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Information Office of the State Council Published Human Rights Record of the United States in 2013

In a reaction to the 2013 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices that the United States issued on February 28, the Information Office of the State Council published the “Human Rights Record of the United States in 2013.” The record stated that the US slandered the human rights practices of close to 200 countries and regions but chose to cover up its own human rights situation. According to the record, human rights issues remained serious in the U.S. in 2013 and even deteriorated in certain areas. The record listed U.S. human rights violations in areas including, but not limited to: an increase in criminal cases; the PRISM (surveillance program); solitary confinement; a high unemployment rate; racial and age discrimination; a large number of child labor cases; and invasions into other countries such as Pakistan and Yemen.

Source: Xinhua, February 28, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-02/28/c_119546385.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

[We] Should Not Be Blindly Optimistic about Talk that the “U.S.-Japan Relationship Is Breaking Down”

The People’s Daily website recently published an opinion article about a breakdown in the relationship between the United States and Japan. Below is an excerpt from that article: 

Since December 26, 2013, when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine, the relationship between Japan, China, and South Korea has been in a frozen state. Recently, public condemnation and doubts from the international community, including the United States, about the Abe regime’s extreme right-wing tendencies have been growing. … There has been recent talk in the international community stating that "The U.S.-Japan relationship is breaking down." Will it really be so between the United States and Japan? 
In this regard, we must remain highly aware and be sober minded. We must not be blindly optimistic. 
First, recently, Abe’s hardline nationalist movement has clearly gained momentum in Japan. If there were no support from a big country behind it, how could Abe dare to act so recklessly as to even openly challenge China, South Korea, and the world? Who its "boss" is behind the scenes is well known to everyone, without any need to guess. The reason that the United States expressed disappointment about Abe’s move is mainly because Abe did not take sufficient action to mitigate the worries of another key U.S. ally, South Korea, about its agenda. 
Second, since Japan and the U.S. signed a security treaty in the 1960s, the United States and Japan have maintained close contact and relations with each other. Even in the statement condemning Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, the United States also stressed that Japan is still a very important and even its staunchest ally and friend in Asia. 
Third, at present, Japan’s domestic politics have shown a clear trend towards being overall rightist. From Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine as well as from a series of tough words and deeds, even Europe and America also had some doubts and suspicions about his motives and about Japan’s future direction. However, out of its own strategic interests, the United States will take advantage of this "Yasukuni" card, and continue to adhere to its stance of supporting Japan. 
The Abe path is endangering the safety of the Asia-Pacific region and sometimes it may affect or even damage the Japan-U.S. relationship. However, the world should be clear that they are the same kind of animal. As long as its fundamental interests will not be jeopardized, then in front of a common "enemy," the United States is not going to reverse its relationship with Japan. 

Source: People’s Daily (online), February 25, 2014 
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2014/0225/c1011-24454659.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China News: China Made Solemn Protest against Obama’s Meeting with the Dalai Lama

China News reported on February 22 that Zhang Yesui, the Chinese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, summoned the U.S. Embassy charge d’affaires Daniel Kritenbrink to protest the recent meeting between President Obama and the Dalai Lama. Zhang called this a “wrong move,” saying it severely interfered with China’s internal affairs and it caused significant damage to the China-U.S. relationship. Zhang expressed “strong indignation and opposition.” The Chinese spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also pointed out that the Dalai Lama has long been performing the function of splitting China under the name of religion and that the U.S. move violated its promise not to support the idea of an independent Tibet. He also asked the U.S. government to take immediate steps to eliminate the “adverse effects” so as to prevent further damage to the relationship between the U.S. and China. 
Source: China News, February 22, 2014
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2014/02-22/5869673.shtml
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: Royce, It Is Time to Change [Your] Old Brain!

Xinhua published a commentary on Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. Below is an excerpt from the article: 

“While meeting in Tokyo on February 17 with Nakasone and other Japanese politicians, Republican lawmaker [Ed] Royce criticized Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, saying that ‘it caused confusion for the coordination among the U.S., Japan, and the ROK, and isn’t this helpful to China?’"　 
“Although Royce’s remark is consistent with the U.S. government’s position of opposing Abe’s homage on the surface, after a second thought, it has other overtones.” 
“According to Royce’s logic, by opposing Abe’s [Shrine] visit, he is not worried that Abe’s action will harm the world. Rather, he is worried that it will cause a division between the United States, Japan, and Korea and he is worried that it is counter-productive to their jointly dealing with China. Clearly, Royce is very much concerned about the progress of China’s development.”
“As the ‘head’ of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Royce pays no attention to the harm and danger of Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine and ignores [Abe’s] damage to U.S. interests. Instead, he is very concerned about how to deal with China by uniting Japan and Korea. This is really incredible. This is not what a leader who has significant influence on U.S. foreign policy should do.” 
“The reason for this is that Royce’s head is full of a Cold War mentality.” 
“Currently, China and the U.S.’s interests are blended together. No one can survive without the other; and no one can contain anyone.”
 “China’s rise is the inevitable choice of history and is the seismic trend. Anyone who attempts to prevent this historical process is bound to fail. It is impossible [for them] to succeed.” 
“Royce, it is time to change [your] old brain!” 
Source: Xinhua, February 21, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-02/21/c_126170719.htm http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/0221/c157278-24427625.html
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

CRN: Air Defense Identification Zone Reflects the Strategic Battle between U.S. and China

China Review News reported from Washington on the U.S. response to China’s establishment of an air defense identification zone. The following is an excerpt from the report: 

The U.S. reaction was fast and strong in responding to China’s move to set up an air defense identification zone (ADIZ). This is not very common in the history of U.S. reactions to Chinese diplomatic moves. Following Japan’s recent media report that China is about to expand its ADIZ to the South China Sea, the United States launched a new wave of criticism to pressure China. 
The reason that the United States is strongly against China’s establishment of an ADIZ is twofold. First, the U.S. is worried that China’s move is intended to challenge U.S. dominance in the Western Pacific, as well as the accompanying freedom of flight in international airspace. Second is the fear that, since China and Japan’s air defense zones overlap, if the two sides frequently dispatch planes for law enforcement but lack communication channels and crisis control mechanisms, then in case of an unexpected escalation of the conflict, the U.S. may be dragged into the difficult situation of having to decide whether to fight against China. 
What upsets China the most is the following. On the one hand, the United States claims that it does not take sides on the issue of sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands; on the other hand, it constantly stresses that the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty applies to the Diaoyu Islands. This time, Kerry even extended [the treaty] to the entire East China Sea. The United States established an ADIZ 60 years ago. Japan also established an ADIZ as early as 1969. The U.S., however, was so furious when China set up the same type of ADIZ, even sending military airplanes to test China’s reaction. The U.S. Congress did not ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, but it still requires China to act in accordance with the United Nations Convention. 

In the Western Pacific region, the Sino-Japanese dispute over the Diaoyu Islands or over the air defense identification zone in the East China Sea is ultimately a Sino-U.S. strategic dispute. If there is no mutual strategic trust between the United States and China, the East China Sea dispute between Japan and China will not have an end. 

Source: China Review News, February 10, 2014 
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1030/1/2/9/103012947.html?coluid=93&kindid=7950&docid=103012947&mdate=0210001040

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: How Will Kerry’s Visit to China Be a Worthwhile Trip?

Xinhua published an article commenting on U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s second visit to China in 10 months on February 14 to 15. The article is contributed by Jia Xiudong, Research Fellow at the China Institute of International Affairs. 

The article predicts that Kerry’s visit will focus on strategic issues, not adhere to a specific problem. It listed the expansion of economy and trade cooperation, improving military relations, international affairs such as North Korea nuclear issues, Syria problem and Iran nuclear issues being among the major topics in the discussion. The East China Sea and South China Sea issues are very hot recently, but will not be the focus. 
The article also pointed out that there are still some problems in the relations between the two countries. The key problem is that the United States is sometimes inconsistent between words and deeds, or contradictory. The article says that to maintain presence in the Asia Pacific region and strengthen the relationship with its alliances, U.S. should not do so at the expense of the interests of China. To implement the "Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy," U.S. should not treat it as a "zero-sum" game and treat China as an imaginary enemy. When involving disputes of territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, it will only complicate the issue and increase regional tensions if the United States deviates from the neutral position. 

The complexity of Sino-U.S. relations tells that building new Sino-U.S. relations among major powers will be a long and tortuous process, cannot expect to achieve overnight. As two big powers with different social systems and value, it has never been easy for China and the U.S. to get along, competition and cooperation are the norm. 

Source: Xinhua, February 14, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-02/14/c_126134463.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: How Will Kerry’s Visit to China Be Worthwhile?

Xinhua published an article commenting on U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to China on February 14 to 15. It will be his second in 10 months. Jia Xiudong, a Research Fellow at the China Institute of International Affairs was the author. 

The article predicted that Kerry’s visit will focus on strategic issues, rather than on specific problems. It listed several major topics expected to be in the discussion: the expansion of the economy and trade cooperation, improving military relations, international affairs such as the North Korea nuclear issue, the Syria problem, and Iran’s nuclear issues. The East China Sea and South China Sea issues have been very hot recently, but will not be the focus. 
The article also pointed out that there are still some problems in the relations between the two countries. The key problem is that the United States sometimes exhibits an inconsistency between its words and deeds, or is even contradictory. The article stated that, when maintaining a presence in the Asia Pacific region and when strengthening its relationship with its allies, the U.S. should not do so at the expense of China’s interests. In implementing its "Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy," the U.S. should not treat it as a "zero-sum" game and treat China as an imaginary enemy. If the United States deviates from a neutral position and gets involved in disputes of territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, it will only complicate the issues and increase regional tensions. 

The complexity of Sino-U.S. relations tells us that building new Sino-U.S. relations among major powers requires a long and tortuous process. It cannot be achieved overnight. As two big powers with different social systems and values, it has never been easy for China and the U.S. to get along. Competition and cooperation are the norm. 

Source: Xinhua, February 14, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-02/14/c_126134463.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

People’s Daily: U.S. Misjudgment of Diaoyu Islands Situation May Cause China-U.S. Military Conflict

On February 7, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the promises made in the "Japan-U.S. Security Treaty" signed in 1960. He emphasized that the commitment "included the East China Sea." It is believed that the speech was focused on the Diaoyu Islands. In an interview with CCTV, Sun Zhe, a Professor at the Institute of International Studies of Tsinghua University, stated that the U.S. misjudgment of the situation may cause the Sino-Japanese dispute to turn into a military conflict between China and the U.S. 


Sun Zhe pointed out that, in the past, the United States would use the names of both the "Diaoyu Islands" and the "Senkaku Islands" when referring to the Diaoyu Islands in a written document. Now, however, only the latter is used. In addition, the United States is concerned about China’s cruise surveillance at the Diaoyu Islands. The U.S.’s protection and support of Japan has become more evident. This is the equivalent of [the U.S.] "choosing sides." This could make Japan misjudge the situation. 

Sun further pointed out that the United States assumes it needs to mediate as a judge when friction results in an accident. It makes the assumption that, if something happens in the Diaoyu Islands, the U.S. and Japan will act together and it will send troops to help Japan seize de facto control [of the islands]. This would be a misjudgment of the situation. It may turn the Sino-Japanese dispute into a military conflict between China and the U.S. and cause a lot of damage to the building of new China-U.S. relations. 

Source: People’s Daily, February 10, 2014 
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2014/0210/c1011-24312232.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations