SILK ROAD NEGOCIATION BY CHINA CAN NOT REPLACE MULTILATERALISM P.MACRON TOLD US

USPA NEWS - While conveying the appreciation of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR to President Donald Trump and the people of America, the Minister applauded the United States for the donation which he considers “generous and friendly“ particularly at this time when the US is also being preoccupied by the global pandemic, the minister assured that the equipment will be judiciously used. The President´s representative said: “This donation consists of 200 ventilators, which, as we all know by now, are a critical component of the response strategy to save the lives of persons who have been severely impacted by this viral infection. “They will certainly be of great benefit to the people of Nigeria and I wish to convey the appreciation of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and of the Government of Nigeria, to President Donald Trump and the United States Government for the generous consideration and friendly gesture. We particularly appreciate that this gift comes against the backdrop that the United States is also fighting its own fierce battle against the COVID-19 plague. We wish them the very best in this challenge“, he said.

The President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron went to Brussels, for an extraordinary European Council of 1-2 October 20 . During President Emmanuel Macron's press conference since the Extraordinary European Council, we asked him a question about China, which is deploying its Silk Road in East Asia and passing after Kazakhstan until it reaches Mauritius and mutilateralism. President Macron responded to our correspondent, Rahma Sophia Rachdi, USPA, on this subject. We publish this exchange, Q&A and a follow-up context of the European Summit / China which took place on 24-25 September IN 2018 PDT MACRON VISITED CHINA AND MET HIS COUNTERPART XI JINPING IN BEJING------------------------- In January 2018, on the occasion of President Emmanuel Macron´s state visit to China and met with his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing.President Emmanuel Macron then made a series of cultural and economic visits, and will deliver a speech on the economy, and met the president of the National People's Congress of China and the Prime Minister, before signing agreements and contracts, then a press conference with Xi Jinping and a state dinner. The French head of state at the time invited China on Monday to deepen its relationship with Europe in the light of new global challenges, at a time when the world's second-largest economy is increasing the expression of its power and its affecting. By now European heads of state and government will meet on November 16 in Berlin for a summit devoted to relations with China. Before this meeting, we ask ourselves what kind of economic partner the Asian giant can be for the European Union.

THE NEW SILK ROAD PROJECT UNVEILED IN 2013 BY CHINA The famous New Silk Road project was unveiled in 2013. It aims to strengthen trade between Asia, Africa and Europe through investment in infrastructure. Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged $ 124 billion for his ambitious plan, seen in Europe as a tool for asserting Chinese influence. In 2018, President Macron then said that “The Silk Roads have never been purely Chinese“, facing an audience made up of researchers, students and businessmen, in Xian, a former starting point. eastern part of this network of trade routes that linked Europe to China. “These roads can only be shared. If they are roads, they cannot be unequivocal “, he added, at the imperial palace of Daming, historic residence of the Tang dynasty. He added of the Silk Roads "They cannot be the roads of a new hegemony, which would amount to putting in a state of vassalage the countries they pass through." SINCE 2013 CHINA AND THE EU HAVE NEGOTIATED A COMPREHENSIVE INVESTMENT AGREEMENT Thus, since 2013, China and the European Union have been negotiating a Comprehensive Agreement on Investments (AGI) which is supposed to see the light of day at the end of 2020. Such an agreement allows for a reciprocal and fair opening of the markets. At present, only the European market is fully accessible to Chinese investments.However, the European Union wants there to be real reciprocity in its relationship with the Chinese power.In addition, publicly condemns President Macron publicly condemns "Unacceptable practices" which go "against the universal principles enshrined in international conventions on human rights". For the first time, in a letter sent on September 6 to French parliamentarians and obtained by Liberation, Emmanuel Macron publicly condemns the actions of the Chinese central power against the Muslim peoples of Xinjiang. And this after having "examined with the greatest attention the testimonies and documents relayed by the press and human rights organizations".On the occasion of a visit by the Chinese President to France in March 2019, the two respective presidents, French and Chinese, Emmanuel Macron and X Jinping, affirmed their great conviction in defending "strong multilateralism", while France had carries out a gigantic order for 300 Airbus planes.------------------------------------------------- Two years later, on the occasion of the Extraordinary EU / China Summit on October 2, 2020, represents an opportunity to strengthen ties with the European Union, its largest trading partner.---------------------------------------------------------------------- The large Sino-European "27 + 1" summit, which was to be held in Leipzig on Monday September 14 under the chairmanship of Angela Merkel, will finally take place in the more modest form of a videoconference exchange between the Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and three European leaders: besides the German Chancellor, the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The Europeans seem united this time in their response: for a bilateral investment agreement to be signed, China must open its market to European companies under the principle of reciprocity.

AN EXTRAORDINARY EU / CHINA SUMMIT OF SEPTEMBER 24-25 TO UPDATE ON DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The extraordinary European summit, scheduled for September 24-25, aims to give European Union leaders an opportunity to take stock of their difficult relations with China and Turkey. This summit should allow European leaders to discuss all subjects that have not been addressed since the onset of the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. However, they should take stock of the negotiations with the European Parliament to allow the adoption of the budget for the period 2021-2027 and of the process of ratifying the recovery plan initiated in each of the states. The borrowing capacity must indeed be approved by the national parliaments of the 27 member countries. PRESIDENT MACRON ANSWERS OUR CORRESPONDENT IN PRESS CONF OVER THE SILK ROAD AND MULTILATERALISM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION USPA: Did you mention the Silk Road in connection with China and if so, do you consider it to be multi-lateralism?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ANSWER PDT EMMANUEL MACRON: We didn´t mention the Silk Road this afternoon, but I have had the opportunity to mention it several times, in China or elsewhere.The Silk Roads are strategic points, a geopolitical concept presented by President XI Jong Ping and declined after China. AND it has the merit of being a very strong opposition and being clear, It is a commercial, industrial, financial and geopolitical proposition which consists in forging partnerships, geographical indeed along this historic route and down to Africa. It is also the structuring of relay points of political influence for China. I think we have to respect this proposal that is made by China to all the states that want to participate, but I think that first we have, I would say, we have several answers.The first is that the Silk Road be green roads that are consistent with our international climate commitments, in particular those of China.The second is that we have always called for it to be articulated with the grammar of sovereignty and to be compatible with us, our sovereignty as far as Europe is concerned. Finally, I deeply believe that this does not replace what multilateralism is, which is played out on a balanced neutral framework and which is not a project proposed by a country but which is a collective operation of all nations without hegemony.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Multilateralism is the United Nations, multilateralism is the management of our common goods be it health, climate to name just two subjects, which are so essential today. It is therefore to rebuild our common rules of transparency, of trust in the WHO, rules of, precisely, cooperation, to allow global access to the vaccine.----------------------------------------------------------- It is to continue to move forward on the Paris Agreement and to build this multilateralism for the fight against global warming and biodiversity. It is also giving back to trade and economic mutlilateralism within the framework of the WTO and the OECD much more strength to move forward. These ca multilateralism. But the Silk Road project does not replace this one. ".../