Archive for ‘GeoPolitics’

13/03/2012

* China’s Q1 foreign trade with other BRICS nations surges

BRICS summit participants: Prime Minister of I...

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Xinhua: “China’s top customs authority announced Friday that the country’s foreign trade with the other four BRICS nations surged by 45.8 percent to reach 59.9 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of this year.

The first-quarter foreign trade growth between China and the other four nations of BRICS (an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), was 16.3 percentage points higher than China’s average foreign trade growth during the period, China’s General Administration of Customs said in a statement on its website.

During the first three months, China’s imports from the other BRICS countries reached 33.05 billion U.S. dollars, up 57.2 percent year on year. Exports to those countries hit 26.85 billion yuan, up 33.8 percent. …

Q1 bilateral trade between China and India rose 25.2 percent to 17.63 billion U.S. dollars. Trade with Brazil surged 58.9 percent to 16.11 billion U.S dollars, while that with Russia rose 33.5 percent to 15.99 billion U.S. dollars. Bilateral trade between China and South Africa increased more than one fold to 10.16 billion U.S. dollars.”

via China’s Q1 foreign trade with other BRICS nations surges.

It used to be BRIC, since 2010 it has become BRICS to include South Africa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRICS

Related Page: https://chindia-alert.org/economic-factors/

13/03/2012

* Japan to buy $10b Chinese govt bond

China Daily: “Japan got the permission from China to purchase 65 billion yuan (about $10.3 billion) worth of Chinese government bond, Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi said Tuesday.

It was the first time the Japanese government announced the specific figure of its permitted allotment of Chinese government bond.

Azumi told reporters that the size was “appropriate” in view of strengthening the economic ties between the two countries.”

via Japan to buy $10b Chinese govt bond|Economy|chinadaily.com.cn.

Another small but sure step towards establishing the Yuan as an international currency.

Related Page: https://chindia-alert.org/political-factors/geopolitics-chinese/

05/03/2012

* Indian PM calls for greater cooperation between India and Africa on climate change

In geopolitical terms, India is lagging behind China in wooing Africa. This is despite a longer history of involvement mainly engendered by British colonialism that imported 100s of thousands of Indian labourers into Africa. Most of whom, a few generations later rose to become the commercial and middle class citizens. Though in Uganda, they ere thrown out by Idi Amin to Britain’s benefit where the Indians have established themselves as excellent business people and professionals at all levels.

Extract from the Hindu: “Noting that economies of developing countries are impacted by climate change, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday pitched for greater cooperation between Asian and African countries to address short and long term challenges in this regard.

“I believe that in the future we will need to tackle the short term and long term environmental challenges that our economies face,” Dr. Singh said while addressing the inaugural function of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation in New Delhi.

Exhorting the scientists and experts to reflect on suitable technology to address the issue, Dr. Singh said, “Our scientists and experts have to reflect on technologies and processes that are most suitable for our rural conditions and circumstances, both in Africa and in Asia.” Underlining the need for African and Asian countries to work jointly, he said, “We have to work together to build a favourable international regime that enables us to access funds and green technologies for rural growth“. …

Noting that three quarters of world’s poor live in Asia and Africa, the Prime Minister said, “Rural reconstruction and poverty eradication are fundamental to our plans for sustainable development and inclusive growth.”

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2963288.ece

See also: https://chindia-alert.org/2012/12/31/question-who-did-china-woo-in-2012/

 

03/03/2012

* US military ties with India growing

Times of India: “Ties between the US and Indian militaries are growing, a senior defense official said on Friday, noting recent bilateral security talks between the two countries reaffirmed the partnership and the growing US interest in advancing it.

Acting under secretary of defense for policy James Miller joined Indian defense secretary Shashi Kant Sharma in co-chairing the 12th annual US-India defense policy group dialogue in New Delhi Feb 21 and 22.”

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Military-ties-with-India-growing-US/articleshow/12121013.cms

Undoubtedly another attempt at ‘encircling’ China policy by US. Earlier this year US and Australia agreed closer military cooperation. This will, no doubt, cause some reaction from the Chinese military eventually.

21/02/2012

* Chinese VP arrives in Turkey for official visit

extracted from Xinhua: “Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrived here Monday evening for an official visit to Turkey at the invitation of Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

“The main purpose of my visit is to deepen mutual understanding and the traditional friendship between our two peoples, and boost the friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Turkey in a variety of fields so as to better benefit the two countries and the two peoples,” Xi said in a written speech upon his arrival.

“We are pleased to see the continuous development in bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, cultural and other fields since China and Turkey established diplomatic relations in 1971,” the Chinese leader noted.

During his stay, Xi will meet separately with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek.

Turkey is the last leg of Xi’s three-nation tour, which has already taken him to the United States and Ireland.”

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-02/21/c_131421272.htm

Curiously, the trip by the president-in-waiting consisted of the US, Ireland and Turkey. One can only surmise that China believes it is already in close enough touch with the leading countries and wanted to take the opportunity of the return trip to include two secondary, but none-the-less important countries. Ireland because of its capability to host foreign companies at lower-than -average corporate taxes; and Turkey, a secular Muslim country on the border of Arab-stan weilding increasing influence in the Middle East.

20/02/2012

* What a politician has to do to raise profile! Chinese VP Xi plays Irish sports.

On his visit to Ireland Chinese ‘president-in-waiting’ Xi has to try his hand at hurling and Gaelic football, as well as swill down Irish coffee. And no one in Ireland is expected to vote for him (nor any of the Chinese citizens either, for that matter).

http://photos.independent.ie/gallery/Xi_Jinping%27s_visit_to_Ireland/slideshow/Chinese_Vice_President_Xi_Jinping_%28C%29_tries_his_hand_at_the_traditional_Irish_game_of_hurling/0dMUbKN8IZcxS

20/02/2012

* China offers to broker Palestine-Israel talks

Xinhua: “Chinese Middle East envoy Wu Sike said Sunday that China is willing to play a constructive role in bringing Israel and the Palestinians back to peace negotiations.

Wu, on a visit to the region, met with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Yitzhak Molcho, head of Israel’s negotiating team to the Amman exploratory talks with Palestinians earlier this year.

Wu noted that Israeli-Palestinian peace process should remain the focus in the Middle East, despite latest changes of international or regional situation.

China welcomes and supports recent meetings between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, in an effort to restart long- stalled talks, the Chinese envoy said, adding that his government hopes both sides show enough flexibility and create a favorable environment to resume peace negotiations.

Wu also discussed Syrian issue with Lieberman. Negotiation was the only way to solve the crisis in the Middle East, he noted.”

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-02/21/c_131421297.htm

14/02/2012

* Leader-in-waiting makes four-point proposal on US visit

Abbreviated from Xinhua: “Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping here on Monday called on the U.S. side not to let its presidential elections negatively affect the development of Sino-U.S. ties, during a meeting with several former senior U.S. officials.

Xi made a four-point proposal on how to enhance the Sino-U.S. relationship.

Firstly, he said, the two sides should regard history as a mirror.

Secondly, he said both sides should adopt a long-term perspective.

Thirdly, he said, the two sides should respect each other and build mutual trust.

Fourthly, the two sides should achieve mutual benefits and win-win results, he said.

“We should deal with friction and differences in bilateral economic and trade cooperation in the spirit of seeking mutual benefits and win-win results through a positive and constructive way,” Xi said.”

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-02/14/c_131409436.htm

12/02/2012

* Panda diplomacy strikes again – for Canada

Huff Post: “Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper wrapped up a visit to China aimed at boosting oil sales by announcing Saturday that Beijing will lend two of the country’s prized giant pandas to Canadian zoos.

Harper visited a zoo in the southwestern city of Chongqing to say that the Chinese government is loaning the panda pair to Canada for the next 10 years, Harper’s press secretary Carl Vallee said.

The pandas are expected to arrive in Canada early next year and will go to the Toronto and Calgary zoos for five years each. The giant panda is unique to China and is regularly sent abroad as a sign of warm diplomatic relations or to mark breakthroughs in ties.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/11/canada-pandas-china_n_1270742.html

11/02/2012

* India acting contrary

Within weeks, India has taken actions that could be interpreted as re-asserting its non-aligned status:

– Sending a large trade delegation to Iran

– Telling Britain that it’s aid is not needed

– Supporting un-elected Maldives regime

– Buying French fighter rather than Euro-fighter.

As there are no national elections imminent, it is not clear to which audience India is playing.

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