The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on April 17 that Iran and Saudi Arabia will exchange mutual visits, including high-level ones, as part of the two countries’ efforts to fully restore bilateral ties, in line with agreements to expand cooperation. Since the Saudi-Iran deal brokered by China on March 10, the two countries have headed steadily toward the restoration of bilateral ties, which is widely hailed in the international community for bringing peace to the long period of turbulence in the Middle East. Since the historic deal was inked, the region has witnessed a growing trend of countries’ rapprochement and cooperation. Why did Iran and Saudi Arabia trust China in playing a mediating role? What is the influence of the rapprochement trend on the region and the world order? The Global Times reporters Xie Wenting and Bai Yunyi (GT) talked to the Vice President of the University of Tehran and Member of Iran’s Presidential Delegation to China, Professor
The visit of Malaysia s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to China is historical and significant for future cooperation between Malaysia and China, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Saturday as Anwar s delegation wrapped up its China visit on the same day.
On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the Ukraine crisis and more European leaders planning to visit China in the coming weeks and months, Global Times reporters Chen Qingqing and Bai Yunyi (GT) conducted an exclusive interview with Fu Cong, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, who talked about China-EU relations, the impact of the Ukraine crisis on Europe, the position of European countries on the Taiwan question and the latest balloon row that has severely damaged the mutual trust between China and the US.
In light of the response to the so-called “balloon incident”, the US’ overreaction has made people question whether “guardrails” have been built between the two countries’ relations. Can cooperation still move forward when one side keeps stirring up antagonism and creating trouble? Before the “balloon incident,” the US had reportedly reached agreements with the Netherlands and Japan to tighten export restrictions against China’s chip sector, and stopped providing US companies with licences to export to Huawei. What is the aim of such moves by the US? Is it still possible for the two countries to cooperate? What are the prospects of bilateral ties in 2023? The Global Times reporters Xie Wenting and Bai Yunyi (GT) talked with Charles W. Freeman Jr. (Freeman), a former senior US diplomat who has witnessed the establishment and development of China-US diplomatic relations.
Editor’s Note:
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with French President Emmanuel Macron on November 15 in Bali, Indonesia on the sidelines of the G20 summit. This was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitments to bolstering communication and coordination in response to the global challenges including climate change, biodiversity protection, and food security. Global Times reporters Chen Qingqing and Bai Yunyi (GT) interviewed French Ambassador to China Laurent Bili (Bili) exclusively as he talked about the prospects of China-France and China-Europe relations.