Chinascope – Page 1074

People’s Daily: Finance Minister Chen Deming’s Visit to Africa Has Special Significance

On February 17, 2011, People’s Daily reported Finance Ministry Spokesperson Yao Jian’s comments on Finance Minister Chen Deming’s visit to three African countries (Morogo, Equatorial Guinea, and Ghana) from February 13-17. Yao said the visit carried special meaning because it took place against the backdrop of the 55th anniversary of China-Africa cooperation and the full-scale implementation of the eight new strategies put forth by the fourth minister’s conference of the China-Africa cooperation forum. The China-Africa cooperation forum was established in 2000. Over the last decade, the scale of cooperation has steadily increased. The amount of bilateral trade has increased from US$10 billion in 2000 to US$126.9 billion. Investments cover the areas of mining, manufacturing, agriculture, and so on. Since July 1, 2010, China has reduced its customs duty by 60 percent for 26 African countries. China also encourages and supports Chinese enterprises to increase investment in Africa, and expand in the areas of agriculture, manufacturing, finance, commerce, and environmental protection.

Source: People’s Daily, February, 17, 2011
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/13942743.html

Briefings | | February 18, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Qiushi Article Warns of Over-urbanization as a Threat to Food Supply

Qiushi, the core publication of the central committee of the Chinese Communist Party published an article on its website warning that urbanization at the current excessive rate is posing a serious threat to China’s food supply. The threat is three-pronged: a reduction in the farming population, in farmland itself, and in government funds. “This will inevitably lead to the food crisis arriving much sooner than anticipated.” The article stated that the authorities have manipulated the composition of the price index by increasing the weight of housing prices and expenditures on education. Their objective is to reduce the impact of food prices and ease the public’s concern over inflation. “This is just like a thief, who covers his ears when he steals a bell. It will not allay fears of inflation. It may, instead, conceal the impact of over-urbanization on the supply of food.”

Source: Qiushi, February 16, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/lg/zl/201102/t20110216_68361.htm

Briefings | | February 17, 2011 | Economy/Resources

Taiwanese Scholar Concerned about the CCP’s Penetration

"The Chinese Communist Party is working directly with local organizations and businesses in Taiwan, looking for agents, instead of dealing with the Nationalist Party leaders (the Kuomintang)," said Wu Zhaoxie (Joseph Wu), a research fellow at National Chengchi University’s Institute of International Relations. “Further, there are more political parties [in Taiwan now] … about 140 of them. Most of them are one person or three to five-person parties, funded by Taiwan businesses or Mainland civic groups or organizations. Actually the Chinese Communist Party is behind them.” Wu made this statement on February 15, 2011, during an interview with Epoch Times after the Taiwan Cross-strait Business Relations Forum.

As the former head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, D.C.,Wu was the chief representative of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the United States.

Source: Epoch Times, February 15, 2011
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/11/2/15/n3171118.htm

Briefings | | February 17, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua Accuses U.S. of Using Twitter to Stoke Fires in Iran

After the United States witnessed the critical role that Facebook played in assisting people to bring down the totalitarian regimes in Tunisia and Egypt, it began using Twitter to encourage the opposition in Iran, said Xinhua in an article titled “The U.S. Uses Twitter to Stoke Fires in Iran.” “On February 13, the U.S. Department of State started posting messages in Persian to two Twitter accounts. One message said, ‘We hope to join your dialog.’ The other said, ‘The U.S. calls on Iran to allow people the universal right to peaceful assembly and to hold protests.”

Source: Xinhua, February 16, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-02/16/c_121087738.htm

Briefings | | February 17, 2011 | US-China Relations

Guangming Daily: Understand and Evaluate the China Model Correctly

[Editor’s Note: A recent article published on the website of Guangming Daily, the government newspaper oriented toward Chinese intellectuals, discussed “essential features” and “contemporary values” of the “China Model,” which has been under heated debate both inside and outside of China. The article hails the China Model as providing “great encouragement and support to socialist countries,” and “a challenge to the developed capitalist countries of the West.” The following is a translation of excerpts from the article.] [1]

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Reports | | February 16, 2011 | Report

PLA Issues Study Provisions for the Army and Armed Police

China’s Central Military Commission’s General Political Department recently issued a “Study Provisions for CCP Members and Cadres in the Military” to all of the PLA armies and the armed police forces. The provision is to implement CMC President Hu Jintao’s instructions on “strengthening all levels of CCP committees’ study and building a high-quality, high-efficiency military leadership body.”

The "Study Provisions" are the basic guidelines for the military Party members and cadres to follow "under the new situation."

Source: Xinhua, February 14, 2011

http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-02/14/c_13731527.htm

Briefings | | February 16, 2011 | Defense/Military

PLA Navy Stealth Missile Boats for Attacking Distant Targets

On February 15, 2011, Xinhua reported that a new PLA naval stealth missile boat (type 022) can attack distant targets in the ocean and is a deterrent for enemy boats in the South China Sea. This new speedy stealth missile boat, boasting a powerful firing range (maximum range of 150 km), is equipped with a number of features for covert operations.

Based on this missile boat (type 022), the East China Sea Fleet recently built the very first stealth missile speedboat division for the PLA navy. “Being able to attack with a single boat or a group of boats, (China) can strike at an enemy’s large fleet, which is a powerful deterrent for surrounding hostile fleets in the South China Sea.”

Source: Xinhua, February 15, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-02/15/c_121079377.htm

Briefings | | February 16, 2011 | Defense/Military

China to Build a Atlantic-Pacific Railway in Columbia

Colombia’s president Juan Manuel Santos recently told Financial Times that China has proposed building a railway to connect Colombia’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts as an alternative to the Panama Canal. The US$7.6 billion project, to be funded by the Chinese Development Bank, will be operated by the China Railway Group.

China’s ambassador to Colombia, Gao Zhengyue, told president Santos, “Colombia has a very important strategic position. We view the country as a port to the rest of Latin America.” According to Financial Times, “The 220km ‘dry canal’ would run from the Pacific to a new city near Cartagena where imported Chinese goods would be assembled for re-export throughout the Americas. Colombia-sourced raw materials would make the return journey to China.”

Source: Financial Times, February 13, 2011
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7e14756c-37a9-11e0-b91a-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1E2w2RaDQ

Briefings | | February 16, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

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

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.