The demand for global business ethics is that consideration of each other’s interests should be kept in mind in trade. Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the United States visited Beijing, China during an important tour. Amidst the conflict in Ukraine, clashes between Israel and Gaza, and the trade tension between China and America, the recent visit of the US Secretary of State to China holds great significance. The media in both America and China have also been commenting on this tour.
The Pakistani media has also reported on this matter. According to media reports, Chinese President Xi Jinping told American Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting that the two largest economies in the world should cooperate rather than compete, but there are still many issues that need to be resolved in their relationship. The American Secretary of State met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
The Chinese President emphasized that both countries should be partners in global trade, not adversaries. He further stated that there are still many issues that need to be resolved and there is still room for further efforts. He also expressed hope that America will adopt a positive view of China’s progress, and that when the fundamental issues are resolved, the relationships could be strengthened in meaningful ways, improved, and move forward. However, the past year has seen improvements in certain issues after the meeting with American President Biden.
Prior to this, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had warned American Secretary of State Antony Blinken that American pressure could create tension in the relationship between the two countries as American diplomats had expressed concern about various issues including Chinese support for Russia. Wang Yi also cautioned that the issue of Taiwan is a red line that should not be crossed in China-American relations, but Antony Blinken characterized his meeting which lasted 5 hours with Wang Yi as extensive and constructive.
During the meeting, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken also met with senior Chinese politicians in Beijing. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Antony Blinken had expressed concerns regarding American support for Russia during the meeting with Wang Yi.
Tensions between China and America have been ongoing for some time now. Analysts that focus on international affairs are likening the trade tension between America and China to a new cold war. Former President Trump had held China responsible for spreading the coronavirus during his presidency. During his term, restrictions were imposed on Chinese companies in America.
The Chinese leadership had reacted strongly to this and accused America of spreading the coronavirus in Wuhan. The situation between Israel and Hamas had escalated before and after the attack on Ukraine, leading to intense disagreements between Russia and America. NATO countries and Britain had also become part of the anti-Russia camp, imposing sanctions on Russia. Russian President Putin had also taken retaliatory actions and had started accusing America directly. Currently, there is an ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
China also has boundary disputes with India. These disputes have led to a war between India and China, and border tensions between the border forces are often observed. On the other hand, America and Europe are standing with India. In the past decade, relations between America and India have advanced to a strategic level.
American and European companies are investing heavily in India, while Japanese companies are also investing in India. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are investing billions of dollars in India. This has led to a significant increase in India’s rate of development, especially in the middle-class segment. Education levels are also continuously rising. The Chinese government is wary of India’s increasing trade volume and military power.
Amidst all this, the Chinese Foreign Minister had also reassured Antony Blinken that Taiwan is a red line for China and it should not be crossed by any country. Border conflicts also exist between China and India. Due to these conflicts, India and China have previously engaged in a war, and border tensions often arise between the forces.
China has adopted an alternative strategy in this regard as well. Under this strategy, China has established a financial institution called BRICS through cooperation with India, South Africa, and Brazil. This institution has been partially successful. The Chinese leadership is moving forward with great tolerance and has so far been successful in keeping itself away from global conflicts. China has adopted a principle of foreign policy that avoids war.
During the meeting with American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese President Xi Jinping also engaged in balanced and calm conversations. They discussed cooperation and hinted at not becoming adversaries. This means that China does not want to engage in any form of cold war with America. The priority of the Chinese leadership is to preserve the interests of wealth and trade. The Chinese leadership does not want to go to war with any country and does not want to fight proxy wars in any country.
The Chinese leadership has sent a positive message to America. The demand for global business ethics is that consideration of each other’s interests should be kept in mind in trade. Fighting with each other weakens business activities. The first principle of wealth and trade is peace and regulations. The more peace there is in a country, the more rational and practical its laws and regulations will be, the more fair the accountability of decision-makers will be, the investment will naturally flow into the country.
Businesses will thrive, governments will not have to forcibly collect taxes, recreational activities will increase, and tourism will grow. The spread of the middle class will also increase, the level of education among the educated class will rise continuously, and the GDP of the country will increase significantly when there is no increase in terrorism, white-collar criminals will bear the consequences of the criminal system, the underworld will flourish, laws and regulations will be one-sided, and laws concerning the highest government officials will be ambiguous or inaccessible, in such a situation, capital will flee from the country in search of a secure destination.