Chinese national slightly injured in Paris attacks: embassy

A Chinese national was slightly injured in the Paris attacks Friday night, the Chinese Embassy to France confirmed Sunday to Xinhua. After verification with the French authorities, "we confirmed there is a Chinese national slightly injured (during Paris attacks)," it said in a statement. Chinese Embassy staff also visited the young woman at hospital and reported that she was already in recovery after receiving treatment. The embassy won't disclose other details in accordance with her wishes. French authorities on Saturday night put the provisional death toll of the attacks at 129. A total of 352 others were injured, with at least 99 of them in very critical situations.

G20 focus on global coalition against terror

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday joined other world leaders at the 10th summit of the Group of Twenty (G20) in Turkey, as the world's 20 most powerful economies agreed to step up border controls and aviation security in the wake of the Paris assaults. The heads of the G20 condemned the attacks claimed by the Islamic State (IS) as "heinous" and said they remained united in fighting terrorism, according to the draft document, Reuters reported. The death toll from the Friday assaults stands at 129, with more than 300 injured after gunmen and suicide attackers raided restaurants, a concert hall and a soccer stadium. Xi condemned the assaults as "barbaric acts." US President Barack Obama described the killings in Paris as an attack on the civilized world and said the US would work with France to hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice. The US also plans to work with France to intensify air strikes against IS, US Deputy National security adviser Ben Rhodes said on Sunday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said recent attacks in Paris, Ankara and elsewhere show the world is facing a collective security threat and world leaders meeting in Turkey will send a strong message on the fight against terrorism, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said talks on Syria in Vienna and signals from the world's capitals after the deadly attacks in Paris show greater understanding on the joined fight against terrorism. Participants at the Vienna talks have agreed that Jordan will coordinate efforts to compile a common list of terrorist groups in Syria. French President Francois Hollande cancelled his visit to the summit in the wake of the attacks. Refocus efforts Chinese observers said the terror attacks will refocus international efforts to fight against terrorism and solve the Syria crisis. "In order to combat terrorism, the US will have to redirect part of its influence from the Asia-Pacific to the Middle East," Xu Liping, a research fellow of the National Institute of International Strategy, told the Global Times, adding that promoting peaceful, stable development in Syria will be a key mission. "However, a trust mechanism must be established between countries in order to tackle the problem. For example, the US and Russia must reach a consensus on this. Also, countries should work on supervision over information flow in order to cut communication from the IS to its members in other parts of the world," he said. Xu also said the terror attacks in Paris demonstrated a failure in Western countries' Middle East policies, in which the deterioration of the situation is a clear result of excessive intervention and a disregard of the traditions of Middle Eastern countries. Zhao Lei, a professor from the Institute of International Strategic Studies of the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China, told the Global Times that he is worried that a growing estrangement may occur between the West and Islamic nations. Refugee response Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday agreed on the need for a Syria-led political transition, including UN-mediated talks, when they spoke at the G20 summit on Sunday, a White House official said. In a 35 minute discussion, the two discussed efforts to find a solution to the conflict, which had been made more pressing by the attacks in Paris, the official said. The president of the European Council also called for the US and Russia to cooperate in fighting the IS in Syria. "It should be our common aim to coordinate our actions against Daesh and for sure the cooperation between the US and Russia is a crucial one," Donald Tusk said, referring to the Arabic acronym for IS. World leaders have also discussed the EU's refugee crisis. According to Reuters, G20 leaders will agree on Monday that migration is a global problem that must be addressed in a coordinated way, in a diplomatic coup for Europe and Turkey.

Xi says Chinese economy predicted to grow about 7 pct this year

President Xi Jinping said Sunday that the Chinese economy is predicted to grow about 7 percent this year, which will continue to contribute as high as about one third to the global growth. "China has the confidence and capability to maintain medium-high growth," Xi said while addressing a Group of 20 (G20) summit in Antalya in southwest Turkey. China shouldered the responsibility of driving economic growth in times of the world economic hardship, he said, noting that China had contributed up to 50 percent of world economic growth from 2009 to 2011. Despite a recent slowdown, China still contributes 30 percent to world economic growth, which means that China still acts as a major world economic powerhouse, said Xi. China's confidence comes from its determination and actions to comprehensively deepen reform and build an open economic system, as well as the strong endogenous dynamic of China's economy and the policy guidance of the Chinese government, he added. China has adopted a proposal on formulating the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) on national economic and social development, which aims to build a "moderately prosperous society" and double its 2010 GDP and per capita income of both urban and rural residents by 2020, said Xi. In the next five years, China will adhere to a path of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, and will encourage a system that nurtures innovation, he said. The country will try to realize the synchronous development of the new type of industrialization, IT application, urbanization and agricultural modernization, he added. In the coming years, China will highlight green and low-carbon development, improve its environmental quality, become heavily involved in global economy, and carry out the Belt and Road Initiative, he said. The world's second largest economy will continue to vigorously improve its people's well-being and ensure that the benefits of development are shared by all, said Xi. All these efforts will inject strong impetus into China's economic growth while unleashing demand for the world economy, he said.

2,000-year-old bronze goose-fish lamp with adjustable light unearthed

The bronze goose-fish lamp dating back to the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC to 8 AD). (Photo/Xinhua) A 2,000-year-old bronze goose-fish lamp has been unearthed in an ancient tomb belonging to a nobleman dating back to the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC to 8 AD)in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi province. To people's surprise, the lamp is not only beautifully shaped, but also boasts the function of an adjustable light and environmentally friendly system. Two bronze goose-fish lamps have been discovered this time. The geese have fat bodies, slender necks, short tails and webbed feet, with the posture of turning their heads back, catching a fish in their beaks. "The goose-fish lamp not only reflects the great technical skills at the time, but also contains the scientific principles and the wisdom of the ancients," said Xin Lixiang, the leader of the archaeological excavation team. The lampshade was designed as two flexible curved panels that can be opened and closed. It serves not only as a windshield, but also to adjust the brightness of the light. The bodies of the fish and geese are hollow. The fumes produced by the kerosene or wax will be blocked by shade, and pass into the bodies of the geese and fish. Xin speculated that the ancients may have injected water in the bellies of the geese at the time, as the soot can be dissolved in water. Xin believes that the lamps would have been extremely expensive at the times. It would not have been used by ordinary people, only the nobility.

Manila to close roads, reroute traffic for APEC meeting

Manila will implement several road closures and traffic rerouting on Nov. 18 and Nov. 19 to ensure the safety of the APEC delegates, the Manila city authorities said on Sunday. Local media reported that the Philippines has swept about 20,000 homeless from the streets, cancelled more than 1,000 flights, deployed 18,000 police and declared public holidays in Manila to ensure a safe and efficient summit. APEC Spokesperson Charles Jose said a total of around 7,000 foreign delegates are expected, adding that "As always, the safety and well-being of our guests remain among our top priorities. Toward this end, we have been implementing additional security measures and deploying an amplified force to secure our guests. Part of this involves enforcing road closures, special APEC lanes, and no-fly zones." Colonel Restituto Padilla, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines upgraded their alert status from "Blue" to "Red" in preparation for the hosting of APEC 2015. Padilla said the alert status was raised a day ahead of schedule as a matter of procedure following any international terrorist incident such as Saturday's terrorists attack in Paris. The police have been putting up checkpoints on the roads leading to the APEC venues and quick reaction units, walk-through scanning, baggage X-rays, police dogs, vehicles screening, pedestrian screening and explosive and ordnance division personnel have also been deployed at the Philippine International Conventional Center (PICC) and hotels. The APEC Economic Leader's Meeting will be held at the PICC from Nov. 18 to 19.

No reason for Nay Pyi Taw to back away from Beijing

Early results show that Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) has won a landslide victory in Myanmar's general elections. Myanmar, not surprisingly, will witness a landmark political shift. How the China-Myanmar relationship will develop after the elections is worth exploring. Some argue that Nay Pyi Taw, if the NLD wins, will be motivated to go closer with the West and its relationship with Beijing will face huge challenges. However, this argument is not true for the status quo and the future of China-Myanmar relationship. Admittedly, while Myanmar took a pro-China stance when it was led by the junta, it has taken a neutral stance since U Thein Sein became president in 2011. This, rather than a regression, is a return to the nation's traditional neutral diplomatic strategies. In fact, no matter which party is in office, it will not have a direct impact on its relationship with China. There is no motive for Nay Pyi Taw to turn hostile toward Beijing. Suu Kyi is a promoter of Myanmar's democratic process and a defender of the nation's core interests. She is neither a foe of China, nor a natural ally with the West. Suu Kyi has made it clear that "Myanmar and China are neighbors, and neighbors cannot be selected. Developing a friendly bilateral relationship is of utmost importance." The next Myanmese government, whoever in control, will establish closer ties with the West and meanwhile avoid distancing itself from China. Taking side with either the US or China will render Myanmar under huge risks of losing its just gained strategic space and resources. There is no reason for Myanmese political parties, including the NLD, to become so extreme. The next government should focus its efforts on realizing economic prosperity and social development. In this regard, it is evident that the support from China will be helpful. Since Myanmar shifted from its pro-China stance to a neutral stance in 2011, China has shown magnanimousness and kindness. China, following the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, understands the appeals of Myanmar people and has not blocked the nation's diplomatic choices. It is fair to say that China's policy toward Myanmar is stable and can be tested by time. China takes an open attitude toward Myanmar developing its relations with Western countries such as the US and Japan. Meanwhile, building healthy relations with China also conforms to Myanmar's long-term interests. Myanmar, seeking maximum interests, will unlikely make any strategic sacrifice to court any other country. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang met Suu Kyi during her visit to Beijing in June. Xi called on Suu Kyi and her NLD to "continue to play a constructive role in guiding the Myanmar people regarding their view on China-Myanmar cooperation in an unbiased and rational way." Beijing is aware that Suu Kyi's appeal far exceeds that of other political leaders in Myanmar. Developing amicable ties with Suu Kyi will have positive effects on the China-Myanmar relationship. The visit to China was also an attempt of the NLD to stabilize the surrounding environment. The Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday that China welcomes Myanmar's elections and "supports Myanmar in pressing ahead with its political agenda in accordance with the law after the elections so as to realize national stability and long-term growth." Myanmar is an important partner of China in the "One Belt, One Road" initiative. This will not change after the elections. For Myanmar's new government, taking advantage of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative to promote domestic economic restructuring is also an ideal choice. Currently, China is the largest trading partner and investor for Myanmar. The China-Myanmar trade volume in 2014 reached $25 billion, far greater than that between Myanmar and the US. The economic space for further cooperation is huge. China can also provide more support to Myanmar in infrastructure, education, agriculture and so forth. There are a number of reasons to believe that the China-Myanmar relationship will see improvement in the future.

Tribunal ruling not clear victory for Philippines

The Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration recently rendered an award that has been portrayed by parts of the media as a Philippine “victory” over China. But is this really the case? We should remember that the award in question only addresses the tribunal’s jurisdiction and the admissibility of the Philippines’ claims, that is, whether the tribunal is competent to hear the case at all. So far, nothing of substance has been decided and the Philippines’ claims may still be rejected in their entirety at the merits phase of the proceedings. So what exactly did the tribunal decide? In the proceedings, the Philippines put forward 15 submissions. Only with regard to five submissions did the tribunal follow the Philippines’ argument that it has jurisdiction to rule on the merits; with regard to two submissions the tribunal found that it will only have jurisdiction if the Philippines is able to prove in the merits phase that the issues involved fall within the territorial sea of Scarborough Shoal (known as Huangyan Island in China), and with regard to eight submissions the tribunal decided that either the Philippines had submitted insufficient information or that it had to examine the matter further in order to decide whether or not it has jurisdiction and therefore joined the question of jurisdiction to the merits of the case. While the arbitration continues, for 10 out of 15 submissions the tribunal accepted the possible existence of jurisdictional hurdles, as set out by the Chinese government in its position paper of December 7 2014 and advanced in the academic literature. The tribunal may thus still find that it does not even have jurisdiction to decide on the merits of 10 of the submissions. Considering that the Philippines had argued that there was no need to join any question of jurisdiction to the merits and that all issues of jurisdiction “could and should be resolved at this stage of the proceedings,” the tribunal’s decision is a slap in the face for the Philippines. The tribunal in fact confirmed that China may have valid objections to its jurisdiction under Article 297 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in particular with regard to fisheries or, more generally, the exercise of sovereign rights and jurisdiction by China in its exclusive economic zone. There may also be valid objections to the tribunal’s jurisdiction under Article 298 of UNCLOS, in particular with regard to Chinese historic rights in the South China Sea, maritime delimitation, military activities and law enforcement activities. Much will depend on the interpretation of the relevant provisions of UNCLOS and the facts to be established at the merits stage of the proceedings. For example, if the tribunal finds that just one of the maritime features claimed by China in the South China Sea is an island within the meaning of Article 121 of UNCLOS and that its exclusive economic zone or continental shelf overlaps with those generated by the Philippines archipelago, it will have to decline jurisdiction. Similarly, if China’s activities in the South China Sea concern “military activities” or “law enforcement activities” related to fisheries the tribunal will have to refuse to take any decision concerning Chinese fisheries enforcement measures, land reclamation and construction, or the operation of Chinese law enforcement vessels. Finally, if China’s claims to historic rights are found to be permitted by the Convention and within the scope of Article 298 of UNCLOS the Philippines’ claim will founder for lack of jurisdiction. While this confirmation of China’s position is to be welcomed, there are also some aspects of the decision that do not bode well for any future decision on jurisdiction and the merits. For example, the tribunal establishes by mere inference a “dispute concerning the status of every maritime feature claimed by China within 200 nautical miles of Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal,” despite admitting that “the exact scope of this dispute cannot be determined at present” and “it may emerge, in the course of the tribunal’s examination […], that the Parties are not, in fact, in dispute on the status of, or entitlements generated by, a particular maritime feature.” In any case, whatever the tribunal will decide, its final award cannot affect China’s claim to territorial sovereignty over islands, rocks and low-tide elevations in the South China Sea for two simple reasons: The Philippines has expressly and repeatedly asked the tribunal not to rule on questions of territorial sovereignty and, more importantly, the tribunal has confirmed that these questions are outside its jurisdiction.