China’s state media Huanqiu (Global Times) published an article commenting on the U.S. and Japan’s aid to the Philippines as a result of typhoon Haiyan.
PetroChina Buys Petrobras’s Peru Unit
On November 13, PetroChina Company Limited (PetroChina), China’s biggest oil producer and the listed arm of the state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), announced a deal to acquire Brazil’s state-run oil company Petrobras’s Peruvian oil and gas assets. PetroChina will buy all of the 145 million stock shares of Petrobras Energia Peru S.A., which has three oil and gas fields in Peru, at a premium price of $2.6 billion, considering Energia Peru S.A.’s total asset of $1.42 billion, with a 2012 operating income of $0.6 billion and net income of $102 million.
Petrobras Energia Peru S.A.’s three oil and gas fields currently produce about 800,000 metric tons of oil equivalent per year, according to PetroChina. Experts shared the view that, when compared to Africa and the Middle East, there is less political risk buying assets in South America.
PetroChina’s 2012 domestic and overseas production totaled 278 million metric tons of oil equivalent, or 761,600 metric tons per day. In mid-March this year, PetroChina took over the Mozambique oil and gas lots under the Italian multinational oil and gas company Eni at $4.2 billion, as the company’s largest overseas acquisition. CNPC is also expected to buy U.S. oil and gas company ConocoPhillips’ Kashagan oil field in Kazakhstan at an expected price of $5 billion.
Source: Xinhua, November 14, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-11/14/c_125699990.htm
Chinese Generals: Peaceful Rise Does Not Mean Refusal to Fight
On November 12 a forum was held at the Prime Hotel Beijing Wangfujing after a press release announced the introduction a new book, "China Is Not Afraid — New Threats to Our National Security and Our Counter Strategy." More than 50 people including five PLA generals, major media reporters, publishers, and others attended the forum and discussed the current hot issues of national defense and security.
PLA Editorial: Resolutely Resist the “Nationalization of the Military”
On November 10, 2013, during the third session of the 18th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily published an editorial titled, “Always Adhere to the Party’s Absolute Leadership over the Military.”
As the Top Leader of the National Security Committee, Xi Jinping Strengthens His Personal Power
At The Third Plenary Session (“Third Plenum”) of the 18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party held in Beijing from November 9th to November 12th, 2013, the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee decided to create two state institutes, a Leading Team Supervising “Comprehensively Deepening” Economic Reform and a new National Security Committee. According to China Review News on November 13, 2013, Xi Jinping, the head of the Party and the state, may take charge of the newly created National Security Committee. Xi Jinping may also serve as the head of the Economic Reform Leading Team. If that’s the case, Xi’s personal power will be strengthened.
The Presidency of the People’s Republic of China is usually a symbolic position. If Xi Jinping chairs the National Security Committee in the name of the President, the President will assume the real power over public security, military troops, and the diplomacy.
Source: China Review News, November 13, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1028/6/1/5/102861571.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=102861571&mdate=1113100553
“A National Security Committee Will Further Consolidate the People’s Confidence in China”
On November 13, 2013, Huanqiu, the Chinese edition of Global Times, published an editorial titled, “Now Is the Right Time to Create a National Security Committee.” The Third Plenary Session (“Third Plenum”) of the 18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party held in Beijing from November 9th to November 12th has made the decision to establish a new state security body to handle the increase in domestic conflicts and international disputes. The new agency will include representatives from different agencies including diplomacy, military, intelligence, commerce and all major players that interact with foreign identity.
The editorial proposed calling on all of the Chinese people across the nation to show their patriotism by making contributions to safeguarding national security. It stated, “Doing nothing to harm national security should be in every citizen’s consciousness.” The editorial concluded, “We hope that the establishment of the National Security Committee will (help the Chinese government) to respond effectively to the new situation and make Chinese society, this super large machine, function more stably and safely so as to further consolidate the people’s confidence in Chinese society.”
Source: Huanqiu, November 13, 2013
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-11/4557729.html