Opinion | Poland has found China a friend it can truly trust

By Augustus K. Yeung

Introduction

Ever since Joe Biden's presidency a year ago, China has been having a hard time, being accused of violation against one human right after another, turning the Sino-US relationship sour.

It would be wise for China to turn to Europe for a new and better development. Poland has found the need to bank on a thriving Chinese economy and a booming market, which would be mutually beneficial.

Historically, Poland has had a hard time from Europe's traditional big powers: Foreign interventions in the 18th century culminated in partition by Russia, Austria, and Prussia, and at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Congress Kingdom of Poland was created under the Russian Crown.

After the defeat of Central Powers in World War I independence was declared under Jozef Pilsudski. In 1939 Poland was invaded by Germany. Some six million Poles, including three million Jews, died during the occupation. Polish resistance to Germany contributed to the Allied victory, and in 1945 Poland was occupied by the Russians…

The article below provides the details in latest development, documenting Poland's need for and support from another party, China.

Beijing to Help Poland Become Logistics Hub

"China has expressed hopes of helping Poland to become a logistics hub and boosting trade with Central and Eastern European countries, as Beijing tries to improve relations with the region," reports Kinling Lo for the Post. ("Poland offered help in logistics hub bid". South China Morning Post. Tuesday, February 8, 2022)

"President Xi Jinping voiced the aim when he met Polish President Andrzej Duda in one of a number of diplomatic discussions held during foreign delegations' visits to Beijing for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

Duda was the only elected European head of state to attend Friday's ceremony, after several countries announced diplomatic boycotts citing human rights concerns and others opted to miss it over concerns about Covid-19.

"President Xi expressed China's readiness to take an active part in Poland's endeavour to build itself into a logistics hub and to support Poland's effort to become a key point in China-European Union industrial and supply chains," a Chinese statement said on Sunday.

Xi Sees Warsaw as a "True, Trusting and Sincere Friendship"

The statement said that Xi had hailed relations with Warsaw as a "true, trusting and sincere friendship" as he promised to expand agricultural, food and other imports from the country while "encouraging more Chinese enterprises to go to Poland for investment and cooperation."

Also discussed were plans to establish in Poland an agricultural wholesale market between China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) that would turn into "an early flagship program for China-CEEC cooperation". Beijing has maintained a diplomatic and economic platform with those countries since 2012.

"The two sides also need to seek more synergies in development strategies such as China's Belt and Road Initiative, China-CEEC cooperation and Poland's program to boost the economy after the pandemic, and tap into their potential in areas like trade, investment, transport, logistics and high-technology, so as to bring bilateral practical cooperation to new heights," the statement said.

Poland Pledged to "Become China's Gateway to Europe"

"[Xi] also expressed the hope that Poland will continue to make active contributions to the development of China-CEEC cooperation and China-EU relations as a whole."

Duda's office had said that he was making the trip to gain an opportunity to offer Beijing an alternative perspective on Ukraine crisis to that presented by Russia. However, security matters were not mentioned in the Chinese statement.

The Polish presidential office had yet to release a statement as of yesterday evening, but Beijing's statement said Duda had expressed hope that Poland could "become China's gateway to Europe".

"Beijing has made Poland a priority after challenges emerged in Chinese-CEEC cooperation, growing skeptical about the economic benefits on offer from Beijing," reports Kinling Lo. ("Poland offered help in logistics hub bid". South China Morning Post. Tuesday, February 8, 2022)

Conclusion

The border crisis between Ukraine and Russia comes at the right time for China, which must have been bored by the Biden administration which keeps raising "issues" for China which is genuinely interested in trade and economic development.

China is now shifting its focus to Europe, especially Poland, which must have been "bored" by the United States since the "Solidarity" movement led by Lech Walesa whose Vatican-inspired leadership plunged Poland into the arms of NATO, which has been US-led. It has offered no promising economic development. With the poor results, the Poles remain as poor as a church mouse.

The following years have seen continuing economic crisis and a series of short-lived coalition governments.

Recently, the present Polish president Duda plucked up his courage and is now turning to China for a change.

This change of heart coincides with China's political paradigm shift, with President Xi Jinping declaring that his country is "ready" to develop more intimate relations with European countries in general, and Poland in particular.

Will Poland become China's gateway to Europe as promised by the Polish president?

Given Poland's sad history, there is hope that the Poles will treasure friendship with China--which loathes hegemony.

Personally, I find this new friendship enticing and enterprising: A culture-rich Poland should be a much better partner in art, music and business than a little Lithuania that prefers to bank on the US, a hegemony.

 

The author is a freelance writer; formerly Adjunct Lecturer, taught MBA Philosophy of Management, and International Strategy, and online columnist of 3-D Corner (HKU SPACE), University of Hong Kong.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

Read more articles by Augustus K. Yeung:

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