[NhanH]

The current president of the Chinese Red Cross is currently vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and previously the Minister of Health.

Very hard to believe this is something that could happen without the CCP’s politburo approval

[im3w1l]

I think there is a distinction to be made here. It seems unlikely that the politburo would bother approving such a small item as 5m yuan (Less than a million dollar. If you see this as the action of China the country, then a million dollar is basically a symbolic gesture.). However he would not have dared do it if he thought it would have landed him consequences. He made the call that the CCP would let him get away with this.

[NhanH]

This might or might not have been a line item in a meeting for the politburo, but it would have come across their desk in one way or another. Maybe in a form of item in a list for a bigger strategy (authorize those 10000 organizations to support Ukraine etc.). The foreign ministry spokeman is the one who announced it after all

[im3w1l]

> The foreign ministry spokeman is the one who announced it after all

Oh, I missed that part. Guess I was wrong.

[toshk]

I don't think you understand how detail oriented they are. Even things as small as international student nights get cancelled at Chinese universities because any form of organization might lead to potential opposition. They simply try to oppose any form of organizing.

Same here. China won't even allow local western politicians to meet with a local Taiwenese politician (yes they have such influence, Amsterdam Politicians are not allowed to be on photo with Taiwenese politicians). 100% sure they care about the actions of such a prestigious institute as the Chinese Red cross.

[rhn_mk1]

That reinforces the parent's point. If such a large gesture was approved, then it reflects the position of "China". Alternatively, it reflects that a single official thinks they can get away with it, which means someone in China thinks "China" is not against it.

[bilbo0s]

Or the unfortunate larger truth, that China doesn't care.

Maybe they'll give the speeches. Lament the tragic loss of human life. Say whatever polite society expects them to say. But they really don't care when it comes down to it.

Someone tried to tell me that a long time ago about a potential war between Iran and Israel. China would make the speeches. Show up at all the meetings. But they really wouldn't care.

It wouldn't be a cultural misunderstanding leading it to appear to us that they don't care.

It wouldn't be a feigned indifference they act out to gain some negotiating advantage in some other area.

They Truly. Wouldn't. Care.

They may participate in memorial ceremonies. Perhaps contribute to the reconstruction of affected nations. But for the most part, yeah, they'll just keep marching off to Africa and extracting resources to build China.

In essence, maybe they're like us in the West, but with less pretense.

[csomar]

I commented this multiple times here (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30597778)

People think because China and Russia are both opposed to the USA, then they must be friends. They are not. Especially not if Russia tries to revive the Soviet Union as a concept which hurts China's independence worse than US-type globalism.