US-China Relations - 159. page

Xinhua republished an article from Defense Times, quoting Yang Yi, a Major General at the National Defense University. He stated that the U.S. is the only country in the world that presents a full-scale threat to China. Yang made this statement at the “Chinese Military” conference on April 22, during an exchange with a U.S. official (whose name was not disclosed) on the issues of Taiwan, infractions between the U.S. and Chinese military, and the hacker attacks. Yang expressed great concern over U.S. navy’s exercise in the South China Sea. Yang also stated that the importance of the Taiwan issue is decreasing in the Sino-U.S. relationship. He believes that China and Taiwan are getting closer and closer. The weapons that the U.S. sold to Taiwan will eventually all belong to China after the two sides unite.

Source: Xinhua, June 1, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-06/01/content_13602046.htm

Xinhua commented on the United States National Security Strategy, which was released May 27, 2010. “The United States has not changed it strategic goal of maintaining its leadership position; it merely changes the means. The U.S. has not changed its militarism; it merely changes the manner. The U.S. has not given up the right to use force; it merely changes the time when it will use force.” “For China, we should see both sides of this new strategy: we should see that the new strategy emphasizes international cooperation, especially the part relating to cooperation with China, but we should also see that it contains the potential for the U.S. to shirk its responsibility to China. Further, we should see the new strategy presents a clear expression of U.S. military power against China and an emphasis of the ‘human rights card.’”

Source: Xinhua, May 31, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2010-05/31/c_12161645.htm

People’s Daily website republished an article by the China National Radio, reporting that in the next four years, the Ministry of Education will send 10,000 Chinese students to the U.S. for doctoratal studies. The ministry will also sponsor 10,000 American to come to China, including visits by elementary and middle school principles, summer camp for high-school and college students, advanced studies by the Chinese language teachers in the U.S., and Confucius Institute scholarships. In 2009, nearly 100,000 Chinese went to the U.S. to study. The number is expected to grow to 130,000 for 2010.

Source: People’s Daily, May 27, 2010
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1027/11708853.html

An editorial of China Review News states that neither the current warmth or the freezing coldness back in January or the honeymoon last year has resolved the fundamental issues in US-China relations. The only benefit is that it avoids confrontations on strategic issues. There are two possible reasons according to the editorial. One is that the U.S. drives the US-China relations, with the determining factor being the U.S. policy toward China and not China’s policy toward the U.S. Two, the U.S. policy toward China has been weaving back and forth between strategic considerations and specific interests.  The U.S. is accused of causing significant damage to bilateral relations because of the arms sales to Taiwan, Internet freedom issues and a slew of others, which are, in the mind of the editorial, meant to strategically restrain China.

Source: China Review News, May 25, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1013/3/1/4/101331490.html?coluid=1&kindid=0&docid=101331490&mdate=0525001216

On May 21, 2010, Xinhua reprinted an article from Global Times by a PLA Major General, who said, “Sino-US security relations and positive interaction cannot depend on China unilaterally displaying ‘transparency’ to the United States.”

“We must give tit for tat by requesting that the United States increase the transparency of its strategic positioning of China’s security as the whole, and its overall safety policy direction, as well as the deployment of its military forces around China. This should be done so as not to let the United States lay a strategic military siege against our country in the name of guarding against the DPRK, or strengthen its military pressure on China through bilateral and multilateral military alliances and joint exercises. We must request that the U.S. reduce the "close-up surveillance" of our territorial waters and airspace through its warships and planes.”

Source: Global Times, May 21, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-05/21/content_13534659.htm

China Review News (CRN) recently published an editorial commenting on the recent U.S. experimental launch of the X-37B orbit aircraft. The editorial admits that the technology demonstrated seems very advanced and promising – it should have a bright future. However, the author believes the new high end space technology is solely geared towards a “revolutionary military change,” which is a negative. The new space aircraft further breaks the current world security balance. The editorial predicted that this will trigger a new round in the arms race in the extended space field. The author also concluded that there is “no doubt” that this space aircraft is essentially targeting China. It is proof of a U.S. strategy switch from “nuclear deterrence” to a “non-nuclear deterrence.”

Source: China Review News, April 30, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1013/0/0/1/101300127.html?coluid=136&kindid=4710&docid=101300127&mdate=0430001351

The People’s Daily published an article quoting Chinese religious leaders negating the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s “2010 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom,” published on April 29. The religious freedom report criticized China’s policy on religion and stated that China’s ban of Falun Gong is religious persecution.

The Chinese response included that the U.S. applies a “double standards” to support extremists and terrorist actions. It recommended that the U.S. pay more attention to its own religious situation instead of pointing fingers at other countries. It also stated that China’s ban on Falun Gong is to protect citizen’s basic human rights and religious freedom. The Tibetan upheaval in 2008 was planned and promoted by the Dalai Lama. Buddhists in China resolutely support the government and take necessary action against those who commit violent crimes (in Tibet).

Source: People’s Daily, May 8, 2010
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2010-05/08/content_511155.htm

Global Times recently published an editorial on nuclear transparency. The editorial commented on the recent U.S. disclosure of its nuclear arsenal size, as well as the fact that the U.S. called for transparency with China’s name mentioned. Global Times believes this makes China “look morally shorter” and China should stay alert on U.S. intent. The article suggests that China’s strategic interest is to maintain a limited nuclear deterrence. Since China’s early warning capabilities are weak, it is in China’s best interest not to offer too much transparency. The editorial believes U.S. lip service does not qualify the United States to have the moral high ground to ask China for anything. 

Source: Global Times, May 7, 2010
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/roll/2010-05/806039.html