Chinascope – Page 903

Hu Jintao: Support Africa in Five Key Areas

On July 19, 2012, in Beijing, Chinese president Hu Jintao attended the opening ceremony of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Hu said that, in the next three years, the Chinese government will promote the new China-Africa strategic partnership and will take measures to support African peace and development in five key areas.

First, expand cooperation in investment and financing. China will provide a US$20 billion line of credit, with a focus on supporting African infrastructure, agriculture, and manufacturing and development of SMEs. Second, continue to expand aid to Africa, including building more agricultural technology centers, training 30,000 professionals for Africa, providing 18,000 government scholarships, and setting up cultural and vocational and technical training facilities; China will provide a 1500-person medical team. Third, build a cooperative partnership with Africa in cross-border inter-regional infrastructure construction; encourage able Chinese companies and financial institutions to be involved in African cross-border inter-regional infrastructure construction; help African countries improve customs and commodity inspection; and promote regional trade. Fourth, support and promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation of non-governmental organizations, women, and youth; set up a "China-Africa News Exchange Center” in China, to support the news agencies with both sides exchanging reporters; continue to implement the" China-Africa Joint Research and Exchange Program” to fund academic institutions and scholars on both sides to carry out 100 academic research, exchange, and cooperation projects. Fifth, China will launch a "Sino-Africa Peace and Security Partnership Initiative," to deepen its cooperation with the African Union and African countries in the field of peace and security, provide financial support to the AU peacekeeping operation, build a standing army, and increase trainings for peace and security officials and the number of peacekeepers for the AU.

Source: Xinhua, July 19, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-07/19/c_112477365.htm

Briefings | | July 19, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Export-Import Bank Doles Out 20 Billion Yuan to Support Press and Publication’s “Going Out

On July 3, 2012, in Beijing, China’s Press and Publication Administration and the Export-Import Bank jointly signed “the cooperation agreement on supporting the press and publication industry for going out (going overseas), using key enterprises and key projects.” Liu Binjie, Director of the Press and Publication Administration and Li Ruogu, Director of China Export-Import Bank signed the agreement on behalf of the two parties. The agreement indicates that, over the next five years, the Export-Import Bank of China will provide no less than 20 billion yuan (about US$3 billion) to press and publishing companies in support of their efforts to go overseas.

Wu Shulin, Deputy Director of the Press and Publication Administration, said that “the strategic cooperation to jointly support China’s press and publishing industry to go out is a major step in implementing the Communist Party’s spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session and the ‘12th Five-Year Development Plan of China’s press and publication industry.’”

Source: People’s Daily, July 4, 2012/7/5
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2012/0704/c70731-18444926.html

Briefings | | July 19, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

General Guo Boxiong: China’s Armed Forces Must Remain Absolutely Loyal and Reliable

General Guo Boxiong, Politburo member and Vice Chairman of the Communist Central Military Commission, stated that the entire armed forces “must resolutely follow the Party’s command and remain absolutely loyal and reliable.” Guo made the remarks at the University of National Defense. Guo urged increasing ideological education because of the fact that the Party has absolute leadership of the armed forces. This will “ensure that the armed forces, ideologically, politically, and in action maintain consistency with the Central Military Commission and resolutely follow the command of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and Chairman Hu.” He also stressed that efforts be made to "ensure high solidarity, security, and stability among the troops.”

Source: Xinhua, July 17, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-07/17/c_112460636.htm

Briefings | | July 19, 2012 | Government/Politics

Small European Countries Have Become Chinese Enterprises’ Favorite Targets

Although Europe has a debt crisis, the small European countries have escaped unharmed because of their particular advantages. They thus provide a rare investment opportunity for Chinese enterprises that are looking to invest overseas. In recent years, Chinese investments in Europe have grown rapidly. Some small European countries have become the favored targets of Chinese enterprises because projects there are plentiful. Among these countries, Denmark’s unique taxation system has given it an advantage in attracting foreign investments. The infrastructure development of Denmark’s Greenland and the Faroe Islands make them among the best investment choices for Chinese investors. Chinese companies are also paying attention to Romania’s agriculture and Poland’s construction industry.

Source: International Herald Tribune (Xinhua), July 12, 2012
http://ihl.cankaoxiaoxi.com/2012/0712/60017.shtml

Briefings | | July 19, 2012 | US-China Relations

Qiushi Journal: Is China’s economy Really Heading Downstream?

On July 16, 2012, Qiushi, a journal of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article titled “Is China’s Economy Really Heading Downstream?” The article’s writer expressed the belief that, although China’s economic growth has indeed been slowing down for the past 5 consecutive seasons, the current economic slowdown is still within a normal range. He asserted that, as Southeast Asian countries have a more obvious advantage in terms of labor cost, it is an inevitable trend for China to make some adjustments in terms of labor-intensive manufacturing and foreign trade structures and that, with China’s $3.3 trillion foreign exchange reserves, a short-term deficit won’t seriously impact China’s economy.

Source: Qiushi Journal, July 16, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2012/201214/201207/t20120712_169555.htm

Briefings | | July 18, 2012 | Economy/Resources

BBC: Chinese Official Media Worry about Anti-Government Remarks Online

Recently, China’s official media have expressed concern in their commentaries about a decrease in the government’s credibility and the proliferation of anti-government remarks online. Public opinion in China, especially online public opinion expressing “anti-official voices,” is almost out of control. It is no longer a secret that the Chinese government at every level employs a large number of "Fifty Cent Party Members" (who earn 50 cents for each pro-government posting online). The Communist Party has failed to control the minds of the younger generation.

Source: BBC Chinese Edition, July 14, 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2012/07/120714_china_internet_weibo.shtml

Briefings | | July 18, 2012 | Economy/Resources

China’s High-Speed Rail Transportation Army’s First Exercise in Providing Food Rapidly

On July 15, 2012, China’s high-speed rail transportation army held its first exercise in rapidly providing food to the troops. In recent years, more and more military troops have been taking the high-speed railway to carry out their tasks. Quickly providing military provisions to PLA troops inside a train at a station will help the whole PLA establish a more perfect system for providing military provisions support.

Source: China Review News, July 15, 2012
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1021/6/8/2/102168214.html?coluid=4&kindid=16&docid=102168214&mdate=0715202537

Briefings | | July 18, 2012 | Defense/Military

CRN: China still has Three Policy Tools to Stabilize the Economy

China Review News (CRN) recently published an article that discussed the strategy for dealing with the current decline of the Chinese economy. The author suggested that the Chinese government still has three policy tools that it can use: (1) With the decline of the CPI (Consumer Price Index), China has more room to reduce the interest rate; (2) The government can still increase direct investments into the economy, although this may have a negative effect; (3) The central government can temporarily relax the restrictions on local governments’ borrowing power. The article expressed the belief that the government should determine a minimum risk control line which would serve as an indicator of whether or not to use some of these policy tools.

Source: China Review News, July 14, 2012

http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1021/6/7/2/102167204.html?coluid=53&kindid=0&docid=102167204&mdate=0714062027

Briefings | | July 17, 2012 | Economy/Resources

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.

CCP, Master of Hostage Diplomacy