US-China Relations - 165. page

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

The radio station KGBC near Houston, Texas has become China’s official mouthpiece. Sina.com republished an article by the Australia Chinese Newspaper Group on April 29, reporting that the radio station has become the home base in the U.S. of China Radio International (CRI). KGBC, at AM1540, is based in Galveston, 50 miles from Houston. It has 67 years of history and had financial difficulties for years. Recently, a U.S. company made a very attractive offer and bought it. It then started broadcasting CRI’s programs around the clock. The previous owner was not aware of the purchasing company’s deal with CRI. KGBC’s loyal listeners found that they were listening to “Asian music and political forums,” instead of the traditional and hot music and talk shows that they enjoyed in the past.

Source: Sina.com, April 29, 2010
http://dailynews.sina.com/bg/chn/chnnews/ausdaily/20100429/00211400610.html

Beijing News reported on April 24 that around 20 “bureau chief level” US officials from the Federal Executive Institute recently completed a week-long training session at Tsinghua University on topics such as Chinese political, economic and military management and decision making. Most of the US officials are from the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. The teachers are Chinese government acknowledged experts specializing in various fields. It took China two years to settle on the course contents with the US side. One Chinese expert believes that the training may soften the atmosphere during the tough times of the China-US relationship.

Source: Beijing News, April 24, 2010
http://epaper.bjnews.com.cn/html/2010-04/24/content_92210.htm?div=-1

On April 22, 2010, www.chinareviewnews.com published an article, “Sino-US dispute over the exchange rate will be a long-term one” by Wang Dong, a Chinese researcher in Beijing.

Wang said that Obama’s government has never given up on pressuring China to increase the RMB (Chinese currency) value, resulting in the current Sino-US trade friction and a growing number of disputes. Wang further said that the depreciation of the U.S. dollars will cause drastic shrinkage of China’s foreign currency reserve assets, lead to global inflation, and make China’s exports more difficult.

However, Wang pointed out that RMB appreciation will increase Chinese people’s confidence in domestic assets calculated in RMB and thus ease inflation pressure. In addition, a stronger RMB will inevitably speed up the internationalization of the RMB and thus diversify the international currency pattern.

Source: www.chinareviewnews.com, April 22, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1012/9/8/0/101298092.html?coluid=123&kindid=0&docid=101298092&mdate=0422163437

China has established sixty Confucius Institutes in the U.S., but the US hasn’t formed a single formal culture institute in China. On April 9, 2010, VOA discussed the disproportionate nature of culture exchange institutes between the two countries. Some US politicians were concerned and working on improving the situation. China recently "graciously" agreed to have the US establish four “culture centers” in China as “independent organizations” which may be sponsored by the US government. China’s Confucius Institutes are under the domain of the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, an organization under the Ministry of Education. The Chinese government grants US$1 million as startup cost for each institute.

Concern that the US would promote human rights was given as the major reason that China limits U.S. cultural centers.

Source: VOA, April 9, 2010
http://www1.voanews.com/chinese/news/special-reports/us-china-relations/20100409-Confucius-90346234.html

China’s official Global Times published an exclusive military report on April 16, “Nuclear super powers will not lead China by the nose,” countering some media critics on China’s nuclear capacity. 

In an April 13 article published on China’s official newspaper Global Times, a China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) scholar, Zhang Jiye, considered the U.S. government’s inflationary economic policy to be a measure to contain the rise of China.