingness to Strengthen Business Relations with China Following Border Dispute Resolution – MSN
