Duowei published a picture report, stating that China is building a military base in Djibouti, which will allow it to dispatch its military forces to anywhere in East Africa.
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Geo-Strategic Trend - 164. page
Global Times: Since Lotte Supports “THAAD,” Please Stay Far Away from China
After China understood that the South Korea Company Lotte would remain firm in its position with the Korean government on the exchange of land for the deployment of the “THAAD” anti-missile system, China’s state media Global Times published an article threatening that Lotte should prepare for the consequences. Continue reading
BBC Chinese: China Stopped Importing Coal from North Korea
BBC Chinese recently reported that the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced on February 18 that it will ban coal imports from North Korea. China’s announcement explained that this ban was to implement UN Resolution 2321. The ban will remain effective until the end of this year. Observers around the world expressed the belief that this Chinese ban is the response to North Korea’s missile launch on February 12. It may also be the answer to the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s brother Kim Jong Nam in Kuala Lumpur on February 13. This new coal ban is a very important development since coal is the single most critical export product of North Korea and China has bought nearly all North Korean coal exports. The income from coal exports is considered an important pillar of North Korea’s economy. Previously, China promised to implement the UN resolution only under the condition that the sanction should not have a damaging impact on the civilian population of North Korea.
Source: BBC Chinese, February 18, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-39016340
BBC Chinese: China Expelled 32 South Korean Missionaries
BBC Chinese recently reported that, according to South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials, China expelled 32 South Korean missionaries in January and arrested another South Korean citizen in February. It is not yet clear whether this had anything to do with the deployment of the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system. The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded its Christian organizations that their activities must follow foreign local laws. In February, China also detained a pastor who is an American citizen. China so far has no explanation of these activities. According to South Korean media, there are over one thousand South Korean missionaries in China and many of them have lent a helping hand to North Koreans to escape to China. In the meantime, Chinese authorities have banned or punished South Korean commercial activities in China (such as events in the entertainment business) as well as South Korean companies.
Source: BBC Chinese, February 11, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-38944081
South Korea Stopped Issuing Visas to Chinese Lecturers at the Confucius Institute
According to information from the Justice Ministry of Korea, as of December of last year, the Seoul immigration Bureau suspended all E-2 visa extensions and the issuance of any new visas for Chinese lecturers at the Confucius Institute.
The Confucius Institute in South Korea started in 2004. For the past 13 years, it has never been a cause of controversy. The original E-2 visa issuance process is simple, and the E-2 visas are easy to obtain. Some observers pointed out that this is the South Korean government’s response to the clash involving China’s restriction on South Korea.
The Confucius Institute operates through a cooperation agreement between Korean and Chinese universities. The Chinese Ministry of Education selects the Chinese lecturers. The Chinese government pays their salaries.
The Chinese government funds the Confucius Institute. In terms of geographical distribution, there are 169 Confucius Institutes in Europe, 157 in the Americas, 110 in Asia, 46 in Africa and 18 in Oceania. After the United States (109) and Britain (29), South Korea (22) has the third largest number of Confucius Institutes.
Source: Korean Daily republished by Wenxuecity, February 7, 2017
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2017/02/07/6000183.html
Indian Navy Refused Domestic Carrier Fighter Jets
Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that the Indian Navy decisively refused a request from its domestic supplier to deploy the Tejas fighter jet <India’s indigenous fighter jet> on its aircraft carriers. The Navy officially issued a global RFI (Request for Information) looking for a new carrier fighter model. The RFI revealed a need for 57 carrier-based fighter jets for two Indian carriers. The November Navy procurement meeting vetoed the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas due to the lack of critical capabilities that the Navy requires. The RFI requires the candidates to have all-day, all-weather, and air-to-ground combat capabilities. There are other requirements on refueling, electronic warfare, and reconnaissance capabilities. The RFI also stated that the delivery should start in three years and should be completed within three years thereafter. To comply with the government’s “Made in India” policy, the RFI asked the bidder whether establishing a manufacturing center in India was an option. The Indian Navy currently uses the Mig-29K for its carriers.
Source: Sina, February 1, 2017
http://dailynews.sina.com/bg/news/int/chinesedaily/20170201/08157714206.html
BBC Chinese: China Said It Will Lead the World if Required
BBC Chinese recently reported that Zhang Jun, a high ranking official in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented on the potential world leadership vacuum after the U.S. election. Zhang made these comments after Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke at the Davos Forum in Switzerland where he emphasized the importance of globalization and after U.S. President Trump reconfirmed his “America First” policy. Zhang suggested that, if China is asked to lead the world, then China will take the responsibility. He added that China’s willingness to play a leadership role only resulted from the fact that the current world leader is giving up. Zhang explained that China is currently the second largest economy in the world and that many other countries are developing a major dependency on it for growth. He expressed his happiness on hearing about U.S. President Trump’s planned a four percent U.S. growth projection. However, Zhang pointed out that this growth goal cannot be realized if the United States keeps waging trade wars. Many western analysts are worried about Trump’s nationalist and populist rhetoric.
Source: BBC Chinese, January 23, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-38718982
BBC Chinese: China’s Take-Over of Port Triggered Conflict in Sri Lanka
BBC Chinese recently reported that local residents in port Hambantota, Sri Lanka, clashed with the police. A groundbreaking ceremony triggered the incident. In an agreement, the government granted full management rights of the port to a Chinese company to build an industrial park. The rental agreement is for a period of 99 years. The conflict happened when Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Yi Xianliang, were attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the industrial park. According to the development agreement, thousands of villagers had to move out. The opposition complained that the agreement is turning the port into a “Chinese colony.” However, the government said all impacted villagers will be given new land. China has been investing in Sri Lanka on a large scale since 2009, when the nation’s civil war ended. This recent conflict resulted in 21 injured and 52 arrested. Sri Lanka is strategically located in the so-called “String of Pearls” in South Asia.
Source: BBC Chinese, January 7, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-38544928