China: Daily Scan, January 1, 2021

China’s economy may expand by 9 per cent in 2021, helping to overtake US sooner: South China Morning Post

January 1, 2021

China’s economic growth could reach as high as 9 per cent next year, and its rapid rebound from the coronavirus pandemic may help the economy overtake the US to become the world’s largest later this decade, analysts said.Click here to read... [2]

Xi, Putin pledge further development of China-Russia ties in New Year greetings: People’s Daily

January 1, 2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that he stands ready to maintain close contact with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in various forms in a bid to lead their countries towards deeper comprehensive strategic coordination and practical cooperation in various fields.Click here to read... [3]

Pompeo Criticizes the CCP Over Imprisonment of Hongkongers Who Unsuccessfully Tried to Flee to Taiwan: The Epoch Times

January 1, 2021

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Dec. 31 over its decision to hand down prison sentences to 10 Hongkongers who were arrested at sea in August by China’s coast guard.Click here to read... [4]

Five Things to Know About the New China-EU Investment Agreement: Caixin

January 1, 2021

China and the European Union concluded long-running negotiations on a bilateral investment agreement this week to give each region’s businesses greater access to the other’s markets. The two sides finished talks around the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment just before a year-end deadline and ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, who vowed to form an alliance with allies in challenging China.Click here to read... [5]

Xi delivers New Year speech, hails hard-won achievements in "extraordinary" 2020: Xinhuanet

December 31, 2020

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday hailed the country's hard-won achievements in COVID-19 response, economic recovery and poverty eradication in the "extraordinary" year of 2020. Xi called for continued efforts to score more "glorious" achievements while delivering a televised New Year speech to ring in 2021, a year deemed crucial by the Chinese leadership as it will mark the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and kick off a 15-year endeavor to build China into a "modern socialist country."Click here to read... [6]

China, India in discussion on holding 9th round of military talks: spokesperson: Global Times

December 31, 2020

China and India are having consultations on holding the 9th round of the corps commander level meeting, a Chinese military spokesperson said on Thursday.
The two sides have maintained consultations on frontline troop disengagement and strengthened border troops management since the 8th round of China-India corps commander level meeting held in November, Tan Kefei, the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, said a press conference, adding that the situation in the border areas is generally stable.Click here to read... [7]