Chinascope – Page 1087

China Signed MOU with Zambia on Press and Publications

On January 25, 2011, Xinhua reported that China signed a memorandum of understanding with Zambia in which the two countries agreed to promote cooperation between their respective media industries. Liu Binjie, Director of the General Administration of Press and Publications, told Zambia Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Ronnie Shikapwasha, “Zambia can learn from China’s experience of rapid development in traditional media and new media, and can, through cooperation, accelerate the construction of digital media platforms to achieve a quantum leap in development.”

Source: Xinhua, January 25, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-01/25/c_121019115.htm

Briefings | | January 27, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China Uses Leaders’ Foreign Visits to Obtain Trade Orders

The China Economy website reported that, “Over the past two months, after China’s leaders visited foreign countries, China signed treaties and contracts worth about US$100 billion.” During Hu Jintao’s visit to the U.S., the Ministry of Commerce sent two delegations, in seven groups, to tour the U.S. China (Ed: which directly or indirectly controls all companies in China) signed 14 bilateral treaties and many commercial contracts. The total amount negotiated in the U.S. amounted to about US$60 billion. Last December, Wen Jiabao brought over 400 businessmen to India and Pakistan, where they signed contracts worth US$20 billion. In early January, Vice Premier Li Keqiang’s visited Spain, Germany, and the U.K., and signed contracts with those countries in the amounts of US$7.5 billion, US$8.7 billion, and US$4.7 billion respectively.

Source: China Economy website, January 24, 2011
http://www.ce.cn/cysc/newmain/yc/jsxw/201101/24/t20110124_20755334.shtml

Briefings | | January 26, 2011 | Government/Politics

Executive VP of Bank of China: Advancing the Renminbi on the World Stage

China Review News published an interview with Xie Yonghai, Executive Vice President of the Bank of China and Chairman of the Hong Kong Chinese Securities Association. Xie stated that, “The current international monetary system based on the U.S. dollar is biased. China, given its present economic wherewithal needs to become a greater international power.” Xie pointed out that getting regional adoption of the renminbi is the key to internationalizing the renminbi. China has signed treaties with countries on renminbi exchange and free trade. Agreements about the regional adoption of the renminbi are being made with countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, North Asia, and possibly Latin America, where China is working with Brazil and Argentina.

“Hong Kong will play a major role as the off-shore renminbi trading center.” Xie predicts that “within five years, Hong Kong’s renminbi trade volume will reach 8 trillion yuan. By then, the renminbi will become the third most popular currency in the world, after the dollar and the euro, and part of the IMF’s SDR.”

Source: China Review News, January 24, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1015/7/8/1/101578140.html?coluid=10&kindid=253&docid=101578140&mdate=0124002018

Briefings | | January 26, 2011 | Economy/Resources

China Youth Online: China Increases Overseas Acquisitions

The “2011 World Economy Analysis and Forecasts” published a report by the World Economy and Politics Center of the China Social Science Academy. The report noted a rapidly increasing trend, which is that Chinese companies are acquiring more assets overseas. State-Owned-Enterprises (SOEs), including Petro China, Sinopec, CNOOC, the Baosteel Group, and CHALCO, were the leaders in these acquisitions. The sectors most coveted are those in the extraction industry. Chinese companies acquired 91 companies with a value of US$32 billion between 2005 and mid-2010. Chinese companies made purchases in other industries: Geely (automaker) bought Volvo for US$1.8 billion and Sany Group (a machinery manufacturer) built plants in Germany. Morgan Stanley’s report showed that, by the first half of 2010, China became the second largest overseas acquirer of assets after the U.S.

“However, more than 50% of the overseas acquisitions were not successful after the acquisition, i.e., they didn’t generate more money for the parent company.”

Source: China Youth Online, January 24, 2011
http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2011-01/24/nw.D110000zgqnb_20110124_2-10.htm

Briefings | | January 26, 2011 | Economy/Resources

Chinese Online Mapping Site Open for Business

On January 18, 2011, the China State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping released its official online mapping system with the English “Map World.” This project seeks to establish a “Chinese Brand” in the online GIS (Geographic Information System) services field. It is considered part of the “Digital China” initiative. The total amount of data in the system is 30TB, which includes 3 billion “tiles” of digital maps. The Bureau admitted that the Map World system still has problems with access, performance, and stability. It also lacks some “subject information.” Satellite images also have precision and foreign supply issues. The government is determined to firmly promote this system.

Source: Xinhua, January 18, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-01/18/c_12995918.htm

Briefings | | January 25, 2011 | Information/Technology

Ministry of Commerce: Continue Promoting the China Brand

Yao Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, recently commented, in a monthly media briefing, that China must improve its national “soft power.” The commercial video currently playing in Times Square in New York is an example of this effort. The Ministry attempted this once before with another “image building” commercial video called “China Made with the World.” China also tried to promote the “China Brand” at the F1 games. Yao suggested that, in the future, China will use various means to continue the propaganda effort. On April 16, 2010, China rolled out a “Made in China” commercial at F1. At the end of 2009, China also aired another “Made in China” commercial on CNN.

Source: Global Times, January 18, 2011
http://world.huanqiu.com/roll/2011-01/1439440.html

Briefings | | January 25, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

CRN: The U.S. has Never Respected China

China Review News (CRN) published a commentary right after Chinese President Hu Jintao completed his visit to the U.S. The author maintained that the U.S. has long held a biased view of China. The U.S. has taken China’s every step to improve as a threat to the U.S. national interest. President Obama has revived the Cold War mentality to continue policies that restrict China’s international breathing room, using such excuses as “communism,” “dictatorship,” “human rights,” and “democracy.”

The commentary also accused the U.S. of being a troublemaker on the issues of Tibet, Taiwan, North Korea, Southeast Asia, and the South China Sea. For the U.S. to support the new Nobel Peace Prize winner was seen as its latest interference in China’s domestic legal system. The commentary suggested Hu’s visit to the U.S. is one more attempt on China’s part to build a healthy partnership. The author expressed the hope that U.S. extortion would stop.

Source: China Review News, January 22, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1015/7/7/1/101577177.html?coluid=1&kindid=0&docid=101577177&mdate=0122083240

Briefings | | January 25, 2011 | Government/Politics

Ministry of Public Security Carries out the Big Visit Campaign

The Public Security Bureau throughout China has started a “Big Visit” campaign. According to the Ministry of Public Security, Beijing started the campaign last November. Many provinces and cities, including Tianjin, Shanghai, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Hebei, and others, started a full-scale campaign in January 2011. “Police officers visit companies, schools, organizations, entertainment sites, and residential neighborhoods to talk about security and safety issues and address people’s needs.”

Source: The Ministry of the Public Security website, January 19, 2011
http://www.mps.gov.cn/n16/n1237/n1342/n803715/2672661.html

Briefings | | January 24, 2011 | Government/Politics

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.