Chinascope – Page 853

Nanfang Daily: State Council Considering Individual Overseas Investment System

Nanfang Daily, a daily newspaper based in the City of Guangzhou, recently reported that the State Council Executive Meeting discussed a plan to open the option for individuals to invest directly overseas. Currently only some approved organizations (QDII) are permitted to make direct overseas investments. A plan for direct individual investments to be made into the Hong Kong stock market was attempted in 2007, but was called off. It was decided that a new international investment system for individuals will be established with a carefully designed protection mechanism for medium and small investors. A clear plan for opening up capital accounts was also discussed at the Executive Meeting. The French bank Societe Generale recently released a report pointing out that, based on a series of steps the Chinese State Council took, “a five-year road map to a freely exchangeable Chinese currency (RMB) is very clear.” The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is expected to be the biggest winner of these new policies.

Source: Nanfang Daily, May 8, 2013

http://news.nfdaily.cn/caifu/content/2013-05/08/content_68409983.htm

Briefings | | May 14, 2013 | Economy/Resources

BBC Chinese: China Cautiously Mediating Peace in Middle East

BBC Chinese recently reported that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both visited Beijing in the same week. However, neither of the two sides nor the new Chinese President Xi Jinping seemed to be ready to start a negotiation with China being the mediator. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping did offer a four-point peace proposal. Although Xi’s proposal does not have anything new or creative, the report expressed the belief that he was somewhat playing a mediator’s role, with caution. When Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Netanyahu, he suggested that the sole solution to the Middle East peace and stability issue is conducting dialogues and peace talks. Li also mentioned that China is willing to work with the two sides on the peace-making effort, since China is a common friend of both. China has a US$10 billion annual trade volume with Israel and half of China’s annual oil imports are from the Middle East region.

Source: BBC Chinese, May 9, 2013

http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/press_review/2013/05/130509_press_review_china_middleeast.shtml

Briefings | | May 14, 2013 | Geo-Strategic Trend

PLA Formed First Carrier-borne Naval Air Force

On May 10, 2013, with the approval of the Central Military Commission, the PLA formed the first carrier-borne naval air force. Xinhua reported that the naval air force consists of elite candidates selected from the existing PLA aviation force. The qualifications include their record for flying a minimum of five different types of aircraft and a minimum of 1,000 hours of air time. They must have completed training certification at the PLA Dalian Naval Academy, have the experience of participating in military exercises and be considered the highest-potential candidates in their unit.

Source: Xinhua, May 10, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2013-05/10/c_124694934.htm

Briefings | | May 13, 2013 | Defense/Military

Xinhua: Why Does the United States Always Vilify China Year after Year?

Following the release of the United States annual report on China’s military power, Xinhua published a series of commentaries. Below is one of them:

“Each year, when, with a Cold War mentality, the United States releases a China’s military power report, it does so out of consideration for its own interests. For example, from the perspective of the U.S. military, the first consideration is to ask for money for the military budget from the U.S. Congress by speculating on China’s military development. At the same time, the United States disseminates the China military threat theory to achieve the purpose of creating a reason for its return to the Asia-Pacific with the so-called Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy. Then it can also pull its allies in to share responsibilities and let its allies stand as the front for it in this region.”

“In addition to the usual ‘smearing,’ it is noteworthy that the report also said that the momentum of bilateral military exchanges is good despite the leadership turnover of both countries in 2012. On the one hand, the report contains groundless accusations and disseminates the China threat theory; on the other hand, it also signals to maintain communication on both sides. It reflects the U.S. strategy of ‘having both hands ready’ towards China. From a series of recent statements that the U.S. Defense Department made, the goal of the U.S. military to stress communication and contacts with China is more ‘one-dimensional.’ It is trying to strengthen communication and exchanges in order to make China agree and accept the U.S. viewpoint, rather than let both sides understand each other in order to reach a compromised view through the exchange.”

Source: Xinhua, May 9, 2013

http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/jrch/20130509.htm

Briefings | | May 10, 2013 | US-China Relations

PLA Daily: U.S. Report on China’s Military Power Based on Chinese Netizens’ Speculation

People’s Liberation Army Daily published a commentary on the recent U.S. Department of Defense report on China’s military power. The commentary stated that the report relied for its information on what so called U.S. experts on China had copied and pasted from Chinese military websites. The information did nothing but reflect what Chinese netizens speculated and imagined.

“Each year the United States routinely publishes a report on China’s military power. This is totally a gross interference in China’s internal affairs. China has repeatedly stressed that the development of China’s military is defensive in nature. Let us ask, since China, in strengthening its national defense and building its military, is not targeting any country, why does the U.S. consider it its own business?"

The commentary stated that the U.S. motivation behind its speculations and accusations is self-evident. “On the one hand, it touts the "China military threat theory" to sow discord between China and other countries, especially, its neighboring countries, aiming to contain China. … On the other hand, the U.S. exaggerates China’s military threat to promote its domestic interest groups and arms dealers. Presumably U.S. arms manufacturers are already gearing up to count their money.”

Source: Xinhua, May 8, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-05/08/c_124681010.htm

Briefings | | May 10, 2013 | US-China Relations

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.

Nanfang Daily: State Council Considering Individual Overseas Investment System

BBC Chinese: China Cautiously Mediating Peace in Middle East

PLA Formed First Carrier-borne Naval Air Force

Xinhua: Why Does the United States Always Vilify China Year after Year?

PLA Daily: U.S. Report on China’s Military Power Based on Chinese Netizens’ Speculation

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