Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell on Monday, calling for strengthened cooperation in China's joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The meeting marks a new attempt towards building closer bilateral trade ties.

During the meeting held in Abu Dhabi, Wang expressed hopes of ensuring practical outcomes from the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference, and he emphasized the continuous improvement and resilience of China-Australia relations, highlighting stability and positive momentum in economic and trade cooperation.

Both sides exchanged views on bilateral economic and trade relations and issues of mutual concern, with a focus on creating a favorable environment for business collaboration.

Farrell praised Australia's strong and dynamic economic and trade relationship with China, noting the growth in bilateral trade and investment in 2023. He welcomed Chinese investment and assured fair treatment for all international investors, including those from China.

Farrell also expressed interest in expanding Australian exports to China, aiming to elevate bilateral trade to new heights.

Recent developments have seen progress in various economic and trade areas, with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) initiating a review investigation into anti-dumping measures and countervailing tariffs on Australian wine. The move could potentially lead to the lifting of tariffs on Australian wine.

Against the backdrop of China's growing foreign investment, there has been a notable increase in newly established foreign-invested enterprises in January, with a significant rise in investments from Australia, which saw a staggering 186 percent year-on-year increase, according to MOFCOM.

Furthermore, Wang has expressed China's willingness to cooperate with multiple countries on joining the CPTPP. During a meeting with New Zealand's Trade Minister Todd McClay on Sunday, he highlighted China's intention to work with New Zealand in the process of joining CPTPP and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement.

The 13th WTO Ministerial Conference provided China with an opportunity to engage with relevant countries with economic and trade talks, and advancing partnership in the CPTPP, Huo Jianguo, a vice chairman of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times on Monday.

China is willing to work with other CPTPP members in reaching trade cooperation agreements, promoting the development of the organization, Huo noted.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities on the Taiwan island aim to reduce reliance on the Chinese mainland, which won't bode well for the island, the head of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises said on Saturday, urging both sides across the Taiwan Straits to strengthen cooperation for mutual economic development.

At a gathering of business leaders on Saturday, marking China's traditional Lantern Festival, Ding Kunhua, honorary chairman of The Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises, highlighted the interdependent relationship between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. "The policies of the Democratic Progressive Party to reduce dependence on the mainland could cause unbearable disaster for Taiwan", Ding said, according a cctv.com report.

Facing rising global uncertainty, Ding emphasized the complementary structure of the economies and industries of the two sides, while praising Chinese people's hardworking, intelligent, and resilient nature, and stressed the need for collaboration and mutual development, stating that only through cooperation can the economies thrive.

The gathering was attended by approximately 200 representatives across the Taiwan Straits, several business representatives from Taiwan spoke at the event, expressing hopes and confidence for expanding businesses in the Chinese mainland, according to a report by the Xinhua News Agency.

Attending the event include Chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce Lai Chengyi, Delta Group's Chairman Hai Yingjun, and Minth Group's founder Qin Ronghua, who expressed their commitment to deepening cross-Straits industrial cooperation and sharing opportunities under high-quality development.

Affected by various political and economic reasons, trade across the Taiwan Straits experienced a significant decline in 2023, dropping by 10.7 percent to reach 1,885.2 billion yuan ($262 billion). Specifically, Taiwan's exports to the mainland decreased by 10.5 percent to 1,403.3 billion yuan, according to data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

The slump in cross-straits commerce further altered Taiwan's economic expectations for 2023. The projected GDP growth rate of the island for 2023 is only 1.4 percent, marking a 14-year low.

Chinese stocks soared on Thursday on the back of a series of newly-announced supportive macro policies, with the Shanghai Composite Index growing up 3.03 percent to climb above the 2,900-point mark.

Analysts express confidence over the performance of both Chinese economy and its stock market in the long term, which will continue to defy doomsayers and inject certainty to the global economy in 2024.

On Thursday, the Shenzhen Component Index inched up 2 percent to 8,856.22, and the tech-heavy ChiNext index was up by 1.45 percent to 1,720.78.

Net purchases through northbound trading, or money invested from Hong Kong into the Chinese mainland market, reached 6.29 billion yuan ($888 million), public data showed.

More than 4,800 stocks reported growth, with nearly 100 shares rising by their daily ceiling. Shares related to State-owned enterprises, finance and real estate led the rally.

Late on Wednesday, the People's Bank of China (PBC) and the National Financial Regulatory Administration said they will allow developers to use bank loans pledged against commercial properties such as offices and shopping malls to repay loans and bonds, in the latest move to expand funding support for the real estate sector.

Pan Gongsheng, governor of the PBC, said at a press conference on Wednesday that China will cut the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) by 50 basis points from February 5, which is expected to inject 1 trillion yuan in long-term liquidity to bolster the economy.

"We have plenty of room for monetary policy maneuvers. We will strike a balance between short-term and long-term, stabilizing growth and preventing risks, internal and external equilibriums, while strengthening countercyclical and cross-cycle policy adjustments to build a sound monetary and financial environment for economic growth," Pan said.

Following a number of policies to boost market confidence, more than 40 Chinese listed companies unveiled share buyback and purchase plans on Thursday, domestic media outlet Yicai.com reported.

Among the companies that disclosed share purchase plans, 11 companies plan to conduct stock buybacks worth tens of millions yuan. Sichuan Hebang Biotechnology Co plans to buy back shares worth 400 million yuan, according to the report.

The common interests of China and the US in the economic and trade area far outweigh their disputes, and the two sides should strengthen dialogue and communication to help enterprises solve different issues in cooperation and explore potential, said China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao.

Wang shared several concerns expressed by US companies at a press briefing on Friday, with China-US bilateral relations and the politicization of trade and economic issues topping the list.

"Some US enterprises expressed concerns over de-risking, which they said is the biggest risk. Also, they're concerned about tariff-driven rising operation costs and market entry barriers due to bilateral investment restrictions," Wang said, while also taking note of uncertainties brought by sanctions, which adds to compliance costs.

Wang said that all of those concerns are issues that should be solved by both sides, and the Chinese side is sincere in promoting a solution to those issues.

In the next step, China is willing to make full use of communication and exchange mechanisms with the US and implement the consensus reached by Chinese and US leaders in San Francisco.

The mechanisms include ministerial talks, twice-yearly meetings at the deputy ministerial level and monthly consultations at the department and bureau level, as well as the export control information exchange mechanism, according to Wang.

At the top leaders' summit in San Francisco in November, Chinese and US leaders established the "San Francisco vision" oriented toward the future, providing direction and outlining a blueprint for the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of China-US relations.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US. During those 45 years, bilateral trade has grown 200 times, and two-way investment has surpassed $260 billion. Over 70,000 US companies have invested in China to date.

"China is the world's largest developing country, while the US is the largest developed country, and the two countries are each other's important trading partners, with bilateral trade and investment growing rapidly, and industrial chains closely integrated," Wang said.

He noted that the content of China-US trade and investment has expanded from trade to all fields in the economy, making important contributions to social economic development and the improvement of people's well-being in both countries.

Last year, China's imports from the US dropped by 6.8 percent, totaling $164.16 billion, while exports to the US slumped by 13.1 percent, reaching $500.03 billion, customs data showed.

Despite Washington's emphasis on adjusting its focus on Africa, it seems that US-Africa cooperation may still be a test of whether the US return to Africa can actually yield results or become just more empty talk.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has begun a tour of four African countries this week. He is scheduled to visit Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria and Angola from January 21 to 26, the US Department of State said in a statement. During his visit, he will discuss US-African partnerships in trade, infrastructure, climate, food, health security and other issues.

Since Blinken's trip to Africa comes days after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's recent visit to the continent, the timing has led some Western media outlets to draw a connection between the Biden administration's attention to Africa and the US competition with China.

While Molly Phee, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, dismissed the idea that the US is trying to compete with China in Africa, saying it's the press "who frame this as a US-China soccer match," it is an undeniable fact that African issues often struggle to garner attention in Washington due to business factors. 

This is also the fundamental reason why the US has had only slight engagement with Africa over the years. It is not hard to see that one of the key drivers of the Biden administration's increased engagement with Africa is the need to address what the US calls "competition" outside of the continent, rather than Africa's own development needs.

While the US appears to be working to address Africa's concerns over development issues, given its history of "much talk, little action" toward cooperation in Africa, it is questionable how sincere the Biden administration is in supporting Africa and strengthening economic partnerships with African countries.

For years, US-Africa trade has remained at a very low level, with a volume that's not comparable to that of the US with any of its top 10 trading partners. In 2000, US-Africa trade was $37.6 billion, and after more than two decades, that figure only came to $72.5 billion in 2022. In comparison, in 2000, trade between China and Africa stood at $10.6 billion, while in 2022, the figure surged to $282 billion. Needless to say, the gap in enthusiasm between China and the US in economic and trade exchanges with Africa is apparent.

Even though the US reportedly struck hundreds of trade and investment deals worth $14.2 billion with African nations in 2023, the credibility and sustainability of these investment promises are questioned among African countries, and the political conditions attached to US investments have often been seen as annoying. 

Many African countries are dissatisfied with the US pressuring them to take sides in global affairs, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

Compared with US-Africa cooperation, the advantages of China-Africa cooperation have been fully highlighted. The history of China-Africa cooperation dates back to the 1960s. China has been the most consistent partner and supporter of the continent's development. 

In recent years, driven by the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the Belt and Road Initiative and other mechanisms, Chinese companies have made significant contributions to Africa's economic and social development, particularly in infrastructure and agriculture.

After China has invested heavily in Africa's infrastructure and economic development for decades, the US seems to have just realized the potential and importance of African countries. While US politicians have chosen to emphasize economic cooperation, their underlying geopolitical intentions in Africa are difficult to conceal.

In the meantime, with the rise of the "Global South," Africa's strategic focus and judgment have been strengthened. The US seeks to impress Africa, but a single visit alone cannot achieve that.

A delegation of senior Japanese business leaders, led by the head of the Japan-China Economic Association (JCEA) Shindo Kosei, has been visiting China since Tuesday, the first such visit in four years.

Observers and industry insiders said on Wednesday that they expect the ongoing visit could lead to more common ground in bilateral cooperation, such as facilitating people-to-people exchanges and green-energy activities, while bringing more positivity to China-Japan relations, which have hit a number of geopolitical setbacks in recent months.

The delegation, which is scheduled to stay through Friday, will discuss a wide range of economic issues with the Chinese side.

About 200 people are participating in the trip to China, including Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation and Ken Kobayashi, chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Japan News reported on Wednesday.

"It marks the 46th time that a Japanese business delegation visited China since 1975…We hope that through exchange and dialogue with the Chinese side, the two countries could rebuild a trustworthy and friendly cooperation environment, and develop complementary, mutual learning and improving cooperation mechanisms," the JCEA said in a statement sent to the Global Times.

China and Japan are Asian neighbors and the second- and third-largest economies in the world. Under the current international situation, "it is of increasing necessity for the two countries to strengthen cooperation based on a spirit of mutual trust," the association added.

The delegation's composition is of substantial scale, which underscores the significant importance that the Japanese business community attaches to China-Japan economic relations, Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The visit is widely seen as sending a positive signal for bilateral economic relations, and it also mirrors the desire of the Japanese business community to maintain dialogue with China and expand cooperation, especially at a time when Japan's economy is struggling with a lack of indigenous drive, and as bilateral trade and investment slowed or fell last year, observers said.

China is Japan's largest trading partner and one of the top investment destinations for Japanese companies. In 2023, China's exports to Japan dropped 8.4 percent year-on-year, while imports from Japan declined 12.9 percent, customs data showed.

It is not in the interests of the majority of the Japanese business community to impose trade curbs on shipments to China, Chen Zilei, director of the Research Center for Japanese Economics at the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

China-Japan relations have been overshadowed by China-US relations. The Fumio Kishida government has for some time followed the US strategy of containing China, such as by restricting exports of advanced chipmaking equipment to China in 2023.

Ahead of the visit, Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, met with Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi in Beijing on Monday, during which they conducted in-depth communication on topics involving facilitating pragmatic cooperation between Chinese and Japanese businesses, as well as the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.

Chen expected that the Japanese side could discuss opening more direct flights and creating more convenience for business exchanges, as well as expanding areas of cooperation, as economic ties between the two countries remain complementary.

But Chen also stressed that other requests of the Japanese side should be made on the basis of "respecting the national security of China and the safety and health of Chinese citizens."

According to a report by the Nikkei, the delegation could also express the hope for the Chinese authorities to lift the ban on seafood imports from Japan, following the latter's dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean.

It is also hoped that the deepening of bilateral economic ties would create a positive environment and conditions for easing and stabilization in China-Japan relations, observers said.

According to a survey recently released by the Global Times Institute, nearly 60 percent of respondents from 19 countries, including Japan, expressed the desire for their countries to have closer and friendlier relations with China.

China hopes that the EU could uphold fair and justice in addressing the China-EU economic and trade issues to further promote business relations, said Chinese Premier Li Qiang when meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"It is hoped that the EU will uphold justice, compliance and transparency in economic and trade matters, treat Chinese enterprises fairly, and prudently introduce restrictive economic and trade policies and deploy trade remedies," Li said.

China stands ready to import more products from the EU that align with market demand, and hopes the EU will relax export restrictions on high-tech products to China, Li noted, adding that it is hoped that the two sides will work together in the same direction to push for more balanced development in bilateral trade.

China pledged to continue fostering a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business climate, and willing to work with the EU to jointly abide by the basic norms governing market economy, he said.

Li called on the two sides to take the next meeting of the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue mechanism as an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in education, science and technology, culture and tourism, and accelerate the resumption of personnel exchanges to inject new vitality into China-EU relations.

China is willing to work with the EU to implement important areas of consensus reached in the China-EU Summit, and make bilateral ties more stable, constructive, and reciprocal, so as to better promote the prosperity and development of China, the EU and the broader world, he added.

Von der Leyen said that the EU appreciates China's continuous opening-up and does not intend to "decouple" from China. She said that EU is ready to work with China in tackling climate change and promoting the reform of the World Trade Organization and further develop bilateral relationship.

China-US exchanges in various fields got off to a good start in 2024. On the first day of the New Year, leaders of the two countries exchanged congratulatory letters on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Then the 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks were held in Washington from January 8 to 9. On Tuesday, Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visited the US and was invited to deliver a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations and engaged in communication with the US side. Meanwhile, the Peking University Table Tennis Team's visit to the US and the University of Virginia Table Tennis Team's visit to China replayed the classic scene in the history of China-US relations, where the small ball pushes the big ball.

The simultaneous exchanges at the military, diplomatic and civilian fields are remarkable in this period as China-US relations are stabilizing and rebounding. The resumption and closeness of exchanges is what the Chinese and US societies as well as the international community anticipate. If China-US relations are stable, the world situation will not be in chaos; if China-US relations are unstable, the rest of the world will become concerned.

The perceptions, policies and actions of the US toward China in recent years have once brought China-US relations to a low ebb and created huge risks and potential dangers for the world. The serious consequences of the US' short-sighted policies have forced it to engage in rational reflection, and the concerns and expectations of the international community have formed a synergy that has prompted the US to make certain adjustments in its relations with China. After the San Francisco meeting, the US has shown more enthusiasm than before in implementing the important consensus of the two heads of state, and we hope that this is the result of the US drawing the lessons from the twists and turns in China-US relations in the past year, and that it will not make the same mistakes again.

Signs of relaxation in China-US relations also emerged at the beginning of 2023, but were quickly disrupted by the US sensationalizing the "balloon incident." Many actual actions by the US on issues concerning Taiwan Straits, the South China Sea, and high-tech exports to China not only failed to implement the consensus reached by the leaders and the commitments of US President Joe Biden but some instead went in the completely opposite direction, creating one vortex after another in bilateral relations. This year, China-US relations need to break free from these whirlpools.

Regarding China-US relations, China has consistently emphasized mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. The US should genuinely meet China halfway. As long as the US continues to categorize China as a "competitor" or even a "threat," all of its policies toward China will ultimately push China in that direction, and the US' gestures of easing tensions, as well as communication and exchanges, may be seen by China as mere tactical maneuvers or expedient measures without sincerity, or even with malicious intent. The US needs to work together with China to rebuild the basic political mutual trust; otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve a healthy, stable and sustained development of bilateral relations.

The US, on the one hand, is pushing for what it calls intense competition with China, while on the other hand, it is concerned that this competition might spiral out of control into conflict and confrontation. This in itself is contradictory. If the US seeks communication and exchanges solely for the purpose of competing with China "safely" without concerns, the effectiveness of such communication and exchanges will be limited. It is even less likely to guarantee that the competition initiated by the US will always stay within the "guardrails" envisioned by the US. The US should abandon this unrealistic idea as soon as possible.

In this round of communication, China has expressed its sincere desire for strengthened cooperation with the US and goodwill for peaceful coexistence. However, China has also reiterated its unwavering determination not to compromise or concede on the Taiwan question. The US must acknowledge and respect China's major concerns. On issues related to China's core interests, especially the Taiwan question, which is at the very core of China's core interests, the US must exercise caution and not cross red lines. This is a prerequisite for the correct handling of China-US relations. Without this foundation, meaningful discussions become impossible.

The Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department has recently released a notice seeking public opinions on the draft amendment of the regulations on the reward and protection of volunteer personnel who behave righteously in the province, in which the regulations stipulate that those sacrificed their lives will be awarded an additional one-million-yuan ($139,454) compensation for their righteousness.

South China's Guangdong Province aims to establish regulations that honor and protect the brave and righteous volunteer personnel, creating a more favorable environment for volunteer activities, according to the regulations. The public can submit feedback and suggestions to the provincial authorities before January 30.

In addition to receiving the corresponding awards given by the state and province for the individuals who have performed brave acts, the Guangdong provincial government will award a one-time bonus. For those who are completely unable to work will be awarded a bonus of 800,000 yuan, and those who win the title of national righteous and brave will be awarded a prize of 200,000 yuan, according to the regulations.

The act of bravery in the regulations refers to the actions of individuals who don't have legal responsibilities or obligations, but who, intervene in illegal and criminal activities or engage in rescue, emergency response and other actions, for protecting national and public interests, or others' life and property safety.

Citizens are encouraged to take appropriate and effective actions to carry out the acts of bravery, including stopping illegal and criminal activities that endanger national security, public safety, or disrupt social order, according to the regulations.

The regulations also stipulate county- or above-level governments within the province should reward those individuals who conduct acts of bravery such as releasing notification of commendation, awarding prizes and awarding the title of honor.

In order to ensure those individuals' legitimate rights, the regulations also stipulate that any organization or individual, who witnesses someone who is injured by performing a heroic act, should promptly inform the public security organs and medical institutions, and take measures to assist in treatment and provide aid. Medical institutions should prioritize treatment, and can not refuse or delay treatment.

The country has been making efforts to make sure the legitimate rights of those individuals who conduct brave acts are protected. In June 2023, a young deliveryman Peng Qinglin jumped off a high bridge to save a drowning woman in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province. Hangzhou authorities awarded Peng the title of honor and a cash prize as well.

Witnessed by 150 scientists from eight countries, the International PlateauPlus Association (PlateauPlus) was established Thursday in Beijing, during the PlateauPlus Workshop held by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

PlateauPlus is a platform proposed by Chinese scientists that aims to unite top research institutions and scientists from more than 20 countries across the globe where giant plateaus are located. It is designated to serve as an international platform for mega plateau research and to develop a new model of interdisciplinary and cross-regional global cooperation in Earth system science, read a statement the ITPCAS sent to the Global Times.

The association will focus on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Iranian Plateau in Asia, the Colorado Plateau and Columbia Plateau in North America, the Altiplano Plateau in South America, the East African Plateau in Africa and the Alps in Europe. It will conduct research on the formation and evolution of plateaus, environmental effects, biodiversity changes and human adaptation. It will also decipher the coupling mechanism between plateau uplift and surface environmental changes, and reveal the changes in plateau habitability and human social evolution, according to the ITPCAS.

Mega plateaus have significant impacts on the environment, biodiversity, and human survival. Previously, the ITPCAS mainly focused on studying the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which has also attracted many foreign scientists. However, besides the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, other mega plateaus around the world also have a tremendous impact on these aspects. So it's a good idea to unite scientists all around the world to jointly examine all these mega plateaus and find out what factors have played a vital role or how these plateaus affect each other in shaping the current environmental landscape, rivers as well as human migration and adaptation, Ding Lin, an ITP researcher and Academician of the CAS and one of the initiators of PlateauPlus, told the Global Times.

"Although aspects of the orographic development of the Tibetan region are still actively debated, collaboration across disciplines and testing ideas within the rigor of mathematical models are honing our understanding of the highly complex natural processes inherent to the Tibetan geo/ecosystem. If humans are ever going to manage our planet in a responsible and informed way, then the lessons we have learned from Tibetan Plateau research must be applied more widely to other orographically complex systems. These lessons are not just those relating to the science itself, but how we do the research, how we improve our methodologies, how we nurture international collaboration and integrate local knowledge with broader global perspectives," said Robert Spicer, emeritus professor of Earth Sciences at The Open University in the UK.

"We now have a magnificent toolbox of methodologies and ideas that can be used to investigate other plateaus worldwide, so it is time to explore and integrate plateau system research globally," Spicer said. He noted that as a world leader in science, China is very attractive for foreign scientists.

During the two-day PlateauPlus Workshop, global scientists discussed the formation and evolution of plateaus, environmental effects, biodiversity changes, and human adaptation.

Ding said that in the future the ITPCAS will host workshops in different countries, fostering a truly global perspective.

Field excursions in various global mega plateaus will be a crucial part of the journey, offering hands-on experience and deeper insights. A key focus will be engaging more and more local institutions, especially from regions like East Africa and South America, which are currently underrepresented, according to Ding.

Strengthening these connections is essential for a more comprehensive understanding and inclusive approach to the research, he noted.