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The Paper: The U.S. May Lift the Vietnam Arms Export Ban

Well-known new Chinese news site The Paper recently reported that the U.S. Defense Secretory testified at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, expressing the current administration’s intent to lift the arms export ban on Vietnam. No details are yet available; however this statement was made before President Obama’s planned visit to Vietnam. The United States partially lifted the ban in 2014 to help Vietnam patrol the seas. U.S. officials said then that, in the future, the U.S. might consider selling Vietnam weapons that can be mounted on aircraft. Last year when U.S. Defense Secretory Carter visited Vietnam, he made the promise to provide Vietnam with a US$18 million loan. In the meantime, Tom Malinowski, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, explained that multiple things need to be considered before lifting the ban, including human rights conditions. 
Source: The Paper, April 29, 2016
http://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1462671
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Further Criticism of the War Mentality

After Wu Jianmin, China’s former Ambassador to France, criticized the idea of having a war against some countries, Yuan Nansheng, the Party Secretary and Vice President of the Foreign Affairs College [a Beijing university for diplomats] and former Consul General of China’s Consulate in Los Angles, published an article to further support the criticism of China’s "angry youth" (referring to people who are ignorant but impulsive) who can jeopardize China’s diplomacy.

Yuan’s article was published in the magazine Sharing the Same Boat. Phoenix republished the article. In his article, Yuan listed several examples throughout China’s history that showed how certain people, who were ignorant of their country’s real situation, out of narrow or extreme nationalism, promoted war with other nations. In the end, they ruined the possibility of reaching a diplomatic solution and brought disaster to their country.

"On the one hand, [we] should realize that this ‘angry youth’ phenomenon represents a certain public opinion that can be used as a diplomatic card; on the other hand, [we] should prevent it from restricting the space of our diplomatic options and blocking us from reaching a reasonable and necessary [diplomatic] compromise."

Source: Phoenix, April 13, 2016
http://news.ifeng.com/a/20160413/48447703_0.shtml

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Wu Jianmin: Understanding China’s Foreign Policy

On March 30, 2016, Wu Jianmin, China’s former Ambassador to France and former President of the Foreign Affairs College [a Beijing university for diplomats] gave a speech at the Foreign Affairs College. Wu outlined three elements for understanding China’s foreign policies:

First, only through opening up can China fully grasp how the world is changing.

Second, the world’s new trend is "peace and development," which differs from the previous "war and revolution." "However, there are still people who want to have a war. [They think that] if China can’t beat the U.S., at least China can take on the Philippines for a fight. However, these people have absolutely misunderstood the trend."

Third, China’s foreign affairs strategy is: No expansion, no hegemony, and no alliances.

Wu criticized General Luo Yuan for being a military hawk and promoting war. Wu also criticized Global Times for not understanding the main trend in the world and, instead, frequently publishing extreme articles to portray the world as a big mess.

Source: QQ.com, April 2, 2016
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5NDMzNTk2MA==&mid=412066191&idx=4&sn=3cf0a163591e5ed25e4bd99b025acc0c&scene=1&srcid

=0402Xw5TZ3walLEgAmY5VkH0&from=groupmessage&isappinstalled=0
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Global Times’ Rebuttal to Wu Jianmin

After Wu Jianmin, China’s former Ambassador to France, commented that Global Times didn’t understand the main world trend, Global Times Chief Editor Hu Xijin published a rebuttal.

Hu said, "Wu represents the mentality of the old Chinese diplomats; only they know foreign policy. The media’s [different] opinions are intended to create trouble and thus are the evil source to stir up nationalism." "Wu seems like a typical ‘dove’ [to foreign countries] in diplomat circles, but he is very ‘hawkish’ toward ‘nationalism’ when it is discussed in China’s media."

After the rebuttal was published, an article commenting on that rebuttal was published on the Internet. The article argued, "When Global Times talked about freedom of speech, it openly argued that ‘there is a boundary for freedom of speech in the world.’ Then should there be a boundary for articles related to foreign policy? To appeal to the readers and not hurt the ruling authority, the media look for other [safer] topics [to write about]. They set ‘foreign countries’ as their target and create tension in foreign relations. Will this benefit China’s long-term interest and the world’s peaceful development? Or will it limit the room [for China] to define its foreign policies?"

Source
[1] Phoenix, April 7, 2016
http://news.ifeng.com/a/20160407/48382356_0.shtml
[2] 21ccom.net, April 8, 2016
http://www.21ccom.net/html/2016/zlwj_0408/3102.html

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China Times: North Korean Media Criticized Mainland China

The major Taiwanese newspaper, China Times, recently reported that North Korean official media published articles criticizing the Mainland government without directly pointing it out by name. After the United Nations passed the resolution sanctioning North Korea, the primary government-run news agency Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) suggested that a “certain big country surrendered to the United States,” who obviously represents the “evil imperialist forces.” The KCNA further pointed out that the “certain big country” supported the “evil” by “abandoning the shared fruits of victory cemented with blood without hesitation.” The report promised to continue raising the “peaceful nuclear sword” against the United States and its “unfair world order.” Mainland China did implement the sanctions that the recently passed UN resolution required.
Source: China Times, April 6, 2016
http://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20160406000705-260309
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China Imposes Restrictions on Trade with North Korea

On April 5, 2016, the Ministry of Commerce of China announced that, in order to implement relevant Security Council resolutions [prohibiting nuclear weapons development and ballistic missile activity], it was imposing an immediate ban on imports of North Korean coal, iron ore, gold, titanium, vanadium and rare earths. Some imports for civilian use would be allowed so long as they were not connected to nuclear or missile programs or U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013) and 2094 (2013) and 2270 (2016). 

The Ministry of Commerce of China also announced that sales of jet fuel to North Korea were prohibited, but commercial aircraft outside of North Korea would be allowed to refuel for flights to North Korea. 
Source: Ministry of Commerce of China, April 5, 2016 http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/b/e/201604/20160401289770.shtml
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Huanqiu: U.S. and Seoul Are Ready for Strike against North Korea

On December 31, 2016, as President Xi Jinping was meeting with President Obama at a nuclear security summit in Washington, DC, the China State media Huanqiu published a commentary by Lieutenant General Wang Hongguang, former Deputy Commander of the Nanjing Military Command, on the North Korean nuclear issue. 

According to Wang, the U.S., Seoul, and North Korea are implementing a "brinkmanship" policy, which has substantially increased the possibility of military confrontation. Once such a confrontation took place, it would probably not be an "accidental discharge" nor could any party control the situation.
Wang believed that the U.S. and South Korea have long been planning a military strike against North Korea and that the motivation for such a strike may now be ripe. 
Wang expressed that the military strike against North Korea would be likely to consist of four stages: first, a small scale attack on North Korea’s satellite launch site and the destruction of their nuclear technology; second, a small and medium scale attack on North Korean nuclear facilities and warehouses at the risk of nuclear contamination; third, a large scale attack on hundreds of military targets already identified, which would paralyze North Korea’s ability to initiate any of its own attacks and to fight back; fourth, a large scale attack to overthrow the North Korean regime by force. 
[Editor’s Note: Analysts noted the timing of Wang’s commentary was during Xi’s visit to the U.S. on nuclear issues.  Some also observed that the North Korean regime has been under the wing of former President Jiang Zemin’s faction. According to sources in the Chinese nuclear industry, North Korea’s nuclear scientists and technicians were trained in China, which also provided North Korea the most cutting-edge nuclear technology.] 
Sources: Huanqiu, March 31, 2016 
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2016-03/8793171.html?qq-pf-to=pcqq.c2c
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Xinhua: Japan’s New Security Law Will Soon Be Implemented

Xinhua recently reported that the Japanese Cabinet decided to implement its new security law starting on March 29. The new law allows for Japan’s collective self-defense, which all generations of the Japanese government had banned since the end of the Second World War. The new law also allows the Japanese military to deploy globally for certain missions. Last year, the ruling coalition forcefully passed the new law, ignoring the Japanese people’s strong opposition. The new law is considered a major milestone which represents a significant military policy change from “peaceful self-defense” to active global participation in military activities. According to the new law, as long as the United States, as a treaty-binding ally, makes the request, Japan can legally send troops overseas to offer help to the U.S. The right of collective self-defense was widely thought to be against the Japanese Constitution, since it allows the use of military power without Japan being attacked directly. 
Source: Xinhua, March 22, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2016-03/22/c_1118404253.htm
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