Chinascope – Page 1052

China’s Land Purchases in Brazil

The cheap land in Brazil has attracted massive investment from foreign individuals and companies, including Chinese. By October 2010, China’s state-run Chongqing Grain Group Co., Ltd. had developed 800,000 mu (131,790 acres) of soybean plantation farmland in Brazil. It plans to reclaim one million mu (164,736 acres) more farmland, for a total investment of over 5 billion Chinese yuan (US$771 million), making Brazil China’s largest overseas soybean oil production base. In addition, Zhejiang Province’s Fudi Agricultural Co., Ltd. has invested 200 million yuan (US$31 million) in the purchase of 16,800 hectare of Brazilian land for a soybean plantation. Meanwhile, China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO), China’s largest state-owned food giant, has also shown interest.

Ye Anping, an official from China’s Ministry of Agriculture, denied that the purchase is a land grab. “Local business enterprises’ land purchases overseas have nothing to do with the policies of the Ministry of Agriculture,” said Ye. At the same time, the Brazilian Embassy in China stated, “We welcome Chinese investment in Brazil.”

Source: China Review News, June 6, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/crn-webapp/doc/docDetailCreate.jsp?coluid=10&kindid=255&docid=101722385&mdate=0606122946

Briefings | | June 8, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China Rejects Accusation of Violating the Philippines’ Jurisdiction in the South China Sea

On June 7, 2011, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei refuted the Philippines’ accusation that Chinese vessels were increasing their activities in the South China Sea and violating the Philippines’ sovereignty. Hong said, “For Chinese vessels to cruise and carry out scientific studies in waters under China’s jurisdiction was proper and legal. China does not accept the Philippines’ groundless accusations.” “China urges that the Philippines stop unilateral actions that harm China’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, broadening and complicating the South China Sea disputes, and that the Philippines no longer make irresponsible remarks that do not tally with the facts.”

Source: Xinhua, June 7, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-06/07/c_121505087.htm

Briefings | | June 8, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

PLA and Indonesia Joint Anti-Terrorist Drill

According to Xinhua, on June 6, 2011, in Bandung, Indonesia, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) joined Indonesia’s National Armed Forces (TNI) to conduct a joint special forces drill “Sharp Blade 2011.” The event, the first one in history between the PLA and TNI, is expected to “further consolidate the friendship between the PLA and TNI, improve bilateral mutual understanding and trust, promote pragmatic exchanges and cooperation between the two armies, and enhance the capacity for anti-terrorism.” Sixty-nine commanders and soldiers from the PLA will join all three phases of the training: exchange and exhibition, the composite formation training, and the comprehensive exercise. They will join their counterpart in TNI in an exercise where the background is an assumption that a terrorist organization causes panic by seizing hostages. Zhao Zongqi, Chief of staff of the Jinan Military Region, and Lodewijk F. Paulus, Indonesian TNI special force commander, attended the opening ceremony.

Source: Xinhua, June 6, 2011

http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-06/06/c_121500365.htm

Briefings | | June 7, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China Daily: Google’s Political Farce

In response to Google’s accusations of recent attacks from China’s Jinan City against Gmail users in the U.S. government and elsewhere, the state-run China Daily published an opinion article, “Google’s Political Farce.”

The article says, “This time Google is playing its old tricks at a time when the U.S. government and the public are making a great whoop on the issue of the Internet. One is led to believe that Google has attempted to play a role in a political farce.” Then it goes on to list figures to show that China has also suffered from hackers’ attacks, coming mainly from the U.S.

“Therefore, if Google has really suffered from ‘Chinese hackers’ attacks,’ it could resort to the judicial cooperation mechanism between China and the U.S. to find solutions. Google, ignores this effective channel, but is ‘loudly shouting’ without offering any evidence. It will only make people believe that Google is not seeking a solution, but has ulterior motives.”

Source: China Daily, June 5, 2011

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hqzx/2011-06/05/content_12643066.htm

Briefings | | June 7, 2011 | US-China Relations

Officials Investigated Due to Economic Data Leaks

Radio France International (RFI) reported that multiple Chinese officials have recently been asked to leave their posts in the National Bureau of Statistics and the central bank. The rankings of those sacked are mostly at the bureau-level, but the nature of their work allows access to sensitive economic data. The central government recently noticed frequent leaks of macroeconomic data just before its public announcement.

As China is the world’s second largest economy, publicly released economic data has an enormous influence on the global financial market. It thus becomes the pursuit of the media and financial agencies. In recent years, the mainland’s macroeconomic data, such as the consumer price index published by the National Bureau of Statistics, is often accurately “predicted” and foreign media and security brokerage firms release it in advance. The domestic stock markets have also reacted before the official releases.

The responsibilities of involved stock brokerage firms are still being determined. Criminal investigations are under way.

Source: Radio France International, June 4, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/4xnxxzy

Briefings | | June 7, 2011 | Economy/Resources

Online Dating Ban for Chinese Military

To guard against divulging military secrets, the PLA’s General Staff Department and the General Political Department recently issued a joint notice strictly prohibiting military personnel from online dating. The notice also delineates the guidelines for soldiers’ using the Internet to search for marriage prospects or new jobs, as well as using personal blogs or websites. The PLA’s "Domestic Affairs" and "Regulations on the Prevention of Crime" also have strict regulations on military personnel’s participating in various online activities such as reunions with friends from their hometowns, or meetings with alumni or comrades-in-arms. The notice said, “All units must have a thorough understanding of the hidden dangers and threats from online dating and take it as a task to ensure military security and execute (such tasks) with a sense of political responsibility.”

Source: china.com.cn, May 31, 2011
http://www.china.com.cn/policy/txt/2011-05/31/content_22675745.htm

Briefings | | June 6, 2011 | Defense/Military

Central Military Mission Regulation for Code of Ethics among CCP Cadres

The Central Military Commission (CMC), headed by the chief of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Jintao, recently issued “Several Provisions of the Code of Ethics for Military CCP Members and Leading Cadres,” demanding conscientious implementation across the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police. “Several Provisions,” which is a follow-up regulation for the “Several Principles of the Code of Ethics for Military CCP Members and Leading Cadres” circulated in January 2010. It lists 70 "unacceptable practices" in 11 different categories, stipulating specific responsibilities for various CCP positions in the military. The CMC asks all levels of military CCP committees to regard the fight against corruption an “urgent and realistic task and long-term strategic goal.”

Source: Xinhua, May 31, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-05/31/c_121479904.htm

Briefings | | June 6, 2011 | Defense/Military

Overseas Chinese to Visit “Sacred Places of Revolution”

For the whole month of June, over 500 overseas Chinese from 50 countries and regions are to visit the “Sacred Places of Revolution” in southern Jiangxi Province, including Nanchang, the Jinggangshan Mountains, and Ganzhou, where, in the 1920s, the Chinese Communists rioted against the then ruling Kuomintang (KMT) government and built its Red Army. According to the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, a Communist led organization for overseas Chinese and the organizer of the tour, the mission is to “help the overseas Chinese, especially the young generation, understand and subscribe to Chinese revolutionary history.” The first group of visitors is mainly young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and Macao.

Source: The United Front Work Department of the Communist Party Central Committee, June 3, 2011
http://www.zytzb.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/tzb2010/S2012/201106/706525.html

Briefings | | June 6, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized