Friday, July 28, 2017
The 19th Party Congress
This autumn, the Chinese Communist Party holds its most important political event in five years. The congress will select a new set of Party leaders and set policy direction for the next half-decade
TRIVIUM - JULY 27, 2017
What’s the big deal?
This autumn the Chinese Communist Party will hold its five-yearly Party congress. Likely to take place in October, this year’s congress will be the 19th since the CCP’s founding in 1921, and it will accomplish two important tasks:
Setting the direction of policy for the next five years
Selecting a new Party leadership
Much of the analysis around Party congresses focuses primarily on the second question, but the issue of policy direction is equally important for China’s trajectory.
How to Think About the Congress
This year’s congress can be best understood as a referendum on Xi Jinping’s first term, which has seen Xi promote a conservative agenda that has attempted to reinsert the Party more forcefully into politics, society and the economy. The outcomes of the congress will indicate how successfully (or not) Xi has consolidated power, how much support there is for his agenda, and how this agenda will evolve in the coming years. In order to conceptualize the potential impact of the congress, we look at six questions:
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TRIVIUM - JULY 27, 2017
What’s the big deal?
This autumn the Chinese Communist Party will hold its five-yearly Party congress. Likely to take place in October, this year’s congress will be the 19th since the CCP’s founding in 1921, and it will accomplish two important tasks:
Setting the direction of policy for the next five years
Selecting a new Party leadership
Much of the analysis around Party congresses focuses primarily on the second question, but the issue of policy direction is equally important for China’s trajectory.
How to Think About the Congress
This year’s congress can be best understood as a referendum on Xi Jinping’s first term, which has seen Xi promote a conservative agenda that has attempted to reinsert the Party more forcefully into politics, society and the economy. The outcomes of the congress will indicate how successfully (or not) Xi has consolidated power, how much support there is for his agenda, and how this agenda will evolve in the coming years. In order to conceptualize the potential impact of the congress, we look at six questions:
READ MORE.....
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
The Expansion of the United Front Under Xi Jinping by Gerry Groot
AUSTRALIAN CENTRE ON CHINA IN THE WORLD - 2015
Xi Jinping’s rule to date has been characterised by, among other things, a return to the basics of Party rule as established by Mao. These include a renewed emphasis on United Front 统战 work, which Mao called one of the ‘three secret weapons’ 三个大法宝 (along with the armed forces and Party-building) that helped the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to power in 1949. (For an overview of the United Front, see the China Story Yearbook 2014: Shared Destiny, pp.128–132.) The year 2015 was the most important one since 1990 for the United Front, a collection of strategies overseen by the United Front Work Department (UFWD) 统战部 by which the Party seeks to strengthen its authority and legitimacy, especially among the more marginalised, independent, and minority sectors of the Chinese population.
Today, these include professionals such as lawyers, business managers, and ‘new capitalists’—whose co-operation is crucial for the success of China’s new economic policies—as well as historic United Front targets like religious believers and ethnic minorities including Tibetans and Uyghurs. The children of China’s nouveau riche are another relatively new focus along with Chinese studying overseas. Xi had previously stressed the importance of United Front work among Overseas Chinese, huaqiao 华侨, a category that now includes Chinese citizens living abroad (so-called ‘new huaqiao’).
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Xi Jinping’s rule to date has been characterised by, among other things, a return to the basics of Party rule as established by Mao. These include a renewed emphasis on United Front 统战 work, which Mao called one of the ‘three secret weapons’ 三个大法宝 (along with the armed forces and Party-building) that helped the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to power in 1949. (For an overview of the United Front, see the China Story Yearbook 2014: Shared Destiny, pp.128–132.) The year 2015 was the most important one since 1990 for the United Front, a collection of strategies overseen by the United Front Work Department (UFWD) 统战部 by which the Party seeks to strengthen its authority and legitimacy, especially among the more marginalised, independent, and minority sectors of the Chinese population.
Today, these include professionals such as lawyers, business managers, and ‘new capitalists’—whose co-operation is crucial for the success of China’s new economic policies—as well as historic United Front targets like religious believers and ethnic minorities including Tibetans and Uyghurs. The children of China’s nouveau riche are another relatively new focus along with Chinese studying overseas. Xi had previously stressed the importance of United Front work among Overseas Chinese, huaqiao 华侨, a category that now includes Chinese citizens living abroad (so-called ‘new huaqiao’).
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Israel touts growing cooperation with China, with advent of new air route
By Tamara Zieve
JERUSALEM POST - July 25, 2017
China’s Hainan Airlines has submitted a request to the Civil Aviation Authority to operate a route between Guangzhou in southern China and Ben-Gurion Airport, the Transportation Ministry announced on Tuesday. This would be the third route Hainan Airlines – China’s fourth-largest air carrier and its largest privately owned one – would operate to Israel. It already operates four to five direct weekly flights between Beijing and Tel Aviv, in addition to the El Al flights between those destinations. Starting in September, Hainan Airlines will also operate three weekly flights between Shanghai and Tel Aviv. Transportation and Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said increasing the locations connected by direct flights is expected to provide help in realizing the enormous potential of inbound tourism from China and increase Israel’s exposure as a desirable tourist destination.
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JERUSALEM POST - July 25, 2017
China’s Hainan Airlines has submitted a request to the Civil Aviation Authority to operate a route between Guangzhou in southern China and Ben-Gurion Airport, the Transportation Ministry announced on Tuesday. This would be the third route Hainan Airlines – China’s fourth-largest air carrier and its largest privately owned one – would operate to Israel. It already operates four to five direct weekly flights between Beijing and Tel Aviv, in addition to the El Al flights between those destinations. Starting in September, Hainan Airlines will also operate three weekly flights between Shanghai and Tel Aviv. Transportation and Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said increasing the locations connected by direct flights is expected to provide help in realizing the enormous potential of inbound tourism from China and increase Israel’s exposure as a desirable tourist destination.
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Egypt Becomes the Guest of Honor in the 2017 China-Arab States Expo
PRNEWSWIRE - JULY 26, 2016
YINCHUAN, China, July 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Egypt is the Guest of Honor Country at the 2017 China-Arab States Expo to be held from September 6-9, 2017 in Ningxia, China. A very high-level Egyptian official delegation with a large number of business members will participate at the Expo, according to the Expo organizer. To foster closer trade and investment cooperation, the Egyptian and Chinese sides will jointly organize a series of business promotion activities, including Egyptian national exhibition hall of 1000 square meters, investment projects and tourism promotion and B2B meetings. The Guest of Honor Country is the mechanism to encourage more active participation and one Arab country is invited to co-host each session of the China-Arab States Expo for larger exposure to develop more business between China and Arab states. So far, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan have successfully joined the Expo as the Guest of Honor Countries in previous sessions.
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YINCHUAN, China, July 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Egypt is the Guest of Honor Country at the 2017 China-Arab States Expo to be held from September 6-9, 2017 in Ningxia, China. A very high-level Egyptian official delegation with a large number of business members will participate at the Expo, according to the Expo organizer. To foster closer trade and investment cooperation, the Egyptian and Chinese sides will jointly organize a series of business promotion activities, including Egyptian national exhibition hall of 1000 square meters, investment projects and tourism promotion and B2B meetings. The Guest of Honor Country is the mechanism to encourage more active participation and one Arab country is invited to co-host each session of the China-Arab States Expo for larger exposure to develop more business between China and Arab states. So far, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan have successfully joined the Expo as the Guest of Honor Countries in previous sessions.
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Chinese envoy to Ankara: Sino-Turkish ties getting stronger
DAILY SABAH - July 1, 2017
Chinese ambassador to Ankara Yu Hongyang said that bilateral cooperation in many areas between Turkey and China is increasing rapidly. Speaking at an event in Ankara late on Thursday held for the 20th anniversary of the former British colony Hong Kong's return to China, Yu said Turkish-Chinese relations are growing, adding that Turkish-Hong Kong relations are also flourishing. "As the Chinese-Turkish relationship has developed in a comprehensive and rapid manner, the business alliance between Turkey and Hong Kong is also rapidly increasing. Turkey opened a consulate general in Hong Kong in 1974, and established close economic, commercial and human relations with Hong Kong," Yu said.
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Chinese ambassador to Ankara Yu Hongyang said that bilateral cooperation in many areas between Turkey and China is increasing rapidly. Speaking at an event in Ankara late on Thursday held for the 20th anniversary of the former British colony Hong Kong's return to China, Yu said Turkish-Chinese relations are growing, adding that Turkish-Hong Kong relations are also flourishing. "As the Chinese-Turkish relationship has developed in a comprehensive and rapid manner, the business alliance between Turkey and Hong Kong is also rapidly increasing. Turkey opened a consulate general in Hong Kong in 1974, and established close economic, commercial and human relations with Hong Kong," Yu said.
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China: The Chinese-American Researcher Jailed in Iran Is Not a Chinese Citizen
Iran sentenced a Princeton Chinese-American graduate student to 10 years in jail on spying charges
By Charlotte Gao
The Diplomat - July 18, 2017
On July 16, Iran announced that a Chinese-American graduate student from Princeton University had been sentenced to jail for 10 years on spying charges. According to Reuters, the student is a dual national (U.S. and China). On July 17, China denied the claim and emphasized that the student is not a Chinese citizen.
According to Iran’s judiciary spokesman, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejeie, the jailed American academic Xiyue Wang, 37, “has been confirmed and verified” to be “involved in the infiltration project.”
The spokesman claimed: “Before his arrest he was able to digitally archive 4,500 pages of the country’s documents while under covert surveillance, ” and added that Wang had gathered highly confidential articles for U.S. and British institutions including the U.S. State Department, Princeton University, the Harvard Kennedy School, and the British Institute of Persian Studies.
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By Charlotte Gao
The Diplomat - July 18, 2017
On July 16, Iran announced that a Chinese-American graduate student from Princeton University had been sentenced to jail for 10 years on spying charges. According to Reuters, the student is a dual national (U.S. and China). On July 17, China denied the claim and emphasized that the student is not a Chinese citizen.
According to Iran’s judiciary spokesman, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejeie, the jailed American academic Xiyue Wang, 37, “has been confirmed and verified” to be “involved in the infiltration project.”
The spokesman claimed: “Before his arrest he was able to digitally archive 4,500 pages of the country’s documents while under covert surveillance, ” and added that Wang had gathered highly confidential articles for U.S. and British institutions including the U.S. State Department, Princeton University, the Harvard Kennedy School, and the British Institute of Persian Studies.
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$1.5b China Loan for Iranian Rail Projec
Financial Tribune - Wednesday, July 26, 2017
China signed a contract with Iran to finance the electrification of a 926-km railroad from Tehran to the eastern city of Mashhad in Khorasan Razavi Province with a $1.5 billion loan. As per the agreement signed between the two sides in Tehran on Tuesday, the guarantee for the loan, which is to be granted by Exim Bank of China, will be provided by Iran’s Bank of Industry and Mine, IRIB News reported. Ali Ashraf Afkhami, CEO of the Iranian bank, was quoted as saying by IRNA that the contract was signed after 16 months of negotiations. The electrification project will be carried out by China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation, otherwise known as CMC. A subsidiary of China General Technology Group, CMC is an international engineering contractor in transportation infrastructure, industrial facilities and power plants. In 2014, the company constructed the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railroad, together with China Railway Construction Corporation Limited and Turkish companies. Iran's deputy minister of roads and urban development, Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan, earlier said the project was worth €2.2 billion ($2.56 billion) and that two-thirds of the cost would be financed by the Chinese government at a very low interest rate.
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China signed a contract with Iran to finance the electrification of a 926-km railroad from Tehran to the eastern city of Mashhad in Khorasan Razavi Province with a $1.5 billion loan. As per the agreement signed between the two sides in Tehran on Tuesday, the guarantee for the loan, which is to be granted by Exim Bank of China, will be provided by Iran’s Bank of Industry and Mine, IRIB News reported. Ali Ashraf Afkhami, CEO of the Iranian bank, was quoted as saying by IRNA that the contract was signed after 16 months of negotiations. The electrification project will be carried out by China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation, otherwise known as CMC. A subsidiary of China General Technology Group, CMC is an international engineering contractor in transportation infrastructure, industrial facilities and power plants. In 2014, the company constructed the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railroad, together with China Railway Construction Corporation Limited and Turkish companies. Iran's deputy minister of roads and urban development, Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan, earlier said the project was worth €2.2 billion ($2.56 billion) and that two-thirds of the cost would be financed by the Chinese government at a very low interest rate.
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Monday, July 24, 2017
China becomes largest investor in Arab region
By Dong Feng
Global Times - 2017/7/23
China reportedly become the largest investor in the Arab region in 2016, with investment worth 199.63 billion yuan ($29.5 billion), representing 31.9 percent of market share, surpassing the US and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 2016, Arab countries attracted $30.8 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in total, the Xinhua News Agency reported on July 19, citing a report by the Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corp. China was followed by the UAE at 102.86 billion yuan or 16.4 percent, and the US at 47.37 billion yuan. "The growth was driven by the Belt and Road (B&R) initiative, considering the region is a crucial junction along the B&R route," Chen Fengying, a research fellow at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told Global Times on Sunday. The Middle East region is eyeing economic transformation through industrial cooperation, an area in which China can make its own contribution, Chen said. For example, China and Egypt are preparing to establish a Special Economic Zone Development in Egypt to drive the development of the Arab country's trade and economy, she said. "In terms of economic structure, China and Arab countries are highly complementary, which provides great potential for trade," Wang Jun, an expert at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, told the Global Times on Sunday, noting that China excels in industry and light industry and the Middle East region has abundant oil and gas. Under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, China will export labor and technologies to Arab countries and will also strengthen educational and people-to-people exchanges, Wang said. Currently, Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE have already set up branches in the region, which are expected to increase investment in the future, Wang explained.
Global Times - 2017/7/23
China reportedly become the largest investor in the Arab region in 2016, with investment worth 199.63 billion yuan ($29.5 billion), representing 31.9 percent of market share, surpassing the US and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 2016, Arab countries attracted $30.8 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in total, the Xinhua News Agency reported on July 19, citing a report by the Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corp. China was followed by the UAE at 102.86 billion yuan or 16.4 percent, and the US at 47.37 billion yuan. "The growth was driven by the Belt and Road (B&R) initiative, considering the region is a crucial junction along the B&R route," Chen Fengying, a research fellow at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told Global Times on Sunday. The Middle East region is eyeing economic transformation through industrial cooperation, an area in which China can make its own contribution, Chen said. For example, China and Egypt are preparing to establish a Special Economic Zone Development in Egypt to drive the development of the Arab country's trade and economy, she said. "In terms of economic structure, China and Arab countries are highly complementary, which provides great potential for trade," Wang Jun, an expert at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, told the Global Times on Sunday, noting that China excels in industry and light industry and the Middle East region has abundant oil and gas. Under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, China will export labor and technologies to Arab countries and will also strengthen educational and people-to-people exchanges, Wang said. Currently, Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE have already set up branches in the region, which are expected to increase investment in the future, Wang explained.
China seeks to proactively interfere with Middle East conflicts
THE DONG-A ILBO - July. 24, 2017
A passive country in intervening in Middle East issues by citing the principle of non-interference in foreign countries’ internal politics, China is now raising voice over various conflicts and moving to proactively arbitrate conflicts. Analysts say that the move is aimed at seamless implementation of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s external economic strategy "Belt and Road" and reflects Beijing’s commitment not to lose ground in its strategic competition with the U.S. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi invited and met with United Arab Emirates foreign minister Sultan Al Jaber in Beijing on Wednesday last week, and Qatar foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Friday when he said, “The Qatari situation should be resolved by the Gulf Cooperation Council without assistance from foreign forces.” “China has deep relations with both countries,” Li Guo-fu, director of the Center for Middle East Studies under the China Institute of International Studies, said, while calling both sides and effectively urging them to smoothly resolve the crisis.
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A passive country in intervening in Middle East issues by citing the principle of non-interference in foreign countries’ internal politics, China is now raising voice over various conflicts and moving to proactively arbitrate conflicts. Analysts say that the move is aimed at seamless implementation of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s external economic strategy "Belt and Road" and reflects Beijing’s commitment not to lose ground in its strategic competition with the U.S. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi invited and met with United Arab Emirates foreign minister Sultan Al Jaber in Beijing on Wednesday last week, and Qatar foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Friday when he said, “The Qatari situation should be resolved by the Gulf Cooperation Council without assistance from foreign forces.” “China has deep relations with both countries,” Li Guo-fu, director of the Center for Middle East Studies under the China Institute of International Studies, said, while calling both sides and effectively urging them to smoothly resolve the crisis.
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Abbas: China can make contribution to peace process
Ahead of visit to China, PA chairman praises President Xi's proposal for peace with Israel.
Elad Benari
ARITZ SHEVA - 17/07/17
Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who will visit China this week, told the Xinhua news agency in an interview on Sunday that he believes China could make a positive contribution to help achieve peace and stability in the Middle East and to promote the development of the political process in the region.
Abbas said that during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he will place an emphasis on the four-point proposal put forward by Xi in May 2013 for a solution to the conflict with Israel.
The Chinese proposal focused on an independent Palestinian state, negotiations as the only way to peace, the principle of "land for peace", and on guarantees the international community should provide for the progress of the peace process.
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Elad Benari
ARITZ SHEVA - 17/07/17
Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who will visit China this week, told the Xinhua news agency in an interview on Sunday that he believes China could make a positive contribution to help achieve peace and stability in the Middle East and to promote the development of the political process in the region.
Abbas said that during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he will place an emphasis on the four-point proposal put forward by Xi in May 2013 for a solution to the conflict with Israel.
The Chinese proposal focused on an independent Palestinian state, negotiations as the only way to peace, the principle of "land for peace", and on guarantees the international community should provide for the progress of the peace process.
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Interview: Abbas says Palestine to discuss cooperation with China on Belt & Road Initiative
Xinhua| 2017-07-16
RAMALLAH, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said Palestine will discuss with China ways to carry out cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The president made the remarks during an interview with Xinhua here ahead of his state visit to China, which is slated for July 17-20. It will be Abbas's fourth visit to China. He said Palestine thinks highly of the theme of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The forum, held in Beijing in May, took the theme of strengthening international cooperation and co-building the Belt and Road for win-win development, he added. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Abbas said Palestine believes that it is important to deepen its relationship with China, which is of special historic significance. As a major country in the world, China plays an important role on the world and regional stage, Abbas said, adding that China could make positive contribution to helping achieve peace and stability in the Middle East and promoting the development of the political process in the region. Abbas said he will give emphasis to the four-point proposal put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in May 2013 for the settlement of the Palestinian issue, as well as the proposals regarding Palestine that Xi raised in his address at the Arab League's headquarters in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, in January 2016. Abbas hopes to exchange views with Chinese leaders on the Middle East during his upcoming visit to China, and to negotiate over anti-terrorism and anti-violence measures. Palestine supports China's peaceful reunification, Abbas said. The Palestinian president stressed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should be resolved through peace talks, and a permanent peace deal should be reached. Palestine insists on building an independent state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Abbas said.
RAMALLAH, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said Palestine will discuss with China ways to carry out cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The president made the remarks during an interview with Xinhua here ahead of his state visit to China, which is slated for July 17-20. It will be Abbas's fourth visit to China. He said Palestine thinks highly of the theme of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The forum, held in Beijing in May, took the theme of strengthening international cooperation and co-building the Belt and Road for win-win development, he added. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Abbas said Palestine believes that it is important to deepen its relationship with China, which is of special historic significance. As a major country in the world, China plays an important role on the world and regional stage, Abbas said, adding that China could make positive contribution to helping achieve peace and stability in the Middle East and promoting the development of the political process in the region. Abbas said he will give emphasis to the four-point proposal put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in May 2013 for the settlement of the Palestinian issue, as well as the proposals regarding Palestine that Xi raised in his address at the Arab League's headquarters in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, in January 2016. Abbas hopes to exchange views with Chinese leaders on the Middle East during his upcoming visit to China, and to negotiate over anti-terrorism and anti-violence measures. Palestine supports China's peaceful reunification, Abbas said. The Palestinian president stressed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should be resolved through peace talks, and a permanent peace deal should be reached. Palestine insists on building an independent state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Abbas said.
China says it will host Israeli-Palestinian ‘peace symposium’
During meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, Xi Jinping says. Chinese will work ‘ceaselessly’ to end decades old conflict
By AFP July 18, 2017
BEIJING — China will host a symposium between Israel and the Palestinians later this year, a Chinese official said Tuesday, as Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to “ceaselessly” contribute towards peace in the region. Despite depending on the volatile Middle East for oil supplies, Beijing has long taken a backseat in its disputes. But China has stepped up its diplomatic engagement in the region in the past year, including offering to host talks on the Syrian conflict. In a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday, Xi reaffirmed China’s support of a two-state solution, with an independent, sovereign Palestinian state, bounded by the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
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By AFP July 18, 2017
BEIJING — China will host a symposium between Israel and the Palestinians later this year, a Chinese official said Tuesday, as Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to “ceaselessly” contribute towards peace in the region. Despite depending on the volatile Middle East for oil supplies, Beijing has long taken a backseat in its disputes. But China has stepped up its diplomatic engagement in the region in the past year, including offering to host talks on the Syrian conflict. In a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday, Xi reaffirmed China’s support of a two-state solution, with an independent, sovereign Palestinian state, bounded by the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
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China is increasingly becoming key for Israel's high-tech industry
Israel has laid out the welcoming mat to Chinese companies and investors who may face more troublesome regulations and scrutiny elsewhere. The first IPO (initial public offering) of an Israeli high-tech company on a Chinese stock exchange, Hong Kong, is expected within the year.
Ferry Biedermann; special to CNBC.com Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017
China's investors and markets are becoming increasingly important to Israel's economy, and in particular to its booming high-tech industry.
The first IPO (initial public offering) of an Israeli high-tech company on a Chinese stock exchange, Hong Kong, is expected within the year and Chinese investments in Israeli high-tech venture capital approached $1 billion in 2016, industry experts say.
"The Chinese stock exchange market will become another very viable option for Israeli companies looking for public funding," if the first IPO goes off successfully, Eli Tidhar of Deloitte Israel, told CNBC.
Tidhar heads what Deloitte calls its "Israel-China corridor". Israel has laid out the welcoming mat to Chinese companies and investors who may face more troublesome regulations and scrutiny elsewhere.
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Ferry Biedermann; special to CNBC.com Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017
China's investors and markets are becoming increasingly important to Israel's economy, and in particular to its booming high-tech industry.
The first IPO (initial public offering) of an Israeli high-tech company on a Chinese stock exchange, Hong Kong, is expected within the year and Chinese investments in Israeli high-tech venture capital approached $1 billion in 2016, industry experts say.
"The Chinese stock exchange market will become another very viable option for Israeli companies looking for public funding," if the first IPO goes off successfully, Eli Tidhar of Deloitte Israel, told CNBC.
Tidhar heads what Deloitte calls its "Israel-China corridor". Israel has laid out the welcoming mat to Chinese companies and investors who may face more troublesome regulations and scrutiny elsewhere.
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China calls for unity of all Syrians
BRICS POST - July 23, 2017
China is calling for a united Syria and is encouraging parties to the six-year conflict to work hard together toward a peaceful resolution. Chinese Special Envoy for Syria Xie Xiaoyan reiterated his country’s position during his visit to Tehran where he met with Iranian officials. He added that it was Beijing’s unwavering position that Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity be maintained. China has long urged that all parties in Syria must effectively implement Security Council resolutions and that the international community should work simultaneously on the tracks of ceasefire, political negotiation, humanitarian assistance and counter-terrorism cooperation in order to promote the peaceful resolution of the civil war which has killed in excess of 400,000 people, according to UN estimates. Xie was in Tehran from July 20 and left early on Sunday in a trip that stressed bilateral Chinese-Iranian ties and examined means to resolve regional crises. “Iran is an important country in the Middle East which has a significant and unique influence on the Syrian issue,” he said. He told reporters in Tehran that China had provided about $100.5 million of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people.
China is calling for a united Syria and is encouraging parties to the six-year conflict to work hard together toward a peaceful resolution. Chinese Special Envoy for Syria Xie Xiaoyan reiterated his country’s position during his visit to Tehran where he met with Iranian officials. He added that it was Beijing’s unwavering position that Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity be maintained. China has long urged that all parties in Syria must effectively implement Security Council resolutions and that the international community should work simultaneously on the tracks of ceasefire, political negotiation, humanitarian assistance and counter-terrorism cooperation in order to promote the peaceful resolution of the civil war which has killed in excess of 400,000 people, according to UN estimates. Xie was in Tehran from July 20 and left early on Sunday in a trip that stressed bilateral Chinese-Iranian ties and examined means to resolve regional crises. “Iran is an important country in the Middle East which has a significant and unique influence on the Syrian issue,” he said. He told reporters in Tehran that China had provided about $100.5 million of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people.
Iran Gov’t Seeking Solution for Petrochem Issue With China
FINANCIAL TRIBUNE - July 22, 2017
The government is keen to help remove trade barriers between private-sector Iranian petrochemical exporters and Chinese buyers, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said. Domestic producers in recent months have faced difficulty cashing in on their petrochemical sales to China which, according to Zanganeh, is an economic and not a political issue. The minister also told IRNA on Friday that the government is looking to liaise with Chinese officials to streamline the payments. "The issue should be addressed by the private Iranian companies. But the government has stepped in to address the problem associated with delayed payments to petrochemical companies," Zanganeh said. “It’s not clear [when financial barriers would be removed],” he added, noting that the issue requires the collaboration of Chinese authorities.
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The government is keen to help remove trade barriers between private-sector Iranian petrochemical exporters and Chinese buyers, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said. Domestic producers in recent months have faced difficulty cashing in on their petrochemical sales to China which, according to Zanganeh, is an economic and not a political issue. The minister also told IRNA on Friday that the government is looking to liaise with Chinese officials to streamline the payments. "The issue should be addressed by the private Iranian companies. But the government has stepped in to address the problem associated with delayed payments to petrochemical companies," Zanganeh said. “It’s not clear [when financial barriers would be removed],” he added, noting that the issue requires the collaboration of Chinese authorities.
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Iranian, Chinese Diplomats Discuss Syrian Crisis
TASNIM NEWS - July, 24, 2017
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The director general of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's office for the Middle East and North Africa, Mohammad Irani, held talks with China’s special envoy to Syria Xie Xiaoyan on a range of issues, including the latest efforts to resolve the protracted crisis in Syria. In the meeting held in Tehran on Sunday, Xiaoyan reiterated Beijing’s support for the independence and national sovereignty of Syria and said his country is resolved to combat terrorism and extremism across the world. He further hailed the growing relations between China, Iran, and Syria and said his country is ready to boost cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The Iranian diplomat, for his part, pointed to the common stance of Iran and China on the Syrian developments and stressed the need for closer Tehran-Beijing cooperation to help end the crisis in Syria and contribute to the Arab country’s reconstruction. Syria’s warring sides have so far attended five rounds of peace talks brokered by Iran, Russia, and Turkey in the Kazakh capital of Astana. The fourth round of those talks in May produced a memorandum of understanding on de-escalation zones in Syria, sharply reducing fighting in the country.
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TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The director general of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's office for the Middle East and North Africa, Mohammad Irani, held talks with China’s special envoy to Syria Xie Xiaoyan on a range of issues, including the latest efforts to resolve the protracted crisis in Syria. In the meeting held in Tehran on Sunday, Xiaoyan reiterated Beijing’s support for the independence and national sovereignty of Syria and said his country is resolved to combat terrorism and extremism across the world. He further hailed the growing relations between China, Iran, and Syria and said his country is ready to boost cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The Iranian diplomat, for his part, pointed to the common stance of Iran and China on the Syrian developments and stressed the need for closer Tehran-Beijing cooperation to help end the crisis in Syria and contribute to the Arab country’s reconstruction. Syria’s warring sides have so far attended five rounds of peace talks brokered by Iran, Russia, and Turkey in the Kazakh capital of Astana. The fourth round of those talks in May produced a memorandum of understanding on de-escalation zones in Syria, sharply reducing fighting in the country.
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As Turkey and NATO Drift Apart, Russia, China, and Iran Stand to Gain
by Marc C. Johnson
NATIONAL REVIEW - July 19, 2017
In Ankara, Recep Erdogan could position himself as a leader willing to stand up to Western powers. On paper at least, NATO is looking pretty healthy. From Tallinn on the Baltic to Dubrovnik on the Adriatic, Churchill’s Iron Curtain has more or less ascended from Eastern Europe, in no small part owing to the NATO expansion process begun after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. But if policymakers have confidence about the political stability and martial resolve of the former Warsaw Pact states, they are also disquieted by developments on NATO’s southern flank. Turkey, long a bulwark against Soviet (later Russian) adventurism, has started to look wobbly. Most of the concern within NATO’s leadership and in the halls of its member states’ parliaments can be traced back to one man: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014 and since then its president.
READ MORE....
NATIONAL REVIEW - July 19, 2017
In Ankara, Recep Erdogan could position himself as a leader willing to stand up to Western powers. On paper at least, NATO is looking pretty healthy. From Tallinn on the Baltic to Dubrovnik on the Adriatic, Churchill’s Iron Curtain has more or less ascended from Eastern Europe, in no small part owing to the NATO expansion process begun after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. But if policymakers have confidence about the political stability and martial resolve of the former Warsaw Pact states, they are also disquieted by developments on NATO’s southern flank. Turkey, long a bulwark against Soviet (later Russian) adventurism, has started to look wobbly. Most of the concern within NATO’s leadership and in the halls of its member states’ parliaments can be traced back to one man: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014 and since then its president.
READ MORE....
China to build Africa's tallest skyscraper in Morocco
By Xie Zhenqi
CGTN - 2017-07-23
A Chinese firm has signed a deal with local companies to build Africa's tallest skyscraper in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. The deal was struck in Casablanca by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and Morocco's BMCE Bank of Africa and Travaux Generaux de Construction de Casablanca, Morocco's leading construction company, the le360.ma news site reported. The 55-story tower will be 250 meters tall and use ecological and sustainable design concepts. It will house offices, hotels and luxury apartments, according to the report. The tower will be the highlight of a large-scale project to develop the Bouregreg Valley in Rabat, a key component of the 2014-2018 Integrated Development Program dubbed "Rabat, City of Light, Moroccan Cultural Capital." The new project also involves the construction of several innovative facilities, including the Grand Theater of Rabat, the Arts and Culture House, the National Archives of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Archaeological Museum.
READ MORE....
CGTN - 2017-07-23
READ MORE....
Wang Yi Meets with Foreign Minister of Qatar: Talk about Gulf Crisis Again
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China - 2017/07/20
On July 20, 2017, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani of Qatar, who was in China for a working visit, and listened to the views of Qatar on the current Gulf crisis and further expounded China's propositions. Wang Yi expressed that the current tense situation in Gulf region causes widespread concerns in the international community. A stable and harmonious Gulf region conforms to the fundamental interests of countries in this region, and is also the common expectation of the international community. As a mature regional organization, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has successfully solved many contradictions and differences. It is believed that the Gulf countries have the capabilities to well manage the current situation and address their differences and contradictions within the GCC framework. At present, all sides should exercise restraint, avoid further deterioration and escalation of the situation, and conduct face-to-face talks as soon as possible, so as to send out a positive signal of sticking to political and diplomatic settlement, and recover confidence of the outside world in the GCC. Wang Yi said that opposing all forms of terrorism is a broad consensus of the international community. All Gulf parties can, on the basis of jointly fighting against terrorism and in the principle of mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, earnestly fulfill respective international obligations, and find a way to resolve the crisis through candid talks in a step-by-step manner, in a bid to reach new consensus of solidarity and harmony among the GCC member states. Wang Yi stated that China appreciates and supports Kuwait's mediation efforts, and calls on the international community to help create necessary conditions and build a sound environment to resolve this crisis at the regional level. As a sincere friend of Arab countries, China stands ready to play a constructive role in promoting peace talks when needed by all parties. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said that Qatar highly appreciates and fully endorses China's stance and propositions. Qatar hopes to resolve crises through negotiation and dialogue, and stands ready to launch constructive talks with the parties concerned on the premise of respecting sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs and complying with international law, and gradually establish mutual trust, so as to address differences fundamentally. Qatar opposes all forms of terrorism and extremism, and has taken necessary measures to this end. Qatar will continue actively participating in international counter-terrorism campaign. China is a great power with considerable influence. Appreciating China's objective and fair stance on the Gulf crisis, Qatar is ready to maintain communication and coordination with China, and hopes China to continuously play a positive role. Both sides also exchanged views on bilateral relations, and agreed to enhance practical cooperation in various fields under the framework of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and adopt more measures on facilitating personnel exchanges.
China ready to play constructive role in Qatar peace talks
BRICS POST - July 21, 2017
China is a “sincere friend of Arab countries” and stands ready to play a constructive role in promoting peace talks if necessary, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting Qatari foreign minister on Thursday. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Beijing, calling on all parties to address their differences within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “All sides should continue restraint and conduct face-to-face talks as soon as possible, so as to avoid escalation of the situation, send out a positive signal in addressing the crisis through political and diplomatic means, and reassure the role of the GCC,” Wang said. Calling the GCC “a mature regional organization which has successfully solved many disputes,” Wang expressed confidence that the Gulf countries have the capability to manage the current situation and address their differences within the GCC.
READ MORE....
China is a “sincere friend of Arab countries” and stands ready to play a constructive role in promoting peace talks if necessary, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting Qatari foreign minister on Thursday. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Beijing, calling on all parties to address their differences within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “All sides should continue restraint and conduct face-to-face talks as soon as possible, so as to avoid escalation of the situation, send out a positive signal in addressing the crisis through political and diplomatic means, and reassure the role of the GCC,” Wang said. Calling the GCC “a mature regional organization which has successfully solved many disputes,” Wang expressed confidence that the Gulf countries have the capability to manage the current situation and address their differences within the GCC.
READ MORE....
MOSQUES IN SHANGHAI - PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
1.
Huxi Mosque
The Shanghai Huxi Mosque is the first
rebuilt mosque in Shanghai after the establishment of the Peoples' Republic of
China. It demonstrates a strong Arabic/Islamic architectural style with
traditional grounds and interior.
Address: China, Shanghai Shi, Putuo Qu, 常德路1328弄3号
Phone: +86 21 6277 2076
Metro Line - 7
2. Fuyou Road Mosque (North Mosque)
The Fuyou Road Mosque was first built
during the ninth year of Tongzhi during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The
mosque was once the political, religious, and cultural center for Muslims in
the area.
Address: 378 Fuyou Rd, Huangpu Qu, China,
200000
Phone: +86 21 6328 2135
3. The Xiaotaoyuan Mosque
Formerly known as Islamic Western Mosque or
Shanghai Western Mosque, is a mosque in Huangpu District, Shanghai, China. It
is the largest mosque in Shanghai. It was first built in 1917 and then rebuilt
in 1925. The mosque has been home to many Islamic schools throughout its
existence and has contributed to the religious education of many Chinese
Muslims throughout history.
Address: 52 Xiaotaoyuan St, LaoXiMen,
Huangpu Qu, Shanghai Shi, China
Phone: +86 21 6377 5442
Metro Line –
4. Shanghai Female Mosque
Address: No. 24, Xiaotaoyuan Street,
Huangpu District, Shanghai Tel: 021-63775442
5. The Songjiang Mosque
Songjiang University Town – Old City – (formerly
called the Real Religion Mosque, is a mosque in Songjiang District, Shanghai,
China. It is the oldest mosque in Shanghai. You can see a mixture of Islamic
and Chinese architecture due to the history and culture it has stood a part of
since the last years of the Yuan Empire (1271-1368).
Address: 75 Gangbeng Alley, Songjiang Qu,
Shanghai Shi, China, 201600
Phone: +86 21 5782 3684
Metro Line - 9
6. The Jiangwan Mosque
It is a mosque in Yangpu District,
Shanghai, China
Address: 86 Zhengfu Rd, WuJiaoChang, Yangpu
Qu, Shanghai Shi, China, 200433
Phone: +86 21 3381 2066
Metro Line - 10
7.
Shanghai
Pudong Mosque (上海浦东清真寺)
The Shanghai Pudong Mosque was first built in
1935, and the now rebuilt temple was expanded in 1935 by the Chinese
government. The newly built mosque now covers an area of 1,650 square
meters. Attractions: Located in Pudong
District, this mosque offers easy access for tourists. Inside visitors can find
shops selling Islamic study materials and even Halal food items. The temple
boasts a spacious courtyard and prayer hall, which can hold about 500 people
during prayer. Location: 375 Yuansheng
Road, Pudong District, Shanghai (上海市浦东新区源深路375号). You can show this address
to the taxi driver. You can also reach this mosque through the 975 bus line.
The nearest metro station is Yuan Shen Road Station on Line 6.
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Why Does China Have Women-only Mosques?
Michael Wood
WORLD RELIGION NEWS - 28 Jun 2017
Traveling, writing, and filming for the last 35 years between the Mediterranean and the Yellow Sea, I have often had occasion to reflect on how frequently the Muslim world is misunderstood, in its beliefs, but also in its customs and practices.
It’s amazing, isn’t it, how often an expert claims to talk about Islam as if it were monolithic? Sometimes you might even think the Wahhabis spoke for the majority, when actually they are a minority in a vast sea of faith with myriad points of view.
The Islamic world is wide and various, its points of view almost as numerous as its people. And Islam in China, with its long tradition of women-only mosques, provides a good illustration. In the middle of the plain of the Yellow River in Henan province is the city of Kaifeng. The old capital of the Song Dynasty, 1,000 years ago, it was one of the greatest cities anywhere in the world before the 19th Century – and a meeting place of peoples and faiths. In the narrow alleys of the old town are Buddhist and Daoist temples, a shrine to the Goddess of Mercy, always teeming with people. There are Christian churches, and Muslim mosques – both religions came in the 7th Century (China has some of the oldest Muslim communities outside the Near East). Most fascinating though, are the women-only mosques, and even more surprising is that they have female prayer leaders – women imams. During the Ming Dynasty in the late 1300s, the Muslim community – previously favored guests – suddenly became an anxious and oppressed minority. Responding to the shock of the alien Mongol occupation, the early Ming rulers waged a chauvinistic war against non-Han peoples. Minorities now aroused hostility and suspicion and were subject to a brutal policy of assimilation – the Muslims were told they must marry Han people and not among themselves. So the 15th Century was almost catastrophic for Chinese Islam. But in the late 16th Century things improved and among the Muslims a new cultural movement began, a revival of Islamic culture and education. A century later Chinese Muslim philosophers were able to write erudite books showing how you could be a loyal Muslim and also loyal to the Chinese state. And at this point, at the grassroots, men realized how important women could be in preserving and transmitting the faith. So women’s mosques grew out of a double movement in the Chinese Muslim world – the need to preserve the community, and the desire for women’s education. The main women’s mosque in Kaifeng is close to the central men’s mosque, across an alley lined with food stalls with steaming tureens and white-capped bakers making the local spiced bread. The prayer leader here is Guo Jingfang, who was trained by her father, an imam at the men’s mosque. She took me through Kaifeng’s winding alleys, stopping on the way to hold animated chats with neighbors and to pick up an order from the local cake maker, until finally we came to the ornamental gate of what looked like a little Confucian temple. Inside was a tiny flagged courtyard with a tiled roof festooned with vines and yellow flowers. This is Wangjia Alley mosque, said to be the oldest surviving women’s mosque in Kaifeng, built in 1820. The prayer hall is scarcely more than a spacious living room covered with carpets and chairs. It could hardly fit more than 50 people but it is one of the loveliest places of worship I have seen anywhere. Outside, in dappled sunlight, we met members of the community and their prayer leader. Once a factory worker, she came from a religious family and after five years of study had become an ahong – a woman prayer leader – though she sees her main job simply as teaching women to read the Koran. We stood in the courtyard and chatted away. Guo Jingfang saw women’s mosques as a Chinese tradition but especially strong in Henan – there are 16 in Kaifeng and dozens more in the countryside around, along with small teaching schools in the big city, Zhengzhou, and in some smaller towns. Further afield, there are many more down south in Yunnan and in the north, but not in Muslim Xinjiang, where they follow a more traditional Central Asian brand of Sunni Islam. Guo Jingfang and her friends in Kaifeng think that the schools came first, and then became full mosques in the 18th Century. Education still has a big role today, from basic teaching to copying texts. “In some places in the Muslim world it is not allowed, but here we think it a good thing. Women have had a better status here since 1949 and this is part of it.” One of the women mentioned the progressive ideas of the Islamic Association of Kaifeng, which gets men and women to work together on new education projects. “China is changing and these are good things for the future,” she said. Later, in the main women’s mosque, everyone joined in the prayers, and the men in our crew were invited too, visitors from afar. There were 30 or so women, young and old, in colored and embroidered headscarves, lime-green, scarlet, black spangled with silver stars. After a period of calm reflection, Guo Jingfang lifted her hands and began singing. Then facing the congregation, she started the prayers. It was beautiful and simple, the sounds of the street receding so you could almost hear a pin drop. I felt privileged to be there. The Muslim community has had its ups and downs in China. Today, as in the Ming Dynasty, they are anxious to demonstrate their loyalty, as rumors come of dissent in the far west in Xinjiang – keen to point out that the old Muslims, the Hui, are loyal Chinese, just as the Han are. But what began as a response to the patriarchy of traditional Chinese society, and to the historical situation of Islam under the Ming and the Manchus, has now also become a feminist issue. China was isolated for much of the 20th Century, so these women-only mosques were untouched by the waves of radical Islam which came after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Now the wheel is turning again and what is seen as completely normal here in Kaifeng is being taken up in other parts of the world. Iran accepted women’s mosques not so long ago. There are women’s mosques in Berlin and Amsterdam, in Lebanon and Bukhara and even in Sudan. An African-American woman recently led prayers in the USA’s first-ever women’s mosque in Los Angeles. In the UK, the Bradford Muslim Women’s Council only recently announced a plan to build the UK’s first women’s mosque. To many Muslims I have spoken to, men and women, the movement is an inevitable necessary and renewing phase in the history of Islam… And if the goal is the renewal of spiritual life then the gorgeous little mosque in Wangjia Alley carries a lesson for us all. On my travels over the years – to the Sufis in Konya (Turkey) or Sind (Pakistan), shrines like Nizamuddin in Delhi, Chishti in Ajmer (Rajasthan), or Ibn al-Arabi in Damascus, the timeless calm of Al-Azhar (Cairo), the passion of Karbala (Iraq) – I have always been struck by how full of rich difference the world of Islam is. And among those unforgettable experiences the women’s mosques in Kaifeng will have a very special place.
WORLD RELIGION NEWS - 28 Jun 2017
Traveling, writing, and filming for the last 35 years between the Mediterranean and the Yellow Sea, I have often had occasion to reflect on how frequently the Muslim world is misunderstood, in its beliefs, but also in its customs and practices.
It’s amazing, isn’t it, how often an expert claims to talk about Islam as if it were monolithic? Sometimes you might even think the Wahhabis spoke for the majority, when actually they are a minority in a vast sea of faith with myriad points of view.
The Islamic world is wide and various, its points of view almost as numerous as its people. And Islam in China, with its long tradition of women-only mosques, provides a good illustration. In the middle of the plain of the Yellow River in Henan province is the city of Kaifeng. The old capital of the Song Dynasty, 1,000 years ago, it was one of the greatest cities anywhere in the world before the 19th Century – and a meeting place of peoples and faiths. In the narrow alleys of the old town are Buddhist and Daoist temples, a shrine to the Goddess of Mercy, always teeming with people. There are Christian churches, and Muslim mosques – both religions came in the 7th Century (China has some of the oldest Muslim communities outside the Near East). Most fascinating though, are the women-only mosques, and even more surprising is that they have female prayer leaders – women imams. During the Ming Dynasty in the late 1300s, the Muslim community – previously favored guests – suddenly became an anxious and oppressed minority. Responding to the shock of the alien Mongol occupation, the early Ming rulers waged a chauvinistic war against non-Han peoples. Minorities now aroused hostility and suspicion and were subject to a brutal policy of assimilation – the Muslims were told they must marry Han people and not among themselves. So the 15th Century was almost catastrophic for Chinese Islam. But in the late 16th Century things improved and among the Muslims a new cultural movement began, a revival of Islamic culture and education. A century later Chinese Muslim philosophers were able to write erudite books showing how you could be a loyal Muslim and also loyal to the Chinese state. And at this point, at the grassroots, men realized how important women could be in preserving and transmitting the faith. So women’s mosques grew out of a double movement in the Chinese Muslim world – the need to preserve the community, and the desire for women’s education. The main women’s mosque in Kaifeng is close to the central men’s mosque, across an alley lined with food stalls with steaming tureens and white-capped bakers making the local spiced bread. The prayer leader here is Guo Jingfang, who was trained by her father, an imam at the men’s mosque. She took me through Kaifeng’s winding alleys, stopping on the way to hold animated chats with neighbors and to pick up an order from the local cake maker, until finally we came to the ornamental gate of what looked like a little Confucian temple. Inside was a tiny flagged courtyard with a tiled roof festooned with vines and yellow flowers. This is Wangjia Alley mosque, said to be the oldest surviving women’s mosque in Kaifeng, built in 1820. The prayer hall is scarcely more than a spacious living room covered with carpets and chairs. It could hardly fit more than 50 people but it is one of the loveliest places of worship I have seen anywhere. Outside, in dappled sunlight, we met members of the community and their prayer leader. Once a factory worker, she came from a religious family and after five years of study had become an ahong – a woman prayer leader – though she sees her main job simply as teaching women to read the Koran. We stood in the courtyard and chatted away. Guo Jingfang saw women’s mosques as a Chinese tradition but especially strong in Henan – there are 16 in Kaifeng and dozens more in the countryside around, along with small teaching schools in the big city, Zhengzhou, and in some smaller towns. Further afield, there are many more down south in Yunnan and in the north, but not in Muslim Xinjiang, where they follow a more traditional Central Asian brand of Sunni Islam. Guo Jingfang and her friends in Kaifeng think that the schools came first, and then became full mosques in the 18th Century. Education still has a big role today, from basic teaching to copying texts. “In some places in the Muslim world it is not allowed, but here we think it a good thing. Women have had a better status here since 1949 and this is part of it.” One of the women mentioned the progressive ideas of the Islamic Association of Kaifeng, which gets men and women to work together on new education projects. “China is changing and these are good things for the future,” she said. Later, in the main women’s mosque, everyone joined in the prayers, and the men in our crew were invited too, visitors from afar. There were 30 or so women, young and old, in colored and embroidered headscarves, lime-green, scarlet, black spangled with silver stars. After a period of calm reflection, Guo Jingfang lifted her hands and began singing. Then facing the congregation, she started the prayers. It was beautiful and simple, the sounds of the street receding so you could almost hear a pin drop. I felt privileged to be there. The Muslim community has had its ups and downs in China. Today, as in the Ming Dynasty, they are anxious to demonstrate their loyalty, as rumors come of dissent in the far west in Xinjiang – keen to point out that the old Muslims, the Hui, are loyal Chinese, just as the Han are. But what began as a response to the patriarchy of traditional Chinese society, and to the historical situation of Islam under the Ming and the Manchus, has now also become a feminist issue. China was isolated for much of the 20th Century, so these women-only mosques were untouched by the waves of radical Islam which came after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Now the wheel is turning again and what is seen as completely normal here in Kaifeng is being taken up in other parts of the world. Iran accepted women’s mosques not so long ago. There are women’s mosques in Berlin and Amsterdam, in Lebanon and Bukhara and even in Sudan. An African-American woman recently led prayers in the USA’s first-ever women’s mosque in Los Angeles. In the UK, the Bradford Muslim Women’s Council only recently announced a plan to build the UK’s first women’s mosque. To many Muslims I have spoken to, men and women, the movement is an inevitable necessary and renewing phase in the history of Islam… And if the goal is the renewal of spiritual life then the gorgeous little mosque in Wangjia Alley carries a lesson for us all. On my travels over the years – to the Sufis in Konya (Turkey) or Sind (Pakistan), shrines like Nizamuddin in Delhi, Chishti in Ajmer (Rajasthan), or Ibn al-Arabi in Damascus, the timeless calm of Al-Azhar (Cairo), the passion of Karbala (Iraq) – I have always been struck by how full of rich difference the world of Islam is. And among those unforgettable experiences the women’s mosques in Kaifeng will have a very special place.
Traveling, writing, and
filming for the last 35 years between the Mediterranean and the Yellow
Sea, I have often had occasion to reflect on how frequently the Muslim
world is misunderstood, in its beliefs, but also in its customs and
practices.
Read more at World Religion News: "Why Does China Have Women-only Mosques?" http://www.worldreligionnews.com/?p=38705
Read more at World Religion News: "Why Does China Have Women-only Mosques?" http://www.worldreligionnews.com/?p=38705
Is There a Match for Tech Between China and Israel?
KNOWLEDGE@WHARTON - Jun 20, 2017
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Catherine Leung is a principal and co-founder of MizMaa Ventures, a Hong Kong-based investment firm that focuses exclusively on Israeli technologies. Leung formerly was vice chairman of JPMorgan Asia investment banking for 20 years until 2015, where she spearheaded efforts in Greater China. During her tenure, JPMorgan was named the best foreign investment bank in Hong Kong at various times by The Asset magazine and also FinanceAsia. She has been involved in many high-profile IPOs, mergers, acquisitions and other transactions. In this Knowledge@Wharton interview, Leung shares her views on technology, innovation and the opportunities for collaboration with Israel’s tech industry.
An edited transcript of the conversation follows.
Knowledge@Wharton: Israel is well-known for its tech prowess and rich start-up culture. Hong Kong, meanwhile, is one of the world’s largest financial centers, and so it seems like the two would be a great match just on the face of it. In fact, the name of your company, MizMaa, is a combination of two Hebrew words that mean East and West. Why did you make the change from investment banking and why the focus on Israel today?
Catherine Leung: You only have so long of a working life, I would say. People can say, I want to stop [working] at 50, people can say I want to stop at 60, some people don’t stop at 70, it depends on what your perspectives are, but there is going to be a limit to the work life. And I think that having done 20 years of investment banking gives me plenty of perspective, plenty of experience and plenty of scars and celebrations and victories. Where the world is now, the most interesting thing I think is actually tech.
READ MORE....
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Catherine Leung is a principal and co-founder of MizMaa Ventures, a Hong Kong-based investment firm that focuses exclusively on Israeli technologies. Leung formerly was vice chairman of JPMorgan Asia investment banking for 20 years until 2015, where she spearheaded efforts in Greater China. During her tenure, JPMorgan was named the best foreign investment bank in Hong Kong at various times by The Asset magazine and also FinanceAsia. She has been involved in many high-profile IPOs, mergers, acquisitions and other transactions. In this Knowledge@Wharton interview, Leung shares her views on technology, innovation and the opportunities for collaboration with Israel’s tech industry.
An edited transcript of the conversation follows.
Knowledge@Wharton: Israel is well-known for its tech prowess and rich start-up culture. Hong Kong, meanwhile, is one of the world’s largest financial centers, and so it seems like the two would be a great match just on the face of it. In fact, the name of your company, MizMaa, is a combination of two Hebrew words that mean East and West. Why did you make the change from investment banking and why the focus on Israel today?
Catherine Leung: You only have so long of a working life, I would say. People can say, I want to stop [working] at 50, people can say I want to stop at 60, some people don’t stop at 70, it depends on what your perspectives are, but there is going to be a limit to the work life. And I think that having done 20 years of investment banking gives me plenty of perspective, plenty of experience and plenty of scars and celebrations and victories. Where the world is now, the most interesting thing I think is actually tech.
READ MORE....
FOCUS: Is Iran the new China for steel billet?
Juan Weik
META BULLETIN - July 05, 2017
Iranian steel billet has been quietly gaining market acceptance in Southeast Asia because of its low prices, just as it happened with China-origin product a few years ago, but can it dominate the region?
META BULLETIN - July 05, 2017
Iranian steel billet has been quietly gaining market acceptance in Southeast Asia because of its low prices, just as it happened with China-origin product a few years ago, but can it dominate the region?
In the past several months, transactions involving Iranian
billet had been concluded on and off in Southeast Asia
– the world’s largest import region for
the semi-finished steel product – at $10-15 per tonne
below prices of cargoes of other origin. Until recently,
Thailand was the only country that regularly imported billet
from Iran in this part of the world. But the low prices of
cargoes from the Middle Eastern country have piqued the
interest of buyers in places such as Malaysia and Indonesia.
"It’s just too cheap to ignore," one buyer source
in Southeast Asia told Metal Bulletin. This is strikingly
similar to the story of Chinese billet, which first attracted
the attention of a handful of importers in the Philippines
around the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014 before spreading
to the entire region, displacing shipments from South Korea,
Russia and other countries in the process. Loopholes The
similarities between Chinese...
READ MORE....
READ MORE....
FOCUS: Is Iran the new China for steel billet? – Part 2
Juan Weik
META BULLETIN - July 05, 2017 In this second segment of a two-part feature, Metal Bulletin
looks at the implications of two cargoes of Iranian steel that
encountered roadblocks into Southeast Asia, and what may lie ahead.
Shifting trends The fact that more Iranian cargoes are
making their way to Southeast Asia shows that Iranian
steelmakers have jumped on to the export bandwagon ever since
the Middle Eastern country opened up to international trade
early last year. The country shipped 5.53 million tonnes of
steel products abroad during the Iranian year ended March 20,
of which 3.74 million tonnes consisted of semi-finished
products. It aims to increase its steel exports to 8 million
tonnes in the current Iranian year, which ends on March 21,
2018. Meanwhile, China’s steel exports have been
sliding on a year-on-year basis since the end of 2016 because
of plans to cut capacity being pushed forward by the
country’s central government and, more recently, a
crackdown on mills that produce substandard steel. In
January-May this year, China exported 34.19 million tonnes of
finished steel – a steep fall of 26.1% from 46.28
million tonnes over the same period...
READ MORE.....
READ MORE.....
Modern Silk Road project to set ground for stronger Turkey, China political ties
MEHMET ÇELIK
SABAH DAILY NEWS - JUNE 24, 2017
The One Belt, One Road project which will significantly contribute to Sino-Turkish economic and trade ties, is also expected to set foundations for enhancing diplomatic ties between Beijing and Ankara, analysts suggest
As part of Turkey's new approach to foreign policy after the April 16 referendum and a series of official visits abroad, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the Chinese capital of Beijing to attend the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) forum, an initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. Turkey's active support for the project, which aims to increase the connectivity of trade routes between Asia and the European continent through 65 countries, will also enhance Sino-Turkish political relations and mutual cooperation in social and cultural areas, analysts suggest.READ MORE.....
Chinese academic: Xinjiang claims untrue, President Erdoğan knows real situation
Ali Unal
Chinese Academic
Manyuan Dong, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies,
said claims about the mistreatment of minorities in Xinjiang are not true, and
that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan knows about the environment, rights and
freedom issues in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region better than anyone and
therefore, Turkish journalists can ask him directly about the real situation.
The Chinese
Embassy in Ankara organized a conference titled "The Situation of Ethnic
Groups and Religions in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China" on June
20 with the participation of academics and experts from China. Speaking at the
conference, Chinese Academic Manyuan Dong said that most of the news that
circulates in Turkish media outlets about Xinjiang claiming that members of the
Uyghur minority are forced to change their names or forced to break their fast
do not reflect the truth. "Xinjiang is a place where various ethnic and
religious groups have lived in harmony throughout history and all the
minorities and religious groups have had the right to practice their religion
freely since the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region was established in
1955." He added that "Turkish President Recep Tayyyip Erdoğan who has
been to Xinjiang twice knows the environment in Xinjiang better than anyone,
thus Turkish journalists can also ask him questions about freedom of religion
in China directly, if they find our statements unsatisfactory."
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