@alecolarizi

Venerdì esce il libreria "Africa rossa: il modello cinese e il continente del futuro", libro in cui cerco di spiegare la strategia cinese in Africa, dai Ming fino a Xi Jinping. Grazie a @LasinoDoroEdiz e @simopieranni per la bellissima prefazione. A breve novità su @chinafiles

"Lee, who spoke immediately after Xia, echoed much of what his boss said, vowing to "proactively" work on a 5-year plan to complement Beijing's. The plan signals a shift for a city long heralded as a model of laissez-faire capitalism" asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/hong…

@Lingling_Wei In his head, he must think he is going to India…

"President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks."

You won’t believe this: Volvo’s new brand ambassador… Hu Xijin (胡锡进) This is not AI-generated. Volvo is now owned by 🇨🇳 Geely… 😵‍💫🫣

Bill Bishop flagged it. I checked the data. He was right. 人民领袖 ("People's Leader") is trending back into Chinese state media — a Mao-era honorific that's been off-limits since 1978. Full analysis in today's Sinocism. Data via PropagandaScope. sinocism.com/p/the-peoples-…

Trump says he asked China's Xi not to give Iran weapons."I wrote ​him a letter asking him not to do ‌that, ⁠and he wrote me a letter saying that, essentially, he's not doing that,"  reuters.com/world/china/tr…

负责亚洲事务的外交部副部长孙卫东昨天突然被免去外交部副部长职务，引起海外高度关注，纷纷认为不太正常，按说退休也要等到今年9月，提前免职要么是升职要么是出事的前兆，今天就传来消息，孙卫东出任国安委办公室常务副主任，这是一个正部级的位子，这意味着孙卫东还能至少干上5年，也将会在21大抢占一个中委指标，这个位子非常重要，一般呆上一段时间，都会委以重任，与外交系统相关的部门也面临着大换人，孙卫东卡在副部级退休之年解决正部，很可能还会接一个正职。

"Iran’s Ambassador to China has formally rejected US allegations regarding Chinese arms transfers to Tehran...expressed Tehran’s gratitude toward Beijing and Moscow for their recent use of veto power in the UNSC regarding a resolution focused on the Strait of Hormuz." His remarks follow two separate statements from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson who denied reports last week that China was planning to supply Iran with surface-to-air missiles. Four days ago, CNN cited intelligence sources, saying China may be routing MANPADS deliveries through third countries to ensure deniability. The dual denials come after Trump's direct threat to impose a 50% tariff on any country - and he confirmed that includes China - if the arms transfers are proven. Cynics would argue that "never believe anything until it has been officially denied twice," but we must wait for additional verification from intelligence sources, confirming the arrival of air defense systems in Iran or their interception on the way. Just to add, the IRGC and Iran's broader intelligence and security apparatus have worked closely with the Iranian ambassador to China, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, a former interior minister and chair of the National Domestic Security Council (NDSC). In 2018, former President Hassan Rouhani appointed him as his representative to the Center for Combating Goods and Foreign Currency Smuggling, where he worked closely with the IRGC. Therefore, it's safe to say he understands a thing or two about illicit trade. Full text from Tehran-based news agency WANA (in English): WANA (Apr 14) – Iran’s Ambassador to China, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, has formally rejected U.S. allegations regarding Chinese arms transfers to Tehran, asserting that Beijing’s foreign policy is firmly rooted in opposing unilateralism and de-escalating regional tensions. In an interview, the Ambassador addressed the recent geopolitical friction involving the Strait of Hormuz, the failure of U.S. naval strategies, and the strength of the Sino-Iranian partnership. Denial of Arms Transfers Responding directly to claims from Washington, Rahmani Fazli stated categorically that no weaponry has been transferred from China to Iran. “Beijing’s policy is clear,” the Ambassador noted. “It is based on confronting unilateralism and supporting multilateralism. The United States attempts to impose peace through force via unilateral actions, but these efforts are destined for failure.” The Strait of Hormuz and Naval “Blockades” The Ambassador touched upon the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as the “vital artery of the global economy.” He dismissed U.S. attempts to establish a maritime blockade against Iran, predicting such maneuvers would collapse under international pressure. “U.S. actions regarding a naval blockade will face defeat. European and East Asian nations alike oppose American unilateralism, which stands in direct violation of the UN Charter.” Praise for China and Russia’s UN Veto Rahmani Fazli expressed Tehran’s gratitude toward Beijing and Moscow for their recent use of veto power in the UN Security Council regarding a resolution focused on the Strait of Hormuz. Global Peace: He characterized the veto as a crucial move for maintaining global stability. De-escalation: He thanked China for its diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing the crisis from spiraling into a broader conflict. Critique of U.S. Diplomacy Reflecting on the history of negotiations, the Ambassador claimed that the United States has a track record of failing to honor its commitments, even alleging that Washington has instigated hostilities in the midst of active talks. “The U.S. was forced to accept a ceasefire after 40 days of steadfast resistance by the Iranian people and armed forces,” Rahmani Fazli stated. He emphasized that if the U.S. wishes to express its positions, it must do so “within the framework of negotiations, not through the escalation of military tensions.” Regional Cooperation The Ambassador concluded by reiterating Iran’s commitment to regional stability, stressing the necessity of strengthening relations among Persian Gulf nations to ensure a collective security framework without outside interference

Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target US bases ft.trib.al/2UcgP63

South Korea to provide $500,000 in humanitarian assistance to Iran through the International Committee of the Red Cross, following requests from the UN and international community related to the Middle East crisis. Seoul provided $2 million to Lebanon last month.

Beijing already has the power to arbitrarily punish foreign companies in China. So why bother formalizing this? Because it sends a signal: don’t do this. I wouldn’t be surprised if this rule was soon followed up by making an example out of a foreign firm. The thing is this may cause foreign firms to hesitate before moving supply chains out of China, but it will really cause foreign firms to think twice about investing in China in the first place going forward. As I’ve written about, foreign firms have been absolutely key to China’s development over the past few decades. These types of rules can backfire by pushing away foreign investment. nytimes.com/2026/04/14/bus…

Scott Bessent said on Tuesday ​that China had been an ‌unreliable global partner during the Middle East war by hoarding oil ​supplies and limiting exports of ​certain goods,much as they ⁠hoarded medical supplies during the ​pandemic reuters.com/world/china/us…

Hungary's election winner Peter Magyar said on Monday that he is open to pragmatic cooperation with China and the cooperation serves the interests of both sides, Xinhua reported. Speaking at his first international press conference after his Tisza party won Sunday's parliamentary election, Magyar said China is "one of the most important and strongest countries in the world" and that cooperation is in the interest of both countries, according to Xinhua. "I would be very happy to visit Beijing, and we would also be very pleased to welcome Chinese leaders here in Hungary," he said: Xinhua globaltimes.cn/page/202604/13…

North Korea appears to have completed a building at its Yongbyon nuclear complex that is likely intended for uranium enrichment, according to a US think-tank. straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia…

Video: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday put forward a four-point proposal on promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, when meeting with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in Beijing: Xinhua (Video: CCTV News) globaltimes.cn/page/202604/13…

Despite the fact that the relevant parties had already reached a temporary ceasefire arrangement, the US has further escalated its military deployment and taken targeted blockade actions, which will only intensify contradictions, heighten tensions, undermine the already fragile ceasefire, and further disrupt the safety of passage through the strait. This is dangerous and irresponsible behavior, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday. Guo made the remarks when asked to comment that the US Central Command had announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz starting at 10 pm Beijing time on April 13, while Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that Iran would not yield to any threats. Monitoring data also showed that commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz had come to a standstill beginning on the night of April 13. globaltimes.cn/page/202604/13…

Negotiators from Council and European Parliament have just reached a deal on a regulation to address the negative effects of global steel overcapacity - shorthand for Chinese steel. This will replace the safeguard measures due to expire on June 30

Brazil's secretary of labor inspection was fired for adding Chinese automaker BYD to a registry ‌of employers accused of subjecting workers to conditions described by the government as similar to slavery, two people close to the matter told Reuters. reuters.com/sustainability…

China flexes trade power with soaring use of export controls ft.com/content/a2d760…

A Chinese tanker sanctioned by the US passed through the Strait of Hormuz on April 14 despite a US blockade on the chokepoint, shipping data showed. straitstimes.com/world/middle-e…

Shukan Gendai describes Prime Minister Takaichi as a hikikomori (socially withdrawn shut-in): •Compared to previous PMs, she hardly ever meets with other people, even on weekdays. •She was previously known to not do much socializing or dining, but since becoming PM that has become more pronounced. •Previous PMs regularly met with senior bureaucrats for briefings. Takaichi avoids this. Prior to her summit with Macron, she read over briefing documents by herself, something described as "unthinkable" under previous leaders, including her mentor Abe. •「“Important information involving sensitive matters that cannot be put on paper is simply not reaching the prime minister’s ears at all. It is an extremely dangerous situation,” said a reporter assigned to the Prime Minister’s Office for a national newspaper.」 •While Abe had a group of loyal retainers that provided advice and support, Takaichi doesn't have anything resembling that. She is described as “a portable shrine with no one left to carry it.” •Her enemies within the LDP appear to be hoping that her popularity will decline, so they can replace her with Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro.