Path to new international order paved with BRICS? – China’s latest political and current affairs news
A summary of the top news in Chinese politics and current affairs for September 6, 2017. Part of the daily The China Project newsletter, a convenient package of China’s business, political, and cultural news delivered to your inbox for free. Subscribe here.
Can the largest emerging economies really work together cohesively? China sure hopes they could. President Xi gave a big speech at the BRICS summit on September 5 in which he “urged BRICS nations to deepen coordination on global matters,” Reuters reports. If the emerging economies fight for and win enough “representation power,” he argued, they can build a “more just and reasonable international order.”
There are first just a couple of tiny obstacles to overcome, however.
- BRICS nations have very little in common interests, AFP reports. Due to the group’s vastly different political and economic systems and incentives, what it has achieved during its existence has largely been “low-hanging fruit on institutional cooperation,” experts say. Furthermore, trade within the group is heavily dominated by China, ironically mirroring the way that the U.S. and Western Europe influence many international organizations.
- China and India just resolved their worst border spat in many generations, but as M. Taylor Fravel writes in War on the Rocks, it is not at all clear that either side made any real compromises or learned any real lessons to apply to future conflicts.
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Human rights
China’s rights crackdown is called ‘most severe’ since Tiananmen Square / NYT (paywall)
Wife: China may soon put detained Taiwan activist on trial / AP
The unexpected call from a lawyer was the first direct news Lee Ching-yu had heard of her husband, Lee Ming-che, in 172 days. -
South China Sea
China brushes off Vietnam protests over South China Sea drills / Reuters
As world watches Kim, China quietly builds South China Sea clout / Bloomberg -
Myanmar
Myanmar plays diplomatic card to avert U.N. censure over Rohingya / Reuters
“Myanmar said on Wednesday it is negotiating with China and Russia to ensure they block any U.N. Security Council censure over the violence that has forced an exodus of nearly 150,000 Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh in less than two weeks.” -
19th Party Congress
Chinese general reported to be facing corruption probe off military delegation to party congress / SCMP -
Media
SCMP Editor Tammy Tam: “Alibaba guaranteed us resources while the print industry struggles” / Mumbrella Asia
