Geo-Strategic Trend - 193. page

On August 7, Xinhua News Agency and the Observatory of Chinese politics (OPCh), an affiliate of the Spanish think tank the Galician Institute of Analysis and International Documentation (IGADI), signed a friendship and cooperation agreement. Under the agreement, "the two parties will cooperate in publishing analyses of China’s political and economic policy and social hot issues that concern foreign readers, offer in-depth interpretations, and thus enable the world to improve its understanding of China." Wang Chaowen, the European chief of Xinhua and Julio Rios, the Director of OPCh, signed the cooperation agreement. The Chinese Ambassador to Spain Zhu Bangzao attended the ceremony. "The Chinese policy observation center" and its website were established in 2000, for the purpose of studying and analyzing the Chinese legal system, political trends, national defense, ethnic minorities, human rights, and foreign policy.

Source: Xinhua, August 8, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-08/08/c_1112001469.htm

Yin Zhuo stated that [in the white paper] Japan openly fabricated facts. It did so for two main reasons: 

The first was to cooperate with the U.S.’s strategy of returning to the Asia-Pacific. Yin Zhuo said that the United States is now trying to contain China utilizing the safety issues in China’s surrounding regions. This is an important goal of the U.S.’s rebalancing strategy in returning to the Asia-Pacific. Japan, as a U.S. ally, is bound to cooperate vigorously with U.S. policy. Meanwhile, with China’s rapid economic development, China’s national defense has advanced as well. This has also made Japan feel threatened. 

The second is that Japan is carrying out a media warfare campaign against China. Yin Zhuo further pointed out that, by doing so, Japan is preparing for its attempt to become a political power and a permanent member of the Security Council. At the same time, it is also creating the publicity for next year’s election campaign to be a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Yin Zhuo said that on any multilateral occasion, including at the United Nations, Japan has spared no effort to attack China. Japan is attempting to bring the Sino-Japanese dispute to the entire world. Abe obviously showed this intent when he was visiting Latin America and Africa. 

People’s Daily recently reported that the military government that is currently in-charge in Thailand just approved the resumption of the project to build two high-speed railways connecting Southern China. The project had been halted earlier due to political uncertainties and the Thailand Constitutional Court ruled in March that the entire infrastructure building project was unconstitutional. The new government started reviewing the railway project in May after taking over day-to-day government operations. According to the budget plan, the project is worth around US$23.2 billion. The construction is planned to begin next year. The resumed project plan, however, adjusted the target operating speed from 200 kilometers per hour down to 160. The government is still looking for ideas to bring the cost down further. 

Source: People’s Daily, July 31, 2014

http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/0731/c1002-25379272.html

BBC Chinese recently reported that the Chinese government officially protested the fact that British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg met with Hong Kong’s former Chief Secretary Anson Chan and Hong Kong Democratic Party founder Martin Lee. Ms. Chan and Mr. Lee both testified before the British Parliament when it held a hearing on the upcoming Hong Kong democratic election arrangements. The two expressed their deep concerns about the lack of responsible moves on the part of both of the two signatory states of the "Joint Declaration,” on which the current Hong Kong political system was founded. The Chinese government called for an immediate suspension of all British “interference” in Chinese domestic matters. Nick Clegg, in his announcement, maintained that the people of Hong Kong deserve the right to make a real choice in a democratic election. Over half a million Hong Kong residents took to the streets on July 1 to demonstrate their unity in their quest for the freedom to cast meaningful votes.

Source: BBC Chinese, July 16, 2014

http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/07/140716_china_hk_clegg.shtml

Xinhua recently reported that the Sixth BRICS Summit will be held in Brazil on July 15. It is widely expected that the Summit will finalize the plan to establish the BRICS Development Bank and the BRICS Contingency Reserve Fund. The initial capital investments into the Bank will total US$50 billion. Each member country is expected to supply US$10 billion. The Reserve Fund will have US$100 billion to handle unexpected emergency situations. China is expected to provide US$41 billion to the Reserve. Russia, Brazil, and India will contribute US$18 billion each and South Africa will supply US$5 billion. Brazilian officials indicated that the two new mechanisms are in response to the lack of democracy in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The BRICS Bank is planning to focus its investments on infrastructure-building in poor countries. The World Bank commented on the news that it welcomes the new BRICS Bank and the effort to fight poverty. While the BRICS member countries together will always hold a minimum of 55 percent of shares, the Bank welcomes other UN members to join. 

Source: Xinhua, July 10, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-07/10/c_126736409.htm

People’s Daily, July 9, 2014

http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/0709/c1002-25261295.html

Xinhua recently reported on comments that Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, made at a gathering of his voters on Vietnam’s relationship with China. When asked what Vietnam should do if forced into a war, Nguyen replied, “We should get ready for all possibilities.” At the same time, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung instructed the government to prepare for the “tough economic situation” that may result from the “challenging relationship with China.” Not long ago, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang also stated that Vietnam would like to take legal actions against China. It is very clear now that all three of the top leaders in the Vietnamese political system have expressed their strong position in the conflict with China. The Vietnamese government has called for an independent economy and an international trade position. It also asked the people to have a “clear understanding of the position of the United States.”

Source: Xinhua, July 3, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2014-07/03/c_126705376.htm

BBC Chinese reported on July 1 Hong Kong local time that, according to the organizer, this year, over 510,000 protesters participated in Hong Kong’s annual parade. The parade is held annually each July 1 to commemorate the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover in 1997. Hong Kong had just completed an unofficial referendum on the issue of how the city’s chief executive should be elected. Over 780,000 legal residents cast their “votes,” which did not favor of the government’s plan for future elections. The July 1 parade set a record in terms of the number of participants. The pro-Beijing Hong Kong government holds that only the Nominating Committee, instead of the voters, can choose the candidates for the city’s chief executive [Specifically, it will only allow candidates who "love China."] The protesters, however, hold the position that the voters should be able to nominate candidates. In accordance with certain rules, the Nominating Committee would then confirm them. Hong Kong has a population of seven million people.

Source: BBC Chinese, July 1, 2014

http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/07/140701_hongkong_marching_july.shtml

The official Chinese Central Government Website recently published a Xinhua report on a speech delivered by President Xi Jinping regarding the importance of land and maritime border security. The audience mmbers listening to the speech were the attendees at the Fifth National Border Security Conference. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was also present at the conference. In his speech, Xi emphasized that the “top priority” is defending the country’s sovereignty and security. He called for “very carefully planned and organized administration and control over both land and maritime borders.” Xi also required well-organized action to defend China’s rights at sea. He suggested that, given the “new situation,” it is very important for the State Border and Coastal Defense Committee to coordinate the joint efforts performed by the armed forces, the police system, and civilians smoothly. 

Source: Chinese Central Government Website, June 27, 2014

http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2014-06/27/content_2709132.htm