Sunday, December 31, 2017

2nd World Congress on Marxism to be held in Beijing - Peking University May 5 - 6, 2018 - China


THE SECOND WORLD CONGRESS ON MARXISM
Peking University May 5 - 6, 2018. The 2018 - China

The World Congress on Marxism is organized every three years by Peking University in China in collaboration with the school of Marxism in Peking. In 2015, more than 200 scholars from all over the world attended the First World Congress on Marxism and most of them construed it as an important event for Marxist studies and radical philosophy.
The Second World Congress will be held in Beijing, China, May 5 - 6, 2018. The 2018 Congress is held on the bicentenary of the birth of Karl Marx and the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, and it invites discussions on the nature, roles, and responsibilities of Marxist philosophy, socialist studies in the 21st Century, Chinese experience and path and Chinese Marxism.
This World Congress on Marxism represents a real step forward in international understanding in the circle of Marxist and radical philosophy. It is a chance for philosophers from all over the world simply to talk and listen to one another. We invite you to walk around the most beautiful campus of China, listen to the lectures, participate in the debates, enjoy the cultural activities, and share your experiences with others. Welcome to Beijing!


2nd World Congress on Marxism to be held in Beijing  
Xinhua| 2017-10-22 

Thursday, December 28, 2017

In a First for an Israeli University, Technion Opens a China Campus

Tech Nation| Incubator developing technology for elderly opens in Be’er Sheva ■ MyThings startup asks court for stay of proceedings ■ Anodot raises $23 million for data analysis based on artificial intelligence

Lior Dattel, Ruti Levy and Eliran Rubin

HAREETZ - Dec 21, 2017  

In a first for an Israeli university, Technion opens a China campus  The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology became the first Israeli university with a campus in China after the Guangdong Technion Israel Institute of Technology formally opened its doors Monday in Shantou, a city in Guangdong province. A partnership with the Li Ka Shing Foundation and the Guangdong and Shantou governments, the Guangdong Technion Israel Institute of Technology will offer undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering and science. “China offers the Technion a broad platform to realize its academic excellence. We in turn must learn from the Technion and Israel what innovative thinking is,” said GTIIT Chancellor Li Jiange.

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China and the Middle East (WEEK -4): Readings, Newspaper articles, and Documentaries

Dear all, 

For the next week, (Week 4) you should read the following articles before the class:

  • Keskin Tugrul and Christian Braun. When a Sleeping Giant Wakes – A Neoclassical Realist Analysis of China’s Expanding Ties in the Middle East. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 1-26. (ATTACHED)
  • Lillian Craig Harris. China's Relations with the PLO. Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Autumn, 1977), pp. 123-154.
  • Chaoling Feng. Embracing Interdependence: The Dynamics of China and the Middle East. Brookings Doha Center. Policy Briefing April 2015.
  • Stig Stenslie. China debates its future role in the Middle East. Noref expert Analysis – May 2014.

DOCUMENTARY:
  • Can Iraq hold together? - Amatzia Baram
  • Amatzia Baram on the possibility for an end to the Syrian civil war 
  • The scenario for the battle of Mosul, as seen by Dr. Amatzia Baram

This week, we will have FOUR presentations on Wednesday. YOU SHOULD PREPARE POWER POINTS and EMAIL IT TO ME A DAY BEFORE THE CLASS.
This week, two students will have presentations: 

FRANCISCO SUAZO DEBERNARDI
  • 4 The struggle against imperialism and revisionism 
ABDURRAHIM SAGIR
  • 5 The struggle against social imperialism 145
  • Conclusion 189
DAVID PEREZ
  • Keskin Tugrul and Christian Braun. When a Sleeping Giant Wakes – A Neoclassical Realist Analysis of China’s Expanding Ties in the Middle East. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 1-26. 
  • Lillian Craig Harris. China's Relations with the PLO. Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Autumn, 1977), pp. 123-154.
MARTIN ROZENGARDT
  • Chaoling Feng. Embracing Interdependence: The Dynamics of China and the Middle East. Brookings Doha Center. Policy Briefing April 2015.
  • Stig Stenslie. China debates its future role in the Middle East. Noref expert Analysis – May 2014.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE PRESENTATION: Please bring RECENT newspaper articles. Articles SHOULD BE related with China and SAUDI ARABIA. Other subjects will not be accepted. PLEASE VERY BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE YOUR ARTICLE IN THE CLASS!
I need a print copy (First page) of your article, and please include your full name on it.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.  

HAPPY, PEACEFUL AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Best to all, 

Tugrul Keskin

Saturday, December 23, 2017

In Yerevan, Armenian and Foreign scholars had speeches during special course “Rethinking China’s Foreign Policy”


On December 15-20, 2017, Yerevan hosted a special course “Rethinking China’s Foreign Policy”, organized by the “”China-Eurasia Council” for Political and Strategic Research” , with the support of the  Armenian National Defense Research University.
Foreign prominent specialists in the field of Chinese studies, Dai Yulong (PhD Candidate, Nanjing University), Raisa Epikhina (PhD Candidate, Moscow State University), Dr. Matthew Crosston (Professor, Vice chairman of moderndiplomacy.eu, USA), Dr. Tughrul Keskin (Professor, Shanghai University) delivered lectures during the Special Course.
From the Armenian side, Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan (Deputy Head of the National Defense Research University), Nairi Hokhikyan (Journalist, Head of Diplomat.am), Karen Veranyan (Head of the “Noravank” Foundation’s Political Research Center), Anahit Parzyan (Expert, “Digital Armenia” foundation. PhD Candidate, Nanjing University), Dr. Vardan Atoyan (ASUE, Vice President, “Amberd” Research Center), Dr. Mher Sahakyan (Head of the “China-Eurasia” Council for Political and Strategic Research” Foundation, Research fellow, NDRU, MoD, IPSA member) presented their researches.

Where is America Going in the South China Sea?

By Hal Brands andf Zack Cooper

DEFENSE ONE - December 21, 2017 

The new National Security Strategy talks tough — but here are the options the United States actually has, and the pros and cons of each.  The Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy is remarkably critical of China, warning that its “efforts to build and militarize outposts in the South China Sea endanger the free flow of trade, threaten the sovereignty of other nations, and undermine regional stability.” Yet even as U.S. leaders have championed a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” they have yet to explain how this approach will apply to and be implemented in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, the situation there has reached a critical stage as Chinese advances accumulate, America’s room for maneuver diminishes, and observers throughout the region wonder whether the United States is up to the challenge.
As we discuss at greater length in a recent article in the Naval War College Review, America’s standing in the Indo-Pacific largely depends on its ability to uphold existing rules of the road. In particular, the United States and its allies and partners have championed “freedom of navigation and overflight, respect for international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.” Thus, from a geopolitical standpoint, the struggle over the South China Sea is not about rocks and shoals, but about who sets the geopolitical framework for the region, and whether states in Southeast Asia and the greater Indo-Pacific region will align with the United States or China.

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Is China Finally Overtaking the United States?


Weekly Course Schedule: China and The Middle East - Shanghai University



WEEK 1

·       Overview of the syllabus

Yitzhak Shichor. The Middle East in China's Foreign Policy, 1949-1977
·       Introduction 1
·       1 China's encounter with the Middle East 9

Documentaries:
China looks to bolster its Middle East reach - Inside Story
Rising superpower: Why are Middle Eastern leaders coming to China? CGTN

WEEK 2

Yitzhak Shichor. The Middle East in China's Foreign Policy, 1949-1977
·       2 Sino-Arab peaceful co-existence 37
·       3 The struggle against imperialism 70

Documentaries:
·       Jerusalem Studio: China's interests in the Middle East
·       China's Role in the Middle East: Pan Guang

WEEK 3
QUIZ – 1

Yitzhak Shichor. The Middle East in China's Foreign Policy, 1949-1977
·       4 The struggle against imperialism and revisionism 106
·       5 The struggle against social imperialism 145
·       Conclusion 189

Michael Beckley. China's Century? Why America's Edge Will Endure - MIT. International Security, Vol. 36, No. 3 (Winter 2011/12), pp. 41–78. http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ISEC_a_00066

Documentaries:
·       Western Approaches: Responses to China from the Middle East and Central Asia.
·       Roberts: USA vs China in the Middle East

WEEK 4

CHINA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
·       Keskin Tugrul and Christian Braun. When a Sleeping Giant Wakes – A Neoclassical Realist Analysis of China’s Expanding Ties in the Middle East. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 1-26.
·       Lillian Craig Harris. China's Relations with the PLO. Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Autumn, 1977), pp. 123-154.
·       Chaoling Feng. Embracing Interdependence: The Dynamics of China and the Middle East. Brookings Doha Center. Policy Briefing April 2015.
·       Stig Stenslie. China debates its future role in the Middle East. Noref expert Analysis – May 2014.

Documentaries:
·       Talk to Al Jazeera - Zhang Weiwei: The China Wave https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvhBUowHLiU
·       China and the Middle East: Rising Power and a Region in Turmoil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4TYVoYXvwI
·       The Heat discusses China-Middle East relations - CGTN


WEEK 5

ISRAEL
·       Mohammed Turki al-Sudairi. Israel-Sino Relations through the Prism of Advocacy Groups. Number 8: November 2013.
·       YORAM EVRON. Israel’s Response to China’s Rise A Dependent State’s Dilemma. Asian Survey, Vol. 56, Number 2, pp. 392–414. ISSN 0004-4687, electronic ISSN 1533-838X. © 2016.
·       Yiyi Chen. China’s Relationship with Israel, Opportunities and Challenges: Perspectives from China. Israel Studies, volume 17 number 3.
·       Aron Shai. China and Israel Relations and Future Prospects. ASPJ Africa & Francophonie - 2nd Quarter 2014.
·       Yoram Evron. China’s diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East: the quest for a great-power role in the region. International Relations 2017, Vol. 31(2) 125–144.

Analytical Paper: In the first part of this assignment, you will select a topic related with China and the Middle East. You will write a proposal/abstract (at least 500 words) for your research, describing the contents of your paper and sources (books, articles and newspaper articles – this should include at least 10 different sources) and will send it to me by email on Sunday, the 5th week of the course. You need to email me your analytical paper and it should be in MS Word Document. In this step of your assignment, you need to demonstrate a clear focus (time and geography – very specific) and a CLEAR RESEARCH QUESTION!

Documentaries:
·       Israeli PM Netanyahu meets Pres. Xi on 25th anniversary of China-Israel ties - CGTN

WEEK 6

QUIZ – 2

TURKEY
·       Political Conflict to Economic Cooperation: Sino-Turkish Relations in the Context of New Era Michael McCall and Tugrul Keskin
·       Sino-Turkish Strategic Economic Relationship in New Era by Zhiqiang Zou.
·       “Turkey Dream” and the China-Turkish Cooperation under “One Belt and One Road” Initiative by ZAN Tao

Documentaries:
Turkey and China: Partners against terror? - CCTV  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMQLTKLpXtE
Exclusive interview with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – CGTN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k90KRQ1d6og

WEEK 7

IRAN
·       John W. Garver. China and Iran: An Emerging Partnership Post- Sanctions. MEI Policy Focus 2016-3.
·       Mohiaddin Mesbahi and Mohammad Homayounvash. China and the International Non-Proliferation Regime: The Case of Iran. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 73-92
·       China and Iran: Economic, political, and Military relations
Scott Harold and Alireza Nader. RAND, 2012.

Documentaries:
·       The Debate - Iran-China ties – Press TV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCdDUqPny5c
·       Discussion: China-Iran ties – CGTN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9eRx8Z0pFE

WEEK 8

QUIZ – 3

ARAB WORLD
·       Degang Sun & Yahia H. Zoubir. China's Economic Diplomacy towards the Arab Countries: challenges ahead? Journal of Contemporary China, 2015 Vol. 24, No. 95, 903–921,
·       YAO Kuangyi1. China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in the Last Decade. Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (in Asia) Vol. 8, No. 4, 2014.
·       Guy Burton. Explaining Beijing’s Shift from Active to Passive Engagement in Relation to the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 93-112.
·       China in the Eyes of the Saudi Media Mohammed Turki Al-Sudairi Gulf Research Center GULF PAPERS February 2013.
·       Degang Sun a & Yahia Zoubir. China's Response to the Revolts in the Arab World: A Case of Pragmatic Diplomacy. Mediterranean Politics, 2013.

Muhamad S. Olimat. China and North Africa since World War II: A Bilateral Approach
·       Chapter Three: China and Egypt
·       Chapter Two: China and Algeria

Documentaries:
·       Egypt: Made in China - Al Jazeera World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEZg3puVNcg

WEEK 9

GCC
·       China in Middle East: Shifting Role and Interests By PAN Guang.
·       Sean Foley. Seek Knowledge Even If It Takes You to China (Via Washington) Saudi Arabia and China in the Twenty-First Century. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 166-188.
·       Geoffrey F. Gresh. The Gulf Looks East Sino-Arab Relations in an Age of Instability. Sociology of Islam 4 (2016) 149-165
·       Manochehr Dorraj and James English. The Dragon Nests: China’s Energy Engagement of the Middle East. CHINA REPORT 49: 1 (2013): 43–67

Documentaries:
·       IISS - Mahmood Abdulla: The Past, Present, and Future for GCC Investment in China https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6P6o9jnrl8
IISS - A New Era of GCC Geo-Economic Opportunity with China and India
WEEK 10

QUIZ – 4

NORTH AFRICA
Muhamad S. Olimat. China and North Africa since World War II: A Bilateral Approach
·       Chapter One: China and North Africa: An Overview
·       Chapter Four: China and Libya
·       Chapter Six: China and Morocco
·       Chapter Ten: China and Tunisia
·       Chapter Eleven: Prospectus and Conclusions

Documentaries:
·       Roundtable: China-Africa relations - who benefits? TRT World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6LnZs9x-Kc
·       How is Africa positioned in China’s global strategy? CTGN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeypBc94Un8