Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 30-American politicians and the media have recently smeared China’s port cooperation with other countries, spreading the so-called "threat theory of China’s investment in global ports", claiming that China’s investment in overseas ports makes it "easier to provide support for China’s navy", which is a "geopolitical risk hidden under the eyes of the public".
The accusation of the United States is purely out of thin air. A large number of facts have proved that the port cooperation between China and relevant countries aims at promoting the development of China’s foreign trade and economy, and has played an active role in developing local economy, improving infrastructure and increasing local employment. In port cooperation, China respects the wishes of relevant countries, does not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, and abides by local laws and regulations, winning recognition from all sides.
On the contrary, it is precisely the United States itself that has established military bases around the world and constantly undermined world peace and stability. The United States does not reflect on its own problems, and thieves call for arresting thieves and discrediting China, which shows the absurdity and hypocrisy of hegemonic logic.
Port cooperation benefits all countries.
In Piraeus Port, Greece (referred to as Piraeus Port for short), Effie Varela witnessed the process that Greece’s largest port got rid of its predicament and regained its vitality after accepting the investment from China Company.
Piraeus, which means "the place where the passage is guarded" in Greek, has always been an important port in Greece. Many years ago, the operation of Bigang was in trouble. China Ocean Shipping Group (COSCO Shipping) signed a franchise agreement with Greece in 2008, took over Bigang No.2 and No.3 container terminals in 2010, and acquired 67% equity of Bigang Port Authority in 2016 and took over the operation of the Port Authority. Over the past decade or so, COSCO Shipping has invested more than 600 million euros in wharf construction and upgrading. Today, Bigang has become the first port in the Mediterranean, the fourth largest port in Europe and one of the fastest-growing container ports in the world. In fiscal year 2022, its revenue reached 195 million euros, up 26.2% from the previous fiscal year, and its net profit was 52.9 million euros, up 43.9% from the previous fiscal year, creating about 3,000 direct jobs and tens of thousands of indirect employment opportunities for the local area.
Varela, who joined Piraeus Wharf Co., Ltd., a COSCO maritime port in 2010, is a witness and beneficiary of the revival of Piraeus Port. She studied for a master’s degree in business administration in the shipping industry and achieved personal growth. She hopes that in the future, she can use the knowledge she has learned to help Hong Kong take off further.
The port-than-Hong Kong project has been widely recognized locally. In 2022, Bigang won the "Outstanding Contribution Award for Tourism" issued by the Greek Ministry of Tourism and the "Diamond Award for Economic Contribution" selected by the Greek Shipping, respectively, and was included in the index of sustainable development companies by the Athens Stock Exchange. Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis praised that with the joint efforts of Greece and China, the cooperation between Belgium and Hong Kong has achieved great success and created a win-win landmark cooperation project.
There are many similar successful cases of port cooperation between China and other countries.
In Pakistan, Gwadar Port, as the flagship project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has been built into a multi-purpose wharf with three berths of 20,000-ton class, which has full operation capacity and can handle various businesses such as bulk cargo, containers, ro-ro cargo and liquefied petroleum gas. Infrastructure projects such as roads, hospitals, schools and new airports supporting the port have been promoted in an orderly manner, and various functions have been improved day by day, and the market attraction has been continuously enhanced.
In Sri Lanka, Colombo Port City, the first special economic zone developed and operated by Chinese enterprises overseas, was rated as one of the "Five New Cities Affecting the Future" by Forbes magazine. Management consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that the project will attract more than 9.7 billion US dollars of foreign direct investment for Sri Lanka, increase the government’s fiscal revenue by more than 5 billion US dollars, and create a total of more than 400,000 high-quality jobs for the local area.
In Saudi Arabia, Chinese enterprises have implemented more than 50 local projects such as hydraulic engineering, roads and bridges, infrastructure, etc., and successively built Haier Port, Dammam Port, Yanbu Industrial Port Terminal, Jeddah Container Terminal, Jizan Port, etc., effectively promoting local economic and social development and providing assistance for Saudi oil economic transformation and realizing "Vision 2030".
In Nigeria, Laiji Deepwater Port, invested, constructed and operated by Chinese enterprises, is the first modern deepwater port in Nigeria and one of the largest ports in West Africa, which will strongly promote the export of Nigerian products, especially agricultural products, and is expected to provide nearly 200,000 direct and indirect jobs for the country in the next few years.
Over the years, enterprises in China have actively invested in the construction of the "Belt and Road" national ports and other infrastructure, which has brought tangible benefits to relevant countries. Ismail Debesh, president of the Algerian-China Friendship Association, said that China has helped many countries to build railways, ports and other infrastructure, which has promoted the sustainable economic development of these countries. Hussain askari, deputy director of the Swedish Belt and Road Research Institute, believes that by building the Belt and Road, China companies have participated in the construction of a large number of railways, highways, ports, power plants, etc. overseas, and the people of the country have benefited a lot from the joint construction.
The US accuses out of nothing.
The achievements of China’s port cooperation with relevant countries are obvious to all, and it has been widely praised internationally, but it has become a "possible military base" and "geopolitical risk" for some people in the United States. Such accusations have no factual basis.
The port of Hambantota, jointly developed by China and Sri Lanka, has long been discredited by the United States as "having military intentions". The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly clarified this lie. Sri Lankan President Vikram Singh once again stressed in June this year that at present, China enterprises are managing Hambantota Port, but the security of the port is still controlled by the Sri Lankan government. "We have no military agreement with China, and there will be no military agreement in the future. I don’t think China will sign such an agreement."
The article on the website of Spanish Uprising newspaper pointed out that "One Belt, One Road" is a synthesis of open and developing practices, and this integration process of mutual proximity and joint construction with other countries cannot be understood by traditional realism or geopolitical viewpoints in international relations. The United States regards China as a threat, which leads to "more and more suspicion and dissatisfaction blinding them". "According to their imaginary power game, they can easily predict their interest in China ‘ Rise ’ The reaction is trade war, hostility and discrimination. "
Including port cooperation, China has carried out the "Belt and Road" cooperation with other countries on the principle of discussing, building and sharing, fully respecting the wishes of relevant countries, and actively seeking development strategy docking, so as to maximize common interests and create more opportunities for common development. Relevant cooperation never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries, never targets third parties and never poses a security threat to any country.
In recent years, the China Municipal Government has issued a series of regulations, requiring China enterprises to abide by the laws, regulations and regulatory requirements of the governments of the countries and regions involved in their overseas investments and operations on foreign investment access, trade control, national security review, industry supervision, labor rights protection, environmental protection, anti-bribery, data protection, intellectual property protection, anti-money laundering and trade control, and respect local customs and habits, and conduct overseas investment activities in compliance with laws and regulations. China’s cooperation with relevant countries operates in the sunshine, and it is aboveboard and frank.
The United States itself is also the beneficiary of Chinese enterprises participating in overseas port construction. Cosco Shipping is an important customer and partner of Boston Port. Since the direct flight from Chinese mainland to Boston Port was opened in March 2002, the two sides have deepened and expanded pragmatic cooperation, which not only saved the original 9,000 jobs in Boston Port, but also created a total of 400,000 jobs, which was highly praised by the local government and people. Mike Milan, former head of the Boston Port Authority, said that the cooperation between Boston Port and COSCO Shipping for 20 years has created a large number of jobs in Massachusetts and New England, which is a perfect example of US-China economic and trade cooperation.
American hegemonic logic shows absurdity and hypocrisy.
The United States blames China for nothing on the port issue, but completely ignores the fact that the United States is the country with the largest number of overseas military bases. According to the data of Quincy Institute of Governing the Country in 2021, the United States has about 750 military bases in 80 overseas countries and regions, covering Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and other regions.
It is with the support of these bases that the United States flaunts its force everywhere, interferes in internal affairs and launches wars. From the military invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq to the armed intervention in Syria and Libya, the actions of the US military have caused a large number of civilian casualties, undermined the original order of these countries, and provided a hotbed for the breeding of extremist forces and terrorist organizations. It can be seen that it is the United States itself that poses a serious threat to world peace and stability.
In recent years, the United States is addicted to "great power competition", regards China as "the main competitor" and "the most important geopolitical challenge", and constantly strengthens its military presence around China, resulting in increasingly tense regional situation. Marianne williamson, a US Democratic presidential candidate, pointed out that the United States has 313 military bases around China when he participated in a dialogue program on WMUR-TV in June this year. Williamson bluntly said: "The rest of the world is paying attention to Iraq, and the rest of the world is paying attention to what happened in Afghanistan in the past 20 years. Do you think they will regard China as a greater military threat to global security or the United States as a greater military threat to global security? "
For the normal port cooperation between China and other countries, the United States not only spreads rumors and smears, but also uses various means to sabotage and obstruct it. The Wall Street Journal of the United States, which often advocates the threat of China’s investment in global ports, once published an article detailing how the US government used diplomacy, intelligence and other means to "operate behind the scenes" and finally blocked the process of Chinese enterprises bidding for the upgrading project of Croatian Rijeka Port. According to the report, the US action "provides a window" for people to understand how US officials "counter China’s influence in Europe" under a broader strategy. This report, which is not ashamed but proud, has caused many netizens to criticize, and many people have denounced the US move as "shameful".
The logic shown by the United States on its own military base and China port investment is in the same strain as its double-standard faction on other issues. In the mouth of the United States, smart devices, operating systems and social media platforms in the United States are reliable "high-tech products", and 5G technologies and equipment of China enterprises are "security threats"; The loan provided by the United States is "helping developing countries", while the loan provided by China is "debt trap" and "neocolonialism"; The United States’ anti-terrorism is a "just move", and China’s anti-terrorism is "trampling on human rights"; The riots on Capitol Hill in the United States are "endangering democracy", and the violent activities in China and Hongkong are "beautiful scenery" … …
The absurd words and deeds of the United States are full of hegemonic logic of "I can but you can’t", the purpose of which is to hinder Sino-foreign exchanges and the development of China and safeguard American hegemony. Cuba’s Latin American Society commented that in the eyes of the United States, all China’s achievements are sins, and the United States must speed up the containment of China, weaken its economic strength, and ensure that Washington maintains its leading position in the world. However, the American strategy is difficult to succeed because it is full of group confrontation, cold war mentality and selfish geopolitical calculations.
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Master planner: Lv Yansong
Planning: Ni Siyi, Xu Zhuangzhi
Producer: Feng Junyang
Coordinator: Zhao Zhuoyun, Yan Junyan and Lin Xiaochun
Reporter: Liu Zan
Poster: Lu Yu Wang Fengfeng
Editor: Hao Weiwei Chen and Tang Dediaoze Chen Yufen
Produced by Xinhua News Agency International Department