Geo-Strategic Trend - 213. page

The United Front Work Department of the Communist Party carried an article originally published by Xinhua stating that the Guangdong Provincial government plans to build four databases on oversea’s Chinese in order to enhance the communication with the overseas Chinese and provide better services for the overseas Chinese who have returned to China (called haigui). The four categories for the databases include professionals and specialists in key areas; business groups; overseas Chinese currently living in Guangdong, and overseas Chinese currently investing in Guangdong.

According to Zhen Jianming, Deputy Director of the Guangdong Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, his office has established connections with over 100 overseas professional groups. They have listed 25 organizations in seven countries as the key contacts and have established collaboration projects with 15 of them. Since 2011, the Guangdong Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office has invited over 100 high level professionals from nine professional organizations to Guangdong and reached over 20 agreements with them for scientific collaboration or agreements on the intent to collaborate.

Source: The United Front Work Department of the Communist Party, September 7, 2012
http://www.zytzb.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/tzb2010/S1815/201209/731224.html

China’s state media Huanqiu published an opinion article in which the author, a research analyst at the Institute of the Ministry of Commerce, mentioned the United States in an effort to separate the Chinese people’s nationalistic emotions from the Sino-Japanese rift over the Diaoyu islands (called the Senkaku islands in Japan). 

On August 29, People’s Liberation Army Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese military, published a commentary on the recent renewed dispute over the Diaoyu Islands (called the Senkaku Islands in Japan), titled “Is the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security a protecting shield for Japan?” The article stated that, although the United States holds that the issue of the Senkaku Islands falls within the scope of the Article 5 of the 1960 U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, the U.S. government will not dispatch troops to solve the conflict.

The article emphasized, “The fact that the Diaoyu Islands are China’s territory will not change in the slightest because of any party’s attempts to interfere. The Chinese government and its people will not back off because of a so-called treaty or certain people’s position. It is unwise for the Japanese to provoke incidents again and again in hopes of having the protection of the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. What is the most critical is that, in the face of the Chinese people’s righteous and determined resolution, no treaty can protect the Japanese from violating the interests of others.”

Source: PLA Daily, August 29, 2012
http://www.chinamil.com.cn/jfjbmap/content/2012-08/29/content_13331.htm

On August 15, 2012, 14 Chinese activists landed on one of Diaoyu islands (called the Senkaku Islands in Japan) in the East China Sea. Their action caused a fresh round of heated disputes between China and Japan over the sovereignty of the territory.

In an attempt to cool down the Chinese activists’ expression of patriotism, Huanqiu (the Global Times), a division of People’s Daily, published an article written by Han Xiaoqing, the president of the Japan-China news agency (also a division of People’s Daily). The article, questioning whether the Chinese activists’ landing on one of the Diaoyu islands damaged China’s national interest, was titled “Is it a patriotic act for activists to land on the Diaoyu Islands or does it harm the country?”

The article said, “The Hong Kong activists’ actions in landing on the Diaoyu Islands again pushed the slightly eased Sino-Japanese relations into a fierce confrontational situation.” It argued that China’s most urgent national strategic objective is not to recapture the Diaoyu Islands. "Currently China’s most urgent and most important national strategic goal is to develop the economy and enhance economic strength in order to cope with the grim international situation and severe challenges."

In conclusion, the author stated, “The Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland activists landing on the Diaoyu Islands, regardless of their motives, was not a patriotic act, but an act that harmed the country.”

The article caused an uproar on Chinese Internet forums, with the majority of the postings calling it traitorous. The article was soon withdrawn from the Huanqiu website, but it is still available on many other Chinese websites.

Source: Huanqiu, August 28, 2012
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2012-08/3072485.html.
http://news.sina.com.cn/pl/2012-08-28/094525051069.shtml

Xinhua published an article commenting on the conflict between China and Japan regarding the recent incidents in the Diaoyu (Senkaku) islands. The article argues, “The Chinese government must be prepared for the uncontrollable development of the Diaoyu Islands conflict, including necessary military preparations. Because of the impact of the Japanese right wing, the Diaoyu Islands crisis has become an irreconcilable conflict. An earlier tacit agreement between both China and Japanese government not to amplify the conflict has collapsed. In the current situation, both governments are cornered. Because of the intense hostility in both societies, they must push the situation forward.

“The Chinese government probably can only follow public opinion and go forward with a real fight with the Japanese to take control over the Diaoyu Islands. The true requirement of the people is that the government resolutely repel the government of Japan’s provocative acts. China will move forward on the Diaoyu Islands issue; it cannot go backwards or stand still. People clearly want to see such material progress.

“Many scholars of strategy believe that such a request lacks strategic wisdom. The Chinese should be tolerant and continue to fight against Japan and the U.S., who is remaining hidden in order to improve its overall strength and growth, so as to create the certainty of eventually taking over the Diaoyu Islands. This proposition is indeed a much smarter way, but it is not feasible in real politics.”

Source: Xinhua, August 22, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2012-08/22/c_123616082.htm

Xinhua published a commentary from a contributor having the pen name “Zhong Sheng (the pronunciation is the same as ‘Voice of China’).” The article pointed out that some big Western countries are trying to seek other avenues, outside of the United Nations, to resolve the Syria issue. The article stated, “At this critical juncture, China invited the special envoy of the Syrian president to visit China, while also considering issuing an invitation to the relevant Syrian opposition organizations to visit China in the near future.” The article claimed that (by doing so), “China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, showed a high degree of responsibility toward world peace.”

The article commented, “Regarding the solution for Syria, the key to solving the Syria crisis is in the hands of the Syrian people. At the same time, the support of the international community is also indispensable. The coordination and cooperation among the countries on the UN Security Council is extremely important. Some Western countries have never abandoned the goal of making a "regime change" in Syria. They continue to increase their support for the rebels. Recently they publicly discussed the establishment of a "no-fly” zone. This has destroyed the internal solidarity of the Security Council, so that the international community cannot reach a consensus and Annan’s mediation efforts have been to no avail. All of the indications suggest that the rumor that certain Western powers seek a solution for Syria outside of the framework of the United Nations is not groundless.”

Source: Xinhua, August 15, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2012-08/15/c_123583721.htm

Qiushi Theory carried an article, that People’s Daily had originally published, on the expansion of the Confucius Institute project around the world. The article claimed that Confucius Institutes offer many benefits. One example is that they “enable foreigners to understand China without bias and hostility.” According to the article, the Confucius Institute project has not only bridged the gap between China and the rest of the world; a member of the Austrian parliament commented that it has also become a “China Affairs consultant” for the Austrian government.

As of July 2012, there were 387 Confucius Institutes and 509 Confucius Classes established in 108 countries and regions. The number of Confucius Institutes is expected to reach 500 by 2015. In the meantime, according to the article, the project also faces challenges in teacher resource and materials shortages.

Source: Qiushi Theory, August 10, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/yw/201208/t20120810_175109.htm