2016年1月28日星期四
Ma’s island visit draws line for DPP
Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou visited Taiping Island in the South China Sea on Thursday, showing his determination to safeguard the sovereignty of the islands in the South China Sea. He emphasized that "whether from the perspective of history, geography, or international law," regarding the Nansha, Xisha, Zhongsha and Dongsha Islands, "the ROC (Republic of China) enjoys all rights over these islands and their surrounding waters in accordance with international law. This is indisputable."
As the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) acknowledges that Taiwan and the Chinese mainland belong to one China, Ma's trip signals a positive act in safeguarding Chinese people's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea.
What has now become the nine-dash line was originally drawn by the government of the then-ROC ruled by the KMT. Since the People's Republic of China was established, the mainland has taken on claiming the rights within the nine-dash line. Taiwan's stance in this regard has been restrained due to external factors. Most of the time, it is the mainland that is at the frontline of guarding the sovereignty of the islands.
Ma had planned to visit Taiping Island last year, but did not make the trip, reportedly due to US objections. He has fulfilled his wish before he steps down. The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) turned down an invitation from Ma to send an envoy on the trip. The US also expressed disappointment on Thursday.
Under enormous pressure to safeguard the islands China owns dating back to history, the mainland has been acting alone. If Taiwan can join hands with the mainland, China will have the upper hand in this regard. But Taiwan is not willing to do so because the US does not allow it to do so in the South China Sea disputes or the Diaoyu Island issue.
Ma has made efforts for this trip. In 2008 when Chen Shui-bian ruled Taiwan, he visited Taiping Island. But the disputes around the South China Sea were different from today. At least at that time, the US did not intervene publicly. Chen withdrew troops from the island and sent the Coast Guard Administration for law enforcement instead.
Worryingly, if DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen compromises in the South China Sea issue after assuming power, it will add daunting challenges to the mainland. One significance of Ma's trip is to set up a line of defense for Tsai's retreat. It is hard to say right now how much of a role it can play.
Currently, the mainland should not count on Taiwan to do much over the South China Sea and East China Sea issues. But in the long run, the situation may change. Despite political divergences between Taiwan and the mainland, people from both sides have the same roots and economic and cultural exchanges have remained frequent. Taiwan society's old sense of national identity may wake up and Taiwan may become the pioneer to safeguard the Diaoyu and Nansha Islands. Ma visited Taiping Island in a cautious manner, but his step is worth applauding.
Chinese firm to follow industry standards on sensitive images after Corbis acquisition
A Chinese media company that recently bought Corbis' image division, a photograph archive that owns some pictures from the 1989 Tiananmen incident, denied on Thursday of any government involvement in the acquisition.
Chai Jijun, founder and executive director of Visual China Group (VCG), told the Global Times on Thursday that he understood the concerns raised by some foreign media and individuals but said the acquisition was purely a commercial activity.
"We do not have the complicated background as reported by some media," Chai said, adding that the company would not make the decision to acquire the photo archive simply because the archive possesses some sensitive pictures.
VCG announced on January 22 that it had acquired the assets and brands of Corbis' Image Division and would own and manage the images and motion archives, names and trademarks associated with the Corbis Images, Corbis Motion and Veer licensing brands.
The sale of Corbis Images has raised concerns among some foreign media and individuals, who fear that some historical pictures related to the sensitive incident might be stopped from circulation.
Chai said VCG will deal with the sensitive pictures by following the operation standard commonly adopted in the visual image industry without making big changes.
He noted that the 50 million images owned by Corbis had recorded major historic events of the 19th century and 20th century and that VCG bears the responsibility of taking good care of this cultural heritage.
An expert from the Copyright Protection Center of China, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Global Times on Thursday that if the purchase went through legal procedures and the company acquired copyrights of the pictures, then VCG would have the legal basis to manage the images at its will.
VCG's deal also includes Bettmann Collection, which holds more than 11 million photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries, and the Sygma Archive, which owns one of the most prestigious groups of images of Europe's historical events.
Founded by Bill Gates under the name "Interactive Home Systems" in 1989, Corbis was originally established to serve as a distributor of artwork for the prospective concept of digital art frames in homes, while through years of development, it has focused on acquiring and digitalizing historical photographs.
Sweden to deport up to 80,000 refugees
Sweden said it expects to expel up to 80,000 migrants whose asylum requests will likely be rejected, as another 18 people including children drowned off Greece Thursday in a desperate bid to reach Europe.
As the continent grapples with efforts to stem a record flow of migrants, Swedish Interior Minister Anders Ygeman said the mass expulsions of people who arrived in the Scandinavian country last year would require the use of specially chartered aircraft and be staggered over several years.
"We are talking about 60,000 people but the number could climb to 80,000," he told Swedish media, adding that police and migration authorities had been tasked with organizing the scheme.
Of the 58,800 asylum requests handled by Swedish migration authorities last year, 55 percent were accepted. Many of those requests were, however, submitted in 2014, before the large migrant flow began.
Ygeman said he used the 55 percent figure to estimate that around half of the 163,000 asylum requests received in 2015 would likely be rejected.
Sweden, a country of 9.8 million, is among the EU states with the highest proportion of refugees per capita.
More than 1 million people travelled to Europe last year - the majority of them refugees fleeing conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan - in the continent's worst migration crisis since World War II.
Most cross by boat from Turkey to Greece and the United Nations says more than 46,000 people have turned up on the European Union member's beaches so far this year, while 170 people died making the dangerous journey.
Flimsy boats packed with migrants are still arriving on Greek beaches every day, the passengers undeterred by Europe's cold wintry conditions.
On Thursday, the bodies of 18 migrants, including nine children, were discovered off the Greek island of Samos after their boat capsized and 17 others were still missing, the Greek coastguard said, a day after seven other bodies were found near the island of Kos.
With the influx showing little sign of abating despite the cold weather, many European countries - including Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, France - have tightened their asylum rules in a bid to discourage new arrivals.
Reflecting the mounting tensions, Brussels on Wednesday blasted Greece's handling of the crisis and warned it could face border controls with the EU's passport-free Schengen zone if it does not protect the bloc's frontiers.
Athens is worried its border with Macedonia will be closed, leaving refugees trapped in the country.
Syria peace talks to go ahead: UN
The UN said on Thursday that there was no postponement of Syria peace talks due to start Friday in Geneva, despite uncertainty around whether the main opposition umbrella group would attend.
There is "no postponement from our side," Khawla Mattar, spokeswoman for the talks, said as the High Negotiations Committee, formed last month in an effort to unite Syria's fractious opposition, said in Riyadh it was waiting for answers from the UN before agreeing to attend.
The UN Syria mediator has responded to opposition demands for an end to airstrikes and blockades on behalf of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a UN spokesman said on Thursday.
"Staffan de Mistura's response to Riad Hijab, both by phone yesterday and in writing last night, constitutes the response also on behalf of the Secretary-General," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Riad Hijab is the coordinator of the opposition Committee. Talks to end Syria's civil war had risked being delayed for the second time this week as the opposition stuck to its demands on Thursday.
Syrian opposition members met for a third day Thursday to decide whether to attend UN peace talks, with less than 24 hours before the negotiations were due to open in Geneva.
Western diplomats have piled pressure on the opposition to take part in the negotiations, part of the biggest push yet to resolve Syria's nearly five-year civil war.
But after two days of meeting in the Riyadh, the Committee had yet to agree to participate by press time.
The Committee had asked for "clarifications" after the UN issued invitations to other opposition figures and is demanding assurances from the international community that it will move to end government attacks on civilians and allow humanitarian aid.
Salem al-Meslet, a Committee spokesman, said UN Syria envoy De Mistura had already assured the opposition that two of the resolution's articles - calling for immediate access for humanitarian aid and an end to attacks on civilians - were non-negotiable.
Security Council members "must take their responsibilities and commit to applying resolution 2254. We are waiting for an answer," Meslet said.
The talks are part of a UN-backed plan, agreed by top diplomats last year in Vienna, that envisages negotiations followed by a transitional government, a new constitution, and elections within 18 months.
The roadmap is the most ambitious plan yet to end the conflict which has killed more than 260,000 people and forced millions from their homes.
Japanese minister quits over scandal
Japan's economy minister resigned on Thursday over a corruption scandal, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he looks to build support for a massive trade deal and changes to the country's constitution.
Akira Amari's surprise resignation comes a week after the veteran politician was hit by claims in a weekly magazine that he and his staff had improperly accepted a 12 million yen ($101,000) bribe from a construction firm.
On Thursday, Amari - the point man on a Pacific-wide free trade pact and a key face in Abe's bid to overcome Japan's decades-long economic malaise - apologized for the scandal but rejected claims he pocketed the money.
"If that was true, it would have degraded my dignity not only as a politician but also as a person - I wouldn't possibly do it," the 66-year-old told a nationally televised news conference as he choked back tears.
But "considering my responsibility as a member of parliament who has to oversee my secretaries, my duty as a cabinet member and pride as a politician, I will resign my post as of today."
Amari admitted envelopes filled with cash had arrived at his office, but said he ordered his secretary to deal with some of the money according to political donation rules.
He said the company refused to accept the return of some of the donations, and added that his secretary used about three million yen for "private use," without elaborating.
Amari did not say how much was received in total.
The Shukan Bunshun magazine said last week the construction company had sought Amari's help in settling problems with a quasi-public housing agency over damage caused by a road project.
It cited a company official as saying the firm had wined and dined the minister's staff and had given them gifts and envelopes stuffed with cash, including handing a total of 1 million yen to Amari himself on two occasions.
Last week, Amari acknowledged meeting with officials from the company, but said he could not recall the details.
Nobuteru Ishishara - a one-time secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and son of a former Tokyo governor - was named Amari's successor.
The resignation comes with Japan looking to kick-start its moribund economy, with Amari saying, "The economy is now on the verge of getting out of deflation after 15 years."
China to carry out agriculture reforms to boost growth
China's agriculture industry and its vast rural population have great potential for economic growth, which could help the country's sluggish economy, analysts said Wednesday, following the release of a key document aimed at modernizing the sector and improving farmers' well-being.
Implementing reforms to modernize the agricultural sector and improving farmers' well-being will be the government's top priority, according to the annual "No.1 document" released Wednesday by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, the country's cabinet.
The document, which was published by the Xinhua News Agency, identified key problems the sector is facing, and offered reforms and measures to tackle them.
Quickly providing farmers with higher and more stable income, urgently transforming the traditional agricultural development path to provide an ample supply of agricultural products, and improving the sector's competiveness in the international market have become "historic tasks and realistic challenges" that must be completed and resolved, the document said, according to Xinhua.
The government's efforts to boost the sector through modernization and increase farmers' income could help stimulate China's economy, said Zheng Fengtian, associate dean of the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at the Renmin University of China.
Modernizing the sector could help farmers cut production costs and improve the quality of agricultural products, which could help improve market competitiveness, Zheng told the Global Times on Wednesday.
"We all know there is a vast market for agricultural products in China," said Zheng, adding high production costs and backward capacity in the country's agricultural sector are hurting its competiveness.
Due to the lower price/quality ratio of domestic agricultural products, Chinese consumers are incerasingly turning to imported ones, according to Zheng.
In addition, the vast rural population could be a major consumer market, said Wang Sangui, a professor of the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at Renmin University, who specializes in rural poverty studies.
"If farmers have money to spend, it's not only good for their well-being but for the national economy as well," Wang told the Global times on Wednesday. The economy has been increasingly dependent on consumption as a growth engine, since investment and manufacturing have waned in recent years, he added.
Although the country has seen a huge number of farmers migrating to the cities in the past few decades, the rural population still accounts for 44 percent of the country's 1.37 billion people.
A significant portion of the rural population still lives in poverty, according to Wang. He said comprehensive reforms such as those listed in the policy document published on Wednesday could help "improve conditions" for farmers.
Supply-side reforms
The document stresses supply-side reforms in the agricultural sector, which could help address challenges and push forward the sector's modernization process, and ensure millions of farmers enter a "moderately-prosperous society," Xinhua said, citing Ye Xingqing, an official from the State Council's Development Research Center.
The agricultural sector is also facing a supply glut and a shortage of quality products, Zheng said. He said supply-side reforms could help cut both economic and environmental costs, and improve the quality of agricultural products.
The document also highlighted the shift in focus on further protecting farmers' interests and promoting their well-being, Zheng said.
"Adhering to the farmers' dominant position and improving farmers' well-being" will be the starting point and goal of all work in rural areas, the document pointed out.
Those policies are in line with President Xi Jinping's earlier call to reduce poverty and achieve a "moderately prosperous society" by 2020, Wang said.
China also vowed to increase agricultural investment, create high-quality farmland and support the integration of rural workers in cities, according to the document.
China’s new status in IMF to diversify world economy
China has officially become the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) third-largest member-country, a historic move experts say will diversify the global economic governance and give the country a bigger say to better safeguard its interests.
Although new challenges may lie ahead after China's new status in the IMF, the move indicates China's greater role on the world stage as its influence grows despite the world economic downturn, experts said.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the IMF announced that its quota and governance reforms took effect on Tuesday, and that it will "strengthen the voice and representation of emerging and developing economies in the institution."
"I commend our members for ratifying these truly historic reforms," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said. She noted that a more representative, modern IMF will ensure that the institution is able to better meet the needs of its members.
Lagarde also showed her' appreciation for China's economic progress during a phone call with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Lagarde expressed confidence in the steady growth of the Chinese economy through the implementation of economic reform measures.
China's quota share in the IMF will increase from 3.996 percent to 6.394 percent after the 2010 IMF reforms take effect, making the country the third-largest member after the US and Japan, according to the IMF website.
"It's a remarkable acknowledgement of China's influence and contribution to the global economy," Chen Fengying, an expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.
China will have a bigger say in global economic governance as the third-largest member of the IMF, together with a greater global responsibility, said experts. The reforms are also a beginning to changing the global economic order traditionally dominated by Western powers, said Chen.
Decision-making role
"Before the reform, China had to follow the fund's policies whether they were fair or not. However, the country can now better safeguard its interests and benefit its people as one of the major decision makers," said Chen.
She added that the IMF will see more senior officials from China and other emerging economies as the reforms take effect, and they will participate more in the decision-making process of influential economic policies, and that matters.
However, whether China's increasing investment in the fund will be fully and fairly utilized remains uncertain, as the country's hands may still be tied on many issues because the IMF's governing system remains unchanged, said Huang Wei, director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The IMF's governing system also needs to be reformed to make sure the voice of China and other emerging economies is not only heard but also handled properly, and the reforms are expected to start with an IMF chief elected from emerging countries instead of from another European country, said Huang.
Diverse fund
For the first time, four emerging market economies (Brazil, China, India, and Russia) will be among the 10 largest IMF members after the reforms, and this is only a beginning, said the fund.
The increasing share of emerging economies shows the IMF's determination to improve its democracy, diversity and fairness, Huang said.
The reform would also change the fund's economic governance philosophy which was traditionally based on Western values, a significant and necessary move in the changing context of the global economy, said Huang.
The current quota formula is a weighted average of GDP (weight of 50 percent), openness (30 percent), economic variability (15 percent), and international reserves (5 percent).
The reforms were not ratified until the US Congress approved of them - the country that owns 16.7 percent of the voting power - in December 2015.
2016年1月20日星期三
No dispute over China’s historical rights
Xi begins Middle East tour with elevation of Sino-Saudi ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up the first day of his Middle East tour in Riyadh Tuesday with extensive consensus with Saudi and regional leaders headlined by an upgrade of China-Saudi Arabia relations.
This is the first state visit by a Chinese president to Saudi Arabia in seven years. Later in his first overseas trip this year, which lasts from Jan. 19 to 23, Xi will also travel to Egypt and Iran, as the world's second-largest economy seeks closer ties with the region.
"Since China and Saudi Arabia forged diplomatic ties 26 years ago, our relationship has developed by leaps and bounds, with mutual political trust deepening continuously and rich results in cooperation in various fields," Xi said in written remarks upon arrival.
Saudi Arabia sent four fighter jets to escort Xi's plane when it entered the country's airspace. The president was received by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the airport.
Chinese national flags were seen fluttering in central Riyadh for the visit, to which the local Arab News daily devoted a 10-page special supplement.
"I believe that my visit will be a friendly trip with fruitful achievements, thus conducive to lifting our cooperation in various fields to a new level and to elevating the collective cooperation between China and GCC (the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf) nations," Xi said.
Saudi Arabia is China's biggest foreign supplier of crude oil and biggest trading partner in West Asia. In 2013, China became the biggest trading partner of Saudi Arabia.
Two-way trade reached 69.1 billion US dollars in 2014, growing by 230 times over that of 1990, when the two countries established diplomatic ties.
Xi and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud held talks on Tuesday afternoon and decided to lift bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding on industrial capacity cooperation, agreeing to pursue cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, a vision Xi put forward in 2013 to boost interconnectivity and common development along the ancient land and maritime Silk Roads.
The two countries also signed a slew of cooperation deals covering such sectors as energy, communications, environment, culture, aerospace, and science and technology.
"I believe it will deepen the mutual strategic trust, lead to greater achievements in our mutually beneficial cooperation, and help facilitate and broaden our shared interests in international and regional affairs," Xi said on the upgrade of bilateral ties.
The two countries, in a joint statement, made clear their common stances on such regional affairs as Palestine, Syria, Yemen, counterterrorism and the building of a nuclear weapons-free Middle East.
Xi's tight schedule on the first day also included separate meetings with the deputy crown prince and the chiefs of the GCC and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The Chinese president called for joint efforts to broaden cooperation, establish a China-GCC free trade area at an early date, and promote dialogue between Chinese and Islamic civilizations.
Hailing Xi's visit as "historic," the Arab News daily commented Tuesday that it will further boost the partnership between the two major countries on the economic and political fronts.
"About 2,000 years ago, the Silk Road linked Saudi Arabia and China together. ... Today, the development of Sino-Saudi relations faces a new historic opportunity, and the prospect of the two countries' cooperation in various fields is more promising than ever before," said the newspaper.
Drivers of growth more important than rise in GDP
IS confirms executioner Jihadi John killed in Syria
The Islamic State (IS) group confirmed Tuesday the killing of its notorious executioner, known as Jihadi John, in a drone strike in northern Syria last year.
In the latest issue of the IS official newspaper, Dabiq, the terror group confirmed that Jihadi John, who made the headlines around the world media, was killed in a drone strike in Syria's northern al-Raqqa province, the de facto capital of the IS group.
Two months after being killed in an airstrike, the IS has revealed the true name of Jihadi John, saying he was Abu Muharib al-Muhajir, a man from Kuwait of a Yemeni mother.
The IS said al-Muhajir had moved along with his family to London, England at an early age.
The group said its executioner hated the way of life in London.
Jihadi John has appeared in almost all of the high profile executions of the IS, where he would slice the throat of his victim after deliver a video message in British English.
Nearly 19,000 killed in Iraqi violence: UN
The number of civilians killed in violence in Iraq over the past two years is "staggering," the UN said Tuesday, with a death toll of at least 18,802 people and another 36,245 injured, AFP reported on Tuesday.
Those figures, which are likely an underestimate, count casualties incurred from January 1, 2014 through October 31, 2015, according to a report by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq and the UN human rights agency.
"Those being held are predominantly women and children and come primarily from the Yezidi community, but a number are also from other ethnic and religious minority communities," said the joint report issued in Geneva, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
"Even the obscene casualty figures fail to accurately reflect exactly how terribly civilians are suffering in Iraq," UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein warned in a statement, according to AFP.
"The figures capture those who were killed or maimed by overt violence, but countless others have died from the lack of access to basic food, water or medical care," he pointed out.
The UN said around 3.2 million people have been internally displaced in Iraq since the beginning of 2014 when the Islamic State (IS) group took over large parts of the country and also controls large parts of neighboring Syria.
The UN gave specific attention to the atrocities committed by the IS jihadists, detailing "numerous examples of killings ... in gruesome public spectacles, including by shooting, beheading, bulldozing, burning alive and throwing people off the top of buildings."
It also decried reports of IS murdering child soldiers who tried to flee, and lamented that the jihadists "continued to subject women and children to sexual violence, particularly in the form of sexual slavery."
"These acts may, in some instances, amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and possibly genocide," according to the report, which was based largely on witness and victim testimony.
2016年1月19日星期二
China’s balance wins Mideast respect
Chinese President Xi Jinping kicks off a state visit to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran Tuesday. Shortly before the scheduled visits, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran. However, with both Riyadh and Tehran rolling out the red carpet, the visits will be carried out as planned.
China has maintained friendly cooperative relations with all Middle Eastern countries, rare among big powers. It is difficult for major powers to steer clear of being embroiled in this region of tangled interests. China is no exception. But so far, China has managed to maintain balanced diplomacy in the region, which deserves high credit.
The importance of the Middle East and China to each other is growing. China has been one of the largest importers of oil from and a major supplier of daily necessities to the Middle East. Though charting different development path, the two sides give each other high attention. The 20 million Muslims in China not only help weave the bilateral ties but also make it impossible for China to detach itself from hotspots in the region.
China sticks to the philosophy of steady development, coordination and balanced management of diverse interests and problems. Its diplomatic principles are bound to be put to the test in the Middle East.
China respects all countries, seeking win-win development and never puts its interests beyond those of the Middle Eastern countries. It does not interfere in their development path, which earns China respect from regional states.
Since oil was found in the Middle East, major global powers have come to the region with cultural superiority and strategies. Their national interests are placed above those of the Middle Eastern countries. The Middle East countries are not on an equal footing in the alliance with external powers. It is hard for small states, usually treated as a pawn by large external powers, to have freedom in terms of politics and diplomacy. Middle Eastern countries have felt an unprecedented sense of equality in their communications with China. China has never taken advantage of other countries' difficulties to increase its heft, nor does it seek predominance in the Middle East.
Some predict that China will convert this equal cooperation with the Middle East into geopolitical ties. Others hold that China advocating equality among countries is only a pretence, and a temporary tactic during China's rise. These are misinterpretations. The whole region and the world are expecting China to play a bigger role in the Middle East. China could insist on its principles and expand its role steadily. As long as the demand is real, and China responds to it with goodwill, it will not reduce itself to a passive position.
President Xi leaves for visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran
Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Tuesday for state visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran.
Xi is invited by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Xi's entourage includes Wang Huning, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee; Li Zhanshu, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.
Richest 1% own more than the rest: Oxfam
The richest 1 percent of the world's population now own more than the rest of us combined, aid group Oxfam said Monday, on the eve of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
"Runaway inequality has created a world where 62 people own as much wealth as the poorest half of the world's population - a figure that has fallen from 388 just five years ago," the anti-poverty agency said in its report published ahead of the annual gathering of the world's financial and political elites in Davos.
The report, "An Economy for the 1%," states that women are disproportionately affected by global inequality.
"One of the other key trends behind rising inequality set out in Oxfam International's report is the falling share of national income going to workers in almost all developed and most developing countries ... The majority of low paid workers around the world are women."
Although world leaders have increasingly talked about the need to tackle inequality, "the gap between the richest and the rest has widened dramatically in the past 12 months," Oxfam said.
Oxfam's prediction, made ahead of last year's Davos meeting, that the richest 1 percent would soon own more than the rest of us, "actually came true in 2015," it said.
While the number of people living in extreme poverty halved between 1990 and 2010, the average annual income of the poorest 10 percent has risen by less than $3-a-year in the past quarter of a century, an increase in individuals' income of less than 1 cent a year.
More than 40 heads of state and government will attend the Davos forum which begins late Tuesday and will end on Saturday. Those heading to the Swiss resort town for the high-level annual gathering also include 2,500 business leaders.
Describing the theme - the Fourth Industrial Revolution -WEF founder Klaus Shwab has said it "refers to the fusion of technologies across the physical, digital and biological worlds which is creating entirely new capabilities and dramatic impacts on political, social and economic systems."
Oxfam International Executive Director Winnie Byanima, who will also attend Davos having co-chaired last year's event, said, "It is simply unacceptable that the poorest half of the world's population owns no more than a few dozen super-rich people who could fit onto one bus."
World leaders' concerns about the escalating inequality crisis have "so far not translated into concrete action - the world has become a much more unequal place and the trend is accelerating," she warned.
Xi kicks off Mideast visit
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to begin his first visit to the Middle East on Tuesday since taking office, as experts said the trip highlights China's balanced foreign policy of not taking sides in a region that has been split by sectarian conflicts.
The six-day trip will take him to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran and is set to begin on Tuesday and end on Sunday.
The trip will bear rich fruit in energy, infrastructure, trade and investment facilitation, nuclear energy, space and satellite technology and new energy, Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Ming said on Monday at a press briefing in Beijing.
"The Middle East is China's last untouched major region in terms of its big power diplomacy, and completing the trip represents that China's diplomacy will realize full coverage of major regions in the world," Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.
The trip's first leg will bring Xi to Riyadh on Tuesday. Xi's visit to Saudi Arabia will also mark the first time a Chinese leader has visited the country since King Salman acceded to the throne last year.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Xi will hold meetings with representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, according to Zhang.
China is the only country among major powers that has kept friendly relations with all nations in the Middle East, and Xi's visit to both Saudi Arabia and Iran amid the region's sectarian conflicts is a result of China's balanced policy of not taking sides and not allowing bilateral relations to be affected by regional conflicts, experts said.
"No major leaders have visited Saudi Arabia and Iran in one trip, at least in the recent past," Wu Bingbing, head of the Institute of Arabic-Islamic Culture Studies at Peking University, told the Global Times.
Tensions between Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite-dominated Iran have escalated since Saudi authorities executed Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2. Saudi Arabia announced on January 3 that it would break off diplomatic ties with Iran after its embassy in Tehran was attacked.
China's growth hits 25-year low, within official target
China's economy grew 6.9 percent year on year in 2015, the slowest annual expansion in a quarter of a century, but it is still in line with the official target, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday.
Growth in the fourth quarter came in at 6.8 percent year on year, the lowest quarterly rate since the global financial crisis, the data showed.
The Chinese government targeted an annual economic growth of around 7 percent for 2015.
The country's gross domestic product (GDP) reached 67.67 trillion yuan (about 10.3 trillion US dollars) in 2015, with the service sector accounting for 50.5 percent, the first time the ratio exceeded 50 percent, according to the NBS.
China's economy still "ran within a reasonable range" in 2015, with its structure further optimized, upgrading accelerated, new growth drivers strengthened and people's lives improved, NBS chief Wang Baoan told a press conference.
However, the country faces a daunting task in deepening reforms on all fronts and needs to step up supply-side structural reforms, he said.
Major economic indicators softened in 2015, with industrial output growth slowing to 6.1 percent year on year from 8.3 percent in 2014, NBS figures showed.
Urban fixed-asset investment continued to cool, expanding 10 percent year on year, compared with 15.7 percent in 2014. Retail sales rose 10.7 percent, down from 12 percent registered in 2014. Foreign trade ended 2015 with its first annual contraction in six years.
Sagging global trade, rising financial risks and changing domestic market conditions were among the factors affecting the economy, Wang said.
He also pointed to an ailing property sector and stock market fluctuations but said their impact on the economy was either limited or yet to be evaluated.
Wang dismissed worries about China's government debts, noting that they accounted for less than 40 percent of the country's GDP, well below the internationally accepted alert line of 60 percent.
BRIGHT SIDE
Viewed against an international backdrop, a 6.9 percent growth was "not a low rate" and outshined other global economies, Wang said, defending it as a hard-won achievement.
Though slowing, China still contributed more than 25 percent of the global economic growth, he said.
Employment remained stable, with the surveyed unemployment rate in major cities standing around 5.1 percent. Income also continued to increase steadily, Wang noted.
While old engines in China's economy -- investment and trade -- lost steam, services and consumption took the reins.
End-user consumption, including resident and government spending, contributed 66.4 percent of the national GDP growth in 2015, up 15.4 percentage points from 2014, the NBS data showed.
While expecting some sectors to weaken further this year as authorities advance reforms to cut overcapacity and reduce costs, Wang was confident that China could attain a steady growth in 2016, pointing to thriving emerging industries and new business models.
Online retail sales of goods surged 31.6 percent in 2015, well above the total retail sale growth, he told reporters. Sales of new energy vehicles soared by more than 160 percent, while the output growth for the high-tech industry reached 10.2 percent, 4.1 percentage points higher than the overall industrial output.
China's efforts to make the economy greener and more productive also sank in, with energy consumption per unit of GDP falling 5.6 percent and overall labor productivity, measured by output per worker, rising 4,733 yuan last year, Wang said.
2016年1月17日星期日
126 rescued, 3 attackers killed as operation at Burkina Faso Hotel ends
A total of 126 hostages were freed and three attackers killed Saturday as security operation at the Splendid Hotel in Burkina Faso's capital ended, a senior official has said.
The attackers are one Arab and two black Africans, according to the country's security minister Simon Compaore.
Some 20 people were killed, and over 40 were receiving treatment in major hospitals in Ouagadougou.
Security operation was also ongoing in another attacked hotel nearby, said the minister.
The Splendid Hotel, not far from the capital city's international airport, often hosts Westerners, including UN staff and journalists.
The Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) militants attacked the hotel and took hostages there Friday.
Taiwanese choose Tsai, not independence
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Tsai Ing-wen won by a landslide in Taiwan’s “presidential” elections on Saturday, and the DPP she leads captured the majority of seats in the Legislative Yuan, with the Kuomintang once again becoming an opposition party.
Since KMT’s defeat in Taiwan’s nine-in-one local elections in 2014, it’s expected that the DPP will assume power again. To win the election, Tsai made prudent remarks and took an ambiguous attitude toward cross-Straits policies in the past year. She kept stressing maintaining the status quo of cross-Straits ties.
By circumventing the sensitive cross-Straits issue, Tsai had clearly drawn a lesson from her defeat four years ago. When “Taiwan’s path” was discussed in the “presidential” campaign this time around, the focus was not whether the island should seek “independence,” but how to boost the island's economy, address social inequality, and guarantee the future of younger generations.
The vote is not a gauge of cross-Straits relations. The DPP’s victory doesn’t mean the majority of Taiwanese support Taiwan independence. Tsai and her party are aware of this, so in her victory speech, she was evasive about the current issues between Taiwan and the mainland, only scrupulously stating that she will be engaged in a “consistent, predictable and sustainable cross-Straits relations.”
The past eight years have seen greater progress for cross-Straits relations. Such progress, which is hard to be reversed, will provide some restraint on the DPP’s mainland policy. Besides, the mainland has an asymmetrical edge over Taiwan in political, military and economic terms. The mainland firmly holds the initiative in cross-Straits relations, making Taiwan independence a completely impossible scenario.
The KMT’s eight-year administration has made contributions to the current stage of cross-Straits relations, a performance that merits recognition both in Taiwan and the mainland. After this power shift, the DPP should assume the responsibility of serving the best interests of Taiwanese society, avoiding creating trouble for cross-Straits relations like it did as an opposition party. If the DPP abandons the progress made by its predecessor in the past eight years, it will jeopardize its future as a ruling party. The lesson of Chen Shui-bian should be a long-lasting lesson.
The mainland should be more prudent toward the power shift in Taiwan. No matter which party takes power, the mainland should maintain a policy calling for peaceful development between the mainland and Taiwan, while it cannot waver in opposing any form of pro-independence movement in Taiwan.
Tsai hasn’t publicly accepted the “1992 consensus,” which casts a cloud over cross-Straits official communications after she assumes office. The mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office on Saturday said that Beijing upholds the 1992 consensus and hasn’t shown any change toward Taiwan.
Regardless of its relationship with the mainland, it’s impossible for the DPP to reverse Taiwan’s stagnant economy. No matter what kind of political philosophy Tsai espouses, she has to face up to the reality. She should know she has limited options.
Tsai should keep in mind that if she revisits Chen’s dangerous path to cross the red line of cross-Straits relations, she will meet a dead end. We hope Tsai can lead the DPP out of the hallucinations of Taiwan independence, and contribute to the peaceful and common development between Taiwan and the mainland.
Obama lifts nuclear-related sanctions on Iran
US President Barack Obama on Saturday signed an executive order to lift sanctions on Iran related to its nuclear program, the White House said.
"Iran's implementation of the nuclear-related measures ..., as verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency, marks a fundamental shift in circumstances with respect to Iran's nuclear program," Obama said in the executive order issued by the White House.
Obama's decision came after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed Iran's compliance of the historic nuclear deal reached last summer.
In a statement, Yukiya Amano, the director general of the IAEA, said that "agency inspectors on the ground verified that Iran has carried out all measures required under the J.C.P.O.A., to enable implementation day to occur," referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, reached by Iran and the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany.
In Vienna, US Secretary of State John Kerry hailed the step as a vindication of diplomacy, saying "we have also proven once again why diplomacy must be our first choice and war a last resort."
"Iran has undertaken significant steps that many, and I do mean many, people doubted would ever come to pass," he said, adding that "today marks the first day of a safer world."
On Saturday, US House Speaker Paul Ryan vigorously denounced the nuclear deal, vowing that lawmakers would "do everything possible" to prevent Tehran from getting the atomic bomb.
The Republican leader warned in a statement that "Iran is likely to use this cash infusion -- more than 100 billion US dollars in total -- to finance terrorists."
"This comes just weeks after Tehran's most recent illegal ballistic missile test, and just days after the IRGC detained 10 American sailors," he said, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
"A bipartisan majority in the House voted to reject this deal in the first place, and we will continue to do everything possible to prevent a nuclear Iran," he said.
Obama's announcement to lift sanctions on Iran came just hours after Iran said it had released four Americans, including a Washington Post reporter, Jason Rezaian, as part of a prisoner swap with the United States.
Iran's prosecutor general announced that "in line with the order of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the interests of the country, Iran has released four Iranian dual-national prisoners as a part of prisoners swap."
When talking to IRINN on Saturday, an informed source identified the released inmates as the Iranian-Americans: Saeed Abedini, Amir Mirzaee Hekmati, Nosratollah Khosravi and Jason Rezaian.
US media reported that Washington will either pardon or drop charges against seven Iranians in exchange for the prisoner swap.
The seven Iranians -- six of whom are dual citizens -- were either accused or convicted of violating US sanctions.
Three of the Iranians were serving prison terms and now have received a commutation or pardon, and three others were awaiting trial. The last one made a plea agreement.
Mainland shows ‘restraint’ after Tsai’s landslide victory
Beijing stopped short of antagonizing Taiwan's independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after its candidate Tsai Ing-wen won a landslide victory in the island's "presidential" election on Saturday.
The Chinese mainland only reiterated its long-held one-China stance in concise statements. The major principles and policies on Taiwan are "consistent and clear, and will not change with the results of the Taiwan elections," a representative of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said in a statement hours after the election result was announced.
Responding to the elections, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei also reiterated the Chinese government's position of adhering to the one-China policy and opposing "Taiwan independence," "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan."
The responses were a sharp contrast from warnings to then DPP-candidate Chen Shui-bian when he assumed power 16 years ago.
Beijing was taken by surprise with a shift in leadership on the island, warning that the mainland will "listen to his words and watching his deeds" toward Chen's government.
Beijing's response to Tsai's victory was seen as rational and restrained by observers, who believed the mainland now has more experience in dealing with the DPP.
Compared to the years of the Chen Shui-bian administration that was marked by defiance and constant provocation, Beijing now has a better grasp over cross-Straits relations, said Xu Shiquan, honorary director of the Institute for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.
Winning the elections is just getting over the first hurdle, more challenges are about to come, Xu said.
It is not easy for Taiwan, an export-oriented economy, to achieve rapid development in the current unfavorable international economic situation, Xu warned.
Taiwan's economy will suffer if cross-Straits relations deteriorate, said Chan Yi-Hsin, a scholar at Tamkang University in New Taipei City.
"This time, Beijing has shown confidence in responding to the possible changes to Taiwan's situation," Xu said, noting that the ball is in Tsai's court.
"On one hand, China again explicitly stated its position on the Taiwan question; on the other hand, it also expressed expectations for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations," Hu Benliang, an expert on Taiwan studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.
"Taking into consideration the relatively stable Asia-Pacific geopolitical structure and Sino-US relations, it can be said that the fundamental direction of cross-Straits relations is clear, regardless of the possible twists and turns after Tsai Ing-wen assumes office," he added.
In the past eight years, a host of achievements and measures conducive to maintaining cross-Straits peace and economic development has been made, such as the historic Xi Jinping-Ma Ying-jeou meeting in Singapore to the recent establishment of a hotline between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.
"The stakes are high for Tsai Ing-wen," Hu said, because she will feel the challenges if the mainland alters its favorable policies toward cross-Straits relations.
Longing for peace
Tsai was elected the new Taiwan leader by 56.1 percent of the vote over KMT candidate Eric Chu Li-luan, winning by over 3 million votes.
The DPP captured 68 of 113 seats in the legislature, while its largest rival, the KMT, only secured 35 seats.
Voting for the DPP was not a vote for "Taiwan independence," Hu said, stressing the slogan of "Taiwan independence" was not even adopted by Tsai during the campaign.
"Polls have shown that over 70 percent of Taiwan residents support peaceful cross-Straits development. Nobody wants to see confrontation and conflicts between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan," Xu said.
"The younger generation's support for Tsai merely means placing their hopes on her," said Chan.
Tsai will face dissent if she cannot solve Taiwan's many structural problems, including the housing and salary problems, Chan added.
‘Missing’ HK bookseller turns himself in to police
One of the missing Hong Kong booksellers said that he returned to the Chinese mainland to turn himself in after 11 years on the run for killing a college student while driving drunk.
The disappearance of five booksellers in Hong Kong has attracted much attention in the past few months and spurred speculation that they were secretly taken away for questioning for publishing books against China.
According to the Xinhua News Agency on Sunday, China-born Swedish national Gui Minhai, who worked for publishing house Mighty Current and also runs the Causeway Bay bookstore in Hong Kong, was sentenced to two years in jail with a two-year reprieve in August 2004 for running over and killing a college girl in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province on December 8, 2003.
In November 2004, Gui fled overseas using a fake ID. Police have been chasing him since 2006.
Gui told Xinhua that he missed his family while he was away and decided to turn himself in after learning of his father's death.
"Returning to the Chinese mainland and surrendering was my personal choice and had nothing to do with anyone else. I should shoulder my responsibility and I don't want any individual or institution to interfere, or viciously hype up my return," Gui said. He is currently being held in a detention center, the location of which was not mentioned.
Gui also said that "although I am a Swedish national, I feel that I am still Chinese and my roots are in China. I hope that the Swedish government will respect my choice, my rights and my privacy and let me solve my problem on my own."
The report also noted that Gui is suspected of committing other crimes and investigations are underway.
Gui was born in Ningbo in 1964, and gained Swedish citizenship in 1996.
In December 2003, Gui drove some friends home after dinner, and killed the victim as he drove past a university in the city.
Police confirmed that he was driving while intoxicated.
The girl, surnamed Shen, was around 20 at the time of her death. Her parents had protested the sentence to the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court, requesting that Gui receive a harsher punishment.
Mystery has been surrounding the whereabouts of Gui and four other booksellers. Previous reports said that Gui went missing while vacationing in Thailand in the middle of October 2015. He allegedly sent an e-mail to his printers on October 15 before he went "missing," asking his co-workers to get ready for a new book.
Voluntary travel
Lee Bo, another bookseller who was reported missing, has sent video footage of himself and a faxed letter to his wife, stressing that he voluntarily traveled to the mainland, Hong Kong-based Sing Tao Daily reported on January 10.
Lee, 65, said in the letter that his journey to the mainland was a "personal act" and that he felt "perplexed" by the protests launched in his name.
Responding to speculation and later a protest, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong government said that speculation should not be made without a full grasp of the facts while a police investigation is still underway, the South China Morning Post reported.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said at a news conference on January 4 that any efforts by law enforcement agencies from outside to enforce laws in Hong Kong would go against the Basic Law and the "one country, two systems" policy.
China invested $125b in railway development in 2015
China's railways received 823.8 billion yuan ($125.1 billion) in investments in 2015, slightly higher than in 2014 but well above the annual target of 800 billion yuan, the country's national railway operator said on Sunday.
In 2015, 9,531 kilometers in new lines were put into operation, including 330.6 kilometers for high-speed railways, China Railway, previously part of the now defunct Ministry of Railways, said at a press conference on Sunday, according to news portal news.china.com.cn.
So far, China operates 121,000 kilometers of railways, just behind the US. But China's high-speed railways in operation reached 19,000 kilometers, the most in the world, according to China Railway.
During the 12th five-year period (2011-15), fixed-asset railway investments reached 3.58 trillion yuan and 30,500 kilometers of new lines were put into use, chnrailway.com reported Friday.
"Railway investments are expected to remain high in the next few years, given the huge demand generated by the government's move to develop China's west," Wang Mengshu, a railway expert at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, told the Global Times Sunday, adding that railway investments are crucial to China's economic growth.
China also hopes to improve its transportation network with nearby countries under the Belt and Road Initiative, which will also generate demand for railway investments, according to Wang.
China Railway also said that China is eyeing some "breakthroughs" in promoting its high-speed railway technology overseas, and the planned Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in Indonesia, using Chinese technology, is expected to begin construction on January 21.
In the 13th five-year (2016-20) period, fixed-asset investments in China's railways will hover between 3.5 trillion yuan to 3.8 trillion yuan, according to chnrailway.com.
In 2015, 2.5 billion trips were taken by passengers in China, a 10-percent annual increase for three consecutive years, according to China Railway.
2016年1月14日星期四
China warns Japan against provocations on Diaoyu Islands
China has warned Japan against taking any provocative actions on the issue of Diaoyu islands or to face the consequences.
"China has every right to navigate and patrol in its territorial waters near Diaoyu Island," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said at a regular press conference Wednesday.
He was responding to a question concerning Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga's comment on the issue Tuesday.
"We call on Japan not to take any provocations or actions that may escalate tensions, or to face the full consequences," Hong said.
hinese regulator denies immediate stock listing reform
The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said Wednesday it will not carry out stock listing reform shortly after March 1, and the reform will instead be gradual and steady.
CSRC spokesman Deng Ge made the remarks as some investors anticipated that the forthcoming reform, which is designed to facilitate stock listing, will put downward pressure on the market due to a possible stock supply hike.
Last month, the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, China's top legislature, approved a State Council proposal to shift stock listing from an approval-based mechanism to registration-based one.
The NPC decision will take effect on March 1, 2016 and will be valid for two years. This means that the new stock listing mechanism could come as soon as March and as late as February 2018.
"The NPC decision will be effective on March 1, but it does not necessarily mean that we will start the reform that day," said Deng.
The CSRC is drafting regulations and rules for the registration-based mechanism and the commission will solicit public opinion on the draft, according to him.
"The CSRC will announce the date of the reform after the completion of all the regulations and rules," said the spokesman.
Deng said there will not be a surge in stock supply under the new mechanism nor an immediate autonomy for issuers to price their shares.
The CSRC is now still working under the approval-based mechanism, he said.
China's stock market plunged repeatedly in the new year as investor sentiment has yet to recover.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index lost 2.42 percent to close at 2,949.6 points on Wednesday, and it has declined 16.7 percent so far in 2016, despite a mild recovery in autumn and winter following a stock rout last summer.
Iran releases detained US sailors
ran released 10 US sailors on Wednesday after holding them overnight, bringing a swift end to an incident that rattled nerves days ahead of the expected implementation of a landmark nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had freed the sailors after determining they had entered Iranian territorial waters by mistake. The sailors had been detained aboard two US Navy patrol boats in the Gulf on Tuesday.
"Our technical investigations showed the two US Navy boats entered Iranian territorial waters inadvertently," the IRGC said in a statement carried by state TV. "They were released in international waters after they apologized."
IRGC Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi had said earlier that the two US Navy boats entered Iranian territorial waters due to a broken navigation system.
Confirming the sailors' safe release, the Pentagon said there were no indications the sailors were harmed while in custody.
The Pentagon's carefully worded statement did not explain how the sailors and their two riverine command boats ended up in Iran, saying only that "the Navy will investigate the circumstances that led to the sailors' presence in Iran."
The sailors were later taken ashore by US Navy aircraft, while others took charge of the boats and headed toward Bahrain, their original destination.
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said he was pleased the sailors had been freed and appreciated "the timely way in which this situation was resolved."
He added, "I want to personally thank Secretary of State John Kerry for his diplomatic engagement with Iran to secure our sailors' swift return."
Kerry thanked Iran for its cooperation in the release of the sailors, adding, "That this issue was resolved peacefully and efficiently is a testament to the critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure and strong."
The incident raised tensions between Iran and the US, which - along with other world powers - reached a deal last year under which Iran will curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
Some conservatives in both countries, enemies since Iran's 1979 revolution, have criticized the deal, which is due to be implemented in the coming days.
Iranian armed forces chief Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said the incident should demonstrate Iranian strength to "troublemakers" in the US Congress, which has sought to put pressure on Iran after the signing of the nuclear deal.
At a presidential campaign rally in the US, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who accuses President Barack Obama of being weak on foreign policy, described the incident as "an indication of where the hell we're going."
FM urges prudent NK action
China on Wednesday called the situation on the Korean Peninsula "sensitive" and urged all concerned parties to "prudently and properly" handle the North Korean nuclear issue, as the US and its allies prepare to impose powerful sanctions.
Analysts said tough sanctions on North Korea will only push Pyongyang further in pursuit of nuclear weaponry, aggravating the dangerous situation in the Korean Peninsula, and this may even lead to full-scale conflict.
In response to mounting calls for tougher sanctions on Pyongyang, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said Wednesday that China and South Korea have maintained close communication on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.
Stressing that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula "is very sensitive," Hong said China hopes the "countries concerned would bear in mind the big picture of maintaining regional peace and stability and handle relevant issues prudently and properly."
South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday vowed to slap the most powerful sanctions on North Korea. Park said her government will make every diplomatic effort to make North Korea feel "bone-numbing" pain through the UN, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
The US House of Representatives passed legislation late Tuesday to broaden sanctions on North Korea, including sanctions on those engaging in transactions with North Korea related to weapons of mass destruction, arms, money laundering, counterfeiting and human rights abuses.
The sanctions come a week after North Korea claimed it had successfully tested its first hydrogen bomb.
Observers said that the sanctions from the US and its allies cannot solve the North Korean nuclear issue, and proper sanctions should be imposed through the Six-Party Talks or by a UN Security Council meeting.
Lü Chao, a professor with Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that given the sparse trade ties between North Korea and the US or its allies, economic sanctions will not achieve the expected effect.
"A possible consequence of their sanctions is further enraging North Korea. With the participation of the US and Japan, military force on the Peninsula will be unbalanced which will ultimately make the already tightened tensions escalate into full-blown conflict," Lü said.
Tension on the Peninsula rose in the past week, as starting Friday, both Koreas resumed blaring propaganda messages against each other along the border.
Consider wider issues
South Korea planned to discuss with the US the deployment of an advanced US missile defense system, dubbed the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, after the US flew a B-52 strategic bomber over South Korea.
Hong said China has been consistent and clear on the anti-missile issue. "A country should consider other countries' safety and interests as well as the peace and stability of the whole region when seeking its own safety," he said.
In response, North Korea sent a drone across the border with South Korea on Wednesday which returned after dozens of warning shots from the South.
North Korea deserved to be sanctioned for violations of UN resolutions in developing nuclear weapons, but it should be done through negotiations of all concerned parties, Liu Jiangyong, a professor with the Institute of International Studies at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times.
"What the US and its allies are doing is 'violent multilateralism,' but proper sanctions should be imposed through 'peaceful multilateralism' - the Six-Party Talks and UN meetings - to ensure stability on the Korean Peninsula," Liu further noted.
Pressure tactics
"The US has tried to take advantage of pressure tactics to bring its allies - South Korea and Japan - more closely together, in a bid to counter Chinese and Russian influence in Northeast Asia in the long-term," Gao Fei, a professor with the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.
To achieve its purpose, the nuclear envoys of the US, South Korea and Japan were scheduled to meet in Seoul on Wednesday to coordinate their responses in punishing North Korea.
In the meantime, Western media and politicians have shifted the blame for North Korea's nuclear test to China for failing to halt it, claiming that China should be responsible for the escalating crisis on the Peninsula.
Chinese experts said that these comments were "unreasonable and absurd." They believe the joint military drills of the US and South Korea along the borders between North and South Korea are the main reason Pyongyang feels constantly threatened.
EU proposal on China's MES likely to come at second half of 2016: EC
The proposal on the European Union (EU) whether to grant China the Market Economy Status (MES) will only be likely to come at the second half of this year, according to the European Commission (EC) on Wednesday.
"We will come back to the issue later, it will be discussed...over the next few months," said EC Vice President Frans Timmermans at a press conference on the commission's College meeting attended by its chief officials.
EC's President Jean-Claude Juncker "very clearly concluded that this issue has to be looked at from all important angles, given the subject is important for international trade but also for the EU's economy," Timmermans told reporters.
The commission is set to offer a proposal to European Council and European Parliament on whether to grant China MES, a move for the bloc to change the method to calculate its dumping rates imposed on imported Chinese product after December.
The current rules the EU adopted to calculate dumping margins on Chinese product, which based on that China was not considered a market economy in anti-dumping proceedings, will expire in December according to rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in which China and the EU are both major members.
The EU has not yet granted China MES although China has been a WTO member for 15 years.
An impact assessment of changing market economy status for China was under way, the commission said.
Obama, Putin discuss Ukraine, Syria, DPRK nuke test
S President Barack Obama on Wednesday made a phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss the Ukraine crisis, Syria peace talks and the recent nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
"President Obama emphasized the importance of working towards a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine through full implementation of the Minsk agreements by all parties," the White House said in a statement.
Obama underscored that "the key next step" is for the sides to reach agreement on the modalities of local elections in the Donbass region of Ukraine, which must meet standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the Donetsk People's Republic reached an agreement in Minsk, Belarus under the OSCE auspices to halt the war in the Donbass region. But the deal has failed to stop the fighting in the region.
On Syria, the two leaders "discussed the urgent need to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 on Syria," the statement said.
The resolution, passed in December 2015, calls for a ceasefire and political settlement of the Syrian crisis. It also requests the UN to convene the parties to engage in formal negotiations in early January, 2016.
Obama and Putin "noted the necessity of taking steps to foster productive discussions" between representatives of the Syrian opposition and regime under United Nations auspices, principally by reducing violence and addressing the urgent humanitarian needs of the Syrian people, especially those living in besieged and hard-to-reach communities.
Finally, the two leaders discussed "the importance of a strong and united international response to North Korea's nuclear test."
The DPRK claimed last Wednesday that it had conducted the first hydrogen bomb test.
While disputing the DPRK's claim about the test, Washington vowed to punish Pyongyang for its flagrant violations of UN Security Council resolutions. The US has been holding consultations in the past week with major countries on how to respond to the DPRK nuclear test.
2016年1月12日星期二
Game of intimidation worsens N.Korea nuclear issue
The US has deployed a B-52 bomber on a low-level flight over South Korea on Sunday to show its military might and demonstrate support to an ally. It came days after North Korea claimed it had tested a hydrogen bomb, which preliminary assessments believe is Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test.
Pyongyang's moves have shocked the international community, and once again exposed the deadlock in US approaches in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue.
US policies to press North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons have always rested upon coercion and awe, which, however, has not worked so far. After Pyongyang carried out its third nuclear test in early 2013, the US sent two B-2 stealth bombers over the Peninsula to send a warning. The annual military drills between the US and South Korea and Washington's hard-line approaches of imposing heavy sanctions on the North are also aimed at further coercing the isolated country.
Nonetheless, Washington's tough policy has not prevented North Korea from pursuing a nuclear option. Instead, it has prompted Pyongyang to become more desperate to develop nuclear capabilities to enable itself to confront Washington. US containment of North Korea through coercion can hardly change the security path of the latter.
Owning nuclear power cannot bring real security to North Korea, but it is exposing the whole region to more danger. Currently, it seems that the nuclear weapons serve as an encouragement to North Korea rather than a real deterrence to its opponents. Pyongyang should also realize that leaning toward nuclear weapons has worsened its international image and credibility.
Its ultimate goals of developing society and economy cannot be achieved through war. The idea that the international community would be at its disposal for fear of the nuclear weapons it owns is not pragmatic.
In light of the latest nuclear test and US responses, the Washington-Pyongyang interaction has further come to a dead end. How long can the stalemate be kept and prevent the region from being dragged into a war?
However, if the situation spirals out of control and comes to a tipping point, the entire Korean Peninsula will be the first victim.
In order to avoid such a tipping point, we should start with modest goals such as easing tensions between North Korea and the US. As the most powerful side, the US bears more responsibility.
Taliban peace talks resume
Delegates from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US sat down on Monday for talks to resurrect a stalled Afghan peace process and end nearly 15 years of bloodshed, even as fighting with Taliban insurgents intensifies.
Senior officials from the four countries are meeting in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, to launch an effort they hope will lead to negotiations with the Taliban, who are fighting to impose their strict brand of Islamist rule and are not expected at Monday's talks.
The Pakistani prime minister's foreign affairs adviser, Sartaj Aziz, opened the meeting, saying the primary goal should be to convince the Taliban to come to the table and consider giving up violence.
"It is therefore important that preconditions are not attached to the start of the negotiation process. This we argue will be counterproductive," he said.
"The threat of use of military action against irreconcilables cannot precede the offer of talks to all the groups."
Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai and Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry were joined by Richard Olson, the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and General Anthony Rock, the top US defense representative in Pakistan, as well as China's special envoy on Afghanistan affairs, Deng Xijun.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said at a Monday press briefing that China backs the "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned" reconciliation process and is willing to continue playing a constructive role to this end.
"China is willing to provide support and assistance to restarting the Afghan peace talks through joint efforts with relevant sides, on the basis of respecting Afghan's sovereignty and relevant parties' concerns," Hong said.
Renewed peace efforts come amid spiraling violence in Afghanistan, with last year, after the withdrawal of most foreign forces at the end of 2014, one of the bloodiest on record.
In recent months the Taliban have won territory in the southern province of Helmand, briefly captured the northern city of Kunduz and launched a series of suicide bombs in the capital, underlining how hard Afghan government forces are finding it fighting on their own.
Peace efforts last year stalled after the Taliban announced that their founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had been dead for two years.
The Taliban, who were ousted in 2001, remain split on whether to take part in talks, with some factions opposed to any negotiations but others considering joining talks, senior members of Taliban groups said last week.
Xi calls for advancing reforms in all sectors
President Xi Jinping called for advancing reforms in all sectors as China's leading group for overall reform convened its 20th meeting on Monday.
The meeting was also attended by Li Keqiang, Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and deputy heads of the group.
Xi, head of the group, said a foundation should be built in the first three years of comprehensively deepening reforms, and a "main body frame" of the reform should be set up this year.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, attendees called for full assessment of ongoing reforms in all sectors, prioritizing and focusing on key issues to advance reforms.
Reforms of state-owned enterprises, the financial and taxation systems, the science and technology innovation system, the land system, opening up, the cultural and education system, judicial equity, environmental protection, the pension system, health care and discipline inspection are major sectors for overall reforms, the statement said.
A total of seven documents were approved at the meeting, including guidelines to advance government transparency, help civil servants learn and use laws, reform public institutions that have administrative functions, and reform science and technology associations, as well as a regulation to protect and award whistleblowers in duty-related crimes.
The statement stressed transparency is an important aspect of building a law-abiding government. Power should be made transparent wherever it is exercised. Priority should be given to making government budgets, allocation of public resources and the approval and construction of key projects public.
It said public servants should intensify their efforts in learning the law, and their ability to perform duties according to law should be strengthened. It urged leading officials to be models in learning and observing law, adding the assessment of officials should include their performance in abiding by the law.
The statement also called for efforts to enhance a system that would encourage members of the public to report cases of suspected duty-related crimes. It said clear measures should be worked out to protect informants who provide tips, and the amounts of rewards should be clarified. Meanwhile, retaliation against whistleblowers should be prevented and severely punished, it said.
The pilot reform on institutions with administrative functions should be carried out with innovation, it stressed. The reform of these institutions should inject vitality into the market and society by improving their service and streamlining their structure, according to the statement. The operation of these institutions should be standardized and their administrative efficiency should be enhanced, it added.
The statement said the associations for science and technology should be reformed into bodies under the leadership of the CPC which act as a platform to unite scientific workers.
The meeting also stressed the significance of clarifying leading officials' responsibilities in comprehensive management of public security. Meanwhile, the management of police support staff should be further standardized with better job security and rules, it added.
IS claims responsibility for suicide attack on Baghdad mall
The Islamic State (IS) militant group Monday claimed responsibility for the suicide attack targeting a crowded mall in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, which killed at least seven people, the group said in an online statement.
The group said that four of its suicide bombers carried out the attack on a gathering of Shiite crowds at al-Jawhara Mall in Baghdad al-Jadida in eastern Baghdad.
Three of the suicide bombers blew up themselves among the Shiites and killed many, while the fourth one detonated his explosive-laden car spearing into a security force which was ordered to secure the scene, said the statement, whose authenticity could not be independently verified.
Earlier, both top security officer and a security source said that at least seven people were killed and another 20 were injured as two suicide bombers attacked a crowded shopping mall in eastern the Iraqi capital.
Major General Abdul Amir al-Shimary, Commander of Baghdad Operations Command, said that the evening attack was carried out by two suicide bombers who stormed the mall building after a car bomb explosion at the entrance of the shopping center.
Al-Shimary said the suicide bombers opened fire as they ran into the mall, however security guards shot one of them, discharging the bomb which then blew him up, while the second assailant was forced to detonate himself, confirming that the attackers could not have taken civilians as hostages since they were killed within the vicinity of the mall entrance.
Earlier, an Interior Ministry source had said that the attackers entered the shopping center and held a number of civilians as hostages, leaving at least seven people were killed, whilst 20 others were injured during the attack.
Iraqi security forces then cordoned off the scene, deployed themselves out to surround the area, whilst helicopters flew overhead to secure the place, according to the source.
The IS group frequently targets areas where crowds gather, including markets, cafes and mosques across Iraq.
The security situation in Iraq has drastically deteriorated since June 2014, when bloody clashes broke out between security forces and IS militants.
Earlier, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq said in its report that the total casualties in Iraq's armed conflict throughout 2015 were 22,370, with 7,515 killed and 14,855 injured.
Germany debates over refugee policy after Cologne assaults
German authorities said on Monday that nearly all the suspects in a rash of New Year's Eve violence against women in Cologne had an immigrant background.
Ralf Jaeger, Interior Minister of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, has released initial findings of a criminal probe into the crime string that has piled pressure on German Chancellor Angela Merkel over her stance toward refugees.
On New Year's Eve, a group of about 1,000 men have surrounded, harassed and robbed, especially women in Cologne. Police said on Sunday that 516 complaints related to the assaults in the western German city had been lodged so far.
In addition, similar violent attacks were also reported in other German cities.
"Witnesses' statements, the report of the police in Cologne as well as descriptions by the federal police indicate that nearly all the people who committed these crimes have an immigrant background," Jaeger said Monday during a special session of the Internal Affairs Committee of North Rhine-Westphalia's state parliament.
According to the initial findings, police are currently investigating 19 suspects. Ten of them are identified as asylum applicants, the other nine are presumably illegally residing in Germany.
Amid concerns over reprisal assaults, at least four violent attacks on foreigners happened on Sunday evening in Cologne, which were described by the police as "xenophobic offenses."
A group of about 20 people attacked six Pakistanis near Cologne's central train station. Two of the victims were reportedly taken to hospital. Shortly afterwards, five assailants attacked a 39-year-old Syrian national in the same area, injuring him slightly.
Besides, a 19-year-old man from Guinea was beaten with a bottle, and another African was followed by about 25 attackers.
Right-wing groups have also used the New Year's Eve assaults in Cologne to support their cause, saying there are too many refugees coming to Germany.
On Saturday, far-right protesters took to the streets in Cologne to voice anger at the New Year's Eve violence. Police used water cannons and tear gas after protesters threw bottles, firecrackers and stones at the riot police, injuring three officers and a journalist, according to local media.
A sister group of the Pegida movement, a far-right organization that opposes immigration from the Middle East, has announced to hold a rally on Monday evening in the eastern German city of Leipzig.
Muslims living in Germany have complained about increased hostility toward them following the Cologne attacks.
Aiman Mazyek, head of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, said Monday that Muslims in the country were experiencing "a new dimension of hatred," referring to an increased number of threatening phone calls, hate emails and letters reaching the organization as well as anti-Islamic statements in social media since the start of the year.
In an open letter to Merkel, which was published on Sunday in the city Duisburg, four refugees living in Germany expressed their shock at the incidents in Cologne and other German cities.
They also declared readiness to "help ensure that crimes like those in Cologne do not recur" within their capabilities.
The scale of the Cologne assaults has shocked Germany and prompted fierce debates in the country between those who welcome asylum seekers and those who do not, putting an increasing amount of pressure on Merkel's government and its open-door policy toward asylum seekers.
Germany has registered 1.1 million asylum seekers in 2015, announced German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere earlier this month. Critics have questioned Germany's ability to integrate the unprecedented number of newcomers.
Merkel has until now not wavered from her refugee policy but has taken a tough line against convicted refugees in face of the violence in Cologne, signaling her backing for law changes to make it easier to expel convicted asylum seekers, with officials within her ruling coalition expected to swiftly negotiate the proposals this week.
The Cologne assaults have also fuelled fears among Germans, with a poll published Sunday by German Bild newspaper saying that 39 percent of those surveyed felt police did not provide sufficient protection for the public at large, while 57 percent did.
A separate poll by broadcaster RTL found that 57 percent of Germans feared crimes would rise along with the record influx of asylum seekers, while 40 percent disagreed.
Nevertheless a majority - 60 percent - said their opinion about foreigners had not changed, while 37 percent said they had become more critical and negative about newcomers.
2016年1月11日星期一
Plate policy not enough to curb Delhi’s smog
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