Chinese media lights up after a Hong Kong weekly says IS aims to expand into Xinjiang.
BY Alexa Olesen
Foreign Policy - AUGUST 11, 2014
They've been grabbing headlines nearly everywhere else, but the jihadis of northern Iraq haven't been getting much play in China. But a threat by the Islamic State (IS) of revenge against countries, including China, for seizing what IS calls "Muslim rights" appears to have changed all that. The comments were made in early July, but the news didn't jump the language barrier from Arabic into Mandarin until August 8, when Phoenix Weekly, a Hong Kong-based newsmagazine widely distributed in China, made the IS revenge threats against China its cover story. Since then, the article has been widely syndicated on Chinese news websites and gained traction on social media as well. Ordinary Chinese who may have felt distant from the carnage now feel it creeping closer to home. The glossy cover of the Phoenix issue features a picture of masked gun-toting jihadis advancing through a desert landscape. The piece inside sounds the alarm over a July 4 speech in Mosul, Iraq by IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi where he urged Muslims around the world to pledge their allegiance to him. It quotes Al-Baghdadi saying that "Muslim rights are forcibly seized in China, India, Palestine" and more than a dozen other countries and regions. "Your brothers all over the world are waiting for your rescue, and are anticipating your brigades," al-Baghdadi told his followers. Phoenix noted that China was mentioned first on al-Baghdadi's list. (The article also includes a map that some news reports have said shows the vast territory IS plans to occupy in the next five years, which appears to include a significant portion of Xinjiang. Although the authenticity of the map, which was widely shared on English-language social media sites in early July, has been questioned, the Phoenix piece reports it as fact.)
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Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Thursday, August 7, 2014
China Raises Five-Point Peace Proposal on Settling Israel-Palestine Conflict
Ministry of Foreign of the People's Republic of China - Affairs 2014/08/04
On August 3 local time, Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced China's five-point peace proposal on settling the Israel-Palestine conflict when he jointly met the press with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry of Egypt after they held talks. Wang Yi said that China is a firm supporter and sincere mediator for peace between Israel and Palestine. To stop fighting at an early date and push forward the resumption of peace talks, China raises a five-point peace proposal on settling the Israel-Palestine conflict: First, both Israel and Palestine, on the basis of maintaining peoples' safety and regional peace, should immediately and completely cease fire. Air strikes, ground military operations, rocket projectile launch and others must be stopped. Any behavior of abusing forces that cause civilian casualties is unacceptable. Any actions of countering violence with violence must be abandoned. Second, China supports the ceasefire initiatives proposed by Egypt and other countries. Both Israel and Palestine should give up pursuing the unilateral appeal by force, and should find out a plan for common security through responsible negotiations and build a necessary guarantee mechanism for it. During the process, Israel should lift its blockade of Gaza and release Palestinian detainees. Meanwhile, the legitimate security concerns of Israel should also be taken seriously.
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Tuesday, August 5, 2014
4th Global International Studies Conference - 6 – 9 August 2014 Goethe University (Frankfurt am Main, Germany)
4th Global International Studies Conference - 6 – 9 August 2014 Goethe University (Frankfurt am Main, Germany)
WA02: China in Global Politics
Time: Wednesday, 06/Aug/2014: 2:00pm - 3:45pm
Session Chair: Monika Krukowska, Warsaw School of Economics
Discussant: Jeffrey Henderson, University of Bristol
PRESENTATIONS:
Does Chinese Engagement In Africa Boost Continent’s Integration?
Chinese Soft Power in Africa. The Changing Status of PRC in the Continent.
China's Foreign Policy: Increasing bargaining Power by decreasing commitment in North Korea-China Relationship
WA02: China in Global Politics
Time: Wednesday, 06/Aug/2014: 2:00pm - 3:45pm
Session Chair: Monika Krukowska, Warsaw School of Economics
Discussant: Jeffrey Henderson, University of Bristol
PRESENTATIONS:
Sociological Analysis of Chinese Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Chinese Characteristics of Neoliberalism and Foreign Policy
Portland State University, United States of America; tugrulkeskin (at) pdx.edu
China’s involvement in the Middle East is hardly a new
phenomenon. It can rather be traced back to the 9th century and the
time of the Silk Road. Before the start of the new millennium, China’s interest
in the Middle East was limited. The beginning of the 21st century,
however, has seen an unprecedented extension of Chinese influence in the Middle
East. Starting with the adoption of the “going out” strategy in 2001, China has
dramatically increased its footprint in the region. Focusing on foreign
investments, construction projects, and the development of natural resources,
China has become a major player in the Middle East. Its influence today goes
beyond economics, also incorporating diplomacy and soft power. The Chinese approach of
focusing on commerce and keeping a low profile constitutes a remarkable
contrast to the dominant foreign power in the region, the United States. Unlike
U.S. policies, China’s foreign policy rejects the interference in domestic
affairs of other states and the projection of military force. As a consequence,
considering the various U.S. military entanglements in the region, an increased
Chinese role in the Middle East is welcomed by most of the region’s
governments. It is fair to argue that China’s profile and influence in the
region is increasing at the same time that U.S. influence is in decline.This paper examines the
growing role of China as a soft power in the Middle East following Deng
Xiaoping’s policies to liberalize the Chinese economy in 1978. As a result of
the neoliberal trend in China, more than 350 million new members of the middle
class emerged; by 2020, this number will increase to 500 million according to
the World Bank. The emergence of a large middle class in China created
additional energy and security needs for the Chinese Neoliberal state and society.
Therefore, in this paper, we will examine how the political economy has shaped
and restructured Chinese’s Foreign Policy in the Middle East. Unlike Chinese
Foreign Policy in Africa, the Middle East is considered a backyard of the
American empire; therefore, the Chinese have moved quietly and gradually into
the Middle Eastern market to obtain a greater share of oil and energy
resources, unlike more aggressive strategy in Africa. In this paper, we will review this gradual
change of Chinese foreign policy in the Middle East based on their needs for
additional energy resources for the emerging middle class in China.
Does Chinese Engagement In Africa Boost Continent’s Integration?
1University of Warsaw, Poland; 2Xiamen University, China; ewelinalubieniecka (at) gmail.com
The purpose of this paper is to review the possible benefits and
challenges of Chinese engagement in Africa in terms of the continent’s
integration. Benefits of integration of Africa seems to be obvious: it would result
in higher credibility, coordination of trade (and other) policies,
higher possibility of conflict prevention and increased investment
(thanks to lower distortions and bigger markets which would enable
economics of scale), so therefore to increased global competitiveness. Taking into consideration that there are 15 landlocked countries in
Africa, further integration (within RECs, NEPAD and African Union)
should be considered as important for providing e.g., energy and water
supply security for continent. China is already contributing to regional
integration through the development of infrastructure. Nevertheless Sino-African relations have another institutional
framework: Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Does this multiplicity of
organizations with overlapping memberships contribute to the practical
achievements of regional integration or the opposite? Does Chinese
engagement encourage African countries to speak with one voice in order
to be stronger during negotiations? Chinese model of cooperation
described by Joshua Ramo as ‘Beijing consensus’ differs from Western
model, referred as Washington consensus. Does Beijing consensus provide
better opportunities for integration?
Chinese Soft Power in Africa. The Changing Status of PRC in the Continent.
Warsaw School of Economics, Poland; monika_krukowska (at) wp.pl
Regardless the world financial crisis, African countries keep the fast
rate of economic development. Within the last decades the People's
Republic of China (China) has become Africa's major trade and economic
partner. China’s outstanding economic development, followed by its
growing political importance, has given Beijing new and powerful -
though less visible - instruments to exert pressure on African
countries. Soft power capabilities such as culture, education,
diplomatic power turned out to be efficient and helpful tools in
implementing Beijing’s foreign policy and economic goals. Thanks to its
growing engagement, China has turned from an insignificant partner,
uncomparable to Western democracies, to an important player with
significant outlook for the future. However China still has a long way
ahead to become a real soft power holder and make full use of its
capabilities.
China's Foreign Policy: Increasing bargaining Power by decreasing commitment in North Korea-China Relationship
Korea University, Korea, Republic of (South Korea); mwlohs (at) naver.com
U.S calls for China play a pivotal role to solve the North Korea nuclear
issue. How can China increase its bargaining power in North Korea-China
relationship? Glenn H. Snyder explains that the dependence, commitment
and interest can affect bargaining power in alliance. According to his
theory, the lesser a state commit to the alliance the greater bargaining
power it gets. During the 1st nuclear crisis, U.S and South Korea
requested China to cooperate with them for the settlement but China was
reluctant and passive to engage. As a result, the bargaining power of
China became greater in the 2nd crisis. China’s enlarged bargaining
power influenced the settlement of the 2nd nuclear crisis. China could
wield its leverage to make North Korea respond to its demand and offer.
However, its commitment led to decrease the bargaining power at nuclear
tests in 2005, 2006. From its past experience, North Korea realized that
China would not loosen its commitment. This is why China lost its part
as a host of six-party talks during U.S and North Korea came to the
‘2007 Agreement’. Therefore, being bystander can be better option for
China to maximize its bargaining power unlike U.S.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Hamas hails China's proposal on ceasefire in Gaza
Xinhua | 2014-08-04
GAZA, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement on Monday Hailed the China's proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in an emailed press statement sent to Xinhua on Monday.
It said that Hamas highly appreciates China's position and other international positions that support the Palestinian people' s rights.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged on Sunday in Cairo both Israel and the Gaza-ruling Hamas to stop the ongoing fighting, calling on Israel to lift its blockade of the restive enclave and release the Palestinians.
"China's position supports the rights of the Palestinians to live in dignity without siege and closures. Hamas wants this position to be developed until Israel meets the just humanitarian demands of the Palestinians," said Abu Zuhri.
Wang, who started his two-day visit on Saturday, raised a five- point proposal on ceasefire in Gaza, saying China is a firm supporter and sincere mediator for the peace between the Palestinians and Israel.
He stressed on China's support for the initiative of truce proposed by Egypt and other countries, urging both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides to stop pursuing their unilateral demands by using forces.
Both sides should seek programs with mutual safety through responsible negotiations and establish a necessary security mechanism, he said, adding that during this course, Israel should lift its seven-year-long blockade on the Gaza Strip and release the Palestinians. On the other hand, Israel's reasonable concerns over its security issues should also be noticed, Wang said.
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GAZA, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement on Monday Hailed the China's proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in an emailed press statement sent to Xinhua on Monday.
It said that Hamas highly appreciates China's position and other international positions that support the Palestinian people' s rights.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged on Sunday in Cairo both Israel and the Gaza-ruling Hamas to stop the ongoing fighting, calling on Israel to lift its blockade of the restive enclave and release the Palestinians.
"China's position supports the rights of the Palestinians to live in dignity without siege and closures. Hamas wants this position to be developed until Israel meets the just humanitarian demands of the Palestinians," said Abu Zuhri.
Wang, who started his two-day visit on Saturday, raised a five- point proposal on ceasefire in Gaza, saying China is a firm supporter and sincere mediator for the peace between the Palestinians and Israel.
He stressed on China's support for the initiative of truce proposed by Egypt and other countries, urging both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides to stop pursuing their unilateral demands by using forces.
Both sides should seek programs with mutual safety through responsible negotiations and establish a necessary security mechanism, he said, adding that during this course, Israel should lift its seven-year-long blockade on the Gaza Strip and release the Palestinians. On the other hand, Israel's reasonable concerns over its security issues should also be noticed, Wang said.
READ MORE....
Imam's killing in China may be aimed at making Muslim Uighurs choose sides
By Michael Martina
BEIJING
REUTERS - Fri Aug 1, 2014
The murder of a state-backed imam in China's Xinjiang region underscores an escalation in 18 months of violence and could be part of a bid by extremists to persuade moderate Muslim Uighurs to turn against Beijing's controlled current of Islam.
The targeting of Uighur officials or religious leaders has been an undercurrent of unrest for some 20 years in Xinjiang, where members of the Uighur minority are unhappy at official restrictions on their culture and religion.
Jume Tahir, the imam at China's largest mosque, Id Kah, in the Silk Road city of Kashgar, was killed on Wednesday by three suspected Islamist militants armed with knives. His predecessor narrowly survived a knife attack in the same spot in 1996.
But the attack contrasted with most recent violence aimed at the majority Han ethnic group and may be calculated to persuade Uighurs to fall in behind what China says are separatists seeking an independent state called East Turkestan.
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BEIJING
REUTERS - Fri Aug 1, 2014
The murder of a state-backed imam in China's Xinjiang region underscores an escalation in 18 months of violence and could be part of a bid by extremists to persuade moderate Muslim Uighurs to turn against Beijing's controlled current of Islam.
The targeting of Uighur officials or religious leaders has been an undercurrent of unrest for some 20 years in Xinjiang, where members of the Uighur minority are unhappy at official restrictions on their culture and religion.
Jume Tahir, the imam at China's largest mosque, Id Kah, in the Silk Road city of Kashgar, was killed on Wednesday by three suspected Islamist militants armed with knives. His predecessor narrowly survived a knife attack in the same spot in 1996.
But the attack contrasted with most recent violence aimed at the majority Han ethnic group and may be calculated to persuade Uighurs to fall in behind what China says are separatists seeking an independent state called East Turkestan.
READ MORE....
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Envoy: 21m Chinese Muslims fast in Ramadan
ARAB NEWS - July 24, 2014
An estimated 21 million Chinese Muslims fast during the holy month of Ramadan and are allowed under the country's constitution to freely practice other Islamic rituals, according to the Chinese ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Li Chengwen told Arab News here recently that these Muslims are from 10 ethnic minorities in the country.
He was speaking to congratulate Muslims here ahead of upcoming Eid Al-Fitr celebrations.
“Freedom of faith is the legitimate right of citizens and explicitly protected by the constitution and other laws in China,” Li said.
He said that he understands the importance of Ramadan for Muslims, who fast to empathize with the plight of the poor, and engage in prayers and charitable acts to increase their spirituality.
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An estimated 21 million Chinese Muslims fast during the holy month of Ramadan and are allowed under the country's constitution to freely practice other Islamic rituals, according to the Chinese ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Li Chengwen told Arab News here recently that these Muslims are from 10 ethnic minorities in the country.
He was speaking to congratulate Muslims here ahead of upcoming Eid Al-Fitr celebrations.
“Freedom of faith is the legitimate right of citizens and explicitly protected by the constitution and other laws in China,” Li said.
He said that he understands the importance of Ramadan for Muslims, who fast to empathize with the plight of the poor, and engage in prayers and charitable acts to increase their spirituality.
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China’s bad dream
By Gene Frieda
Arab News — Thursday 31 July 2014
Since his first address as China’s president last year, Xi Jinping has been espousing the so-called “Chinese Dream” of national rejuvenation and individual self-improvement. But the imperative of addressing the unprecedented amount of debt that China has accumulated in recent years is testing Xi’s resolve, and his government is blinking.
The Chinese government’s uncertain ability — or willingness — to rein in debt is apparent in its contradictory commitment to implement major structural reforms while maintaining 7.5 percent annual GDP growth. Given that China owes much of its recent growth to debt-financed investment, often in projects like infrastructure and housing, meant to support the Chinese Dream, any effort to get credit growth under control is likely to cause a hard landing. This prospect is already prompting the authorities to delay critical reforms.
To be sure, China’s debt/GDP ratio, reaching 250 percent this month, remains significantly lower than that of most developed economies. The problem is that China’s stock of private credit would normally be associated with a per capita GDP of around $25,000, almost four times the country’s current level.
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Arab News — Thursday 31 July 2014
Since his first address as China’s president last year, Xi Jinping has been espousing the so-called “Chinese Dream” of national rejuvenation and individual self-improvement. But the imperative of addressing the unprecedented amount of debt that China has accumulated in recent years is testing Xi’s resolve, and his government is blinking.
The Chinese government’s uncertain ability — or willingness — to rein in debt is apparent in its contradictory commitment to implement major structural reforms while maintaining 7.5 percent annual GDP growth. Given that China owes much of its recent growth to debt-financed investment, often in projects like infrastructure and housing, meant to support the Chinese Dream, any effort to get credit growth under control is likely to cause a hard landing. This prospect is already prompting the authorities to delay critical reforms.
To be sure, China’s debt/GDP ratio, reaching 250 percent this month, remains significantly lower than that of most developed economies. The problem is that China’s stock of private credit would normally be associated with a per capita GDP of around $25,000, almost four times the country’s current level.
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Iran condemns terrorist attack in China's Xinjiang
PRESS TV - JULY 30, 2014
Iran has condemned a terrorist attack which triggered deadly clashes between ethnic people and security forces in China’s Muslim-majority Xinjiang region.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham, said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic repudiates any act of extremism and violence.
Nearly 100 people have been reportedly killed in the clashes.
There are conflicting reports about the Wednesday incident, with Chinese authorities describing it as a “terror attack” on a police station and a township, while a Uighur group has referred to it as an uprising “to resist China’s extreme ruling policy.”
The violence took place in Shache County, or Yarkand in the Uighur language, near the edge of the Taklamakan Desert in the west of the vast region.
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Iran has condemned a terrorist attack which triggered deadly clashes between ethnic people and security forces in China’s Muslim-majority Xinjiang region.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham, said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic repudiates any act of extremism and violence.
Nearly 100 people have been reportedly killed in the clashes.
There are conflicting reports about the Wednesday incident, with Chinese authorities describing it as a “terror attack” on a police station and a township, while a Uighur group has referred to it as an uprising “to resist China’s extreme ruling policy.”
The violence took place in Shache County, or Yarkand in the Uighur language, near the edge of the Taklamakan Desert in the west of the vast region.
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China oil imports from Iran hit a record high
PRESS TV - JULY 22, 2014
Official data show that China imported 630,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude oil in the first six months of 2014.
Chinese customs data registered a 48-percent rise in comparison with
the corresponding period last year, the Wall Street Journal reported.Official data show that China imported 630,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude oil in the first six months of 2014.
According to Li Li, head of research and analytics at Shanghai-based consultancy ICIS C1 Energy, the amount is the most amount of crude China has ever imported from Iran in any first half in history. Iran represented about 10 percent of China’s crude purchases in the first half.
Maziar Hojjati, managing director of the China office of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), said he believes the partial relief in US-led sanctions against Iran has contributed to the surge.
China, which is Iran’s largest oil client, has been increasing oil purchases from the Islamic Republic in light of implementation of the 2013 interim deal between the Islamic Republic and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain – plus Germany.
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Chinese hackers obtained info on Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system
Russia Today - July 29, 2014
In a raid seeking information related to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, Chinese hackers infiltrated the databases of three Jewish defense contractors.
In addition to taking information on the Iron Dome, the attackers were also able to nab plans regarding other projects – including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, ballistic rockets, and “detailed schematics and specifications” for the Arrow III missile interceptor.
According to independent journalist Brian Krebs, the intrusion occurred between 2011 and 2012 and was carried out by China’s infamous “Comment Crew” – a group of cyber warriors linked to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
In May, the United States charged five members of this group with cyber espionage against American computer networks. The hackers reportedly infiltrated US systems in order to “steal information that would provide an economic advantage” for Chinese companies, including “Chinese state-owned enterprises.
READ MORE.....
In a raid seeking information related to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, Chinese hackers infiltrated the databases of three Jewish defense contractors.
In addition to taking information on the Iron Dome, the attackers were also able to nab plans regarding other projects – including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, ballistic rockets, and “detailed schematics and specifications” for the Arrow III missile interceptor.
According to independent journalist Brian Krebs, the intrusion occurred between 2011 and 2012 and was carried out by China’s infamous “Comment Crew” – a group of cyber warriors linked to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
In May, the United States charged five members of this group with cyber espionage against American computer networks. The hackers reportedly infiltrated US systems in order to “steal information that would provide an economic advantage” for Chinese companies, including “Chinese state-owned enterprises.
READ MORE.....
Railway project speeds up Turkey-China economic ties
Xinhua - 2014-07-28
Economic cooperation between Turkey and China has continued to grow with Chinese firms helping finish one of the signature projects of Turkish government in connecting the capital of Ankara with the country's largest city Istanbul through the high-speed railway link.
On Friday, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the first high-speed train linking Ankara and Istanbul as part of government's efforts to modernize country's transportation infrastructure.
The railway was built jointly by Chinese-Turkish consortium including Chinese firms of China Railway Construction Corporation, China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation and Turkish firms of Cengiz Construction and Ibrahim Cecen Ictas Construction.
READ MORE......
Economic cooperation between Turkey and China has continued to grow with Chinese firms helping finish one of the signature projects of Turkish government in connecting the capital of Ankara with the country's largest city Istanbul through the high-speed railway link.
On Friday, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the first high-speed train linking Ankara and Istanbul as part of government's efforts to modernize country's transportation infrastructure.
The railway was built jointly by Chinese-Turkish consortium including Chinese firms of China Railway Construction Corporation, China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation and Turkish firms of Cengiz Construction and Ibrahim Cecen Ictas Construction.
READ MORE......
China Turkey's largest source of foreign capital in Q2
Today's Zaman - July 30, 2014
Recent figures from the Ministry of Customs and Trade show that China was the largest source of foreign capital found in Turkey during the second quarter of 2014.
China purchased or entered a partnership in close to 40 marble quarries in Turkey during that period. News reports from earlier this month indicated that China has purchased more than 100 marble quarries in Turkey over the last four years, establishing their presence in the sector to such an extent that it has created discomfort among local entrepreneurs, according to a statement from West Mediterranean Exporters' Union (BAİB) President Mustafa Satıcı.
In recent years, trade between Turkey and China has increased and Chinese entrepreneurs have increasingly set their sights -- and directed their capital -- towards Turkey. Figures from the Turkish Statistics Institute (Turkstat) indicate that the trade volume between the countries increased by 45 percent between the years of 2010-2013.
READ MORE....
Recent figures from the Ministry of Customs and Trade show that China was the largest source of foreign capital found in Turkey during the second quarter of 2014.
China purchased or entered a partnership in close to 40 marble quarries in Turkey during that period. News reports from earlier this month indicated that China has purchased more than 100 marble quarries in Turkey over the last four years, establishing their presence in the sector to such an extent that it has created discomfort among local entrepreneurs, according to a statement from West Mediterranean Exporters' Union (BAİB) President Mustafa Satıcı.
In recent years, trade between Turkey and China has increased and Chinese entrepreneurs have increasingly set their sights -- and directed their capital -- towards Turkey. Figures from the Turkish Statistics Institute (Turkstat) indicate that the trade volume between the countries increased by 45 percent between the years of 2010-2013.
READ MORE....
Long distance does not weaken close friendship By Xi Jinping
Long distance does not weaken close friendship
Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
July 15, 2014
Translated by Charles McKelvey
Professor Emeritus, Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina
Section on Political Science from the South, Division of Philosophy and History, University of Havana - Havana, Cuba
Global Learning, LLC - http://www.globallearning-cuba.com
Xi Jinping was born on June 15, 1953 in Beijing, China. He became a member of the Communist Youth League in 1971 and a member of the Communist Party of China in 1974. From 1975 to 1979, he studied at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, receiving a degree in Chemical Engineering. From 1979 to 1982, he worked as secretary to the Secretary-General of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China. From 1982 to 2007, he held various positions in the party and the government in the provinces of Hebei, Fujian and Zhejiang, including governor of Fujian from 1992 to 2002 and acting governor of Zhejiang in 2002 and 2003. He was elected Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China in 2008, serving until 2013, during which time he was groomed to succeed Hu Jintao. During his service as Vice-President, he made a number of international trips, including visits to the United States, Russia, and several Latin American and Caribbean countries. He was elected General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on November 15, 2012, and he was elected President of the People’s Republic of China on March 14, 2013 by the Twelfth National People’s Congress, becoming the fifth president under the 1982 Constitution and the sixth Paramount Leader of the People’s Republic of China since the triumph of the Chinese Revolution in 1949.
In July 2014, Xi Jinping traveled to Latin America in order to participate in the VI Summit of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in the Brazilian City of Fortaleza and in a meeting with heads of state of the countries of Latin American and the Caribbean for the purpose of formally establishing the China-CELAC Forum (CELAC refers to Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; see “The Declaration of Havana 2014” 3/14/2014). The Chinese president also made official visits to Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba. On the occasion of his trip to Latin America, Xi responded to questions from journalists representing Valor Económico (Brazil), La Nación (Argentina), the Venezuelan News Agency, and the Latin American international news agency Prensa Latina (Cuba). The questions of the journalists and Xi’s responses were published in Granma, the official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba, which serves as the daily newspaper in Cuba, on July 15, 2014, under the title “Long distance does not weaken close friendship.” His responses are below, translated from Spanish into English.
For commentaries related to the China-CELAC Forum and China’s support for South-South cooperation, see “The fall & rise of South-South cooperation” 7/24/2014; “China-CELAC cooperation” 7/25/2014; “China treats Latin America with respect” 7/28/2014; “BRICS advances to South-South cooperation” 7/29/2014; and “The BRICS Bank of Development” 7/30/2014.
Note: The comments of the Chinese President are listed under subtopics that were established by the questions of the journalists.
BRICS
“Mutual political trust among the member countries of the bloc is increasing constantly.”
During the last five years, under the direction of the Summit of Leaders, a plan of cooperation covering many areas has been established. Mutual political trust among the member countries of the bloc is increasing constantly, such that fundamental cooperation with respect to the economy, finance, commerce and development are continually deepening, and communication and coordination with respect to important international issues are continually increasing.
Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
July 15, 2014
Translated by Charles McKelvey
Professor Emeritus, Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina
Section on Political Science from the South, Division of Philosophy and History, University of Havana - Havana, Cuba
Global Learning, LLC - http://www.globallearning-cuba.com
Xi Jinping was born on June 15, 1953 in Beijing, China. He became a member of the Communist Youth League in 1971 and a member of the Communist Party of China in 1974. From 1975 to 1979, he studied at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, receiving a degree in Chemical Engineering. From 1979 to 1982, he worked as secretary to the Secretary-General of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China. From 1982 to 2007, he held various positions in the party and the government in the provinces of Hebei, Fujian and Zhejiang, including governor of Fujian from 1992 to 2002 and acting governor of Zhejiang in 2002 and 2003. He was elected Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China in 2008, serving until 2013, during which time he was groomed to succeed Hu Jintao. During his service as Vice-President, he made a number of international trips, including visits to the United States, Russia, and several Latin American and Caribbean countries. He was elected General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on November 15, 2012, and he was elected President of the People’s Republic of China on March 14, 2013 by the Twelfth National People’s Congress, becoming the fifth president under the 1982 Constitution and the sixth Paramount Leader of the People’s Republic of China since the triumph of the Chinese Revolution in 1949.
In July 2014, Xi Jinping traveled to Latin America in order to participate in the VI Summit of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in the Brazilian City of Fortaleza and in a meeting with heads of state of the countries of Latin American and the Caribbean for the purpose of formally establishing the China-CELAC Forum (CELAC refers to Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; see “The Declaration of Havana 2014” 3/14/2014). The Chinese president also made official visits to Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba. On the occasion of his trip to Latin America, Xi responded to questions from journalists representing Valor Económico (Brazil), La Nación (Argentina), the Venezuelan News Agency, and the Latin American international news agency Prensa Latina (Cuba). The questions of the journalists and Xi’s responses were published in Granma, the official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba, which serves as the daily newspaper in Cuba, on July 15, 2014, under the title “Long distance does not weaken close friendship.” His responses are below, translated from Spanish into English.
For commentaries related to the China-CELAC Forum and China’s support for South-South cooperation, see “The fall & rise of South-South cooperation” 7/24/2014; “China-CELAC cooperation” 7/25/2014; “China treats Latin America with respect” 7/28/2014; “BRICS advances to South-South cooperation” 7/29/2014; and “The BRICS Bank of Development” 7/30/2014.
Note: The comments of the Chinese President are listed under subtopics that were established by the questions of the journalists.
BRICS
“Mutual political trust among the member countries of the bloc is increasing constantly.”
During the last five years, under the direction of the Summit of Leaders, a plan of cooperation covering many areas has been established. Mutual political trust among the member countries of the bloc is increasing constantly, such that fundamental cooperation with respect to the economy, finance, commerce and development are continually deepening, and communication and coordination with respect to important international issues are continually increasing.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
22 attackers shot dead in Xinjiang violence as extremists wielding axes targeted civilians
Attack on government office and police station follows series of violent incidents in restive province
South China Morning Post - Wednesday, 30 July, 2014
Twenty-two attackers were shot dead and a further 41 arrested in a terror attack in Xinjiang on Monday in which at least 10 civilians died, according to sources and a report from a local party conference.
A group of assailants, wielding knives and axes, attacked the government office and police station in Elixku township in Kashgar’s Yarkand, or Shache, county in the early hours of Monday, Xinhua reported last night. Some attacked residents in neighbouring Huangdi township.
Local sources told the South China Morning Post that a conference was held among senior Xinjiang officials last night where 10 deaths and 13 injuries to civilians were reported. Six vehicles were also torched and another 31 sabotaged in the melee. No more details were given.
Police have described the incident as an “organised and premeditated” act of terror. They are still searching for other attackers.
The attack follows a series of violent incidents in Xinjiang in recent months.
READ MORE.....
South China Morning Post - Wednesday, 30 July, 2014
Twenty-two attackers were shot dead and a further 41 arrested in a terror attack in Xinjiang on Monday in which at least 10 civilians died, according to sources and a report from a local party conference.
A group of assailants, wielding knives and axes, attacked the government office and police station in Elixku township in Kashgar’s Yarkand, or Shache, county in the early hours of Monday, Xinhua reported last night. Some attacked residents in neighbouring Huangdi township.
Local sources told the South China Morning Post that a conference was held among senior Xinjiang officials last night where 10 deaths and 13 injuries to civilians were reported. Six vehicles were also torched and another 31 sabotaged in the melee. No more details were given.
Police have described the incident as an “organised and premeditated” act of terror. They are still searching for other attackers.
The attack follows a series of violent incidents in Xinjiang in recent months.
READ MORE.....
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
A New Website: Xinjiang Review
Xinjiang has again become the pivot of China, Central
Asia, and even the world in this century in terms of political
significance and security arrangements in Central Asia. Scholars and
observers from surrounding countries and beyond have begun to invest
unprecedented efforts to illuminate the nature of historical and
contemporary events there.
However, due to various historical, linguistic,
political, and academic traditions and taboos, studies on Xinjiang are
highly fragmented and biased among ethnic and national lines. It is
well known that Uyghur scholars in China have little access, if not
freedom, to current Xinjiang discourses that have been dominated by Han
Chinese scholars. While Chinese scholars themselves, however, have
little presence and influence in English-language international academia
in the field. Dominant English scholarship on Xinjiang, on the other
hand, has often been censored and English-speaking scholars have even
been blocked from entering China (not to mention Xinjiang), as the
recent Xinjiang Project in the U.S. and many counter projects in China
indicate.
In short, academic inquiries into, and discourses on,
Xinjiang have been politicized, sentimentalized, and even
traumatized. Xinjiang Review is founded exactly in such context as a
platform for concerned Xinjiang scholars of various disciplines,
regions, and nationalities. It especially welcomes Uyghur and Han
scholars from Xinjiang and China proper to contribute insights and
exchange perspectives.501 C 《新疆评论》
Donation welcome www.xinjiangreview.com
部落格 欢迎赞助
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED @ Xinjiang Review
《新疆评论》 版权所有 联系
Contact:
xinjiangreview (at) gmail.com
Friday, July 18, 2014
China appoints special envoy for Afghanistan
BEIJING
Reuters - Fri Jul 18, 2014
China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it had appointed a special envoy for Afghanistan, underscoring Beijing's concerns that the withdrawal of NATO troops will leave a hotbed of militancy on its doorstep.
Sun Yuxi, a former ambassador to both Afghanistan and India, has been named to the new position and will have "close communication" with Afghanistan and other relevant parties, the ministry said in a statement.
"China and Afghanistan are traditional friendly neighbors. China pays great attention to developments in Afghanistan and is committed to deepening both countries' strategic partnership, and so decided to appoint a special envoy," it added.
READ MORE....
Reuters - Fri Jul 18, 2014
China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it had appointed a special envoy for Afghanistan, underscoring Beijing's concerns that the withdrawal of NATO troops will leave a hotbed of militancy on its doorstep.
Sun Yuxi, a former ambassador to both Afghanistan and India, has been named to the new position and will have "close communication" with Afghanistan and other relevant parties, the ministry said in a statement.
"China and Afghanistan are traditional friendly neighbors. China pays great attention to developments in Afghanistan and is committed to deepening both countries' strategic partnership, and so decided to appoint a special envoy," it added.
READ MORE....
Thursday, July 17, 2014
China seeking Israeli counter-terror experts
Rise in attacks by Islamist-inspired separatists has authorities searching for new defense tactics
By AFP July 10, 2014
hina is recruiting foreign experts in counter-terrorism to assist the training of anti-terror personnel, state-run media reported Thursday, following a spate of deadly attacks which authorities blame on Islamist-inspired separatists. Get the Start-Up Israel's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories Free Sign up! The People’s Public Security University of China will offer visiting professorships to top specialists in the field from countries including the United States, Israel, Pakistan and Australia, the government-run China Daily said.
“The US and Israel have accumulated rich practical experience in fighting terrorism,” Mei Jianming, director of the university’s Research Center for Counter-terrorism, told the paper. “The US is advanced in overall strategic research, and Israel is very proficient at tactical action in fighting terrorism.” China has vowed a year-long crackdown on terrorism — and last month executed 13 people — following several high-profile attacks blamed on militants from the far-western region of Xinjiang, home to the mostly Muslim Uighur minority.
READ MORE....
By AFP July 10, 2014
hina is recruiting foreign experts in counter-terrorism to assist the training of anti-terror personnel, state-run media reported Thursday, following a spate of deadly attacks which authorities blame on Islamist-inspired separatists. Get the Start-Up Israel's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories Free Sign up! The People’s Public Security University of China will offer visiting professorships to top specialists in the field from countries including the United States, Israel, Pakistan and Australia, the government-run China Daily said.
“The US and Israel have accumulated rich practical experience in fighting terrorism,” Mei Jianming, director of the university’s Research Center for Counter-terrorism, told the paper. “The US is advanced in overall strategic research, and Israel is very proficient at tactical action in fighting terrorism.” China has vowed a year-long crackdown on terrorism — and last month executed 13 people — following several high-profile attacks blamed on militants from the far-western region of Xinjiang, home to the mostly Muslim Uighur minority.
READ MORE....
Israel, China Ministers Meet, Plan Hi-Tech Collaboration
Group Established Following PM Visit to China last year, aims to advance Israeli Companies in China.
By Meir Halevi Siegel
THE JEWISH EXPRESS - July 4th, 2014
As part of ongoing efforts to advance economic ties between Israel and China, an inter-ministerial task force led by Israel’s National Economic Council along with a team from the Israeli Ministry of Economy headed by Chief Scientist Avi Hasson is meeting with Chinese counterparts from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to create opportunities for collaboration between Israeli and Chinese companies.
The Chinese delegation, headed by Mr. Ren Zhiwu – Deputy Director-General of the Hi-Tech Industry Department of the NDRC – arrived in Israel this week for the first working meeting with the Israeli group. It is the first time that the Chinese delegation has come to Israel.
READ MORE....
By Meir Halevi Siegel
THE JEWISH EXPRESS - July 4th, 2014
As part of ongoing efforts to advance economic ties between Israel and China, an inter-ministerial task force led by Israel’s National Economic Council along with a team from the Israeli Ministry of Economy headed by Chief Scientist Avi Hasson is meeting with Chinese counterparts from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to create opportunities for collaboration between Israeli and Chinese companies.
The Chinese delegation, headed by Mr. Ren Zhiwu – Deputy Director-General of the Hi-Tech Industry Department of the NDRC – arrived in Israel this week for the first working meeting with the Israeli group. It is the first time that the Chinese delegation has come to Israel.
READ MORE....
Senior military officers of China, Turkey vow to promote co-op
Xinhua - 2014-07-08
Mo Hong'e
Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Fan Changlong on Monday met with Bulent Bostanoglu, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces.
Hailing the healthy and stable development of the China-Turkey relationship since the two nations forged diplomatic ties 43 years ago, Fan said China attaches high importance to military-to-military relations with Turkey.
China is ready to further enhance defense cooperation with Turkey in various areas including exchanges between naval forces, Fan said.
He also praised Turkey's adherence to the one-China policy and support to China on counter-terrorism, expressing the hope that Turkey could continue to support China on issues concerning sovereignty and territorial integrity.
READ MORE....
Mo Hong'e
Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Fan Changlong on Monday met with Bulent Bostanoglu, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces.
Hailing the healthy and stable development of the China-Turkey relationship since the two nations forged diplomatic ties 43 years ago, Fan said China attaches high importance to military-to-military relations with Turkey.
China is ready to further enhance defense cooperation with Turkey in various areas including exchanges between naval forces, Fan said.
He also praised Turkey's adherence to the one-China policy and support to China on counter-terrorism, expressing the hope that Turkey could continue to support China on issues concerning sovereignty and territorial integrity.
READ MORE....
High-level visitors boost Israel-China business ties
Trade between Jerusalem and Beijing is important enough to both countries that government agencies are getting involved
By David Shamah
THE TIMES OF ISRAEL - July 6, 2014
Following up on recent visits to Israel by large delegations from the Chinese government and business sectors, top Israeli economic and scientific officials are meeting with their opposite numbers from Beijing. The intense activity reflects the desire of both countries to deepen their cooperation in commerce and technology.
An inter-ministerial task force led by Israel’s National Economic Council along with a team from the Israeli Ministry of Economy headed by Chief Scientist Avi Hasson is meeting with Chinese counterparts from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to develop concrete plans to build on an already successful model.
READ MORE....
By David Shamah
THE TIMES OF ISRAEL - July 6, 2014
Following up on recent visits to Israel by large delegations from the Chinese government and business sectors, top Israeli economic and scientific officials are meeting with their opposite numbers from Beijing. The intense activity reflects the desire of both countries to deepen their cooperation in commerce and technology.
An inter-ministerial task force led by Israel’s National Economic Council along with a team from the Israeli Ministry of Economy headed by Chief Scientist Avi Hasson is meeting with Chinese counterparts from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to develop concrete plans to build on an already successful model.
READ MORE....
Turkey looks to boost trade ties with US and China
The Middle East Monitor - Saturday, 28 June 2014
Turkey is looking to develop trade ties with United States and China - the world's biggest and second-biggest economies - Turkish Development minister Cevdet Yilmaz has said.
During a meeting with Turkish businessmen in the Turkish consulate in Los Angeles, US,on Friday, Yilmaz said that Turkey had dramatically increased trade ties with Africa and Turkic Republics but had not done the same with the United States and China.
"We are looking for the ways how to develop the trade ties with these two countries", Yilmaz told businessmen as he sought their support.
The White House said in a report in 2013 that "in the last four years, US-Turkish ... trade reached record levels of nearly $20 billion in 2011, with US FDI in Turkey of over $5 billion and Turkish FDI in the United States of nearly $1 billion".
READ MORE.....
Turkey is looking to develop trade ties with United States and China - the world's biggest and second-biggest economies - Turkish Development minister Cevdet Yilmaz has said.
During a meeting with Turkish businessmen in the Turkish consulate in Los Angeles, US,on Friday, Yilmaz said that Turkey had dramatically increased trade ties with Africa and Turkic Republics but had not done the same with the United States and China.
"We are looking for the ways how to develop the trade ties with these two countries", Yilmaz told businessmen as he sought their support.
The White House said in a report in 2013 that "in the last four years, US-Turkish ... trade reached record levels of nearly $20 billion in 2011, with US FDI in Turkey of over $5 billion and Turkish FDI in the United States of nearly $1 billion".
READ MORE.....
Cap on poppy seed import from Turkey, China
Importers to be allowed to bring in only 180 tonnes at a time
The Centre will
permit imports of only 50 per cent of Turkey’s poppyseed production
every year and fix a ceiling on consignments from China and the Czech
Republic. Also, the Government will allow an importer to bring in only
180 tonnes or 10 container loads of poppyseeds at a time from Turkey.
These
guidelines have been issued by the Department of Revenue on July 8
following an Allahabad High Court judgement on November 29, 2013 asking
the Narcotics Commissioner to fix a ceiling on imports and register
shipment contracts.
China and Turkey routes buoy Heathrow passenger traffic in June
Moodie Report - 11/07/14
London Heathrow Airport handled 6.6 million passengers in June, an increase of +1.1% on June 2013 and a new record for the month.
Of the key emerging markets the airport serves, traffic to and from Turkey was up +7.5%, Mexico was up +6.2%, and China increased by +5.7%.
Seats per aircraft increased +0.4% to 203.5, while load factors decreased 0.2 percentage points to 80.8%. Passengers per aircraft rose +0.2% to 164.5.
June also saw the opening of Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal, almost 60 years after the original Terminal 2 opened as the airport’s first passenger terminal in 1955.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “The increase in both cargo and passenger volumes to emerging markets, demonstrates the strategic value of Heathrow in connecting Britain’s exporters with global growth. In June we successfully opened the new Terminal 2, the latest phase of the £11 billion privately funded transformation of the airport. My ambition is to take Heathrow from being one of the best airports in Europe to one of the best in the world and to connect all of Britain to global growth, and to do it sustainably, by expanding Heathrow.”
READ MORE.....
By Dermot Davitt
London Heathrow Airport handled 6.6 million passengers in June, an increase of +1.1% on June 2013 and a new record for the month.
Of the key emerging markets the airport serves, traffic to and from Turkey was up +7.5%, Mexico was up +6.2%, and China increased by +5.7%.
Seats per aircraft increased +0.4% to 203.5, while load factors decreased 0.2 percentage points to 80.8%. Passengers per aircraft rose +0.2% to 164.5.
June also saw the opening of Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal, almost 60 years after the original Terminal 2 opened as the airport’s first passenger terminal in 1955.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “The increase in both cargo and passenger volumes to emerging markets, demonstrates the strategic value of Heathrow in connecting Britain’s exporters with global growth. In June we successfully opened the new Terminal 2, the latest phase of the £11 billion privately funded transformation of the airport. My ambition is to take Heathrow from being one of the best airports in Europe to one of the best in the world and to connect all of Britain to global growth, and to do it sustainably, by expanding Heathrow.”
READ MORE.....
Stability at home should be the basis of China's diplomacy of peaceful engagement
Hu Shuli says the country's quest for peaceful external relations must begin with a resolve to meet its own development challenges
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Chinese loans will counterbalance Russia’s influence in Kazakhstan
Micha’el Tanchum, Shalem College
East Asia Forum - 10 July 2014
On 29 May 2014, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus signed a treaty establishing the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU). One week prior, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced investment agreements worth US$10 billion. The timing of the two events reflects Nazarbayev’s determination to use Kazakhstan’s burgeoning economic relations with China to counterbalance possible Russian domination. The most telling sign of this intention was the announcement of a US$1 billion loan from China to modernise Kazakhstan’s Shymkent oil refinery.
READ MORE....
East Asia Forum - 10 July 2014
On 29 May 2014, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus signed a treaty establishing the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU). One week prior, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced investment agreements worth US$10 billion. The timing of the two events reflects Nazarbayev’s determination to use Kazakhstan’s burgeoning economic relations with China to counterbalance possible Russian domination. The most telling sign of this intention was the announcement of a US$1 billion loan from China to modernise Kazakhstan’s Shymkent oil refinery.
READ MORE....
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Sino-Jordanian agreement against Turkish security services
China’s Ministry of State Security (Guoanbu) and the
Jordanian General Intelligence Department (GID) have concluded an
exchange of information agreement on the presence of Chinese nationals
in Syria and Iraq.
The Chinese authorities strongly suspect that the Turkish national
security agency, Millî İstihbarat Teşkilatı (MIT), mobilizes Turkic
Uighurs, gives them jihad training in Syria and Iraq, and sends them
back to perpetrate attacks in China.READ MORE.....
The Uighurs
The Uighurs: External exile Follow the story of exiled Uighur Muslims of Central Asia, many of whom fled Chinese control of their land in 1949.
Al-Jazeera - 10 Jul 2014
Al Jazeera World The Uighurs: External exile Follow the story of exiled Uighur Muslims of Central Asia, many of whom fled Chinese control of their land in 1949. Last updated: 10 Jul 2014 08:22 Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker Email Article Print Article Share article Send Feedback This film, which first debuted on the Al Jazeera Documentary channel in early 2014, follows the story of the Uighur people of the former East Turkestan, occupied by China in 1949, and renamed Xinjiang province. It focuses primarily on the 30,000 or so Turkish-speaking Muslim Uighurs exiled in Istanbul. In this re-version, Al Jazeera English provides further context and background about the people and their predicament. Once the majority in Xinjiang, they still consider the region their homeland and comprise around 45 percent of the population today. In May 2014, explosives hit a crowded market in Xinjiang, and like similar previous attacks, China blamed Uighur separatists. Under political pressure, large numbers of Uighur refugees have moved into exile abroad with many living in Istanbul. Angered that their cause has received so little international attention, Uighurs want not only to maintain their rich Central Asian traditions, but also to free their homeland.
READ MORE....
Al-Jazeera - 10 Jul 2014
Al Jazeera World The Uighurs: External exile Follow the story of exiled Uighur Muslims of Central Asia, many of whom fled Chinese control of their land in 1949. Last updated: 10 Jul 2014 08:22 Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker Email Article Print Article Share article Send Feedback This film, which first debuted on the Al Jazeera Documentary channel in early 2014, follows the story of the Uighur people of the former East Turkestan, occupied by China in 1949, and renamed Xinjiang province. It focuses primarily on the 30,000 or so Turkish-speaking Muslim Uighurs exiled in Istanbul. In this re-version, Al Jazeera English provides further context and background about the people and their predicament. Once the majority in Xinjiang, they still consider the region their homeland and comprise around 45 percent of the population today. In May 2014, explosives hit a crowded market in Xinjiang, and like similar previous attacks, China blamed Uighur separatists. Under political pressure, large numbers of Uighur refugees have moved into exile abroad with many living in Istanbul. Angered that their cause has received so little international attention, Uighurs want not only to maintain their rich Central Asian traditions, but also to free their homeland.
READ MORE....
Chinese Uighurs defy Ramadan ban
The government's attempt to clamp down on religious expression has backfired among Uyghurs. Umar Farooq
Al-Jazeera - 05 Jul 2014
Kashgar, China - Chinese authorities have imposed restrictions on Uighur Muslims during the month of Ramadan, banning government employees and school children from fasting, in what rights groups say has become an annual attempt at systematically erasing the region's Islamic identity.
Chinese authorities have justified the ban on fasting by saying it is meant to protect the health of students, and restrictions on religious practices by government officials are meant to ensure the state does not support any particular faith.
Yet in Kashgar, in Xinjiang province, China's westernmost city, close to the border with Tajikstan and Kyrgyztan, Uighur Muslims say the restrictions have backfired. Not only have locals become more observant of Islamic practices, but many have found ways to flaunt Chinese laws restricting everything from who may attend the mosque, to which copies of the Quran are read.
READ MORE....
Al-Jazeera - 05 Jul 2014
Kashgar, China - Chinese authorities have imposed restrictions on Uighur Muslims during the month of Ramadan, banning government employees and school children from fasting, in what rights groups say has become an annual attempt at systematically erasing the region's Islamic identity.
Chinese authorities have justified the ban on fasting by saying it is meant to protect the health of students, and restrictions on religious practices by government officials are meant to ensure the state does not support any particular faith.
Yet in Kashgar, in Xinjiang province, China's westernmost city, close to the border with Tajikstan and Kyrgyztan, Uighur Muslims say the restrictions have backfired. Not only have locals become more observant of Islamic practices, but many have found ways to flaunt Chinese laws restricting everything from who may attend the mosque, to which copies of the Quran are read.
READ MORE....
John Kerry In Beijing: Four Good Reasons Why The Chinese View American Leaders As Empty Suits
Eamonn Fingleton
Forbes - July 9, 2014
It is hard to exaggerate the audacity with which China now kicks sand in Uncle Sam’s face. On everything from trade barriers to industrial espionage to intellectual property theft, Washington is regarded in Beijing as an empty suit. Washington never finds the courage to confront Beijing. And the result is that American economic power has been ebbing away at a rate unprecedented in Great Power history. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is currently in Beijing for an annual Sino-American summit, is unlikely to reverse the trend. Quite the contrary, he gives every impression that he has brought to Sino-U.S. relations the standard Beltway mindset. It is a mindset of fudge, compromise, and peacock-like strutting. It is a mindset that the Chinese have come to know and love. The betting is he will return from China with a panoply of Chinese assurances that both sides know are no more than empty posturing.
READ MORE.....
Forbes - July 9, 2014
It is hard to exaggerate the audacity with which China now kicks sand in Uncle Sam’s face. On everything from trade barriers to industrial espionage to intellectual property theft, Washington is regarded in Beijing as an empty suit. Washington never finds the courage to confront Beijing. And the result is that American economic power has been ebbing away at a rate unprecedented in Great Power history. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is currently in Beijing for an annual Sino-American summit, is unlikely to reverse the trend. Quite the contrary, he gives every impression that he has brought to Sino-U.S. relations the standard Beltway mindset. It is a mindset of fudge, compromise, and peacock-like strutting. It is a mindset that the Chinese have come to know and love. The betting is he will return from China with a panoply of Chinese assurances that both sides know are no more than empty posturing.
READ MORE.....
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Revisiting the Silk Road
By Xinhua Writers Gui Tao and Zhang Chongfang (Xinhua)
CHINA DAILY - June 30, 2014
BEIJING, June 29 -- In northwest China's vast sun-scorched desert, a camel train plods along the ancient Silk Road. The caravan bells sound as beautiful as they did some 2,000 years ago.
The 7,000 km road linking the Orient and Occident, was once jammed with caravans of Chinese silk, Indian spices and Persian brocade. Now the camels carry tourists from around the world.
"Those merchants must have been expecting a good price for their goods after all this hardship," said Beijing accountant Guo Ying, 25, after her bumpy camel ride.
Centuries after war and competition from sea routes brought decay, the Silk Road is rising again.
It was along the road that explorers and pioneers -- most famously the Middle Kingdom's imperial envoy Zhang Qian and the Venetian merchant and traveller Marco Polo -- introduced to their own people the other side of the world.
Both East and West are looking again at the routes that maintained stability and prosperity from China to the Mediterranean for many centuries.
READ MORE.....
CHINA DAILY - June 30, 2014
BEIJING, June 29 -- In northwest China's vast sun-scorched desert, a camel train plods along the ancient Silk Road. The caravan bells sound as beautiful as they did some 2,000 years ago.
The 7,000 km road linking the Orient and Occident, was once jammed with caravans of Chinese silk, Indian spices and Persian brocade. Now the camels carry tourists from around the world.
"Those merchants must have been expecting a good price for their goods after all this hardship," said Beijing accountant Guo Ying, 25, after her bumpy camel ride.
Centuries after war and competition from sea routes brought decay, the Silk Road is rising again.
It was along the road that explorers and pioneers -- most famously the Middle Kingdom's imperial envoy Zhang Qian and the Venetian merchant and traveller Marco Polo -- introduced to their own people the other side of the world.
Both East and West are looking again at the routes that maintained stability and prosperity from China to the Mediterranean for many centuries.
READ MORE.....
Chinese Uyghurs defy Ramadan ban
The government's attempt to clamp down on religious expression has backfired among Uyghurs.
By Umar Farooq
Al-Jazeera - 05 Jul 2014
Kashgar, China - Chinese authorities have imposed restrictions on Uyghur Muslims during the month of Ramadan, banning government employees and school children from fasting, in what rights groups say has become an annual attempt at systematically erasing the region's Islamic identity.
Chinese authorities have justified the ban on fasting by saying it is meant to protect the health of students, and restrictions on religious practices by government officials are meant to ensure the state does not support any particular faith.
Yet in Kashgar, in Xinjiang province, China's westernmost city, close to the border with Tajikstan and Kyrgyztan, Uyghur Muslims say the restrictions have backfired. Not only have locals become more observant of Islamic practices, but many have found ways to flaunt Chinese laws restricting everything from who may attend the mosque, to which copies of the Quran are read.
READ MORE.....
By Umar Farooq
Al-Jazeera - 05 Jul 2014
Kashgar, China - Chinese authorities have imposed restrictions on Uyghur Muslims during the month of Ramadan, banning government employees and school children from fasting, in what rights groups say has become an annual attempt at systematically erasing the region's Islamic identity.
Chinese authorities have justified the ban on fasting by saying it is meant to protect the health of students, and restrictions on religious practices by government officials are meant to ensure the state does not support any particular faith.
Yet in Kashgar, in Xinjiang province, China's westernmost city, close to the border with Tajikstan and Kyrgyztan, Uyghur Muslims say the restrictions have backfired. Not only have locals become more observant of Islamic practices, but many have found ways to flaunt Chinese laws restricting everything from who may attend the mosque, to which copies of the Quran are read.
READ MORE.....
Friday, July 4, 2014
A New Documentary: China Rising
A four-part series that gives a rare insight into the country on the move, with history in tow.
Al-Jazeera - 25 Jun 2014
Al-Jazeera - 25 Jun 2014
After centuries of western dominance, the world’s centre of economic and political weight is shifting eastward. In just 30 years, China has risen from long-standing poverty to being
the second largest economy in the world – faster than any other country
in history. From angry farmers to weary migrant workers, powerful politicians and
everyone in between, what China says and does has become of undeniable
importance to the entire world.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
African migrants shunned in China even more than you think
Shanghaiist - July 2, 2014
For Africans living in the Middle Kingdom, the Chinese Dream is turning into a nightmare as they face increasing legal and economic discrimination.
Equality is a concept that apparently doesn't apply to Africans living in China. While Chinese companies are helping Africa develop and 1 million Chinese migrants enjoy great economic opportunities in countries like Nigeria and Kenya, Africans that have emigrated to China tell a totally different story. Al Jazeera reports:
There are an estimated 200,000 Africans in the megacity of Guangzhou, which has the largest concentration of African migrants in Asia. Unlike Chinese contractors in Africa, these migrants often go to China without the backing of a corporation or their home country. Legally, they are not able to buy land, open a shop, seek employment or start a factory in China. In order to engage in any commercial activity, many African migrants marry a Chinese wife and register their business in her name, while those with the financial capacity can open a representative office of a Hong Kong-registered firm.
Because of these constraints, many African migrants engage in export trading: They buy Chinese goods such as mobile phones, garments and construction materials in large quantities from Chinese wholesalers and ship them to their home countries [...].
READ MORE.....
For Africans living in the Middle Kingdom, the Chinese Dream is turning into a nightmare as they face increasing legal and economic discrimination.
Equality is a concept that apparently doesn't apply to Africans living in China. While Chinese companies are helping Africa develop and 1 million Chinese migrants enjoy great economic opportunities in countries like Nigeria and Kenya, Africans that have emigrated to China tell a totally different story. Al Jazeera reports:
There are an estimated 200,000 Africans in the megacity of Guangzhou, which has the largest concentration of African migrants in Asia. Unlike Chinese contractors in Africa, these migrants often go to China without the backing of a corporation or their home country. Legally, they are not able to buy land, open a shop, seek employment or start a factory in China. In order to engage in any commercial activity, many African migrants marry a Chinese wife and register their business in her name, while those with the financial capacity can open a representative office of a Hong Kong-registered firm.
Because of these constraints, many African migrants engage in export trading: They buy Chinese goods such as mobile phones, garments and construction materials in large quantities from Chinese wholesalers and ship them to their home countries [...].
READ MORE.....
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Post-sanctions Iran: The next China?
As Tehran and world powers inch closer to a final nuclear agreement, Iran is poised to become a major emerging power.
Al-Jazeera - 30 Jun 2014
Richard Javad Heydarian
The lightning advance of the group now calling itself the Islamic Caliphate (formerly known as Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) throughout the north and eastern portions of Iraq has rattled governments across the region and beyond. For the first time in recent memory, there is the possibility that a terrorist group could end up controlling the geographical heart of the Middle East, home to one of the world's largest hydrocarbon reserves. Quite paradoxically, such a worrying prospect has pushed Tehran and Washington closer to each other, as the two powers contemplate a modus vivendi to contain the menace and aid the flailing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki-led government in Baghdad, which has been criticised for its lack of inclusive governance and increasingly authoritarian tendencies. Given their shared strategic concern over the rapid proliferation of violent groups such as the Islamic Caliphate, there is a growing conversation about the possibility of a tactical alliance between the West and Iran - paving the way for a fundamental reconfiguration in the regional balance of power.
READ MORE....
Al-Jazeera - 30 Jun 2014
Richard Javad Heydarian
The lightning advance of the group now calling itself the Islamic Caliphate (formerly known as Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) throughout the north and eastern portions of Iraq has rattled governments across the region and beyond. For the first time in recent memory, there is the possibility that a terrorist group could end up controlling the geographical heart of the Middle East, home to one of the world's largest hydrocarbon reserves. Quite paradoxically, such a worrying prospect has pushed Tehran and Washington closer to each other, as the two powers contemplate a modus vivendi to contain the menace and aid the flailing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki-led government in Baghdad, which has been criticised for its lack of inclusive governance and increasingly authoritarian tendencies. Given their shared strategic concern over the rapid proliferation of violent groups such as the Islamic Caliphate, there is a growing conversation about the possibility of a tactical alliance between the West and Iran - paving the way for a fundamental reconfiguration in the regional balance of power.
READ MORE....
Thursday, June 26, 2014
SCO members to stage anti-terror drill in China
BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will stage an anti-terrorism military drill in China from August 24 to 29, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.
Code-named "Peace Mission 2014",the joint drill will take place at the Zhurihe training base in Inner Mongolia, Yang Yujun told a monthly press briefing.
Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It has Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers and Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka as dialogue partners.
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Call for Papers: China in the Middle East - Indiana University China Office, Beijing, March 17-18, 2015
Indiana University’s Ottoman and Modern
Turkish Studies Chair invites interested scholars and advanced graduate
students to submit proposals for the conference below. The event will take
place at the Indiana University China Office, Beijing, March 17-18, 2015. Please submit a 200-word paper proposal along
with your CV to ksilay (at) indiana.edu, tugrulkeskin (at) pdx.edu, and zantao79 (at) pku.edu.cn by October
1, 2014.
Indiana University
Ottoman and Modern Turkish Studies Chair Presents
An International
Conference on
China in
the Middle East
IndianaUniversity China Office (Beijing) and Peking University
March
17-18, 2015
Beijing
Beijing
Organized by
Dr. Kemal
Silay, Ottoman and Modern Turkish Studies Chair, Indiana University, USA
Dr. Tuğrul
Keskin, Portland State University, USA
Dr. Zan Tao,
Peking University, People’s Republic of China
Keynote Speech by
Dr. Pan Guang, Shanghai Center for International Studies
Conference
Program
9:00 - 9:30 AM
Opening Ceremony
9:00 - 9:15 AM
Welcome Speech by President Michael
McRobbie (Invited), Indiana University
9:15 - 9:30 AM
Opening Remarks by Dr. Kemal Silay,
Indiana University
9:45 - 12:00 Panels
1.
Panel 1: Cultural Exchange between China
and the Middle East
In this panel, we will
explore social and economic history between China and the Middle East before and
after 1949. Trade and commerce between China and the Middle East has a
long-standing mutually beneficial history of exchange, which has created social
and cultural bridges between these societies. The panel will examine the role
of cultural exchange between Chinese and Middle Eastern Societies based on
trade and commerce.
2.
Panel 2: Sino-Turkish Relations: Past and
Present
Unlike other Middle Eastern societies,
the relationship between Chinese and Turkish societies is a historic one, based
on social, political and economic diversification. Social and political
connection can be clearly seen in the history of Turkish people in Mahmud
al-Kashgari and Yusuf Khass Hajib’s writings and ideas; however, following the emergence
of nation-states in the 20th century and the economic globalization
of China after Deng Xiaoping, these two societies and states have established a
more economic based exchange which has become the core of their relationship.
Over the last 20 years, Chinese economic growth led to much attention in
Turkish economic circles. As a result, more Turkish and Chinese business
communities began to engage in trade exchanges. Turkey, as a member of NATO, and
wanting membership in EU, began to seek economic and political partners in the globalized
world. In this panel, we will examine the Chinese-Turkish relationship in the
modern era with these factors in mind.
12:00-13:30 PM
Lunch
14:00-16:30 PM
Panels
3.
Panel 3: Sino-Iranian Relations: Past and
Present
One of the examples of a stable
relationship between China and a Middle Eastern state can be the mutually
beneficial friendship between China and Iran. Iran has had a long historical
and diplomatic relationship with the PRC in the 20th century;
however, today, Sino-Persian ties are mostly in trade and commerce. With the
growth of the Chinese economy and the search for more energy resources, the PRC
began to shift its foreign policy towards the Middle East, specifically Iran. This
panel explores current social, political, and economic trends in the Sino-Persian
relationship.
4.
Panel 4: Sino-Israeli Relations: Past and
Present
Although Israel was one of
the first nations to recognize the PRC as a legitimate government, China did
not establish its diplomatic relationship with Israel until 1992. However,
since then, both countries have developed commercial and military links based
on mutual benefits. An interesting aspect of the Sino-Israeli relationship is
that the Chinese accepted Holocaust survivors escaping from Nazi persecutions. The
panel investigates Sino-Jewish relationships in the contemporary era.
9:30-12:00
5.
Panel 5: Sino-Arab Relations: Past and
Present
Chinese and Arab-populated
states are the product of the colonial conditions in the 20th
century. However, both Chinese and Arab societies have an economic and social
exchange which predates Islam. This exchange has created mutual understanding
and led to mutual benefits. Chinese interests in Arab-populated societies are
purely based on economic investment and energy resources. On the other hand,
Arabs view China as a new global partner, not replacing the US and Europe, but
rather as a new relationship in the globalized era. This panel focuses on
social, political, and economic exchange between the PRC and Arab states in the
modern era.
6.
Panel 6: China’s Energy Security Strategy
and the Middle East
The Middle
East is considered an American backyard for energy resources; however, with the
increased need of oil for newly emerging economies, the Middle East has
received a lot of attention from states such as China. After 2020, US domestic
oil production will eliminate the need for foreign oil sources; therefore, the
US will play less of a role in the Middle Eastern oil market. However, current
trends in the Chinese economy point to their increased need for foreign energy
in the future. This panel will examine the overlapping interests of China and
the United States in the Middle East.
Closing Remarks by Dr. Wang Enge, President, Peking University (Invited)
The Chinese model and the AKP
Cihan News Agency - 09.06.2014
Twenty-five years ago in June, the world was witnessing the astonishing end of the Cold War. In the Soviet Union, President Mikhail Gorbachev was busy implementing glasnost and perestroika, while East Germans defied the Berlin Wall and the regime in Poland abruptly came to an end. While these momentous events were unfolding, all eyes then turned to China's Tiananmen Square, where a popular protest movement was gaining momentum. Twenty-five years ago, on June 4th, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) decided to take action and brutally crushed the protest. The exact numbers are still unknown, but thousands are believed to have been killed when the army fired on civilian protesters. The majority were probably students. In a tragic way, the crackdown worked. While the Soviet Union has disappeared, the CCP is still running China. Yet, the Chinese one-party regime and the police state are still haunted by what happened 25 years ago. The clearest evidence of this fear was the extraordinary measures taken by the Chinese police in Tiananmen Square this week. No locals or foreign press were allowed into the square by Chinese authorities who feared attempts to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the massacre. The Gezi protesters who were not allowed into Taksim Square last week to commemorate the first year anniversary of their movement would have felt right at home in Beijing where police measures kept people out the city's main square.
READ MORE....
Twenty-five years ago in June, the world was witnessing the astonishing end of the Cold War. In the Soviet Union, President Mikhail Gorbachev was busy implementing glasnost and perestroika, while East Germans defied the Berlin Wall and the regime in Poland abruptly came to an end. While these momentous events were unfolding, all eyes then turned to China's Tiananmen Square, where a popular protest movement was gaining momentum. Twenty-five years ago, on June 4th, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) decided to take action and brutally crushed the protest. The exact numbers are still unknown, but thousands are believed to have been killed when the army fired on civilian protesters. The majority were probably students. In a tragic way, the crackdown worked. While the Soviet Union has disappeared, the CCP is still running China. Yet, the Chinese one-party regime and the police state are still haunted by what happened 25 years ago. The clearest evidence of this fear was the extraordinary measures taken by the Chinese police in Tiananmen Square this week. No locals or foreign press were allowed into the square by Chinese authorities who feared attempts to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the massacre. The Gezi protesters who were not allowed into Taksim Square last week to commemorate the first year anniversary of their movement would have felt right at home in Beijing where police measures kept people out the city's main square.
READ MORE....
A Different Global Power? Understanding China’s Role In The Developing World
By Xiangming Chen and Ivan Su
EURASIA REVIEW - June 20, 2014
Over the past three decades, China has lifted over 500 million of its people out of poverty.
China is now the largest trading nation is the world, with strong ties to Africa, Latin and America and the Middle East. This once impoverished and isolated nation has lifted several hundred millions of its own people out of poverty and is now reshaping the developing world. This article looks at China’s involvement in four developing regions to assess China’s influence as a rising global power. The China where the first author grew up through college in the early 1980s was the largest and one of the poorest developing countries. The China where the second author left to attend high school in the United States was about to pass Japan to become the world’s second largest economy, in 2010. Over the past three decades, China has lifted over 500 million of its people out of poverty. Globally, China has just surpassed the United States to become the largest trading nation in the world and is expected to soon overtake the latter as the world’s largest economy (in terms of purchasing power parity or PPP). More importantly regarding the focus of this essay, China is now the largest trader and investor in Africa, with its footprints spreading and seeping into all corners of the developing world.
READ MORE...
EURASIA REVIEW - June 20, 2014
Over the past three decades, China has lifted over 500 million of its people out of poverty.
China is now the largest trading nation is the world, with strong ties to Africa, Latin and America and the Middle East. This once impoverished and isolated nation has lifted several hundred millions of its own people out of poverty and is now reshaping the developing world. This article looks at China’s involvement in four developing regions to assess China’s influence as a rising global power. The China where the first author grew up through college in the early 1980s was the largest and one of the poorest developing countries. The China where the second author left to attend high school in the United States was about to pass Japan to become the world’s second largest economy, in 2010. Over the past three decades, China has lifted over 500 million of its people out of poverty. Globally, China has just surpassed the United States to become the largest trading nation in the world and is expected to soon overtake the latter as the world’s largest economy (in terms of purchasing power parity or PPP). More importantly regarding the focus of this essay, China is now the largest trader and investor in Africa, with its footprints spreading and seeping into all corners of the developing world.
READ MORE...
JCPA analyst: 1,000 Chinese jihadists training in Pakistan
By HERB KEINON
The Jerusalem Post - 06/25/2014
Analyst was speaking to a delegation of high-level Chinese visitors, including members of the
Communist Party's central committee.
Some 1,000 Chinese jihadists are receiving military training at a base in Pakistan, as an indeterminate number of Chinese nationals are already fighting inside Syria, Jacques Neriah told a top-flight delegation from China visiting the country.
Neriah, a Middle East analyst at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) who was formerly foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, presented material to his guests on the role of thousands of Chinese jihadists in the Syrian civil war, as well as on the involvement of volunteers from Uzbekistan and other Central Asian states surrounding China.
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The Jerusalem Post - 06/25/2014
Analyst was speaking to a delegation of high-level Chinese visitors, including members of the
Communist Party's central committee.
Some 1,000 Chinese jihadists are receiving military training at a base in Pakistan, as an indeterminate number of Chinese nationals are already fighting inside Syria, Jacques Neriah told a top-flight delegation from China visiting the country.
Neriah, a Middle East analyst at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) who was formerly foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, presented material to his guests on the role of thousands of Chinese jihadists in the Syrian civil war, as well as on the involvement of volunteers from Uzbekistan and other Central Asian states surrounding China.
READ MORE....
China-Russia gas deal likely to challenge Middle East’s grip over Beijing
Tom Arnold
The National - June 1, 2014
China’s recent deal to secure gas from Russia is the latest step in its effort to diversify its energy sources, a trend likely to challenge the Middle East’s dominance of the Chinese energy supply chain. Qatar may be the most immediate loser after the US$400 billion deal inked last month that involves Russia’s energy giant Gazprom supplying China National Petroleum with 38 billion cubic metres of natural gas over 30 years. Qatar has been increasingly redirecting LNG exports from Europe to Asia, partly to achieve a better price for its deliveries. An estimated 16.4 per cent of China’s gas came from Qatar in 2012, according to BP, the energy company. Barclays estimates about 10 per cent of Qatar’s gas is delivered to the world’s second biggest economy.
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The National - June 1, 2014
China’s recent deal to secure gas from Russia is the latest step in its effort to diversify its energy sources, a trend likely to challenge the Middle East’s dominance of the Chinese energy supply chain. Qatar may be the most immediate loser after the US$400 billion deal inked last month that involves Russia’s energy giant Gazprom supplying China National Petroleum with 38 billion cubic metres of natural gas over 30 years. Qatar has been increasingly redirecting LNG exports from Europe to Asia, partly to achieve a better price for its deliveries. An estimated 16.4 per cent of China’s gas came from Qatar in 2012, according to BP, the energy company. Barclays estimates about 10 per cent of Qatar’s gas is delivered to the world’s second biggest economy.
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Putin brings China into Middle East strategy
Dr. Vitaly Naumkin
Al-Monitor - June 9, 2014
President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China on May 20-21 culminated in the signing of roughly 50 agreements ushering in a period of unprecedented convergence between the two countries. Does this affect the situation in the Middle East and, if so, in what way?
Everything seems to indicate that the answer to the first part of this question is yes. Seemingly, the Middle East was not the focus of the talks between the two leaders. For all the obvious asymmetry in interests, however, the consensus between Russia and China seems to allow the two parties to seek further coordination in their actions, thus taking each other's concerns into greater account. Such consensus includes Syria, despite Beijing’s lesser involvement on this issue, relative to Moscow; Iran, within the P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program; the fight against terrorism and extremism; the creation of a weapons of mass destruction-free Middle East; the condemnation of external intervention and the strategy of "regime change" as well as the push for "color revolutions;" the policy to reach a settlement in the Middle East; and relations with the new Egyptian regime and with respect to the Sudanese issues.
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Al-Monitor - June 9, 2014
President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China on May 20-21 culminated in the signing of roughly 50 agreements ushering in a period of unprecedented convergence between the two countries. Does this affect the situation in the Middle East and, if so, in what way?
Everything seems to indicate that the answer to the first part of this question is yes. Seemingly, the Middle East was not the focus of the talks between the two leaders. For all the obvious asymmetry in interests, however, the consensus between Russia and China seems to allow the two parties to seek further coordination in their actions, thus taking each other's concerns into greater account. Such consensus includes Syria, despite Beijing’s lesser involvement on this issue, relative to Moscow; Iran, within the P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program; the fight against terrorism and extremism; the creation of a weapons of mass destruction-free Middle East; the condemnation of external intervention and the strategy of "regime change" as well as the push for "color revolutions;" the policy to reach a settlement in the Middle East; and relations with the new Egyptian regime and with respect to the Sudanese issues.
READ MORE......
China Seeks Expanded Role in Middle East
At the China-Arab Cooperation Forum, Beijing will step up its involvement in the Middle East. shannon-tiezzi
By Shannon Tiezzi
The Diplomat - June 04, 2014
On June 5, the sixth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum (CACF) will open in Beijing. This year’s meeting will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the CACF, which was created in 2004 during then-President Hu Jintao’s visit to the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. The CACF provides a formal dialogue mechanism between China and the Arab League, which includes 21 member states from the Middle East and North Africa. Foreign ministers from 19 of these countries plan to be in Beijing for this week’s forum, according to CCTV.
China’s turn toward the Middle East in some ways is the mirror image of the U.S. pivot to Asia. The U.S. pivot comes as Washington turns away from a decades-long fixation on the Middle East and its surrounding regions. China, meanwhile, has a vested interest in the area for the same reason the U.S. does: oil. China is already the largest importer of Persian Gulf oil, and will soon be the largest importer from OPEC as a whole (if it hasn’t already passed the U.S. in that category). China’s vital energy interests in the region have given it reasons to take a larger interest in regional security, especially as the U.S. turns its focus elsewhere.
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By Shannon Tiezzi
The Diplomat - June 04, 2014
On June 5, the sixth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum (CACF) will open in Beijing. This year’s meeting will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the CACF, which was created in 2004 during then-President Hu Jintao’s visit to the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. The CACF provides a formal dialogue mechanism between China and the Arab League, which includes 21 member states from the Middle East and North Africa. Foreign ministers from 19 of these countries plan to be in Beijing for this week’s forum, according to CCTV.
China’s turn toward the Middle East in some ways is the mirror image of the U.S. pivot to Asia. The U.S. pivot comes as Washington turns away from a decades-long fixation on the Middle East and its surrounding regions. China, meanwhile, has a vested interest in the area for the same reason the U.S. does: oil. China is already the largest importer of Persian Gulf oil, and will soon be the largest importer from OPEC as a whole (if it hasn’t already passed the U.S. in that category). China’s vital energy interests in the region have given it reasons to take a larger interest in regional security, especially as the U.S. turns its focus elsewhere.
READ MORE....
Turmoil could thwart China's Middle-Eastern strategy
By Robert Gottliebsen
Business Spectator - 20 Jun, 2014
China’s stake in the Middle Eastern turmoil is staggering as it seeks to restore a 21st-century version of the Silk Road. Two decades ago, the US was dependent on the Middle East. Now there is much less US dependence, hence America's changing role. Now it is China that needs the Middle East, and the planned Chinese role in the troubled region goes way beyond simply oil. The US fought the Iraq war and led the drive for sanctions against Iran. But it is the Chinese who plan to capitalise on the fall-out from the American strategies. China won the peace -- at least until now. China is investing billions in both Iraq and Iran not only to secure China’s need for more oil but also to make China the major player in Middle Eastern trade. Fortunately most of the Chinese investment in Iraq is in the south, which has so far has escaped the fighting. The biggest single Chinese investment is in the remarkable Rumaila oil field in southern Iraq. Rumaila is a 50-mile-long deposit of sweet crude with estimated reserves of 16 billion barrels.
READ MORE...
Business Spectator - 20 Jun, 2014
China’s stake in the Middle Eastern turmoil is staggering as it seeks to restore a 21st-century version of the Silk Road. Two decades ago, the US was dependent on the Middle East. Now there is much less US dependence, hence America's changing role. Now it is China that needs the Middle East, and the planned Chinese role in the troubled region goes way beyond simply oil. The US fought the Iraq war and led the drive for sanctions against Iran. But it is the Chinese who plan to capitalise on the fall-out from the American strategies. China won the peace -- at least until now. China is investing billions in both Iraq and Iran not only to secure China’s need for more oil but also to make China the major player in Middle Eastern trade. Fortunately most of the Chinese investment in Iraq is in the south, which has so far has escaped the fighting. The biggest single Chinese investment is in the remarkable Rumaila oil field in southern Iraq. Rumaila is a 50-mile-long deposit of sweet crude with estimated reserves of 16 billion barrels.
READ MORE...
China's May Iran crude imports up 36 percent, 2nd highest on record
BEIJING
Reuters - Mon Jun 23, 2014
China's Iranian crude oil imports expanded 36 percent in May from a year ago to the second highest on record, customs data showed on Monday, and imports in the first five months of 2014 gained nearly 50 percent over the same year-ago period.
China, Tehran's largest oil client, has since late 2013 been stepping up purchases from the OPEC country after a landmark November nuclear deal eased some sanctions on Iran, making up the main portion of Asia's higher imports since then.
Asian buyers are expected to import about 1.25 million-1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian oil in the six months through June, mostly owing to China's increases, industry and government sources have said.
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Reuters - Mon Jun 23, 2014
China's Iranian crude oil imports expanded 36 percent in May from a year ago to the second highest on record, customs data showed on Monday, and imports in the first five months of 2014 gained nearly 50 percent over the same year-ago period.
China, Tehran's largest oil client, has since late 2013 been stepping up purchases from the OPEC country after a landmark November nuclear deal eased some sanctions on Iran, making up the main portion of Asia's higher imports since then.
Asian buyers are expected to import about 1.25 million-1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian oil in the six months through June, mostly owing to China's increases, industry and government sources have said.
READ MORE....
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