Archive for ‘Chindia Alert’

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03/12/2012

* Post transition, China looking to build ties with neighbours

Talking of mixed messages: on the one hand we hev the Indian Navy trying to establish a position in South China Sea to protect its oil and gas interests there; on the other hand we have foreign ministers shaking hands and vowing better ties between neighbours. Which is the REAL message? And who is trying to fool whom?

The Hindu: “Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo told National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon here on Monday that China was looking to forge stronger ties with its neighbours following the leadership transition.

National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon with Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo, his counterpart as the Special Representative on the boundary talks, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Monday. Photo: Ananth Krishnan

Mr. Dai, who is also Mr. Menon’s counterpart as the Special Representative (SR) on the boundary talks, said Monday’s visit had assumed “special and important” significance as it was one of the first visits by a foreign leader to China following November’s Party Congress, which formalised a once-in-a-decade leadership transition.

“You’re one of the first few foreign leaders we are receiving after the party congress,” Mr. Dai told Mr. Menon at their first session of talks. “I’m sure through your visit the Indian side will have a better sense of China after the eighteenth Party Congress and China’s foreign policy, and how best to join forces to further promote the development of China-India relations”.

The first session of Monday’s talks was devoted to briefing Mr. Menon on China’s transition. Two other sessions later on Monday will focus on Sino-Indian relations and are expected to cover a range of topics from the boundary question to wider strategic issues.”

via The Hindu : News / National : Post transition, China looking to build ties with neighbours.

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03/12/2012

* Indian navy prepared to deploy to South China Sea to protect oil interests

India, which so far has not been involved is now doing so after Hainan Province decides to take unilateral ‘policing’ action on the high seas. Does not bode well for resolving the South China Sea territorial dispute.

Reuters: “The Indian navy is prepared to deploy vessels to the South China Sea to protect India’s oil interests there, the navy chief said on Monday amid growing international fears over the potential for naval clashes in the disputed region.

Indian Navy

India has sparred diplomatically with China in the past over its gas and oil exploration block off the coast of Vietnam. China claims virtually the entire mineral-rich South China Sea and has stepped up its military presence there. Other nations such as Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia have competing claims.

Indian state-run explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has a stake in a gas field in the Nam Con Son basin, off Vietnam’s south coast.

Indian Navy Chief Admiral D.K Joshi said while India was not a claimant in the dispute over territorial rights in the South China Sea, it was prepared to act, if necessary, to protect its maritime and economic interests in the region.”

via Indian navy prepared to deploy to South China Sea to protect oil interests | Reuters.

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Posted in China alert, Chindia Alert, GeoPolitics, India alert, Politics | 4 Comments »

03/12/2012

* Alarm as China Issues Rules for Disputed Area

Amazingly, a Chinese province makes announcements that could have grave foreign-policy and geo-political implications. Is this for real or is it merely acting as a ‘strawman’ for central government pronouncements to come?

NY Times: “New rules announced by a Chinese province last week to allow interceptions of ships in the South China Sea are raising concerns in the region, and in Washington, that simmering disputes with Southeast Asian countries over the waters will escalate.

The move by Hainan Province, which administers China’s South China Sea claims, is being seen by some outside analysts as another step in the country’s bid to solidify its claims to much of the sea, which includes crucial international shipping lanes through which more than a third of global trade is carried.

As foreign governments scrambled for clarification of the rules, which appeared vague and open to interpretation, a top Chinese policy maker on matters related to the South China Sea tried to calm worries inspired by the announcement.

Wu Shicun, the director general of the foreign affairs office of Hainan Province, said Saturday that Chinese ships would be allowed to search and repel foreign ships only if they were engaged in illegal activities (though these were not defined) and only if the ships were within the 12-nautical-mile zone surrounding islands that China claims.

The laws, passed by the provincial legislature, come less than a month after China named its new leader, Xi Jinping, and as the country remains embroiled in a serious dispute with Japan in the East China Sea over islands known in China as the Diaoyu and as the Senkaku in Japan.

The laws appear to have little to do with Mr. Xi directly, but they reinforce fears that China, now the owner of an aircraft carrier and a growing navy, is plowing ahead with plans to enforce its claims that it has sovereign rights over much of the sea, which includes dozens of islands that other countries say are theirs. And top Chinese officials have not yet clarified their intent, leaving room for speculation.

via Alarm as China Issues Rules for Disputed Area – NYTimes.com.

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Posted in China alert, Defence, GeoPolitics, Military, Politics, Territorial dispute | 3 Comments »

01/12/2012

* China home marooned in middle of road is bulldozed

Not what he asked for but more than originally offered – ends the stand-off.

BBC: “A five-storey home marooned in the middle of a new road in China for more than a year because its owner refused to leave has finally been demolished.

Home demolished in Wenling in China's eastern Zhejiang province, 1 Dec 2012

The road, in China’s’s eastern Zhejiang province, was built around the house because duck farmer Luo Baogen was holding out for more compensation.

Mr Luo, 67, said he had just finished the home at a cost of $95,000 and had been offered only $35,000 to move.

Officials say he finally accepted $41,000, and the bulldozers moved in.

Media attention

The home had earned the nickname “nail house” because, like a stubborn nail, it was difficult to move.

China’s official Xinhua news agency said Mr Luo and his wife had accepted the new compensation offer and had moved to a relocation area with the help of relatives on Saturday morning.”

via BBC News – China home marooned in middle of road is bulldozed.

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01/12/2012

* Chinese tycoons advised on charity

China Daily: “Western experience sought after to advance China’s development

The newly rich in China are looking to the West for experience again. But this time, they want to learn how to spend money, rather than how to make it.

Zhang Xin, CEO and co-founder of Soho China, a leading real estate developer, said she had no clear strategy when she started her journey into philanthropy.

“In the early days, when I established the Soho China Foundation, we did not have a clear plan. We gave money to build a school here and set up a kindergarten there and rushed to help people affected by a tsunami,” Zhang said.

Zhang said she gradually realized that it is important to discover the pressing social problems China faces and then choose one field that requires a huge investment of money and human capital.

The female billionaire said her foundation started the project Teach for China, which is dedicated to training teachers in rural schools in Northwest China’s Gansu province, one of the most impoverished provinces, six years ago.

“Teach for China is what we learned from an American foundation,” she said.

Zhang made her remarks at the China Philanthropy Forum 2012, which was jointly held on Friday by the China Association for International Friendly Contact, Caijing Magazine and other organizations in Beijing.”

via Tycoons advised on charity |Society |chinadaily.com.cn.

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01/12/2012

* World through Dragon’s eyes

A very insightful analysis reported by a Turkish author, presumably someone who attended the 4th Xiangshan Forum in November 2012, immediately after the 18th National Congress.

Posted in China alert, Defence, Democracy, Diplomacy, GeoPolitics, Military, Politics, Territorial dispute | Leave a Comment »

30/11/2012

* China-backed payment processor to accelerate global expansion

Visa and Mastercard beware!

Reuters: “China’s state-backed electronic payment services giant, China UnionPay, launched an international arm tasked with speeding its expansion overseas, heating up competition with rivals such as Visa Inc (V.N) and Mastercard Inc (MA.N).

The logo of the China UnionPay is seen at a bank in Taiyuan, Shanxi province July 20, 2012. REUTERS/Stringer (CHINA - Tags: BUSINESS)

The move underscores UnionPay’s growing global ambitions, and follows a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling that China discriminates against foreign card companies by favoring UnionPay in the home market.

UnionPay, China’s dominant payment card supplier, is looking to expand the number of shops and outlets overseas that will accept its cards and also grow the number of partner banks issuing UnionPay-branded cards. The move would increase its business, assist inbound and outbound travelers and is also aimed at promoting the use of the yuan as a global currency.

“UnionPay’s internationalism provides convenience to Chinese residents and companies going overseas. Also it provides a new payment option for overseas residents and companies,” Liu Shiyu, deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, said at the opening ceremony of UnionPay’s unit.”

via China-backed payment processor to accelerate global expansion | Reuters.

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28/11/2012

* Tibetan students protest, as four more self-immolations reported

China needs to rethink its policy on Tibet. The issue of autonomy is not going to go away. Unlike the Muslim Uighurs, who are mainly domiciled in Xinjiang, Tibetans reside in large numbers in at least four provinces of which Tibet is only the main one.

BBC: “A crowd of Tibetan students has protested in Qinghai province, activists say, as four more self-immolations were reported.

A man taking a photograph in front of a screen displaying propaganda about China's Tibet Autonomous Region in Beijing, 12 November 2012

Reports said more than 1,000 students took part in the protest, which was reportedly provoked by the contents of a book.

Twenty students were in hospital, media reports and activist groups said.

The four self-immolations, meanwhile, occurred in Gansu, Sichuan and Qinghai provinces on Sunday and Monday.

Foreign media are banned from Tibetan regions, making reports of protests and self-immolations hard to verify independently. Chinese state media reports some of the protests and burnings but not all.

The student protest took place on Monday in Gonghe county in Qinghai province, London-based Free Tibet said.”

via BBC News – Tibetan students protest, as four more self-immolations reported.

Posted in China alert, Dissident, Ethnic clash, Freedom, Politics, self determination | 1 Comment »

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28/11/2012

* China Looks to Increase India Investments

If India allows China to invest in its under-developed infrastructure, then it will be a truly win-win situation.

WSJ: “China, already India’s largest trading partner, is looking to increase its Indian direct investment, taking a page from the playbook of other East Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea.

Zhang Ping, chairman of China’s National Development Reforms Commission, a key policymaking body, was in the Indian capital this week to hold a China-India strategic economic dialog, focused on increasing investments in each other’s countries. He was accompanied by around 200 representatives from government and corporations.

China’s official news agency Xinhua quoted Mr. Ping as saying China would “push forward cooperation in infrastructure including railway, power, telecommunications” with India.

“Economic co-operation between India and China is of relatively recent vintage and still has great potential to develop further,” said Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of India’s Planning Commission. He said China’s co-operation could be valuable in bridging India’s “enormous infrastructure deficit.”

Infrastructure is a particularly attractive sector for many foreign direct investors: India expects to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure over the next five years.”

via China Looks to Increase India Investments – China Real Time Report – WSJ.

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28/11/2012

* China considers easing family planning rules

Given that it takes years or even decades for population policies to make a difference, China better get on with any changes; and never mind being gradual about it.

Reuters: “China is considering changes to its one-child policy, a former family planning official said, with government advisory bodies drafting proposals in the face of a rapidly ageing society in the world’s most populous nation.

Proposed changes would allow for urban couples to have a second child, even if one of the parents is themselves not an only child, the China Daily cited Zhang Weiqing, the former head of the National Population and Family Planning Commission, as saying on Wednesday.

Under current rules, urban couples are permitted a second child if both parents do not have siblings. Looser restrictions on rural couples means many have more than one child.

Population scholars have cited mounting demographic challenges in their calls for reform of the strict policy, introduced in 1979 to limit births in China, which now has 1.34 billion people.

Zhang said the commission and other population research institutes have submitted policy recommendations to the government.

Zhang, who serves on China’s congressional advisory body, said any changes if adopted would be gradual.

via China considers easing family planning rules | Reuters.

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