ICROSS CHINA - 2014-11-09
BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Sunday shrugged off
worries over the risks Chinese economy is facing, saying that the risks
are "not that scary."
"Indeed there are risks (in the Chinese economy), but not that
scary," Xi told the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit
in a keynote speech.
Addressing worries that the Chinese economy may further decline in
growth rate, Xi said "China's economic growth has become more stable and
been driven by more diverse forces."
"Resilience best equips the Chinese economy against risks... And
given the strategies and policy options at our disposal, we have the
confidence and capability to cope with potential risks," he said.
READ MORE.....
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Obama’s Chance to Get China Right
PAUL GEWIRTZ
China File - 11.08.14
With much of his domestic agenda now stymied by the Republican sweep
of Congress, President Obama’s room for maneuver remains greatest in
foreign affairs. Yet with much of the Middle East in flames, an angry
Vladimir Putin threatening Russian aggression, the European economy in
dangerous decline, and an Ebola pandemic in Africa and looming
worldwide, there are limited opportunities for Obama to leave a large
positive legacy on the international landscape.
The U.S.-China relationship is one of them, and by fortunate coincidence President Obama will hold a summit meeting this week with China’s President Xi Jinping, their first in-depth meeting since June 2013. As Secretary of State John Kerry said just the other day, the U.S.-China relationship is the most “consequential” bilateral relationship in the world today—the one that, for better or for worse, will most significantly affect our future. The upcoming summit is President Obama’s most important chance to try to get this most consequential of U.S. relationships on a better track.
READ MORE....
China File - 11.08.14
The U.S.-China relationship is one of them, and by fortunate coincidence President Obama will hold a summit meeting this week with China’s President Xi Jinping, their first in-depth meeting since June 2013. As Secretary of State John Kerry said just the other day, the U.S.-China relationship is the most “consequential” bilateral relationship in the world today—the one that, for better or for worse, will most significantly affect our future. The upcoming summit is President Obama’s most important chance to try to get this most consequential of U.S. relationships on a better track.
READ MORE....
Thursday, November 6, 2014
China’s Uighur Unrest Is Opportunity for Afghans
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG
The New York Times - NOV. 5, 2014
The New York Times - NOV. 5, 2014
KABUL, Afghanistan — Since the British first tried and failed to subdue Afghanistan
in the 19th century, stumbling into a costly Afghan war seems to have
become a mandatory step for global power players. The Soviet Union did
it in the 1980s, and the American battle here has passed the 13-year
mark.
Now, China seems to be taking its turn in coming to grips with Afghanistan’s role in its national security.
No
one expects China to be sending troops any time soon, even with the
United States and NATO pulling out the last of their combat forces at
year’s end. But China has taken a major step in formalizing closer
relations with the Afghan government: Last week, it said it planned to
provide billions of dollars in new economic and security assistance.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
China Planning $16.3 Billion Fund for ‘New Silk Road’
By Bloomberg News - Nov 4, 2014
China plans a $16.3 billion fund to finance construction of infrastructure linking its markets to three continents as President Xi Jinping pushes forward with his plans to revive the centuries-old Silk Road trading route.
The fund, overseen by Chinese policy banks, will be used to build and expand railways, roads and pipelines in Chinese provinces that are part of the strategy to facilitate trade over land and shipping routes, according to government officials who participated in drafting the plan.
More policies will be rolled out soon to encourage Chinese lenders to finance infrastructure in countries along the route connecting China to Europe, said the officials. They asked not to be identified as they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the plans. Chinese companies will also be urged to invest in the countries and bid for contracts, the officials said.
READ MORE.....
China plans a $16.3 billion fund to finance construction of infrastructure linking its markets to three continents as President Xi Jinping pushes forward with his plans to revive the centuries-old Silk Road trading route.
The fund, overseen by Chinese policy banks, will be used to build and expand railways, roads and pipelines in Chinese provinces that are part of the strategy to facilitate trade over land and shipping routes, according to government officials who participated in drafting the plan.
More policies will be rolled out soon to encourage Chinese lenders to finance infrastructure in countries along the route connecting China to Europe, said the officials. They asked not to be identified as they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the plans. Chinese companies will also be urged to invest in the countries and bid for contracts, the officials said.
READ MORE.....
Iran - China trade to reach $44b
Zawya - October 27, 2014
Tehran - Transactions between Iran and China will reach $44 billion by the end of 2014, said the vice president of Iran-China Chamber of Commerce. In an exclusive interview with Iran Daily's Tuesday edition, Majid-Reza Hariri added that the figure will indicate a 30-percent increase year-on-year, which was $34 billion.
Hariri said trade balance between the two countries, including oil exports, is in Iran's favor.
"In the past few years, 68 percent of bilateral trade pertained to Iran's exports to China and the rest to Tehran's imports from Beijing. However, excluding Iran's oil exports, 65 percent of the figure pertain to China's exports to Iran and 35 percent to Iran's exports," he said
He added that China ranks first among Iran's oil importers. "In the past 18 months, China has been the biggest importer of Iranian non-oil products as well," he said.
"Beijing also ranks first in terms of importing petrochemicals and minerals, including iron ore, chrome and other mineral gangues from Tehran."
READ MORE.....
Tehran - Transactions between Iran and China will reach $44 billion by the end of 2014, said the vice president of Iran-China Chamber of Commerce. In an exclusive interview with Iran Daily's Tuesday edition, Majid-Reza Hariri added that the figure will indicate a 30-percent increase year-on-year, which was $34 billion.
Hariri said trade balance between the two countries, including oil exports, is in Iran's favor.
"In the past few years, 68 percent of bilateral trade pertained to Iran's exports to China and the rest to Tehran's imports from Beijing. However, excluding Iran's oil exports, 65 percent of the figure pertain to China's exports to Iran and 35 percent to Iran's exports," he said
He added that China ranks first among Iran's oil importers. "In the past 18 months, China has been the biggest importer of Iranian non-oil products as well," he said.
"Beijing also ranks first in terms of importing petrochemicals and minerals, including iron ore, chrome and other mineral gangues from Tehran."
READ MORE.....
China and Iran Deepening Naval Ties, Iran Calls for Bilateral Blue Water Exercise
By Sam LaGrone
US NAVAL INSTITUTE - October 27, 2014
Last week’s meeting between the heads of the Iranian Navy and the
People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in Beijing are the latest in a
bilateral campaign to increase military to military cooperation and a
recognition of growing Chinese interests in the Middle East.
On Oct. 23, Iranian Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari met PLAN Adm. Wu Shengli in Beijing, “to further pragmatic cooperation and strengthen military-to-military ties,” Sayyari said, according to Iranian state controlled PressTV.
Sayyari also met with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan to discuss enhanced naval cooperation.
“Chang said the two armed forces have seen good cooperation on mutual visits, personnel training and other fields in recent years. Exchanges between the two navies have been fruitful and their warships have paid successful visits to each other,” according to a release from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.
Press reports from China and Iran spoke of increased technological cooperation between the two countries but did not go into specifics.
READ MORE....
US NAVAL INSTITUTE - October 27, 2014
On Oct. 23, Iranian Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari met PLAN Adm. Wu Shengli in Beijing, “to further pragmatic cooperation and strengthen military-to-military ties,” Sayyari said, according to Iranian state controlled PressTV.
Sayyari also met with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan to discuss enhanced naval cooperation.
“Chang said the two armed forces have seen good cooperation on mutual visits, personnel training and other fields in recent years. Exchanges between the two navies have been fruitful and their warships have paid successful visits to each other,” according to a release from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.
Press reports from China and Iran spoke of increased technological cooperation between the two countries but did not go into specifics.
READ MORE....
Iran and China deepen a ‘blue water’ friendship
By Brian Murphy
The Washington Post - October 28, 2014
Last month, visitors to Bandar Abbas on Iran’s southern coast gathered to witness a never-seen-before event: two Chinese warships pulling into port. It could be just the start of a budding naval alliance stretching from the Pacific to the Persian Gulf. Iranian and Chinese commanders last week announced plans for greater maritime cooperation. While the details are vague, it clearly touches ambitions on both sides: Expanding the reach of their warships into faraway seas and new ports of call. And, at the same time, giving a jab at the United States and its preeminent naval power. For China, the Iranian naval alliance offers a convenient way-station for Beijing’s widening outreach in Africa, and another bonding moment in the largely transactional ties between China and Iran. China needs Iran’s oil and gas, and Iran is happy to oblige to help offset Western-led sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
READ MORE....
The Washington Post - October 28, 2014
Last month, visitors to Bandar Abbas on Iran’s southern coast gathered to witness a never-seen-before event: two Chinese warships pulling into port. It could be just the start of a budding naval alliance stretching from the Pacific to the Persian Gulf. Iranian and Chinese commanders last week announced plans for greater maritime cooperation. While the details are vague, it clearly touches ambitions on both sides: Expanding the reach of their warships into faraway seas and new ports of call. And, at the same time, giving a jab at the United States and its preeminent naval power. For China, the Iranian naval alliance offers a convenient way-station for Beijing’s widening outreach in Africa, and another bonding moment in the largely transactional ties between China and Iran. China needs Iran’s oil and gas, and Iran is happy to oblige to help offset Western-led sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
READ MORE....
Turkish-Chinese TV channel starts broadcasting in Turkey
The first and only Chinese-Turkish television channel CTV has begun
broadcasting films, documentaries and Chinese cultural and traditional
programs to promote Chinese economy, tradition and popular culture.
Turkish viewers wanted to watch a Chinese language television channel will be able to from Thursday, as the first Chinese Turkish television satellite channel CTV is launched.
Founded in cooperation with GB Times, a global media group, and an Istanbul based Turkish media group, Media Times, CTV will broadcast a wide range of television programs; documentaries, films and soap operas in both languages. The TV station will be available to audiences in Turkey and China.
"Not only are economic relations between the two countries growing but the cultural relations are also growing" said Yu Hongyang, China's Ambassador in Ankara.
Followed by millions of people in China, the media platforms of CTV and CTV Youtube will bring together the Turkish audience and the Chinese culture. The channel will also provide Chinese lessons.
Since 2009, when former Turkish President Abdullah Gul paid an official visit to China, the Turkish-Chinese relations have been improving. The two countries have signed many energy and economic agreements.
The ministry said 2012 was the “Year of China in Turkey” while 2013 was the “Year of Turkey in China”.
The ties between China and Israel are flourishing
Henry Srebrnik
Transcontinental Media - October 05, 2014
Following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 and the People’s Republic of China a year later ties between the two countries were virtually non-existent. A Maoist China that stridently supported revolution in the Third World, and gave aid to the Palestinian guerrilla movements, wanted nothing to do with the Jewish state.
But as China emerged as a modern trading nation that would change. Starting secretly during the 1980s, but with increasing openness after the establishment of official ties in 1992, arms sales at first defined Sino-Israeli relations. Israel became China’s second-largest weapons supplier.
In fact, during the 1990s, American officials accused Israel of illegally providing China with weapons such as the Patriot missile, Lavi jetfighter, and Phalcon airborne radar system.
The arms trade seems to have levelled off, though in 2012 Israel appointed Matan Vilnai, a former major general, as its ambassador to China. Today, though, China is more interested in acquiring Israeli technology. Cyber-security is just one cutting-edge field, along with drones, in which Israel excels and where China wants to improve.
China is also interested in many technologies where Israel is considered a world leader, such as water recycling, desalination, agriculture, and health and medicine.
READ MORE.....
Transcontinental Media - October 05, 2014
Following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 and the People’s Republic of China a year later ties between the two countries were virtually non-existent. A Maoist China that stridently supported revolution in the Third World, and gave aid to the Palestinian guerrilla movements, wanted nothing to do with the Jewish state.
But as China emerged as a modern trading nation that would change. Starting secretly during the 1980s, but with increasing openness after the establishment of official ties in 1992, arms sales at first defined Sino-Israeli relations. Israel became China’s second-largest weapons supplier.
In fact, during the 1990s, American officials accused Israel of illegally providing China with weapons such as the Patriot missile, Lavi jetfighter, and Phalcon airborne radar system.
The arms trade seems to have levelled off, though in 2012 Israel appointed Matan Vilnai, a former major general, as its ambassador to China. Today, though, China is more interested in acquiring Israeli technology. Cyber-security is just one cutting-edge field, along with drones, in which Israel excels and where China wants to improve.
China is also interested in many technologies where Israel is considered a world leader, such as water recycling, desalination, agriculture, and health and medicine.
READ MORE.....
Hebrew U student represents Israel to millions on popular Chinese game show
As the clock wound down on his opponent, a grin spread across Lechao Tang’s face. The buzzer sounded.
Tang, a Hebrew University student, applauded his foe politely – and the floor opened up beneath her feet, sending her plummeting unceremoniously below.
Tang represented Hebrew University in a popular Chinese game show earlier this month that pitted students from schools across the world against one another. His unlucky opponent hailed from the University of Cambridge, with other contestants representing Yale and Harvard.
But whereas Harvard and Yale are well-known abroad, Tang said that in China, the typical response when he says he studies in Israel is: “Where’s Israel?” “We are easternmost Asia and Israel is westernmost Asia,” he said. “I’m lucky to be the person to connect them.”
The quiz show, called “Who’s Still Standing,” spun off from the program “Lauf al Hamilyon” on Israel’s Channel 10.
During Tang’s screen-time, the show rose to China’s second most-viewed program.
READ MORE....
China pharma giant on the hunt for Israeli investments
WuXi PharmaTech’s new office will seek to work with – and maybe acquire – promising Israeli life sciences companies
By David Shamah
The Times of Israel - November 2, 2014
hinese pharmaceutical giant WuXi PharmaTech is making a move to Israel. The company is opening an office here to “promote WuXi’s broad platform of integrated R&D services to local customers,” the company said. It will be on the lookout for promising investments in the biotech and medical devices spheres, in cooperation with its new partner Pontifax, a venture capital firm that specializes in medical industry investments.
WuXi is one of the world’s largest medical research companies, with nearly 2,000 customers using its platform to develop and test new medicines. The company’s origins are in China, where it was established in 2000, and it now has extensive operations in the US, after it acquired Minnesota-based AppTec labs in 2008. The company’s services for the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries include testing, contract research and development, as well as pharmaceutical manufacturing services.
READ MORE....
By David Shamah
The Times of Israel - November 2, 2014
hinese pharmaceutical giant WuXi PharmaTech is making a move to Israel. The company is opening an office here to “promote WuXi’s broad platform of integrated R&D services to local customers,” the company said. It will be on the lookout for promising investments in the biotech and medical devices spheres, in cooperation with its new partner Pontifax, a venture capital firm that specializes in medical industry investments.
WuXi is one of the world’s largest medical research companies, with nearly 2,000 customers using its platform to develop and test new medicines. The company’s origins are in China, where it was established in 2000, and it now has extensive operations in the US, after it acquired Minnesota-based AppTec labs in 2008. The company’s services for the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries include testing, contract research and development, as well as pharmaceutical manufacturing services.
READ MORE....
Israel and China Share Market Opportunities
JSPACE NEWS - October 30, 2014
One of Israel’s most influential business conferences, the 12th Go4Israel Conference, was hosted Tuesday, October 27th at the Hilton Tel Aviv, and put particular emphasis on China. Over 1,000 participants took part in the conference including international and local entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders.
“The conference reflects Israel’s role in bringing the world’s West and East economies together. With an increasing presence of China in Israel’s business scene, we can help enhance global relationships between investors and entrepreneurs, mainly from Europe, China and Israel,” said the French-born Edouard Cukierman, the chairman and founder of Cukierman & Co. Investment House, which organized the conference along with its private equity fund, Catalyst Fund. Cukierman & Co. Investment House Ltd. heads Israel’s largest investment team and has been involved for the past 20 years in raising €4 billion in transactions, much of it for Israeli startups and mature companies.
“Israel has always been the center of attraction for investors and entrepreneurs from around the world,” Cukierman added.
READ MORE....
One of Israel’s most influential business conferences, the 12th Go4Israel Conference, was hosted Tuesday, October 27th at the Hilton Tel Aviv, and put particular emphasis on China. Over 1,000 participants took part in the conference including international and local entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders.
“The conference reflects Israel’s role in bringing the world’s West and East economies together. With an increasing presence of China in Israel’s business scene, we can help enhance global relationships between investors and entrepreneurs, mainly from Europe, China and Israel,” said the French-born Edouard Cukierman, the chairman and founder of Cukierman & Co. Investment House, which organized the conference along with its private equity fund, Catalyst Fund. Cukierman & Co. Investment House Ltd. heads Israel’s largest investment team and has been involved for the past 20 years in raising €4 billion in transactions, much of it for Israeli startups and mature companies.
“Israel has always been the center of attraction for investors and entrepreneurs from around the world,” Cukierman added.
READ MORE....
The uncertain future of China-Israel relations
By Naser al-Tamimi
Al-Arabiya - Friday, 4 April 2014
In a recent interview on Bloomberg TV, the Israeli President Shimon Peres stated: “The future is galloping like a horse, and if you don’t gallop with the horse, the horse will gallop without you.” His interesting words may apply to the tireless Israeli efforts in recent years to “gallop” with the Chinese horse. This Israeli “galloping” comes at a time when China is seeking to enhance the security of its energy imports from the Middle East by increasing its political and economic involvement in the region.
One of the striking issues that characterizes Beijing’s relations with the region is that it has good relations with all parties. China’s ties with Iran, Turkey, and the Arab world are growing rapidly. Today, China is the largest exporter to the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s top trade partner in West Asia, the biggest importer of Iranian oil, the major player in the Iraqi oil game and a rising star in the Turkish economy. At the same time, China has been the top market for Israeli exports in Asia.
READ MORE....
Al-Arabiya - Friday, 4 April 2014
In a recent interview on Bloomberg TV, the Israeli President Shimon Peres stated: “The future is galloping like a horse, and if you don’t gallop with the horse, the horse will gallop without you.” His interesting words may apply to the tireless Israeli efforts in recent years to “gallop” with the Chinese horse. This Israeli “galloping” comes at a time when China is seeking to enhance the security of its energy imports from the Middle East by increasing its political and economic involvement in the region.
One of the striking issues that characterizes Beijing’s relations with the region is that it has good relations with all parties. China’s ties with Iran, Turkey, and the Arab world are growing rapidly. Today, China is the largest exporter to the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s top trade partner in West Asia, the biggest importer of Iranian oil, the major player in the Iraqi oil game and a rising star in the Turkish economy. At the same time, China has been the top market for Israeli exports in Asia.
READ MORE....
China, Qatar vow to deepen oil, gas cooperation
Editor: Yamei Wang
English.news.cn | 2014-11-04
BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- China and Qatar on Tuesday vowed to deepen their oil and gas cooperation during a meeting between Premier Li Keqiang and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, Emir of Qatar.
China hopes to build a long-term, comprehensive and strategic
relationship of energy cooperation with Qatar and strengthen bilateral
cooperation in oil and gas exploration and development, liquefied
national gas production and integrated cooperation in the petrochemical
industry, Li said.
He called on Qatar to allow Chinese companies to join more upstream and downstream block exploration programs in Qatar.
Tamim hailed the development of Qatar-China relations and pledged that Qatar will deepen bilateral ties and strengthen reciprocal cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
He said Qatar will prioritize long-term energy cooperation with China.
Li said China is willing to participate in Qatar's high-speed railway construction through its advanced technology, and hopes Qatar will consider Chinese companies when seeking project bids.
READ MORE.....
English.news.cn | 2014-11-04
BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- China and Qatar on Tuesday vowed to deepen their oil and gas cooperation during a meeting between Premier Li Keqiang and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, Emir of Qatar.
He called on Qatar to allow Chinese companies to join more upstream and downstream block exploration programs in Qatar.
Tamim hailed the development of Qatar-China relations and pledged that Qatar will deepen bilateral ties and strengthen reciprocal cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
He said Qatar will prioritize long-term energy cooperation with China.
Li said China is willing to participate in Qatar's high-speed railway construction through its advanced technology, and hopes Qatar will consider Chinese companies when seeking project bids.
READ MORE.....
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
A New Book: China’s Search for Security
Andrew J. Nathan and Andrew Scobell
Columbia University Press - 2012
Despite its impressive size and population, economic vitality, and drive
to upgrade its military, China Though rooted in the present,
Nathan and Scobell’s study makes ample use of the past, reaching back
into history to illuminate the people and institutions shaping Chinese
strategy today. They also examine Chinese views of the United States;
explain why China is so concerned about Japan; and uncover China’s
interests in such problematic countries as North Korea, Iran, and the
Sudan. The authors probe recent troubles in Tibet and Xinjiang and
explore their links to forces beyond China’s borders. They consider the
tactics deployed by mainland China and Taiwan, as Taiwan seeks to
maintain autonomy in the face of Chinese advances toward unification.
They evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of China’s three main power
resources—economic power, military power, and soft power.
The authors conclude with recommendations for the United States as it seeks to manage China’s rise. Chinese policymakers understand that their nation’s prosperity, stability, and security depend on cooperation with the United States. If handled wisely, the authors believe, relations between the two countries can produce mutually beneficial outcomes for both Asia and the world.
remains a vulnerable nation surrounded by powerful rivals and potential foes. Understanding China’s foreign policy means fully appreciating these geostrategic challenges, which persist even as the country gains increasing influence over its neighbors. Andrew J. Nathan and Andrew Scobell analyze China’s security concerns on four fronts: at home, with its immediate neighbors, in surrounding regional systems, and in the world beyond Asia. By illuminating the issues driving Chinese policy, they offer a new perspective on the country’s rise and a strategy for balancing Chinese and American interests in Asia.
CONTENTS:
Introduction
Part I. Interest and Identity in Chinese Foreign Policy
1. What Drives Chinese Foreign Policy?
2. Who Runs Chinese Foreign Policy?
Part II. Security Challenges and Strategies
3. Life on the Hinge: China’s Russia Policy During the Cold War and After
4. Deciphering the U.S. Threat
5. The Northeast Asia Regional System: Japan and the Two Koreas
6. China’s Other Neighbors: The Asia-Pacific
7. China in the Fourth Ring
Part III. Holding Together: Territorial Integrity and Foreign Policy
8. Problems of Stateness: Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
9. Taiwan’s Democratic Transition and China’s Response
Part IV. Instruments of Power
10. Dilemmas of Opening: Power and Vulnerability in the Global Economy
11. Military Modernization: From People’s War to Power Projection
12. Soft Power and Human Rights in Chinese Foreign Policy
Part V. Conclusion
13. Threat or Equilibrium?
READ MORE......
Columbia University Press - 2012
Despite its impressive size and population, economic vitality, and drive
to upgrade its military, China Though rooted in the present,
Nathan and Scobell’s study makes ample use of the past, reaching back
into history to illuminate the people and institutions shaping Chinese
strategy today. They also examine Chinese views of the United States;
explain why China is so concerned about Japan; and uncover China’s
interests in such problematic countries as North Korea, Iran, and the
Sudan. The authors probe recent troubles in Tibet and Xinjiang and
explore their links to forces beyond China’s borders. They consider the
tactics deployed by mainland China and Taiwan, as Taiwan seeks to
maintain autonomy in the face of Chinese advances toward unification.
They evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of China’s three main power
resources—economic power, military power, and soft power. The authors conclude with recommendations for the United States as it seeks to manage China’s rise. Chinese policymakers understand that their nation’s prosperity, stability, and security depend on cooperation with the United States. If handled wisely, the authors believe, relations between the two countries can produce mutually beneficial outcomes for both Asia and the world.
remains a vulnerable nation surrounded by powerful rivals and potential foes. Understanding China’s foreign policy means fully appreciating these geostrategic challenges, which persist even as the country gains increasing influence over its neighbors. Andrew J. Nathan and Andrew Scobell analyze China’s security concerns on four fronts: at home, with its immediate neighbors, in surrounding regional systems, and in the world beyond Asia. By illuminating the issues driving Chinese policy, they offer a new perspective on the country’s rise and a strategy for balancing Chinese and American interests in Asia.
CONTENTS:
Introduction
Part I. Interest and Identity in Chinese Foreign Policy
1. What Drives Chinese Foreign Policy?
2. Who Runs Chinese Foreign Policy?
Part II. Security Challenges and Strategies
3. Life on the Hinge: China’s Russia Policy During the Cold War and After
4. Deciphering the U.S. Threat
5. The Northeast Asia Regional System: Japan and the Two Koreas
6. China’s Other Neighbors: The Asia-Pacific
7. China in the Fourth Ring
Part III. Holding Together: Territorial Integrity and Foreign Policy
8. Problems of Stateness: Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
9. Taiwan’s Democratic Transition and China’s Response
Part IV. Instruments of Power
10. Dilemmas of Opening: Power and Vulnerability in the Global Economy
11. Military Modernization: From People’s War to Power Projection
12. Soft Power and Human Rights in Chinese Foreign Policy
Part V. Conclusion
13. Threat or Equilibrium?
READ MORE......
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Al-Qaeda Declares War on China, Too
Al-Qaeda has joined the Islamic State in calling for jihad against China for its Uyghur policies.
By Zachary Keck
The Diplomat - October 22, 2014
READ MORE.....
By Zachary Keck
The Diplomat - October 22, 2014
Al-Qaeda central appears to have joined the Islamic State
in calling for jihad against China over its alleged occupation of
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
This week, al-Sahab media organization, al-Qaeda’s propaganda arm, released the first issue of its new English-language magazine Resurgence.
The magazine has a strong focus on the Asia-Pacific in general, with
feature articles on both India and Bangladesh, as well as others on
Afghanistan and Pakistan.
However, the first issue also contains an article entitled
“10 Facts About East Turkistan,” which refers to the name given to
Xinjiang by those who favor independence from China. The ten facts seek
to cast Xinjiang as a longtime independent state that has only recently
been brutally colonized by Han Chinese, who are determined to obliterate
its Islamic heritage.
“In the last 1,000 years of its Islamic history,” the
article says, Xinjiang “has remained independent for 763 years, while
237 years have been spent under Chinese occupation at various
intervals.”
This occupation has been costly, the article argues,
alleging that: “In 1949, 93 percent of the population of East Turkistan
was Uyghur, while 7 percent was Chinese. Today, as a result of six
decades of forced displacement of the native population and the
settlement of Han Chinese in their place, almost 45 percent of the
population of East Turkistan is Chinese.”
READ MORE.....
What Is a Uyghur?
By Rian Thum Los Angeles Review of Books - October 26th, 2014
IN THE SCRAMBLE to make sense of the violence and repression in China’s Western region of Xinjiang, where many of the Uyghur inhabitants resist Chinese rule, local Uyghur perspectives have gone largely unreported. The following extract, from The Sacred Routes of Uyghur History, aims to uncover Uyghur understandings of the region’s history and the forces that shaped those understandings. One example of what is commonly overlooked is the term “Altishahr,” a Uyghur word for the part of Xinjiang traditionally inhabited by the Uyghurs (and, incidentally, the name of the most popular Uyghur rap group). In this extract, the word is adapted as “Altishahri,” that is, a person from Altishahr, to address an unusual obstacle to writing about Uyghur history: as of, say, 1900, there were no Uyghurs. “Uyghur” at that time was the name of an extinct ancient kingdom, while the people of Altishahr called themselves simply “Musulman” (Muslim). In the first decades of the 20th century, Altishahri elites revived the “Uyghur” term as a name for their own ethnic group, but it took quite a long time for the name to catch on. That process, outlined below, was accompanied by the radical shift from a media landscape dominated by manuscripts to the eventual ascendancy of the printed word. The fitful and slow penetration of print ultimately facilitated new imaginations of a Uyghur past, transforming an older system of Altishahri history, which had been characterized by tazkirahs, the biographies of local Muslim saints. (Adapted from The Sacred Routes of Uyghur History by Rian Thum, published by Harvard University Press. Copyright © 2014 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)
Reformers, Nationalism, and the “Uyghur” Identity
Between the fall of Ya‘qub Beg’s state in 1877 and the arrival of Chinese Communist rule in 1949, reform movements laid the groundwork for new ways of understanding the world, which would eventually reshape Altishahr’s approach to the past. Among the new ideas that took root in Altishahr, nationalism represented perhaps the most profound reorganization of Altishahri self-imagination since the arrival of Islam.1 Early ventures in nationalist thought appeared against the background of a dizzyingly complex succession of political upheavals, driven by actors as diverse as Han Chinese anti-Qing revolutionaries, disbanded Qing soldiers, military strongmen, Uyghur nationalists, and communist revolutionaries. In the first half of the 20th century, Altishahr saw Qing imperial rule, tyrannical autocrats, loosely democratic experiments, and early moves toward socialism.2 At the same time, printing, the telegraph, radio, film, and modern industry made their first inroads in the region. There is no room in this study for an in-depth look at all of these phenomena in their interaction, but it would be impossible to discuss the encounter between nationalism and Altishahri tazkirah-based historical practice without providing a thumbnail sketch of the processes by which nationalist thought became a central feature of the new Altishahri worldview.
READ MORE....
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Interview on China and Xi Jinping's Central Asian Policies (In Turkish)
You can watch the full program from the following address:
Monday, October 20, 2014
2014 APEC Third Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM3) Held in Beijing
On 20-21 August, 2014 APEC Third Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM3) was
held in Beijing. As the last plenary gathering of Senior Officials
before this year's Leaders' Week, its main objective is to make
comprehensive preparation for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM)
in November. During the two-day meeting, Senior Officials from 21 APEC
member economies held in-depth discussions centered around the theme
"Shaping the Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership" and the three
priority areas, including regional economic integration, innovative
development, economic reform and growth, and comprehensive connectivity
and infrastructure development. The discussions allowed APEC members to
build more consensus and implement cooperation initiatives, making sound
preparations for the outcomes of the Leaders' Meeting.State Councilor H.E. Mr. Yang Jiechi, Chairman of the APEC China 2014 Organizing Committee, addressed the opening of the meeting. Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong, 2014 APEC SOM Chair, presided the meeting. Assistant Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen attended the meeting. Meeting participants also include delegates from 21 APEC member economies, APEC Secretariat, ABAC, and APEC observers.
READ MORE.....
America, China and the Islamic State
Shanghai Institutes for International Studies
2014-10-10
By Dan Steinbock
Washington has launched still another “war against terror” in the Middle East and beyond. It is the kind of escalation that the Islamic State has hoped. In contrast, Beijing is likely to stick to cautious engagement.
Half a month after offering the American people his rationale for taking the United States into a new Middle East war to combat the Islamic State (IS), President Obama issued a call to the world to join America in the fight against violent religious extremism. Taking the moral high ground, President Obama told the UN General Assembly that “there can be no reasoning, no negotiations with this brand of evil.”
Undoubtedly, the IS represents the kind of brutality that is new even in the most violent war-torn enclaves of the Middle East.
But as the critics see it, the rise of the Islamic State is the result of President Bush’s war on terror and military actions, while its further radicalization is the effect of President Obama’s efforts to overcome the Middle East’s divides with raw military power, but without ground troops – and a political solution.
Huge investment, barbaric returns
A decade ago, neoconservatives in Washington envisioned a new democratic Middle East, including a stable, prosperous Iraq that would be united and peaceful. And they walked the talk. Between 2003 and 2012, U.S. aid to Iraq totaled more than $57 billion. During the same period, war costs in Iraq soared to $3.5 trillion (Joint Economic Committee of Congress). That’s more than 20 percent of U.S. gross domestic product.
READ MORE.....
2014-10-10
By Dan Steinbock
Washington has launched still another “war against terror” in the Middle East and beyond. It is the kind of escalation that the Islamic State has hoped. In contrast, Beijing is likely to stick to cautious engagement.
Half a month after offering the American people his rationale for taking the United States into a new Middle East war to combat the Islamic State (IS), President Obama issued a call to the world to join America in the fight against violent religious extremism. Taking the moral high ground, President Obama told the UN General Assembly that “there can be no reasoning, no negotiations with this brand of evil.”
Undoubtedly, the IS represents the kind of brutality that is new even in the most violent war-torn enclaves of the Middle East.
But as the critics see it, the rise of the Islamic State is the result of President Bush’s war on terror and military actions, while its further radicalization is the effect of President Obama’s efforts to overcome the Middle East’s divides with raw military power, but without ground troops – and a political solution.
Huge investment, barbaric returns
A decade ago, neoconservatives in Washington envisioned a new democratic Middle East, including a stable, prosperous Iraq that would be united and peaceful. And they walked the talk. Between 2003 and 2012, U.S. aid to Iraq totaled more than $57 billion. During the same period, war costs in Iraq soared to $3.5 trillion (Joint Economic Committee of Congress). That’s more than 20 percent of U.S. gross domestic product.
READ MORE.....
The Delegation of Turkish Think Tanks Visit SIIS
Shanghai Institutes for International Studies
2014-09-30
On September 29, Led by Mr. Yasar YAKIS, former Turkish Foreign
Minister, the delegation of Turkish Think Tanks visit SIIS and talk
about Middle East situation and China-Turkish relations with Prof. Yang
Jiemian, Chairman of the Council of SIIS Academic Affairs, Prof. Li
Weijian, Executive Director of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies,
Dr. Ye Qing, Director of the Center for West Asian & African
Studies, Dr. Jin Liangxiang, Mr. Zhou Yiqi, Dr. Zhang Weiting from the
Center for West Asian & African Studies also attend the meeting.
After the meeting, SIIS President Chen Dongxiao meets with the
delegation and exchanges views on major powers’ role on Middle East
situation, Afghanistan situation and some other issues.
READ MORE.....
2014-09-30
On September 29, Led by Mr. Yasar YAKIS, former Turkish Foreign
Minister, the delegation of Turkish Think Tanks visit SIIS and talk
about Middle East situation and China-Turkish relations with Prof. Yang
Jiemian, Chairman of the Council of SIIS Academic Affairs, Prof. Li
Weijian, Executive Director of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies,
Dr. Ye Qing, Director of the Center for West Asian & African
Studies, Dr. Jin Liangxiang, Mr. Zhou Yiqi, Dr. Zhang Weiting from the
Center for West Asian & African Studies also attend the meeting.
After the meeting, SIIS President Chen Dongxiao meets with the
delegation and exchanges views on major powers’ role on Middle East
situation, Afghanistan situation and some other issues.READ MORE.....
Saturday, October 18, 2014
China's Resistance War Against Japanese Aggression
CCTV - On Sept. 18, 1931,
Japanese troops blew up a section of railway near Shenyang that was under their control. They then accused Chinese troops of sabotaging the railway to create a pretext for war. Later that evening, they bombarded the barracks of Chinese troops near Shenyang, starting a large-scale armed invasion of northeast China. On July 7, 1937, the Lugouqiao Incident occurred, and the nationwide War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression started.
Japanese troops blew up a section of railway near Shenyang that was under their control. They then accused Chinese troops of sabotaging the railway to create a pretext for war. Later that evening, they bombarded the barracks of Chinese troops near Shenyang, starting a large-scale armed invasion of northeast China. On July 7, 1937, the Lugouqiao Incident occurred, and the nationwide War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression started.
China, U.S. working to ensure positive results from Obama's upcoming China visit
Zhang Jianfeng
Xinhua 10-19-2014
BOSTON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi said here Saturday that China is willing to work with the United States to make proper preparations for the upcoming visit to China by U.S. President Barack Obama so that it can yield positive results.
Yang made the remarks during his talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, during which they exchanged views in depth on the construction of a new model of major-country relationship as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.
The discussions focused on the preparations for the visit to China in early November by Obama, while attending the informal leadership meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to be held in Beijing in November.
Yang saluted "new and positive progress" that has been made in various aspects of the China-U.S. ties since last year's summit held by Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Annenberg Estate in California, where the two leaders reached an important consensus on seeking to build a new model of major-country relationship featuring non-conflict and non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
READ MORE....
Xinhua 10-19-2014
BOSTON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi said here Saturday that China is willing to work with the United States to make proper preparations for the upcoming visit to China by U.S. President Barack Obama so that it can yield positive results.
Yang made the remarks during his talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, during which they exchanged views in depth on the construction of a new model of major-country relationship as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.
The discussions focused on the preparations for the visit to China in early November by Obama, while attending the informal leadership meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to be held in Beijing in November.
Yang saluted "new and positive progress" that has been made in various aspects of the China-U.S. ties since last year's summit held by Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Annenberg Estate in California, where the two leaders reached an important consensus on seeking to build a new model of major-country relationship featuring non-conflict and non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
READ MORE....
Friday, October 17, 2014
Report: China and Algeria Relations (In Turkish)
Çin-Cezayir İlişkileri
Hatice EKE
Bigesam - 25 Ağustos 2014
Çin Afrika’daki varlığını yumuşak güç unsurlarını kullanarak pekiştirmeye devam etmektedir. Kara kıtada alt yapı çalışmaları, inşaat, haberleşme ve ulaşım alanlarında yaptığı yatırımlar ve kıtayla gün geçtikçe gelişen ticaret bağları Pekin’in elini oldukça güçlü kılmaktadır. Aynı şekilde Cezayir’de oldukça önemli bir seviyeye ulaşmış olan Çin yatırımları ve ikili ticaretin hacmi iki ülke arasındaki ilişkilerin geldiği noktayı görmek açısından dikkat çekmektedir. Öyle ki, Çin 2013 yılında Cezayir’in en çok ticaret yaptığı Fransa’yı da geride bırakarak tedarikçiler arasında ilk sıraya yerleşmiştir. Ayrıca yapılan yatırımların büyük çoğunluğunun Cezayir kamu ihaleleri üzerinden olduğunun da altı çizilmelidir. Cezayir, başta eski Sömürgecisi Fransa olmak üzere Avrupa ülkeleri ve ABD ile sahip olduğu ilişkilere ilaveten bu aktörlerden birçok açıdan farklı olan Çin ile ilişkilerini geliştirmek istemektedir. Cezayir’in Çin’i birçok alanda ortak olarak seçmesinin arkasındaki temel saikler batıya olan bağımlılığı kırmak, Çin dış politikasının milli çıkarlarla çok daha uyumlu bulunan iç işlerine müdahale etmeme ve “kazan-kazan” gibi politik ilkeler üzerinde şekillenmesi, Çin’in büyüyen iktisadi gücünden faydalanmak şeklinde sıralanabilir. Bağımsızlık mücadelesi yıllarına kadar dayanan Çin-Cezayir ilişkileri, 1999 seçimlerinin ardından uygulanması meclis tarafından kararlaştırılan ekonomik reformlarla birlikte iktisadi alanda da ivme kazanmış, iki ülke arasındaki bağlar güçlenmiştir. Bu analiz çerçevesinde Cezayir-Çin ilişkilerinin başta enerji ve altyapı konularında olmak üzere yatırımlar ile ticaret kalemlerine vurgu yaparak ekonomi ve -sınırlı olmakla beraber- güvenlik alanındaki yansımaları ele alınacaktır.
READ MORE.....
Hatice EKE
Bigesam - 25 Ağustos 2014
Çin Afrika’daki varlığını yumuşak güç unsurlarını kullanarak pekiştirmeye devam etmektedir. Kara kıtada alt yapı çalışmaları, inşaat, haberleşme ve ulaşım alanlarında yaptığı yatırımlar ve kıtayla gün geçtikçe gelişen ticaret bağları Pekin’in elini oldukça güçlü kılmaktadır. Aynı şekilde Cezayir’de oldukça önemli bir seviyeye ulaşmış olan Çin yatırımları ve ikili ticaretin hacmi iki ülke arasındaki ilişkilerin geldiği noktayı görmek açısından dikkat çekmektedir. Öyle ki, Çin 2013 yılında Cezayir’in en çok ticaret yaptığı Fransa’yı da geride bırakarak tedarikçiler arasında ilk sıraya yerleşmiştir. Ayrıca yapılan yatırımların büyük çoğunluğunun Cezayir kamu ihaleleri üzerinden olduğunun da altı çizilmelidir. Cezayir, başta eski Sömürgecisi Fransa olmak üzere Avrupa ülkeleri ve ABD ile sahip olduğu ilişkilere ilaveten bu aktörlerden birçok açıdan farklı olan Çin ile ilişkilerini geliştirmek istemektedir. Cezayir’in Çin’i birçok alanda ortak olarak seçmesinin arkasındaki temel saikler batıya olan bağımlılığı kırmak, Çin dış politikasının milli çıkarlarla çok daha uyumlu bulunan iç işlerine müdahale etmeme ve “kazan-kazan” gibi politik ilkeler üzerinde şekillenmesi, Çin’in büyüyen iktisadi gücünden faydalanmak şeklinde sıralanabilir. Bağımsızlık mücadelesi yıllarına kadar dayanan Çin-Cezayir ilişkileri, 1999 seçimlerinin ardından uygulanması meclis tarafından kararlaştırılan ekonomik reformlarla birlikte iktisadi alanda da ivme kazanmış, iki ülke arasındaki bağlar güçlenmiştir. Bu analiz çerçevesinde Cezayir-Çin ilişkilerinin başta enerji ve altyapı konularında olmak üzere yatırımlar ile ticaret kalemlerine vurgu yaparak ekonomi ve -sınırlı olmakla beraber- güvenlik alanındaki yansımaları ele alınacaktır.
READ MORE.....
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
China celebrates 65th anniversary
English.news.cn | 2014-09-30
BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) --
President Xi Jinping said Tuesday China will continue to give priority
to development, adhere to reform and innovation and stay committed to
the path of peaceful development.
Xi made the remarks when addressing a reception marking the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Xi called for enhanced unity within the Communist Party of China (CPC), adding that the CPC should reinforce cooperation with other parties and maintain the bond with the people.
"We must stand firmly with the people," Xi said. "We will always proceed from and aim at realizing, safeguarding and developing the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people."
He called for enhanced confidence in the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics as well as in the theory and system regarding the path.
The Communist Party of China is key to the country's success, Xi said.
READ MORE....
Xi made the remarks when addressing a reception marking the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Xi called for enhanced unity within the Communist Party of China (CPC), adding that the CPC should reinforce cooperation with other parties and maintain the bond with the people.
"We must stand firmly with the people," Xi said. "We will always proceed from and aim at realizing, safeguarding and developing the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people."
He called for enhanced confidence in the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics as well as in the theory and system regarding the path.
The Communist Party of China is key to the country's success, Xi said.
READ MORE....
Plight of Uighurs in China
Jamal Doumani
ARAB NEWS - Friday 26 September 2014
Like their fellow-ideologues in the former Soviet Union, communist officials in Beijing have kept their promise: They will answer dissent with repression. In China today, if you’re the member of an ethnic minority with a complaint, that you are rash enough to air in public, expect to be dragged into “court” to face a life sentence.
That’s what happened to prominent Uighur intellectual Ilham Tohti last Tuesday. Tohti is widely respected abroad as a moderate voice within China’s eight million-strong Muslim Uighur community, who inhabit Xinjiang Province in the country’s far northwestern corner. The charges were advocating separatism, criticizing the government and “voicing support for terrorists.”
READ MORE....
ARAB NEWS - Friday 26 September 2014
Like their fellow-ideologues in the former Soviet Union, communist officials in Beijing have kept their promise: They will answer dissent with repression. In China today, if you’re the member of an ethnic minority with a complaint, that you are rash enough to air in public, expect to be dragged into “court” to face a life sentence.
That’s what happened to prominent Uighur intellectual Ilham Tohti last Tuesday. Tohti is widely respected abroad as a moderate voice within China’s eight million-strong Muslim Uighur community, who inhabit Xinjiang Province in the country’s far northwestern corner. The charges were advocating separatism, criticizing the government and “voicing support for terrorists.”
READ MORE....
Saudi Arabia admits to purchase of Chinese DF-21 missile
Staff Reporter
WANT CHINA TIMES - 2014-09-22
Saudi Arabia purchased DF-21 ballistic missiles from China to defend Mecca and Medina, said Dr. Anwar Eshqi, a retired major general and advisor to the joint military council of Saudi Arabia, during a press conference.
"Saudi military did indeed receive DF-21 missiles from China and the integration of the missiles, including a full maintenance check and upgraded facilities, is complete," said Eshqi as cited in the state-run newspaper OKAZ. In addition to defending two holy cities of Islam, the DF-21 will also be used to form a protective umbrella to defend Saudi Arbia's allies over the Persian Gulf, he added, indicating that the missiles are not for offensive attacks.
READ MORE....
WANT CHINA TIMES - 2014-09-22
Saudi Arabia purchased DF-21 ballistic missiles from China to defend Mecca and Medina, said Dr. Anwar Eshqi, a retired major general and advisor to the joint military council of Saudi Arabia, during a press conference.
"Saudi military did indeed receive DF-21 missiles from China and the integration of the missiles, including a full maintenance check and upgraded facilities, is complete," said Eshqi as cited in the state-run newspaper OKAZ. In addition to defending two holy cities of Islam, the DF-21 will also be used to form a protective umbrella to defend Saudi Arbia's allies over the Persian Gulf, he added, indicating that the missiles are not for offensive attacks.
READ MORE....
China and Saudi Arabia: Working together for bright future
Saudi Gazette - Wednesday, October 01, 2014
On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, on behalf of the staff of the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom and myself, I would like to extend warm congratulations and sincere wishes to the Chinese community living and working in Saudi Arabia. I would also like to pay tribute to the leadership of the Kingdom and its friendly people for their care and contribution to Sino-Saudi relations.
Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese government and its people have been working strenuously to build their homeland. Now, China’s GDP exceeds $9 trillion which ranks second in the world. China is the largest trader in goods with the highest foreign exchange reserves in the world. We are also witnessing significant developments in the fields of industry, agriculture, education, science, health, tourism and etc. With political stability, prosperous economy and progressing society, China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. During the first half of 2014, China’s economic growth rate remained high at 7.4%.
READ MORE.....
On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, on behalf of the staff of the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom and myself, I would like to extend warm congratulations and sincere wishes to the Chinese community living and working in Saudi Arabia. I would also like to pay tribute to the leadership of the Kingdom and its friendly people for their care and contribution to Sino-Saudi relations.
Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese government and its people have been working strenuously to build their homeland. Now, China’s GDP exceeds $9 trillion which ranks second in the world. China is the largest trader in goods with the highest foreign exchange reserves in the world. We are also witnessing significant developments in the fields of industry, agriculture, education, science, health, tourism and etc. With political stability, prosperous economy and progressing society, China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. During the first half of 2014, China’s economic growth rate remained high at 7.4%.
READ MORE.....
A Piece of China for Piece of Turkey
Tal Buenos
Daily Sabah - 29.09.2014
World historiography and politics have yet to catch up with post-colonial times. However, the following discovery may push further toward international recognition of political realities that are strongly linked with a history of Western imperialism: there is documentation to show that the ones who sought to tear up the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century are the same people who spoke freely of carving up China.
The crossing paths of Western imperialism in China and Turkey are exposed in a letter that was sent on May 16, 1895 to James Bryce in London from Robert Stein of the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington
READ MORE.....
Daily Sabah - 29.09.2014
World historiography and politics have yet to catch up with post-colonial times. However, the following discovery may push further toward international recognition of political realities that are strongly linked with a history of Western imperialism: there is documentation to show that the ones who sought to tear up the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century are the same people who spoke freely of carving up China.
The crossing paths of Western imperialism in China and Turkey are exposed in a letter that was sent on May 16, 1895 to James Bryce in London from Robert Stein of the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington
READ MORE.....
China Looks Forward to Free Trade Agreement with Turkey
Daily Sabah - 28.09.2014
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday as part of the on-going UN General Assembly meetings in New York.
As the ministers agreed on advancing bilateral ties between Turkey and China, Chinese minister said that a free trade agreement between the two countries can benefit both sides.
During the meeting, the Chinese delegation said they are looking forward to a visit by President Erdoğan to China while, the Turkish officials urged China to support Turkey as a temporary member of UN Security Council.
Both sides' ministers had focused on several issues including high speed rail projects in Turkey and cooperation in defence systems and nuclear energy.
READ MORE....
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday as part of the on-going UN General Assembly meetings in New York.
As the ministers agreed on advancing bilateral ties between Turkey and China, Chinese minister said that a free trade agreement between the two countries can benefit both sides.
During the meeting, the Chinese delegation said they are looking forward to a visit by President Erdoğan to China while, the Turkish officials urged China to support Turkey as a temporary member of UN Security Council.
Both sides' ministers had focused on several issues including high speed rail projects in Turkey and cooperation in defence systems and nuclear energy.
READ MORE....
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Chinese firms swoop into Israel looking for tech investments
China Spectator - 25 Sep, 2014
TEL AVIV—Chinese investors are pouring millions into Israel-focused, tech-investment funds — as well as launching their own funds and investing directly in Israeli startups — amid a frenzy of tech investment and deal making here.
Yongjin Group, a Chinese equity-investment management and financial- services company, has put between US$15 million and US$20 million into Israeli venture fund Pitango Venture Capital during the past year, according to people familiar with the matter.
Lenovo Group, the big Chinese computer maker, meanwhile invested around US$10 million in Canaan Partners Israel, a venture fund affiliated with American-based Canaan Partners, in late August.
And Ping An Venture, the venture investment arm of Ping An Insurance (Group), one of China's biggest financial conglomerates, in November created a US$100 million fund dedicated to U.S. and Israel tech ventures. It has made six investments in Israeli startups so far, said Jiang Zhang, an associate director at Ping An Ventures.
READ MORE.....
TEL AVIV—Chinese investors are pouring millions into Israel-focused, tech-investment funds — as well as launching their own funds and investing directly in Israeli startups — amid a frenzy of tech investment and deal making here.
Yongjin Group, a Chinese equity-investment management and financial- services company, has put between US$15 million and US$20 million into Israeli venture fund Pitango Venture Capital during the past year, according to people familiar with the matter.
Lenovo Group, the big Chinese computer maker, meanwhile invested around US$10 million in Canaan Partners Israel, a venture fund affiliated with American-based Canaan Partners, in late August.
And Ping An Venture, the venture investment arm of Ping An Insurance (Group), one of China's biggest financial conglomerates, in November created a US$100 million fund dedicated to U.S. and Israel tech ventures. It has made six investments in Israeli startups so far, said Jiang Zhang, an associate director at Ping An Ventures.
READ MORE.....
Saturday, September 27, 2014
China now gets more oil from the Middle East than the US does
By Brad Plumer
Vox - September 3, 2014
China is quickly overtaking the United States as the world's biggest importer of oil. Not only that, but China now buys more crude oil from the Middle East than the US does — a shift that some experts think could have big geopolitical implications in the years ahead. Roughly half of China's imported oil now comes from the Persian Gulf, whereas America's reliance on Middle Eastern crude has been steadily shrinking in recent years. Here's a good map from Bruce Jones, David Steven, and Emily O'Brien of the Brookings Institution laying out China's situation:
READ MORE....
Vox - September 3, 2014
China is quickly overtaking the United States as the world's biggest importer of oil. Not only that, but China now buys more crude oil from the Middle East than the US does — a shift that some experts think could have big geopolitical implications in the years ahead. Roughly half of China's imported oil now comes from the Persian Gulf, whereas America's reliance on Middle Eastern crude has been steadily shrinking in recent years. Here's a good map from Bruce Jones, David Steven, and Emily O'Brien of the Brookings Institution laying out China's situation:
Wang Yi Met with Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China - 2014/09/27
On September 26, 2014, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Wang Yi stated that China's relations with Saudi Arabia enjoy a sound momentum of development. China stands ready to work with Saudi Arabia to put into practice important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and keep the strategic relationship between the two countries at a high level. The two sides should frequent high-level interactions, cement political mutual trust, and continue to understand and support each other on issues relating to each other's core interests and major concerns. The two sides should expand in an all-round manner practical cooperation in energy, railways, infrastructure construction, spaceflight, nuclear energy, renewable energy, agriculture and other fields and improve the relationship as countries of shared interests. The two sides should also promote negotiation between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the free trade area and make joint efforts to push for the establishment of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Wang Yi said that as a good friend of Arab states, China supports them in properly resolving issues in the region with their own efforts and concentrating on development. It is in the common interests of Arab states. China values the important status and role of Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, and stands ready to enhance coordination with Saudi Arabia on regional and international issues.
READ MORE....
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Time for a U.S.-China Partnership in the Middle East?
Zachary Keck
The national Interests - September 21, 2014
The unraveling of the Middle East in recent months has laid bare the need for a fundamental change in U.S. policy. While no silver bullet will fix U.S. policy in the Middle East, enlisting China as a partner in the region would be a good place to start. Such a move would not only help stabilize the Middle East, but could also improve Sino-American relations. Under President Xi Jinping, China and the United States have pledged to forge a new type of great-power relationship. To date, this effort has largely focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. This is sensible insofar as Asia is the most important region for both the United States and China, and especially for interactions between them. At the same time, it is also the region where their interests are most at odds, and thus where cooperation is most likely to remain elusive.
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The national Interests - September 21, 2014
The unraveling of the Middle East in recent months has laid bare the need for a fundamental change in U.S. policy. While no silver bullet will fix U.S. policy in the Middle East, enlisting China as a partner in the region would be a good place to start. Such a move would not only help stabilize the Middle East, but could also improve Sino-American relations. Under President Xi Jinping, China and the United States have pledged to forge a new type of great-power relationship. To date, this effort has largely focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. This is sensible insofar as Asia is the most important region for both the United States and China, and especially for interactions between them. At the same time, it is also the region where their interests are most at odds, and thus where cooperation is most likely to remain elusive.
READ MORE.....
China and the ISIS Threat
Already grappling with a home-grown terrorism problem, should Beijing fear the Islamic State?
By Gary Sands
The Diplomat - September 26, 2014
The Islamic State (IS), also widely known as ISIS and ISIL, is apparently attempting to make good on its promise to attack nations who oppose them. A week ago, in the largest counterterrorism operation in Australian history, 800 federal and state police officers raided more than a dozen properties across Sydney, sparked by intelligence that IS was planning a public street killing as a demonstration of its reach.
The arrests in Sydney follow the arrest of two men in Brisbane last week for allegedly preparing to fight in Syria, recruiting jihadists and raising money for the al-Qaeda offshoot group Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the Nusra Front. Australia estimates about 60 of its citizens are fighting for IS and the Nusra Front in Iraq and Syria. To date, 15 of those fighters had been killed, including two young suicide bombers. Within Australia, the government believes around 100 Australians are actively supporting extremist groups, recruiting fighters and coaching suicide bombers, as well as providing funds and equipment.
Australia is not alone in taking the threat from IS seriously: The New York Police Department’s top counterterrorism official stepped up security in Times Square on Wednesday following a recent Internet posting – purportedly authored by IS – that urged “lone wolf” terrorists to attack Times Square and other tourist spots. Also this week, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Yemen living in upstate New York, arrested earlier this year on charges of plotting to kill members of the U.S. military and others, faces new charges that he tried to aid the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.
READ MORE....
By Gary Sands
The Diplomat - September 26, 2014
The Islamic State (IS), also widely known as ISIS and ISIL, is apparently attempting to make good on its promise to attack nations who oppose them. A week ago, in the largest counterterrorism operation in Australian history, 800 federal and state police officers raided more than a dozen properties across Sydney, sparked by intelligence that IS was planning a public street killing as a demonstration of its reach.
The arrests in Sydney follow the arrest of two men in Brisbane last week for allegedly preparing to fight in Syria, recruiting jihadists and raising money for the al-Qaeda offshoot group Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the Nusra Front. Australia estimates about 60 of its citizens are fighting for IS and the Nusra Front in Iraq and Syria. To date, 15 of those fighters had been killed, including two young suicide bombers. Within Australia, the government believes around 100 Australians are actively supporting extremist groups, recruiting fighters and coaching suicide bombers, as well as providing funds and equipment.
Australia is not alone in taking the threat from IS seriously: The New York Police Department’s top counterterrorism official stepped up security in Times Square on Wednesday following a recent Internet posting – purportedly authored by IS – that urged “lone wolf” terrorists to attack Times Square and other tourist spots. Also this week, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Yemen living in upstate New York, arrested earlier this year on charges of plotting to kill members of the U.S. military and others, faces new charges that he tried to aid the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.
READ MORE....
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
14, 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)
Should the U.S. Cooperate with China on Terrorism?
RICHARD BERNSTEIN, ELY RATNER, JEFFREY PAYNE
China File - 09.26.14
READ MORE....
China File - 09.26.14
Richard Bernstein: Of course, they should. But
can they? Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 in the United States,
China has defined almost any dissent from its policies there as examples
of international terrorism. It has also consistently tried to win
western acquiescence in its suppression of the Uighurs by claiming that
all Uighur protests, whether peaceful or violent, against China’s harsh
rule in Xinjiang amount to terrorism. For well over a decade, China’s
propaganda has identified a group it calls the East Turkestan Islamic
Movement, or ETIM, as a main instigator of Uighur violence in China,
saying that ETIM has training camps in the borderlands of Afghanistan
and Pakistan and is closely linked to al-Qaeda.
READ MORE....
Friday, September 26, 2014
Reports: 50 were killed in China clash
Calum MacLeod
USA TODAY - September 26, 2014
The latest violent clash in China's troubled Xinjiang region, described by authorities as a terrorist attack, was far more deadly than first reported, according to state media accounts.
At least fifty people died Sunday, including 40 "rioters," and 54 other people were injured, after a series of explosions rocked Xinjiang's Luntai County, Tianshan Net reported late Thursday. Tianshan Net is a news portal run by the regional government. Previous reports said only two people had died.
Six civilians, two police officers and two auxiliary policemen were killed, and two rioters were captured alive, after what Xinjiang police called an "organized and serious" terrorist attack.
Over 300 people have died in the past year in Xinjiang-related violence, according to Chinese state media. Officials blame overseas terror groups for fanning the frustrations and separatist ambitions of the Uighur minority. A mostly Muslim people, many Uighurs chafe at cultural and religious restrictions set by the ruling Communist Party, and resent the economic dominance of China's majority Han ethnic group.
The explosions occurred at two police stations, a shop and a produce market, Tianshan said Thursday. The injured civilians comprised 32 ethnic Uighurs and 22 Han. The 40 "rioters," or assailants, either died from their own explosions or were shot dead by police who "took decisive action," the website reported.
READ MORE....
USA TODAY - September 26, 2014
The latest violent clash in China's troubled Xinjiang region, described by authorities as a terrorist attack, was far more deadly than first reported, according to state media accounts.
At least fifty people died Sunday, including 40 "rioters," and 54 other people were injured, after a series of explosions rocked Xinjiang's Luntai County, Tianshan Net reported late Thursday. Tianshan Net is a news portal run by the regional government. Previous reports said only two people had died.
Six civilians, two police officers and two auxiliary policemen were killed, and two rioters were captured alive, after what Xinjiang police called an "organized and serious" terrorist attack.
Over 300 people have died in the past year in Xinjiang-related violence, according to Chinese state media. Officials blame overseas terror groups for fanning the frustrations and separatist ambitions of the Uighur minority. A mostly Muslim people, many Uighurs chafe at cultural and religious restrictions set by the ruling Communist Party, and resent the economic dominance of China's majority Han ethnic group.
The explosions occurred at two police stations, a shop and a produce market, Tianshan said Thursday. The injured civilians comprised 32 ethnic Uighurs and 22 Han. The 40 "rioters," or assailants, either died from their own explosions or were shot dead by police who "took decisive action," the website reported.
READ MORE....
A New Book: Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China By Evan Osnos
Farrar, Straus and Giroux - 2014
As the Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker, Evan Osnos was on the ground in China for years, witness to profound political, economic, and cultural upheaval. In Age of Ambition,
he describes the greatest collision taking place in that country: the
clash between the rise of the individual and the Communist Party’s
struggle to retain control. He asks probing questions: Why does a
government with more success lifting people from poverty than any
civilization in history choose to put strict restraints on freedom of
expression? Why do millions of young Chinese professionals—fluent in
English and devoted to Western pop culture—consider themselves “angry
youth,” dedicated to resisting the West’s influence? How are Chinese
from all strata finding meaning after two decades of the relentless
pursuit of wealth? Writing with great narrative verve and a keen
sense of irony, Osnos follows the moving stories of everyday people and
reveals life in the new China to be a battleground between aspiration
and authoritarianism, in which only one can prevail.
Book Review.....
Book Review.....
Monday, September 22, 2014
China and Iran to Conduct Joint Naval Exercises in the Persian Gulf
By THOMAS ERDBRINK and CHRIS BUCKLEY
The New York Times - Sept. 21, 2014
Two Chinese warships have docked at Iran’s principal naval port for the first time in history, Iranian admirals told state television on Sunday, adding that both countries would conduct four days of joint naval exercises.
READ MORE.....
The New York Times - Sept. 21, 2014
Two Chinese warships have docked at Iran’s principal naval port for the first time in history, Iranian admirals told state television on Sunday, adding that both countries would conduct four days of joint naval exercises.
On Sunday, Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, reported
that Chinese Navy ships involved in protecting shipping in the Gulf of
Aden stopped at an Iranian port on Saturday for a “friendly visit.” One
of the vessels was the Changchun, a guided-missile destroyer, the report
said.
The news agency posted images of one of the destroyers docking in the port of Bandar Abbas, where it was given a military welcome.
The
Iranian and Chinese Navies were scheduled to start joint exercises on
Monday, focusing on rescue missions, Iranian news media reported. China
has been expanding the areas where its navy operates, most recently
joining the effort to fight piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast
of Somalia.
READ MORE.....
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Misunderstanding China
How did Western policy makers and academics repeatedly get China so wrong?
By Michael Pillsbury
The Wall Street Journal - Sept. 17, 2014
On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China while standing atop Beijing's Gate of Heavenly Peace. In the decades that followed, many China watchers in the West confidently predicted the fall of his regime. Others hoped that a cadre of moderates in the Beijing government would lead to a kinder, gentler, more democratic China. As China turns 65 in a couple weeks, its ruling Party appears nowhere close to planning its retirement party. It is stronger, more nationalistic and more committed to maintaining one-party rule than at any time since Mao's death. Nor has President Xi Jinping been the moderate reformer some hoped for. Under the cover of anti-corruption, Mr. Xi has consolidated his power over the party and squelched talk of democracy. In a speech to the National Congress earlier this month, he said that preventing the government from becoming "leaderless [and] fragmented" with "political fighting and wrangling between political parties" was among his top priorities. Even in Hong Kong, the last bastion of political freedom in China, Mr. Xi has ruled out free elections for 2017.
READ MORE.....
By Michael Pillsbury
The Wall Street Journal - Sept. 17, 2014
On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China while standing atop Beijing's Gate of Heavenly Peace. In the decades that followed, many China watchers in the West confidently predicted the fall of his regime. Others hoped that a cadre of moderates in the Beijing government would lead to a kinder, gentler, more democratic China. As China turns 65 in a couple weeks, its ruling Party appears nowhere close to planning its retirement party. It is stronger, more nationalistic and more committed to maintaining one-party rule than at any time since Mao's death. Nor has President Xi Jinping been the moderate reformer some hoped for. Under the cover of anti-corruption, Mr. Xi has consolidated his power over the party and squelched talk of democracy. In a speech to the National Congress earlier this month, he said that preventing the government from becoming "leaderless [and] fragmented" with "political fighting and wrangling between political parties" was among his top priorities. Even in Hong Kong, the last bastion of political freedom in China, Mr. Xi has ruled out free elections for 2017.
READ MORE.....
China and the Middle East : Embarking on a Strategic Approach
By James M. Dorsey
RSIS Commentary - No. 18 3 – 1 6 September 2014
Synopsis
As the United States becomes embroiled in yet another military intervention in the Middle East, China is embarking on a long-term approach to the region that would secure its access to resources and trade, and enable cooperation with the US on Chinese terms. The approach takes as its starting point that with US influence in the region in decline, political and economic indicators suggest that it’s just a matter of time before the pendulum swings in China’s favour.
Commentary
CHINA HAS embarked on a Middle East strategy that is shaped as much by contemporary US predicaments in the Middle East as it is by a set of foreign policy principles that contrast starkly with those of the United States, with a determination not to repeat what China views as US mistakes. While there appears to be broad consensus on these points, China’s policy community seems to be divided on a host of questions related to integrating them into a comprehensive policy towards the region. These questions range from the role of democratization to the degree to which China should assert its influence in the region.
The extent of the policy debate was evident during a recent government-endorsed two-day symposium between Chinese policy analysts and former ambassadors to the Middle East and several of their scholarly Western and Arab colleagues. A glimpse of those differences goes some way to explain the focus of the Chinese policy debate. The debate is framed by an emphasis on external rather than domestic drivers of crisis in the Middle East and the importance attached to the formal aspects of political processes such as Chinese official statements and outcomes of elections in the region irrespective of whether they were free and fair, for example Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s re-election in June, rather than political reality on the ground. Ironically, framing that alongside the principle of non-intervention in a country’s domestic affairs effectively amounts to support for autocratic regimes in the Middle East, a policy for which the United States has paid dearly.
The end of US hegemony
The contours of Chinese policy in the Middle East and the assumptions on which they are based have begun to emerge even as US credibility is undermined as a result of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, US support for political change in the region is perceived to be misled; US reluctance to become further embroiled in the region’s conflicts foremost among which is Syria, and its inability to nudge Israelis and Palestinians towards a resolution of their dispute. “US backing off on the Syrian chemical weapons issue signalled the end of US hegemony,” said An Huihou of Shanghai International Studies University’s (SIIS) Middle East Institute who served as Chinese ambassador in five Arab countries. An was referring to the Russian initiated negotiated resolution of the issue after US President Barack Obama last year shied away from acting militarily on what he had earlier described as a red line.
READ MORE.....
RSIS Commentary - No. 18 3 – 1 6 September 2014
Synopsis
As the United States becomes embroiled in yet another military intervention in the Middle East, China is embarking on a long-term approach to the region that would secure its access to resources and trade, and enable cooperation with the US on Chinese terms. The approach takes as its starting point that with US influence in the region in decline, political and economic indicators suggest that it’s just a matter of time before the pendulum swings in China’s favour.
Commentary
CHINA HAS embarked on a Middle East strategy that is shaped as much by contemporary US predicaments in the Middle East as it is by a set of foreign policy principles that contrast starkly with those of the United States, with a determination not to repeat what China views as US mistakes. While there appears to be broad consensus on these points, China’s policy community seems to be divided on a host of questions related to integrating them into a comprehensive policy towards the region. These questions range from the role of democratization to the degree to which China should assert its influence in the region.
The extent of the policy debate was evident during a recent government-endorsed two-day symposium between Chinese policy analysts and former ambassadors to the Middle East and several of their scholarly Western and Arab colleagues. A glimpse of those differences goes some way to explain the focus of the Chinese policy debate. The debate is framed by an emphasis on external rather than domestic drivers of crisis in the Middle East and the importance attached to the formal aspects of political processes such as Chinese official statements and outcomes of elections in the region irrespective of whether they were free and fair, for example Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s re-election in June, rather than political reality on the ground. Ironically, framing that alongside the principle of non-intervention in a country’s domestic affairs effectively amounts to support for autocratic regimes in the Middle East, a policy for which the United States has paid dearly.
The end of US hegemony
The contours of Chinese policy in the Middle East and the assumptions on which they are based have begun to emerge even as US credibility is undermined as a result of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, US support for political change in the region is perceived to be misled; US reluctance to become further embroiled in the region’s conflicts foremost among which is Syria, and its inability to nudge Israelis and Palestinians towards a resolution of their dispute. “US backing off on the Syrian chemical weapons issue signalled the end of US hegemony,” said An Huihou of Shanghai International Studies University’s (SIIS) Middle East Institute who served as Chinese ambassador in five Arab countries. An was referring to the Russian initiated negotiated resolution of the issue after US President Barack Obama last year shied away from acting militarily on what he had earlier described as a red line.
READ MORE.....
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Conference on Uyghur Studies - The George Washington University, Washington, DC - September 25-27, 2014
First International Conference on Uyghur Studies - History, Culture, and Society
The Uyghurs are one of the ten most populous stateless nations in the world. While the Uyghur people have a long history of cultural accomplishments and political influences, they have remained marginal in international scholarship given their ambiguous position both in regional studies and in geopolitics. Nonetheless, given the contribution of Uyghurs to global and regional historical and cultural processes, there has developed a transnational community of scholars whose research is focused on the Uyghur people’s history, culture, society. This conference is the first attempt to bring together a broad spectrum of this international community of scholars, drawing from the academic communities of the Americas, Russia, Turkey, and elsewhere in Europe and Asia. Hopefully, it will serve as a basis for future transnational collaboration on the history, culture, and society of Uyghurs throughout the world.
Thursday, September 25, 2014, Lindner Commons, 6th floor
Session 5: The Transformation of Uyghur Language and Landscapes
Chair and Discussant: Sean R. Roberts (The George Washington University)
Arienne Dwyer (University of Kansas)
The Emergence of Diasporic Uyghur Language
Giulia Cabras (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales-INALCO, France)
Uyghur-Chinese Code Switching in Xinjiang’s Urban Areas: Interactional and Sociocultural Aspects
Erkin Emet (Ankara University, Turkey)
The Effect of Chinese language on Uyghur language
Jean-Paul Loubes (Ecole d’Architecture Paris-La Villette, France; Laboratory Architecture of Paris-La Villette)
The Transformation of the Oasis Cities in Xinjiang: the Case of Kashgar
10:30-11:00am Coffee break
11:00-12:30pm
Session 6: The Forgotten Diaspora? Uyghurs in Post-Soviet Central Asia
Chair and Discussant: Remi Castets (Science PO-CERI, Paris)
Ivan Safranchuk (Moscow State Institute of International Relations)
Great Game? Politics, Business, and Security in Central Asia
Ilkhamzhan Musaev (Independent scholar, Bishkek)
Formation and Development of the Uyghur Ethno-Cultural Identity in Kyrgyzstan
Ablet Kamalov (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Sciences, Almaty)
Diaspora and Identity: Discourse of Homeland (Watan) in the Uyghur communities of post-Soviet Central Asian Countries
Guzel Maitdinova (Center for geopolitical Studies, Russian-Tajik University, Dushanbe)
The Uyghur Diaspora in Tajikistan. History, Culture and Current Situation
12:30-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3:00pm
Session 7: Uyghurs in Multinational Empires
Chair and Discussant: Nabijan Tursun (Independent Scholar, DC)
Yuliy Drobyshev (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
Some Features of Interrelations Between the Uighur Khanate and China
Aleksandr Kadyrbaev (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
Uyghurs in the Mongol empires, 13-14th centuries
Liudmila Chvyr (Institute of Oriental Studies, Academy of Sciences, Moscow)
The Uyghur model of Ethnocultural Interactions in the 19th century
Dinara Dubrovskaia (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
Qing Dynasty and Uyghurs. Controversy over the Question of Reconquering Xinjiang
3:00-3:30pm Coffee break
3:30-5:30pm
Session 8: Russian and Soviet Influences on Uyghurs’ Destiny
Chair and Discussant: James Millard (Georgetown University)
Aleksandr Vasiliev (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
Documents from Russian and Ottoman Archives on the Destiny of Bek-Kuli Beg, Son of Jakub-beg
Valerii Barmin (Professor, Head of Chair, Altai State Pedagogical Academy)
Sabine Trebinjac (Professor, Laboratory of Ethnology and Comparative Sociologie (LESC), CNRS and Nanterre University, France)
Anthropological Survey in the Komintern Archives: The Announced Bankruptcy of the Soviet Annexation of Chinese Turkestan
Vladimir Boyko (Professor of Asian Studies at Altai State Pedagogical Academy; Research Associate at Altai State University, Barnaul)
Ethnicity, Conflict and Development of Xinjiang 1910s-2010s in Russian, Soviet and Post-Soviet Scholarship and Analysis
Anna Bondarenko (Independent Scholar, formerly research fellow at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
State of the Research on Xinjiang in Russia in the 2000s
Nabijan Tursun (Independent Scholar)
Uyghur Ethnic-Political Orientation and the Soviet Union
7:00pm Dinner for Participants
Saturday, September 27, 2014, Lindner Commons. 6th floor
9:30-11:00am
Session 9: New Discoveries of Uyghur Ancient History and Culture
Chair and Discussant: Victor Mair (Pennsylvania University)
Dmitri Vasiliev (Oriental History Department, Institute of Oriental Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences)
Uyghur Fortress in Tuva and new Discoveries of Turkic Runic Inscriptions
Sergey Dmitriev (Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences; Institute of Asian and African States, Moscow State University)
Bilingual ‘Stela of Merits of Generations’ of Iduq-quts, Kings of Gaochang as an example of Uyghur historiography
Risalat Karimova (Institute of Oriental Studies, Academy of Sciences, Almaty)
Uyghur Religious Places in the 14-19th centuries. The Birth a new Architectural Style
Ablet Semet (Department of Turcology and Centralasien Studies, Georg-August-University Goettingen)
New Studies and Results Concerning the Old Uyghur ‘Maitrisimit nom bitig’
11:00-11:30am Coffee break
11:30-1:00pm
Session 10: Uyghur Oral and Written Traditions Through the Ages
Chair and Discussant: Dolkun Kamberi (Radio Free Asia, Washington DC)
Tatiana Anikeeva (Institute of Oriental Studies, Academy of Sciences, Moscow)
On Some Mythological Plots in the Ancient Uyghur Literature
Almican Inayet (Professor of the Turkish World Research Institute, Ege University)
The Role of Uygur Folk Literature On the Construction of Uyghur’s National Identity
Metin Ekici (Professor, Director of the Turkish World Research Institute, Ege University)
An Overall Assessment About the Studies On the Epics of Turkish World
Rian Thum (Assistant Professor, Department of History, Loyola University New Orleans)
Text and Practice in Uyghur Islam
1:00-2:00pm Lunch and Wrap-Up
The Uyghurs are one of the ten most populous stateless nations in the world. While the Uyghur people have a long history of cultural accomplishments and political influences, they have remained marginal in international scholarship given their ambiguous position both in regional studies and in geopolitics. Nonetheless, given the contribution of Uyghurs to global and regional historical and cultural processes, there has developed a transnational community of scholars whose research is focused on the Uyghur people’s history, culture, society. This conference is the first attempt to bring together a broad spectrum of this international community of scholars, drawing from the academic communities of the Americas, Russia, Turkey, and elsewhere in Europe and Asia. Hopefully, it will serve as a basis for future transnational collaboration on the history, culture, and society of Uyghurs throughout the world.
Thursday, September 25, 2014, Lindner Commons, 6th floor
9:00-10:00am Opening
10:00-11:00am
Session 1: The Policy Debate
Chair: Marlene Laruelle (George Washington University)
Sean R. Roberts (George Washington University)
Michael Dillon (Independent scholar, formerly Director of the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Durham)
Gardner Bovington (Indiana University)
Henryk Szadziewski (Uyghur Human Rights Project)
Seyit Tumturk (World Uyghur Congress, Turkey)
11:00-11:30am Coffee break
11:30-12:45pm Session 2: Roundtable Discussion – Uyghurs in Geopolitics Over Time
Chair: Sean R. Roberts (George Washington University)
Dru Gladney (Pacific Basin Institute, Pomona College)
James Millward (Georgetown University)
Alexander Lukin (Vice-President for research and international cooperation at the Diplomatic Academy)
Erkin Ekrem (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
Yunus Koç (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
12:45-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3:00pm
Session 3: Uyghur Social Cohesion, Identity, and Resistance
Chair and Discussant: Dru Gladney (Pomona College)
Michael Dillon (Independent scholar, formerly Director of the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Durham)
Religion, repression and traditional Uyghur culture in southern Xinjiang: Kashghar and Khotan (2010-14)
Nathan Light (Professor, Department of Linguistics and Philology, Uppsala University)
Uyghur Social Networking and Chinese Censorship: Before and After 2009
Rachel Harris (SOAS, University of London)
Intangible Cultural Heritage and Illegal Gatherings: Reflections on the Uyghur Meshrep
Sean R. Roberts (George Washington University)
‘Uyghurstan is Where the Home is’. “Self-Governmentality” and the Maintenance of Uyghur National Identity without a State
Mamtimin Ala (Vice President of the World Uyghur Congress)
Between Utopia and Dystopia: Uyghur Intellectuals from 1949 to 2000
3:00-3:30pm Coffee break
3:30-5:30pm
Session 4: Xinjiang under Chinese Influence
Chair and discussant: Michael Dillon (Independent Scholar)
Gardner Bovington (Indiana University)
Taking a Mulligan: New Minzu Policies in Search of Appropriate Problems
Joanne Smith (Newcastle University, UK)
The Redistribution of Wealth or Consolidation of Majority Han Power? The ‘National Partner Assistance Programme’
Stanley Toops (Department of Geography, Miami University, Ohio)
The Demography of the Uyghur: Spatial Results of the 2010 Census of Xinjiang
Remi Castets (Assistant Professor, Michel de Montaigne University, Bordeaux)
Uyghur Islam and State Control Policies in Xinjiang
Kara Abramson (Independent scholar, USA)
Understanding and Promoting Human Rights in Xinjiang: Challenges and Opportunities
7:00pm Dinner for Participants
10:00-11:00am
Session 1: The Policy Debate
Chair: Marlene Laruelle (George Washington University)
Sean R. Roberts (George Washington University)
Michael Dillon (Independent scholar, formerly Director of the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Durham)
Gardner Bovington (Indiana University)
Henryk Szadziewski (Uyghur Human Rights Project)
Seyit Tumturk (World Uyghur Congress, Turkey)
11:00-11:30am Coffee break
11:30-12:45pm Session 2: Roundtable Discussion – Uyghurs in Geopolitics Over Time
Chair: Sean R. Roberts (George Washington University)
Dru Gladney (Pacific Basin Institute, Pomona College)
James Millward (Georgetown University)
Alexander Lukin (Vice-President for research and international cooperation at the Diplomatic Academy)
Erkin Ekrem (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
Yunus Koç (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
12:45-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3:00pm
Session 3: Uyghur Social Cohesion, Identity, and Resistance
Chair and Discussant: Dru Gladney (Pomona College)
Michael Dillon (Independent scholar, formerly Director of the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Durham)
Religion, repression and traditional Uyghur culture in southern Xinjiang: Kashghar and Khotan (2010-14)
Nathan Light (Professor, Department of Linguistics and Philology, Uppsala University)
Uyghur Social Networking and Chinese Censorship: Before and After 2009
Rachel Harris (SOAS, University of London)
Intangible Cultural Heritage and Illegal Gatherings: Reflections on the Uyghur Meshrep
Sean R. Roberts (George Washington University)
‘Uyghurstan is Where the Home is’. “Self-Governmentality” and the Maintenance of Uyghur National Identity without a State
Mamtimin Ala (Vice President of the World Uyghur Congress)
Between Utopia and Dystopia: Uyghur Intellectuals from 1949 to 2000
3:00-3:30pm Coffee break
3:30-5:30pm
Session 4: Xinjiang under Chinese Influence
Chair and discussant: Michael Dillon (Independent Scholar)
Gardner Bovington (Indiana University)
Taking a Mulligan: New Minzu Policies in Search of Appropriate Problems
Joanne Smith (Newcastle University, UK)
The Redistribution of Wealth or Consolidation of Majority Han Power? The ‘National Partner Assistance Programme’
Stanley Toops (Department of Geography, Miami University, Ohio)
The Demography of the Uyghur: Spatial Results of the 2010 Census of Xinjiang
Remi Castets (Assistant Professor, Michel de Montaigne University, Bordeaux)
Uyghur Islam and State Control Policies in Xinjiang
Kara Abramson (Independent scholar, USA)
Understanding and Promoting Human Rights in Xinjiang: Challenges and Opportunities
7:00pm Dinner for Participants
Friday, September 26, 2014, State Room, 7th floor
9:00-10:30amSession 5: The Transformation of Uyghur Language and Landscapes
Chair and Discussant: Sean R. Roberts (The George Washington University)
Arienne Dwyer (University of Kansas)
The Emergence of Diasporic Uyghur Language
Giulia Cabras (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales-INALCO, France)
Uyghur-Chinese Code Switching in Xinjiang’s Urban Areas: Interactional and Sociocultural Aspects
Erkin Emet (Ankara University, Turkey)
The Effect of Chinese language on Uyghur language
Jean-Paul Loubes (Ecole d’Architecture Paris-La Villette, France; Laboratory Architecture of Paris-La Villette)
The Transformation of the Oasis Cities in Xinjiang: the Case of Kashgar
10:30-11:00am Coffee break
11:00-12:30pm
Session 6: The Forgotten Diaspora? Uyghurs in Post-Soviet Central Asia
Chair and Discussant: Remi Castets (Science PO-CERI, Paris)
Ivan Safranchuk (Moscow State Institute of International Relations)
Great Game? Politics, Business, and Security in Central Asia
Ilkhamzhan Musaev (Independent scholar, Bishkek)
Formation and Development of the Uyghur Ethno-Cultural Identity in Kyrgyzstan
Ablet Kamalov (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Sciences, Almaty)
Diaspora and Identity: Discourse of Homeland (Watan) in the Uyghur communities of post-Soviet Central Asian Countries
Guzel Maitdinova (Center for geopolitical Studies, Russian-Tajik University, Dushanbe)
The Uyghur Diaspora in Tajikistan. History, Culture and Current Situation
12:30-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3:00pm
Session 7: Uyghurs in Multinational Empires
Chair and Discussant: Nabijan Tursun (Independent Scholar, DC)
Yuliy Drobyshev (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
Some Features of Interrelations Between the Uighur Khanate and China
Aleksandr Kadyrbaev (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
Uyghurs in the Mongol empires, 13-14th centuries
Liudmila Chvyr (Institute of Oriental Studies, Academy of Sciences, Moscow)
The Uyghur model of Ethnocultural Interactions in the 19th century
Dinara Dubrovskaia (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
Qing Dynasty and Uyghurs. Controversy over the Question of Reconquering Xinjiang
3:00-3:30pm Coffee break
3:30-5:30pm
Session 8: Russian and Soviet Influences on Uyghurs’ Destiny
Chair and Discussant: James Millard (Georgetown University)
Aleksandr Vasiliev (Institute for Oriental Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
Documents from Russian and Ottoman Archives on the Destiny of Bek-Kuli Beg, Son of Jakub-beg
Valerii Barmin (Professor, Head of Chair, Altai State Pedagogical Academy)
Sabine Trebinjac (Professor, Laboratory of Ethnology and Comparative Sociologie (LESC), CNRS and Nanterre University, France)
Anthropological Survey in the Komintern Archives: The Announced Bankruptcy of the Soviet Annexation of Chinese Turkestan
Vladimir Boyko (Professor of Asian Studies at Altai State Pedagogical Academy; Research Associate at Altai State University, Barnaul)
Ethnicity, Conflict and Development of Xinjiang 1910s-2010s in Russian, Soviet and Post-Soviet Scholarship and Analysis
Anna Bondarenko (Independent Scholar, formerly research fellow at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies, Academy of Science, Moscow)
State of the Research on Xinjiang in Russia in the 2000s
Nabijan Tursun (Independent Scholar)
Uyghur Ethnic-Political Orientation and the Soviet Union
7:00pm Dinner for Participants
Saturday, September 27, 2014, Lindner Commons. 6th floor
9:30-11:00am
Session 9: New Discoveries of Uyghur Ancient History and Culture
Chair and Discussant: Victor Mair (Pennsylvania University)
Dmitri Vasiliev (Oriental History Department, Institute of Oriental Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences)
Uyghur Fortress in Tuva and new Discoveries of Turkic Runic Inscriptions
Sergey Dmitriev (Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences; Institute of Asian and African States, Moscow State University)
Bilingual ‘Stela of Merits of Generations’ of Iduq-quts, Kings of Gaochang as an example of Uyghur historiography
Risalat Karimova (Institute of Oriental Studies, Academy of Sciences, Almaty)
Uyghur Religious Places in the 14-19th centuries. The Birth a new Architectural Style
Ablet Semet (Department of Turcology and Centralasien Studies, Georg-August-University Goettingen)
New Studies and Results Concerning the Old Uyghur ‘Maitrisimit nom bitig’
11:00-11:30am Coffee break
11:30-1:00pm
Session 10: Uyghur Oral and Written Traditions Through the Ages
Chair and Discussant: Dolkun Kamberi (Radio Free Asia, Washington DC)
Tatiana Anikeeva (Institute of Oriental Studies, Academy of Sciences, Moscow)
On Some Mythological Plots in the Ancient Uyghur Literature
Almican Inayet (Professor of the Turkish World Research Institute, Ege University)
The Role of Uygur Folk Literature On the Construction of Uyghur’s National Identity
Metin Ekici (Professor, Director of the Turkish World Research Institute, Ege University)
An Overall Assessment About the Studies On the Epics of Turkish World
Rian Thum (Assistant Professor, Department of History, Loyola University New Orleans)
Text and Practice in Uyghur Islam
1:00-2:00pm Lunch and Wrap-Up
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Given this troubling circumstance, could China make a useful contribution in the newest anti-terrorist battleground, against ISIS in Syria and Iraq? In general, China’s participation in international anti-terrorism efforts has so far been limited to support for UN Security Council resolutions. In the past day or so, for example, China supported a resolution, sponsored by the United States, demanding that countries take action to stop the flow of foreign jihadists to Syria and Iraq. The online Chinese daily Global Times reports that China has also promised to “strengthen our cooperation with various parties in intelligence sharing and personnel training.”
This could be a positive step. If China chooses to make a real contribution against real, as opposed to imaginary, terrorists, that would, of course, be welcome. But so far, the indication is that that China will attempt to use the new situation, as it did the attacks on 9/11, to divert attention from its repression of peaceful and lawful dissent in Xinjiang, illustrated most recently and most starkly by the life sentence meted out to the peaceful Uighur scholar-dissident Ilhan Tothi. If the rest of the world allows this “cooperation” to take place, it will not be so much gaining Chinese help in the real anti-terrorism fight as it will be collaborating in China’s ongoing violations of the rights of its Uighur citizens.