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Geo-Strategic Trend - 214. page

China’s Influence in Africa Continues

To date, China has launched 31 Confucius Institutes and five Confucius Classrooms in 26 African countries. Some have incorporated the Chinese language into a system in which students receive an academic degree or college credits.

In the past two years, China has provided 5,710 government scholarships to African countries. It plans to implement the “African Talent Project.” Over the next three years, China will train 30,000 professionals in different fields and provide 18,000 government scholarships, as well as offer job training and support.

In recent years, China has been advancing into Africa by means of the economy and culture and continues to increase its influence in the continent. Through 2011, China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for the third consecutive year. The trade volume between the two countries has reached a record $166.3 billion. As many as 2000 Chinese companies have made direct investments in Africa, totaling $14.7 billion.

Source: BBC Chinese, September 26, 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2012/09/120926_china_africa.shtml

Guangming Daily: Overseas Chinese Held Forum to Defend Diaoyu Island

The website of the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party carried an article that Guangming Daily had originally published. According to the article, on September 23, 2012, the “Cross Strait Forum on Current Affairs” (大华府两岸时事论坛) held a forum in Washington DC on “Defending the Diaoyu Islands.” Those at the forum protested strongly against the Japanese government for taking over China’s Diaoyu Islands illegally. A number of political columnists, professors, and artists spoke at the forum, calling for solidarity among the overseas Chinese to safeguard China’s sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands.

Source: The United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party, September 25, 2012 http://www.zytzb.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/tzb2010/S2012/201209/731837.html

Xinhua: The Third China-Arab States Forum Was Very Successful

Xinhua recently reported that the Third China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum attracted investments totaling RMB 218.7 billion (around US$34.7 billion). The Forum had more than 7000 attendees, who were from 71 countries, regions, or international organizations. The investments will fund 124 projects. The main areas covered are the new technology industry, the energy industry, the chemical industry, modern agriculture, infrastructure construction, trade and logistics, culture, and tourism. The Forum’s Guest Country of Honor was the United Arab Emirates with a delegation of 113 people. The Forum also delivered the Framework Agreement for the China-Arab Financial Development Strategy, which extends the China-Arab trade relationship to the financial field. In the past 7 years, the China-Arab trade volume growth rate has averaged 30 percent.
Source: Xinhua, September 18, 2102
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2012-09/18/c_123727214.htm

Guangming Daily: China Has Established 42 Confucius Institutes in the Middle East and Africa

The website of the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party carried an article which was originally published by Guangming Daily. According to the article, China has set up 380 Confucius Institutes in 108 countries around the world. Among those, there are 31 Institutes and five Confucius classes in Africa, while 11 Institutes were established in the Middle East.

Xu Ling, chief executive of the Confucius Institute, disclosed the above data during her meeting with the Principal of Tel Aviv University in Israel, which was about collaborating with the University to establish a Confucius Institute there. The agreement suggested that Tel Aviv University will provide the building, facility, personnel, and related expenses, while China will come up with US$150,000 in funding each year. They also discussed a plan to set up a Confucius Institute at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Source: The United Front Work Department of Chinese Communist Party, September 19, 2012
http://www.zytzb.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/tzb2010/S2012/201209/731637.html

2012 Internet Roundtable for Emerging Countries

China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported on some remarks that Wang Chen, head of the State Internet Information Office, made in a keynote speech at the 2012 Internet Roundtable for Emerging Countries in Beijing.
Wang said, "Emerging countries have a lot of common understanding, similar conduct, and appeals regarding the development of the Internet, as well as common interests and a sound basis for cooperation." 
The roundtable, attended by government officials, Internet experts, and corporate representatives from China, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa was intended as a platform for emerging countries to conduct exchanges and share experiences regarding the development of the Internet, he said.
The annual Internet Roundtable aims to increase Internet-related cooperation between China and other emerging nations to cope with increasingly severe challenges in Internet security.
Source: Xinhua, September 18, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-09/18/c_113123769.htm

China Increases Patrol Ships to Sixteen in Diaoyu Islands

As of September 19, 2012, China has increased the number of its ocean surveillance, fishery, and other official boats patrolling the Diaoyu Islands waters to 16. 

According to news from the Zhejiang Ocean and Fishery Bureau, more than 700 Zhejiang fishing boats are conducting fishing operations near the Diaoyu Islands waters. Some of the fishing boats are only 30 nautical miles away from yellow tail Island. 
Source: Xinhua, September 20, 2012 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2012-09/20/c_123737217.htm

People’s Daily: 260 Chinese Performers Publish Statement Joining Diaoyu Islands Protest

On September 18, 2012, People’s Daily reported that the China’s Actor Committee published a statement opposing Japan’s Purchase of the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands. Tang Guoqiang is the chair of the Actor’s Committee, which is under the Association of Broadcasters and has 259 actor members. Many well-known actors and actresses signed their names to the statement.

The statement said, “Chinese actors resolutely uphold and support any of the Chinese government’s necessary and righteous actions to safeguard China’s territorial integrity.”

Source: People’s Daily, September 18, 2012
http://hn.people.com.cn/n/2012/0918/c338398-17493695.html

People’s Daily: (If) China Pulls the Trigger on Japan’s Economy, Japan Will Fall Back 20 Years

On September 17, 2012, People’s Daily overseas edition published an article expressing China’s attitude toward the Japanese government’s purchase of the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands titled “(If) China Pulls the Trigger on Japan’s Economy, Japan Will Fall Back 20 Years.” The article asserted that Japan’s economy is not immune from the economic means that China might use. Once China is forced to pull the trigger on Japan’s economy, China will target Japan’s weakest points, such as Japan’s manufacturing sector, financial sector, certain products that are exported to-China, and investment enterprises.

“When fighting an economic war, both China and Japan will get hurt. However, China has the determination and endurance to ‘kill 1000 enemies even at the price of 800 (Chinese) people’s deaths.’”  

Source: People’s Daily, September 17, 2012
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2012-09/17/content_1113598.htm