Geo-Strategic Trend - 167. page

BBC Chinese recently reported that, at the last minute, Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng cancelled his February 23 visit to the Philippines. Gao originally planned to sign around 40 infrastructure investment project agreements during this trip. Neither side provided an explanation for the cancellation. However, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay commented in the ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers’ Conference that China constructing artificial islands in disputed territories may change the rules of the game. He also immediately added that the Philippines was very happy with its relationship with China and that China promised there would be no more construction. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented that China wishes Yasay would act in line with his own President.

Source: BBC Chinese, February 23, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-39066089

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 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 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

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