“China commemorates centenary of end to imperial rule” – 1911 Revolution, Sun Yat-sen praised [Xinhua]

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) — China held a grand ceremony to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the 1911 Revolution, which terminated 2,000 years of imperial rule, on Sunday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The 1911 Revolution, or Xinhai Revolution, which began on Oct. 10, 1911 with an armed uprising, ended one of the longest autocratic rule in the world established by Emperor Qinshihuang in B.C.221 by toppling the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and resulting in a republican government, the first in Asia.

Chinese president Hu Jintao, former Chinese President Jiang Zemin and other leaders attended the ceremony. Hu gave a keynote speech.

Hu spoke highly of 1911 Revolution in his speech, saying the revolution “a thoroughly modern, national and democratic revolution” which had shook the world and ushered in unprecedented social changes in China.

Hu eulogized Dr. Sun Yat-sen [Sun Zhongshan], the leader of the revolution, as “a great national hero, a great patriot and a great leader of the Chinese democratic revolution”.

Hu said the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation must be achieved by adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics, with patriotism, and by upholding peace, development and cooperation.

Further, Hu urged the mainland and Taiwan to work together for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and called for the peaceful reunification of China.

The 1911 Revolution not only rid Chinese men of humiliating ponytails and women of the excruciatingly painful foot-binding, but also removed the people’s blind faith in the emperor, as well as the fear of foreign powers. The event has since been emancipating people’s minds from thousands of years of oppression and self-enclosure.

Since then, the country began to march on the road to become an empowered modern nation.

Article link: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-10/09/c_131180784.htm

“Leaders attend National Day reception in Beijing” – Happy 10.1 National Day to Chinese everywhere [People’s Daily]

EIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) — China’s senior Party and state leaders attended a reception at central Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Thursday to celebrate the 62nd founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Jia Qingling, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), addressed the reception in the presence of Vice President Xi Jinping and Vice Premier Li Keqiang. All the three are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

In his speech, the top political advisor extended, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, or China’s Cabinet, a warm welcome to all the guests, particularly those from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs), compatriots living in Taiwan, and overseas Chinese.

The CPC, which celebrates its 90th founding anniversary this year, led the Chinese people in a 28-year struggle before the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949, and, in the glorious 62 years since, the Chinese people have made a miracle in building and developing the nation, said Jia.

“We’ll never forget compatriots living in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas, who have stood together and shared the happiness and woe of the Chinese people from different ethnic groups, regardless of the situation,” he said.

Jia thanked the leaders and governments of Hong Kong and Macao for what they have accomplished since the two SARs returned to the arms of the motherland in 1997 and 1999, respectively.

In securing the central government’s continued assistance to the two SAR governments, Jia expressed his strong support for further upgrading the advantages of Hong Kong and Macao in competitiveness, fostering newly emerging industries, and deepening their cooperation with the mainland.

The central government will continue insisting on the policies of “One Country, Two Systems,” “Hong Kong People Govern Hong Kong” and “Macao People Govern Macao,” as well as a high degree of autonomy for the SAR governments to handle their internal affairs.

Regarding the issue of achieving a “complete, peaceful reunification” of China, Jia reiterated that it is the common aspiration of all Chinese living both at home and abroad.

In his speech, Jia also praised the “unique role” of overseas Chinese in realizing the great reinvigoration of the Chinese nation.

Article link: http://english.people.com.cn/90785/7608382.html

Pentagon stands as bastion of mistrust of China [People’s Daily]

(Global Times)
August 26, 2011

The Pentagon released a report entitled Military and Security Developments Involving the PRC 2011 on Wednesday, an annual paper submitted to Congress that tries to gauge China’s military power projection and intentions.

The Pentagon has published its annual report regarding China’s military for 10 years and the apprehension it tries to convey is increasingly perceived as pathetic by Chinese people.

The 94-page, six-chapter report covers China’s poential new military might, strategy and US-China military contact. Not surprisingly, the latest report raises concerns about Chinese military’s strategic intentions. The report acknowledged China’s improvement in the transparency of its military affairs, but added that “there remains uncertainty about how China will use its growing capabilities.”

The refitting of the aircraft carrier Varyag seems to have exacerbated Pentagon concerns over China’s maritime ambition. However, not owning an aircraft carrier as the world’s largest developing country until now actually reflected more China’s military underdevelopment rather than its sophistication.

The report rightly points out that cross-Straits relationships have made significant progress since 2008, but raises the concern that “the PLA shows no sign of slowing its efforts to develop plans and capabilities for a cross-Strait contingency.” The Pentagon actually needs to answer why US arms sales to Taiwan continue and remain the biggest factor of uncertainty stopping mainland-Taiwan relationship from advancing without a hitch.

The military report also ignored the context of the US strategy of returning to Asia, including the tension the move has created in the South China Sea and East Asia, and what this means for China’s national security. Western-backed military interventions in several countries also serve as a reminder of the need to maintain a necessary military capability. Does the Pentagon really need to ask this question? It is prepared for these uncertain security elements that the PLA has apparent “intentions” on.

China and the US are increasingly interdependent economically and while cooperation is highlighted politically, the Pentagon is still stuck in a suspicious mindset between the two countries. As the world shifts toward a multi-polar power structure, the Pentagon report wrongly paints a picture of Sino-US confrontation. It is sowing the seeds for potential future conflicts.

Article link: http://english.people.com.cn/90780/7580491.html

Senior official urges more efforts to promote China’s peaceful reunification [People’s Daily]

March 16, 2011

A senior official on Tuesday called on the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification to continue pushing forward the country’s peaceful reunification.

The council’s executive deputy director, Du Qinglin, told a standing councilors’ meeting that the council should increase its promoting of the central government’s policies concerning Taiwan affairs, so as to boost consensus on safeguarding the country’s core interests.

The council should also deepen and expand exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, said Du, who is also head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

In addition, it should strengthen the force that opposes "independence" and promote reunification. Also, it should deepen its theoretical study on the subject, Du said.

Source: Xinhua

Article link here

Chinese president delivers New Year address, economic work on top agenda [People’s Daily]

December 31, 2010

Chinese President Hu Jintao put the country’s economic tasks on top of next year’s agenda in a New Year address broadcast Friday.

In his address to domestic and overseas audience via state TV and radio broadcasters, Hu said to accelerate the transformation of economic development pattern will be a consistent thread of China’s work in 2011, the first year of the country’s 12th Five-Year Program.

China will adopt a “proactive” fiscal policy and “prudent” monetary policy, speed up economic restructuring, improve people’s livelihood and push forward reform and opening-up, he said in the speech titled “Jointly Improve the Welfare of People from All Countries,” broadcast by the China Radio International, China National Radio and China Central Television.

The country will stick to the guidelines of “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong”, “Macao people governing Macao” and a high degree of autonomy to maintain long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao, he said.

“We will adhere to the principles of ‘peaceful reunification’ and ‘one country, two systems,’ firlmly hold on to the theme of peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, continue to advance exchanges and cooperation, and ceaselessly work for the benefit of the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” he said.

In 2010, in face of complicated domestic and international situations, Chinese people successfully hosted the Shanghai World Expo and the Asian Games in Guangzhou while bravely fighting against deadly natural disasters including the earthquake in Qinghai Province and the landslide in Gansu Province, he said.

China fulfilled the targets set by the 11th Five-Year Program (2006-2010) and increased its economic and comprehensive strength, Hu said.

The country was also actively engaged and played a constructive part in international cooperation to cope with global financial crisis, climate change [sic] and nuclear issues, he said.

“On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I would like to extend sincere acknowledgement to governments and people who offered great help to us this year,” Hu said.

~ WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHER COUNTRIES ~

The world currently is witnessing multipolarization and globalization while science and technological development is on the edge of breakthrough, Hu said.

But the global economy is still moving on a long and winding path towards recovery and issues like climate change [sic], energy, food security and public health security become more serious, Hu said.

“International and regional hot issues have cropped up one after another, while peace and development of the world are facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges.”

China will hold high the flag of peace, development and cooperation, adhere to the independent foreign policy, maintain world peace and promote common development, Hu said.

The country will stick to the principle of mutual benefits when opening up itself, he said.

China will develop friendly cooperation with all other countries on the basis of the five principles of peaceful co-existence and continue to actively participate in international cooperation on global issues, Hu said.

“(We) will continue to work with the people of all countries to jointly promote the building of a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity,” said Hu.

He also extended sympathy to people who have been suffering from war, poverty, diseases and natural calamities and promised that China will do all it can to help them as it has done before.

“I believe, as long as the people from all countries make efforts hand in hand, the world will have a better future and the welfare of the people from all countries will be improved,” Hu said.

An article by Hu on implementing the guiding principles of the Fifth Plenum of the 17th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee will be published in Qiu Shi (Seeking Truth), an official magazine of the CPC Central Committee, on Jan. 1.

Source: Xinhua

Article link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90785/7248197.html

Official: Global power becoming more balanced [People’s Daily]

December 28, 2010

A reporter from the Global Times recently interviewed Le Yucheng, director-general of the Policy Planning Department of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about China’s diplomacy. The following is the excerpt[ed] transcription of the interview.

Reporter: Some netizens believe China’s diplomacy is too weak and should be strengthened. What do you think of China’s diplomatic work? Does it get easier or more difficult?

Le Yucheng: Currently, there are two tendencies. Some Chinese believe China’s diplomacy is weak, while some foreigners accuse China’s diplomacy of getting increasingly tougher. Actually, neither is right.

China insists on taking the road of peaceful development, pursues peaceful and cooperative diplomacy and seeks mutual benefit, win-win situations and common development. This has never and will never change.

China is in a period of opportunities for development, but it also one of striking contradictions. China’s diplomacy is also gradually wading into the “deep water.” How to deal with a variety of predictable and unpredictable crises and challenges, how to coordinate its domestic and international situations and how to handle the relationships between safeguarding rights and keeping stability are new missions and challenges for diplomatic work to face.

As a large developing country with a population of 1.3 billion, China is developing fast and in an imbalanced way. China is the only country among the world’s large main countries that has not yet realized unification. These features mean the road to China’s rise will be more complicated and more winding.

Reporter: The world financial crisis is still raging and many people believe the United States has not restored its vitality, but despite this, the United States has attempted to expand its role in Asia this year. Is America on a downward slope? From a long-term perspective, what is the trend of American development?

Le: The impact of the global financial crisis is much larger than expected. The recent debt crisis in Europe has shown that the impact has not disappeared and world economic recovery is still uncertain. America’s economy, society and politics have been deeply affected. Due to the accelerating growth of other emerging countries, U.S. dominance is declining.

But the Unites States, after all, accounts for one-fourth of the world economy, and its capability in military, technology and innovation remains unmatched by any state. In particular, we cannot underestimate America’s self-adjustment and restoring capacities. The United States has suffered crises many times, but it overcame them and became more powerful.

Reporter: Nowadays, China often becomes the focus of world public opinion. Many Western media agencies believe world power is shifting eastward. What do you think?

Le: There are two arguments on the changes in the international situation. One is the “transfer theory:” the gravity of world power is shifting from the West to the East. The other is diffusion theory: the gravity of world power is spreading from the West to the emerging forces.

Both views give the impression that the West is declining and the emerging forces are snatching wealth and power from the West.

But it is not true. I much more prefer the “equilibrium theory,” which is namely that the majority of developing countries, especially the emerging countries, are developing rapidly and the distribution of world power is becoming more balanced. The booming development in different regions together causes the world pattern to undergo historic change. But there is still a long way to go before realizing a multi-polar world pattern and the equalization of power.

The international balance of power is not a disaster for the West. On the contrary, emerging countries have brought opportunities, which have helped them step out from the financial crisis and speed up economic recovery.

Reporter: Unexpectedly, in 2010 China’s GDP grew to be the world’s second for the first time. How do you view the relationships between the two major powers?

Le: Whether from the country’s overall strength, military capacity, impact on the international system or quality of economic and social development, China is far behind many developed countries, let alone the United States. China might rank second by GDP, but it still ranks behind 100th pla

Mainland hopes Taiwan opposition party realizes “Taiwan independence” a “dead end” [People’s Daily]

December 15, 2010

The Chinese mainland hopes Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) realizes “Taiwan independence” is a dead end, a mainland spokesman said Wednesday.

Yang Yi, spokesman for the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remark at a regular press conference in response to a question concerning the DPP’s possible adjustment of its hostile mainland policy.

“We hope the DPP understands the argument for ‘Taiwan independence’ is not in line with the basic interests of the Taiwanese people,” Yang said.

Peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait is the mainstream, he said.

When commenting on recent remarks by Lai Shin-yuan, Taiwan’s mainland affairs chief, on the island’s core interests, Yang said adhering to the1992 Consensus and opposing “Taiwan independence” are the foundation and prerequisites for improving cross-Strait relations.

The fate of Taiwan is based on the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, he said.

He expressed hope that the two sides could properly handle disputes and maintain the right direction of peaceful development in the spirit of building mutual trust, shelving dispute, seeking common ground while reserving difference, and creating a mutually beneficial situation.

Source:Xinhua

Article link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90785/7232003.html

CPC to promote peaceful development of cross-Strait ties [CPC News / People’s Daily]

 

October 18, 2010

 

The Communist Party of China (CPC) will continue to promote peaceful development of relations between the mainland and Taiwan while seeking reunification of the nation, according to a communique issued by the 5th plenum of the 17th CPC Central Committee on Monday.

Peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait should be firmly insisted, with efforts to deepen economic cooperation and to enhance exchanges among all circles on both sides, the communique said.

Source: Xinhua

 

Article link here

Rekindling China-Japan Conflict: The Senkaku/Diaoyutai Islands Incident [The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus]

This is the best overview of the incident I’ve seen.  This is written by a Japanese, so please note that all place names are in Japanese first and Chinese second.  This should be noted as reflecting the writer’s location in Japan and not meaning Japan is “first” or “right”.  It is clear from reading the entire article that the writer is strongly opposed to Japan’s neo-con / neo-colonial US dependency-inspired foreign policy trends, of which the Diaoyu Islands incident is a sad example; and which he feels is laying the groundwork for Japan’s total alienation from its Asian neighbors. – Zuo Shou / 左手

Tanaka Sakai

Translation by Kyoko Selden

Introduction

Why did the Japan Coast Guard, on September 7th, arrest a Chinese fishing boat captain and detain his ship, setting off the most serious China-Japan conflict in decades? Investigative journalist Tanaka Sakai offers…[a] historically-and geopolitically-informed analysis of the roots of the conflict.  His detailed analysis of the China-Japan Fisheries Agreement and the implementation of this and other agreements, does show, definitively, that the Japanese action marked a striking [and aggressive] departure from policies that have been in effect since at least 1978 when China and Japan resumed diplomatic relations and Deng Xiaoping crafted an agreement to defer action on competing claims to the Senkaku/Diaoyutai islands.  Writing ten days after the incident, Tanaka observed that “The Senkaku Islands, along with the Nansha Islands and the Yellow Sea, has been upgraded to a world-level maritime dispute in which China and countries around it, with US support, confront one another.”  He locates the incident, and its potentially far-reaching, even disastrous consequences, in the changing politics of Japan’s Democratic Party administration, and US policies pertaining to Japan, China and Korea. With the release of the Chinese captain, and with the US-ASEAN call for negotiation to assure the safety of shipping in the South China Sea, it is appropriate to revisit the incident and locate it within the broader parameters of the geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific.  Mark Selden

On September 7 an incident occurred in which a Chinese trawler tried to shake off a Japan Coast Guard patrol boat that pursued it to investigate illegal operations at sea fifteen kilometers from Kubajima (Ch: Huangweiyu) of the Senkaku (Diaoyutai) Islands of Okinawa prefecture. After a collision, the captain and others were arrested by the Japan Coast Guard’s patrol ship for interfering with official duties.  At the time, over 100 Chinese boats were fishing in the area.

Arrest of  Zhan Qixiong, captain of the seized trawler Minjinyu 5179, by the Japan Coast Guard

Kubajima (Ch: Huangweiyu, “yellow tail island”), which is part of the Senkaku Islands, is controlled in practice by Japan, but China and Taiwan (Zhonghua Minguo) contest this. In Japan, long ago, the island was called Kōbi (yellow tail) island. China regards the Senkakus as a part of Taiwan province.  Viewed from the Japanese side, the Chinese fishing boat entered Japanese territory (the area of the sea within twelve nautical miles of Kubajima, which is Japanese territory) and was fishing illegally.  Thus Japan arrested it for interference with its duties in enforcing criminal law.  However, viewed from the Chinese side, a Chinese boat, operating within Chinese waters off Taiwan, a Chinese territory, was arrested by the Japan Coast Guard, which is a foreign agency.  (Viewed from Taiwan (ZHMG), the crew of a fishing boat in its territorial waters, an area that is a part of Ilan prefecture, was arrested by the Japan Coast Guard).  Link:   久場島の地名図

Taking advantage of this incident, the Japanese mass media has begun to treat people who recognize that there is a territorial question concerning the Senkaku Islands as unpatriotic.  Renhō, a member of the DPJ cabinet who has Taiwanese (Chinese) blood, said that the “Senkaku Islands is a territorial issue,” setting off a big tumult as this view differed from the government line, causing Renhō to amend her statement.

Renhō

 

 A web article of the Sankei Shimbun reported on this incident satirically under the title “With a sweep she amends her speech.”  This article, with unintended humor, comes with a tag “related topics, territorial issues.” Link.

The Wall Street Journal carried an interesting article on September 12. Because the Journal is a rightist organ, one might have expected it to say that “Japan was right and China wrong.”  But that is not the case.  The article is called “The other China Sea flash point,” which follows the South China Sea Nansha Islands issue, about which Secretary of State Clinton interfered orally, angering China.  The Senkaku Islands issue in the South China Sea has now also flashed. The Other China Sea Flashpoint

The Journal pointed out:

“A 1997 fisheries agreement allows both sides’ fishermen to operate free of regulation around the islands. So it’s not clear why the Japanese coast guard needed to stop the Chinese boat.

Tensions are still rising because the Japanese authorities have detained the Chinese captain, Zhan Qixiong, on suspicion of deliberately ramming the coast guard vessels. But Japanese ships have a history of aggressive maneuvers in this area, for instance sinking a Hong Kong protest vessel in June 1998 and a Taiwanese sport-fishing boat in 2008.”

 

Japan Coast Guard detains Chinese fishing boat

 

Thus the journal is skeptical about what the government says, and is criticizing Japan behind the scenes.

“Beijing is wary of being made to look soft on the Japanese by Taiwanese and Hong Kong activists, who periodically charter boats to the islands. So it’s no surprise that bursts of bellicose rhetoric occasionally emanate from the Foreign Ministry. However, China’s record of trying to smooth the waters is also creditable, starting with Deng Xiaoping’s visit to Japan in 1978 when he agreed to put the problem off for future generations to solve. Protesters from the mainland have been prevented from making their own pilgrimages. Precisely because it is so explosive, Beijing has reason to be fearful of blowback if it tries to exploit the issue.“

Senkaku and vicinity is beyond the scope of the fisheries agreement

The fisheries agreement, to which The Wall Street Journal refers, must be the Japan-China fisheries agreement, which was concluded in 1997 and took effect in 2000. However, according to my investigation, the agreement made no decision about regulating operations in the area of the sea around the Senkaku Islands. A research article written in Japanese and available on the web, also says of the 1997 Japan-China fisheries agreement, “Concerning the Senkaku Islands and vicinity, compromise language took the form of establishing a provisional area of the sea. Within the provisional area, the fishing boats of either country can operate without permission from the other and either country has regulatory rights only over its own fishing boats.” However, according to my research, this too is inaccurate. Link.

China-Taiwan Reunification Watch: Taiwan Legislature Approves Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) [Sinomania!]

by Ben Chalmes

August 19, 2010

The Taiwan legislature on Wednesday approved the landmark Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan island and mainland China although neither side has yet had concluding high-level talks and exactly when the agreement goes into effect is undecided.  Nonetheless, moving forward with ECFA is a huge development and begins the long process of economic absorption of Taiwan…