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Observing China is the essential newsletter to understand the UK-PRC relationship, explained in the context of global developments.

This image was generated using Artificial Intelligence.

Endless names of forums and acronyms can become tiresome, to the point that their significance is lost. But today, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) forum opens in Shanghai – hosted annually by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), previous guests have included Elon Musk.

This year, for the first time since the conference began in 2018, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), appeared in person and gave a keynote speech. He has announced measures which promote the PRC’s use of AI as a force for good – some of which are sure to entice new and emerging partners.

At the same time, others continue to point out areas where Beijing could do more to exert its influence to achieve peace.

Last week, I wrote how during a meeting with Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of the PRC, his counterpart Espen Barth Eide applied pressure for the PRC to use its influence with the Kremlin to convince Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, to enter into negotiations over a peace deal with Ukraine.

Last Friday, Lindsey Graham, United States (US) Senator, echoed the same sentiments during a visit to Kyiv, stating that the PRC has an ‘oversized’ influence over Putin, even going so far as to say that ‘the road to ending this ⁠war, the road to peace, passes through Beijing more than it does (through) Washington, Kyiv, or Moscow.’

Just a couple of weeks before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Beijing and Moscow signed their ‘no limits’ strategic partnership.

Welcome back to Observing China.