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All posts by RWZ - 282. page

Foreign Affairs Ministry: Claims to Okinotori Reef Violate International Laws

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently reiterated the position that Japan’s claim to jurisdiction over large areas of waters based on Okinotori Reef violate The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Article 121 Section 3. It was reported that the Japanese government is about to submit to Congress a new law which protects the exclusive economic zone based at the location of Okinotori Reef. The Chinese government believes that the area of Okinotori Reef, with a rising tide, is less than 10 square meters, which “obviously” cannot sustain any human residence.

Source: Xinhua, January 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2010-01/19/content_12838459.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

HKEx Chief: HK Financial Industry Should Actively Participate in RMB Internationalization

Hong Kong Exchange (HKEx) Chief Executive Li Xiaojia recently commented that Hong Kong should seize the opportunity to participate in the internationalization of the RMB in the next ten years. He believes this will provide Hong Kong a big chance for development. It will enhance Hong Kong’s status of an international financial center. Li believes HKEx should take 3 steps: (1) Establish a basic infrastructure such as a settlement system; (2) Offer RMB-based financial products at the right time; (3) Improve the service level and risk management. Li believes the RMB has already started to be a regional settlement currency, and it will be an investment currency. In the end it will become an international reserve currency.

Source: Xinhua, January 25, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2010-01/25/content_12873554.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Reactions on Disconnecting Cell Phones with Inappropriate Text Messages

Recently cell phone carriers started disconnecting cell phones in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangdong. The disconnected phones were believed by the service provider to be sending “inappropriate” text messages, which had sex related content. The reactions from the public were mixed. Some believed it was a good idea, but people’s privacy should be protected as well. Some believed the focus should not be on the end users but the ones who originally produced these messages and made a profit from them.

The current system monitors all users’ text messages, filters out the ones in question, and then it cuts the user’s service connection and alarms law enforcement.

Source: Xinhua, January 21, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/internet/2010-01/21/content_12849824.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Chinese Navy Fleet Heavily Monitored on Visit to South America

Xinhua recently republished an article reporting the Chinese Navy’s visit to South America. The report briefly described the Navy mission to Chile, Peru and Ecuador. The report especially mentioned, “The Pacific has no pacification” – the fleet was under heavy surveillance by various countries. Starting the third day, the Chinese fleet was followed by the fleet from a “certain country.” After that, warships and reconnaissance planes from another country took over. And then a new warship from a “certain country” followed the Chinese fleet day and night even in five-meter waves. The report suggested that the close monitoring of the Chinese mission is proof that peace in the Pacific has a long way to go.

Source: Xinhua, January 22, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-01/22/content_12854324.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Xinhua: Recent Energy Shortage Explained

Winter in the year 2009 brought China strong shortages of energy due to unusually cold weather. The National Energy Administration explained the situation giving four primary reasons: (1) the low water level in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River; (2) rapid recovery of China’s macro economy in Q4 of 2009; (3) the low stock level of coal, as well as a bottleneck in railway capacities; (4) a sharp increase in consumer demand caused by the fact that most of the regions were attacked by rainy and snowy weather.

Actions being taken by the authorities are: (1) increasing the coal gas production level; (2) increasing the supply of natural gas by expanding the volume of imports; (3) speeding up the construction of Natural Gas Storage and Adjustment Facilities.

Source: Xinhua, January 22, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2010-01/22/content_12858478.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Google Incident and U.S. Internet Strategy

Global Times, under the Chinese state’s daily news Renmin, recently published an article on the Google incident. The report stated that the US State Department has been behind the scenes “throughout the event.” It is a reflection of the US strategy of promoting U.S. political, commercial, and cultural values using the U.S. Internet’s competitive advantages in technology, capital and market areas. The report calls the US strategy “coercive selling in the name of ‘universal values.’” The U.S. carefully picked the “Google excuses” of hacking and censorship. The author believed that hacking is happening every day and censorship is also present in the States, France, Germany and India, etc. The conclusion drawn by the article is that, Google is just one chess piece of US Internet hegemonism.

Source: Global Times, January 22, 2010
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/roll/2010-01/697246.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Preferential Treatment of U.S. Citizens Triggered Protests in Haiti

China News Service cited a report by the Central News Agency (CNA, Taiwan) claiming there were protests because U.S. citizens received preferential treatment when using the U.S. controlled Haiti airport. Apparently,  the airport became U.S.-only and aircrafts from other nations had a difficult time to get landing rights. It was reported that a few French citizens had to spend the night at the airport because they were not allowed to board their flight, while a great number of U.S. passengers were allowed to leave. The U.S. Embassy in Haiti denied any priority given to U.S. citizens. There are around 40,000 to 45,000 U.S. citizens in Haiti.

Source: China News Service, January 17, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gj/news/2010/01-17/2076164.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Achieving Number One in Exports May Invite More Protectionism

The German Federal Bureau of Statistics predicted in December 2009 that German exports in 2009 would reach US$1,170 billion, while China would exceed US$1,200 billion. As the number one export country in the world, China may face more protectionism from other countries.

The greatest pressure may come from the U.S., which took a number of steps in 2009, claiming anti-dumping and anti-subsidy activities. Chinese economists believe that U.S. protectionism is “absurd” because the US-China trade deficit is the result of the U.S. refusal to sell China high-tech products. Another major pressure source is the EU, which also initiated a great number of anti-dumping investigations against China in 2009. In addition, a number of actions were taken by Argentina, India, Brazil and Mexico against China. It is believed that protectionism initiatives against China will continue to increase. 

Source: Xinhua, January 12, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2010-01/12/content_12797144.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources