Geo-Strategic Trend - 216. page

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 The article was soon withdrawn from the Huanqiu website, but it is still available on many other Chinese websites.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

The upcoming Asia-Pacific region preliminaries for the 5th "NTD’s 2012 International Classical Chinese Dance Competition," usually held in New York, will be held in Hong Kong on August 18, 2012, in order to accommodate potential participants from mainland China. The Chinese Communist regime has repeatedly threatened dancers not to participate in the competition. Recently, China’s public security bureau has denied visas to mainland Chinese dancers who want to go to Hong Kong.

(Editor: Some involved with the NTD Chinese Dance competition are Falun Gong practitioners.)

Source: Epoch Times, August 8, 2012
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/12/8/8/n3654016.htm

Huanqiu published a commentary on the recent protests in Hong Kong against the plans (for the mainland) to introduce a “National and Moral Education” course into the Hong Kong public school curriculum. The commentary stated that Hong Kong residents were claiming that it amounts to “brainwashing” young people with pro-mainland propaganda. It observed, “These protesters act more like they have been brainwashed by the British colonial and Western ideology, since they are so paranoid and resistant about the course. Their views of mainland China are totally Western views. … The core of the ‘National and Moral Education’ course is to provide national and civic education to students, with answers to such questions as ‘Who am I?’ ‘What is Hong Kong?’ and ‘What is China?’ It is not to instill allegiance to the central government into the people of Hong Kong. The patriotism in this course is beyond the political realities. … But we believe that the Hong Kong SAR Government will not concede to its opponents on whether to provide national education, which is a matter of principle.”

The commentary concluded, “The final outcome of the controversy on national education in Hong Kong will be nothing but a ‘victory for China.’ Perhaps it is not realistic for the protesters to pursue their own victory.”

(Editor: According to an opinion piece in the New York Times about the course, "It decries multiparty democracy as unfavorable to the lives of ordinary people …" and contains only praise, with no mention of faults.)

Sources: Huanqiu, August 1, 2012
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2012-08/2974531.html
New York Times, August 1, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/opinion/chinese-indoctrination-in-hong-kong.html?_r=2

Huanqiu, whose English name is Global Times, is a publication under Xinhua News. A  Huanqiu reporter, Li Daming, reported from South Korea that Kim Young-Hwan, a South Korean “human rights activist for North Korea,” claimed that he was “severely tortured” while he was detained in China and that he was studying ways to sue the Chinese government through the International Criminal Court. The report stated that China arrested Kim because he was conducting subversive activities against North Korea in China and that Kim claimed this nonsense recently after he was released and returned to South Korea.

Source: Huanqiu, July 30, 2012
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2012-07/2964333.html