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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

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China.com: The United States Has No Right to Make Irresponsible Remarks about the South China Sea

China.com, an authorized portal site established by the Chinese government, published a commentary stating that the United States has no right to make irresponsible remarks on the South China Sea issue. 

The commentary was responding to the statement the U.S. State Department made following a Japanese media report that China had developed a draft plan to establish an air defense identification zone in the South China Sea. The U.S. statement claimed that China’s action was “a unilateral provocative act.” 

The article stated that this was the second time in recent years that the United States had accused China of "provocation" for defending the sovereignty of the South China Sea. It argued that the Chinese government has the right and duty to implement management of the biological and non-biological resources in the related reefs and waters. Even if China really announces an identification zone in the South China Sea, it is China’s business and China has the right to do so. Why is the United States so sensitive about the South China Sea issue?
The article said that it is the United States that is provocative in the South China Sea. The new U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship is "free" in the South China Sea and earlier made a "standardized routine" cruise and carried out simultaneous "comprehensive reconnaissance missions." The United States has had a military presence in the South China Sea for decades. When did the U.S. ever give a reasonable explanation? The United States sending warships to the South China Sea is itself a "provocative" act and is a manifestation of the U.S’s strategy of returning to the Asia-Pacific. 

Source: China.com and Huanqiu, February 4, 2014 
http://opinion.china.com.cn/opinion_28_91228.html 
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/opinion_world/2014-02/4807292.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: Around Ten Thousand Students Took the SAT in Hong Kong

Xinhua recently reported that, on January 25, around ten thousand students from mainland China participated in the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) offered by the U.S. College Board and hosted by the Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Expo. The U.S. SAT is widely recognized in China as the equivalent of the Chinese National College Entry Exam. Over the past several years, more and more Chinese students have decided to go to the United States for their undergraduate college education. It has become a “hot trend.” The SAT currently has no designated testing location in mainland China. Therefore, Hong Kong became the nearest and the top location choice to take the test. Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Expo is the largest location and it is the only location that can house ten thousand test-takers. 
Source: Xinhua, January 27, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2014-01/27/c_126067287.htm
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Xinhua: China Can Only Choose to Fight Back When Faced with U.S. Military Deterrence

Xinhua republished a commentary article originally from China Review News, a pro-Beijing media located in Hong Kong, with the title “China Can Only Choose to Fight Back When Faced with U.S. Military Deterrence. “Below is an excerpt from the article: 

“Following the United States’ strengthening of its military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region, China has strengthened its military presence in the region. The U.S. has accused China’s military action of being military coercion. 
“As we all know, after proposing its rebalancing strategy in the Asia-Pacific in 2012, the United States adopted a series of measures to strengthen the U.S. military presence in the Asia Pacific region. The United States also enhanced its deterrence efforts against China by improving the military forces of countries that have maritime territorial disputes with China, such as Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The United States also gathered related countries in the South China Sea and the East China Sea to conduct ever expanding joint military exercises. These U.S. practices have been a serious threat to China’s homeland security. It is an indisputable fact. 
“When faced with such U.S. military deterrence, China has no alternative but to choose to fight back. Whether China announces in high profile the establishment of maritime power, gradually increases its defense force in the South China Sea and the Diaoyu Islands, holds joint naval exercises with Russia, or establishes an air defense identification zone, China has to deal with the U.S. military deterrence using its own way. From this perspective, it is because of the U.S.’s military buildup in the Asia Pacific and engaging in an arms race with related countries that China has been forced to increase the strength of its military power.  
“The U.S. accuses China of military coercion in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, but the intensification of the South China Sea and the East China Sea disputes are, to a large extent, all related to the United States’ fanning the flames [in the region]. Since implementing the strategy of returning to the Asia-Pacific, the U.S. has sharply increased military aid to the countries that have maritime territorial disputes with China. Also, regarding these disputes, the U.S. does not advise these countries to [resolve the dispute], but groundlessly accuses China of ‘displaying a tough stance.’ This attitude will only encourage the related countries to increase their determination against China and make the problem of territorial disputes more complicated. The security situation in the Asia-Pacific is getting worse. 

"The United States’ approach, however, may bring another possibility: China will become more determined and stronger, increasingly deviating from the United States’ envisaged development track.” 
Source: Xinhua, January 17, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2014-01/17/c_126021305.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Li Jie: U.S.’s New War Strategy of Air Sea Battle Is Looming toward China

Li Jie, the chief expert at the Marine Research Center of the Three Strategies Institute (a “non-governmental” military think-tank in Beijing) published a commentary article in which he discussed the U.S.’s new war strategy; the “Air Sea Battle” against China. 

The article said, “In recent years, the ‘Air Sea Battle’ has been kept in low-profile, but at the beginning of this year, the United States again started to talk highly about it. The U.S. military declared that it will increase funding to develop the ‘Air Sea Battle.’ The remark and new developments have revealed at least two pieces of information: First, since early 2009 when this concept was first introduced, the United States has never stopped for a moment doing research, demonstrating, testing, and perfecting the ‘Air Sea Battle.’ Now it has matured, and is becoming the core of military theory for the United States’ ‘return to Asia’ and ‘strategic rebalancing’ strategy. Second, in recent years, the United States has developed a large number of new weapons, which have come out one after another. Almost all of them were first deployed and applied at the forefront of East Asia and are continually undergoing experiments and being tested. This fully demonstrates that ‘Air Sea Battle’ is entering the ‘window of opportunity’ to be applied in real combat. 
The article warns that “[China] should make sure forever that it does not to forget that the U.S.’s ‘sword of Damocles’ — the ‘Air Sea Battle’ — is looming toward us.” 
Source: People’s Daily, January 15, 2014 
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2014/0115/c1011-24121030.html http://opinion.huanqiu.com/opinion_world/2014-01/4750720.html
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: Chinese Real Estate Buyers Are Second Largest Group in the U.S.

Xinhua recently reported that Chinese real estate buyers spent US$12.3 billion in one year in the U.S. real estate market, becoming the second largest international buyer group after the Canadians. For example, a private Chinese investor spent US$725 million to acquire One Chase Manhattan Plaza, a 60-story office building located in downtown Manhattan. Facing the New York Federal Reserve building, it was built by David Rockefeller and has been used by JP Morgan Chase since 1961. The continuous appreciation of the Chinese currency is making real estate in New York and San Francisco look cheap. Chinese investors are also pouring money into stocks, bonds, trust certificates, intellectual property and patents. However the article also reminded the readers that the last time a Japanese investor bought the Rockefeller Center, it ended with a miserable loss and “in tears.”
Source: Xinhua, January 5, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-01/05/c_118831948.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations