China will train thousands of foreign law enforcement officers so as to see the world order “develop in a more fair, reasonable and efficient direction”, its minister for public security has said.
“We will [also] send police consultants to countries in need to conduct training to help them quickly and effectively improve their law enforcement capabilities,” minister Wang Xiaohong told an annual global security forum.
Wang Xiaohong made the announcement in the eastern city of Lianyungang on Monday in front of law enforcement representatives from 122 countries, regions and international organisations such as Interpol.
The forum is part of ongoing efforts by China’s ruling Communist party to position itself as a global security leader. In 2022 China’s leader, Xi Jinping, launched the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which centres China as a facilitator to “improve global security governance … and promote durable peace”.
Some human rights groups have raised concerns that recent training programs for African police officers introduce Communist party-style authoritarian tactics, and are heavily focused on protecting Chinese commercial interests in those countries – often connected to China’s state-run foreign investment program, the belt and road initiative.
Public reports of Monday’s speech did not provide details on the officers or countries to receive the training, or where the training would occur.
Beijing has linked the GSI to its brokering of agreements between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and the development of its peace proposal for the Ukraine war. It is seen by analysts as a vehicle to reshape the current US-dominated world order.
The GSI concept appears to include a run of bilateral security and policing agreements made with developing nations in recent years, particularly in Africa and the Indo-Pacific.
Last year, Beijing said the GSI sought to encourage greater cooperation between tertiary-level military and police academies, and was “willing to provide other developing countries with 5,000 training opportunities in the next five years to train professionals for addressing global security issues”.
Monday’s announcement suggests that number is increasing, with Wang noting that China has already trained 2,700 foreign law enforcement officers in the past year.
Last week after a China-Africa forum, Beijing announced it will train 1,000 more police enforcement officers for the African continent “and jointly ensure the safety of cooperation projects and personnel”. It was not immediately clear if those 1,000 officers are included in the 3,000 cited by Wang on Monday.
On Tuesday, Wang addressed the China-central Asia summit on public security and met senior officials from the five attendant nations. He said they had agreed to strengthen ties including efforts to “deepen law enforcement and security cooperation”, and to “focus on the vision of universal security and enhance the ability of joint operations against terrorism and transnational crime”.
In July, the president of Timor Leste, Jose Ramos Horta, visited Beijing and signed a new partnership agreement with Xi, including to “enhance exchanges at all levels between the military and police forces, strengthen cooperation in such areas as personnel training, equipment technology, the conduct of joint exercises and training, police affairs and law enforcement”.
In 2022 an agreement with the Solomon Islands to boost cooperation with China on “law enforcement and security matters” sparked alarm among the US and other western allies, including other Pacific nations. In the wake of the Solomons agreement the then foreign minister Wang Yi attempted to create a regional agreement with around a dozen Pacific nations but was rebuffed.
The short answer
Yes, you can apply for a spousal visa.
The whole question
I'm an asylum seeker but legally married to a South African citizen for six years. We have two children.
Is it possible for me to apply a spousal visa?
If yes, how do I go about it?
The long answer
Thank
you for your email asking if and how you can apply for a spousal visa,
as you have been married to a South African for six years and have two
children together.
Yes, you can certainly apply for a spousal visa.
In
December 2018, the Immigration Act was amended concerning the rights of
spouses in a “permanent homosexual or heterosexual relation”. These are
the important points:
• Applications need to prove to the
Director-General that the applicant is a spouse to a citizen or
permanent residence permit holder.
• Applicants need to sign an
agreement stating that the permanent homosexual or heterosexual
relationship has existed for at least two years before the date of
application for a relevant visa and that neither of the parties is a
spouse in an existing marriage.
• Both partners to a permanent
homosexual or heterosexual relationship may be interviewed separately,
on the same date and time, to determine the authenticity of the
existence of their relationship.
These are the documents needed:
• A marriage certificate.
• Proof of your South African spouse’s citizenship or residence (ID document).
• A letter of support from your South African spouse.
•
Proof of good health and standing. (This means a medical and
radiological report (x-ray) not older than 6 months to prove you don’t
have TB etc.)
• A completed temporary residency application form.
•
Documents detailing the financial support you and your spouse provide
to each other need to be provided, like bank accounts and municipal
accounts which show shared costs.
You apply through VSF Global, which is the company that handles all applications to Home Affairs. Their helpline is 012 425 300.
You
will need to fill out the correct online form, pay the fee of R1,350 to
schedule an appointment after filling in the application form.
The short answer
Here's how to fix an error on an ID document.
The whole question
My
sister was born on the 03/11/1959, but her ID states her birthdate is
03/11/1960. What can she do about changing or rectifying the error on
her ID?
The long answer
Thank you for your message asking how your sister can correct the error in her ID.
She must go to any Home Affairs office and fill in Form B1-9 and Form BH-309.
She must take proof of the error which shows the correct information, like a birth certificate.
If
it’s not a smart card office, she will need to take two identical
colour ID photographs. If it is a smart card office they can do it
digitally.