Archive for ‘China alert’

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17/12/2013

China Declares Lunar Defense Obliteration Zone | Ministry of Harmony

Following the successful launch of its first lunar rover, the Chinese government has declared a defensive zone extending vertically from China into space and encompassing the moon.Lunar Defense Obliteration Zone

The Lunar Defense Obliteration Zone, according to newly appointed space minister Wu Houyi, “will protect China’s core interests and interplanetary sovereignty.” All foreign spacecraft, satellites, comets and space debris must notify China before passing through or into the zone.

Due to orbital complications, the boundaries of the LDOZ will shift daily in accordance with the position of the moon relative to its sovereign power. China’s Ministry of Space has issued diagrams of the shifting boundaries, dubbed “the lasso.”

Many countries have disputed China’s ability to establish such a zone, but Chinese officials are adamant about the country’s claim to Earth’s only natural satellite.

Orbital variations of the LDOZ.

“China’s historical ties to the moon date back at least five thousand years, perhaps more,” said Chen Guang, an official historian from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. “We made a whole calendar based on it for Christ’s sake.”

As for the political ramifications, the Ministry of Space has promised not to impose terrestrial laws on the celestial object, nor push immediately for reunification.

“The moon will retain full autonomy,” Wu told reporters on Thursday, “and will continue to orbit the Earth as normal under the ‘One Country, Two Circumgyrating Bodies’ system.”

So far, the LDOZ has received widespread support from the public and government-issued propaganda posters have cropped up around Beijing and Shanghai bearing the slogan “China Dream, Moon Dream.”

One Weibo user, @永远玉兔 (Jade Rabbit Forever), suggested that China should enforce the defensive zone by constructing a giant laser which will point at whichever country is currently meeting with the Dalai Lama, and at Tokyo the rest of the time.

via China Declares Lunar Defense Obliteration Zone | Ministry of Harmony.

Note: Ministry of Harmony is a website which uses satire to highlight China’s reluctance to conform to international precedents and laws

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16/12/2013

U.S. offers new assistance to Vietnam to patrol seas | Reuters

Sounds to me like “pouring oil on troubled waters”!

“The United States on Monday offered fresh financial assistance to Vietnam to boost maritime security on its borders, which comes as regional tension grows with China over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

A Vietnamese naval soldier stands quard at Thuyen Chai island in the Spratly archipelago January 17, 2013. REUTERS/Quang Le

On his first visit to Vietnam as secretary of state, John Kerry denied the new assistance had anything to do with China although he called for \”intensified negotiations and diplomatic initiatives\” between China and Japan on resolving differences in the East China Sea.

He repeated that the United States did not recognize a new air defense zone announced by China this month over the East China Sea.

via U.S. offers new assistance to Vietnam to patrol seas | Reuters.

Posted in China alert, Defence, Economics, Foreign invasion, GeoPolitics, History, Neighbour conflict, Politics, Territorial dispute | Leave a Comment »

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16/12/2013

Pioneering digital marketing in China

Posted in China alert, Consumer, Digital communications, Economics, Market economy, Technology | 2 Comments »

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15/12/2013

Emerging nations overtake West in dumping electronic trash | Reuters

China and other emerging economies have overtaken Western nations in dumping old electronic goods, from TVs to cellphones, and will lead a projected 33 percent surge in the amount of waste from 2012 to 2017, a U.N.-backed alliance said on Sunday.

An employee holds circuit boards at the Coopermiti warehouse of electronic waste in Sao Paulo March 6, 2013. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Brazil generates the greatest amount of electronic waste (e-waste) per capita among emerging countries. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

The report, the first to map electronic waste by country to promote recycling and safer disposal of often toxic parts, shows how the economic rise of developing nations is transforming the world economy even in terms of pollution.

\”The e-waste problem requires attention globally,\” Ruediger Kuehr of the U.N. University and executive secretary of the Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP) initiative, told Reuters. StEP is run by U.N. agencies, governments, NGOs and scientists.

via Emerging nations overtake West in dumping electronic trash | Reuters.

Posted in China alert, Chindia Alert, Economics, India alert, Pollution, recycling | 3 Comments »

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15/12/2013

BBC News – North Korea ‘summons business people from China’

North Korean business people are being recalled from China following the execution of top official, Chang Song-thaek, says a South Korean report.

Kim Jong-un (North Korean leader) – centre, black coat; Hwang Pyong-so (Vice-departmental director of Party Central Committee) - far left, civilian clothes; Choe Ryong-hae, (Vice-marshal of the armed forces) - third from left, holding little green book; Jang Jong-nam (New defence minister) - 4th from left, holding big notes

Leader Kim Jong-un may be purging associates of Mr Chang, who was in charge of economic ties with China.

Mr Kim has been pictured by state media for the first time since the execution of Mr Chang, his uncle.

The South Korean government believes Kim Jong-un is trying to consolidate his power through a reign of terror.

The execution of the leader\’s uncle on Friday raised international concern about the stability of the nuclear-armed state.

North Korea has summoned back business people working out of the north-eastern Chinese cities of Shenyang and Dandong, sources told the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

They are in China to enhance bilateral trade and investment.

Another source told the agency Pyongyang planned to bring all officials and staff home from China in stages.

It appeared to be a crackdown on those perceived as loyal to Mr Chang, Yonhap said.

It could also be another sign that Mr Chang\’s downfall reflected discomfort at his enthusiasm for Chinese-style economic reform.

There have been other reports over recent days about officials being recalled to North Korea from abroad.

via BBC News – North Korea ‘summons business people from China’.

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15/12/2013

BBC News – China’s Jade Rabbit rover rolls on to Moon’s surface

For those not familiar with Chinese mythology, what the Western people call the ‘man on the moon’, the Chinese call ‘ the rabbit on the moon’.  See – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_rabbit

“China\’s Jade Rabbit robot rover has driven off its landing module and on to the Moon\’s surface.

Moon

The robotic vehicle rolled down a ramp lowered by the lander and on to the volcanic plain known as Sinus Iridum.

Earlier on Saturday, the landing module containing the rover fired its thrusters to perform the first soft landing on the Moon since 1976.

The touchdown in the Moon\’s northern hemisphere marks the latest step in China\’s ambitious space programme.

The lander will operate there for a year, while the rover is expected to work for some three months.

The Chang\’e-3 mission landed some 12 days after being launched atop a Chinese-developed Long March 3B rocket from Xichang in the country\’s south.”

via BBC News – China’s Jade Rabbit rover rolls on to Moon’s surface.

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14/12/2013

Six major economic tasks set for next year – Chinadaily.com.cn

Chinese leaders have wrapped up a four-day Economic Work Conference, promising to maintain stable economic policies to achieve reasonable economic growth in the coming year and pointing out six major tasks.

Six major economic tasks set for next year

The four-day economic conference, chaired by China’s President Xi Jinping, decided to maintain the proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy stance in 2014.

In a statement after the conclusion of the close-door-meeting, officials said the country would expand its reforms into different sectors. Especially, focus should be placed on keeping reasonable credit growth and social financing next year. Pushing forward interest rate liberalisation and the internationalisation of the yuan currency also figure on the hit list. The six top tasks for 2014 are

1. Securing food supply, and at the same time, food safety;

2. Changing the industrial structure, resolve the over-capacity issue and promote sustainable economic growth driven by consumption, services and innovation.

3. The government will also try to better manage the debt of local governments.

4. Coordinating the development between different regions.

5. Improve people’s livelihood and boost employment.

6. Last but not least, China will also spur international financial cooperation, mainly in the areas of Free trade agreements and investment deals.It’s widely expected that China’s economy will grow at annual 7.6-7.7 percent this year, above the government target of 7.5 percent.

via Six major economic tasks set for next year – Chinadaily.com.cn.

See also: https://chindia-alert.org/economic-factors/china-needs-to-rebalance-her-economy/

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14/12/2013

U.S., Chinese warships narrowly avoid collision in South China Sea | Reuters

A U.S. guided missile cruiser operating in international waters in the South China Sea was forced to take evasive action last week to avoid a collision with a Chinese warship maneuvering nearby, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a statement on Friday.

A helicopter hovers over the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Cowpens in the northern Gulf March 12, 2003. REUTERS/Paul Hanna

The incident came as the USS Cowpens was operating near China\’s only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, and at a time of heightened tensions in the region following Beijing\’s declaration of an Air Defense Identification Zone farther north in the East China Sea, a U.S. defense official said.

Another Chinese warship maneuvered near the Cowpens in the incident on December 5, and the Cowpens was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision, the Pacific Fleet said in its statement.

via U.S., Chinese warships narrowly avoid collision in South China Sea | Reuters.

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14/12/2013

Call Made to Congress for China War Plan | DoD Buzz

The U.S. military needs a more focused war plan specific to China, especially after China’s recent declaration of an air defense zone over the East China Sea, a group of defense analysts told a prominent House subcommittee Wednesday.

Call Made to Congress for China War Plan

As part of the Pentagon’s overall defense strategy to pivot to the Pacific, the U.S. should buy more Virginia-class attack submarines, prioritizing long-range anti-ship missiles, carrier-based drones, and missile defense technology, the analysts told the House Armed Services’ Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

Seth Cropsey, a senior fellow at The Hudson Institute, told the subcommittee that the U.S needs a detailed war plan for China in the event that conflict arises.

“Chinese leaders are ambitious and they are moving toward great power status. The U.S. is not taking this possibility as seriously as it should,” said

Much of the hearing was focused on how the U.S. can counter-balance Chinese strategic moves to deny access to certain areas in the region through the use of long-range missiles, guided missile destroyers and submarines. In particular, the analysts said China have sought to control waterways, choke points and restrict access to key islands and territories in the region.

China has already provoked tensions in the region by declaring an air-defense zone in the East China Sea. U.S. leaders flew two unarmed B-52s through the area shortly after the announcement. However, the White House has also asked civilian U.S. airliners to alert China when their aircraft fly through the zone.

“While Naval modernization is a natural development for any sea-faring nation such as China, it is clear the modernization is emboldening the Chinese government to exert their interests by bullying their neighbors and pushing back the United States in the Asia Pacific region,” said Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

If China succeeds in restricting access to or controlling its near seas, that would present “major implications for U.S. strategy and constitute a major challenge to the post World War II international order,” said Ronald O’Rourke, specialist in Naval Affairs, Congressional Research Service.

Chinese defense spending has increased from an estimated $45 to $60-billion annually in 2003 to $115 to $200 billion today, said Jim Thomas, vice president and director of studies, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

This includes investments in ships, long-range missiles, fighter jets and submarines, he explained. Unlike the U.S. which maintains a global posture, the Chinese military can spend all of its funds on regional counter-intervention, Thomas said.

The Chinese military has as many as 100 land-based strike fighters equipped with sophisticated avionics, sensors and advanced air-to-air missiles, he testified. Thomas also mentioned China’s DF-21D long-range ballistic missile, a weapon with a maneuverable warhead able to attack large surface combatants at ranges up to 930 miles.

“A decade ago China was reliant upon Russian assistance in its armaments, but is now increasingly shifted toward indigenous design and production. It is rapidly building up a modernized submarine force and its advanced guided missile destroyers represent a major improvement in fleet air defenses,” he told the Subcommittee.

These defenses are designed to protect aircraft carriers and help China push its Naval perimeter further off the coast, Thomas added. China also has an armada of small, armed fast-attack craft which could make it difficult for foreign forces to approach to within 200 nautical miles of the Chinese coast, Thomas testified.

Being able to thwart or spoof command and control and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance networks needs to be a key part of a counter-China defense strategy, Thomas emphasized as well.

via Call Made to Congress for China War Plan | DoD Buzz.

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14/12/2013

Susan Rice Attempts to Solve the Japan-China Deadlock – FPIF

Sending Caroline Kennedy, a household name in the United States, to Japan as the ambassador indicates that President Obama has realized there is no better choice than using the tension in East Asia to capture and retain the attention of the American public to his amazing skills in handling Asia. While the jingoistic heat may stay for a while, the White House will cool it down soon.

Trans-Asian Railway

In 1940, the GDP (in US$ billion) of Germany, Japan, the UK and the U.S. amounted to US$387, $192, $316 and $943 respectively, with a ratio between the two Axis and the two Allied powers at 0.4599:1. In 2012, the GDP of China, Japan and the U.S. amounted to $8,358, $5,960 and $15,685 billion respectively, with a ratio between China and the U.S.-Japan team at 0.3861:1.  The GDP per capita of the U.S. in 2012 was US$49,965 and that of Japan was US$46,720, but the Chinese figure was merely US$6,188 which was less than 7% of the U.S.-Japan combined total.

Strategically speaking, without Taiwan as the “unsinkable aircraft carrier”, China’s air force is fragile around the islands in dispute, not to mention their wide generational gap behind the U.S. fighters.  Even laymen know that when Boeing is promoting the latest model—787 Dreamliner, China is still at the infant stage of manufacturing passenger jets. In terms of national strength and technology, China cannot match with the United States. The current hawkish talks will no doubt help newspapers sell better and online journals attract more eyeballs but insiders and military experts know that this confrontational game is asymmetrical. Nevertheless, both Tokyo and Beijing benefit from playing this game for domestic politics consideration in due course.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe can make the best use of it to consolidate the public support for his Liberal Democratic Party during the newly won 4-year term at the House of Representatives by proving that his party is more protective of Japan’s national interest than the Democratic Party of Japan whose leaders like Naoto Kan and Yukio Hatoyama appeared to be weak at the bargaining table during their governance 2009-12.

To the Chinese Communist Party, the Sino-Japanese tension is the most gifted justification for fostering patriotism and weakening the idolization of the West by some netizens and scholars. All the parties in power know that this confrontational show will not lead to any combat and will not last long. When the calculation and pressure for election campaigning in Japan subside after 2016, serious negotiation will resume. Both sides do not want to see long-term shrinkage of trade volume and cannot afford to leave the crude and gas under the sea untouched forever. In fact, a delegation of leading Japanese business leaders, including Fujio Cho (honorary chairman of Toyota Motors) and Hiromasa Yonekura (honorary chairman of Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metals) is having a week-long stay in Beijing to try to open the door for peace by meeting at least the Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang who is in charge of trade and commerce.

This 2014-16 period will therefore be the show time for the White House to mastermind the progress towards a warm feeling for talks. National Security Advisor Susan Rice revealed a hint on how the U.S. could pave the way for a Japan-China deal in her Georgetown University script. In the eighth paragraph of the speech titled “America’s Future in Asia”, she began by saying that when “it comes to China, we seek to operationalize a new model of major power relations” and then brought the audience to the Korean Peninsula, Iran, Afghanistan, “Sudan”, “sub-Saharan Africa” and even benefits of “the peoples of Africa”. Why is Africa dragged into this already complicated problem in a speech supposed to be on America-Asia when “it comes to China”?

Knowing that China is not just rushing to complete the 80,900-km Trans-Asian Railway project and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor, but also going to provide US$1 trillion of financing to Africa in the years to 2025 through the state-owned banks including the Eximbank to further increase the Chinese stakes in this under-developed continent, Washington could bargain for favors towards the U.S., Japan and even the Philippines by offering, say, ‘less barriers’ to China’s advancement to Africa. To China, the natural resources in western Asia, Latin America and Africa represent the lion share of the commodities the 1.3 billion population needs. Here is the simple equation Susan Rice is going to show the pragmatic Chinese helmsman rulers: In the wake of China’s no match for the military strength of the U.S. worldwide, a smaller share in the east (East Asia) plus a larger (or less costly) share in the west (western Asia and Africa) can yield the same amount of sum in the end.  It is how and why a deal is possible.

via Susan Rice Attempts to Solve the Japan-China Deadlock – FPIF.

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