Geo-Strategic Trend - 259. page

On Tuesday October 7, a group of officials and educators from China and African countries were in Beijing to attend the Conference on African Confucius Institutes Development. Zhou Ji, the Education Minister, told the conference that, "We have given full support to the African side in establishing the institutes and improving teaching."

The Chinese government had allocated more than 3 million U.S. dollars to help establish institutes in Africa. They employed more than 20 language teachers and had about 30,000 textbooks, publications, audio and video programs. Ten of the 21 planned Confucius Institutes in 13 African countries have already opened. They are jointly run by African and Chinese colleges with support from the Chinese government.

China began to set up Confucius Institutes abroad in 2004. To date, 271 Confucius Institutes have been founded in 77 countries and regions.

Source: Xinhua, October 7, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-10/07/content_10159634.htm

Xinhua quoted a report by Zambia Time on October 6 claiming that Chinese companies has invested in more than 140 programs in Zambia and created 11,000 jobs for the local residents. China has become the biggest source of foreign investment for the country. China’s investment in Zambia covers a broad area, mostly on agriculture, machinery, mining, and tourism.

Source: Xinhua, October 6, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-10/06/content_10156158.htm

Xinhua again criticized the Dalai Lama for advocating “Tibetan Independence” and Congressman Wolf in a September 30 article at its official website.  Xinhua stated that teaching Tibetans science classes in Chinese Mandarin enhances Tibet heritage, not as the Dalai Lama said, destroys the ancient, unique Tibetan language.  Moreover, by advocating Tibetan Independence, the Dalai Lama mixes politics and region, and is in violation of the principle of separation of powers adopted in democratic countries, said Xinhua.  Xinhua rebutted Congressman Wolf’s Congressional testimony which stated the building of Potala Palace Square destroyed Tibetan culture, citing his August 1997 trip to Tibet.

Source: Xinhua, September 30, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-09/30/content_10134219.htm

China will further develop its relations with Russia, India and Brazil as well as maintain good relations with Western countries, said Yang Jiechi, China’s Foreign Minister in a Communist Party journal, Qiu Shi addressing "unprecedented opportunities and challenges” after the Olympics. “China will continue the good momentum of development with the United States, Europe, Japan and other Western [countries] and properly handle conflicts and differences, and strive to enhance mutual trust and common interests. At the same time we should further enhance the strategic dialogue and cooperation with Russia, India, Brazil, and other emerging great powers to expand the new space of diplomacy for us as agreat power.”

Source: Qiu Shi, September 16, 2008
http://www.qsjournal.com.cn/qs/20080916/GB/qs%5E487%5E0%5E10.htm

Recently, Xinhua published several articles about India media’s attack on China. The issue seems to be originated from the conflict of both countries on the Nuclear Suppliers Group’s decision to lift the ban on India’s nuclear application for civil use. India believes that China is supporting India’s nuclear opponent Pakistan. On September 12, a Xinhua article says “India media again talk nonsense, saying giant China dragon is making people sick.” The article quoted words from Times of India “We can only know who is our true friend at difficult times” and India’s Economic Times “This disgusting giant dragon wants to get exchange for the mother of nuclear dissemination (Pakistan).”

Xinhua also published a few related articles: “India media vilifies that our army trespassed the border, talking about “China invasion;” (http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/11/content_9914443.htm) “India says China is worried about India strengthening military force and forming ally with U.S.” (http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/03/content_9760663.htm)

Source: Xinhua, September 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/12/content_9944368.

Xinhua reports that Pakistan air force will soon sign an agreement with China to import fighter airplanes. The agreement includes a plan to imports 42 JF-17 fighter planes in the near term. Eight of them has already arrived Pakistan for test and evaluation. It is said that Pakistan air force ordered 150 JF-17 with a possibility of increasing the order to 250-300. The agreement also includes a plan to import 36 FC-20 multipurpose fighter planes from China and 18 F-16 from the United States. When the whole plan is realized, Pakistan’s air force will have an absolute advantage in South Asia. China’s fighter planes will be the main part of Pakistan’s air force.

Source: Xinhua, September 13, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/13/content_9960992.htm

The recent conflict between Russia and Georgia was in fact a forceful rebuttal launched by Russia against the United States’ expansion in Russia’s neighborhood, but not likely leading to major confrontation, said Xinhua.  The article listed Russia’s embargo on Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, support of the Palestine’s Hamas, arms sales to Venezuela, Syria and Iran; and cooperation with Iran on civil application of nuclear technology, all as proactive responses to the United States. “From the long-term perspective, if Russia exercises adequate self-control, the situation would not deteriorate and the relationship between Russia and the West would not suffer major setbacks.”

Source: Xinhua, September 10, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-09/10/content_9898193.htm

Peoples.com.cn under the People’s Daily quoted an article on the recent resignation of Fukuda as Japanese Prime Minister by Wen Wei Po, a pro-China regime newspaper in Hong Kong.  The Wen Wei Po article dismisses the concerns of a more conservative Taro Aso as successor and holds that the stronger China becomes, the better the bilateral relations, and the easier the issues such as East China Sea will be resolved.  The Chinese website quoted Wen Wei Po as saying the two problems in Japan are the aging of its population and the persistent weakening of its economy which contrasts with a post-Olympic Chinese economy.

Source: People’s Daily, September 5, 2008
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/14549/7807416.html