Friday, October 31, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

“Call My Name: Macedonia”

By providing tools and models for engagement by Australia’s multicultural community, the "Call My Name" campaign, launched by the Centre for Social Inclusion at the University of Technology Sydney, reinforces the ongoing efforts of Australia's Macedonian diaspora to address the "reckless denialist policies" imposed by "fake liberal democracies" like the US and the EU, writes Ordan Andreevski.

Updated August 8, 2024, Published June 27, 2024
Protesters from the Macedonian Diaspora in Australia.
This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.

Australia’s Macedonian diaspora permanent effort to protect Macedonia’s name, identity, culture, history and national interests has been boosted by the Call My Name campaign launched by the Centre for Social Inclusion at the University of Technology Sydney.

The Call My Name campaign has tools and models for engagement by Australia’s multicultural community, civil society and government. It recognises that our names are essential part of our identity. They carry deep personal, cultural, familial, community and historical connections. They also give us a sense of who we are and our place in the world. It is an initiative to decolonise the way we understand and recognise names deemed tricky, contested, unfamiliar or foreign.

Sadly, new despots in fake liberal democracies like the USA, Canada and the EU are implementing reckless denialist policies and practices aimed at robbing Macedonia from its name, distinct identity and evolution from the Ancient Macedonian Kingdom to date.

These new despots are continuing with the horrible policies from 1913 when Macedonia was partitioned by its colonisers in the undemocratic kingdoms Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Albania and their imperialist masters from Great Britain, France and Germany without the consent of the indigenous Macedonian people. Only the Macedonians that lived in Vardar Macedonia managed to liberate themselves from fascism and hegemonism through a people powered democratic revolution. The Macedonians sacrificed more that 100,000 people in antifascist WWII. They managed to form the Republic of Macedonia as part of the Yugoslav federation in 1944 and became independent in 1991 through a Referendum. In 2018 referendum the Macedonian people rejected the offer by NATO and the EU to change their name, identity, history and culture as part of a unconstitutional and illegal Prespa Agreement.

In the wake of the recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections in May 2024 the majority of Macedonians rejected the EU and NATO integration policies at any cost and without consent. The Social Democratic Union and their extremist Albanian partner were ousted and replaced by a coalition led by VMRO, ZNAM and an Albanian opposition not much better than their neo Nazi Albanian cousins.

Only days ago dystopian outgoing politicians like Biden, Macron, Sholtz and Von Der Layen have continued with their foreign interference in Macedonia’s democracy with the aim of killing the passion for freedom, democracy, identity, culture and human rights. They bully Macedonia to continue with the Euro integration process even though everyone knows that EU expansion is unlikely to happen in the next 30 years. There is also no guarantee that NATO and the EU will be around for too long especially if the current pro war coalition is replaced by a Coalition for Peace and Development. It is a convenient tactic to keep Macedonia as a weak client state within the unipolar world disorder and the military industrial complex NATO.

Macedonians in the diaspora were effectively excluded from participating in the Presidential and Parliamentary elections through shameful and insulting pre conditions like having a valid passport with the strongly rejected North Macedonian name. This did not stop the Macedonian diaspora from engaging in political debates and analysis, preparing guides for the elections with key stakeholders inside and outside Macedonia. One of the outcomes has been to send a Show Cause Letter to the newly elected President and Prime Minister why you should remain in office and why new elections are not needed urgently?

The Show Cause letter is issued by a network of deeply concerned Civil Society organisations in Macedonia and the diaspora alleging that the President and Prime Minister of Macedonia have made serious offences under Macedonian or international law.

It enables the officials to explain why they should not be held accountable or removed from office or why new elections must be held urgently. It is an opportunity to appeal for not meeting their contractual obligations from the very start of their mandate. It is the starting point for disciplinary action by civil society in Macedonia and the diaspora and by relevant courts in Macedonia and abroad. It asks the two leaders to show cause and provide an explanation why they should not face legal and political responsibility for their alleged offense including cultural genocide and in colluding with domestic and foreign interference agents.

The two leaders are alleged to have engaged in false and misleading conduct of the elections. They promised that a change of government can change the country. Instead, the Macedonian electorate and the diaspora witnessed a change of regime without any meaningful policy difference with the previous regime. ‘Business as usual’ is not acceptable. The President and Prime Minister have failed to deliver the Social, Political, Ethical, Cultural and Human Rights Contracts when elected in May 2024. The two leaders have one month to respond.

Protecting Macedonian heritage and identity

Australia’s Macedonian diaspora permanent effort to protect Macedonia’s name, identity, culture, history and national interests has been boosted by the Call My Name campaign launched by the Centre for Social Inclusion at the University of Technology Sydney.

The Call My Name campaign has tools and models for engagement by Australia’s multicultural community, civil society and government. It recognises that our names are essential part of our identity. They carry deep personal, cultural, familial, community and historical connections. They also give us a sense of who we are and our place in the world. It is an initiative to decolonise the way we understand and recognise names deemed tricky, contested, unfamiliar or foreign.

Sadly, new despots in fake liberal democracies like the USA, Canada and the EU are implementing reckless denialist policies and practices aimed at robbing Macedonia from its name, distinct identity and evolution from the Ancient Macedonian Kingdom to date.

These new despots are continuing with the horrible policies from 1913 when Macedonia was partitioned by its colonisers in the undemocratic kingdoms Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Albania and their imperialist masters from Great Britain, France and Germany without the consent of the indigenous Macedonian people. Only the Macedonians that lived in Vardar Macedonia managed to liberate themselves from fascism and hegemonism through a people powered democratic revolution. The Macedonians sacrificed more that 100,000 people in antifascist WWII. They managed to form the Republic of Macedonia as part of the Yugoslav federation in 1944 and became independent in 1991 through a Referendum. In 2018 referendum the Macedonian people rejected the offer by NATO and the EU to change their name, identity, history and culture as part of a unconstitutional and illegal Prespa Agreement.

In the wake of the recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections in May 2024 the majority of Macedonians rejected the EU and NATO integration policies at any cost and without consent. The Social Democratic Union and their extremist Albanian partner were ousted and replaced by a coalition led by VMRO, ZNAM and an Albanian opposition not much better than their neo Nazi Albanian cousins.

Only days ago dystopian outgoing politicians like Biden, Macron, Sholtz and Von Der Layen have continued with their foreign interference in Macedonia’s democracy with the aim of killing the passion for freedom, democracy, identity, culture and human rights. They bully Macedonia to continue with the Euro integration process even though everyone knows that EU expansion is unlikely to happen in the next 30 years. There is also no guarantee that NATO and the EU will be around for too long especially if the current pro war coalition is replaced by a Coalition for Peace and Development. It is a convenient tactic to keep Macedonia as a weak client state within the unipolar world disorder and the military industrial complex NATO.

Macedonians in the diaspora were effectively excluded from participating in the Presidential and Parliamentary elections through shameful and insulting pre conditions like having a valid passport with the strongly rejected North Macedonian name. This did not stop the Macedonian diaspora from engaging in political debates and analysis, preparing guides for the elections with key stakeholders inside and outside Macedonia. One of the outcomes has been to send a Show Cause Letter to the newly elected President and Prime Minister why you should remain in office and why new elections are not needed urgently?

The Show Cause letter is issued by a network of deeply concerned Civil Society organisations in Macedonia and the diaspora alleging that the President and Prime Minister of Macedonia have made serious offences under Macedonian or international law.

It enables the officials to explain why they should not be held accountable or removed from office or why new elections must be held urgently. It is an opportunity to appeal for not meeting their contractual obligations from the very start of their mandate. It is the starting point for disciplinary action by civil society in Macedonia and the diaspora and by relevant courts in Macedonia and abroad. It asks the two leaders to show cause and provide an explanation why they should not face legal and political responsibility for their alleged offense including cultural genocide and in colluding with domestic and foreign interference agents.

The two leaders are alleged to have engaged in false and misleading conduct of the elections. They promised that a change of government can change the country. Instead, the Macedonian electorate and the diaspora witnessed a change of regime without any meaningful policy difference with the previous regime. ‘Business as usual’ is not acceptable. The President and Prime Minister have failed to deliver the Social, Political, Ethical, Cultural and Human Rights Contracts when elected in May 2024. The two leaders have one month to respond.

 

Ordan Andreevski

Ordan Andreevski is an advisory board member of the United Macedonian Diaspora in Australia.

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“A celebration of peace – not a show of force”

The new cold war

Published October 14, 2025
An air echelon attends the victory day parade in Beijing , capital of China, September 3, 2025.
This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.

China’s Victory Day parade in early September drew wide attention both at home and abroad. While Chinese audiences saw it as a solemn moment of remembrance and confidence, some foreign media outlets rushed to label it a “show of force,” a “signal to the West,” or even evidence of new global division.

These interpretations ignore the deeper significance of the event and the consistent principles guiding China’s approach to global affairs.

At its heart, the parade was an act of remembrance—marking China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global triumph over fascism. It was a tribute to the sacrifices of millions and a powerful reminder that peace is never easily won.

The presence of numerous foreign leaders in Beijing during the parade was a statement in itself. They were there not to take sides or escalate tensions, but to stand together in honoring the past and fostering a future built on peace. Their participation underscored a shared commitment to dialogue, not division.

Building capabilities to uphold principles

The weapons and equipment displayed at the parade should be understood within the framework of China’s long-standing defense policy, one based on peace and restraint.

Consider China’s nuclear posture: China remains the only nuclear-weapon state to publicly commit to a No-First-Use policy under any circumstances. This reflects a profound belief that nuclear weapons must never be used, and that a nuclear war can have no winners. China’s nuclear arsenal is kept strictly at the minimum level required for national security.

In terms of conventional forces, the unveiling of new-generation tanks, aircraft, and missile systems such as hypersonic weapons does showcase progress in China’s military modernization. Yet this progress is guided by a doctrine of active self-defense. These systems are designed to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity, not to project power globally. They serve as an anchor for national security and a stabilizer for regional security, deterring interference rather than provoking conflict.

The parade also featured unmanned and AI-enabled systems, highlighting China’s progress in technology and innovation. Importantly, this display went hand-in-hand with China’s call for international dialogue on regulating military uses of artificial intelligence. China has consistently advocated for a balanced approach—one that prevents misuse and humanitarian risks without stifling beneficial technological progress.

A message for the future

Yes, the parade was grand in scale. Yes, it displayed advanced weaponry systems. But above all, it conveyed a message of responsibility, transparency, and an enduring commitment to peace.

In times of rising mistrust and uncertainty, that message carries weight. The real choice before the international community is not between holding parades or staying silent, but between pursuing dialogue or confrontation, cooperation or suspicion. By honoring history and demonstrating its defensive posture, China has extended a hand of reassurance, not a fist of provocation.

The lesson of history is clear: peace is built through openness, cooperation, and mutual respect. This parade was, in that spirit, a step forward—a visible pledge of China’s dedication to a peaceful and stable world.

 

Hua Gesheng

About the author

Hua Gesheng is a commentator on international and multilateral affairs, writing regularly for Xinhua News Agency, Global Times, China Daily, CGTN, etc.

“How educating girls became a cornerstone of China’s progress”

The modern China

Wen Ying writes about the lesson in the transformative power of linking gender equality to national development.

Published September 30, 2025
This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.

In the pre-dawn darkness of Yunnan province’s high mountains, a daily ritual unfolds. Ms. Zhang Guimei, a 68-year-old principal, walks the halls of China’s first free high school for girls, waking her students. Though illness has weakened her, her resolve is unwavering. Her mission is singular: to propel young women from the brink of child marriage and poverty into the nation’s top universities.

Her story, which captivated China, is not one of gentle charity but of profound conviction. For over 25 years, she navigated treacherous terrain to build this school, offering a lifeline away from domestic labour and towards knowledge and self-determination. Her work is emblematic of a larger, state-supported revolution: the educational empowerment of women, treated not as a standalone social project but as a core driver of national development.

This modern drive finds its roots in a pivotal historical shift. Around the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949, a mass mobilisation encouraged women to join the workforce, encapsulated in the saying that “Women hold up half the sky”. This philosophy was even etched into the language. The traditional character for “woman” (婦) depicted a woman with a broom. Its simplified form (妇), introduced later, symbolically shows a woman overcoming a mountain.

China’s most impactful strategy has been its systemic approach. For decades, the advancement of women has been integrated into the core of national five-year plans, with clear targets for education, health and economic participation. This ensures that national progress systematically benefits women, and their empowerment, in turn, fuels further progress. The lesson is clear: no nation can achieve sustainable development by harnessing only half its talent.

The results are visible in individual lives. Take Wang Fumei, a beneficiary of the state’s “Spring Bud Project” which has supported over 4.36 million girls. Forced to leave school at 15 for an arranged marriage, she fought for her right to return to the classroom and eventually joined the civil service. This two-way street, built on both policy and personal grit, creates a powerful multiplier effect. An educated woman tends to marry later, have healthier children, and is more likely to enter the formal workforce—breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and creating a more prosperous society.

This belief in the female intellect is universal. Ms. Zhang’s students recite a pledge: “I was born to be a mountain, not a creek.” It echoes the defiance of 17th-century Swedish writer Sophia Elisabet Brenner, who argued for women’s intellectual equality, writing that “the only difference between he and she” lies in the body, not the mind.

As the world struggles to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals on education and gender equality, China’s experience offers a potent blueprint. It demonstrates that transformative change is achievable within a generation when personal courage is met with unwavering institutional commitment.

In 2023, the Spring Bud Project’s work was globally recognised with the UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education. Yet, the truest measure of success lies not in awards, but in the quiet confidence of a girl in a classroom, certain that her future is hers to shape. It is this profound confidence—the ultimate goal of any equitable society—that such programmes aim to nurture.

 

Wen Ying

About the author

Wen Ying is a current affairs commentator who has contributed to EUobserver, San Francisco Examiner, Deccan Herald, etc.

“Remembering history to build a brighter future”

The modern China

All peace-loving peoples share a responsibility to defend the postwar international order and build a community with a shared future for humanity, writes China's Ambassador to Sweden, Cui Aimin.

Updated September 2, 2025, Published September 2, 2025
This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Eighty years ago, the forces of justice around the world united in courageous battles against their common foes, defeated the overbearing fascist powers, and won the great victory recorded in history. Eighty years later today, the international landscape is fraught with turbulence and transformation, global challenges keep emerging, and the world is standing at a crossroads where choices must be made. We must look back on history to illuminate the present and look toward the future, and draw wisdom and strength from the hard lessons of the Second World War and from the great victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. We must build on past achievements, refute false narratives to set the record straight, cherish peace, pursue common development, and work together to build a better future for humanity.

We should firmly uphold a correct historical perspective on WWII and protect the historical truth. History may fade with time, but historical memory must never be erased. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War represent the decisive battle between justice and evil, light and darkness, and the forces for progress and the reactionary. Japanese militarists burned, killed, and plundered on Chinese soil, committed the horrific Nanjing Massacre, waged appalling biological and chemical warfare, and conducted “human experimentation.” These heinous atrocities were a brutal trampling on life and human rights, and a grave challenge to human civilization. Under the banner of the Chinese united front against Japanese aggression, which was advocated and established by the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people launched a relentless struggle and held ground in the principal theater in the East of the World Anti-Fascist War after making immense sacrifices of over 35 million military and civilian casualties and economic losses amounting to hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars.

They defeated the brutal Japanese militarists, and carved out an immortal epic of heroic resistance and ultimate victory against Japanese aggression. Eighty years after the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, there are still a few people who ignore the clear historical facts that countless innocent lives were lost during the wars, and repeatedly attempt to deny or glorify the history of aggression, arousing strong condemnation among all peace-loving peoples of the world, including the Chinese people. History cannot be rewritten, and facts cannot be denied. Any attempt to distort the historical truth of WWII, to whitewash the history of aggression and crimes, to overturn the verdict on militarism, or to turn back the wheel of history will never be accepted by the Chinese people, nor by the people across the world.

We should resolutely uphold the postwar international order and jointly meet the challenges of the times. History is the best textbook and the best remedy. The history of WWII is not only a record of the past, but also has a profound impact on contemporary international relations and on the postwar international order. The U.N.-centered international system is the embodiment of the victorious outcome of WWII. It has underpinned global stability and prosperity, ensured overall peace, and propelled the progress of human civilization. At present, the world faces various challenges. Unilateralism and power politics are severely impacting the U.N. and the multilateral system.

Certain countries are aggressively putting their own interests first, practicing power politics, bullying others, and attempting to replace multilateralism with unilateralism and to substitute the postwar international order with so-called rules of their own making. The painful lessons of WWII remain vivid. Hegemonism and the law of the jungle, where might makes right, must never be allowed to return. All peace-loving people of the world must remember the history written with blood and sacrifice, firmly defend the victorious outcome of WWII, uphold true multilateralism, defend the authority and sanctity of the U.N., uphold the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, jointly oppose hegemonism, power politics and bullying, promote greater democracy in international relations, and defend international fairness and justice.

We should build a community with a shared future for humanity and create a brighter future. History cannot be changed, but the future can be shaped. Facing the important question of “what kind of world we need and how to build such a world”, President Xi Jinping has put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. They provide China’s wisdom and solutions from multiple dimensions for meeting global changes and addressing the challenges confronting humanity, and respond to the universal aspiration of all peoples for peace, development and cooperation. They set clearer goals and chart a brighter course for humanity’s future, demonstrate China’s sense of responsibility as a major country through concrete actions, and are widely recognized and supported by the international community.

No matter how the international landscape evolves, China will stay committed to the path of peaceful development and the mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, and will remain a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of international order and a provider of public goods. China will continue to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and work with other countries to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security, and shared prosperity. In advancing the great cause of building a community with a shared future for humanity, countries must draw lessons from history and stand together in solidarity. We need to replace confrontation with cooperation, prevent lose-lose situations through win-win solutions, actively promote friendly cooperation, firmly resist the Cold-War mentality and zero-sum games, and strive to advance world peace and security and the common progress of humanity.

The smoke of WWII has long cleared, but the warning bells of history will always ring. We must follow the logic of history and keep pace with the trend of the times. China will walk hand in hand with countries around the world to uphold what is right, safeguard global stability, deepen win-win cooperation, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, thereby passing on the torch of peace and development from generation to generation.

Cui Aimin,
Chinese Ambassador to Sweden

“Strengthening dialogue among civilizations and creating a better future together”

The modern China

History has repeatedly shown that openness fosters mutual understanding, and exchanges deepen mutual trust. The Chinese and Swedish peoples share a deep consensus on this, writes China's Ambassador to Sweden, Cui Aimin.

Published June 19, 2025
For Aimin, dialogue is the key to advancing human civilization and building a shared future.
This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.

On June 10, we celebrated the first International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations of the United Nations. This commemorative day, jointly initiated by China and over 80 countries, carries the common expectations of the international community for peace, development and friendship. It also marks a new starting point for different civilizations in the world to jointly meet challenges and embrace a better future. Dialogue among civilizations is a good way to resolve differences, mutual learning among civilizations is the source of human progress, and inter-civilizational exchanges can provide a continuous flow of fresh ideas and strong impetus for China-Sweden friendly cooperation.

Dialogue among civilizations: The “golden key” to meeting the challenges of the times

At present, the international landscape is undergoing profound changes, marked by intertwined crises and risks, along with increasing deficit in peace, development, security and governance. Against this backdrop, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Civilization Initiative in 2023, which has received broad support from many countries and injected strong momentum into the modernization of human society and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. In 2024, the 78th UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution to establish the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, which reflects the universal aspiration of people of all countries to foster dialogue among civilizations and advance human progress. It also makes important contributions to enhancing equal exchanges and dialogues among different civilizations and promoting world peace and development.

History has repeatedly shown that openness fosters mutual understanding, and exchanges deepen mutual trust. The Chinese and Swedish peoples share a deep consensus on this. Nobel’s belief of serving humanity as a citizen of the world and the statement from China’s Book of Rites, “A just cause should be pursued for the common good,” both embody the philosophy of transcending civilizational barriers and striving for harmonious coexistence. As we mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations, dialogue among civilizations holds even greater significance. Barriers and prejudices only exacerbate conflicts; only through inter-civilizational dialogue can we build a solid foundation for mutual trust and ensure common security.

Mutual learning among civilizations: The anchor of promoting China-Sweden cooperation

Human history is an epic of encounters, mutual learning, and symbiosis among different civilizations. Although China and Sweden are located at the opposite ends of the Eurasian continent, the two countries share a long history of friendly exchanges. More than 280 years ago, the merchant ship Götheborg established the bond of exchanges between China and Sweden. Seventy-five years ago, Sweden became the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have maintained active exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, science and technology, culture, and education. In the digital age, people-to-people exchanges have been further invigorated, depicting a vibrant picture of mutual learning among civilizations in the new era.

Sweden became the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.

Civilizations have become richer and more colorful with exchanges and mutual learning. The complementary strengths of China and Sweden in the fields of scientific and technological innovation, green development and cultural exchanges have not only promoted the steady development of bilateral relations, but also contributed Eastern wisdom and Nordic experience to global sustainable development. This kind of mutual learning among civilizations, based on mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness, transcends geographical and cultural differences. It builds a bridge of win-win cooperation, and stands as a vivid practice of mutual success and shared progress of countries with different civilizations, different systems and different stages of development.

Mutual advancement of civilizations: The compass for creating a better future

President Xi Jinping has pointed out that countries are not riding separately in some 190 small boats, but are rather all in a giant ship on which our shared destiny hinges. It is the cherished vision of the Chinese people that a noble cause is never a lonely pursuit and the whole world is one family. Promoting human progress and world harmony has been a relentless pursuit of the Communist Party of China. China and Sweden should take the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations as an opportunity to draw on historical wisdom, seize the opportunities of the times, carry forward traditional friendship, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation. We should actively promote international free trade, jointly oppose unilateralism and the law of the jungle, firmly safeguard their legitimate rights and interests as well as the common interests of the international community, and contribute greater stability and certainty to the world.

Dialogue among different civilizations has always been a timeless theme in the progress of humanity. China is ready to work with Sweden and other partners around the world to uphold equality among civilizations, promote exchanges among civilizations, advance the progress of civilizations, move toward the inspiring vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and join hands to create a better tomorrow.

 

Cui Aimin, China's Ambassador to Sweden

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