Chinese Wisdom in Xi's Words: 'Benefiting people, fundamental principle of governance'

lXinhua, March 16, 2022

The people-centered philosophy of development, which President Xi Jinping has actively promoted, has its roots in traditional Chinese culture.

More than 2,000 years ago, a book on the thoughts of Taoist sage Laozi introduced the idea that "bringing benefit to the people is a fundamental principle of governance."

It was quoted by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, in his keynote speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in November 2016 when he elaborated that the government should respond to people's aspiration for a better life and ensure that the fruits of development are shared by them.

The people-centered approach has been embodied in every aspect of Xi's governance.

After assuming the Party's top post in late 2012, Xi has repeatedly said that "the Chinese people's aspiration for a better life is the goal we strive for."

The just-concluded "two sessions" of the country's top legislature and political advisory body also provided an opportunity to view Xi's people-centered philosophy.

In fact, in his deliberations with lawmakers and political advisors in the annual "two sessions" over the past decade, Xi has touched upon a wide range of topics on the wellbeing of the people, including poverty reduction, access to education, environmental protection, medical services, and social assistance.

"There is no trivial matter when it comes to the wellbeing of the people," Xi said on March 6 this year when he visited national political advisors attending the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

China details efforts to boost agricultural production

Aerial photo shows farmers sowing at a peanut farm in Yangjiatuo Village of Luanzhou City in north China's Hebei Province, April 18, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's top economic planner has detailed tasks to boost agricultural production, urging efforts to stabilize grain output, expand the planting of soybean and oilseed crops, and ensure the supply of farm produce.

Primary agriculture production areas should improve their comprehensive grain production capacity, said a National Development and Reform Commission circular. The main sales areas should effectively stabilize and increase grain self-sufficiency rates, while regions where agriculture production and sales are balanced should ensure basic self-sufficiency.

Vigorous efforts should be made to expand the planting of soybean and oilseed crops to support coordinated development between grain and oilseed crops production, said the circular.

The economic planner also called for close attention to the supply and demand of live pigs, pledging to take targeted measures to stabilize the basic production capacity and prevent fluctuations.

Other measures aimed at boosting agriculture production include strengthening the construction of agriculture infrastructure and stabilizing prices of agricultural materials, including fertilizers.

China has set a target to ensure the full-year grain output stays above 650 billion kg in 2022. Last year, China's grain output hit a new high of 683 billion kg, with grain farmland exceeding 1.76 billion mu (about 117.3 million hectares).

THE WHITE HOUSE's latest news

Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official on President Biden’s Call with President Xi Jinping of China
MARCH 18, 2022


Via Teleconference

2:53 P.M. EDT

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you. Thanks, everyone, for joining. I just — at the top, I want to say, you know, incredibly sorry for the delay today. We really try for this not to ever happen. And just some scheduling and logistical challenges today put us a little bit back. So, again, true apologies, and we know how important your time is.

So, that being said, you know, welcome to the call. This call is on background. It is attributable to a “senior administration official.” And this call is embargoed until the end of the call.

For your awareness and not for reporting, the speaker on this call is [senior administration official]. And with that, I’ll turn it over to you to give some remarks, and then we’ll take some questions. Thanks, again, everyone.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, [senior administration official]. And I’ll just reiterate: Everybody, thanks for your patience today. And I’ll, with that, just get right to it.

You all have hopefully now seen the readout that has gone out. So, just building on that with a little bit more detail for all of you, you know, the call between President Biden and President Xi this morning lasted approximately two hours. Of course, it was conducted by a secure video link.

I would say the conversation was direct. It was substantive and it was detailed. The two leaders spent the preponderance of their time discussing Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, as well as the implications of the crisis for U.S.-China relations and the international order.

President Biden shared with President Xi a detailed review of how things have developed to this point, his assessment of the situation today, and President Biden underscored his support for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

The President described our assessment of Putin’s actions and his miscalculations. He also described the unity of the United States and its Allies and partners, the unprecedented coordination with our European, NATO, and Indo-Pacific partners, and the overwhelming global unity and condemnation of Russia — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as the support for Ukraine.

President Biden made clear the implication and consequences of China providing material support — if China were to provide material support — to Russia as it prosecutes its brutal war in Ukraine, not just for China’s relationship with the United States but for the wider world.

And he stressed concerns, as you’ve heard us speak about more broadly, that Russia is spreading disinformation about biological weapons in Ukraine as a pretext for a false-flag operation and underscored concerns about echoing such disinformation.

President Xi raised Taiwan. President Biden reiterated that the United States remains committed to our one-China policy and is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances. And he underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The two leaders also discussed the importance of managing competition between the two countries — between the United States and China — of addressing areas of strategic risk and maintaining open lines of communication. And to that end, they tasked their teams to follow up on the leaders’ discussion in the days and weeks ahead.

Of course, today’s conversation followed up on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s meeting with his counterpart in Rome earlier this week in which the two agreed that the two presidents would speak — again, as both sides believe that there is no substitute for leader-to-leader engagement.

And, as you all know, this call comes amid the intensive engagement we’ve had with allies and partners in Europe and the Indo-Pacific in recent weeks.

And with that, I will be happy to take your questions.

Q Hi, [senior administration official]. Thanks for doing this. First, I wanted to ask if President Biden warned Xi Jinping specifically about sanctions, or did he refer to more vague consequences should China provide any support for Russia in the war? And regardless, what was Xi’s response to that?

Yeah, I appreciate that.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Of course. Well, thanks, Michael. So, you know, as I mentioned, the President described the implications, you know, if China provides material support to Russia as it prosecutes this brutal war, but I’m not going to talk — I’m not going to, sort of, publicly lay out our options from here.

We’re going to continue to talk directly with China, as well as to our Allies and partners, about the broader situation. And I will let the PRC characterize what Xi Jinping’s comments were.

Q Thank you. Do you have an assessment of whether or not China has made a decision to go down this road with Russia?

And then, second: More broadly, was there any talk of, sort of, the commercial ramifications that have happened for Russia as a result of this war, with big Western companies leaving and the prospect that that could happen to China if they were to get involved in assisting?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, Aamer. On your first question, I’m not going to comment on specifics at this time.

On the question about the actions — the economic responses to Russia and the private sector: Yeah, I would say, you know, the President, you know, really laid out in a lot of detail the unified response from not only, you know, governments around the world but also the private sector, to Russia’s brutal aggression in Ukraine.

And, you know, the President made clear that, you know, there would be — that there would likely be consequences for those who are — who would — who would step in to support Russia at this time.

Q Thank you. Can you tell me if the President expressly asked Xi — Xi Jinping — to intercede with Moscow, with Putin, to stop the war and specifically to withdraw from (inaudible)?

And did Xi offer in any way to use his influence with Putin to end the aggression?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, Ellen. Yeah, look, you know, the call wasn’t really — and I mean, the President really wasn’t making specific requests of China. He was laying out his assessment of the situation, what he thinks makes sense, and the implications of certain actions.

You know, I think our view is that China will make its own decisions, and so I’d describe that as sort of the nature of the call. And again, on any response from President Xi, you know, you’d have to talk to Beijing.

Q Hi, everyone. Thank you so much for doing the call. Can you tell us if President Xi made any guarantees to President Biden that he would not help Russia?

And did the President come away from the call with a sense that President Xi is ready to condemn the invasion? Because China’s still hasn’t done that publicly. Did President Xi condemn the invasion in this call, or did President Biden come away with this with a sense that he will do so? Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, look, on your first question, you know, China will make its own decisions. And I think you probably have seen the readout that they have put out; I would refer you to that as their characterization of President Xi’s words.

You know, as I said, I think the President was — President Biden was candid and direct in discussing his assessment of the situation and, you know, what he believes would be necessary, in order to find a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

But, you know, I think, in terms of what President Xi said, again, I’m going to leave it to the Chinese side to characterize their words.

MODERATOR: Can we do our next question, please?

Q Thanks so much. And thanks for doing this. Two questions for you. Did President Biden get the sense that President Xi was caught off guard by the nature of the Russian invasion and how it’s gone? And during this two-hour call, did Xi ever refer to it as an invasion?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Sorry, I was taking down notes to make sure I remember your questions.

You know, look, on the first question: You know, I think, you know, the National Security Advisor has — has spoken publicly about our assessment of Beijing’s reaction to the invasion. And so, I will just point you to his comments. I don’t have them exactly in front of me, but I think he’s been on the record about this.

You know, and in terms of how Xi referred to — you know, referred to the situation, again, I would just point you to their own words as they have characterized them.

Q Hi, [senior administration official]. Thanks for doing the call. Can you just share a little bit of color on whether the President felt more or less optimistic about where China st- — where President Xi stands on the issue of Ukraine after this call?

And just a follow-up: The Chinese readout suggests that President Xi complained to President Biden about people in the U.S. sending wrong signals to Taiwan’s independence forces. Can you detail President Biden’s response to this? Thanks.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks so much, Patsy. Look, I — you know, I think, as we felt with the conversation in Rome with Director Yang earlier this week and the conversation with, you know, President Xi here today, this was really about President Biden being able to lay out very clearly in substantial detail, with a lot of facts, and a lot of just — you know, really walking President Xi through the situation, making very, very clear our views, the views of others, what we have laid out in the previous months and the actions we’re taking now.

And I think it was the — I think, from our perspective, we will — we will see what decisions China makes in the days and weeks ahead.

And so, I think it was sort of less about coming away with a particular view out of the conversation today and more about making sure, again, that they were able to really have that direct, candid and detailed and very substantive conversation at the leader level. And we know there really is no replacement for that.

So, that’s how I would think about the conversation today.

In terms of the question about Taiwan, President Biden was very clear that our policy has not changed, that — you know, he reiterated our one-China policy based on the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Communiqués, the Six Assurances.

And he underscored, as well, concerns about Beijing’s coercive and provocative actions across the Taiwan Strait. President Biden made clear that we remain opposed to any unilateral changes to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

And, you know, I would just remind, obviously, that President Biden himself voted for the Taiwan Relations Act, and he’s firmly committed to the principles in it, and that the Biden administration has consistently demonstrated rock-solid support for Taiwan and will continue to do so.

But, again, you know, President Biden’s response was really about just reaffirming our continued, consistent policy — very longstanding policy — while underscoring concerns about Beijing’s coercive and provocative actions across the Strait.

MODERATOR: Great. Thanks, [senior administration official]. And thanks, everyone, for joining.

You know, again, very sorry for the delay. You know, I know we’ll have a press briefing shortly, so hopefully more questions can be taken there. And then if there’s still more that you all need, we’re here to provide any sort of help that you might — you might need.

So, just as a reminder, this call was on background, attributable to a “senior administration official.” And the embargo on the contents of the call have now lifted.

So, thanks again, everyone. Have a good day.

3:07 P.M. EDT

Readout of President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Call with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China
MARCH 18, 2022

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ΣΥΡΙΖΑ δελτίον τύπου

ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ - Προοδευτική Συμμαχία στην πρώτη γραμμή για την υγεία:

2η περιοδεία κλιμακίου σε Κέντρα Υγείας της Ανατολικής Αττικής

(Κορωπί- Βάρη-Καλύβια-Λαύριο- Κερατέα)

Κλιμάκιο του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ - Προοδευτική Συμμαχία με επικεφαλής τον πρώην Υπουργό Υγείας, Τομεάρχη Υγείας του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ-Προοδευτική Συμμαχία, βουλευτή Ανδρέα Ξανθό, επισκέφθηκε τα Κέντρα Υγείας Κορωπίου, Βάρης, Καλυβίων, Λαυρίου και τη δομή ΑΜΕΥ στην Κερατέα. Πρόκειται για το δεύτερο κύκλο εξόρμησης σε Κέντρα Υγείας της Ανατολικής Αττικής, που οργάνωσε στις 15 Μαρτίου η Νομαρχιακή Επιτροπή ΣΥΡΙΖΑ-Προοδευτική Συμμαχία σε συνεργασία με τις ΟΜ των περιοχών αυτών.

Ο Τομεάρχης Υγείας της ΚΟ ΣΥΡΙΖΑ-Προοδευτική Συμμαχία άσκησε δριμεία κριτική στην κυβέρνηση για την εγκληματική πολιτική της που έχει οδηγήσει στην υγειονομική τραγωδία αλλά και για τον κυβερνητικό σχεδιασμό για την ιδιωτικοποίηση του συστήματος υγείας. Ειδικά για τις δομές πρωτοβάθμιας φροντίδας υγείας, επισήμανε ότι δεν έχουν αξιοποιηθεί στην οργανωμένη προνοσοκομειακή διαχείριση της πανδημίας και στην κατ’οίκον φροντίδα ασθενών, το οποίο αν είχε συμβεί θα περιόριζε σημαντικά την καθυστερημένη αναζήτηση ιατρικής φροντίδας, τους αποτρέψιμους θανάτους και την αυξημένη θνησιμότητα στη χώρα.

Δήλωσε ότι απαιτείται ένα νέο φιλόδοξο πολιτικό σχέδιο για τον κρίσιμο τομέα της υγείας, που θα περιλαμβάνει μόνιμες προσλήψεις, μηχανισμό αυτόματης αναπλήρωσης των κενών συνταξιοδότησης και ειδικά κίνητρα στελέχωσης άγονων δομών και τμημάτων του ΕΣΥ.

Στις επισκέψεις και στις συναντήσεις με εκπροσώπους των δομών και των εργαζομένων συμμετείχαν ο Βουλευτής ΣΥΡΙΖΑ-Προοδευτική Συμμαχία Ανατολικής Αττικής Νάσος Αθανασίου, ο Παναγιώτης Τζανετής, μέλος της Κ.Ε.Α. και πρώην πρόεδρος του ΕΚΑΒ, ο Δήμαρχος Σαρωνικού Πέτρος Φιλίππου και ο Δήμαρχος Λαυρεωτικής Δημήτρης Λουκάς.

Επίσης, παρέστη η Χρυσάνθη Κισκήρα, πρώην υποδιοικήτρια της 1ης ΥΠΕ, ο Γιώργος Αντύπας, πρώην υποδιοικητής της 2ης ΥΠΕ και ο Ευάγγελος Τρυγώνης, μέλος του Τμήματος Υγείας του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ -Προοδευτική Συμμαχία και πρώην αναπληρωτής διοικητής του Γ.Ν. Παίδων Πεντέλης.

Από τη Νομαρχιακή Επιτροπή Ανατολικής Αττικής συμμετείχε η Συντονιστής Ζαννέτ Τσίπρα, η υπεύθυνη της Επιτροπής Υγείας Ευαγγελία Τσιούνη, και στελέχη της Νομαρχιακής Επιτροπής, καθώς και οι συντονιστές και μέλη των πέντε ΟΜ Κορωπίου, Βάρης-Βούλας-Βουλιαγμένης, Καλυβίων, Λαυρίου και Κερατέας που ανέλαβαν από κοινού την πρωτοβουλία της δράσης.

Το αμέσως επόμενο διάστημα προγραμματίζεται η τρίτη κατά σειρά εξόρμηση σε Κέντρα Υγείας και θα ακολουθήσουν και άλλες δράσεις μέχρι να ολοκληρωθεί ο σχεδιασμός οργανωμένων επισκέψεων στο σύνολο των δομών πρωτοβάθμιας φροντίδας υγείας σε όλη την Ανατολική Αττική.

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Το Γραφείο Τύπου της

Νομαρχιακής Επιτροπής Αν. Αττικής ΣΥΡΙΖΑ-ΠΣ

ΠΑΝΟΥ ΣΚΟΥΡΟΛΙΑΚΟΥ,Βουλευτού ΣΥΡΙΖΑ newsletter

 



Αθήνα 16 Μαρτίου 2022

ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Συζήτηση Επίκαιρης Ερώτησης με θέμα:

"Υπολειτουργία των Κτηματολογικών Γραφείων της Ανατολικής Αττικής"

Συζητήθηκε η επίκαιρη ερώτηση που κατέθεσε ο Αναπλ. Τομεάρχης Πολιτισμού της Κ.Ο του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ-Προοδευτική Συμμαχία και βουλευτής Ανατολικής Αττικής, Πάνος Σκουρολιάκος, με την οποία καλούσε τον Υπουργό Ψηφιακής Διακυβέρνησης να απαντήσει «τι σκοπεύει να κάνει ως πολιτική ηγεσία για να αποκαταστήσει την εύρυθμη λειτουργία των Κτηματολογικών Γραφείων της Ανατολικής Αττικής έτσι ώστε να πάψει η ταλαιπωρία των πολιτών αλλά και των εργαζομένων σ’ αυτά».

Αφορμή για να κατατεθεί η Επίκαιρη Ερώτηση στάθηκε το γεγονός ότι έγινε αποδέκτης πολλών διαμαρτυριών από κατοίκους της Ανατολικής Αττικής για την κατάσταση που επικρατεί στα Κτηματολογικά Γραφεία της περιοχής.

Πολίτες αλλά και εργαζόμενοι σε όλα τα Κτηματολογικά Γραφεία της Ανατολικής Αττικής διαμαρτύρονται, καθώς διαπιστώνουν δυσλειτουργία τους, την οποία αποδίδουν στην υποστελέχωση των Γραφείων και σε αδιαφορία της πολιτικής ηγεσίας του Υπουργείου. Πολίτες που αντιμετωπίζουν τεράστιες ουρές, εργαζόμενοι χωρίς τα στοιχειώδη - ελλείψεις και σε φωτοτυπικό χαρτί - που όμως καταβάλλουν κάθε δυνατή προσπάθεια ώστε να διορθωθούν τα λάθη που έχουν προκύψει κατά την περίοδο των κτηματολογικών δηλώσεων και έχουν ως αποτέλεσμα τη μεγάλη ταλαιπωρία των συμπολιτών μας.

Στην απάντησή του ο Υπουργός αποδέχθηκε ότι υπάρχουν προβλήματα στη λειτουργία των Κτηματολογικών Γραφείων, όχι μόνο της Αττικής, αλλά όλης της χώρας. Τα προβλήματα, είπε, αφορούν και στην έλλειψη προσωπικού και σε ελλείψεις στην υλικοτεχνική υποδομή. Για όλ’ αυτά τα προβλήματα, βεβαίως, ευθύνεται η προηγούμενη κυβέρνηση!

Στη δευτερολογία του ο κ. Σκουρολιάκος δεν άφησε ασχολίαστη την τοποθέτηση του Υπουργού, λέγοντας χαρακτηριστικά ότι είναι γνωστό πλέον ότι, για τους κυβερνώντες, η πηγή των προβλημάτων του ελληνικού κράτους από το 1830 ως σήμερα είναι ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ.

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT:Sheep meat-MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

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Dashboard: Milk and dairy products
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EU butter prices: 614 €/100 kg, +3.1% up in last 4 weeks;
EU SMP prices: 379 €/100 kg, +4.0% up in last 4 weeks;
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IT spot milk price keeps going up, now at 47.3 c/kg. (13/03/2022);
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with ..

 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy

March 16, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to express solidarity and discuss Canada’s ongoing support to the people of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Trudeau thanked President Zelenskyy for his powerful speech to the Parliament of Canada on Tuesday, and commended his exceptional courage and leadership, which have been inspirational for Canadians and for people around the world. The President thanked the Prime Minister for Canada’s close friendship and strong support for Ukraine, including Canada’s efforts in working with its allies and mobilizing additional international support to hold Russia accountable for its unjustifiable and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Trudeau updated President Zelenskyy on the delivery of aid to Ukraine from Canada, and the two leaders discussed how Canada will continue to support Ukraine on an ongoing basis.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy agreed to keep in close touch.

Associated links

• Canada’s engagement in Ukraine
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Canada’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Canadian sanctions related to Russia
• Prime Minister concludes successful visit to Europe and announces additional sanctions

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta

March 17, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Prime Minister denounced the large-scale military aggression by Russia against the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. He expressed his steadfast support for Ukraine and its people, and called for an immediate ceasefire and for the respect of international law. He thanked President Kenyatta for Kenya’s leadership at the United Nations and with African leaders in upholding the rules-based international system. Both leaders expressed their profound concerns about the unfolding humanitarian crisis, the human cost of Russia’s actions, and the impacts on food and energy security. They also discussed challenges faced by democracies and the importance of stepping up to defend democratic values. They expressed their firm commitment to multilateralism as a way to tackle these issues and promote peace and security.

Prime Minister Trudeau thanked President Kenyatta for his leadership in hosting the recent United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) in Nairobi followed by a Special Session to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP@50). Canada was represented by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President Kenyatta exchanged views on regional crises, including the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia. Prime Minister Trudeau expressed deep concern with the difficult humanitarian situation. He and President Kenyatta agreed on the need to continue supporting efforts to reach a peaceful resolution.

The leaders reaffirmed their countries’ strong bilateral relationship, and committed to continue working together to advance shared priorities in the areas of trade, investment, climate action, and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Associated links

• Canada-Kenya Relations
• Canada’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Canada’s engagement in Ukraine
• Canada supports a new legally binding global agreement on plastics as UN meeting kicks off in Kenya
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of France Emmanuel Macron

March 17, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

The Prime Minister and President strongly condemned Russia’s ongoing military aggression against the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine, and praised the courage and leadership of President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people. The two leaders deplored the intensification of the conflict and agreed on the need to further coordinate with partners and allies on economic, security, and humanitarian support to Ukraine.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron discussed the impacts of the war in Ukraine on the availability of key resources, as well as on energy prices and food security, and tasked their officials to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in these areas, as part of Canada and France’s net-zero climate objectives. They also agreed that Canada and France should collaborate to address these challenges internationally, including with partners in Africa.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron agreed to meet at the NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium, on March 24 in order to continue coordinating closely on efforts to put an end to Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.

Associated links

• Canada-France relations
• Canada’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Canada’s engagement to Ukraine
• Canadian sanctions related to Russia
• Net-zero emissions by 2050

Statement by the Prime Minister on Holi

March 18, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Holi:

“Today, Hindu communities in Canada and around the world will celebrate Holi, also known as the Festival of Colours.

“Holi marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring. On this occasion, families and friends typically gather to share delicacies, sing and dance, and paint each other with brightly coloured powders and dyes. It is a time to celebrate peace, renew and strengthen relationships, and look forward to the year ahead with hope and joy. The past two years have been difficult, as we protected one another from COVID-19, but this festival serves as a timely reminder of the ultimate triumph of light over darkness and invites us to remain optimistic in our daily lives.

“One of the most celebrated festivals in South Asia and in many parts of the world, Holi is an opportunity for all of us to recognize the many contributions that Canadians of Hindu faith have made and continue to make in shaping the strong, diverse, and inclusive country that we enjoy today.

“On behalf of our family, Sophie and I wish all those celebrating Holi a fun-filled, happy, and colourful festival.

“Holi Hai!”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with the Taoiseach of Ireland Micheál Martin

March 18, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the Taoiseach of Ireland, Micheál Martin, and wished him and the people of Ireland a happy Saint Patrick’s Day.

The Prime Minister and Taoiseach strongly condemned Russia’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine, and praised the courage and leadership of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people. The two leaders discussed the work their governments and people are doing to support Ukrainians fleeing the war and help Ukraine defend itself. They agreed to further coordinate with partners and allies to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence.

Prime Minister Trudeau and Taoiseach Martin spoke of the current global challenges related to energy prices and food security, and the leaders agreed to further collaborate to secure reliable value chains as part of net-zero climate objectives. Both leaders underlined the strength and unity of democratic nations in response to Russia’s aggression, and Prime Minister Trudeau stressed to need to further counter disinformation globally. The Prime Minister and Taoiseach agreed to work together to further protect and promote democratic values, human rights, and the rules-based international system.

Prime Minister Trudeau and Taoiseach Martin agreed to continue coordinating closely on efforts with allies and partners to put an end to Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.

Associated links

• Canada-Ireland relations
• Canada’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Canada’s engagement in Ukraine
• Canadian sanctions related to Russia
• Net-zero emissions by 2050

IMF weekend read

 

Dear maria, In today's edition we focus on the wider economic implications of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, food price inflation, fragile and conflict-affected states, debt, unemployment, hidden assets, and much more.

Ukraine War in Ukraine Reverberates Around World (PHOTO: IMF PHOTO) Analysis of the war’s global economic impact was provided in a blog co-authored by the IMF's Alfred Kammer, Jihad Azour, Abebe Aemro Selassie, Ilan Goldfajn, and Changyong Rhee. “Beyond the suffering and humanitarian crisis from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the entire global economy will feel the effects of slower growth and faster inflation.” They identified three main channels through which impacts will flow: -- Higher prices for commodities like food and energy will push up inflation further, in turn eroding the value of incomes and weighing on demand. -- Neighboring economies in particular will grapple with disrupted trade, supply chains, and remittances as well as an historic surge in refugee flows. -- Reduced business confidence and higher investor uncertainty will weigh on asset prices, tightening financial conditions and potentially spurring capital outflows from emerging markets.” "While some effects may not fully come into focus for many years, there are already clear signs that the war and resulting jump in costs for essential commodities will make it harder for policymakers in some countries to strike the delicate balance between containing inflation and supporting the economic recovery from the pandemic," they conclude. The IMF's Abebe Aemro Selassie expanded on the conflict's impact on Africa in an interview with CNBC Africa. Earlier in the week, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation that Russia will fall into a deep recession as sanctions cripple its economy and a slide in the value of the ruble puts pressure on people’s purchasing power. The IMF’s Gita Gopinath elaborated on the economic consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in an interview with CBC. The IMF disbursed emergency assistance of US$1.4 billion to Ukraine on March 9 under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to help meet urgent financing needs including to mitigate the economic impact of the war. IMF staff remains closely engaged with the authorities to provide policy support as they continue to design and implement effective crisis mitigation measures. The IMF is also currently working with Moldova, which has requested an augmentation of its existing IMF-supported program. The Fund stands ready to support neighboring and other countries affected by the spillovers of the war through all its relevant instruments. Find all the IMF's statements, remarks and social media posts about the Ukraine conflict here, including recently updated FAQs.   Inflation War-Fueled Surge in Food Prices (PHOTO: IMF PHOTO/YAM G JUN) Global food prices are poised to keep climbing even after jumping to a record in February, placing the heaviest burden on vulnerable populations while adding to headwinds for the global economic recovery, write the IMF’s Christian Bogmans, Jeff Kearns, Andrea Pescatori and Ervin Prifti in a blog published on Wednesday. Food commodity prices rose 23.1 percent last year, the fastest pace in more than a decade, according to inflation-adjusted figures from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. February’s reading was the highest since 1961 for the gauge tracking prices for meat, dairy, cereals, oils, and sugar. Now, the war in Ukraine and sanctions on Russia are upending shipments and possibly production for two of the world’s largest agricultural producers. The two countries account for nearly 30 percent of world wheat exports and 18 percent of corn, most of which is shipped through Black Sea ports that are now closed. Wheat futures traded in Chicago, the global benchmark, recently rose to a record. Price shocks will have worldwide impact, especially on poor households for whom food is a higher share of expenses. Food costs account for 17 percent of consumer spending in advanced economies, but 40 percent in sub-Saharan Africa. Though this region is highly import-dependent for wheat, the grain constitutes only a minor share of the total caloric needs. Read the full blog.   Fragile states Fragile and Conflict-Affected States (PHOTO: IMF PHOTO/STEVE JAFFE) Fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS) are home to almost 1 billion people and face a variety of protracted challenges – from reduced institutional capacity, limited public service delivery, and extreme poverty to forced displacement and war. Fragility and conflict are also linked to trends such as climate change, food insecurity, and persistent gender inequalities. The IMF is stepping up its support for FCS through the adoption of its first FCS Strategy which will provide well-tailored, robust, and longer-term support to its most vulnerable member countries. Key elements of the IMF Strategy for FCS include: -- Greater tailoring of Fund engagement and instruments to the country-specific manifestations of fragility and conflict. The Strategy outlines principles of engagement to ensure that the IMF’s mandate and comparative advantage will be effectively leveraged to help country authorities in FCS achieve better macroeconomic outcomes. -- Closer proximity to our most vulnerable members. As exiting fragility and building resilience take time, the Strategy will lead to an expanded Fund presence in FCS to help country authorities respond swiftly to the economic challenges associated with fragility and conflict through well-tailored support over the long run. -- Enhanced partnerships to amplify the Fund’s impact in FCS. The Strategy spells out how the IMF will work with development, humanitarian, and peace actors that play a key role in helping FCS make sustained progress. Watch a recording of the FCS Strategy launch event, organized in partnership with Devex. The panel discussion focused on the importance of coordinated action in strengthening global support for FCS, and highlighted how macroeconomic policy can contribute to existing efforts to support FCS. Speakers: -- Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, IMF -- Ali Alawi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Iraq -- David Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme -- Nicolas Kazadi, Minister of Finance, Democratic Republic of Congo -- Moderated by Raj Kumar, President & Editor-in-Chief, Devex Read our blog on FCS and listen to our podcast. F&D A Fine Balancing Act (ART: PETER REYNOLDS) Before the global financial crisis of 2008, the general consensus was that the most important contribution fiscal policy could make to macroeconomic policy was to avoid becoming a source of instability, the IMF's Vitor Gaspar writes in an article for F&D Magazine. But in response to the pandemic, fiscal policy took on a crucial role in macroeconomic stabilization. As prices and demand plummeted and central banks in many advanced economies were hamstrung by interest rates that could go no lower, fiscal policy took on new importance—extending lifelines to vulnerable households and firms and limiting the impact of business shutdowns on economic activity and employment. With inflation and interest rates on the rise, the issue is becoming how, and how fast, deficits and debt levels will be reduced. There is reason to fear that the burden of policies aimed at reducing deficits and debt, such as spending cuts and tax increases, will fall predominantly on people already hit hardest by the pandemic—such as caregivers, low-wage earners, and less-qualified workers. Read the entire article.   Check out our March Issue of Finance & Development, which focuses on "Rethinking Fiscal: Public Finance and Fairness in a Changed World".   Want to get a print copy delivered to your home or office? Click here to subscribe.

(PHOTO: SIMONKR/ISTOCK BY GETTY IMAGES)   E-commerce in Pandemic Spikes in the share of online spending are dissipating overall, but there's significant variation by industry, the IMF's Prachi Mishra and Antonio Spilimbergo write in a blog co-authored with Joel Alcedo, Bricklin Dwyer (both Mastercard Economics Institute), and Alberto Cavallo (Harvard Business School).

Real Value of Hidden Assets Most governments don't know what their assets are worth because they only account for cash, explains Ian Ball in a podcast. Building on his recent F&D article, he discusses the advantages of a basic accounting exercise that dates back to the time of William the Conqueror.

(PHOTO: IMF)   Essential Reading: Capital Flows Check out our e-Library section on capital flows. It includes IMF research on capital flows related to emerging market and developing economies, monetary policy spillovers, climate shocks, e-government, and more.

Analyze This! Employment In our latest Analyze This! video, the IMF's Romain Duval explains how the job market works and why we’re seeing an increase in unfilled job vacancies.

Heavily reliant on commodity exports, remittances and tourism, the economies of the Caucasus and Central Asia and their financial systems are vulnerable to volatile external shocks. This Chart of the Week by the IMF's Rayah Al-Farah, Klakow Akepanidtaworn and Sanan Mirzayev shows how exposed countries in the region are to such disruptions, which in the past have caused economic downturns and financial distress. Although the situation remains uncertain, the ongoing pandemic and the war in Ukraine could also have a substantial impact.

WEEKLY ROUND-UP 01. IMF Press Briefing The IMF's Gerry Rice answered journalists' questions at Thursday's press briefing. Topics included IMF and international support for Ukraine and the war's economic impact across regions, as well as Argentina, Lebanon, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Tunisia. The recording is available in English and Spanish. 02. Climate Cooperation Despite COP 26 commitments, there is still an ambition and a policy gap at the global level to keep temperature increases below the 2°C agreed in Paris. Avoiding the worst outcomes of climate change requires an urgent scaling up of climate policies. A new IMF departmental paper analyzes various international mechanisms to scale up global action on climate mitigation and address policy gaps.  03. Nowcasting In times of crisis, traditional measures of economic activity such as GDP are released with too much of a time lag to be of much help to policymakers. The pandemic underscored the importance of “nowcasting” using high-frequency market surveys, sentiment indicators and even Google search results. A new staff paper tells how the IMF’s European Department is developing its nowcasting capabilities. 04. New IMF Online Courses Our free and open online courses now include French and Spanish modules of the Virtual Training to Advance Revenue Administration (Strategic Management) and the French version of our joint course with the World Bank on the Debt Sustainability Framework for Low Income Countries. 130,000 learners have enrolled in the IMF’s Online Learning program, funded by the Government of Japan.

Nick Owen Editor IMF Weekend Read nowen@imf.org   Thank you again very much for your interest in the Weekend Read! Be sure to let us know what issues and trends we should have on our radar.