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Geo-Strategic Trend - 217. page

Pakistan May Invite China to Study the Wreckage of U.S. Stealth Helicopter Downed in Bin Laden Raid

According to a report from the Shanghai Evening Post, the Pakistani officials claim that they are interested in studying the remains of the U.S. military helicopter that was damaged in the raid on the bin Laden compound, although the U.S. wants it back. Pakistan may invite China to participate in the study. Based on the pictures, aeronautics and military experts believe it is a modified stealth helicopter.

Source: Guangming Daily website, May 11, 2011
http://mil.gmw.cn/2011-05/11/content_1947650.htm

PLA Female Singers’ Visit, Change in Taiwan Media

China News Service carried an article reporting on Song Zhuying, the PLA singer from the Naval Song and Dance Troupe, who recently visited Taiwan. Song is the second PLA singer allowed to perform in Taiwan. The first was Chen Sisi who visited Taiwan in 2009, when politicians in Taiwan expressed resistance and placed numerous restrictions on Chen’s visit. However Song’s visit encountered a dramatic change. Other than the pro-green Liberty Times, fewer media outlets mentioned Song’s connection with the PLA. 

The article stated, “Looking back at the journey of the PLA singer’s visit to Taiwan, the political flavor of Taiwan’s media has decreased and the soft fascination with the songs has attracted more attention.”

Source: China News Service, May 9, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/tw/2011/05-09/3025655.shtml

SCO Conducts Second Joint Anti-Terrorist Exercise

On May 6, 2011, in Kashi, Xinjiang Province, China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) launched a joint anti-terrorist exercise, “Tian Shan No. 2,” with the participation of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. This is the second of its kind following “Tian Shan No.1” back in 2006, in which China and Kazakhstan participated. The exercise included the following three areas: decision making, a hostage rescue force, and a fixed-point raid action. Law enforce officials from SCO member states observed the exercise, along with states with observer status.

Source: Ministry of Public Security, May 7, 2011
http://www.mps.gov.cn/n16/n1237/n1342/n803715/2773496.html

In 2010 China Became the Third Largest Investor in Latin America

According to a recent report issued by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), a regional commission under the United Nations, in 2010, China became the third largest investor in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its direct investments of US$15 billion represented 9% of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the region. The U.S. remains the top investor bringing in 17% of FDI, followed by the Netherlands with 13% of the total.

Source: Xinhua, May 8, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-05/08/c_121390711.htm

” ‘9.11’ Gave China a 10-Year Golden Opportunity to Regain Strength”

On May 7, 2011, China Review News published an article titled, “The More Anti-terrorism, the More Terror: ‘the Post-bin Laden Era’ Tests U.S. Strategy.” Citing comments from overseas and mainland Chinese media, the article portrays a dark picture for the future of anti-terrorism around the world and predicts that China will be the next target of U.S. anti-terrorism. 

“Before ‘9.11’ U.S. national power could be described as having reached its highest point since the end of the Cold War. When George W. Bush was elected president, with his devout religious beliefs, he viewed China as the main strategic rival and exerted diverse forms of pressure. Relations between the two countries plunged to the lowest point since 1989. If this kind of aggressive offensive policy had continued, it would have greatly slowed the pace of China’s development, but right at that time, Osama bin Laden gave a vicious blow to the U.S. Seeing that it would have been impossible to deal with international terrorism without cooperation from China, George W. Bush became a different person and turned to cooperation (with China). In other words, ‘9.11’ fundamentally changed the foundation of Sino-U.S. relations, giving China a 10-year golden opportunity to regain strength.”

Source: China Review News, May 7, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1016/8/5/5/101685521.html?coluid=37&kindid=711&docid=101685521&mdate=0507075003

China Demands Apology from the Norwegian Government

Recently, at a Confucius Institute in Norway, Tang Guoqiang, China’s Ambassador to the Nordic country, demanded that the Norwegian government apologize to Beijing for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to political dissident Liu Xiaobo. “Bilateral trade is not impossible, but as (the Norwegian government) has not apologized for the Nobel Peace Prize, it is more difficult than before,” said Tang. After the Nobel Committee honored Liu Xiaobo with the Prize in November 2010, China indefinitely suspended bilateral trade negotiations. Norway is the world’s fifth largest oil exporter.

Source: BBC Chinese, May 4, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2011/05/110503_china_norway_nobel.shtml

Hanban’s Initiatives on Promoting Chinese Literature Overseas

At a recent forum at Beijing Normal University (BNU), Ma Jianfei, Deputy Director of the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (Hanban), elaborated on China’s efforts to promote its literature around the world. Since 2006, BNU, jointly with the U.S. magazine World Literature Today and the Confucius Institute at the University of Oklahoma, has compiled a special issue of Chinese Literature Today, launched the Chinese version of World Literature Today, and held international forums on “World Literature Today and China.” In January 2010, the Center for Promoting Chinese Literature Overseas was newly established at the School of Chinese Language and Literature at BNU. 

Ma told the forum that the “Promoting Chinese Literature Overseas” project was fully funded by Hanban. It includes publishing an English magazine, Chinese Literature Today, in the U.S. (The first issue was published in 2010 with global distribution). Within three years it will translate and publish 10 books. The project also includes regular and intermittent forums on “Promoting Chinese Literature Overseas.”

Source: China Review News, April 29, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1016/7/7/0/101677028.html?coluid=154&kindid=0&docid=101677028&mdate=0429105453

Second Sino-Gulf Cooperation Council Strategic Dialogue

At the second Sino-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) strategic dialogue in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on May 2, China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE, the current rotating GCC president; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Madani of Saudi Arabia, the next rotating GCC president; and GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kuwait Mohammad Sabah Al-Salim Al Sabah and Foreign Minister of Bahrain Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa also attended the meeting. 

Both sides look forward to bolstering ties in trade and the economy. Yang said, “In the next stage, both sides should continue to enhance mutual understanding, deepen political trust, and continue mutual support on major issues of concern regarding each other’s core interests.” Yang also expressed support for GCC countries’ “efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.”

Source: Xinhua, May 2, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-05/02/c_121370203.htm