Geo-Strategic Trend - 217. page

Huanqiu, a publication under Xinhua, published a commentary on the Philippines and Vietnam’s protests following the inaugural ceremony for Sansha City, Hainan Province. The commentary observed that Chinese media essentially ignored the two countries’ protests. The Chinese mentality, in general, is "I will enjoy going my own way no matter what you do or feel.”

The commentary stated, “[China as] a big country should act as such. There is no need to practice verbal sparring with the Philippines and Vietnam. Action is our real language. What China’s position on the South China Sea means and how the Philippines and Vietnam should deal with China in the South China Sea should all be understood from our actions, in addition to what we tell them.”

“The Philippines and Vietnam’s responses are not worthy of our real-time tracking. If they have a general knowledge of what’s going on, that is sufficient. Sansha City should seek its own development, becoming a real prefectural city, not a flower trellis that is on show for the Philippines and Vietnam."

“Regarding the friction and conflict in East Asia as well as in the world, China should also gradually change from asking others what to do to actively taking the initiative on our own. That way, we would not have much of a burden and would be much more relaxed.”

Source: Huanqiu, July 25, 2012.
http://world.huanqiu.com/observation/2012-07/2947155.html

On July 24, 2012, an inaugural ceremony was held for the opening of Sansha City. The ceremony took place on the Island of Yongxing, one of the Xisha Islands (called the Paracel Islands in Vietnam), Hainan Province. Sansha officially became China’s 285th prefectural level city, the southernmost tip prefectural city with the least population, the least land area, and the largest total area under its jurisdiction.

Hainan Provincial Party Secretary Luo Baoming spoke at the ceremony, saying that the CPC Central Committee and State Council’s decision to establish Shansha City was to carry out the administration, development, and protection of the Xisha Islands, the Dongsha Islands (also called the Pratas Islands in Taiwan), and the Nansha Islands (also called the Spratly Islands); and strive to make Sansha City an important base for maintaining South China Sea sovereignty and resource development services.

Source: People’s Daily, July 25, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/n/2012/0725/c1001-18590367.html

Huanqiu published a commentary titled "Russia Should Not Have Fired at Chinese Fishing Ships. "On July 16, 2012, an incident occurred in which the Russian coast guard seized a Chinese fishing vessel and detained 17 fishermen after it found they were allegedly fishing illegally in Russian-controlled waters in the Sea of Japan. During the pursuit, the Chinese sailors resisted being boarded, so the Russian coast guard fired directly at the ship. “The reckless behavior of the Russians at the grass-roots level not only harms Chinese confidence in fostering a long-term friendship with Russia, but also provides excuses for forces seeking to undermine Sino-Russia ties."

Source: Huanqiu, July 18, 2012
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2012-07/2923188.html

On July 19, 2012, in Beijing, Chinese president Hu Jintao attended the opening ceremony of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Hu said that, in the next three years, the Chinese government will promote the new China-Africa strategic partnership and will take measures to support African peace and development in five key areas.

First, expand cooperation in investment and financing. China will provide a US$20 billion line of credit, with a focus on supporting African infrastructure, agriculture, and manufacturing and development of SMEs. Second, continue to expand aid to Africa, including building more agricultural technology centers, training 30,000 professionals for Africa, providing 18,000 government scholarships, and setting up cultural and vocational and technical training facilities; China will provide a 1500-person medical team. Third, build a cooperative partnership with Africa in cross-border inter-regional infrastructure construction; encourage able Chinese companies and financial institutions to be involved in African cross-border inter-regional infrastructure construction; help African countries improve customs and commodity inspection; and promote regional trade. Fourth, support and promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation of non-governmental organizations, women, and youth; set up a "China-Africa News Exchange Center” in China, to support the news agencies with both sides exchanging reporters; continue to implement the" China-Africa Joint Research and Exchange Program” to fund academic institutions and scholars on both sides to carry out 100 academic research, exchange, and cooperation projects. Fifth, China will launch a "Sino-Africa Peace and Security Partnership Initiative," to deepen its cooperation with the African Union and African countries in the field of peace and security, provide financial support to the AU peacekeeping operation, build a standing army, and increase trainings for peace and security officials and the number of peacekeepers for the AU.

Source: Xinhua, July 19, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-07/19/c_112477365.htm

On July 3, 2012, in Beijing, China’s Press and Publication Administration and the Export-Import Bank jointly signed  “the cooperation agreement on supporting the press and publication industry for going out (going overseas), using key enterprises and key projects.” Liu Binjie, Director of the Press and Publication Administration and Li Ruogu, Director of China Export-Import Bank signed the agreement on behalf of the two parties. The agreement indicates that, over the next five years, the Export-Import Bank of China will provide no less than 20 billion yuan (about US$3 billion) to press and publishing companies in support of their efforts to go overseas.

Wu Shulin, Deputy Director of the Press and Publication Administration, said that “the strategic cooperation to jointly support China’s press and publishing industry to go out is a major step in implementing the Communist Party’s spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session and the ‘12th Five-Year Development Plan of China’s press and publication industry.’”

Source: People’s Daily, July 4, 2012/7/5
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2012/0704/c70731-18444926.html

On the 15 year anniversary of Hong Kong’s reverting back to the mainland, the Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council issued its annual report on the overall developments in Hong Kong as well as the current relationship between Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the mainland.

The report expressed increased concern over the independence of Hong Kong’s media. According to the report, Hong Kong University recently conducted a public survey which found that the number of those surveyed who agreed that Hong Kong media lack independence and are unlikely to criticize Beijing was the highest since the 1997 date of reversion. The report also suggested that China has increased its involvement in the recent official elections in Hong Kong.

According to the report, the economic and manpower exchange between Hong Kong and the mainland has resulted in conflicts in the allocation of Hong Kong’s education and medical resources as well as in cultural differences. The examples included the increased number of mainland students studying in Hong Kong and the large number of pregnant women who come from the mainland to Hong Kong to give birth (a birth in Hong Kong results in Hong Kong residency for the child).

The report believes that the Hong Kong government will continue to face difficult challenges in the future.

Source: BBC Chinese Edition, July 1, 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2012/07/120701_taiwan_hk_china.shtml