The top priority for China today is the fate of its relations with the United States, but the Chinese leadership is nonetheless determined to build extensive commercial, military, strategic, and cultural ties with the wider world.
Last week, President Xi Jinping launched the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilisations – an event attended by the leaders of Asian and European nations, with the participation of think tanks from Asia, Europe, and Africa, in recognition of these continents’ important role in his flagship Belt and Road initiative.
The word "respect" came up a lot in the discussions of the Chinese officials, reflecting a growing Chinese nationalism in the face of US President Donald Trump's "America First" national security strategy.
Mr Trump has awoken this nationalism with his measures against China, which are part of a policy that enjoys broad support in the US. Mr Trump has also imposed punitive measures against Chinese tech companies that he claims are a threat to US national security.
However, realism and pragmatism have forced the Chinese leadership to continue to seek accord with the US leadership.
In the Middle East, China forged strong cultural and trade links with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, maintained strategic ties with Iran, pursued advanced relations with Israel, entrusted Syria to Russia, and launched projects in Jordan and Lebanon. It is also keeping a close watch on the Straits of Hormuz and Bab El Mandeb, which are key to its oil imports, and is expanding its presence in Africa.
Another important relationship for China is with Russia, the source of advanced arms imports. Russia is also a useful ally in the context of shared “hostility” to western ideology, not to mention the shared Communist background of the two powers. One important difference is that while the Soviet Union was the counter-pole to the US in the Cold War, today China is at pains to show that it is not another USSR.
The main conclusion of the discussions at the conference held by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), is that China sees Asia as the source of immense human, cultural, economic, historical, political and natural wealth. China’s leadership in Asia means its hand in the negotiations with the US is strengthened by a third of the world’s surface area, 4.5 billion people, and a number of strategic friendships with leading world states.
President Xi’s initiative is carefully planned, and seeks not only dialogue between Asians, but also to address America with one Asian voice. According to CASS Chairman Xie Fuzhan, Asia and its dynamic economy have entered a new era, where everyone must “respect the other” and where “arrogance is a great obstacle” to understanding.
The conversations on the sidelines of the conference, attended by the Beirut Institute, focused on US-Chinese relations and the fate of negotiations between the two countries' leaders. The first conclusion was that China did not want the rivalry to evolve into a confrontation with the US, as most Chinese want co-operation and to avoid a stand-off. The second is that US sanctions have made the future of the relationship with China ambiguous. The third conclusion is that the Trump doctrine detailed in the National Security Strategy has concerned and angered China, but that China currently has no strategy for confrontation.
“We do not believe that our interest is served by turning the idea of US-Chinese confrontation into a reality,” said one Chinese expert. "China is doing its utmost to avoid confrontation through continued co-operation”.
However, China could soon find itself “forced to adjust to reality”, albeit for the time being.
China believes US global dominance is enabled by the global security network it has established. But China is telling the countries it is wooing that it is best to work together to avoid worst-case scenarios.
China is asking Europe how, in the event that the rivalry with the US evolves into hostility, it would handle that challenge. In the meantime, the Chinese leadership is seeking stronger relations with the European powers, and to capitalise on the tensions between them and the Trump administration.
The leadership claims it has no expansionist plans in its neighbourhood, despite its border disputes with five of its neighbours, including India and Japan. The Chinese leaders also defend China’s actions in the South China Sea and the South Pacific region. They say that mutual Chinese-Indian interests require co-operation, because each of these two nations has to secure one million new jobs each month, while technological investment prospects in both countries are wide open. Regarding border disputes, the experts in China admit they are a source of some distrust between the two countries.
The Chinese experts and officials surmise that in parallel with China’s improved relations with India and Japan in recent years, the Chinese-American dynamic has undermined China’s security environment. The Chinese leadership is fully aware of the implications of the standoff with the US on relations with neighbours that have strong relations with Washington. For this reason, China is working hard to reinforce bilateral relations with them.
In the Middle East, China imports oil from both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Since the early 1990s, China has sought “balanced” relations in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict, according to one Chinese expert, with China’s trade with Israel increasing dramatically in recent years. China is Saudi Arabia’s top trade partner as well, as part of a policy pursued by both countries carefully choreographed against their respective relations with the US. Riyadh is aware of the delicate balance of its relations with the US, and is strengthening ties with China.
China is also the UAE’s top trade partner, and the UAE is assigning great importance to the Emirates’ role in the Belt and Road initiative. Abu Dhabi has appointed one of its top officials, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, as special envoy to China. China is also practically a fourth partner to the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, and is developing major projects in Egypt.
Nevertheless, Iran remains vital for China as a source of oil imports and as an ally against the US. Iran is also strategically placed for the Belt and Road project and would be a major strategic asset in a confrontation.
In October, China will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic. It will present itself as a success story, as a modern state with a solid vision all the way to 2050. But if China and the US fail to reach a deal, China’s problems will expand, its export-driven economy will suffer, and it will lose a major market in the US. China can indeed retaliate, for example by dumping US treasury bonds, but experts say such a move would be extremely risky for China and the world economy, because it could trigger a global economic crisis and threaten the Belt and Road initiative.
China is trying to confront US measures and sanctions against its giant companies, but it is hitting obstacles. China cannot accurately read Mr Trump’s policies and it knows time is not on its side. For this reason, the upcoming meeting between Mr Trump and President Xi at the G20 summit could be the final duel.
The Chinese leadership knows that failing to reach an agreement hurts its interests, although some in its ranks believe that stoking nationalism could provide it with a necessary cover if a deal falls through. What’s also dangerous is that a military confrontation is not completely out of the question. In such a scenario, many of China’s priorities would collapse, US-Chinese relations would grind to a halt, China would blame the US and could focus its energy on toppling Mr Trump in the next presidential election.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Match info
Arsenal 0
Manchester City 2
Sterling (14'), Bernardo Silva (64')
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
SPECS
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Results:
First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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