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BBC Chinese: Japan Turned to ICAO to Discuss China’s Air Defense ID Zone

BBC Chinese recently reported that Japan took the issues arising out of China’s creation of the Chinese Air Defense Identification Zone to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The Japanese representative asked the ICAO Council to have a discussion on how to deal with the newly established Chinese Air Defense Identification Zone. Japan called the Zone a potential threat to international civil aviation order and safety. The United States, Great Britain, and Australia all agreed with the Japanese on their call for a discussion. However China disagreed. The United States government stated that the U.S. government expects civil airlines to follow the ICAO regulations on issuing NOTAM (Notice to Airmen). However that does not mean that the U.S. government accepts Beijing’s terms for its Zone. Since rounds of foreign military aircraft have ignored the Chinese Identification Zone rules, the Chinese Air Force has started sending fighter jets to identify the aircraft entering the Zone.

Source: BBC Chinese, November 30, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/world/2013/11/131130_japan_icao_china.shtml

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China Review News Agency: Sina-Japanese Relations May Get Worse in the Foreseeable Future

On November 26, 2013, China Review News Agency, the digital network news that the Mainland and Taiwanese authorities approved in 2005, published an article titled “East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone Gives Abe a Warning.”

According to the article, China’s decision to establish the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone is in line with international practice. It is a necessary measure to counter Japan. The Air Defense Identification Zone warns Abe’s government not to misbehave again in the East China Sea area. Sino-Japanese relations may get worse in the foreseeable future. 

Source: China Review News Agency, November 26, 2013
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1028/8/6/1/102886196.html?coluid=218&kindid=0&docid=102886196&mdate=1126092749

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Confucius Institute Launches Its U.S. Center in Washington, D.C.

On November 20, the Headquarters of the Confucius Institute launched a U.S. Center in Washington, DC. Liu Yandong, China’s Vice Premier, who is visiting the United States, attended the opening ceremony. Yuan Guiren, the Chinese Minister of Education, gave a speech.

Yuan said in his speech that a network of more than 430 Confucius Institutes and over 640 Confucius Classrooms has been set up around the globe. The United States is the country with the largest number of Confucius Institutes and over 350 Confucius Classrooms.

According to the information provided by the Center, its main task is to provide an open, reliable source of information for the U.S. government so it can understand the activities of the Confucius Institute; conduct communication and cooperation with American media and society, and enhance the public’s understanding of the Confucius Institute.

Source: Xinhua, November 21, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-11/21/c_118238001.htm

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BBC Chinese: IKEA Gave More Aid to the Philippines than China Did

BBC Chinese recently reported that China only provided minimal aid to the Philippines after that nation was hit hard by typhoon Haiyan. China’s commitment on aid totaled US$2 million. The United States promised US$20 million plus military missions involving an aircraft carrier fleet. Japan promised US$10 million in aid plus military help. Australia committed US$28 million. Even the popular furniture retailer IKEA donated US$2.7 million to the victims. China complained that China was hurt by the same typhoon as well. The Chinese government received mixed comments in the media. Singapore researcher Zhen Yongnian suggested that China is far behind the United States in terms of “soft power.” Some Chinese netizens even commented that the Chinese government was better to the Philippines than to its own people.
Source: BBC Chinese, November 14, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/world/2013/11/131114_china_philippines_aid_ikea.shtml
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Xinhua: Chinese Foreign Aid Program Performs Outstandingly û Ahead of the U.S.

Xinhua recently reported that, in the recent disaster, China did not provide swift aid to the Philippines, while the U.S. military delivered immediate help in a very short period of time and on a large scale. However, the report suggested that this was an isolated case since the Chinese military does not yet have the capacity to provide such a level of aid and the Philippines might not welcome the Chinese military on their land anyway. The United States was just taking the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to an ally that is important to the U.S. Asian strategy. China’s global aid program does not focus on natural disasters. Instead, the Chinese foreign aid program provides assistance to other nations’ development plans. China has been doing much better than the U.S. in areas such as offering low-interest or no-interest loans and building basic infrastructure in developing countries.
Source: Xinhua, November 14, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-11/14/c_125699206.htm
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China’s State Media Comments on U.S. and Japan’s Aid to Philippines

China’s state media Huanqiu (Global Times) published an article commenting on the U.S. and Japan’s aid to the Philippines as a result of typhoon Haiyan. 

The article said, “The nation that had brought great military suffering to the Asian countries sent its Self Defense Forces (SDF) to the Philippines, which could be called ‘the largest overseas deployment of troops after World War II.’" The article, citing other international media reports, stated that the political implications of the disaster relief assistance to the Philippines are becoming increasingly clear. That the U.S. and Japan employ large-scale military forces for the disaster relief to the Philippines shows obvious political motivation. 
The article quoted the Russian Lenta News Network, which said that the United States acting, on such a large scale and with such fanfare [for the assistance], demonstrates the special relationship between the United States and the Philippines. The United States takes Japan as the "unsinkable" aircraft carrier. Now the Philippines has become a major ally of the United States. The two countries take advantage of each other to counterbalance China. Being very active in the rescue efforts, the U.S. is all for its own geopolitical interests. 
The article also implied, by quoting Japanese foreign critic Timberland Naoto’s comment, that, on the surface, Abe’s sending the SDF is to contribute to world peace and development, but the real purpose is to contain China. [Even in] the typhoon disaster, the emergency aid also reflected the reality of international politics. 
Academy of Social Sciences researcher Zhou Qi told the Global Times that Japan’s high-profile involvement with a helicopter carrier is surprising.　　 

Source: Huanqiu, November 15, 2013 
http://world.people.com.cn/n/2013/1115/c1002-23552524.html 
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2013-11/4566316.html

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OPEC: The Chinese Automobile Market will Support an Increase in the Demand for Oil

Global Times recently reported that OPEC just adjusted its earlier long-term oil market forecast on market demand to show an increase. This is the first time in six years that OPEC has projected an optimistic forecast. The organization also re-estimated China’s automobile market size. OPEC expressed the belief that the world demand for oil will be 108.5 million barrels per day by the year 2035. The organization also estimated that China’s “vehicle parc” will increase by 380 million over the next 22 years. That will be the equivalent of every 1000 people owning 320 vehicles. This rate of increase is based on the same pace that Japan had in the 1990s. The OPEC report also expected that the Indian automobile market would show rapid growth. However the U.S. shale oil and the Canadian oil sands have been rapidly changing the landscape of the oil market, making today’s reality very much different from OPEC’s forecast made two years ago. 
Source: Global Times, November 8, 2013
http://finance.huanqiu.com/world/2013-11/4545717.html
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Xinhua: Japan Unable to Understand China’s Protest on Exercise Interference

Xinhua recently reported that Yang Yujun, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, announced at a press conference that the Japanese Navy has performed intensive following, monitoring, and intelligence gathering whenever the Chinese Navy was in the middle of a military exercise mission in the Western Pacific high seas. China officially protested against the Japanese Navy’s behavior. However the Japanese Defense Minister stated on November 1 that he was “completely unable to understand” China’s reaction as international law permits Japan’s activities, so they are therefore fully lawful. The Japanese government expressed the intent to continue to pay attention to China’s military activities. Yang Yujun also warned that Japan’s recent activities have frequently “produced a war-time atmosphere.”
Source: Xinhua, November 1, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-11/01/c_125636532.htm
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