On behalf of the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations, I could not be more thrilled to announce the selection of our second fellowship cohort, fifteen truly outstanding next generation China scholars and analysts you can read more about here: global.upenn.edu/future-of-us-c…

First official Chinese confirmation of mediation attempts between Hamas terrorists and Fatah in Beijing over the weekend, which were done at China's invitation.

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KMT delegation returns from China w Beijing's promise to end some import bans & desire to increase cross-strait travel. Meant to portray Beijing & KMT as constructively seeking cross-strait peace while creating pressure on incoming Lai admin to respond

scmp.com/news/china/pol…

'Five Consensus Points' reached during Blinken visit, incl:

- 1st AI dialogue
- continue discussions on guiding principles for the US-China relationship, Asia/maritime affairs, consular issues, counternarcotics
- visit by China's climate change rep

fmprc.gov.cn/wjbzhd/202404/…

Chinese readout of Xi-Blinken meeting presents China as a responsible big power with an answer to the world's turbulence--a community with a shared future for mankind--as part of an ongoing push to occupy the moral high ground vis a vis the U.S.

fmprc.gov.cn/zyxw/202404/t2…

Wang Yi to Antony Blinken: 'Overall, the China-U.S. relationship is beginning to stabilize.  Across the areas our two sides have increased dialogue, cooperation, and the positive side of the relationship.'
state.gov/secretary-anto…

Looking forward to joining this discussion next week

I met with Admiral Steve Koehler, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet U.S. Pacific Fleet, ahead of his visit to Qingdao for the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium. He is the highest-ranking U.S. military official to visit China since 2019.

In Beijing presser after meeting Xi & Li, Scholz says he discussed provision of dual use goods from China to Russia 'at length'

'There can be no misunderstandings as to how we see things ... I'm convinced this is important.'

Does not say whether he got any commitment from China

In addition to Austin and Dong call, the US and China held a mtg under the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (meant to reduce the potential for military incidents) in early April, the first since Dec 2021

Here it comes. Taiwan's ex-President Ma Ying-jeou this morning calls on Taiwan's president-elect Lai Ching-te to:

1. obey ROC constitution & 'One China framework'
2. reaffirm 2 sides of TW Strait are not two countries
3. ditch Taiwan independence
4. return to 92 'Consensus'. /1

US says China sending Russia engines for drones & cruise missiles, machine tools for ballistic missiles, chips for missiles, tanks & aircraft. Chinese & Russian groups working to jointly produce drones in Russia
- partly based on newly declassified intel
on.ft.com/3xxqPVV

A lot of space given to the Xi-Ma mtg in People's Daily today - one objective for Beijing is to create a bit of political space for itself, by assuring domestic audiences that there are still actors in Taiwan they can work with & the leadership remains in control of the issue

My latest for Crisis Group on China-Myanmar relations. China is unhappy with the junta & resistant to normalising relations. It gave tacit support to Op.1027 which delivered some of the most humiliating defeats in the military’s history. Why? Details here: crisisgroup.org/asia/north-eas…

In the busy waters between China and Taiwan, the de facto border is being tested. From me and Chi-Hui (Summer) Lin in Kinmen last week.
theguardian.com/world/2024/mar…