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Geo-Strategic Trend - 169. page

Beijing to Step up Control over Foreign NGOs in China

Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on Jun 2 that the “PRC’s Foreign NGO Administration Law (Second Draft)” public comment session will end on Jun 4. The most controversial part is that the PRC Ministry of Public Security will monitor the activities of foreign NGOs in China, whereas they used to work most closely with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The draft says that foreign NGOs need to have a Chinese government entity as their “administrative authority.” The foreign NGOs will need to submit an activity list for the next year’s operations before Nov 30 of each year and their operation plans will need to be approved; those who do not comply with this requirement will be subject to criminal punishment, which will apply to the foreign NGOs as well as to their cooperating Chinese counterparts. The EU representative in Beijing as well as the European Chamber of Commerce in China both expressed “concern” over this draft law. RFA quotes Liu Qing, a Chinese human right activist based in the U.S. who said, “There will be almost no real (Chinese) NGO in China as these organizations need to have a government entity to ‘manage’ them. Usually there are two functions for an NGO – the first is to provide aid and help to people; the second is to monitor the government; the Chinese Communist Party won’t allow either one.”
Source: Radio Free Asia, June 2, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/nu-06022015122138.html
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Xinhua: What Is Japan Trying to Do in Asia by Plunging into a US$100 Billion Investment?

Xinhua published a group of articles on its International Channel under the title, “What Is Japan Trying to Do in Asia by Plunging into a US$100 Billion Investment?” In the editorial summary, it said, “Japan plans to invest about US$100 billion over the next five years to support infrastructure development in the Asian region. The amount of the investment is comparable to the amount that China proposed to establish the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Analysts have said that Japan’s move was intended to improve its image for its continued existence. However, [if Japan is] trying to use the 100 billion dollars to ‘rival’ the AIIB, it will do no good for itself while it will be hurting others. The AIIB has 57 founding members and can drive trillions of dollars of investment. If Japan is maliciously bidding, it will only keep exhausting its resources and its mental health. China will not respond or launch a bidding war with Japan. Therefore, if Japan wants to ‘to suppress China’s influence’ with the US$100 billion investment, it will be nearly impossible for it to succeed even if it tries so hard that it will be vomiting blood.” 

Source: Xinhua (International Channel), Vol 537, May 21, 2015 
http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/jrch/537.htm
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BBC Chinese: Indian Media Criticized China’s Incorrect Map of India

BBC Chinese recently reported that key Indian media companies such as New Delhi TV, Hindustan Times, Firstpost.com, and India Today all criticized the Map of India that the Chinese Central Television (CCTV) used when reporting Indian Prime Minister’s visit to China. The CCTV map showed what Indians considered Arunachal Pradesh as “Southern Tibet.” In addition, the map did not include the Kashmir region as part of India. Indian media immediately pointed out that the map was “wrong” and that China’s demand for Indian land has never changed. They also pointed out that China’s ultimate goals in the region remain the same and Pakistan is still being used as a Chinese agent in battles against India. Reports also mentioned that Indian Prime Minister Modi expressed his concern to Chinese President Xi Jinping about China’s US$46 billion investment in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to establish an economic development corridor.
Source: BBC Chinese, May 15, 2015
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/world/2015/05/150515_indian_press_modi_china
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Xinhua: People Should Get Used to Seeing China’s Warships in The Sea

Xinhua reported that China and Russia held joint naval exercises, the "Joint Sea 2015" in the Mediterranean Sea. China sent its primary battle ships, two Type 054A Frigates (NATO code: Jiangkai II Class Frigates), and a supply ship to the exercises. The joint exercises will run from May 11 to May 21.

"This is the first time that [China] has conducted naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a new challenge for the Chinese Navy. It also showed that [China] is expanding its national interests and security interests to waters further away from China. People should get used to seeing China’s warships out in the sea."

Source: Xinhua, May 12, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-05/12/c_127791919.htm

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BBC Chinese: China Unhappy about Abe’s Address to the U.S. Congress

BBC Chinese recently reported that Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, expressed his unhappiness about Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s address to the U.S. Congress in April. Yu delivered the message when he met Japanese Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Fukushiro Nukaga in Beijing. Yu commented that China could not accept any speech that had no mention of “apology” and “invasion.” This was the first time a high ranking Chinese leader expressed unhappiness about Abe’s speech. However Fukushiro Nukaga pointed out that Abe’s speech received high praise from countries in Asia and around the globe.
Source: BBC Chinese, May 9, 2015
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2015/05/150509_yu_zhengsheng_china_japan
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Huanqiu: China’s Special Treatment in Moscow’s Red Square Military Parade Shows Close Relationship

Huanqiu carried an article about China’s participation in the Red Square military parade in Moscow on May 9. The article commented that lack of attention from the Western world did not undermine the grand scale of the Red Square military parade. The Russians viewed Xi Jinping’s appearance in the parade as “spiritual support” to the Russians in the midst of the boycott from the West. According to the article, Xi not only received unprecedented treatment at the welcoming ceremony; China’s guard of honor placement at the end of the international section and right before the Russians was also an indication of the close relationship between Russia and China.

Source: Huanqiu, May 10, 2015
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2015-05/6396641.html

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Guangming Daily: China be on Guard against Japanese Politicians Making Inciting Statements

Guangming Daily carried a commentary on the relationship between China and Japan. The article stated that 2.41 million Chinese tourists visited Japan in 2014, which was up 84 percent from 2013. However, in 2014, China Daily and the Japanese non-profit think tank Genron NPO, conducted a survey about China and Japan’s relationship. The survey indicated that 93 percent of the Japanese people do not like Chinese people and most of them will refuse to visit China in the next two years. The commentary claimed that the imbalance was due to two factors. First, certain Chinese “Tuhao” or nouveau riche tend to show off their wealth in Japan and, second, Japanese Prime Minister Abe has anti-Chinese sentiment. The commentary concluded that anti-China propaganda influences the Japanese public. Therefore China should be on guard against the inciting statements that Japanese politicians make.

Source: Guangming Daily, May 11, 2015
http://world.gmw.cn/2015-05/11/content_15623091.htm

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China Review News: Pakistan-China Economic Corridor Will Unite Europe and Asia

A recent China Review News commentary addressed the issue of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (PCEC). It stated,"The economic corridor that China and Pakistan plan to build between them offers the first strategic sea port in China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ plan. … China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ plan and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will rekindle the thousand-year old dream of uniting Europe and Asia together." 

The commentary said that the PCEC will connect China’s Kashgar to Pakistan’s Gwadar and will include roads, railways, and energy and commercial trade routes. Pakistan will serve as a bridge to connect China to Central and South Asia, forming an economic zone population of 3 billion people.

"This corridor allows China to connect directly to the Arab Sea, giving China the shortest path to connect to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East." "The shipping of energy and cargo in and out of China will be shortened by 4,000 miles. It will take only 10 days, instead of 45 days [via the Malacca Strait], for China to ship its goods to the Middle East and Africa."

Pakistan also offers the best channel for China to connect to Islamic countries. It is China’s firmest ally. It is also the only Islamic country with a nuclear capability. Its military cooperation with China can stabilize the relationship between the two countries and reduce the risk of the "One Belt, One Road" zone.

Source: China Review News, May 3, 2015
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1037/3/6/4/103736425.html

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