China, as usual, uses UN speech to promote global development as solution to world’s challenges

NEW YORK (AP) — A day after his boss met with President Donald Trump in Washington, China’s vice president unfurled the nation’s familiar list of global talking points, emphasizing development, issuing mild statements about the U.S. war with Iran, artificial intelligence and protectionism, and making no direct mention of Taiwan. General Assembly landed somewhat anticlimactically after Chinese President Xi Jinping met Trump for a state dinner and a visit to the National Archives.

Most noteworthy about the address was the presence of Han himself: China has often used high-profile public events to position its rising leaders on the global stage. “China has created two miracles at home, namely fast economic roles and long-term social stability,” Han said. The closest he came to a pointed statement was when he mentioned protectionism.

China and the United States have been engaged in a tariff spat for more than a year, though that has ebbed as the Trump administration delayed implementations, court battles played out and Trump seemed to soften his approach to Xi. “Both history and reality prove that countries can hardly achieve development without an open and cooperative international environment,” Han said. “Protectionism produces no winners.” The lack of direct mention of Taiwan, something that often comes up in China’s U.N.

speeches, was noteworthy, particularly given tensions between Washington and Beijing about the self-governing island’s fate and defense. Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China. Development positioned as the most important principle Typically for China, Han put development at the top of the global agenda, saying much of the world order should be built around it to raise living standards everywhere.

He also repeated a familiar refrain of the Chinese government: that development helps create peace. China’s signature initiative of the past decade, known as “Belt and Road,” is an effort to foster development in nations across the world — and, in the process, increase China’s influence and soft power. Han said China has worked with three-quarters of the nations through Belt and Road projects.

China has long touted multilateralism as a cornerstone of a stable world, though it hasn’t always followed that path in its own relations. The nation’s constant refrain — stay out of our internal affairs — reflects its histor… Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China.Development positioned as the most important principleTypically for China, Han put development at the top of the global agenda, saying much of the world order should be built around it to raise living standards everywhere.