- 8 hours ago
With Trump and Putin’s back-to-back visits, all eyes are on Beijing as expectations and stakes run high amid growing global competition and instability. Nailah Huda speaks with Dr Khoo Ying Hooi of Universiti Malaya and Dr Julia Roknifard of Taylor’s University on the symbolism, strategic messaging, and significant outcomes emerging from these high-level summits.
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00:06This is Awani Global with me, Naila Huda.
00:09And this week, all eyes are still on Beijing as President Trump and President Xi's summit last week
00:15is now followed by President Putin's official visit this week.
00:19And with these back-to-back summits, China flexes its geopolitical weight
00:23at a time of mounting global uncertainty from intensifying economic competition
00:29and ongoing conflict in West Asia to growing concerns over the future of the international order.
00:36So, looking closely at the sort of outcomes, statements, messaging, narratives
00:41coming out of these major summits, in this episode, we want to unpack key signals
00:46and perhaps the broader implications for global security and economic stability.
00:53And joining us at this hour to help us unpack, we have Dr. Ku Yinghui,
00:57Associate Professor in the Department of International and Strategic Studies at University Malaya
01:01and Dr. Julia Rognifat, Senior Lecturer at the School of Law and Governance at Taylor's University.
01:07Thank you so much, Dr. Ku and Dr. Julia, for joining us today on Awani Global.
01:12Perhaps I'd like to start with Dr. Ku, some of your key takeaways looking at the summit
01:17between President Trump and President Xi last week.
01:21Yeah, thanks, Naila.
01:24So, I think there was a lot of, of course, expectations before the visit.
01:30But I think my main takeaway is that I see this summit as rather,
01:35not that transformative as I expected, but rather stabilising.
01:39And I think it can also be understood as how these two powers that remain deeply interdependent, actually,
01:48but increasingly we also see how they are actually suspicious of each other,
01:53but in a way that they might not really show.
01:57But both sides, I think they also needed to show that they can still talk,
02:02manage the risks that are happening and also give the market some reassurance
02:06after such a long period of tariff escalation, technology restrictions
02:11and the wider geopolitical disruptions that we see.
02:15So, I think the visit here, it creates a little bit more regularised process
02:21for trade investment and strategic communication
02:24because you see that both delegations, they brought huge delegations
02:28that related on the business and trade, which is interesting as well.
02:32And I guess they moved from technical disagreement
02:37to political confrontation very quickly back then.
02:40So, I think we do not really see resolutions that everything is being resolved
02:47because the structural issues actually remain.
02:50But I guess it can be actually described as, you know,
02:54they are managing that ambiguity of the two countries' relations.
02:59Dr. Julia, what about you?
03:01Your key takeaways, did it meet your expectations, high or low?
03:06I don't think I had much expectations.
03:09That visit was supposed to happen earlier, but Trump had to reschedule it
03:13because the war with Iran was still ongoing.
03:16And I guess this time he couldn't just do it.
03:19But that is good news because he made a decision not to restart
03:24the military operation in Iran, in particular also because he was supposed
03:29to meet President Xi.
03:30So, he couldn't come, he couldn't show up during the open military confrontation
03:36with pretty much a strategic partner to China, which Iran is not just a strategic partner,
03:43but also supplier of energy resources, he won.
03:48But overall, it did not meet expectations that were put forth by the U.S. media,
03:56in particular, in expectation of the summit.
03:58And I think U.S. media did a lot in discussing the upcoming summit
04:04and possible discussions that were going to take place.
04:08And some of them did not.
04:10They said Taiwan is going to be high up in the agenda,
04:14but for China it's a non-issue.
04:15It's not an issue that's up for negotiations.
04:19That Iran is going to be high up in the agenda,
04:21but it didn't seem so, except for some note that President Xi made
04:27that he would like to see the military action restarting there.
04:32And that's pretty much it.
04:34There's not going to be a pressure that China will render on Iran.
04:39So, we might be just stopping short of calling it a failure,
04:44because in the Western media there was a lot of expectations that were put forth,
04:49but the Chinese side was very moderate
04:53in even presenting the usual pageantry that we would expect in such visits.
04:59There was a visit by the president of Tajikistan,
05:02to which a lot more attention has been given.
05:05And that visit was not cleared up from the schedule
05:09while preparing to the summit with Trump.
05:12So, I think from the Chinese side, from the Beijing side,
05:16it was a subtle hint that that's not as important.
05:20And definitely not as important as the subsequent visit
05:24by President Vladimir Putin,
05:25where we've seen quite different reception that he received.
05:31So, there was not much coming out of the summit,
05:34but was there much to expect?
05:36I don't think that President Trump had leverage to expect much from it.
05:40I mean, as you said, not much came out of it.
05:42But one of the few outcomes, looking at some of the outcomes,
05:45both leaders have agreed on a relationship
05:48based on what President Xi described as
05:51a constructive strategic stability.
05:54Dr. Koo, what do you think this new positioning means?
05:58What do you think President Xi Jinping might be trying to convey here?
06:03Yeah, you know, it's always very interesting to see
06:06these two big leaders' personality whenever they meet.
06:10You know, it's not the first time they actually meet together.
06:13One is always more enthusiastic,
06:15and then another one is quite managed
06:17when it comes to the gesture and things like that, you know.
06:20So, when it comes to this constructive strategic stability
06:25that is being put forward,
06:26it's, of course, interesting because nowadays,
06:30I think there are so many descriptions of, you know,
06:34comprehensive strategic partnerships.
06:36You know, they always use the word of strategic here.
06:40But I guess this concept does not say
06:44that the relationship is entirely friendly,
06:48but it does not also deny competitions that actually exist.
06:52So, I guess in my point of view,
06:55what it says is really the competition
06:57should be managed in a way
06:59that does not slide into confrontation,
07:03crisis, or war.
07:04But it is therefore, I think,
07:06a vocabulary of coexistence, really,
07:10when they say constructive strategic stabilities,
07:12but not a declaration
07:14that the rivalry has actually ended.
07:18Coming to this,
07:18if we look at from China's perspective,
07:21I think the phrase can carry several messages here.
07:25First, China wants to be treated
07:27as a co-eco-major power as well,
07:29but not as a problem to be contained
07:32as being portrayed always by the Western media.
07:35And the second,
07:36Beijing also wants Washington
07:38to recognize China's red lines,
07:41especially like Taiwan issues and so forth.
07:45And the third,
07:46I think I can see that how China
07:48is also trying to reassure
07:50the wider world outside
07:52that its rise can be also compatible
07:55with global stabilities.
07:57I think China has been keep trying
07:58to portray that shared future slogan.
08:02They are actually moving forwards
08:04for global stabilities
08:05and that rivalries can become dangerous
08:08when the US continues to treat
08:11China's rise as something
08:12that must be blocked, really.
08:15So I see this phrase
08:18gives baiting a little bit
08:19of the diplomatic flexibilities
08:21and to present itself
08:23as a more moderate
08:24and responsible in a way
08:26without accepting the US definitions
08:29that they are the problems.
08:32Looking at another outcome,
08:34tangible agreements include
08:36establishing a so-called board of investment,
08:40another board of trade.
08:41Dr. Julia, details are still unclear
08:45about what this sort of structure looks like,
08:47but could this more formalized way
08:50of discussing trade,
08:52could it offer more structure
08:55and stability to tariff matters
08:57that have been so up and down
08:59and unstable for the past year or so?
09:01Probably it's about,
09:02as you said,
09:03and some others say
09:05that we need to let the dust settle first
09:07to see what it actually means.
09:09Probably it's about establishing
09:11more entrenched avenues
09:14for negotiations,
09:16for interactions and communication
09:18on certain matters,
09:19including the matters of trade.
09:21But it does not necessarily
09:23entail certain deals
09:25that even we've seen Trump
09:28visited Beijing
09:29with a large business delegation,
09:31but nothing much came out of it
09:33except for the Boeing deals
09:35for the purchase of 200 Boeings.
09:38But what's the timeline of that deal?
09:40We also don't know.
09:41It's maybe in the next 10 years.
09:43And that also easily
09:45could be disrupted
09:46by competing China's cooperation
09:49with other countries.
09:50Like, again,
09:51returning to Putin's visit,
09:53there was some agreement
09:55signed in terms of civil aviation.
09:57So if China manages
09:59to develop something by then,
10:01maybe it will not even
10:03be buying those 200 Boeings.
10:04So it remains to be seen.
10:06I think it's about establishing
10:08more concrete,
10:10stable avenues of cooperation
10:12without the need
10:14for the leaders
10:15to see each other one other time
10:16and for it to be held
10:17on other levels.
10:19Moving on to red lines,
10:21as Dr. Ku said,
10:23we did see President Xi Jinping
10:25upping the ante on Taiwan,
10:28warning that
10:28mishandling the issue
10:30would put the entire
10:32US-China relationship
10:33in great jeopardy.
10:35Dr. Ku,
10:36do you think we can expect
10:37any changes
10:38in the US's approach
10:40towards Taiwan,
10:42particularly following
10:43what was reported,
10:45a record $11 billion
10:46arms sale package
10:48for Taiwan
10:49that was approved
10:50by the Trump administration
10:51towards the end of last year?
10:53This became a sort of controversy
10:54and became a concern.
10:55But with President Xi
10:58asserting these red lines
11:00once again,
11:00do you think that
11:01the US might
11:03maintain its approach?
11:06As far as I see,
11:08I believe
11:09they will,
11:10at least,
11:11to maintain that approach
11:12because
11:12it is not just
11:14the Taiwan issues,
11:16although they did not
11:17discuss the
11:18Japan issue,
11:19but we
11:20in recent times
11:22we have seen how
11:23the Japan has become
11:25very close
11:25with the US as well.
11:28So I think
11:29when it comes
11:30to the Taiwan issues,
11:31it remains
11:33one of the most
11:34sensitive issues,
11:35especially for China
11:36that insists on
11:38its sovereignties
11:39when it comes to Taiwan.
11:40And for Washington,
11:41I think it is tight
11:42to show the
11:43credibilities
11:44with the partners
11:45and also the
11:46wider balance
11:47of power as well
11:48when it comes
11:49to Taiwan issues.
11:50And I think
11:51that is why
11:51Taiwan can actually
11:53become a platform
11:55to derail
11:56a broader
11:56stabilisation effort
11:58even when
11:59the trade talks
12:00appears to be
12:01quite constructive.
12:02So I do not
12:03expect the US
12:05to abandon
12:06its support
12:07for Taiwan
12:08because of
12:08this summit alone.
12:10And the underlying
12:11American positions
12:13I think
12:14is unlikely
12:15to remain
12:16is likely
12:17to remain
12:18continuity
12:19whereby
12:20maintaining
12:21the deterrence
12:22and providing
12:23Taiwan
12:23with defensive
12:24capabilities
12:25as it has
12:27actually shown
12:28and avoiding
12:29a direct shift
12:30towards
12:30either formal
12:32independence
12:33or abandonment.
12:35But the signalling
12:36I think
12:36may become
12:37more careful
12:38as the time
12:39goes by
12:40and I guess
12:42the arms sale
12:43issues
12:43is very crucial
12:44at this point
12:45of time
12:45because
12:46it is where
12:47the broad language
12:48about stability
12:50then suddenly
12:51it meets
12:51with the
12:53policy decisions
12:54that have
12:54been made
12:55actually.
12:57Dr Julia
12:57your thoughts
12:58on this
12:58do you think
12:59the US
12:59might heed
13:00this warning
13:01from Beijing
13:02on Taiwan?
13:04I think
13:05it's pretty
13:06standard
13:06for China
13:06to remind
13:07the US
13:08about its
13:09stance
13:09on Taiwan
13:10but at
13:10the same
13:11time
13:11it's
13:11non-negotiable
13:12issue
13:13so they
13:13would just
13:14come up
13:14with this
13:16warning
13:16and that
13:17would be
13:17it.
13:18Of course
13:19no independence
13:20for Taiwan
13:20would be
13:20or Chinese
13:21Taipei
13:22should we
13:22say
13:22will be
13:24negotiated
13:24there
13:24and that
13:26ends
13:27any potential
13:28for negotiations.
13:29On the other
13:29hand
13:29the US
13:30probably
13:30will
13:31maintain
13:31and I
13:32agree
13:32here
13:32with
13:32Dr Kuo
13:34that the
13:34US
13:35will
13:35maintain
13:35its
13:36policy
13:37of
13:37constructive
13:38ambiguity
13:39the
13:40one China
13:40policy
13:41yes
13:41they
13:41subscribe
13:42to that
13:42but at
13:43the same
13:43time
13:43there is
13:44this
13:44package
13:45of
13:45not
13:45just
13:45aid
13:45but
13:46military
13:47supplies
13:48which
13:48has been
13:49already
13:50approved
13:50but not
13:50just
13:51sent
13:51and
13:52that
13:53the
13:53US
13:54probably
13:54for a while
13:55can hold
13:55over Beijing's
13:56head
13:57to see
13:57how Beijing
13:58will
13:58behave
13:59maybe
14:00if
14:01there
14:02are some
14:03positive
14:03developments
14:04out of
14:04this
14:04meeting
14:05then
14:05maybe
14:06this
14:06military
14:07aid
14:07won't
14:07be
14:07sent
14:08for a
14:09while
14:09we
14:10could
14:10save
14:10it
14:11off
14:11and so
14:12on
14:12but
14:12generally
14:13I don't
14:14think
14:14we are
14:15expecting
14:15a
14:15change
14:16in
14:16direction
14:16in
14:17this
14:17constructive
14:18ambiguity
14:18where
14:19the US
14:20while
14:20supporting
14:22the
14:22one
14:22China
14:22policy
14:23and
14:23not
14:23supporting
14:24the
14:24independence
14:24of
14:25Taiwan
14:26at the
14:27same
14:27time
14:28keeps
14:29sending
14:30aid
14:30and
14:30military
14:31aid
14:31in
14:31particular
14:32to
14:32Taiwan
14:34I
14:35think
14:36although
14:36it was
14:37quite
14:37standard
14:37the
14:38warning
14:38issued
14:38by
14:39Beijing
14:39as you
14:39said
14:40Julia
14:40it was
14:41quite
14:42clear
14:42that I
14:42think
14:42the
14:42Taiwan
14:43question
14:43was a
14:44lot more
14:44prominent
14:45especially
14:45in media
14:45coverage
14:46compared
14:47to the
14:47US
14:48Iran
14:48war
14:48kept
14:49to a
14:49minimum
14:50during
14:50these
14:51talks
14:52contrary
14:52to
14:53what
14:53most
14:53people
14:54might
14:54have
14:54hoped
14:54for
14:54investors
14:55particularly
14:56Dr.
14:57Koo
14:57do you
14:57think
14:57this
14:57was
14:58deliberate
14:58the
14:58fact
14:58that
14:59not
14:59much
14:59was
15:00touched
15:00on
15:00in
15:01terms
15:01of
15:01the
15:01US
15:02Iran
15:02war
15:02do you
15:03think
15:03this
15:03might
15:04also
15:04signal
15:04China's
15:05priorities
15:06yeah
15:07well
15:08I
15:08would
15:08read
15:08this
15:08as
15:09a
15:09deliberate
15:11prioritization
15:12here
15:12Iran
15:12is
15:13important
15:13to
15:13China
15:14because
15:15of
15:15energy
15:15security
15:16regional
15:16stability
15:17the
15:18trade
15:18routes
15:19and
15:19also
15:19Beijing's
15:20wider
15:21positioning
15:21with
15:22the
15:22Middle
15:23East
15:23because
15:23in
15:24the
15:24recent
15:24year
15:24you
15:24also
15:25see
15:25that
15:25China
15:26has
15:26been
15:27engaging
15:28even
15:28more
15:28active
15:29together
15:29with
15:29the
15:29Middle
15:30East
15:30as
15:30well
15:30and
15:31of
15:31course
15:32the
15:32disruptions
15:33in
15:33the
15:33straits
15:33of
15:33hummus
15:34matters
15:35directly
15:35when
15:36it
15:36comes
15:36to
15:36the
15:36global
15:37energy
15:37markets
15:38and
15:38to
15:39China's
15:39economy
15:40so
15:42it
15:42was
15:43simply
15:44what
15:45we
15:45say
15:45that
15:45Taiwan
15:46however
15:46it
15:47occupies
15:47a
15:48different
15:48category
15:48here
15:49because
15:49for
15:49Beijing
15:50Taiwan
15:50is
15:50a
15:50core
15:50interest
15:51and
15:52it
15:52is
15:52tied
15:52to
15:53the
15:53sovereignty
15:53and
15:53the
15:54legitimacy
15:54of
15:54the
15:55Chinese
15:55Communist
15:56Parties
15:56as well
15:57so
15:57I
15:57think
15:58hence
15:59we
15:59see
15:59a
15:59sharper
16:00language
16:00that
16:00being
16:00used
16:01by
16:01the
16:01Chinese
16:01leaders
16:02when
16:02it
16:02comes
16:02to
16:02Taiwan
16:03than
16:03on
16:04many
16:04other
16:04international
16:05issues
16:06Iran
16:06is
16:07strategically
16:07important
16:08of course
16:09but
16:09Taiwan
16:10is
16:10essentially
16:13existential
16:13in
16:14Beijing's
16:15political
16:16vocabulary
16:16as we
16:17see
16:17there's
16:18no
16:18negotiations
16:19logic
16:19when it
16:20comes
16:20to
16:20that
16:21so
16:21I
16:22guess
16:22on
16:22Iran
16:22China
16:23may
16:23prefer
16:25to appear
16:25more
16:26supportive
16:26of the
16:27de-escalation
16:28without
16:29taking
16:29a full
16:31ownership
16:31of a
16:31crisis
16:32that
16:32it did
16:33not
16:33start
16:34and
16:34cannot
16:34fully
16:34control
16:35as well
16:36so
16:36I
16:37think
16:37Beijing
16:37has
16:38the
16:38leverage
16:38through
16:38energy
16:39diplomacy
16:40and
16:41ties
16:41with
16:41Tehran
16:42but
16:42I
16:43don't
16:43think
16:43it
16:43wants
16:44to
16:44see
16:44as
16:45acting
16:45under
16:46the
16:46US
16:46instructions
16:47as well
16:48Julia
16:49your
16:49thoughts
16:50on
16:50this
16:50do
16:50you
16:50think
16:50China
16:51could
16:51have
16:51leveraged
16:52more
16:52in
16:53terms
16:53of
16:53the
16:53Iran
16:53war
16:55I
16:55don't
16:56think
16:56China
16:56wants
16:56to
16:57appear
16:57at
16:58the
16:58forefront
16:58of
16:59these
16:59negotiations
16:59even
17:01the
17:01negotiations
17:02that
17:02happen
17:02in
17:03Islamabad
17:04in
17:04Pakistan
17:04they
17:05are
17:06very
17:06much
17:07driven
17:07by
17:08China
17:08supported
17:09by
17:09China
17:09it's
17:09just
17:10for
17:11already
17:11quite
17:11some
17:12time
17:12China
17:12doesn't
17:13want
17:13to be
17:13seen
17:14as
17:14the
17:14lead
17:14neither
17:15on
17:16the
17:16other
17:16Middle
17:16Eastern
17:16issue
17:17with
17:17regards
17:17to
17:18Palestine
17:18nor
17:19on
17:19the
17:19issue
17:20of
17:20Iran
17:21it
17:21is
17:21coordinating
17:22with
17:22all
17:23the
17:23parties
17:23very
17:25actively
17:25we
17:25just
17:26had
17:26foreign
17:27minister
17:27of
17:28Iran
17:28Abbas
17:28visiting
17:29Beijing
17:30before
17:31Donald
17:31Trump
17:32and
17:33now
17:34we
17:34just
17:35had
17:35a
17:35visit
17:35by
17:36Vladimir
17:36Putin
17:36where
17:37for
17:37sure
17:37they
17:37have
17:38discussed
17:38Iranian
17:38issue
17:39and
17:39in
17:40more
17:41detail
17:41than
17:42with
17:42Trump
17:42so
17:43China
17:44plays
17:44an
17:45active
17:45role
17:46there
17:46but
17:47as
17:47Dr.
17:47Kuh
17:47just
17:48said
17:48it
17:48doesn't
17:48want
17:49to
17:49be
17:50seen
17:50as
17:51the
17:51lead
17:51on
17:52this
17:52in
17:52the
17:53conflict
17:53that
17:53it
17:53hasn't
17:54started
17:54and
17:55it
17:55cannot
17:55control
17:57before
17:58we
17:58move
17:58on
17:58to
17:58President
17:59Putin's
17:59visit
17:59just
18:00to
18:00quickly
18:00look
18:00at
18:01some
18:01of
18:01the
18:01languages
18:01between
18:02both
18:02leaders
18:03I
18:03think
18:03there
18:03was
18:03a lot
18:04of
18:04media
18:05interest
18:05from
18:06analysts
18:07as
18:07well
18:07looking
18:07at
18:08the
18:08language
18:09used
18:09in
18:10their
18:10opening
18:10remarks
18:11and
18:11statements
18:12that
18:12came
18:12out
18:13looking
18:14at
18:14President
18:14Trump
18:15on
18:15one
18:15hand
18:15taking
18:16the
18:17more
18:17personalised
18:17approach
18:18President
18:19Xi
18:19on
18:19the
18:19other
18:19hand
18:20talked
18:21more
18:21about
18:21global
18:22governance
18:22situating
18:23the
18:23US
18:24China
18:24relationship
18:24in
18:25the
18:25wider
18:25global
18:26context
18:26even
18:27referring
18:27to
18:28the
18:28so-called
18:29Thucydides
18:29trap
18:30talking
18:30about
18:30the
18:31so-called
18:31rising
18:32power
18:32challenging
18:33a more
18:33established
18:34one
18:34a lot
18:35of
18:35interesting
18:36symbolism
18:36in their
18:37language
18:38Dr.
18:38Koo
18:38do you
18:39think
18:39there
18:39was
18:39anything
18:39that
18:40particularly
18:40stood
18:40out
18:41for you
18:41in terms
18:42of
18:42the
18:42language
18:43the
18:43framing
18:43from
18:44both
18:44leaders
18:46yeah
18:46well
18:46language
18:47is
18:47always
18:47very
18:48interesting
18:49that's
18:49why
18:49earlier
18:49on
18:50I
18:50talked
18:50about
18:50their
18:51personalities
18:52as well
18:52which is
18:53a contrast
18:54you know
18:54but it's
18:55of course
18:56language
18:56very much
18:57matters
18:57when it
18:57comes to
18:58politics
18:58and
18:59in
18:59a big
19:00summit
19:01like this
19:01you know
19:01because
19:02it tells
19:03us
19:03basically
19:03how
19:04each
19:05leader
19:05wants
19:05to be
19:06understood
19:06so
19:07if we
19:07look
19:07at
19:07the
19:07Trump
19:08style
19:08it is
19:09always
19:09more
19:10personalised
19:11and
19:11transactional
19:12he
19:12tends
19:13to
19:13frame
19:14the
19:14outcomes
19:14in terms
19:15of
19:15relationship
19:16he
19:16talked
19:16about
19:17his
19:17relationship
19:18he
19:18praised
19:18Xi Jinping
19:19and
19:20also
19:20a more
19:21direct
19:21leader
19:21to
19:22leader
19:22kind
19:22of
19:22chemistry
19:23so
19:25he
19:25tends
19:26to
19:26make
19:26the
19:26create
19:27a
19:27momentum
19:28that
19:28it
19:28seems
19:28to
19:29be
19:29more
19:29immediate
19:29and
19:30flexible
19:31and
19:32dependent
19:32on
19:32personal
19:33report
19:33rather
19:34than
19:34the
19:34institutional
19:35commitment
19:35but
19:36while
19:36Xi's
19:37framing
19:37of the
19:38language
19:38is
19:38different
19:39because
19:40as
19:40you
19:41earlier
19:41also
19:41mentioned
19:42by
19:42placing
19:42the
19:43relationship
19:43in
19:43the
19:44more
19:44global
19:44context
19:45and also
19:46invoking
19:46ideas
19:47such as
19:47the
19:47Tarsidus
19:48trap
19:48he's
19:49also
19:49trying to
19:50speak
19:50beyond
19:51the
19:51bilateral
19:52meetings
19:53as well
19:53and
19:54from his
19:54language
19:55what I
19:55can see
19:55is that
19:56he's
19:57saying
19:57the
19:57United
19:57United
19:58States
19:58and
19:58China
19:58have
19:59a
19:59responsibility
20:00together
20:01to
20:01avoid
20:02the
20:03classic
20:04patterns
20:04in which
20:05a rising
20:06power
20:06and an
20:07established
20:08power
20:08can fall
20:09into the
20:09conflicts
20:10and such
20:11a framing
20:11I think
20:12presents
20:13China
20:13not as
20:14challenges
20:15to be
20:15contained
20:16but I
20:17think
20:17China
20:17one thing
20:18to portray
20:19itself
20:19as a
20:19responsible
20:20great
20:20power
20:21that's
20:21seeking
20:22coexistence
20:24now
20:24of course
20:25we want
20:25to move
20:26on to
20:26President
20:27Putin's
20:27visit
20:28just
20:29four days
20:29after
20:30Trump's
20:30summit
20:31with
20:31Xi Jinping
20:32Dr. Julia
20:33what do you
20:34think
20:34some of
20:35the key
20:35takeaways
20:36here
20:36already
20:36we're
20:36seeing
20:37a lot
20:38more
20:38tangible
20:38agreements
20:39between
20:39China
20:40and
20:40Russia
20:40but
20:41do you
20:41think
20:41overall
20:42we're
20:42seeing
20:42a much
20:43more
20:43deepened
20:44relationship
20:44between
20:45the
20:45two
20:45powers
20:47that's
20:47that was
20:48not meant
20:48to be
20:50some
20:50kind
20:51of
20:51turning
20:51point
20:52of the
20:53relationship
20:54between
20:54the two
20:54this
20:55visit
20:55rather
20:56it's
20:56an
20:56assertion
20:57of
20:57the
20:57existing
20:58strategic
20:59partnership
20:59between
21:00the two
21:00which
21:00they are
21:01celebrating
21:02an
21:02anniversary
21:02this time
21:03and
21:04again
21:05I really
21:06love this
21:06compare and
21:07contrast
21:07between
21:08the two
21:08visits
21:09I think
21:10that the
21:10timing
21:10couldn't
21:11be better
21:11where
21:12we could
21:13see
21:13that
21:13there was
21:14much
21:15more
21:16warm
21:16and
21:17more
21:17intimate
21:18if I
21:19may
21:19reception
21:20of
21:20the
21:21Russian
21:21president
21:22compared
21:22to
21:22Donald
21:22Trump
21:23which
21:23is
21:23well
21:24it's
21:24not
21:25surprising
21:26given
21:27the
21:27history
21:27of
21:27the
21:28relationship
21:28within
21:29this
21:30triangle
21:30between
21:31these
21:32three
21:33parties
21:35it was
21:35Wang Yi
21:36who
21:36went to
21:37meet
21:37President
21:38Putin
21:38not
21:38Vice
21:38President
21:39and
21:39Wang Yi
21:40is also
21:40in
21:41the
21:41committee
21:42of the
21:42Communist
21:42Party
21:43of
21:43China
21:43so
21:44and
21:45sometimes
21:46he's
21:46even
21:46seen
21:46as a
21:47potential
21:47successor
21:48to
21:48the
21:50chairman
21:50to
21:51term
21:51and
21:51C
21:51also
21:53the
21:54agreements
21:55it's
21:56about
21:5640
21:57if I'm
21:57not
21:57mistaken
21:58that
21:58they are
21:59currently
21:59saying
21:59that
22:00were
22:01signed
22:01we are
22:02not
22:02sure
22:03about
22:03the
22:03details
22:03but
22:04there
22:04are
22:04some
22:05leaks
22:05also
22:06including
22:06the
22:07supplies
22:07of
22:07the
22:07military
22:08equipment
22:08including
22:09helicopters
22:09attack
22:10helicopters
22:11that
22:12Russia
22:12is going
22:13to supply
22:13to
22:13China
22:14and
22:15that
22:15is
22:15also
22:16a
22:16kind
22:16of
22:16a
22:16signal
22:17of
22:17where
22:18China
22:18stands
22:19or
22:19rather
22:19what
22:19China
22:20expects
22:20on
22:21what's
22:22to
22:22unfold
22:22in
22:23the
22:23Molucca
22:23Straits
22:24on
22:24Taiwan
22:24on
22:26whatever
22:26issues
22:27concern
22:28its
22:28security
22:29and
22:29also
22:30it
22:30was
22:30very
22:30warm
22:31at
22:32the
22:32personal
22:32level
22:33where
22:34Xi
22:35said
22:35called
22:35Putin
22:36a
22:36close
22:37friend
22:37nothing
22:38like
22:39this
22:39happens
22:39to
22:39happen
22:40to
22:40Trump
22:41it's
22:41Trump
22:41who
22:42usually
22:42says
22:42he's
22:43a
22:43great
22:43man
22:43great
22:43friend
22:45Xi
22:45only
22:46said
22:46with
22:46regards
22:47to
22:47the
22:47United
22:47States
22:47that
22:48they
22:48are
22:48the
22:49two
22:49great
22:50powers
22:50it's
22:50the
22:50most
22:51important
22:51relationship
22:52for
22:52the
22:52stability
22:53of
22:53international
22:53system
22:54and
22:54fairly
22:54so
22:55but
22:56despite
22:56the
22:56attempts
22:57to
22:57play
22:58down
22:59the
22:59relationship
23:00between
23:00Russia
23:01and
23:01China
23:02and
23:03present
23:03Russia
23:03as
23:04a
23:04minor
23:04partner
23:05in
23:05this
23:05there
23:06is
23:06no
23:06condescending
23:07attitude
23:09in
23:09behavior
23:10of
23:11President
23:11Xi
23:11and
23:12I
23:12think
23:13he
23:13actually
23:14liked
23:14when
23:14President
23:15Putin
23:15told him
23:16that
23:16I
23:16haven't
23:17seen
23:17you
23:18citing
23:19the
23:19old
23:20Chinese
23:20saying
23:20I
23:20haven't
23:20seen
23:21you
23:21for
23:21a
23:21day
23:21but
23:22it
23:22feels like
23:23three
23:23autumns
23:23so
23:24it's
23:24much
23:25more
23:25warm
23:26personal
23:27relationship
23:28between the
23:28two
23:28and
23:29fairly so
23:30because
23:30they've
23:30been building
23:31it for
23:32already
23:33quite some
23:33time
23:33yeah
23:34Dr
23:35Ku
23:35we're
23:35seeing
23:36China
23:36very
23:37clearly
23:37flexing
23:38its
23:38geopolitical
23:39weight
23:39here
23:40back
23:40to
23:40back
23:41visits
23:41from
23:41Trump
23:42to
23:42Putin
23:42but
23:43do
23:43you
23:43think
23:43that
23:44China
23:45might
23:45want
23:45to
23:45leverage
23:46some
23:46of
23:46its
23:46geopolitical
23:47power
23:47and
23:48influence
23:48here
23:48in
23:49helping
23:49either
23:50country
23:50and
23:51their
23:51respective
23:52wars
23:52I
23:52mean
23:52I
23:52think
23:53you
23:53said
23:53both
23:54of
23:54you
23:54I
23:54think
23:54there's
23:55not
23:55much
23:55appetite
23:56or
23:56willingness
23:57from
23:57Chinese
23:58for
23:59the
23:59Chinese
23:59side
23:59to
24:00play
24:01the
24:01role
24:01of
24:01mediator
24:02or
24:02elite
24:02negotiator
24:03of
24:03course
24:03but
24:04what
24:05role
24:05might
24:05it
24:06want
24:06to
24:06play
24:07here
24:07when
24:07we're
24:07seeing
24:08both
24:08of
24:08these
24:08major
24:09countries
24:10still
24:10in
24:10the
24:10middle
24:11of
24:11war
24:11Dr.
24:12Ku
24:12Well
24:13of
24:13course
24:14the
24:14timing
24:14couldn't
24:14have
24:15been
24:15better
24:15imagine
24:16you
24:16have
24:16Trump
24:17visiting
24:17Beijing
24:18and
24:18then
24:18followed
24:18by
24:19Putin
24:19and
24:20it
24:21catch
24:21the
24:21attention
24:22of
24:22the
24:22global
24:22so
24:23I
24:23think
24:23of
24:24course
24:24China
24:25is
24:25what
24:26I
24:26wouldn't
24:26say
24:27likely
24:27is
24:27of
24:28course
24:28leveraging
24:28on
24:29Trump's
24:29second
24:29visit
24:30by
24:31projecting
24:31diplomatic
24:32strength
24:33to
24:33portray
24:34themselves
24:34as
24:35a
24:35more
24:35peaceful
24:36major
24:37power
24:37and
24:38also
24:38leveraging
24:39on
24:39how
24:40they
24:40can
24:41stabilize
24:41US-China
24:42ties
24:43but
24:43on
24:44terms
24:44that
24:44are
24:44more
24:45favorable
24:45to
24:45Beijing
24:46of
24:46course
24:46and
24:47extracting
24:48the
24:49practical
24:49gains
24:50on
24:50trade
24:50technology
24:51and
24:52also
24:52regional
24:52securities
24:53as
24:53well
24:53so
24:54I
24:54think
24:54the
24:54visit
24:55gives
24:55Xi
24:56an
24:57opportunity
24:57to
24:58show
24:58that
24:58China
24:59remains
24:59central
25:00to
25:00any
25:01major
25:01global
25:02negotiations
25:02especially
25:04on
25:04all
25:04the
25:04global
25:05tensions
25:05and
25:06issues
25:06that
25:06we
25:06have
25:07seen
25:07we
25:07are
25:08looking
25:08at
25:08it
25:09now
25:09and
25:10at
25:10the
25:10same
25:10time
25:10I
25:11think
25:11Beijing
25:11will
25:11probably
25:12also
25:12use
25:13a
25:13symbolism
25:13of
25:14this
25:15to
25:15reinforce
25:15Xi's
25:16domestic
25:17image
25:17as
25:18a
25:18leader
25:18who
25:19can
25:19engage
25:19Washington
25:20from
25:20a
25:21position
25:21of
25:21confidence
25:22as
25:22well
25:22so
25:23rather
25:23than
25:23offering
25:24major
25:24concessions
25:25China
25:25may
25:25seek
25:26a
25:27more
25:27predictable
25:28relationship
25:29a
25:29more
25:30selective
25:30economic
25:31deals
25:31and
25:31limits
25:32on
25:32the
25:32US
25:33pressures
25:33when it
25:34comes to
25:34Taiwan
25:35tariffs
25:36export
25:37controls
25:37and
25:38military
25:38issues
25:41things
25:41more
25:42questions
25:42I
25:42would
25:42like
25:43you
25:43to
25:43indulge
25:44myself
25:44with
25:44but
25:45that
25:45is
25:45all
25:45the
25:46time
25:46that
25:46we
25:46have
25:46thank
25:46you
25:47so
25:47much
25:47Dr.
25:48Ku
25:48Ying
25:48Hui
25:48Associate
25:48Professor
25:49in the
25:49Department
25:49of
25:50International
25:50Strategic
25:51Studies
25:51at
25:51University
25:51Malaya
25:52and
25:52Dr.
25:53Rogni
25:53Fad
25:53Senior
25:53Lecturer
25:54at
25:54the
25:54School
25:54of
25:54Law
25:54and
25:55Governance
25:55at
25:55Taylor
25:55University
25:56of
25:57course
25:57I
25:57hope
25:57to
25:57be
25:58able
25:58to
25:58continue
25:58this
25:59conversation
25:59with
25:59the
26:00both
26:00of
26:00you
26:00very
26:00insightful
26:01as
26:01always
26:01thank
26:02you
26:02once
26:02again
26:02Dr.
26:03Ku
26:03and
26:03Dr.
26:04Julia
26:05Thank
26:05you
26:06That is
26:07all on
26:07Awani Global
26:07this week
26:08with me
26:08Nailo
26:08I will
26:08catch you
26:09next time
26:29Thank you
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