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International Herald Leader: Russia’s Dilemma – Supplying Natural Gas to China

The International Herald Leader reported that Russia is facing a dilemma on supplying natural gas to China. On October 13, 2009. China and Russia signed a framework agreement for the building of two natural gas pipelines from Russia’s gas fields in the Far East to China. However, for the two countires to reach an agreeable price will be a challenge. China suggested $100-120 USD per thousand cubic meters, but Russia’s lowest price is $250-270 USD. Russia is afraid that asking for too high a price may drive China to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Russia is also concerned regarding whether it will depend too heavily on China financially and will become just a “natural resource provider” to China.

Source: International Herald Leader, October 15, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-10/15/content_12237118.htm

Wen Jiabao: Establish East Asia Foreign-Exchange Reserve Pool By Year’s End

Global Times reported that on October 24, 2009, Premier Wen Jiabao attended the 12th ASEAN Plus Three summit, or "10+3" summit (10 ASEAN member countries plus China, Japan, and South Korea). Wen Jiabao suggested establishing a regional foreign-exchange reserve pool by the end of this year and also speeding up the independent regional economic monitoring organization, and the Asian bond market. China is willing to provide $200 million for the regional credit guarantee and investment funds. Wen also promoted the expansion of regional trade and investment among the 10+3 countries and expressed that China is willing to take the lead in advancing 10+3 economic and trade cooperation.

Source: Global Times, October 24, 2009
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2009-10/612343.html

People’s Liberation Army Will Build 10,000-Ton Destroyers

On October 13, 2009, Sichuan News Network published an article about the international concerns caused by the PLA Navy’s plan to build 10,000-ton destroyers. The displacement of the new destroyers will be over 10,000 tons and they will be equipped with a variety of anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft missiles. The main focus of building the new destroyers will be on the development of mobility, stealth and oceangoing combat capability. They will be able to provide protection for all future Chinese aircraft carriers.

The United States is increasingly concerned that China is building aircraft carriers. However, the real threat to the U.S. is the anti-ship missiles that China is developing. These missiles are based on the existing medium-range missiles, with the goal to attack U.S. aircraft carriers.

Source: Sichuan News Network, October 13, 2009
http://china.newssc.org/system/2009/10/13/012368458.shtml

China News Net Report on “Vanguard û 2009A” Military Maneuver

According to China News Net, on October 20, 2009, a joint fire military maneuver of ground and air forces called "Vanguard – 2009A" will be carried out on a tactical training base in the Jinan Military Command. Over 150 foreign military students from more than 70 countries and some military observers from the United Kingdom, Israel, Turkey, and other countries, will be on site watching. Hu Xiubin, the chief director of the exercise and an army Major General for the Jinan Military Region, said that the characteristics highlighted in this maneuver will be “Joint Operations” and “Precise Operations” in combat, which reflect the ideas of joint operations and winnings using the conditions of information technologies.

Eleven military branches from both the army and air forces, armed with over 50 kinds of equipment, will participate in the military maneuver.

Source: China News Net, October 20, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/10-20/1921318.shtml

“Vanguard û 2009A” Military Maneuver û PLA Explores Precise Operations in Combat

Xinhua reported on October 21 that "Vanguard – 2009A," a joint fire military maneuver of ground and air forces, entered the combat deployment phase on October 21, 2009. Hu Xiubin, the chief director of the exercise and an army Major General from the Jinan Military Region, introduced precise operations in combat.

  1. Precise Reconnaissance: Obtain complete intelligence information using the means of satellite reconnaissance, aerial photography, unmanned aerial vehicles, battlefield television and close-up observation on the ground.
  2. Precise Command: Quantify and calculate groupings of combat forces, actions of teams, consumption of ammunition, amount of damage and injuries.
  3. Precise Strike: Use precision-guided weapons, and ammunition.
  4. Precise Assessment: Use technological means to do combat calculations and simulations.
  5. Precise Support: Make scientific predictions on ammunition consumption, fuel supplements, transportation needs, casualties and equipment damage.

Source: Xinhua, October 21, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-10/21/content_12290433.htm

Chinese Language Newspapers Facing Tough Times

From October 16 to 17, over 200 representatives from Chinese language newspapers in 12 countries and regions held their 42th annual meeting in Chongqing, Sichuan Province to discuss the challenges facing them due to the expansion of electronic newspapers. Zhou Xisheng, Deputy Director of Xinhua urged them to "adapt to changes in the world media and develop Chinese newspapers hand in hand." He stated that the traditional newspapers cannot step back, but to adapt to the what young people like, and strive to transfer the contents of the newspapers to electronic versions. Currently Mainland China publishes 1,943 newspapers with a daily circulation exceeding 100 million copies. However since 2003, the number of newspaper has declined by 10% as a result of the expansion of electronic newspapers.

Source: People’s Daily, October 19, 2009
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2009-10/19/content_363421.htm

State Gets New Funds to Expand Overseas Chinese Teaching

The Chinese Language and Culture Education Foundation of China (CLEF) received a corporate donation of 100 million yuan from an Indonesian company at a ceremony held on October 19, 2009. CLEF indicates that the funds will be for overseas expansion of Chinese language teaching of overseas Chinese. Politburo member Wang Gang attended the ceremony. CLEF was founded in 2004 and is operated by the State Council Overseas Affairs Office. Its council members include the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party, the International Communication office of the Communist Party (State Council Information office), the State Development Planning Commission, the State Administration of Radio, Film And Television, the State Council’s office of Overseas Chinese Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: Xinhua, October 19, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/19/content_12270778.htm

Outlook Weekly: Tit for Tat Against Trade Protectionism

China should proactively strive for fair treatment, tit for tat, says Outlook Weekly a publication under Xinhua. The statement was made in reference to an October 8 letter from the U.S. Alliance for American Manufacturing to U.S. trade officials that the Chinese government spends billions of dollars subsidizing the glass industry’s energy costs. The contract to manufacture blast-resistant glass for the new World Trade Center’s first 20 stories was awarded earlier this year to a Chinese company that underbid U.S. competitors. Song, director of a government think tank, the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is worried, “The U.S. has set a bad example and other countries will follow suit.” Song recommended enforcing and expanding diplomatic and cultural ties to reduce trade friction to the maximum extent.

Source: China News Service, October 20, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/cj/news/2009/10-20/1919399.shtml