US-China Relations - 137. page

On November 28, 2011, Xinhua News Agency’s Outlook Weekly published an article titled “The U.S. Intention in Increasing Its Military Presence in the Asia-Pacific Region.” According to the article, the U.S. intends to build political and economic partnerships favorable to U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific region through strong military measures in order to ensure the stability of the U.S. hegemony.

The article stated, “Barack Obama is just like other U.S. presidential candidates in the past who, without exception, also dealt with China in a way calculated to win the votes of the domestic right-wing forces. …. The recent increase of the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region can also be viewed as an integral part of Obama’s campaign for his presidential re-election.”

Source: Xinhua News Agency’s Outlook Weekly, November 28, 2011
http://lwgcw.net/NewsShow.aspx?newsId=24712

An article in the November 18, 2011, issue of People’s Daily overseas edition discussed [China’s] three concerns about the U.S. “return” to East Asia. The first concern is that it may change the current cooperation model. The cooperation in East Asia has been under the ASEAN model for many years. After joining the East Asia cooperation, will the United States become host in a quest to challenge the “East Asia Model” and promote the “American Model?” This is a big question mark. The second is the introduction of sensitive political security issues. The U.S. claims very openly that it will focus on promoting political security cooperation at the East Asia Summit. Overly introducing political security issues, particularly controversial issues, will not only fail to help the development of East Asia cooperation. On the contrary, it may intensify regional conflicts. The third is that it may cause a dispute between China and the U.S. Many scholars believe that the U.S. “return” to East Asia is to cope with the rise of China and prevent China from becoming dominant. In the current situation, whether China and the U.S. will develop a relationship that involves mutual respect, is mutually beneficial, and will cooperate as partners will directly impact the progress of future East Asian cooperation.

Source: People’s Daily, November 18, 2011
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/14549/16292444.html　

Xinhua published an article asking, “Recently, the U.S. has been making high profile announcements that this is “America’s Pacific century,” and claims to be returning to the Asia Pacific region. What is its true strategic intention?”

Huai Chenbo, a scholar at the Center for World Affairs of the Xinhua News Agency, stated that, when the U.S. claims to be a leader in the Asia Pacific, it is actually targeting China. The U.S. does not hide its strategic intention or its arrangements. As China rises and China’s relationship with ASEAN countries grows closer, the U.S. feels China is increasingly becoming a threat to its hegemony. Therefore, the purpose of the U. S.’ strategic move eastward is to contain China and neutralize China’s development.

Peng Guangqian, deputy general secretary of the China Policy Science Research Institute, believes that the U.S. is speeding up the implementation of its military strategy to target China. The intention is to contain any potential opponent that can challenge the U.S. and thus maintain its global hegemony. Huai believes that the U.S. military deployment in Australia appeared to be an independent event, but it is actually part of the whole plan of moving to the East.

Source: Xinhua, November 16, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-11/16/c_122288378.htm

On November 14, 2011, the Institute of International Education in the U.S released its annual report, which showed that the enrollment of Chinese students in the United States had increased 22% in the 2010 – 2011 academic year compared to the previous year. Nearly 158,000 Chinese students were studying in the United States, which accounted for 22% of the total number of international students in the U.S. This was the 2nd year in a row that China had the largest number of International students in U.S. universities and colleges.

India and South Korea accounted for the 2nd and 3rd largest number, with 14% of international students studying in the U.S. being from India and 10% from South Korea.

Source: Xinhua, November 15, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-11/15/c_122279203.htm

On November 15, 2011, Huanqiu, the Chinese version of Global Times, published a commentary titled “The United States Should Alter What It Means by ‘Leading the World.’” In a sarcastic tone, the writer of the article laughed at the U.S. government’s “unrealistic ambition” to lead the world. “The goal of the Obama administration’s strategic plan in the Asia Pacific region is to defend its ‘global leadership.’ This will overwhelm the U.S.”

“Being economically limited, the United States tends to use military and political pressure more frequently, trying to take ‘shortcuts’ in international politics. However, its military and political victories have never been secure, just like what happened in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

“It is normal that the United States feels uneasy about facing a rising China. However, it is unhealthy for the anxiety to become too intense. An unrealistic ambition to (lead) the world must lie behind such an anxiety. The world does not belong to the United States.”

Source: Huanqiu, November 15, 2011
http://world.huanqiu.com/roll/2011-11/2173998.html

According to a VOA report, in 2012, China Central Television (CCTV) will establish a broadcast station in Washington, D.C. and will air 6 hours of English television programming each day. Many view the move as China’s effort to gain international discourse rights and as an investment in gaining soft power in the world.

Financial News also reported that CCTV rented 36,000 square feet of office space at 1099 New York Avenue, which is three blocks from Bloomberg News.

Source: VOA, November 9, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20111109-cctv-us-133559953.html 

According to an article published in Guangzhou Daily on November 6, 2011, the United States is the factor that has the most influence on China’s international environment. “Only by strategically handling our relationship with the United States can China gain a better space in which to survive and grow.” The article categorized the many U.S. opinions into four groups: the cold war mentality, the rise-equals-threat theory, geopolitics, and transforming China through engagement. It suggested that U.S. foreign policy toward China has been the result of a balancing act between White House decision makers who want engagement and those who seek containment.

Source: Guangzhou Daily, November 6, 2011
http://gzdaily.dayoo.com/html/2011-11/06/content_1521550.htm

Voice of America (VOA) recently reported that China is using funding for the Confucius Institutes to exert pressure on western universities. Since 2004, China has established around 350 Confucius Institutes around the globe. These Institutes are generally viewed as a channel for China to exercise its “soft power.” However, when China offered to spend US$3 million to create a Confucius Institute at Stanford University in 2009, a condition was that “sensitive topics” such as the Tibet issue would have to be blocked. Stanford refused the condition. The University of North Carolina had a similar experience when the Dalai Lama was invited to the university to give a speech. In the end the university gave in.

The report pointed out that the function of the Confucius Institute is supposed to be to teach the Chinese language and Chinese culture, but some Chinese government officials have suggested that the Confucius Institute is an important channel to make use of China’s "soft" power.

Source: Voice of America, November 13, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20111103-China-Says-No-Talking-Tibet-in-Confucius-Institutes-133188683.html