The Odisha train crash drew attention in China as the India disengagement issue took a back seat

VSChinese President Xi Jinping said his country’s national security issues have become much more complex and difficult. Beijing makes no mention of the disengagement in its statement after the 27th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination, aka WMCC, on Indo-China border affairs. Chinese defense minister accuses US of practicing hegemony in Shangri-La dialogue.Chinescopeexamines a tense week in which the United States and China nearly clashed while trying to avoid war.

China over the week

The National Security Commission is a flagship institution of Xisera. The Commission held its first meeting on May 30 under the 20^eParty Congress a significant development this week. During the meeting, Xi stressed the need to prepare for extreme situations while highlighting the threat posed by artificial intelligence.

We must adhere to outcome thinking and the worst-case scenario, and be prepared to endure severe testing even in high winds and rough seas,beda translation of Xi’s comments by veteran China watcher Bill Bishop.

Xi wants to shape the external security environment that is beneficial to China.

The meeting stressed that it is necessary to ensure the new development pattern with the new security pattern, actively shape an external security environment that is beneficial to us, better maintain open security, and promote the deep integration of the development and security,” the Chinese premier said.saidduring the meeting.

In addition, the thematic meetingunderlinethe growing threat posed by artificial intelligence and the effective maintenance of political security, the improvement of network data and the governance of artificial intelligence security.

Beijing grew concerned about the emergence of generative AI such as ChatGPT and banned some early versions of the technology.

There is growing speculation that Xi has promoted Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Xi’s chief of staff, to head the office of the National Security Commission.

The reading of the meeting indicated that the commission emphasized accelerating construction of the national security risk monitoring and early warning system. We don’t know the details of this system, but in recent years Beijing has invested in technology to address national security issues.

Xi also focused on China’s borders while discussing actively shaping an external security environment.

On May 31, India and Chinaheldthe 27th WMCC meeting in New Delhi. 26^eedition was held on February 22 in the Indian capital.

Although thestatementby India said the two sides had discussed the proposals for disengagement in the remaining areas in a frank and open manner, the Chinese sidesstatementonly mentioned promoting de-escalation of the border situation and resolving relevant issues in the western part of the Sino-Indian border areas, excluding disengagement.

If you read China’s statements after commander-level talks and WMCC meetings, the word disengagement has been slowly dying out since 2022. Beijing continues to push the goal post, and disengagement in the remaining areas, including Depsang and Demchok, might not be achievable without diplomacy or military leverage.

Beijing will increasingly use the talks to block any disengagement action and prevent New Delhi from finding its ultimate leverage.

The sinister trainaccidentof the Coromandel Express in Balasore, Odisha also reached the summitsecuritiesin China.

THEhashtagIndia train crash kills over 300 people was the number one trend on the Baidu search engine on Saturday.

Another hashtag, India train crash kills 288, wasseen190 million times.

On Saturday evening, Xi sent his condolences to Indian President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Chinain the world news

Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfuaccusedthe United States is practicing double standards by imposing its rules on others in the name of a rules-based international order at the annual Shangri-La dialogue.

Li called the freedom of shipping operations by the United States and its allies a form of hegemony.

The clash between US and Chinese defense officials was expected as relations between the two superpowers are at their lowest since 1979.

Singapore has been dubbed the Vienna of Asia by some experts. The city-state is increasingly arbitrating geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, once again proving itself to be the height of status with the annual Shangri-La Dialogue.

But the message that rang alarm bells in the ears of some observers was Lis’ comments about Taiwan.

If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate for a second; we will fear no adversary and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, whatever the cost,saidLi in his remarks.

If we carefully read what Li said in Singapore, there was nothing new in Beijing’s position on its relations with the United States and its position on Taiwan.

But Li pointed out that aconfrontationbetween the United States and China would be an unbearable disaster for the world, which we must definitely note.

The US-China face-off in Singapore was not just blustering rhetoric. While the dialogue was underway, a Chinese warship nearly hit an American destroyer in the Taiwan Strait while carrying out a joint Canada-US freedom of navigation mission.

Journalists from CanadaWorld Newsevenchecked inthe near miss filmed while traveling on the frigate HMCS Montreal on May 25 as a member of a media crew.

The encounter between the US and Chinese military is the second incident in just a week. On May 30, the Pentagonreleaseda video of the People’s Liberation Army J-16 jet performing aggressive maneuvers in the air against the American RC-135.

Both incidents show that US-China tensions have verged on conflict despite attempts by the Joe Biden administrations to seek dialogue with Beijing.

To read this week

In China, AI-generated models are hugely popular and sexist Shu Xinrou

The illusion of Chinese AI prowess Helen Toner, Jenny Xiao and Jeffrey Ding

The author is a freelance columnist and journalist. He was previously a Chinese media reporter at the BBC World Service. He is currently MOFA Taiwan Fellow based in Taipei and tweets @aadilbrar. Views are personal.

(Editing by Zoya Bhatti)