What's New

March 26, 2023

Andrew's April 2023 Newsletter

(My quarterly Newsletters go out to some 8,000 professional contacts worldwide. The following is my April 2023 issue. Back numbers may be accessed under What is New on my website.)

Greetings!

From Europe to the Middle East, the world's geopolitical tectonic plates are shifting fast. Uncertain outcomes are confronting the Great Powers. America and its European allies remain united against a revanchist Russia. However, they appear anxious, if not paranoiac, about a rapidly rising, and sure-footed China, suddenly emerging from three years of pandemic lockdown to demonstrate its growing global gravitas. Meanwhile, a prolonged continental-scale proxy war over Ukraine has resulted in persistent inflation, repeated interest-rate hikes, social unrest, and an apparently contagious banking crisis.

Much of the West's mishaps and misguided actions reflects an unspoken denial. Unable to call all the shots, the West's absolute dominance over the world order no longer endures. While the art of peaceful, inclusive co-existence (or "harmony despite differences" according to ancient Chinese philosophy), has yet to be learnt, the world is becoming a more dangerous place. The supply of "depleted uranium shells" to Ukraine may risk bating a heavily-nuclear-armed Russia in a downward spiral towards nuclear Armageddon.

The following may offer fresh perspectives on some of the world's most critical flashpoints.

Xi-Putin Meet - Ukraine War
Deciphering the Xi-Putin meeting in Moscow (Exclusive live TV interview with RT)
Xi Jinping's Russia Visit: Official talks between Putin and Jinping held on March 21 (Live TV interview with WION TV of India)

Macron has urged Beijing to pressure Russia to end the war (Live exclusive interview on WION TV of India)

Two Sessions - National development
Eleven ways the two sessions will safeguard advancement of China 3.0 (Op-ed in China Daily) Republished by Rome-based World Geostrategic Insight in French, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic.
What were the key takeaways from China’s National Congress session? (Live exclusive TV interview on TRT World, based in Istanbul)

How country is overcoming demographic challenges (Op-ed in China Daily)
China a sunny spot amid global dark clouds (Op-ed in China Daily)
The Great Tech Rivalry - China v the US (A YouTube podcast of Harvard Kennedy School findings)
Economics of the Two Sessions in Beijing (Backchat on RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong)
"After coming to live in China, I have loved it here" American digital entrepreneur Cyrus Janssen (TED Talk on YouTube)

"Most of what the Western media says about China is wrong" (A YouTube blog by retired Australian social-media commentator based in Zhongshan)

Minning Town - China's new popular TV series dubbed in English and Arabic (An overview)
"China has made considerable progress under Xi Jinping’s leadership" (Live interview with Press TV)
China will survive a pandemonium of surging infections to vindicate its “dynamic-zero” Covid strategy (By-invitation feature article in India's Mero Tribune)

Middle East

John Lee's Middle East trip rife with potential (Op-ed in China Daily)
Tehran is seeking to join the BRICS group of nations and China supports the bid (Exclusive live interview with Press TV)

Implications of Iran President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Beijing (Exclusive live interview with Press TV)

US-China relations
Does US-hegemonic decline translate into a fight between “democracy” and “autocracy” in maintaining a benign world order? (Op-ed in Rome-based World Geostrategic Insights. Republished in French, Spanish , Russian, and Arabic
China's "global ambitions" according to two prominent Western sinologists (An In-depth analysis)

Is it too late for the US to contain China? (Aljazeera English TV interview with Kishore Mahbubani)
"China's Growth Is Seen As Threat To US' Hegemony” China Strategist (Live TV panel discussion on NDTV of India)

The Reckoning That Wasn’t : Why America Remains Trapped by False Dreams of Hegemony (An in-depth analysis)

“US trying to derail China as emerging rival” (Live interview with Press TV)

The Chinese Balloon Saga
'Balloon incident may not bode well for Biden, Xi' (Commentary quoted in article featured on Turkey's independent Anadolu Agency)

Chinese balloon over American homeland an unfortunate incident interrupting fence-mending efforts (Live exclusive TV interview with NDTV of India)
A straying Chinese balloon over Montana blows US-China talks off course, for now (Live TV interview with RT)

Australia and New Zealand
Australia to buy nuclear-powered submarines from US - implications (Live exclusive interview with RT)
New Zealand To Ban Chinese App TikTok On Government Devices After Ban In UK & U.S. (Live TV interview on India's Mirror Now TV)

India
The Debate: Xi Jinping Handed Unprecedented 3rd Term, What Does It Mean For India? (Live TV panel debate on Republic TV of India)

China, India power game for Sri Lanka; Russia, Pakistan oil deal (Live feature interview with Press TV)

North Korea
N Korea test-fires 2 submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles ahead of US-South Korea war-games (Live interview on Press TV)

North Korea says it has test-fired four strategic cruise missiles (Live interview with Press TV)

Roundup on China's Covid strategy
A roundup on China's Covid strategy (A live TV on-location recording for Russia's NTV's weekly analytical show)

Cheer up and chill out
I have added a new entry "A Flash of Inspiration" and some other translations to a repertoire of inspirational music, videos, songs and words.

My coming London sojourn mid-July through August
I will be staying in London from 17 July to 31 August, where I remain open to business meetings, interviews, speaking engagements, lectures, social get-togethers etc.

International investment opportunities
I have joined the International Advisory Board of Silk Road Partners, an international investment firm. See its corporate profile. Mr Yves Leterme, ex-Prime Minister of Belgium (November 2009 to December 2011) has joined the International Advisory Board. If you are interested in getting in touch with us, please give me a shout.

Consultation services
Please email me at andrewkpleung@gmail.com or text my Hong Kong mobile +852 98198987. I can also be reached on Skype at andrew.k.p.leung, LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andrewleunginternational, Whatsapp at (852) 98198987, WeChat at Andrewkpleung, Facebook at andrewkinpongleung, and Twitter at @Andrewkpleung

Business networking and speaking platform in Hong Kong
As an Advisor to the Denmark-based Executives' Global Network Hong Kong, I welcome your suggestion of a suitable speaker for an EGN event in Hong Kong. This will be entirely at our own cost with acknowledgement of your support, provided that we are not asked to cover any speaking fee, travel or accommodation expenses.

RSS feed and weblinks
My posts are regularly uploaded under my three blogs CHINAwatch, Publications and What's New . A collection of leading China media and research sites can be found under China Links.

Please feel free to save my website on your computer, laptop, tablet, iPhone or iPad as a reference resource. If you wish instant access as soon as my postings appear, just click on “Subscribe to this blog’s feed” under RSS Feed on top of the right-hand column of each blog. Select the appropriate Google feed option. It is free of charge.

This newsletter is uploaded to my website here.You may save it for reference or reading at leisure. You are free to share it on Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Twitter or other social media devices.

Courtesies
I look forward to your guidance, advice, comments, suggestions, and criticisms. You may share the above contents with colleagues or friends. You are also welcome to publish any of them with full attribution.

If you think that I may add value to your endeavors in any way, please let me know how I may help. If for any reason you do not wish to receive my emails, just ask me to delete your name from my data bank permanently.

Best personal regards,

Andrew K. P. Leung, SBS, FRSA
International and Independent China Strategist
Andrew Leung International Consultants and Investments Company Limited

Positions

Chairman and CEO, Andrew Leung International Consultants and Investments Limited

(Founded in London, now re-incorporated in Hong Kong; name changed from Andrew Leung International Consultants Limited as from 10 July, 2017)

China Futures Fellow, Berkshire Publishing Group, Massachusetts, USA (2011-13)
Brain Trust member, The Evian Group (global think-tank), Lausanne, Switzerland

Gerson Lehrman Group (Global Experts) Council Member
International Expert, Reuters Insight Community of Experts, Thomson Reuters

Senior Analyst, Wikistrat , a cloud-sourced global strategic consultancy based in Washington D.C.

Senior Consultant, MEC International (a UK-based global strategic energy consultancy)

Distinguished Contributor, Asymmetric Threats Contingency Alliance (ATCA) (global think-tank)

Professor of Practice, Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development (2018-20)

Certified Sustainable Development Planner, World Institute of Sustainable Development Planners

Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA)

Elected Member, Royal Society for Asian Affairs

Think-tank Research Fellow, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai Campus, PRC (14.4.2017-13.4.2020)

International Advisory Board Member, Silk Road Partners

Download Silk Road Partners - corporate profile 24-06-2022

Advisory Board member, The e-Centre , European Centre for e-Commerce and Internet Law, Vienna

Honorary Adviser, International Institute of Management (IIM)

Advisory Board member, The Global Analyst, India

Honorary President, China Hong Kong Economic and Trading International Association (from 28 March, 2016)

Global Commercial Agent, Changsha City, China

Hong Kong Advisory Board member, Denmark-based Executive Global Network (EGN)

Visiting Professor, London Metropolitan University Business School

Governing Council Member, King’s College London, UK (2004-2010)
Advisory Board member, China Policy Institute, Nottingham University, UK (2005 -2010)

Visiting Professor, Sun Yat-sen University Business School, China (2005-10)
Founding Chairman, China Group, Institute of Directors City Branch, London, UK (2006-2010)
Vice Chairman, 48 Group Club, UK (2008-2010)
Committee Member of RSA, London Region, UK (2006-2010)
Included in UK's Who's Who since 2002

Awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) in the July 2005 Hong Kong Honours List

Posted at 10:00 PM in Asia, Banking, Biotechnology, Books, Business promotion, China Business, China's politics, China's Rise, Cities, Climate Change , Consumption, Currencies, Current Affairs, Defense, Democracy, Development_, e-Commerce, Economy, Emerging Economies, Energy, EU, Europe, Finance, Food and Water Security, Future, Geopolitics, Globalization, Healthcare, History, Hong Kong, Innovation, Investment , Japan, Life, Manufacturing , Middle Class, North Korea, Philosophy, Population, Regional development, Russia, Science, Sustainable Development, Taiwan, Technology, Television, United States, Urbanization, Vietnam, World | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 16, 2023

N Korea test-fires 2 submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles ahead of US-South Korea war-games

Like TV discussion on 14 March 2023 with Press TV.

Posted at 02:34 PM in Asia, China's Rise, Current Affairs, Defense, Denuclearization, Geopolitics, Military, North Korea, Politics, Regional development, South Korea, Television, United States, Warfare | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 15, 2023

Australia to buy nuclear-powered submarines from US - implications

Live TV interview with RT on 14 March 2023

Posted at 06:03 PM in Asia, China's Rise, Current Affairs, Defense, Geopolitics, India, Japan, Military, Politics, South China Sea, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, UK, United States, Warfare, World | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 01, 2023

The Reckoning That Wasn’t : Why America Remains Trapped by False Dreams of Hegemony

The erudite Foreign Affairs piece dated 28 February 2023 by Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor Emeritus of International Relations and History at Boston University and Chair of the Board of his co-founded Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, describes how America's zeal to save the world for freedom and democracy was borne of its laudable successful role in ending the Second World War.

Empowered by the national imperative in NSC (National Security Council document) 68 (1950), and egged on by America's long-established "military-industrial complex", the United States has been trapped by its Second World War glory in continuing to play the role of world policeman, only to end in one monumental fiasco after another - e.g. Vietnam War, the World on Terror (Iraq) and the War in Afghanistan - at gigantic cost in blood and fortune to itself and many times over to its perceived adversaries.

The author's hope that this tragedy of self-imposed errors may be corrected is, however, a triumph of hope over reality. America's military-industrial complex remains deeply entrenched, its tenacles reaching to all levers of state power and politics, including influential privately-funded national thinktanks. The intricate power web is exposed in depth in Jane Mayer's revealing book -Dark Money: How a Secretive Group of Billionaires is Trying to Buy Political Control in the U.S (Scribe 2016)

What is more, the Ukraine war, which the author well defines as a truly proxy war, has in many ways a hidden agenda to break Russia first, so as to concentrate later on breaking China next. The latter is firmly held to be the greatest existential threat to the endurance of US hegemony, the bedrock of America's military-industrial complex.

Indeed, the groundwork for the "Contest of the Century" is well underway, including intensifying, no-holds-barred, bipartisan pushback against and demonization of China, hyping it into a sabre-rattling existential contest "between democracy and autocracy", oblivious to possibilities of "harmony despite differences" according to Chinese philosophy.

Posted at 03:15 PM in Asia, Books, China's Rise, Current Affairs, Defense, Democracy, Economy, EU, Eurasia, Europe, Finance, Future, Geopolitics, Globalization, Japan, Military, Politics, Regional development, Russia, South China Sea, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Technology, UK, Ukraine , United States, Warfare, World | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 27, 2023

Minning Town - China's new popular TV series recently dubbed in English and Arabic for global distribution

The original Chinese TV series 山海情 consisting of 23 epistles delves into China's poverty relief struggle in the 1990s, full of heart-wrenching ups and downs. It has recently been dubbed in English and Arabic for global distribution, winning wide acclaim. The English version can be watched here.

Unlike "Wolf Warrior" films, the series should appeal to a massive audience in the poverty-stricken "global South". The effort appears to be a tale-telling breakthrough in projecting China's 'soft power" globally.

The backdrop is China's continuing poverty relief struggle. Since 1980, China has managed to lift some 800 million people out of extreme poverty (defined as per capita income of US$2.3 a day). Click here However, images of throngs of ultra-modern middle-income spenders notwithstanding, some 600 million Chinese still live with US$5 a day. Click here

Posted at 10:32 PM in Africa, Asia, Central America, China's Rise, Current Affairs, Democracy, Development_, Emerging Economies, Eurasia, Film, Food and Water Security, Geopolitics, Latin America, Middle East, Regional development, Southeast Asia, Sustainable Development, Television, Vietnam, World | Permalink | Comments (0)

North Korea says it has test-fired four strategic cruise missiles

Live interview with Press TV on 24 February 2023

Posted at 07:24 PM in Asia, Current Affairs, Defense, Denuclearization, Geopolitics, Japan, Military, North Korea, Politics, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Television, United States, Warfare | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 03, 2023

China, India power game for Sri Lanka; Russia, Pakistan oil deal

Exclusive live interview on 27 January 2023 with Press TV.

Posted at 09:38 PM in Asia, Banking, China's Rise, Current Affairs, Defense, Economy, Emerging Economies, Geopolitics, India, Military, Politics, Regional development, Southeast Asia, Television, Warfare | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 26, 2022

Andrew's January 2023 Newsletter

(My quarterly Newsletter goes out to some 8,000 professional contacts worldwide. The following is my January 2023 issue. Back numbers may be accessed under What's New on my website)

Greetings! May I first wish you and your loved ones a Happy Holiday Season and a rewarding 2023!

As we experience some festive relaxation, dark clouds continue to gather on the horizon. How would the Ukraine war pan out, with Russia losing or regaining the upper hand? Is a new multipolar World Order beginning to take shape, or will American hegemony continue to endure? Would US-China relations stabilize into a new normal, flashpoints like Taiwan notwithstanding? How would China's population, a fifth of humanity, cope with a sudden transition from a "dynamic zero-Covid" strategy to "living with the virus", as the pandemic appears to morph into a less deadly endemic like many other countries?

Testing uncertainties remain. The following may hopefully offer some useful perspectives, including sunshine in the horizon.

World Order

How Xi’s Saudi Arabia visit shows rise of new world order beyond US hegemony (Op-ed in the South China Morning Post)

China-Arab ties enter new era Op-ed in China Daily national and global version; republished on Rome-based World Geostrategic Insights.

Momentum building for more inclusive global order (Op-ed in China Daily, national and global version). The Hong Kong version is titled US still mired in a 'Cold War' mindset, but the tide's turning Also published in Chinese by Hong Kong's Chinese media and by Rome-based World Geostrategic Insights in French, Spanish and Russian.

Russia's Medvedev met with President Xi alluding to emergence of new world order? (Exclusive live interview on RT)

China, including HK, could turn ‘winter of despair’ into ‘spring of hope’ (Op-ed in China Daily) Republished with attribution by World Geostrategic Insights in French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and by Chinese media outlets (some abridged): 來論｜冬天來了，春天還會遠嗎？; 文匯論壇 | 香港如何在全球變局中轉危為機？

The West is misreading China’s Party Congress at the peril of world stability (Op-ed in Rome-based World Geostrategic Insights), republished in French, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic. Also appeared in China Daily

Cambridge Poll shows 70% of World Now Supports China (An analysis)

How the World Order is transforming into a Multipolar Contest for Global Power (and if a Brave New World is possible?) (An 80-slide PowerPoint presentation)

China urges US to abandon its bullying to reign in the Asian country’s development (Live discussion on Press TV)

Xi: China opposes interfering in other countries' domestic politics, opposes double standards (Interview with Press TV)

Forum MEDays 2022, Tangier, Morocco, 2-5 November; "From Crises to Crises; Towards a New World Order?" (Conference highlights)

China's Party Congress

Deciphering China's 2022 National Party Congress (Live TV interview with WION, India)

China's ruling party approves sweeping reshuffle at end of week-long gathering in Beijing (Live interview with Press TV)

President Xi opening the Party Congress - Hong Kong and Taiwan (Live interview with WION TV of India)

China's Party Congress underway (Live interview with NDTV of India)

20th Party Congress - Common Prosperity (RTHK Backchat)

应抓住世界百年未有之大变局加快粤港澳大湾区融合发展 (Chinese transcript of a talk "Seizing the opportunity of century to accelerate Greater Bay Area integration")

China's Covid strategy

Is China hiding its COVID-19 numbers? (TV panel discussion on TRT World)

China: dilemma of Zero-Covid strategy (Live TV interview with WION TV of India)

Is China's Covid model broken (Live interview with India Today TV)

China's Protests

Rare anti-Xi protest in Beijing days before China's Communist Party meet (Live TV panel discussion on India Today TV)

What actually happened outside the Manchester Chinese consulate (Live interview with RT)

Taiwan

President Xi doubles down on Taiwan; praises Hong Kong for emerging from chaos to governance (Interview with Press TV)

Ukrainian delegation visits Taiwan - why and wherefore (Live interview with RT)

North Korea

North Korea says needs indigenous missile program for self-defense (Live interview with Press TV)

North Korea: Missile tests self-defense against direct US military threats (Live panel discussion with Press TV)

Cheer up and chill out

Experiencing Tangier, Rabat, Chefchaouen (Blue City), and Casablanca (A music video clip)

I have added a new entry "Enjoying Nature to the Full" on Song Dynasty poet Lu You (陆游) and some other inspirational translations to my repertoire of inspirational music, videos, songs and words.

Speaking and lecturing opportunities

I will be having a month-long sojourn in London in March 2023. During my stay, I remain open to invitations or proposals for interviews, speaking engagements, visiting lectures or tailor-made electives as a visiting/adjunct professor.

International investment opportunities

I have joined the International Advisory Board of Silk Road Partners, an international investment firm. See its corporate profile. Mr Yves Leterme, ex-Prime Minister of Belgium (November 2009 to December 2011) has recently joined the International Advisory Board.

If you are interested in getting in touch with us, please give me a shout.

Consultation services

Please email me at andrewkpleung@gmail.com or text my Hong Kong mobile +852 98198987. I can also be reached on Skype at andrew.k.p.leung, LinkedIn at andrewleunginternational, Whatsapp at (852) 98198987, WeChat at Andrewkpleung, Facebook at andrewkinpongleung, and Twitter at @Andrewkpleung

Business networking and speaking platform in Hong Kong

As an Advisor to the Denmark-based Executives' Global Network Hong Kong, I welcome your suggestion of a suitable speaker for an EGN event in Hong Kong. This will be entirely at our own cost with acknowledgement of your support, provided that we are not asked to cover any speaking fee, travel or accommodation expenses.

RSS feed and weblinks

My postings are regularly uploaded under my three blogs CHINAwatch, Publications and What is New on wwwandrewleunginternationalconsultants.com A collection of leading China media and research sites can be found under China Links.

Please feel free to save my website on your computer, laptop, tablet, iPhone or iPad as a reference resource. If you wish instant access as soon as my postings appear, just click on “Subscribe to this blog’s feed” under RSS Feed on top of the right-hand column of each blog. Select the appropriate Google feed option. It is free of charge.

This newsletter is uploaded to my website here.You may save it for reference or reading at leisure. You are free to share it on Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Twitter or other social media devices.

Courtesies

I look forward to your guidance, advice, comments, suggestions, and criticisms. You may share the above contents with colleagues or friends. You are also welcome to publish any of them with full attribution.

If you think that I may add value to your endeavors in any way, please let me know how I may help. If for any reason you do not wish to receive my emails, just ask me to delete your name from my databank permanently.

Best personal regards,

Andrew K. P. Leung, SBS, FRSA
International and Independent China Strategist
www.andrewleunginternationalconsultants.com

Positions