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SCHWEIZER
BOTSCHAFT IN BEIJING
EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND IN BEIJING
AMBASSADE DE SUISSE EN CHINE |
Der wöchentliche
Presserückblick der Schweizer Botschaft in der VR China
The Weekly Press Review of the Swiss Embassy in the People's Republic
of China
La revue de presse hebdomadaire de l'Ambassade de Suisse en RP
de Chine |
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Foreign
Policy |
China-Japan differences moving frictions
to military field
2005-01-23 People's Daily
The year 2005 has just begun and the differences between the
two neighboring countries - China and Japan,
instead of shrinking, are showing a dangerous sign of gradually
moving frictions to the military field. According to inside
information disclosed by the Japanese Kyodo News Agency Japan
Defense Agency has enacted specific action plan to defend the
southwest islands. The plan decided that when something happened
in the southwest islands apart from sending fighter planes and
destroyers the Japan Defense Agency would dispatch as many as
55,000 soldiers of the Ground Self Defense Forces and special
forces there. The so-called southwest islands mentioned in the
guideline also include China's Diaoyu Island. Officials with
the Japan Defense Agency said most of the southwest islands
have no troops stationed there and are blank areas in terms
of territory defense. The Chinese navy keeps expanding activity
scope. The SDF needs to pay attention to its future movement.
The target of what he said is quite obvious. This provocation
on the part of Japan directly incensed China. Chinese FM spokesman
Kong Quan said on January 18 that the Diaoyu Island and its
affiliated islands have been China's territory since the ancient
times. Japan has different opinions in this regard. China always
holds that China and Japan should solve relevant disputes through
negotiations and consultations rather than take any unilateral
actions. By comparison China's attitude is more restrained.
Over the year Japan has on the one hand disseminated the "China
military threat theory" and on the other embodied this
theory in its official documents. In November, 2004 the Japan
Defense Agency put up the show of revealing "three possibilities
of China's attack on Japan". On December 7, 2004 Japanese
PM Assistant Yoriko Kawaguchi, who was attending the Meeting
of European Security Cooperation Organizations, tried to dissuade
the EU from lifting China arms embargo. The Japanese Defense
White Paper 2004 and the report of the Security Safeguard and
Defense Strength Conference" published in November, 2004
all preached the "China military threat theory". On
December 10, 2004 the Japanese cabinet passed a new Defense
Plan Outline, which apart from singing the old tune of "DPRK
threat theory" puts the "China military threat theory"
into this official government security policy document for the
first time. In 2004 Japan sped up the pace toward a military
power of "Japan-US integration" and "overseas
intervention" in such aspects as security strategy, relevant
systems and armament etc. International public opinion believes
that Japan resorts to the strategy of "a thief crying 'stop
thief'" and try to fan the "China military threat
theory" to clear public opinion obstacles both at home
and abroad. In such an atmosphere the China-Japan security mutual
trust fell even lower. The "security dilemma" of being
mutually guarded has not been eased. PM Junichiro Koizumi's
visit to the Yasukuni Shrine again killed the mutual visits
by fleets of the two countries. Military exchange was in a stagnant
state. Jin Xide, a research fellow at the Japan Institute of
the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said "enhancing
mutual trust" would be an import subject in China-Japan
relations in 2005. In the new year the possibility that China
and Japan make breakthrough in the security area is rather low.
In 2005 the competent departments of the Chinese and Japanese
governments would continue to carry out dialogues and negotiations
centered on mutual differences and cooperation. These questions
involve wide areas such as the demarcation of the East China
Sea and oil gas field exploitation as well as economics and
trade, technology, energy and environmental protection etc.
The defense departments of the two countries would continue
to launch security dialogues and military exchanges at various
levels. Due to the high sensitivity of these areas this kind
of dialogues would be influenced and limited by the China-Japan
political relations. On the other hand, the possibility whether
a stable security dialogue and military exchange system relatively
independent of the political frictions between the two countries
can be established has been listed into agenda as an important
way of thinking. In recent years the thought of mutual visits
by Chinese and Japanese fleets has long attracted attention
as an important link to expand military exchange and enhance
security mutual trust. In 2005 if the question of PM Junichiro
Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine is solved appropriately,
political atmosphere surrounding the two countries thaws and
warms up, public opinions of China and Japan grows relaxed,
this projection may resurface. However, the Liberal Democratic
Party - the governing party in Japan adopted a new policy guideline
on Jan. 18, which proclaimed support of PM Junichiro Koizumi's
visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. This made observers of the China-Japan
relations even more nervous. The Japanese economy sank into
a long depression after 1991 whilst China entered an economic
blast-off in the 1990s. Meanwhile the intension of the Japanese
decision-making body to break through the "peace constitution"
drawing on "pressure" from the US is growing increasingly
clear. Its will to become a political power and a military power
has grown stronger. Under the influence of these factors competition
between China and Japan and their watchful mentality form a
vicious circle. On the question of history the Japanese right-wring
conservative forces keep instigating incidents to reverse the
history of Japan's invasion of China. China is forced to make
restrained response after long forbearance. All the facts prove
that the one who is "holding tight to the historical question"
is Japan, not China. Military disputes repeat the routine of
the historical question. Japan keeps instigating incidents and
China is forced to respond. The military tone of Japan's China
policy is becoming increasingly thicker. Japan's China diplomacy
is growing "aggressive". Today's Japanese decision-making
body is deviating from the peaceful development course based
on reflecting on defeated war experience and is attempting to
revive the "past power and prestige" backed by might.
For Japan a stable external environment built by means of good
neighborhood diplomacy and peace should be a less costly and
more efficient way. To choose a way of befriending distant states
while attacking those nearby would not necessarily bring about
Japan's increased security. Moreover, if even the neighboring
countries refuse support how is it possible for Japan to fulfill
its "political power dream"? Recently some people
in China, failing to truly understand Japan's political intention
and means, have claimed to want to "find solution for the
China-Japan relations". But the prescription they wrote
was so crude as to say that China should make a comprehensive
concession toward Japan! The Japanese have made complete study
of some Chinese's psychological weaknesses and have become tough
even on questions whose nature is so clear as visits to the
Yasukuni Shrine. Jin Xide believes that we should have a clear
understanding and accept the reality that the China-Japan "chilly
politics" cannot be completely avoided, and make better
mental preparation for the fluctuation of the China-Japan political
relations, give up the illusion of making unilateral concession
so as to exchange for a "hot-politics" situation.
This way will be more conducive to calmer and rational handling
of the China-Japan political frictions and steady advance of
the China-Japan relations.
China, India to hold first-ever strategic dialogue
2005-01-23 PLA Daily
Seeking to upgrade bilateral relationship, China and India will
hold their first-ever "strategic dialogue" here tomorrow,
according to diplomatic sources here Sunday. At the talks, the
Chinese delegation would be headed by Vice Foreign Minister
for Asian Affairs Wu Dawei while the Indian side would be led
by Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran. The aim of the strategic
dialogue is to broaden the scope of the blooming bilateral relationship,
allowing both sides to exchange notes on global and regional
security issues, the sources said.
China-Britain relations enter "mature" period,
says Chinese premier
2005-01-23 People's Daily
Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao said Friday in Beijing
that the relationship between China and Britain has entered
a "mature period." "The leaders of the two countries
have treated bilateral ties from long-term and strategic perspectives
to make the relations develop steadily and enriched with new
contents," said Wen in a meeting with British Secretary
of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jack Straw. Wen
said China and Britain, both permanent members of the Security
Council of the United Nations, shoulder common responsibility
for safeguarding world peace and development. He said China
will maintain high-level exchanges and cooperation in various
fields with Britain to push forward their comprehensive and
strategic partnership. Wen expressed appreciation for Britain's
adherence to one-China policy. Straw said China and its relationship
with Britain have made remarkable achievements since he visited
China two and a half years ago, noting that the two countries
established comprehensive and strategic partnership last May
when Premier Wen visited Britain. The two countries have kept
close contact on international and regional issues, Straw said,
adding that Britain is willing to expand cooperation with China
in all fields including political and economic areas. Straw
said that Britain and China focus efforts on the reform of the
United Nations, working closely to better the future of Africa
and tackling the threat from global climate change. Straw gave
the keynote speech, titled "Britain and China: A Growing
Global Partnership," at a seminar on multilateral responses
to global challenges held in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
(CASS). Straw said these efforts would help consolidate and
further strengthen Britain-China relations, which continuously
progressed and deepened in the past years. The two countries
have maintained close contact over in recent years, and have
cooperated in many international affairs, Straw said. British
trade with China has doubled over the last five years. The comprehensive
strategic partnership not only benefits the two countries, but
also contributes to world stability and development, he said.
Straw said Britain supports the European Union's reconsideration
of the arms embargo on China it has maintained since 1989. Britain
supports the acknowledgment of China's full market economy status,
and will maintain its support in the future, he said. More than
30 government officials, experts and scholars from the two countries
attended in the seminar. Straw arrived in Beijing Thursday for
an official visit to China as guest of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.
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Innenpolitik |
Xinjiang bus blast blamed on disgruntled
coal miner
2005-01-25 People's Daily
A bus blast that killed 11 people in Xinjiang last Thursday
was set off by a man dissatisfied with compensation for a work-related
injury, state media reports and Xinjiang police officials say.
Bai Qinghua had his fingers crushed last March while working
at a coal mine in Usu, not far from the blast site in Karamay,
China News Service reported. A Xinjiang police spokeswoman yesterday
said Bai, who was killed in the bus blast, was unhappy with
the 20,000 yuan he received in compensation for his injury and
had repeatedly threatened to carry out explosions. He reportedly
telephoned the mine owner asking for a further 200,000 yuan
in damages before the bus explosion. It was initially feared
that the blast was the work of local Uygur separatists fighting
for an independent state. But police said Bai was a member of
the mainland's Han ethnic majority. "This has nothing to
do with his ethnicity. It is just an ordinary criminal case,"
the police spokeswoman said.
China opposes any form of illegal migration
2005-01-28 Xinhuanet
China opposes any form of illegal migration and is willing to
crack down on it through international cooperation. Answering
a question on whether the eight Chinese kidnapped in Iraq were
illegal workers, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan
reiterated China's stance on this matter. He said the Chinese
government will be investigating how its eight kidnapped nationals
entered Iraq through intermediaries. The eight Chinese citizens
had been working at a textile factory in the southern Iraqi
city of Najaf and were kidnapped by gunmen in mid-January on
their way to Jordan. Kong Quan also confirmed that the eight
hostages returned to China on Wednesday night and looked to
be in good physical condition.
Survey: Seven social problems hinder China
2005-01-25 People's Daily
A survey on "2004-2005 Social Situation Analysis and Prediction"
made by China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) shows that China
is ushering in what could be its best period in the development
of its economy and society in the past more than 10 years. However,
seven social problems, including loss of farmland and a widening
financial gap between rural and urban areas, are hindering the
development of China. High attention needs to be paid to. According
to the latest issue of Outlook Weekly, Li Peilin, research fellow
on these problems pointed out China's economic and social resources
last year were allocated towards the objective of favorable,
sustainable and coordinated development. China is ushering in
what could be its best period in the development of its economy
and society in the past more than 10 years. Meanwhile, there
are some austere social problems. China should paid more attention
to some special national conditions that are different from
the development experiences of other countries and regions.
Aggravating social contradictions due to loss of farmland In
the process of fast industrialization and urbanization, the
loss of farmland has brought a serious problem to the society.
Some 40 million farmers have lost their land in the country.
Income gap further widened According to the sample survey on
50,000 urban residents across the country in 2004, the per capita
disposable income was 13,332 yuan for the highest 10 per cent
income group, or a 2.8 times higher than national average level
while that in the lowest 10 per cent income group was 1,397
yuan, only equivalent to 29 per cent of the national average
level. The income proportion between these two groups stood
at 9.5:1, or relatively higher than 9.1:1 in 2003. The income
gaps between regions, trades and industries also were on the
increase. There is a long-term difficulty in employment From
the view of labor demand and supply, some 24 million urban people
need to work. They include the newly increased laborers and
the laid-off workers, and there are only 9 million new job opportunities.
Therefore, the contradiction of supply over demand in labor
force has become very obvious. Apart from that, there is also
a new employment problem for university graduates. It is reported
that a total of 740,000 university graduates cannot find jobs.
Poverty-relief work still high on the agenda in the new century.
The number of people in poverty has dropped from 250 million
to 29 million and the poverty rate from 30 per cent to 3 per
cent in the past 25 years since adopting the reform and opening
policy. However, the current rural absolute poverty standard
is below 625 yuan per year for each farmer in China, well below
the 900-yuan standard in accordance with the UN international
poverty standard. China is now still in the bottleneck stage
of poverty reduction. Anti-corruption drive should be in line
with political system reform. The institutions involving discipline
inspection, supervision, procuratorial work and audition in
China have put a lot of human and material resources into anti-corruption
campaign. However, the corruptive cases have still occurred
one after another. China must perfect the anti-corruption system.
Sustainable development is seriously hampered by resources,
energy and environment. The per capita resources in China are
quite low. The low utilization rate with high extravagance in
resources and discharge of pollutants far exceeds the capacity
of environmental self-purification. The pollution of water and
atmosphere in some river valleys and cities is very serious
with aggravating ecological destruction and land desertification
in some regions. Attention should be paid to the social and
psychological changes in the fast-economic growth period With
high-speed economic growth in China in recent two years, the
people in low-income group are more dissatisfied with their
life. That is because the basic prices for food have increased
in fast-economic growth. The consumption on food that takes
up 50 percent to 60 percent of their total expenditure has a
direct impact on their satisfactoriness towards life. Meanwhile
the increasing gap between the rich and the poor further influences
their social altitude and confidence.
CPC to strengthen multi-party cooperation, political consultation
2005-01-25 People's Daily
The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central
Committee held a meeting Monday in Beijing
to discuss issues on how to further strengthen multi-party cooperation
and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC.
The move is of "great importance" to developing socialist
democracy, maintaining social stability and unity and building
a socialist harmonious society, said the meeting. Chaired by
General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu
Jintao, the meeting discussed a draft of guidelines put
forward by the CPC Central Committee on further strengthening
construction of the system of multi-party cooperation and political
consultation under the leadership of the CPC. "Practice
has shown the system conforms with the situation in China and
possesses great superiority and strong vitality," the meeting
said. The meeting noted that since China's reform and opening
to the outside world, important progress has been made in promoting
cooperation between the CPC and democratic parties. The democratic
parties and personages without party affiliation have been playing
further roles in participation in and discussion of political
and government affairs and democratic supervision, it added.
The meeting stressed that development should be the fundamental
task of multi-party cooperation and political consultation.
In addition, cooperation with democratic parties and personages
without party affiliation should be strengthened and alliance
with non-CPC members consolidated. Promotion of socialist political
civilization must proceed from China's actual conditions and
persevere in taking the political development road with Chinese
characteristics. "We should draw upon the beneficial achievements
in political civilization of the mankind, but never totally
imitate other countries' modes of political system," the
meeting said. The guidelines discussed at the meeting have taken
into consideration of opinions of the central committees of
democratic parties and representatives of personages without
party affiliation. They will be officially issued after further
soliciting their views.
Minister pledges nine years schooling for all
2005-0128 China Daily
All Chinese children of primary and middle school age will have
access to classrooms within two years, the minister for education
announced yesterday. Children in poor central and western regions
of country will have access to primary and middle schools to
bring the remaining "8 per cent of rural areas without
education" in line with the rest of the nation, said Zhou
Ji. "We aim to upgrade educational development in these
areas and minimize the disparity between the backward western
provinces and the better developed eastern regions," said
the minister at a news conference of the State Council Information
Office in Beijing. Most of the country has had primary and middle
school level learning programmes for years, Zhou said. "The
central government will allocate 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion)
to build 7,730 boarding schools in 955 counties across the country,
in order to accommodate the 2.03 million students," he
added. Under the new scheme, all children will recieve nine
years of schooling. Zhou set out the education ministry's stall
for the coming year. Expanding mutual recognition of higher
learning academic deg-rees with foreign countries, and improving
efficiency of Sino-foreign jointly-run schools and intermediary
service agencies for Chinese self-financed students going abroad
for study are on the agenda, he said.
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Taiwan |
China publishes historical documents on
Taiwan
2005-01-23 People's Daily
China has published a vast collection of historical documents
concerning Taiwan,
giving abundant proof of Taiwan's close link with China's mainland.
The collection comprises 100 volumes, including a historical
record of the Chinese central government's administration of
Taiwan, pedigrees of clans of the mainland's Fujian
Province and Taiwan and historical events in Taiwan, according
to a symposium held here on the event Friday. Taiwan residents
are mostly descendants of mainland migrants, many from Fujian
province. "The collection provides indisputable historical
record showing the inseparable historical and cultural links
between Taiwan and the mainland," Cheng Siwei, vice chairman
of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress,
said at the symposium. "It profoundly reveals the 'China
attributes' of Taiwan. It also constitutes a powerful retort
against 'de-Sinolization' efforts of Taiwan authorities."
"We are opposed to 'Taiwan independence', but we love our
Taiwan compatriots," said Wang Zaixi, deputy director of
the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. "The vast
number of Taiwan compatriots wish for social stability, economic
growth and peace across the Taiwan Straits. We'll continue to
work unremittingly for peace across the Taiwan Straits."
The collection of documents, jointly published by the Jiuzhou
Press and Xiamen
University Press, is scheduled to be released in Taiwan
in March.
Beijing to mark anniversary of Jiang's proposal on Taiwan
issue
2005-01-27 People's Daily
A gathering will be held at the Great Hall of the People here
Friday to mark the 10th anniversary of the publication of the
Eight-Point Proposal on the reunification of the motherland
by then-President Jiang
Zemin. Representatives of all walks of life are expected
to attend the event, at which a central leader will make a speech,
according to Li Weiyi, a spokesman of the State Council Taiwan
Affairs Office. Speaking at a regular news briefing Wednesday,
the spokesman said Jiang's proposal has played an important
role in pushing forward the development of the cross-straits
relations in the past decade. Implementing Jiang's proposal
"is of great importance for stabilizing and normalizing
the cross-straits relationship, as well as for peace and stability
in the Asian-Pacific Region," Li said.
Taiwan forbids students to take charter flights
2005-01-28 PLA Daily
A Chinese mainland official expressed regrets that the Taiwan
authorities have forbidden Taiwan students studying on the Chinese
mainland to take charter flights back home during the Lunar
New Year. Li Weiyi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office under
the State Council, or China's cabinet, said at a regular press
conference that the mainland always hopes that Taiwan students
studying on the mainland and Taiwan compatriots could travel
across the Straits during the festival by the charter flights.
( ) Li said that Taiwan students studying on the mainland, who
are not economically independent, deserve more care and protection.
"We hope the Taiwan side to take careful considerations
over the issue," Li said. ( ) A major reason for Taiwan
authorities' decision was that students attending university
on the mainland are studying without the approval of the Taiwan
authorities. ( )
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Wirtschaft |
For free weekly economic news updates on China:
www.chinaeconomicreview.com/sbh/view
G7 to talk about the yuan
2005-01-28 China Daily
China's finance minister and central bank governor will discuss
the yuan the Chinese currency with their counterparts at the
upcoming Group of Seven (G7) meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Kong Quan said yesterday. Minister of Finance Jin Renqing and
Governor Zhou Xiaochuan of the People's Bank of China will attend
the G7 finance ministers' meeting in London next week. "They
will explain to delegates the current situation of China's economy
and the government's ideas and views on this issue (of the yuan),"
Kong said. He was responding to a question about US President
George W. Bush's comment on Wednesday that the Chinese currency
will be high on the G7 meeting's itinerary. Kong said China
and the United States have been communicating on the exchange
rate issue for a long time. Vice-Premier Huang Ju is leaving
for Switzerland today to attend the World Economic Forum in
Davos to talk about China's economic and social situation, Kong
said. Also responding to US President Bush's talk on Wednesday
that he will "constantly remind" Chinese leaders to
make progress on human rights, Kong said such a reminder is
uncalled-for but equal dialogue is welcome. "Anyone observant
is able to see China's process of improving democracy and the
rule of law," said Kong.
Coal shortage could worsen this year
2005-01-28 China Daily
China's coal shortage is expected to grow this year as supply
fails to keep pace with mounting demand, according to a senior
official from the China Coal Industry Association. Pu Hongjiu,
deputy director of the association, said the nation's coal consumption
is expected to increase this year by 120 million tons to 2.1
billion tons - a rise of 6 per cent. Although that is slower
than last year's growth of 12 per cent, demand will continue
to outpace supply. China's coal output can only increase by
100 million tons this year with the opening of several new mines,
Pu told reporters on Wednesday, but did not reveal how much
actual output he expected this year. The nation's collieries
produced 1.96 billion tons of coal last year, a year-on-year
rise of 13.2 per cent. Pu indicated that even the additional
coal supply of 100 million tons this year may not be realized.
Small coal mines at county level, which accounted for 35 per
cent of coal output last year, may not maintain their output
levels because they are constrained by poor output safety records.
Small mines with a production capacity of at least 200 million
tons have to be shut down because they lack of necessary safety
control facilities, according to Pu. But Pu did not give a specific
timetable for their closure. ( ) Electricity consumption maintained
a 15 per cent growth rate over the past two years, with a great
degree of this coming from the energy-hungry steel, cement,
aluminium and automobile industries. Adding to the woes, transportation
problems on the rail network meant that coal - mainly from northern
China - had increased difficulties reaching many of its consumers
in eastern and southern regions. The coal shortage has led to
power cuts in many parts of the nation, with the tight supply
situation expected to continue this year, said Pu. Coal stockpiles
at power plants can only last for eight days, with plants in
Hunan, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces having only enough coal to
last for three days. But an official from the association yesterday
said it was still too early to have a clear picture of this
year's coal market. Coal demand largely depends on whether the
government's move to rein back the rampant investment in energy-hungry
industries can take effect. ( ) Industry insiders said much
uncertainty remains about coal supply because the coal supply
contracts have not been completely agreed. At the annual coal
ordering conference earlier this month, more than 900 million
tons of coal supply contracts were concluded, 80 million tons
more than the previous year, according to statistics from the
association. The supply under the so-called "key contracts"
increased by 30 per cent to 618 million tons. Key contracts
allow users enjoy government-backed lower prices for coal. But
industry insiders said most of the contracts did not specify
the prices. The contracts signed only to help arrange transportation.
But the contracts may not be executed if negotiations over coal
prices break down in the future, the insiders said.
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Susanne Schuetz
Embassy of Switzerland
|
The Press review is a random selection
of political and social related news gathered from various media
and news services located in the PRC, edited or translated by
the Embassy of Switzerland in Beijing and distributed among Swiss
Government Offices. The Embassy does not accept responsibility
for accuracy of quotes or truthfulness of content. Additionally
the contents of the selected news mustn't correspond to the opinion
of the Embassy. |
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