Skip to content

Geo-Strategic Trend - 193. page

Saudi Prince Invested in Beijing Real Estate

Guangming Daily, a national newspaper based in Beijing City, recently reported that Kingdom Holding Company invested $700 million in a Beijing real estate development project called the Jingdong Shopping Center. Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal owns 95 percent of Kingdom Holding Company. The announcement triggered widespread discussions in China. The Prince himself suggested that the investment “strengthened the strategic relationship between Saudi Arabia and China.” Chinese public opinion seems to agree that this average real estate project has now become much more political. The Prince has a very big investment portfolio, which includes Twitter, Amazon, Apple, Citibank, Coca-Cola, eBay, Ford, McDonalds, P&G, and Disney. 
Source: Guangming Daily, February 18, 2013
http://economy.gmw.cn/biz/2013-02/18/content_6719690.htm

South Korean Media: Signs of New North Korea Nuclear Test in Planning Stage

Xinhua recently reported that, based on information provided by South Korean media, South Korean authorities obtained intelligence indicating that North Korea is preparing for another nuclear test. Transportation activities at the same nuclear test site have been discovered and they match the pattern of the preparation work done before previous tests. Sources from the South Korean military suggested that they believe a new nuclear test is ready, pending only a political decision. The Xinhua report also mentioned an Agence France-Presse news piece suggesting that, according to a U.S. think tank, North Korea is preparing a long-range missile launch. 
Source: Xinhua, February 17, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-02/17/c_124351493.htm

Xinhua: Russia Plans to Strengthen Relationship with China

Xinhua recently reported that Russian President Putin approved a new foreign policies framework. Traditionally a newly elected Russian president always develops a foreign policies framework as a guide for his term of service. According to an official document released on the Presidential website, developing friendly relationships with China and India is the most important direction Russia is taking. The document expressed the belief that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is having a bigger and bigger constructive impact on the Asia-Pacific region. Russia is planning to strengthen the “comprehensive strategic partnership” relationship with China. This indicates the active development of cooperation in all areas. The new policies also stated that Russia intends to cooperate with the United States in some areas, with the condition that the U.S. will not interfere with other nation’s internal affairs.
Source: Xinhua, February 17, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-02/17/c_124351244.htm

China’s Leftist Website Congratulates North Korea for Its 3rd Nuclear Test

On February 13, 2013, China’s leftist website, Utopia, published an editorial titled, “Utopia Warmly Congratulates North Korea for the Success of Its Third Nuclear Test.” The article praised North Korea for “withstanding the pressure from the reactionary forces led by the United States and condemned “the evil international order maintained by the U.S. imperialists and their minions.”  The article further criticized the U.S. and the Western hostile capitalists for “trying to stifle the socialist causes in China and North Korea” and “forcing the traitor forces inside the Chinese Communist Party leadership to betray the Party and the people, a mistake similar to that made by the former Soviet Union.” According to the article, the nuclear tests in both China and North Korea were “great achievements in breaking through the imperialist’s policies of nuclear blackmail and containment.” The article said that the relationship between China and North Korea is interdependent, just like lips and teeth, and that China will continue to support North Korea no matter what happens.

However, many Chinese people, especially those in the three northeastern provinces next to North Korea, were worried about the nuclear pollution that North Korea’s nuclear test caused. They were very disappointed that the Chinese regime did not do anything to protect the Chinese residents except to issue an oral protest afterwards. In comparison, prior to the test, the Russian government evacuated those of their residents who were close to North Korea.

Source: Utopia, February 13, 2013
http://www.wyzxsd.com/article.php?id=3524
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/junshiwaijiao/sy1-02142013144811.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/02/130214_leftist_support_korea.shtml

Huanqiu Editorial: No Blockage of North Korea Even If More Nuclear Tests

On February 17, 2013, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an editorial on the Chinese regime’s attitude toward North Korea in terms of its potential 4th and 5th nuclear tests to occur within this coming year. The article said that China should reduce aid to North Korea as a reaction to its third nuclear test. “Beijing should also tell Pyongyang that we will reduce our aid to them even further if they continue to fire rockets and conduct new nuclear tests.”

However, it continued, “China will still be North Korea’s friend. This is not a hypocritical statement. It means that China will not join forces with the United States, Japan, and South Korea to enforce a sea and land blockade of North Korea. China will oppose the UN Security Council if it tries to pass any resolution with a radical approach that might threaten the North Korean regime. China is against North Korea having nuclear weapons; but China will not make a 180 degree turn in its attitude towards North Korea.”

Source: Huanqiu, February 17, 2013
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-02/3645628.html

Chinese Military Officer: U.S. Tries to Use “Cobra Gold” Military Exercise to Control ASEAN

An annual multinational military exercise, with the code name Cobra Gold 2013, opened in Thailand on February 11. Regarding the objectives of the exercise, Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo, Director of the Navy Information Expert Committee, believes that the United States is hoping to cooperatively combat terrorism and to further its control of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by conducting military exercises with Thailand. Yin said, "The more important purpose of the exercise for the United States is to use Thailand to control the ASEAN countries. … (The U.S.) has maintained friendly military cooperation with Thailand. At the same time, it has ensured a strategic military foothold in the ASEAN region. Once an emergent event occurs in the region, it can proceed from Thailand and carry out a large-scale intervention in the entire ASEAN region.” 

[Editor’s Note: This is the 32nd iteration of Cobra Gold hosted by Thailand and the United States since 1980. It includes the United States, Thailand, and five other Asian countries, while an additional 20 send observers.]
Source: Xinhua, February 12, 2013 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2013-02/12/c_124343049.htm

Huanqiu: No Big War Will Break Out over the Diaoyu Islands Dispute

On February 8, 2013, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an editorial on the possibility of a war between China and Japan over the Diaoyu Islands dispute (known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan). According to the article, neither China nor Japan is willing to get involved in a major war, yet both countries want to display their strength and determination, hoping the other will retreat at a critical moment.

“It is almost certain that a full-scale war will not break out between China and Japan. However, no one can estimate to what level it may advance and what damage it may cause once the two countries start to fire at each other. The dispute over the Diaoyu Islands between China and Japan has actually become a contest of wills.”

Source: Huanqiu, February 8, 2013
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-02/3630648.html

The Chinese Navy May Start Sea Mine Warfare in the East or South China Sea

On February 9, 2013, China Review News republished an article originally from the World Journal (www.worldjournal.com) titled “The PLA Lays Sea Mines Three-dimensionally in Four Approaches; Locking Japan in Is as Easy as Turning over the Palm.” According to the article, with the possible escalation of the confrontation over the Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku Islands in Japan) and Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal in the Philippines), the Chinese navy may start sea mine warfare in the East China Sea or the South China Sea.

At the end of January, China Navy (http://navy.81.cn/), a PLA official website, revealed that a submarine detachment from the South China Sea fleet held a drill on placing sea mines to block water passages. Once a war breaks out, the Chinese Navy can lay sea mines quickly and secretly using submarines. The powerful “Sea Mines Field” would be able to surround American and Japanese warships within a certain area. The Chinese Navy will then severely attack American and Japanese warships with multiple anti-ship missiles from a shore base and an air base.

Source: China Review News, February 9, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1024/3/4/9/102434990.html?coluid=4&kindid=16&docid=102434990&mdate=0209010718