The World Journal reported that China will sign an agreement with North Korea on February 15, 2011, to jointly extract North Korea’s mineral deposits.
Source: World Journal, February 7, 2011
http://gb.worldjournal.com/view/aChinanews/11295144/article–ifbase4-base164-JUU1JTgzJUI5JUU1JTgwJUJDNi0zJUU1JTg1JTg2JUU3JUJFJThFJUU1JTg1JTgzLSVFNCVCOCVBRCVFNSU4
RiVBRiVFOSU5NiU4QiVFNyU5OSVCQyVFNSU4QyU5NyVFOSU5RiU5MyVFNyVBNCVBNiVFOCU5NyU4Rg~~?
instance=chin
Xinhua reported that the Committee Chairman of the African Union (AU) recently visited the construction site of the AU Convention Center, which China’s African Aid program funded. A Chinese construction company also did the work. The AU appreciated the “gift” from China and was satisfied with the progress made on the project. It is one of the key projects under the African Aid program. The Convention Center is located in Ethiopia. The construction started on June 16, 2009, and is expected to reach completion by the end of the year 2011.
Source: Xinhua, January 21, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-01/22/c_121011695.htm
China approved a special project, “Dynamic Database for the Promotion of China’s Culture Overseas,” under the National Social Science Foundation. The project focuses on four research areas: the “going abroad” strategy, China’s image in international media, Chinese studies overseas, and “China’s position in the world of ideologies and cultures.”
Zhang Xiping, Director of Overseas Chinese Language Studies, Beijing Foreign Language University, and a leader of the project, claimed that the purpose of the project is to serve national strategy. “When research on China’s culture makes an impact on the world, it will augment China’s soft power and help China gain stature in the areas of research and ideology.”
Source: Qiushi Journal, January 6, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/wz/jiangt/201101/t20110106_61366.htm
On January 25, 2011, Xinhua reported that China signed a memorandum of understanding with Zambia in which the two countries agreed to promote cooperation between their respective media industries. Liu Binjie, Director of the General Administration of Press and Publications, told Zambia Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Ronnie Shikapwasha, “Zambia can learn from China’s experience of rapid development in traditional media and new media, and can, through cooperation, accelerate the construction of digital media platforms to achieve a quantum leap in development.”
Source: Xinhua, January 25, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-01/25/c_121019115.htm
China and Russia held their fifth round of strategic security talks in Moscow on January 24, 2011. Led by State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, the parties discussed the global security situation and their bilateral relationship in depth. The two sides acknowledged that the bilateral relationship has achieved unprecedented progress and has firmly supported each country’s core interests. The parties affirmed that the bilateral consultation mechanism is an important channel to communicate and coordinate on major strategic global issues. The next round of consultation will take place in China in 2011.
Source: Xinhua, January 25, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-01/25/c_121019062.htm
Yao Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, recently commented, in a monthly media briefing, that China must improve its national “soft power.” The commercial video currently playing in Times Square in New York is an example of this effort. The Ministry attempted this once before with another “image building” commercial video called “China Made with the World.” China also tried to promote the “China Brand” at the F1 games. Yao suggested that, in the future, China will use various means to continue the propaganda effort. On April 16, 2010, China rolled out a “Made in China” commercial at F1. At the end of 2009, China also aired another “Made in China” commercial on CNN.
Source: Global Times, January 18, 2011
http://world.huanqiu.com/roll/2011-01/1439440.html
Xinhua published an editorial commenting on the power struggle in the African country of Cote d’Ivoire. It reported that the power struggle surrounding the presidential election in Cote d’Ivoire has seriously affected social stability, economic development, and people’s livelihoods. The article described Cote d’Ivoire as a stable and prosperous country that became very unstable, full of violence and bloody conflict, after Western countries pressured it into introducing a multiple party system and presidential elections. The article further offered that this phenomenon is widespread in Africa.
The article concluded that “Western democracy” is not a panacea for every country. In different countries and in countries in different stages of development, arbitrarily transplanting Western democracy or “being democratized” frequently causes power struggles, instability, and violent conflicts. Thus it hinders economic development and damages the fundamental interests of the nation and the people.
Source: Xinhua, January 19, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-01/19/c_121000621.htm
According to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, in 2010, Chinese companies transacted 188 mergers and acquisitions (M&A) overseas. Totaling US$38 billion, this represented a 30% increase over the previous year. Thirty-four M&As occurred in the United States, which was the largest share. While the majority of M&As appeared to be in mining, metal, and chemical plants, the number in the technology sector increased from 11 in 2009 to 24 in 2010. Regarding whether China is treated fairly in its M&A activities in the United States, PricewaterhouseCoopers stated that the government review and approval process is the same for Chinese companies as it is for their competitors.
Source: Jinghua Times, January 18, 2011
http://epaper.jinghua.cn/html/2011-01/18/content_624117.htm