The BRICS group wrapped up its two-day leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. The summit’s final communique is a 16,000-word doorstop that covers numerous issues from economics to education.
The communique avoids any direct mention of the United States, and references to “unilateralism” and other coded criticism are also relatively scarce. Rather, the communique keeps the focus on the BRICS’ vision of the strengthening and reform of the global multilateral system ...
Category: Humanitarian aid
China’s Quake Relief a Messaging Win
The first batch of Chinese emergency aid arrived in Myanmar on Monday. By then, Chinese rescue teams were on the ground in Myanmar and Thailand, and they had rescued six people. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun framed the response as a sign of China’s regional commitment: ...
China’s Rapid Response to Myanmar Quake Contrasts With U.S. Absence
China moved quickly this weekend to respond to the devastating earthquake in neighboring Myanmar that killed at least 1,700 people. More than 200 emergency personnel from across China along with dozens of others from Hong Kong and the Chinese Red Cross Society were ...
China’s Xi Sends Quake Condolences to Myanmar Junta Chief
China's President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to Myanmar's junta chief on Saturday, a day after a devastating earthquake killed at least 1,000 people. Xi "expressed deep sorrow" over the destruction and said China was "willing to provide Myanmar ...
Why China Won’t Replace Western Aid
Tom Fletcher, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told reporters on Wednesday that the Trump administration’s sudden withdrawal of U.S. foreign assistance will endanger about 300 million people. The collapse of U.S. foreign assistance (and cuts announced in Europe) raised questions about whether China will fill the ...
Biden Announces $1 Billion for Africa During Maiden Trip
By Aurélia End U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced more than $1 billion in humanitarian assistance to Africa during a visit to Angola, where the United States is showcasing a major infrastructure project aimed at countering China's investments on the ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Xi Says ‘Saddened’ by PNG Landslide, Offers Assistance
China's President Xi Jinping said Monday he was "saddened" to learn of a landslide disaster in Papua New Guinea and offered help to the Pacific island nation. Papua New Guinea's authorities say more than 2,000 people have been buried in a ...
China Discusses Ceasefire, Aid to Gaza with Egypt
China’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Zhai Jun, said China is “ready to coordinate” with Egypt to promote a ceasefire in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The comments came during a phone call with Osama Khedr, the assistant minister of the ...
China, Syria Blame U.S. Sanctions on Damascus for Hampering Earthquake Relief
China will send $4.4 million in emergency humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit Syria. The announcement came as China also echoed a call by Damascus for U.S. and European sanctions to be lifted to facilitate the delivery of aid. The death toll in northern ...
Chinese Search and Rescue Teams Now on the Ground in Turkey with Dozens More on the Way
An 82-person Chinese search and rescue team is on the ground in earthquake-hit Türkiye after arriving at Adana airport on Wednesday. The team brought 20 tons of medical supplies, rescue equipment, and four sniffer dogs. The team will coordinate with local authorities, the Chinese embassy, ...
China Sends Personnel, Aid to Assist With Quake Recovery in Türkiye
China announced a series of measures to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Türkiye and Syria in response to Tuesday's devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that killed at least 8,000 people. Beijing is still a relatively new actor in being able to provide rapid response ...
China and Forced Displacement in an Age of Crises
By Hugo Jones The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has estimated that the number of forcibly displaced people across the globe now surpasses 100 million. Weak economic growth, compounded by an emerging food crisis, is likely to inflate this ...
New Contingent of Chinese Blue Helmets Arrive in DR Congo
Nearly one hundred Chinese PLA soldiers operating as UN peacekeepers arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Friday. None of the troops will be assigned to combat roles and instead will support existing Chinese engineering and medical detachments.