China Ministry of Education will provide 10 scholarships per year from 2009 to 2012 to New York State University. The scholarships will enable undergraduates to study for one year in China. The State’s authorities for administration of overseas Chinese students and related funding will be responsible for admission and enrollment into Chinese universities.
Source: Xinhua, December 4, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-12/04/content_10456740.htm
Minister of Commerce expressed 4 major concerns during the 5th U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue: textiles free trade, advanced and new technology trade, categorization of China as market economy, trade barriers (antidumping and countervailing duty). Minister Chen indicated at a press event that China’s exports has suffered to a great extent now as result of the financial crisis and that therefore the U.S., China and other countries should step up the opposition to trade protectionism.
Source: Xinhua, December 4, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-12/04/content_10457760.htm
France did not receive the full support from Europe in its move to meet with the Dalai Lama, says International Herald Leader of Xinhua. “Things have not turned out to be what the naïve France expected – it has encountered the pressure from its partners.” The International Herald Leader reported comments from European officials, the UK’s Guardian and think tank analyst that are negative of the upcoming meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Dalai Lama.
Source: International Herald Leader, December 1, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2008-12/01/content_10438145.htm
According to the Ministry of Health of China, as of November 27, about 294,000 babies and young children had suffered "urinary system abnormalities" after taking formula milk from Sanlu and other brand names. Of 51,900 requiring hospital in-patient treatment, 861 remain in hospital and 154 are severe cases.
Source: Ministry of Health of China, December 1, 2008 http://www.moh.gov.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/mohbgt/s3582/200812/38386.htm
Belgian reporter Tom Van de Weghe of the Flemish public TV station VRT, his Australian cameraman and his Belgian assistant were in Henan province doing a report on AIDS in China when they were attacked and robbed by eight men recruited by the Henan provincial authorities, VRT said.
The eight men intercepted them while they were on their way to a village and demanded that they surrender the videotape of interviews they had already done. The crew handed over the videocassettes after being hit. Their assailants also took money, microphones and batteries.
VRT has demanded an apology and compensation. The Belgian government has asked the Chinese authorities for an explanation.
Source: BBC Chinese, December 2, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7760000/newsid_7761000/7761098.stm
A collection of a few Chinese rights lawyers comments on the execution of Yang Jia, a young man who stabbed six Shanghai policemen as revenge for police mistreatment:
Li Jinglin: The socially disadvantaged groups including the petitioners are also learning lessons. In real life, it is impossible for their legal rights to be effectively protected.
Li Xiongbing: The social conflicts such as the Yang Jia incident were solved in an extreme way because there are no other channels [for redress]. The unrest taking place in either Longnan of Gansu province or Weng’an of Guizhou province are inevitable due to the lack of a functioning judicial system. If there exists a fair and independent third party that can act as a mediator, then such violent confrontation will not happen.
Zheng Enchong: The government’s handling of Yang Jia’s case is self-contradictory. As a consequence, people will not trust the law.
Tang Jingling: Without a fair judicial system, it’s impossible for a rights [defense] movement to proceed peacefully. However, the government’s violence always prevails.
Source: Sound of Hope Radio, December 1, 2008
http://soundofhope.org/programs/162/111882-1.asp
On November 27, Japan’s Strategic Headquarters for Space Development issued an outline for the future direction of Japan’s space strategy (equivalent to China’s space strategy). “Space Diplomacy” is a new concept proposed by Japan. Specifically, it is to utilize the Japanese government’s economic development aid (ODA) to enhance cooperation with developing countries from the Asian, African, and Latin American regions, strategically provide satellite information and space development technology to these countries in order to gain their understanding and trust.
Currently, under the direction of the Strategic Headquarters for Space Development, Japan has already initiated cooperation in satellite technology with Indonesia, Brazil, and Ethiopia. But from the Japanese government’s perspective, Space Diplomacy can not stop at a few individual countries. It has to expand in scope and form a whole Space Diplomacy System.
The article says that behind the system is a plan to compete with China.
Source: Xinhua, December 2, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-12/02/content_10443755.htm
Russian magazine Arms Market published an article analyzing the situation of global market of multipurpose fighter plane during 2004-2013. The article says that global sale of multipurpose fighter planes will steadily increase in the next five years. The United States, Russia, and China will be the leading countries selling new fighter planes.
China’s rise to the third place is mainly due to its contract with Pakistan to provide 183 JF-17 “Thunder (Fierce Dragon)” fighter planes. In addition, other Asian and African countries who are China’s customers of traditional fighters are also potential new users of JF-17 “Thunder.” China’s new generation J-10 multipurpose fighter also has a high ratio of function/price. It is highly possible that J-10 will become a fierce competitor of U.S. and Russia’s third generation fighters in the global market.
Source: Xinhua, December 1, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-12/01/content_10437382.htm