US-China Relations - 138. page

China Review News published an commentary article talking about China’s diplomatic policy on the Iran conflict. The article says, “U.S. Finance Secretary’s visit to China is not for discussing economic issues, rather, it is for the issue of sanctioning Iran. This is a quite strange thing.”

Regarding what China will do to Iran, the article says, “ Based on the past norm, Chinese authorities would adopt or partially adopt the American government official’s request out of the consideration of diplomatic interests. However，if U.S. Secretary of Finance comes to China in the hope of getting China to increase the sanction of Iran, then U.S. Finance Secretary will probably go home empty-handed. Chinese government will never agree to join the camp of sanctioning Iran unless Iran openly opposes U.N. Security Council’s Resolution and pulls farther and farther away in the issue of nuclear weapons.”

The article made it clear that “China will not interfere with other countries’ internal affairs, not to say force other country to yield under pressure by economic sanction and armed force threatening. It is necessary that China’s Foreign Ministry publicize its diplomatic policy, and eliminate the illusion of Western countries.”

Source: China Review News, January 25, 2012
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/7/5/4/101975417.html?coluid=136&kindid=4710&docid=101975417&mdate=0125000148

There has been a new development in the case of Wang Lijun, the former Chongqing police chief and deputy mayor who sought asylum a month ago at the United States consulate in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. According to the South China Morning Post, a source close to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) said that “On Saturday evening, President Hu Jintao issued an internal briefing to the Communist Party members among the CPPCC delegates, telling them that Wang was a traitor.”

“A government source in Chongqing took a similar stance yesterday, saying: ‘All officials above the prefecture level in Chongqing were told the day before yesterday [March 4] that Wang had betrayed his country.’”

When interviewed by Hong Kong based Phoenix TV at the Great Hall of the People, where the session of the National People’s Congress and the People’s Political Consultative Conference is held, U.S. Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, repeated the U.S. line on the deputy mayor. "He came in for a regularly scheduled meeting," Locke said. "He later left of his own accord."

Source: South China Morning Post, March 7, 2012
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=0d5ea7bb8d8e5310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News
Phoenix TV, March 5, 2012
http://v.ifeng.com/news/mainland/201203/deec6057-a9ce-4c1c-8196-096445e3221e.shtml

Guangzhou Daily recently reported that the U.S. International Trade Commission started an investigation on February 29, 2012, involving two Chinese companies and one Canadian company that make tattoo equipment as well as permanent cosmetic ink and application equipment. The investigation is taking place "to ensure patent protection." The final ruling date will be determined within 45 days. An investigation typically takes one year to reach a final ruling. This is the latest round of investigations after an earlier round a month ago on laser printer toners, camera phones, tablets, and other handheld image capturing devices, as well as adjustable energy-saving fluorescent lamps. 13 Chinese companies were investigated. In the U.S. fiscal year 2011, over 70 investigations were initiated under the U.S. Tariff Act, Section 337.

Source: Guangzhou Daily, March 2, 2012
http://gzdaily.dayoo.com/html/2012-03/02/content_1628808.htm

Study Times published a commentary on the new U.S. strategy in Asia. The article’s author expressed the belief that the U.S. adjustment represents another post-Vietnam war contraction, rather than an expansion. It stated that the U.S. move is more a defensive one to safeguard what it has achieved, instead of an offensive one. In its strategy in Asia, the U.S. coordinates its military, political, and economic actions very well. “This strategic maneuver was carried all the way through and China felt real pressure.” However, the article continued, it is impossible to drive all Asian countries away from China and to isolate China completely. It appears that the U.S. may invite China to join the TPP at a later time so that China will have to play a passive role and simply follow the rules that have already been established. “But China will not accept such an invitation. The U.S. simply does not have the final say!”

Sourse: Study Times, February 27, 2012
http://www.studytimes.com.cn:9999/epaper/xxsb/html/2012/02/27/07/07_33.htm

The International Herald Leader put forth an argument that China should work toward breaking the tradition that the U.S. holds the Presidency at the World Bank. “The developed countries’ actual share of and influence over the world economy is decreasing. The share of the new economies represented by the BRIC countries is rapidly increasing.” The decision on the Presidency needs to reflect the new world order. Also, letting the U.S., which has only 16% of the World Bank’s voting power, control the president’s position is unfair to other countries that have 84% of  the voting power. “There should be a ‘new game’ for the new candidate. U.S. internal politics should not be the determining factor; it should be determined by the major country members of the international finance system and the economic system.”

According to the article, China does not expect to see a game change this time, but it should openly express its dissatisfaction and consolidate support from other countries. “On the decision of Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, France’s Lagarde paid a visit to China and to other new economies before she was appointed and also addressed China’s interest in the IMF’s quota and voting share reform. China can duplicate this success at the World Bank.”

Source: Xinhua, February 24, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2012-02/24/c_131427183.htm

Xinhua recently published a report commenting on cuts in the U.S. defense budget. According to the new budget plan, the defense budget for next year will be reduced by $32 billion. A total of $487 billion will be cut over the next decade. The report expressed the belief that the factors leading to the reduction were the current unstable U.S. economic situation and the political atmosphere of a presidential election year. However, the article pointed out that the budget reduction also reflected some strategic improvements that the U.S. military has made. One is strengthened mobility and delivery capabilities, which make deploying military forces to the front-line much easier and faster. Hence there is no need to keep a large amount of manpower deployed in remote areas. Another improvement is in the technology area where unmanned and space-based attack capabilities are becoming game changers. The report concluded that the budget cuts demonstrated that it will be easier and cheaper for the U.S. to start future wars. The lowered U.S. defense budget may mean more trouble for the world.

Source: Global Times, February 25, 2012
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Observation/2012-02/2470054_2.html

Qiushi published an article that discussed China’s strategic vision to cope with the U.S. "Movement to the East." The article stated the following: The "Movement to the East" is a major strategic change in U.S. foreign diplomacy. To a large extent, it targets China. [China] should study it carefully and cope with it appropriately. First, we need to understand the dichotomy in Sino-U.S. relations. On the one hand, there is an un-resolvable conflict between China and the U.S., namely China’s "Peaceful Development" and U.S. hegemony. This is the fundamental reason for the U.S. "containment" policy. On the other hand, China and the U.S. are highly inter-dependent. This inter-dependence is not just limited to the economic area, but also includes other areas such as the political and diplomatic areas. This is the reason for the U.S. "engagement" policy.

Based on the above understanding, we should further perfect our foreign strategy. That strategy should not only target the U.S., but should also focus on the whole world. [We should] look at the big picture from the long-term perspective; [we should] not be limited to the [U.S.] "Movement to the East," but should look at the whole world; not just the current situation, but also the long-term objective, focusing on strengthening ourselves (including our economic, military and political influence); … [we should] develop relations with neighboring countries, big countries and developing countries, and [we should] actively initiate multilateral diplomacy. At present, [we] should especially focus on consolidating our cooperation with neighboring countries and on strengthening cooperation with the gold brick countries, work on the G20 mechanism, the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), 10+1, 10+3, and the China-Japan-South Korea free trade zone.

Source: Qiushi, February 21, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/gj/gjgc/201202/t20120221_139934.htm

Study Times published an article that advocated an approach to controlling the differences in the relationship between the U.S. and China. To implement the control approach, the article suggested that there must be a dialogue mechanism, a regular and systematic structure between functional departments of the two countries to assess and evaluate the differences, and a control mechanism. As the two countries distrust of each other is increasing, the ability to deal with conflicts is decreasing. Without effective control of the differences, the bilateral relationship may become more turbulent.

“At the official level, senior government officials should focus on the overall situation of bilateral relations and should not only refrain from making remarks that may result in a strategic misjudgment, but also prevent any expression of words and deeds that might result in damage to the strategic mutual trust between the two countries. At an unofficial level, [both countries] should actively guide or control the public opinion within the two countries, not allow the voice of those who advocate hostility to prevail, and avoid the expansion of misconceptions and the emergence of new misunderstandings.

Source: Study Times, February 13, 2012
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/2012/02/13/02/02_35.htm