Opinion | Leader of Poland visits China – What's on the radar

By Augustus K. Yeung

Long ago, in ancient China in the age of the Warring States, Mencius the sage paid King Liang Hui a visit. "Old sage, you've come a long way. What benefits have you brought my state?" asked the King anxiously. Mencius wisely quipped, "Oh King, why talk about interests and benefits? There are human-heartedness and righteousness, in short morality to talk about…" This dialogue sums up China's philosophy, now practices by Xi Jinping.

Thousands of years later, now appearing before our eyes in Beijing we have the leader of NATO member Poland who is visiting China.

How's this unexpected but most welcome interaction going to impact China-EU relations?

Will the Polish president be like the Lithuanians, a U.S. pawn, trying to fish in troubled water as the stories are told in "Journey to the West," a Chinese classic which tells about fairies and apparitions – taking the shapes of humans and pretending to be kind.

It's unfair to compare Poland (a heroic country) and Lithuania. The following newspaper report makes it clear how it will contribute to the ultimate building of China-EU bilateral ties.

Polish President Andrzej Duda met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Monday, June 14.

In this meeting at the Great Hall of the People accompanied with a full honor guard and 21-gun salute, Duda told Xi – that relations between Poland and China remain strong.

"Over the past 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, bilateral relations have maintained steady development, constantly injecting new vitality into traditional friendship between the two countries." Xi said.

What's on the agenda?

Duda said Poland was hoping for closer commercial relations with China – particularly under Xi's signature "Belt and Road Initiative" to build transport connections and other infrastructure between China, Europe Southeast Asia and other regions – largely as a response to "overcapacity" within China's huge manufacturing industries, the need to find foreign markets and expand Beijing's political and economic influence to counter the U.S. – led liberal domestic order.

Territorial security is on the agenda, too.

Poland borders Ukraine. It has maintained a hard line against further expansion of Russian aggression, but the grinding conflict has raised questions over – how to maintain the country's economic health…

Duda had said he would talk to Xi about Russian ally Belarus exerting migration pressure on the border with Poland, as a form of hybrid-war that also include cyberattacks.

Duda is also seeking a visa waiver for Poles travelling to China. He is looking for possibilities of increasing Poland's exports to the country – to balance their trade relations.

Note: State Statistics Poland said that 13.9% of the nation's imports last year were from China, while Poland exports to China were just a fraction of that amount.

Several trade agreements were signed following the meeting between the two leaders, including on Polish agricultural exports and educational exchanges.

Duda has further meetings in Beijing and will fly to Shanghai to attend a Poland-China economic forum. (Source: MDT/AP)

Notably, President Xi Jinping's most preferred way of conducting free global trading business is well-known by now, which ultimately contributes to global prosperity and peace – rather than aggressions, or even wars as those that had been taking place in the past 75 years – under a U.S.-led "rules-based" norm since World War II.

This introductory story is exactly what the Chinese leader meant when he dubbed and defined his nation as one of "Socialism – with Chinese characteristics."

On the world stage, for a long time China has been looked at as "Bandits living on the Water Margins." These "bandits" are in fact socio-political misfits oppressed and labelled by the ruling powers, or more precisely by the Japanese Imperialist before WWII, and the United States after WWII.

Now, with China's righteous rise, a realignment of power is gradually taking shape: The ones formerly labelled as "bandits" or "axis of evil" will live to see daylight – given China's persistence, insistence and collective leadership, taking BRICS+ expansion as an example.

One word of caution: Nothing of this sort would come free – as nations must keep and deepen bilateral ties at forefront such as China-Europe ties, warned Wang Yi, according to Macau Post Daily.

China is ready to work with Poland and more convincingly Hungary to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and keep China-Hungary relations at the forefront of China-Europe relations, Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks over a phone call with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Beijing on Tuesday, June 25.

It pays to remember that in President Xi Jinping's last successful visit to Hungary, he and Hungarian PM Viktor Orban jointly announced the elevation of China-Hungary relations to an "all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era", injecting strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations.

Congratulating Hungary on its upcoming rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), Wang stressed that China has always supported European integration – and the EU's strategic independence and regards the Europe side as an important partner on the Chinese path to modernization.

I entertain the possibility that Hungary will play a constructive role in the improving interactions between China and Europe. What's more, the Polish leader's timely visit to China is expected to create synergy with Hungary, a positive sign of China-Europe relations moving in the right direction.

Poland has had a long history of foreign domination, subjugation and domestic instability, which was no less complicated than China's Warring States. The tilting of this wounded nation (with its great talents in various fields) towards a humane and righteous modern China would be a wonderful beginning.

What do I see on the Chinese radar?

If China can assert its emerging influence on behalf of Poland, we can win their respect. And, if China can stick out its neck to protect Poland from its traditional enemies such as Germany, Russia and Turkey, then we'll truly be a protective and righteous nation on earth.

 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

To contact the writer, please direct email:AugustusKYeung@ymail.com

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