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Outlook Weekly’s Comments on Mullen’s China Trip

Outlook Weekly, a magazine under Xinhua, published an article commenting on the visit to China by Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. The article claimed that the Sino-U.S. relationship has entered a period in which both sides accommodate each other. It stated that there are still several legacy issues (caused by the U.S.) impacting the Sino-U.S. relationship: U.S.’ arm sales to Taiwan, military surveillance of China under China’s nose, restrictions on Sino-U.S. military exchanges, political discrimination against China, restrictions on high-tech exports to China, criticism of China’s political system, military alliances in Asia, and involvement in its ally’s territorial disputes with China.

It also warned that new issues may emerge. “Along with China’s continuing to rise in power and expand its national interests, … the chances of friction or collision developing between the two countries are increasing.”

Source: Sohu, July 18, 2011
http://news.sohu.com/20110718/n313762556.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: The Provincial vs. National GDP

Xinhua reprinted an article from Yangcheng Evening News, which reported that the GDP numbers that each province in China reported did not match the GDP number from the central government. For the past several years, the sum of GDPs reported at the provincial level has always been greater than the national number. In 2010, the provincial sum was 3.5 trillion yuan (US$540 billion), or 8.8%, greater than the national number. The report listed the reasons for this inconsistency as double counting, calculation errors, and false claims at the provincial level. “For example, an economic review of the previous two years found significant gaps in some provinces’ GDPs numbers. As a result, those GDP numbers underwent a major correction.”

Source: Xinhua, July 19, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2011-07/19/c_121690132.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Xi Jinping’s Speech at China’s Celebration of Tibet’s Peaceful Liberation

Xi Jinping, China’s Vice President, the expected incoming paramount leader of the Chinese Communist Party, led a central government delegation to Lhasa to attend the celebration of “the 60th anniversary of China’s peaceful liberation of Tibet.” In his speech at the celebration, Xi called for the promotion of advanced socialist culture and a patriotism-based national spirit, as well as sticking to, consolidating, and expanding the patriotic united front and “carrying the struggle against the Dalai group’s separatist activities to a deeper level.” Xi praised all those who are stationed in Tibet – the PLA, the armed police, and law enforcement – as “loyal guards and strong pillars who defend the country, safeguard Tibet’s socialist development, and maintain Tibet’s social stability.”

Source: Xinhua, July 19, 2011
http://tibet.news.cn/xwzt/xzhpjf60/qzdh/wzzb.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China Demands Apology from the Norwegian Government

Recently, at a Confucius Institute in Norway, Tang Guoqiang, China’s Ambassador to the Nordic country, demanded that the Norwegian government apologize to Beijing for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to political dissident Liu Xiaobo. “Bilateral trade is not impossible, but as (the Norwegian government) has not apologized for the Nobel Peace Prize, it is more difficult than before,” said Tang. After the Nobel Committee honored Liu Xiaobo with the Prize in November 2010, China indefinitely suspended bilateral trade negotiations. Norway is the world’s fifth largest oil exporter.

Source: BBC Chinese, May 4, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2011/05/110503_china_norway_nobel.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Establishes the National Internet Network Information Office

On May 4, the General Office of the State Council issued a notice about establishing the National Internet Network Information Office (NINIO). The office’s main responsibilities include: enforce the Internet network information broadcast policies; advance legal control over Internet network information; direct, coordinate, and monitor corresponding offices on Internet network information control; review and monitor businesses such as online news; oversee corresponding offices on planning and developing the network entertainment industry, covering online games, online video, and online publishing; plan and develop key news websites; organize and coordinate Internet propaganda work; take punitive action against websites that violate the law; and direct corresponding offices on overseeing the work of IP address distribution, website registration, and other Internet management activities from telecom companies, ISPs, and URL registration and service providers. Wang Cheng, the current director of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) will head NINIO, which will not have its own office, but will reside in the same building as SCIO with an added name plate.

Source: Xinhua, May 4, 2011
http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/2011-05/04/c_121375571.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Hanban’s Initiatives on Promoting Chinese Literature Overseas

At a recent forum at Beijing Normal University (BNU), Ma Jianfei, Deputy Director of the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (Hanban), elaborated on China’s efforts to promote its literature around the world. Since 2006, BNU, jointly with the U.S. magazine World Literature Today and the Confucius Institute at the University of Oklahoma, has compiled a special issue of Chinese Literature Today, launched the Chinese version of World Literature Today, and held international forums on “World Literature Today and China.” In January 2010, the Center for Promoting Chinese Literature Overseas was newly established at the School of Chinese Language and Literature at BNU. 

Ma told the forum that the “Promoting Chinese Literature Overseas” project was fully funded by Hanban. It includes publishing an English magazine, Chinese Literature Today, in the U.S. (The first issue was published in 2010 with global distribution). Within three years it will translate and publish 10 books. The project also includes regular and intermittent forums on “Promoting Chinese Literature Overseas.”

Source: China Review News, April 29, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1016/7/7/0/101677028.html?coluid=154&kindid=0&docid=101677028&mdate=0429105453

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Second Sino-Gulf Cooperation Council Strategic Dialogue

At the second Sino-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) strategic dialogue in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on May 2, China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE, the current rotating GCC president; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Madani of Saudi Arabia, the next rotating GCC president; and GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kuwait Mohammad Sabah Al-Salim Al Sabah and Foreign Minister of Bahrain Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa also attended the meeting. 

Both sides look forward to bolstering ties in trade and the economy. Yang said, “In the next stage, both sides should continue to enhance mutual understanding, deepen political trust, and continue mutual support on major issues of concern regarding each other’s core interests.” Yang also expressed support for GCC countries’ “efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.”

Source: Xinhua, May 2, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-05/02/c_121370203.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Kunming-Singapore High-Speed Railway under Construction

On April 25, 2011, China started building the Kunming-Singapore high-speed railway, which will run from China’s Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, to Singapore, passing through Vientiane in Laos, Bangkok in Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Once finished, the entire trip is expected to take only a dozen hours. 

Two more lines are part of the China-Southeast Asia high-speed railway system: the west Kunming-Yangon (of Burma) route is scheduled to start construction in 2011; the east line connecting China, Hanoi in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Phnom Penh in Cambodia, and Bangkok in Thailand is still in under consideration. 
China has adopted the practice of building high-speed railways outside China as part of the transition to the stage of investing domestic capital overseas on a large scale. 
 
Source: Dongfang Daily Online, April 25, 2011
http://www.dfdaily.com/html/63/2011/4/25/596558.shtml
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend