(Chang Ching, Research Fellow, Society for Strategic Studies R.O.C.)
President Xi Jinping of China led a delegation to visit France, Serbia, and Hungary in Europe for a highest level of state visit on May5-10. Many scholars and experts of Chinese studies have subsequently commented and analyzed this trip trying to interpret achievements Xi has made from the visit.
But some of the commentaries and analyses have failed to reference and compare the information released by China on Xi’s signing joint statements and related agreements with the above-mentioned three countries. Theses documents not only include mutual cooperation and exchange agreements, memorandums and letter of intent by different departments and agencies of mutual sides but extend to diplomatic documents at the level of treaties. The contents of these documents will help outline the practical relations between both sides and better understand and grasp the specific involvements between China and its diplomatic allies.
According to the information publicly issued by China, Xi has signed four joint statements on the situation in the Middle East, maritime cooperation, artificial intelligence and agricultural exchanges, together with 18 cooperation agreements with France in this visit. He also signed a joint statement with Serbia on deepening and upgrading comprehensive strategic partnership and forming a community with a shared future in the new era by the two sides while two treaties and several administrative agreements, memorandums and letters of intent in a total of 28 documents to strengthen bilateral diplomatic relations were signed. In his visit to Hungary, Xi signed a joint statement on building an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership, together with 18 cooperation agreements. All the above-mentioned joint statements and agreement documents should be regarded as crucial information to further understand the recent development of Beijing’s foreign relations.
In addition, there are three news releases by Xinhua News Agency, that are significant to understand how China looks on the achievements and political implications of Xi’s visit. They included a news release on May 11 titled “A Successful Journey to Carry Forward Friendship, Promote Unity and Chart the Course for the Future-Wang Yi, Member of the Central Political Bureau and Foreign Minister, Talks About President Xi Jinping’s State Visits to France, Serbia, and Hungary” to initially confirm the outcomes of Xi Jinping’s visit. Later, on May 13, Xinhua News Agency released two respective news titled “China and France Encounter Again in the Long River of History-A Record of President Xi Jinping’s Third State Visit to France” and “Strength of Moving in a Positive Direction-A Record of President Xi Jinping’s State Visits to Serbia and Hungary” to conclude the official comments on Xi’s visit.
Some observers of Chinese politics and foreign affairs might mock the three news releases as red tape and official propaganda from state media, but they are important information for the French, Hungarian, and Serbian embassies in Beijing to report to their respective governments with translations so that their professional analysts could interpret and assess how the Chinese authorities evaluate this visit.
Though Taiwan was not directly mentioned in the news releases, but when reporting the process of visiting Serbia, it explicitly quoted Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic as saying, “we support 'one China principle.' And, when asked about it, we always say that it’s China’s internal affairs.” In addition, when describing Xi’s dialog with Macron, it reiterates, “Chinese civilization is the only one in the world that has lasted for more than 5000 years without interruption. Because of it, Chinese people have a strong sense of national identity and particularly value and cherish the national unity.” With positive response, Macron said, “our understanding of China’s stance on significant issues has deepened.” In the same news release Wang Yi also quoted Hungarian high-level officials including President Tamás Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Mihály Orbán as saying, when meeting Chinese delegates, that Hungary firmly sticks to “one China principle” in the past, present and the future. Actually, it reveals that Taiwan issue is a key point that China needs to confirm repeatedly in dealing with external relations. The fact that the three European countries accorded Xi Jinping the highest level of reception for this state visit demonstrates that they will never touch Beijing’s most sensitive nerve, or all the efforts of increasing bilateral relations will be in vain.
In summary, the information regarding Xi’s overseas visits offered by official medias and websites of China is subject to skepticism or need further interpretation because of their perspectives and political stance. However, they can’t be completely ignored, or it will be self-limiting and giving up understanding the fundamental position of the Chinese authorities, from which one can grasp the most reliable information source about China’s viewpoints and political assessment of related events.
（Translated to English by Tracy Chou）
