 |
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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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| Table of
contents |
|
Beijing Olympics
Mongolia
^ top ^
|
| Foreign
Policy |
| South Korean diplomats
'abused privileges by obstructing police' (SCMP)
2007-10-12
Beijing accused South Korean diplomats yesterday of obstructing
police attempting to detain four people believed to be North
Korean refugees at a South Korean-run school in the capital.
It also rejected allegations that officers had used improper
force against the envoys. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao
said the diplomats had abused their diplomatic privilege. "The
consular officials ... obstructed Chinese police in the performance
of their duties. Their actions violated relevant regulations
of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations," said Mr
Liu. ^ top ^
China, Japan start fresh talks on E. China
Sea (China Daily)
2007-10-12
China and Japan started the 10th round of talks on the East
China Sea issues at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse Thursday
morning. Director of Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department of
Asian Affairs Hu Zhengyue attended the talks as top Chinese
negotiator. The Japanese delegation is represented by Kenichiro
Sasae, head of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs
Bureau, and Harufumi Mochizuki, director-general of Japan's
Natural Resources and Energy Agency. Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Jiang Yu said last month that China will in accordance
with the agreement reached by the leaders of the two countries,
continue to push forward the momentum of consultation with a
pragmatic attitude. "We hope Japan would make joint effort
with China," she said. During Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's
visit to Japan in April, China and Japan agreed to speed up
talks over the joint development of oil and gas fields in a
"relatively wide area that is acceptable to both sides",
and to report concrete measures to the countries' leaders by
this fall. The two countries have conducted nine rounds of East
China Sea talks since October 2004. The last round of talks
was held in Tokyo in June. The two sides made in-depth discussions
and exchanged views on the joint development of the gas and
oil resources in East China Sea. ^ top ^
Russia-China arms trade to continue (China
Daily)
2007-10-12
Russia will not sell aircraft carriers to China because it has
stopped producing them, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander
Alexeyev told Chinese netizens in an online dialogue this week.
"Now China has its own advanced weapons manufacturing technology
there's no need to buy outdated military equipment," said
Alexeyev. But he added that Russia will continue selling up-to-date
arms to China. "It is unfortunate that various threats
in the world against us (Russia and China) have not decreased,"
said the deputy foreign minister, indicating that maintaining
a high-level defense capability is in line with the common interests
of the two countries. (...) In regard to recent actions taken
by the Russian government on foreigners working and running
retail businesses in Russia, Alexeyev said they were not targeted
at Chinese citizens, but aimed at combating illegal immigration.
(...) The ban has raised concerns that it was aimed at Chinese
traders. "The anti-China tendency in Russia contradicts
the policy of our government," said Alexeyev. Another Russian
guest engaged in the online dialogue, Nikolay Dudov, governor
of Magadan Oblast, said the so-called expansion of Chinese citizens
in Russia is not really taking place. (...). ^ top ^
Group demands end to web restrictions (SCMP)
2007-10-11
An international media rights group called on China yesterday
to loosen controls on internet news and personal expression,
calling the country's system of censorship an insult to the
spirit of online freedom. Reporters Without Borders said: "With
less than a year to go to the Olympic Games, there is an urgent
need for the government to stop blocking thousands of websites,
censoring online news and imprisoning internet users."
The Paris-based group also released an investigative report
yesterday about internet controls that it said was written by
an anonymous Chinese technician. The technician lists 12 examples
of government directives to web portals from May and June last
year ordering them to purge news items or topics or telling
them to post government-approved content. ^ top ^
China "resolutely opposes" sanctions
against Myanmar (People's Daily)
2007-10-09
China on Tuesday said it "resolutely opposed" sanctions
against Myanmar as they would not help resolve the country's
problems. "Any move by the United Nations Security Council
should be prudent and responsible and be conducive to the mediation
efforts of the UN secretary-general, and conducive to achieving
stability, reconciliation, democracy and the development of
Myanmar," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao.
He told a regular press conference that China had noticed the
situation in Myanmar was returning to calm and attributed it
to the common efforts of the international community and all
sides. He said China hoped the situation would move in a positive
direction. "China hopes all relevant sides of Myanmar will
maintain restraint and achieve reconciliation, democracy and
development and improve the living standards of the people by
peaceful means," he said. He also said China praised the
recent visit to Myanmar by Ibrahim Gambari, special advisor
on Myanmar of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
adding China had taken an active part in the discussion in the
UN on the Myanmar issue. Gambari, who just ended a four-day
mission to Myanmar, exchanged views with Myanmar leaders on
the domestic situation and made widespread contacts with local
people. ^ top ^
|
| 17th
Party Congress |
| Activists arrested
and beaten in 'worst crackdown in five years' (SCMP)
2007-10-12
The weeks before a major political meeting on the mainland are
traditionally tense, but activists say the run-up to the Communist
Party's 17th National Congress, which opens on Monday, has been
marked by the severest wave of repression in years. Dozens of
arrests, detentions, beatings and abductions have taken place
since August, peaking during the week-long holiday following
National Day on October 1, activists say. Targets have included
Christians, lawyers, petitioners, Olympics critics, writers
and democracy activists. "(...). (…). ^ top ^
Activist disappears ahead of congress
(SCMP)
2007-10-11
Human rights campaigner Yao Lifa has disappeared and is probably
in secret detention, his son said yesterday, as authorities
impose strict controls on dissidents ahead of a key Communist
Party meeting. Mr Yao, from Hubei province, is known for dogged
campaigns to win an independent seat in his local Party-controlled
congress and to organise citizens, especially disgruntled farmers,
to challenge long-standing restrictions on political activity.
His son, Yao Yao, said his father was taken away on October
1 as part of a sweep of potential protesters before the 17th
Communist Party Congress next week. (…). ^ top ^
Shanghai faction still part of the gang
- Officials from the financial capital remain a force despite
moves to sideline the city (SCMP)
2007-10-11
When an article praising Shanghai appeared in People's Daily
just a few weeks before the Communist Party congress, it sparked
speculation. Had a resurgent "Shanghai Gang" hijacked
the front page of the party mouthpiece, or was it just an affirmation
of the work of the city's new leader? With Shanghai's new party
secretary, Xi Jinping , expected to be promoted at the meeting,
the article (Glad to Hear Good Tidings from Shanghai) appeared
to be directed at praising him and showing the city's support
of the centre. (…) The Shanghai Gang might be down, but
it is not out, political analysts say. It remains a force within
the party and the central government. But Mr Hu is expected
to elevate his allies and members of his own faction from the
Communist Youth League at next week's congress. (…). ^ top ^
Media praises party bid to be more open
(SCMP)
2007-10-11
State media outlets have been in a celebratory mood in the weeks
leading up to the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist
Party, lauding the congress for its expanding democracy, wider
representation of its 70 million-plus party members and the
achievements of its delegates. The 2,217 delegates, a record
number, are expected to listen and discuss reports filed by
the Central Committee and the CPC Central Commission for Discipline
Inspection. They are supposed to reflect opinions and needs
of party members and the public and to decide on the party's
key issues. They are also expected to vote for the new central
committee and the disciplinary inspection commission personnel
appointments, according to the CPC's Organisation Department.
In order to represent a wider variety of people, the party has
raised the minimum proportion of delegates working in grass-roots
jobs from 25 per cent at the previous congress to 30 per cent.
It has also insisted on greater participation by women and ethnic
minorities, as well as people engaged in the private sector.
(…) In an effort to promote a kind of intra-party democracy,
the central committee has ordered that the number of candidates
be 15 per cent higher than the number of delegates, an increase
of five percentage points over the 16th congress. Each delegate
has to be recommended by the employer's party standing committee,
assessed by local disciplinary and supervisory bodies and endorsed
by all party members in their city, instead of just needing
the approval of standing committee members, as was the case
five years ago. Widening the competition for congressional delegates
is a marked departure from the shady dealings of the past, when
non-competitive elections were the norm to maintain the party's
tight grip on power. (…) Fraught with political turmoil
throughout its 86 years of existence, the Communist Party today
is wary of the risks of political reform. Many analysts believe
it is keen to push for internal democracy in the form of competitive
elections because the measures are the least risky and least
likely to cause unrest. ^ top ^
China's Communists Prepare for Conclave
(The Guardian)
2007-10-09
Leading members of China's Communist Party met on Tuesday as
part of final preparations for a twice-a-decade congress that
will see president and party chief Hu Jintao entrench his power
with new appointments. The meeting of the party's roughly 350
Central Committee members and their alternates is expected to
approve a final draft of a guiding document to be adopted at
next week's congress. (…) Such meetings are held in secret
and news about them is released only after they end. Long under
preparation, the congress document is expected to spell out
Hu's agenda for spreading more balanced economic growth, increasing
spending on schools and health care, and fighting corruption.
The document is expected to touch vaguely on political reform,
although no bold moves are expected. (…) The meeting(…)
is not expected to offer any insights into the composition of
the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee that will be decided
at the 17th congress that kicks off Monday. Hu is expected to
appoint trusted allies to the panel, including a possible successor,
but the final roster is not believed to have been settled yet.
(…). ^ top ^
12,000 petitioners send letter urging
democratic reform (SCMP)
2007-10-10
More than 12,000 mainland petitioners have sent an open letter
to Communist Party leaders demanding democratic reform and basic
human freedoms, in the face of strict orders from the public
security chief for social stability during next week's party
congress. The letter, signed by 12,150 petitioners from 30 provinces,
was initiated by four petitioners from Heilongjiang , Hubei
, Hebei and Henan , the organisers said yesterday. It highlights
social problems including disputes over rural land seizures,
relocation problems caused in urban renewal projects, unemployment,
pollution, depleted resources, and a decline in moral standards
caused by official abuses of power and disregard for the constitution.
Among its wide-ranging demands, the letter calls on party leaders
to initiate political reforms and to guarantee freedom of expression,
the press and association, as set out in the constitution. […]The
letter also demands the abolition of the re-education through
labour, or laojiao, system and an end to the persecution of
petitioners, who are often rounded up and sent home or imprisoned,
particularly during sensitive political events. Meanwhile, Public
Security Minister Zhou Yongkang has ordered police nationwide
to "spare no effort" to support security in Beijing
to create a "joyous and peaceful" social environment
for the congress. […]. ^ top ^
Succession a top issue at China congress
(Christian Science monitor)
2007-10-11
President Hu Jintao is almost certain to be elected to a second
five-year term. All eyes will be on which younger leaders –
and possible successors – get top posts. Through the fog
of Byzantine horse-trading presumed to be taking place behind
closed doors ahead of the imminent congress of the all-powerful
Communist Party, one clear change in the nature of Chinese politics
is emerging, say political analysts and insiders. In stark contrast
to the tradition of paramount leaders stamping their will and
imposing their successors on the ruling party, China's top communists
are now building coalitions and seeking compromises among themselves
that some say could pave the way for a more open form of government.
"The era of strongman politics is over. No single leader
can decide things anymore" says Li Cheng, a senior fellow
at the Brookings Institution in Washington and longtime monitor
of Chinese leadership struggles. "Today you need consensus,
trade-offs, checks and balances." (…) "We won't
see one prince emerging," Mr. Li Datong predicts. "There
will be several new members of the central group, and in three
or four years we'll see who has earned the best reputation."
Whoever eventually comes out on top is unlikely to be a standard-bearer
for radical change, though. (…). ^ top ^
China targets new central bank chief
(FT)
2007-10-11
Zhou Xiaochuan, China's central bank governor, is expected to
be replaced in the wake of this month's Communist party congress
– with his chances of a promotion fading, say Chinese
officials and diplomats. Officials, scholars and diplomats familiar
with the finance sector gave conflicting accounts of why Mr
Zhou's term at the People's Bank of China was likely to finish
after the congress, which opens on Monday. An unusually activist
central bank governor, Mr Zhou has presided over extensive reform
of the state-owned banks and the de-pegging of China's currency,
the renminbi, against the US dollar in 2005. But his activism
has attracted many critics within rival bureaucracies, most
recently over a PBoC-backed plan to allow Chinese citizens to
buy shares overseas, which has been wound back after the initial
announcement. (...). ^ top ^
|
| Domestic
Policy |
| More non-Party people
take high posts (People's Daily)
2007-10-11
The appointment of two ministers who are not members of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) generated much talk earlier this
year - but that was just the beginning. A senior Party official
yesterday said the CPC is determined to tap more of the talent
outside the Party to help with the country's economic and social
development. "The practice of selecting government bureau
leaders from among the ranks of non-CPC members will continue
in the long run," Chen Xiqing, vice-minister of the United
Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, said yesterday.
Chen also said the Party, which has traditionally represented
the interests of farmers and workers, has been reaching out
to people in new social strata, namely people in the private
sector and those with floating professions, to encourage them
to contribute to the country's development. The France-trained
non-CPC scientist Chen Zhu was named the health minister, while
the Germany-trained Wan Gang, who is a member of the China Zhi
Gong (Public Interest) Party, was named science and technology
minister earlier this year. (…) Sectors such as the sciences,
technology, health and culture that need the leadership of high-level
experts are the ideal areas in which non-CPC members can be
absorbed (…). ^ top ^
Fate of week-long breaks still up in the
air - No immediate plan scrap 'golden week' holidays (SCMP)
2007-10-10
The government is still weighing up proposals to modify the
"golden week" system, a tourism official said yesterday,
denying reports that a decision to scrap the week-long May Day
holiday was pending. Zhang Dong , director of the China National
Tourism Administration's propaganda department, told the Beijing
Evening News studies of the issue had been done for years but
the authority had yet to finalise a draft to revise the eight-year-old
system. […] Mr Zhang said there was also uncertainty about
whether a proposal to revise the scheme - of week-long holidays
around the Lunar New Year, May Day and National Day in October
- would be sent to the National People's Congress for deliberation.
He was responding to recent mainland reports that the national
tourism watchdog had suggested at least one of the three "golden
weeks" be eliminated in favour of breaks at other times
of the year. ^ top ^
Censors hot under the collar over 'vulgar'
ads (SCMP)
2007-10-11
Mainland censors have banned 2,000 television and radio ads
promoting female underwear and other “sexually suggestive”
items, state press reported, amid a wave of censorship ahead
of a major Communist Party gathering. Advertisements for breast
enhancements and female underwear are “vulgar”,
the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said
in a statement published by the Xinhua news agency late on Wednesday.
Other ads that have been banned over the past fortnight for
being “sexually suggestive” involve sex-related
health supplements, drugs for sexually transmitted diseases
and sex toys, the administration said. “The [administration]
has always called on all media to hold onto their sense of responsibility
but some of them surrendered to audience ratings and profits
and caused a vile impact,” the statement said. About 2,000
ads have been pulled off TV and radio airwaves over the past
fortnight, according to the administration. Censorship has toughened
in recent weeks ahead of the Communist Party's five-yearly congress,
with the nation's leaders at pains to present the nation in
the best possible light and avoid any controversies. TV shows
deemed unacceptable have also been banned, while news bulletins
have been dominated by items extolling the great work of the
party. ^ top ^
Airbus A380 to make its debut in China
late October (People's Daily)
2007-10-09
The world's largest airliner Airbus A380 will arrive in China
on October 23 to go on show to the Chinese public for the first
time, the Airbus Beijing office said on Tuesday. The China tour
of the jumbo airliner is scheduled for between October 23 and
29 in three cities: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. (…)
To date, the A380 has received 185 orders or commitments from
15 customers worldwide, five of which come from China Southern.
(…). ^ top ^
China to subsidize airports, regional air
routes (Xinhua)
2007-10-10
China is expected to unveil regulations within the year to subsidize
its small and medium-sized airports and regional air routes
to meet the rising demand for air travel. The government plans
to offer subsidies to airports that each handle less than five
million passengers a year, according to the General Administration
of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC). The subsidies would cover
80 percent of the country's airports, the CAAC said, adding
that 19 large airports would not be entitled to any handouts.
The airports in the central and western parts of China are expected
to receive higher subsidies than those in the eastern regions
and the smaller the airport, the higher the subsidy. Air routes
within a province and those shorter than 600 km are also expected
to be subsidized. But the CAAC said the subsidies would not
cover air routes between the metropolises of Beijing, Shanghai
and Guangzhou and between some hot tourist destinations. (...).
^ top ^
China's State Council appoints new vice
ministers (Xinhua)
2007-10-11
The State Council, China's cabinet, announced the appointments
of four senior officials here Thursday. Yao Zengke was appointed
as Vice Minister of Supervision and Liu Qian as Vice Minister
of Health, according to a press release. Zhou Xisheng and Zhou
Shuchun were appointed vice presidents of the Xinhua News Agency,
the statement said. Those who vacated their posts were Deputy
Secretary-General of the State Council Lou Jiwei, Vice Minister
of Finance Zhang Hongli, Vice Ministers of Health Wang Longde
and Jiang Zuojun, Vice President of Xinhua News Agency Ma Shengrong,
Vice Chairman of the National Council for Social Securities
Fund Gao Xiqing, the statement said. ^ top ^
Corruption poses ‘lethal threat'
to China (Financial Times)
2007-10-11
Corruption costs China as much as 3 per cent of its economic
output, or $86bn in 2003, and poses a “lethal threat”
to the country's economic development, according to a report
by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The report
by Minxin Pei, the director of the China programme at the Washington-based
policy study group, says the sums of money expropriated by corrupt
officials have risen “exponentially” since the 1980s
and cost more than last year's entire education budget. Mr Pei
said: “Even after adjusting for inflation, the sums of
money looted by government officials today are astonishing –
a relatively low-level official can amass an illicit fortune
in tens of millions of yuan.” (…) Despite a stream
of high-profile corruption cases, including the arrest last
year of Shanghai's party boss and the execution this year of
the former head of the national food and drug regulation body,
the report says that in reality only a “small proportion”
of officials tainted by corruption are punished. “The
odds of an average corrupt official going to jail are at most
three out of 100, making corruption a high-return, low-risk
activity,” the report says. Speaking to foreign journalists
in late September, Chi Yaoyun, deputy director-general of the
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the party's anti-corruption
body, admitted that graft was a serious problem, especially
in the finance sector and land transfers. (…) Mr Pei,
however, sees corruption not just as a stage of development
but as a failure of political reform. (...). ^ top ^
4m more people to move for Three Gorges
Dam (SCMP)
2007-10-12
Chinese authorities say the giant Three Gorges Dam will force
the relocation of about 4 million additional people over the
next 10-15 years, Xinhua news agency reported. Some 1.4 million
people have already been uprooted and spread throughout China
to make way for the dam, China's showcase engineering triumph
and the world's biggest hydropower project. Authorities are
also showing a growing recognition of serious environmental
problems related to the project. Those forced to leave their
homes will come from outlying districts of the giant central
Chinese city of Chongqing, where the bulk of the dam's 600-kilometre
long reservoir has started to erode the banks of the Yangtze
River in many places, Xinhua said in a report late on Thursday.
[…]. ^ top ^
Telling tales doesn't pay, cancer village
whistle-blower learns (SCMP)
2007-10-12
Wang Dehua fought to get a polluted town cleaned up, and then
paid the price for upsetting the local authorities in a labour
camp. For all the talk of social harmony and scientific development
on the mainland, pollution and land grabs remain pressing problems
and as Josephine Ma reports, those who fight back risk severe
retribution. Wang Dehua may have won a battle to save future
generations in his village from cancer, but he has paid a high
price for it. The 47-year-old villager from Tianjin wondered
why his neighbours and relatives were dying of cancer and it
did not take him long to identify the culprit - the malodorous
rivers around the village tainted with untreated chemicals discharged
from the area's sprawling factories. So, in 2001, Wang embarked
on an odyssey to bring attention to the environmental crisis,
taking the most popular and only route available - petitioning
government departments at higher levels. But seeking justice
on the mainland is dangerous and like many other petitioners,
Wang was sent to a labour camp for a year in 2003. It took two
more years for his story to finally gain the attention of state
media, including the powerful CCTV, but in 2005 Xiditou became
known as one of the country's most infamous "cancer villages".
Changes did occur under the intense media pressure - chemical
plants in the area were told to leave and the drainage channels
stinking with chemicals were covered. But villagers still have
to buy expensive bottled water and the incidence of cancer remains
high due to the long exposure to toxic chemicals. In addition,
mainland journalists were banned from further reporting on the
area's pollution and Wang was sentenced to eight years in jail
in May after more than a year in detention. […]. ^ top ^
Mainland losses to corruption exceeded
education budget (SCMP)
2007-10-12
Corruption costs the mainland more every year than it spends
on education and is one of the most serious threats to political
stability, according to a report from the Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace. […] The report said the graft
problems would continue because the Communist Party was unlikely
to carry out the political reforms needed to fight corruption
because it fears losing its grip on power. […] The report
said the direct cost of corruption in 2003 equalled 3 per cent
of the gross domestic product, or US$86 billion - "an amount
exceeding the government's entire spending on education in 2006".
[…] "Combating corruption is perhaps one of the toughest
tasks ahead because it requires politically difficult reforms
so far eschewed by Beijing for fear of undermining the supremacy
of the ruling Chinese Communist Party," the report said.
[…]. ^ top ^
Activist beaten as rival police clash in
melee - Campaigner knocked unconscious (SCMP)
2007-10-12
Dozens of police from rival city districts in Beijing fought
a pitched battle yesterday over Christian activist Hua Huiqi,
who was knocked unconscious during the melee and admitted to
hospital. Four factions took part in the battle that saw Chongwen
district police and security guards, whom witnesses said worked
for New World China Land - a subsidiary of Hong Kong's New World
Development - squaring off against police from Fengtai district
and plain-clothes national security officers, who had been monitoring
Mr Hua for weeks. (…) Attempts to contact New World in
Hong Kong and its office in Beijing for comments were not successful
because office staff said the managers responsible were not
available. The incident, a complex one involving police and
private security forces representing both political and economic
interests, illustrates what human rights activists say is a
growing trend on the mainland - attacks by private security
guards, often representing companies involved in property deals
with local governments, are on the rise. Mr Hua, under scrutiny
by the authorities due to his long history of underground church
activism, also has a history of opposing home evictions in the
capital. He has been detained repeatedly in recent years for
leading a house church, as well as for his rights defence efforts
on other issues. Recently, Mr Hua began helping petitioners
from the provinces who travel to Beijing seeking justice. He
was released from jail in July after serving six months for
"obstructing justice". Under heavy police guard, Mr
Hua moved out of his Chongwen district home on Monday and was
taken to Fengtai district, in the southwest of the city. But
Fengtai police did not want him in their jurisdiction, and yesterday
he returned to Chongwen with a dozen Fengtai policemen. He was
greeted by Chongwen policemen and the developer's security guards,
according to witnesses. Both those groups were equally intent
on not letting him return to his home, which is slated for demolition.
Late yesterday Mr Hua was still in hospital. Family members
said doctors were refusing to discuss his condition, and the
family was being watched by police. ^ top ^
SW Chinese ancient town honored by UNESCO
for heritage conservation (Xinhua)
2007-10-09
Lijiang, an ancient town in southwest China's Yunnan province,
has won UNESCO's 2007 Award of Merit for its restoration of
ancient buildings, UNESCO official Richard Engelhart announced
here on Monday. A panel of international conservation experts
noted that the high-degree of verisimilitude demonstrated in
Lijiang's restoration showed effective government funding. It
also provided an inspiring example for ancient towns to retain
their heritage, which is endangered by excessive numbers of
tourists and urban development. Lijiang, listed in UNESCO's
"World Cultural Heritage", had completed restoration
of 299 households and 236 traditional complexes since 2003,
said He Shiyong, chief of conservation and management bureau
of Lijiang Ancient Town. The result of the award came out in
a UNESCO regional meeting in August and the ceremony held on
Monday was its official acknowledgement to the town, said Engelhart.
The other three Awards of Merit include Bonython Hall (Adelaide,Australia),
Little Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR, China) and the Astanaof Syed
Yahya (Skardu, Pakistan). ^ top ^
Major Xinjiang gasfield found (People's
Daily)
2007-10-11
PetroChina has discovered another major gasfield in western
Xinjiang, a source from the company's Tarim unit confirmed yesterday.
"The gasfield, known as Dabei III, boasts an estimated
reserve of as much as 130 billion cubic meters, and will serve
as an important backup supply source for the west-east gas pipelines,"
he said on condition of anonymity. (…) The discovery has
the potential to be the third largest gas field in Xinjiang,
after Kela II and Dina II Gas fields, said Dai Jinxin, a researcher
with the Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development
affiliated with PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas
producer. (…) According to BP energy statistics for 2006,
coal accounted for 70 percent of China's total primary energy
consumption; oil, 20.6 percent; natural gas, 2.9 percent; hydropower,
5.6 percent; and nuclear power, 0.7 percent. The country plans
to increase gas use to 5.3 percent of the country's total energy
mix by 2010, according to the National Development and Reform
Commission, the top economic planner. ^ top ^
|
| Hongkong |
HK's economy fully
recovered, says Tsang (SCMP)
2007-10-10
On a upbeat note, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen opened
the 2007 policy address by emphasising that Hong Kong's economy
was enjoying strong growth. “I am confident because Hong
Kong's economy is back on track, registering rapid growth over
the past 15 quarters. The three years from 2004 to 2006 saw
average annual growth of 7.7 per cent,” he said. It is
Mr Tsang's first policy address to the Legislative Council following
his re-election as chief executive earlier this year. […].
^ top ^
Tsang discusses new infrastructure projects
(SCMP)
2007-10-10
Hong Kong was now on track to finish some important new infrastructure
projects, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said on Wednesday.
Mr Tsang was discussing Hong Kong's future plans in his annual
policy address in the Legislative Council. […] He said
major cross-boundary infrastructure projects were planned with
Shenzhen. This included the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express
Rail Link – a high-speed national rail network of some
12 000 kilometres to link up major cities, with maximum train
speeds of 200 to 300 kilometres per hour. Other key projects
included the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Airport co-operation and the
Hong Kong-Shenzhen joint development of the Lok Ma Chau Loop
projects. […]But the chief executive noted that to achieve
success, the first step for Hong Kong to take would be “to
study the feasibility and economic benefits” of the projects
and work closer with mainland authorities. […]. ^ top ^
Business wants say in political structure
- Chamber urges balanced representation but hedges on date for
full direct elections (SCMP)
2007-10-10
Businesses and other sectors should be given equal seats if
all district councillors were included in the nomination committee
for chief executive elections in future, the Hong Kong General
Chamber of Commerce has said. The leading business group, while
giving conditional support to universal suffrage no later than
2017, argued that it was essential to maintain "balanced
representation" for all sectors when returning the future
leader. […]In a submission, the chamber said it was reasonable
to expect universal suffrage for the chief executive election
no later than 2017 if eight conditions could be met. These include
a regulatory framework for political parties, a network of thriving
policy think-tanks as well as sufficient representation of the
business sector in the political structure. […]. ^ top ^
Officials cast doubt over mainland pollution
study (SCMP)
2007-10-10
Environment officials yesterday cast doubt over mainland research
on air pollution that found Hong Kong lagging behind in its
efforts to reduce emissions, questioning the accuracy of some
of the data. A senior official admitted that sulfur dioxide
levels in Hong Kong had risen above the levels of the late 1990s,
as reported in a scientific paper, but was sceptical about a
reported increase in nitrogen oxides (NOx) and total suspended
particles (TSP).[…] In particular, it said the city's
NOx levels had risen 30 per cent while Guangzhou had slashed
its level more than 50 per cent. It also said Hong Kong's TSP
level rose 10 per cent whereas Guangzhou had cut its by a third.
But the Environmental Protection Department yesterday questioned
the accuracy of the figures. It suspects that the nitrogen oxides
data from Hong Kong had incorporated roadside readings, instead
of ambient ones as in the cases of Guangzhou and Shanghai. Roadside
readings are normally much higher than ambient data. […].
^ top ^
|
| Taiwan |
China and Taiwan flex
military muscles (IHT)
2007-10-10
China has blanketed its territory with air defense radar that
almost matches the performance of similar networks in developed
countries, state media reported Wednesday, as its rival Taiwan
held its first National Day military parade in 16 years. A senior
officer from Chinese Air Force headquarters, Fang Lei, said
a seamless network of all-weather air defense radars had been
installed to cover all Chinese airspace, according to a report
on the Web site of the official military newspaper, the Liberation
Army Daily. (…) The development of a high-performance
air defense system to complement China's increasingly potent
force of surface-to-air missiles and jet fighter interceptors
has been a top priority for the People's Liberation Army, military
experts say. Senior Taiwanese and U.S. military officers have
acknowledged the improvement in Chinese air defenses as a significant
indication of the country's rapid military modernization. This
system is a direct challenge for self-governing Taiwan as it
seeks to counter the mainland's growing military power. (...)
China's arms buildup could also pose challenges to the United
States if it is drawn into a conflict with Beijing over Taiwan.
The commander of American forces in Japan, Lieutenant General
Bruce Wright, told The Associated Press earlier this month that
China's air defenses were now almost impenetrable to the U.S.
F-15 and F-16 aircraft stationed in Asia. ^ top ^
|
| Tibet |
Opposition to Dalai
Lama's medal (SCMP)
2007-10-12
The mainland has complained to the United States over a decision
to award the Dalai Lama a Congressional Gold Medal, Foreign
Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said. "We strongly oppose
any country or person who uses the Dalai Lama to interfere in
China's internal affairs," he said. National Security Council
spokesman Gordon Johndroe said last month that US President
George W. Bush would attend the ceremony in Washington on Wednesday.
^ top ^
|
| Economy |
| EU, China agree to end
textile quotas (Xinhua)
2007-10-10
The European Union (EU) has agreed with China to end quota restrictions
on Chinese textile imports with a joint surveillance system
to monitor the trade flow in 2008, the European Commission said
on Tuesday. The "double checking system" will track
the issuing of licenses for export in China and the importation
of goods into the EU, the commission said in a statement. It
will operate for one year in 2008 following the end of quota
restrictions on Chinese textiles and clothing, the statement
said. Following a so-called "textile war," the EU
and China reached an agreement in June 2005 on resuming quotas
on China's textile exports to the EU, which expires at the end
of 2007. Although imports of these goods will be closely monitored,
their level of import will not be restricted by this arrangement,
the EU's executive arm said. "I welcome this further step
in the cooperation between the EU and China in ensuring a smooth
transition to free trade in textiles," said EU Trade Commissioner
Peter Mandelson. Mandelson said a system of joint monitoring
means predictability for EU producers and traders as well as
a clear picture of future developments as the EU makes the final
step to free global trade in textiles and clothing. According
to the commission, the joint surveillance system will cover
eight categories of textiles and clothing from China, namely
T-shirts, pullovers, men's trousers, blouses, dresses, bras,
bed linen and flax yarn. The system will be formally adopted
by the commission in the coming days. On the EU side, national
licensing offices will be in charge of the monitoring. ^ top ^
China resists European pressure on currency
(FT)
2007-10-09
The European Union and China locked horns over exchange rates
on Tuesday after authorities in Beijing deflected a European
call for a rise in the level of the renminbi. Only hours after
eurozone finance ministers said the renminbi's exchange rate
should more accurately reflect the country's vast and growing
current account surplus, China's central bank set a noticeably
low official reference rate for the currency against the dollar.
Market participants interpreted the action as a signal that
China has no intention to yield to foreign pressure for a faster
appreciation of the renminbi against the currencies of its western
trade partners, although there was no firm evidence of this.
A foreign ministry spokesman repeated Beijing's well-honed official
line, saying the government would allow the currency to become
more flexible “over time”. “We are willing
to engage in dialogue and consultation with concerned parties
on this issue,” he said at a regular news briefing. (...).
^ top ^
China alliance for Barclays Capital (FT)
2007-10-10
Barclays Capital will announce on Wednesday a strategic commodities
alliance with China Development Bank to provide Chinese companies
with risk management in the energy, base metals and emissions
sectors. The agreement comes as Chinese companies' commodities
consumption booms amid the country's rapid urbanisation. In
spite of growing appetite for commodities and highly volatile
prices in the past few years, Chinese companies are still far
behind their western counterparts in the use of commodities'
risk and hedging strategies, analysts said. Investment banks
are rushing to tap this emerging market, opening commodities
sales offices in China to boost their commodities business.
The agreement with CDB might provide Barclays with some advantage
against its competitors. Barclays will train CDB commodities
traders and bankers and will become the Chinese bank's preferred
provider of commodity market risk hedging. Benoit de Vitry,
Barclays Capital head of commodities, said that the agreement
would "accelerate" the bank's commodities business
growth. The bank also said it will help CDB develop commodity
products, focusing initially on corporate clients rather than
investors, trading capabilities and commodities risk management
infrastructure. Gao Jian, deputy governor of CDB, said Barclays
was the right long-term partner for the bank.The agreement,
which runs to 2012 and could be extended for another five-year
period, is part of the banks' alliance started in July when
CDB become one of Barclays' largest shareholders. ^ top ^
Billionaires bloom on back of equity, property
boom (China Daily)
2007-10-11
The country's roaring stock market and soaring property prices
have generated wealth for so many that the mainland now has
more billionaires than any place other than the United States,
according to a list released Wednesday. The list has 106 US
dollar billionaires, compared with 15 last year and none in
2002, according to the popular annual The Hurun Rich List -
compiled by Shanghai-based independent analyst Rupert Hoogeperf.
Out of the top 10, nine own listed companies - six are real
estate developers and two also derive a large percentage of
their wealth from real estate, indicating that the country's
economic growth is largely driven by construction and manufacturing.
(...). ^ top ^
EU set to track Chinese exports (BBC)
The EU has reached an agreement with China to track Chinese
exports of textiles until the end of 2008. The deal does not
limit how much China can export, but should help give European
firms "predictability", the European Commission said.
The move is set to help European firms in the run up to 2008,
when all caps on Chinese exports are to be lifted. Chinese exports
have long worried European firms, who have found it hard to
compete with cheap Chinese goods. "A system of joint monitoring
means predictability for EU producers and traders as well as
a clear picture of future developments as we make the final
step to free global trade in textiles and clothing," said
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. Chinese export licenses
and European export permits will be used to track tee-shirts,
sweaters, men's trousers, dresses, bras and bed linen among
others. The move by the European Commission echoes a similar
move by the US to extend the time during which it can track
exports of Chinese goods before restrictions are lifted. ^ top ^
Starbucks recalls China-made mugs (Financial
Times)
2007-10-11
Starbucks, the coffee shop chain, has become the latest US company
to issue a voluntary recall of China-made products because of
child safety concerns. Following in the heels of Mattel and
Hasbro, the largest US toymakers, the Seattle-based coffee company
is recalling a quarter of a million plastic children's mugs
sold at its stores between May 2006 and August this year. The
mugs have moulded plastic animal faces representing a ladybird,
a turtle, a bunny and a chick and have a plastic top. ^ top ^
Huawei to buy large stake in 3Com (FT)
2007-10-11
Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker, could
acquire up to 21.5 per cent of 3Com and hold three of the 11
board seats as part of a deal to take over the US technology
group with Bain Capital, but it will have “no ability
to make decisions” for the company, a regulatory filing
disclosed. The recently announced $2.2bn proposed bid for 3Com
by Bain, a US private equity group, and Huawei, which will initially
take a 16.5 per cent minority stake, has come under scrutiny
in Washington, where lawmakers have expressed alarm at Huawei's
allegedly close ties to the Chinese government. 3Com's products
include “intrusion prevention” technology that helps
clients, including the US defence department, defend themselves
against hackers. (…). ^ top ^
China's plane ambitions take off (BBC)
China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) is probably not
a name that has executives at Boeing and Airbus quaking in their
boots. But the Chinese aircraft maker is currently assembling
a regional passenger jet that it hopes will establish China
as a major plane manufacturer. The ARJ21 - which stands for
Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st Century - is due to have
its first test flight in March next year. China believes this
could be the start of a trend that will see the country build
its own jumbo jets in the near future. AVIC I, a state-run consortium
based in Shanghai, says the regional plane is China's first
independently developed passenger jet, although it will have
engines made by US firm General Electric. (...) State-run media
report that 71 ARJ21s, which will initially have 70 to 90 seats,
have already been sold to domestic airlines, such as Shanghai
Airlines. Other deals are pending. These aircraft will be delivered
from the end of 2009. A slightly larger version of the ARJ21,
with 150 seats, will be produced later. There will certainly
be demand for more aircraft from China. In its latest forecast,
Boeing said China would require 3,400 new planes worth about
$340 billion over the next 20 years. It expects China's domestic
market to grow nearly fivefold by 2026, which will make it slightly
larger than today's intra-North American market. (...) Mr Ballantyne
agrees that China should be able to produce jumbo jets in the
coming decades, but he says it might be difficult persuading
airlines to buy the planes. "One of the problems in China
is that even Chinese airlines do not want to buy China's own
planes," he said. ^ top ^
|
| Beijing
Olympics |
Chinese polluters
face Olympic shutdown (FT)
2007-10-11
China is considering limiting the operations of steelmakers,
petrochemical plants and other factories near Beijing for nearly
two months next year in order to reduce air pollution during
the Olympic Games, according to local media. The reports highlight
continuing speculation about what action the government will
take to try to ensure air quality does not hit dangerous levels
when its often smoggy capital hosts the Games next August. It
has been widely assumed that Beijing will be forced to order
nearby factories to reduce or suspend operations, but Liu Qi,
the head of the Olympic organising committee, last month told
the Financial Times that such action was not needed. (...).
^ top ^
|
| North
Korea |
Zone rebranded
to ease N Korean anxiety (SCMP)
2007-10-11
South Korea said yesterday it had stopped citing a flagship
joint project with North Korea as an example of "reform
and openness" after the North's leader, Kim Jong-il, took
offence at the description. The unification ministry, which
handles relations with the North, "deleted such words -
reform and openness - from its website this week", a spokesman
said. "It is in line with the [South Korean] president's
remarks following a summit in Pyongyang," the spokesman
said. The website previously said the Seoul-funded industrial
estate in the North's border city of Kaesong would provide "a
basis for future reform and openness" of the North. President
Roh Moo-hyun held a rare summit with Mr Kim in Pyongyang last
week. He said at the time he "could feel a sense of distrust
and disapproval of our use of the terms `reform' and `opening'
during the meetings". The North wanted Kaesong to be developed
faster, Mr Roh said, but did not view it the same way as the
South. The South sees Kaesong, which employs 19,430 North Koreans
and 800 South Koreans in 26 factories, as a flagship project
to reform the North's moribund economy and ease the massive
costs of any eventual reunification. "We have often referred
to the Kaesong complex as an example of reform and opening,
but those terms reflect only the southern point of view,"
Mr Roh said last week. During a visit to Kaesong last Thursday
on his way home, Mr Roh called it a place "where South
and North Korea become one and work together for joint development,
not a place where one is trying to force the other into reform
and openness". Supporters of Kaesong visualise it eventually
becoming a North Korean version of Shenzhen. The South Korean
government is eyeing a target of 450 companies and 700,000 workers
by 2012, although some industrialists there complain of customs
regulations and other red tape. The project's management, the
Kaesong Industrial District Management Committee, said yesterday
that the accumulated production value of goods manufactured
at the industrial complex had exceeded US$200 million. Analysts
say Mr Kim sees full economic reform as a threat to his regime
and its control over the crumbling centrally directed economy.
^ top ^
|
| Mongolia |
Scholarship for 109
in NUM (UB Post)
2007-10-11
Altogether 109 students of the National University of Mongolia
have received scholarships for their entire period of study
there from 2006 to 2010. The awards came from the Zorig Foundation(ZF)
with support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
(SDC).The third annual award ceremony under the program was
held on Monday. Of the 109 chosen, 94 students are from Ulaanbaatar,
five from Gobi-Altai, and ten from Khovd. Among those present
at the ceremony were Dubach Marcus, honorary consul of Switzerland
who is also the SDC representative here, S. Oyun, head of the
ZF and Member of Parliament, and members of the ZF Board of
Directors. The scholarship is given to students who face difficulty
in continuing their studies because of financial hardship. Academic
excellence is, however, not the sole criterion for selection.
Participation in community activities is also taken into consideration.
Scholarship recipients must develop and implement some project
to benefit society every year. The 94 students from Ulaanbaatar
city will be divided into 12 teams and will start developing
their projects soon. ^ top ^
To Russia, Without Visa (UB Post)
2007-10-11
Mongolian and Russians should once again be able to travel to
each other.s country without requiring visas. The old system
is likely to be restored in the near future, maybe as early
as the beginning of next year, according to reports on the talks
held by Mongolian Foreign Minister N. Enkhbold in Moscow on
October 3-5..(…). ^ top ^
A first for UN representative (Mongol
Messenger)
2007-10-11
On October 1, Resident Representative from Mongolia to UN, O.Enkhtsetseg,
presented her letter of trust to UN Secretary General, Ban ki-moon
. She discussed Mongolia-UN cooperation and other mutually interesting
issues with the UN Secretary General. Mrs Enkhtsetseg has became
the first woman UN Resident Representative from Mongolia. ^ top ^
Austria looks to open air routes (Mongol
Messenger)
2007-10-11
On October 3, Austrian Ambassador to Mongolia, Dr Martin Sadjdik
presented his credentials to President of Mongolia, N. Enkhbayar.
The President said Mongolia was a gate to emerging markets of
China and Northeast Asia. He noted recent rapid development
of relations, particularly in education, science and cultural
sectors between Mongolia and Austria with their long historic
relationship. He said this was a strong base for further development
of economic relations. ^ top ^
|
| Joel Baumgartner
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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