NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY CONTENTS. I. China-India Relations

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5 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY CONTENTS I. China-India Relations 1. Premier Wen Jiabao Meets with His Indian Counterpart Singh 4 2. Chinese Embassy in India Holds a Reception for the 100-Member Indian Youth Delegation to China 5 3. Speech by Chargé d Affaires Deng Xijun at the Reception for 100-Member Youth Delegation to China 7 4. Chinese Embassy in India Expresses Sincere Condolence for the Loss of Ms. Guo Qinglan 8 5. Media Could Play More Positive Role in China-India Relations 8 II. China on Series of Foreign Ministers Meetings of ASEAN 1. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Praises Achievements of ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation 9 2. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Attends the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting 10 and Makes Remarks 3. Remarks by Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi about East Asia Summit Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Attends the 19 th Foreign Ministers Meeting Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the Situation in the Asia-Pacific Foeign Minister Yang Jiechi on the Korean Nuclear Issue The Spokesman of the Chinese Delegation to ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meetings Talks 15 about China s Asia-Pacific Policy 8. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Meets with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton On the Asia-Pacific and Sound China-US Interaction in the Region Luncheon Presentation by 20 Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center III. South China Sea Issue 1. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the South China Sea Issue Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Huangyan Island Facts and Truths about the Huangyan Island Incident A Seafaring Strategy Sansha by the Sea 28 IV. Domestic Affairs 1. President Hu Attends HKSAR s 15th Anniversary Celebrations Premier Wen Says Stabilizing Growth is Top Priority China Persists in Restructuring Economy Amid Slowdown A Timely Decision An Integrated Industrial Mode Shows Promise in Fighting Against Desertification China s National Museum Celebrates Centennial 38 V. Tibet Today 1. Some Thoughts on Recent Self-Immolations in Tibetan Inhabited Regions Chinese Embassy in India Refutes Dalai Lama s Nonsense in His Interview with The Hindu China to Increase Train Services to Lhasa Construction of 4.7-bln-USD Tibet Tourism Park Launched Biodiversity Survey Launched in Tibetan Forest Journey From Hoh Xil to The Northern No-Man s Land in the Grassland of Tibet 44

6 4 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 I. CHINA-INDIA RELATIONS Premier Wen Jiabao Meets with His Indian Counterpart Singh On June 20, 2012, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in Rio de Janeiro. Noting that the two neighbors are both large developing countries, Wen said, the rapid development of both countries and the steady improvement of their relations have brought huge changes to the world. In the last decade, China and India established and developed a strategic and cooperative partnership, formulated several important dialogue mechanisms and maintained peace in the border region based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Bilateral trade has seen a 14-fold increase. He also lauded the increasingly frequent people-to-people exchanges and the joint efforts in safeguarding the interests of developing countries on major international issues. Wen said that under the current complex global and regional circumstances China and India face common challenges and opportunities, adding that deepening their strategic and cooperative partnership serves the fundamental interests of both countries and the world at large. The two sides, he said, need to further consolidate their political and strategic mutual trust and make sure that their relations will move forward on the right track. Meanwhile, Wen proposed that the two neighbors further promote pragmatic cooperation and two-way investment, implement a number of influential major projects concerning people s livelihood and carry out more exchange programs between the two countries youth, localities and media among others so as to create a favorable social environment for bilateral ties. They should also continue to settle border issues and maintain peace and stability in the borderlands, and enhance coordination on global and regional affairs to make new contributions to world prosperity, stability and sustainable development, he added. For his part, Singh said in recent years India- China cooperation in various fields has made significant progress and both sides have carried out good cooperation in international and regional affairs. In face of the profound changes in the world political and economic situation, India attaches great importance to its relationship with China and regards it as an important component of India s modernization strategy and a pillar of world peace and stability. India, he said, will neither allow anyone to stage anti-china activities in its territory nor join any scheme to contain or besiege China. India is willing to work with China to strengthen strategic communication and coordination, continue to support the work of the Special Representatives of the two countries on the border issue and maintain peace on the frontier. Both sides should further give play to their economic complementarity and carry our allround economic and trade cooperation, he added.

7 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY Chinese Embassy in India Holds a Reception for the 100-Member Indian Youth Delegation to China On the evening of July 11, 2012, Chinese Embassy in India held a reception for the 100-Member Indian Youth Delegation hours before their journey to China. Mr. Deng Xijun, Chargé d Affaires of the Chinese Embassy, Ms. Nita Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, all members of the delegation together with some Chinese diplomats were present at the event. In Mr. Deng Xijun s remarks, he pointed out that this visit is an important part of the programs under the scheme of the Year of China-India Friendship and Cooperation, which was jointly announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He expressed his wishes for the delegation to achieve a better understanding of China and its people through this visit and extensive exchange with Chinese youth. He addressed the delegation members as Goodwill Ambassadors. He hoped that they would inherit and further develop China-India friendship, and improve relations between the two countries in the long term. Ms. Nita Chowdhury said that youth is the future of India, who shoulders the historical obligation of national development. She said that this visit would give young people, both from India and China, an opportunity to enhance friendship and share happiness. She also believed that through endeavors of the two governments, this kind of reciprocal visits by youth delegations would sow seeds of friendship for China-India relations. During the reception, members of the delegation and the diplomats from the Embassy signed their names and wrote down good wishes on a big red banner to be carried by the delegation to China, with 100-Member Indian Youth Delegation to China 2012 logo on it. A photo exhibition about Indian youth delegation to China in 2011 was put on spot, and books and magazines about Chinese politics, economy and culture were presented to the youth. During exchanges with Chinese diplomats, members of the delegation expressed their excitement and expectation

8 6 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 for this visit. They were very curious and bear in mind full of fantasies about their oriental neighbor which is also an ancient civilization as India. They enjoyed both delicious Chinese food and interesting conversation with the diplomats, making the evening a pleasant memory. The 100-Member Indian Youth Delegation to China, led by Ms. Nita Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, would pay a 10-day visit to China from July 12 to 21, 2012.

9 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY Speech by Chargé d Affaires Deng Xijun at the Reception for 100-Member Youth Delegation to China (Chinese Embassy in India, 11 July 2012) Honorable Secretary for Youth Affairs, Ms. Nita Chowdhury, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very pleased and greatly honored to have you with us tonight in the Chinese Embassy on the eve of your visit to China. First I would like to express our warm welcome to all of you and wish you a pleasant, interesting and unforgettable visit to and a wonderful time in China. I also would like to take this opportunity to express my respect and thanks to my Indian colleagues who have been working very hard for the preparation of the visit. As you all know that this year is the Year of China-India Friendship and Cooperation, which was jointly announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in March during the Fourth BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Your visit to China is an important part of this year s programme and it is intended to further expand the youth exchange in keeping with the overall growing people-to-people contact and exchanges between our two countries. I think this is a strategic decision of the leaders of our two countries aimed at building solid foundation for our relationship. In this sense, you are all goodwill ambassadors and can play important role in the development of our bilateral relations in the years to come. As a close neighbor of India, China shares strong historical and cultural linkage with India. We have been mutually influenced by and complementing each other over more than 2000 years. We both have made great contributions to the development of world civilization. As you are all aware, China has undergone tremendous changes and scored impressive achievements by implementing the policy of reform and opening to the outside world over the past few decades. However. it is noteworthy that provinces and cities in China differ from each other in terms of the level of development. Some areas are well-developed, some are in the process of developing, and some are still under-developed. And also China is a vast country. Each region has its unique folk and cultural characteristics. You may get very interesting experiences. I am sure that the trip will give you a valuable opportunity to see a real China with your own eyes. As a famous Chinese proverb goes, seeing is believing. Based on what you see and what you hear, especially through your direct contacts with people from all walks of life in China, you will have a better understanding of China and come to your own conclusion as for what China really looks like. China s paramount leader Chairman Mao Zedong once said that the youth are full of vigor and vitality, like the rising sun at 8 or 9 o clock in the morning. You are the future of the country and you shoulder the historic responsibility, together with Chinese youth, to further develop the friendly relations and cooperation between our two great nations. I sincerely hope that our young people will enhance exchange of visits, know more of each other and make good friends with each other. And I also hope that as young ambassadors in promoting China-India friendly relations and cooperation, you can bring back with you the friendship and goodwill of the Chinese people and share with friends your experiences in China and your knowledge of China.

10 8 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 Chinese Embassy in India Expresses Sincere Condolence for the Loss of Ms. Guo Qinglan Ms. Guo Qinglan, widow of the late Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis, passed away due to illness at the age of ninety-six in Dalian, China on June 28, On June 29, the official from Chinese Embassy in India called on Mr. Shambhu Kumaran, Director of East Asia Division, Ministry of External Affairs of India, to express the deep grief over this unfortunate loss and hope to convey through the Indian government the sincere condolence of the Chinese government and people to the family of Dr. Kotnis. Dr. Kotnis devoted his precious youth and life to the great course of the Chinese people to save the nation. The Chinese people will commemorate him forever. Ms. Guo Qinglan, carrying on the spirit of Dr. Kotnis, spent her life in pushing forward the friendly exchange and cooperation between China and India and made important contribution in this regard. They are the symbol of China-India friendship. Mr. Kumaran expressed his thanks to the timely information and condolence. He said Dr. Kotnis plays an important role in the development of China-India relations, who has left a valuable spiritual heritage to the people of both countries. We believe that the story of Dr. Kotnis and Ms Guo Qinglan will continue to inspire the two peoples to promote China-India friendship. Media Could Play More Positive Role in China-India Relations Singapore, July 4 (Xinhua) The mass media of China and India could play a more positive role in the bilateral relations between the two emerging countries, scholars said on 4 July at a seminar in Singapore. Speaking at the India-China Dialogue on the role of the media in bilateral relations organized by several research institutions, Tansen Sen, head of the Nalanda-Sriwijaya Center, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, said there is a lack of knowledge and awareness in the media about the other country.india is not as important as it should be in Chinese media s perspective, and vice versa, he said.some of the Indian media is not familiar with the increasing diversity of the Chinese media, and the sourcing of information is at times problematic, too, he said.the media themselves have been an issue at times in reshaping the bilateral relations in an unfavorable direction, Sen said, adding that the seminar was organized to bring together the media practitioners from both countries for a discussion.the India-China Dialogue was jointly organized by the Asia Research Institute at the National University of

11 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY Singapore (NUS), the East Asian Institute at the NUS, the Nalanda-Sriwijaya Center at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, and the Observer Research Foundation of India.The two-day seminar brought many scholars and journalists from several renowned media such as China s Xinhua News Agency, the Global Times, the Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV, as well as the Indian Express, the Financial Express in India and the Hindu. Mao Xiaoxiao, a correspondent at the New Delhi Bureau of Xinhua, shared her experience of reporting from India and her personal experience in India. Chinese media have been looking to India for what China can learn from India in areas such as IT and movie industry, she said. She also spoke about the skepticism she ran into while reporting from India, M K Venu, managing editor of the Financial Express in India, said the financial newspapers have been reporting on the progress in the relations between the two developing countries, who are both members of the BRICS countries, saying that it is changing for the better despite the still existing skepticism. It is about time the media play a more positive role in promoting understanding and collaboration between the two countries, some of the journalists and scholars said. It is estimated that there are no more than ten Indian journalists based in China. Some of the scholars call for more interactions between the media persons of the two countries and more highquality talent for the media to engage each other. II. CHINA ON SERIES OF FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETINGS OF ASEAN Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Praises Achievements of ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation On July 10, 2012, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi spoke highly of the progress made in ASEAN Plus Three cooperation (APT) in financial, economic, trade, food security, social, cultural and people-topeople fields. Yang made the remarks at the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with special recognition on the 240-billion-dollar regional foreign exchange reserve pool and the APT Emergency Rice Reserve with an initial size of 870,000 tons. Ministers of China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK) shared the views that APT cooperation, which started 15 years ago, is one of the most dynamic and productive cooperation mechanisms in East

12 10 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 Asia and a bright spot in East Asia cooperation. Yang called on all parties to draw up a blueprint for APT cooperation at the new starting point of the 15th anniversary. He stressed the need to enhance practical cooperation in economic, trade, financial and other fields, strengthen internal drivers for East Asia s economic growth, effectively tackle economic and financial risks, and attract the private sector and local governments in APT cooperation against the backdrop of a grave global economic and financial situation. Yang also made specific suggestions for advancing APT cooperation in the political and security field, connectivity, and social, cultural and people-to-people areas. He expressed China s readiness to step up communication and coordination with ASEAN and Japan and the ROK to enable APT cooperation to play a greater role in promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in East Asia and bringing about closer relations among countries. ASEAN countries thanked China, Japan and the ROK for their efforts and contribution to closer APT cooperation. All sides agreed to further enhance and expand cooperation so that APT cooperation can better play its role as the main vehicle of East Asia cooperation and make greater contribution to regional stability, development and prosperity and East Asian integration. The parties also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared interest. All sides agreed to turn the APT leaders meeting scheduled for the end of the year into a 15th anniversary commemorative summit and issue a statement at the summit. In addition, China, Cambodia and other countries will carry out activities in commemoration of the 15th anniversary, including a seminar, cultural forum, the APT Joint Cultural Performance and the APT Youth Leaders Symposium. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Attends the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and Makes Remarks On 11 July 2012, the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. China s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi attended and made remarks at the meeting. At the meeting, parties spoke highly of the positive results of China-ASEAN dialogue relations over the past 20-odd years and agreed to further enhance good-neighborliness and mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation and maintain the sound momentum of all-round development of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. Parties focused their discussions on the ways and means to deepen China-ASEAN relations and reached broad consensus. Foreign Minister Yang reaffirmed China s commitment to the path of peaceful development and its foreign policy of fostering friendship and partnership with its neighborhood. He stressed that given the continuing profound impact of the international financial crisis, China and ASEAN have common interests and responsibilities in upholding regional peace and stability and maintaining the growth momentum of Asia. The two sides should view and deal with their relations with a strategic and long-term perspective, step up strategic communication, and further advance practical cooperation to achieve win-win results. Minister Yang also made specific suggestions for China-ASEAN cooperation in economic, trade,

13 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY connectivity, maritime cooperation, social, cultural and people-to-people fields. He expressed China s readiness to adjust cooperation priorities in the light of actual needs of ASEAN community building so that China-ASEAN cooperation can complement ASEAN community building. ASEAN countries commended China s contribution to Asia s development and world economic recovery and appreciated China s longstanding support to ASEAN community building and ASEAN s centrality in East Asia cooperation. They welcomed China s intention to open its permanent mission to ASEAN in Jakarta and agreed with Minister Yang s proposals for closer China-ASEAN cooperation. They expressed their readiness to work with China to take their cooperation forward. Remarks by Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi about East Asia Summit (Phnom Penh, July 12, 2012) I wish to thank Cambodia for the thoughtful preparations and arrangements it has made for this meeting. I wish to share with you some observations on the development of the East Asia Summit (EAS). As a leaders-led strategic forum in this region, the EAS should focus its attention on the most common and major concerns of the region. It should be strategic and forward-looking, so as to offer effective guidance to major issues concerning durable peace and common prosperity in the region. China proposes to promote sound and steady development of the EAS in the following three areas. First, Focus on Development. Since the turn of the century, the Asia-Pacific, East Asia in particular, has sustained rapid growth, bringing huge benefits to people in the region and boosting the status of East Asia in the world. It is also in this context that the EAS has come into being and grown steadily. The Asia-Pacific is face with such challenges as the acute European debt crises, mounting downward pressure in the world economy and prominent non-traditional security issues, and increasing uncertainties. Given the situation, we should stick to development, work for better and faster development in this region, expand common interests, and let the people in this region enjoy the development dividends. China contributes over 58% to the Asian economic growth. China is the largest trading partner and export market for many countries in the region. It plays a positive role in promoting regional development. We are also grateful to other countries for their assistance in China s development. We will enhance macro-economic policy coordination with and provide assistance to regional countries to the best of its capabilities, promote balanced economic and social development in regional countries, narrow development gaps among the regional members, and achieve common development and prosperity in the region. Second, Focus on Cooperation. The Asia-Pacific is highly diverse and complex. Only by respecting the values, culture, traditions and development paths of different countries can we step up coordination and cooperation on the basis of equality and turn diversity into vitality and driving force for regional development and

14 12 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 progress. We should uphold the approach of East Asia cooperation featuring ASEAN centrality, gradualism, consensus, and accommodating the comfort level of all parties. China takes an active part in the six priority areas of cooperation identified by the EAS. We focus on connectivity in our cooperation with ASEAN. We have set up a 10-billion-dollar China- ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund and announced 25-billion-dollar credit to support infrastructure and other cooperation with ASEAN. We support the inclusion of ASEAN connectivity into the priority areas of cooperation of the EAS. We will continue to promote ASEAN connectivity through China-ASEAN economic, trade, transport and financial cooperation. We will also enhance communication with other EAS members and gradually extend connectivity to the entire East Asia. China, together with ASEAN, Japan and the ROK, have been vigorously promoting CMIM, established a foreign exchanges reserve pool worth 240 billion US dollars and strengthened the resilience of East Asian countries against financial risks. We have jointly set up the regional Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility worth 700 million US dollars. This will play a constructive role in promoting the Asian Bond Market. China supports ASEAN s initiative of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and will work with ASEAN and other relevant parties to push forward the process to create conditions for regional economic integration. China believes that the EAS should enhance cooperation on non-traditional security issues, including natural disasters, communicable diseases and transnational crimes. The EAS should give priority to information and experience sharing, human resources training and capacity building in our cooperation. Over the years, China has hosted close to 1,000 exchange and training programs and workshops under the 10+1, 10+3 and ARF frameworks in these above-mentioned areas, and is gradually expanding such cooperation to the EAS framework. Since last year, China has held the EAS Symposium on Post-Disaster Psychological Care in Beijing, and co-sponsored the EAS Exercise on Emergency Response to Earthquake in Padang, West Sumatra of Indonesia. China is making active preparations for the EAS Forum on New Energy and the third EAS Seminar on Climate Change Adaptation Capacity Building. China will take an active part in cooperation on control of malaria and other communicable diseases and organize human resource training programs on public health for EAS countries to help raise regional capacity for disease control. Third, Work Together to Uphold Regional Peace and Stability. The interest of Asia-Pacific countries are closely entwined. There are quite a few hotspot issues, and some differences and frictions in this region. We believe that countries in the region should accommodate each other s security concerns, show maximum goodwill, wisdom and patience and continue to resolve differences through dialogue and consultations. Countries in the region should gradually expand common ground, iron out differences, push forward cooperation and work together for an open, transparent and equal security architecture in the Asia-Pacific. The Declaration of the East Asia Summit on the Principles for Mutually Beneficial Relations adopted at the EAS last year should be implemented. Facts have proven that it is in the common interest of countries in the region to stick to the nature of EAS as a leaders-led strategic forum and persist in advancing cooperation in the six priority areas. As a responsible members of the Asia-Pacific family, China is ready to enhance mutual trust and cooperation with other parties in a spirit of mutual respect, and seeking common ground while shelving differences, and make greater efforts for building a peaceful, growing, prosperous and harmonious East Asia and the Asia-Pacific.

15 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Attends the 19th ARF Foreign Ministers Meeting On 12 July 2012, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi attended the 19th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers Meeting. Yang Jiechi said that despite the profound impact of the international financial crisis and sluggish recovery of the global economy, the Asia- Pacific region has maintained the momentum of robust growth and become an important driving force for world economic recovery and growth. Dynamic regional cooperation has played an important part in promoting development, stability and prosperity of the region. It is important that countries in the region enhance solidarity and deepen cooperation to advance the overall interests of peace and stability and boost internal growth and consumption to sustain the development momentum. Yang Jiechi said that stability and development of China, the most populous country in the world, is in itself a major contribution to stability and development in the region. In today s world where globalization is gaining momentum and interests of countries become more closely entwined, to seek common development and common security through dialogue and cooperation is the only viable way leading to enduring peace and security. It is also the shared responsibility of all sides. Asia- Pacific countries should have the wisdom and ability to properly deal with differences, expand converging interests and lead our region onto a path of peace, development and cooperation in the 21st century. Yang Jiechi also elaborated on China s principled position on the Korean nuclear, the South China Sea, Myanmar, the Iranian nuclear and the Syrian issues. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the Situation in the Asia-Pacific Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi stated China s views on the situation in the Asia-Pacific at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers Meeting on the afternoon of 12 July, Foreign Minister Yang said that despite the profound impact of the international financial crisis and sluggish recovery of the global economy, the Asia-Pacific region has maintained the momentum of robust growth and become an important driving force for world economic recovery and growth. Dynamic regional cooperation has played an important part in promoting development, stability and prosperity of the region. The achievements of this region are attributable to the generally peaceful and stable environment over the past decades and to the concerted efforts of all countries in the region. They should be cherished by us all. At the same time, our region still faces quite a few challenges. The most salient ones include the fragile global economic situation and the existing deep impact of the international financial crisis. There is a big development gap between Asian countries and many of them are at a low level of development. We face growing resource and environmental constraints and grave nontraditional security challenges. Given these circumstances, it is all the more important that

16 14 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 countries in the region enhance solidarity and deepen cooperation to advance the overall interests of peace and stability and boost internal growth and consumption to sustain the development momentum. Stability and development of China, the most populous country in the world, is in itself a major contribution to stability and development in the region. In our interactions with other Asia-Pacific countries, we have keenly felt that in today s world where globalization is gaining momentum and interests of countries become more closely entwined, to seek common development and common security through dialogue and cooperation is the only viable way leading to enduring peace and security. It is also the shared responsibility of all sides. Countries shoulder shared responsibilities for upholding peace, stability and development in the region. Early last month, the presidents of China and Russia met in Beijing. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to working together to achieve regional security and sustainable development, advance the common interests of regional countries and maintain a stable and safe environment. In mid June, the presidents of China and the United States met during the G20 Summit in Los Cabos. They agreed to build together a cooperative China- US relationship based on mutual respect and mutual benefit and foster a new type of relationship between major countries. They also agreed to enhance communication, mutual trust and cooperation and properly handle their interactions in the Asia-Pacific. ASEAN countries are stepping up efforts to achieve the ASEAN Community by Asia-Pacific countries should have the wisdom and ability to reject Cold-War and zero-sum mentality, properly deal with differences, and expand converging interests so as to lead our region onto a path of peace, development and cooperation in the 21st century. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the Korean Nuclear Issue Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also stated China s position on the Korean nuclear issue at the ARF Foreign Ministers Meeting on the afternoon of 12 July, Foreign Minister Yang said to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintain peace and stability on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia meets the common interest of all parties. It is also the common responsibility of all parties. The Korean Peninsula is the only region in the world with the Cold War vestige. There is a serious lack of trust between the relevant parties, which is the fundamental reason why the overall security situation on the Peninsula remains fragile. China maintains that efforts should be made to iron out differences through dialogue, resolve concerns of all parties in a comprehensive and balanced manner, and achieve common security. The situation on the Korean Peninsula remains complex and sensitive. The Chinese side is deeply concerned about the situation. We have vigorously worked on the relevant parties, urging them to stay calm, exercise restraint and avoid taking moves that may exacerbate tensions. What has happened shows that the Six-Party Talks is an effective mechanism for realizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. It is also an important platform for relevant parties to improve relations. China will continue to work unrelentingly with the international community for peace and stability on the Peninsula.

17 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY The Spokesman of the Chinese Delegation to ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meetings Talks about China s Asia-Pacific Policy At midnight of July 11, 2012, Zhang Jianmin, Spokesman of the Chinese delegation to ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meetings was interviewed by the Xinhua News Agency on China s Asia-Pacific policy at Phnom Penh. Question 1: The annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting was held today. The Asia- Pacific, especially Asia, has maintained fast development and become one of the most dynamic regions with the fastest growth and a rising status in the world. China is a member of the big Asia- Pacific family. What is China s foreign policy on this region? Answer: China s commitment to the path of peaceful development and the win-win strategy of opening-up is born out first and foremost in the Asia-Pacific which is home to China. China upholds the policy of fostering friendship and partnership with its neighbors and sticks to developing friendship and cooperation with all the neighboring countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. China s Asia- Pacific policy follows the following basic principles: Uphold cooperation. With deepening globalization and wider application of information technology, the world has increasingly become a global village where countries are inter-dependent on each other. Asia-Pacific countries are important members of the global village, and face the common mission of maintaining peace and stability, the common task of promoting growth and eradicating poverty, and the common challenge of preventing frequent outbreak of disputes and achieving transformation of the mode of development. We maintain that countries abandon the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudices, uphold a new concept of solidarity and win-win cooperation, and open up a new prospect of an Asia-Pacific enjoying peace, cooperation and mutual benefit. Seek development. The Asia-Pacific has on the whole maintained a sound momentum of growth. But the region also faces many uncertainties and destabilizing factors. In terms of the external environment, the deep impact of the international financial crisis is still with us. Sovereign debt crises in some countries are still acute. The Western Asia and Northern Africa region remains turbulent. In terms of the internal environment, Asia-Pacific still faces such challenges as uneven development, regional hotspot and non-traditional security issues. We should seize the overriding trend of development, promote better and faster development of the region, make the pie of common interests bigger, let the people in this region enjoy the dividends of development, and effectively resolve multiple challenges through common development. Implement the new security concept. International security threats are more complex and diverse today. Security issues tend to be more explosive, contagious and inter-connected. To effectively meet various security threats, we uphold the new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination, and seek integrated security, common security and cooperation-based security. Respect diversity. The Asia-Pacific is remarkably diverse and complex. Countries are different in political and economic system, historical and cultural background and social development model. This is the feature of this region and its source of vigor and vitality. We should respect the realities in the Asia-Pacific, carry on the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, seeking common ground while shelving differences and

18 16 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 mutual accommodation, and promote diverse and parallel forms of development. Question 2: You have talked about the basic principles in China s Asia-Pacific policy. What are the objectives that China seek to achieve in this region? Answer: China is committed to working with other countries in the region to share opportunities, counter challenges, expand cooperation, properly deal with differences, and build a peaceful, growing, prosperous and harmonious Asia-Pacific. On the political front, we uphold equality among all countries, regardless of their size, follow the principle of mutual respect and noninterference in internal affairs and work continuously to build political mutual trust and mutual understanding. China believes that the internal affairs of a country should be independently decided by the country itself while regional affairs should be settled by regional countries through consultation on an equal footing. We respect the development paths and values chosen independently by regional countries and the exploration of countries in promoting economic and social development and improving people s living standards. We are committed to enhancing good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries in the region through close high-level contacts and sustained strategic communication. On the economic front, we are committed to achieving common development in the region and beyond. Many Asia-Pacific countries are at crucial stages of economic development and social transition. China stands ready to step up coordination on macroeconomic policies and support and help regional countries within our ability in order to strengthen the internal drivers and dynamism for regional economic growth, promote balanced economic and social development in regional countries, and deepen common interests for the benefit of development and prosperity throughout the region. On the security front, we maintain that countries, while upholding their own security, should respect the security of other countries to create a peaceful and stable regional security environment. China advocates and follows a new security concept and opposes any move to ensure one s own security at the expense of others security. We call on countries in the region to accommodate each other s security concerns, demonstrate as much goodwill, wisdom and patience as possible, solve differences through dialogue and consultation, take gradual steps to build consensus, remove differences and advance cooperation, and work together for an Asia-Pacific security architecture featuring openness, transparency and equality. On the cultural and people-to-people front, we respect the diversity of our region, work vigorously to increase cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and join hands with other regional countries to build a large Asia-Pacific family of diversity and harmonious co-existence. China holds the view that countries in the region should respect each other s choice of development path, turn the diversity of the region into vitality and driving force for closer exchanges and cooperation between countries, enhance the affinity and friendship among the people of different countries. With regard to regional cooperation, given the great diversity of the region, we are working with other regional countries to push forward regional cooperation mechanisms along the path of consensus based on consultation, gradualism, openness and inclusiveness. China maintains that the existing mechanisms should be upheld on the basis of respecting the wishes and accommodating the comfort level of all parties and that various mechanisms should complement and reinforce one another to promote regional cooperation. We respect the presence and interests of countries from

19 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY outside the region in Asia-Pacific and welcome the active participation of all countries in the Asia- Pacific cooperation process. China is open to and welcomes any cooperation initiative that is conducive to converging interests and common development of regional countries. Question 3: What are the concrete results of China s Asia- Pacific policy? Answer: China always gives top priority to its neighborhood in its foreign policy and takes active steps to further good- neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with other Asia- Pacific countries. Since the turn of the century, thanks to the concerted efforts of China and other Asia-Pacific countries, China s development and the development of the Asia- Pacific region as a whole has accompanied and reinforced each other. In the course of working through the crisis together, mutual trust between China and other regional countries has become a deeply ingrained belief and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides has grown in a steady and comprehensive way, ushering in a new era of Asia-Pacific development. China and other Asia-Pacific countries have conducted close political contacts, established partnerships in various forms and maintained frequent high-level visits and exchanges. In the first half of this year alone, there were over 50 highlevel mutual visits between China and other Asian countries. The good- neighborly relations between China and its neighboring countries have strengthened. China has been actively involved in mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries in the region in trade, investment, finance, hi-tech, new energy, energy conservation, environmental protection, infrastructure connectivity and FTA building. This has injected strong impetus into regional economic development and presented enormous business opportunities to all countries. China is the largest export market for other Asian countries, the biggest trading partner of ASEAN, Japan, the ROK, India and Australia, and has become the largest source of investment for many countries in the region. China has stepped up its assistance to and personnel and technical training for other countries in the region with a view to promoting common development and common progress. The people-to-people exchanges between China and other Asia- Pacific countries have deepened. Last year, China co-hosted with relevant countries the China-Pakistan Year of Friendship, the China-India Year of Exchange and activities marking the 20th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue partnership. China held the Asian cultural cooperation forum and the Asian art festival, and received a large number of Japanese and Indian youth. These activities were warmly received by relevant countries and regions and have tremendously boosted the friendship between the Chinese people and people of other countries in the region. Exchanges between China and the relevant countries are in full swing. China has established in Asia more than 100 Confucius institutes and Confucius classes, set up cultural centers in the ROK, Japan and Mongolia, and hosted a large number of Asian students. China has played an active part in advancing regional cooperation, and made important contribution to its development. In the first half of this year, China successfully hosted the China- Japan-ROK leaders meeting and the first China- Japan-ROK consultation on Asian policies, promoting new progress in the trilateral cooperation. China sticks to the East Asian cooperation architecture with ASEAN playing a central role, 10+1 as the basis, 10+3 as the main channel and the EAS as an important supplement. China has worked for new headway in 10+1 and 10+3 cooperation in economy, trade, finance, food security and people-to-people exchanges. China

20 18 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 has steadily advanced its practical cooperation with SAARC and appointed its representative to SAARC. China has actively promoted trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region and supported building APEC into an important regional platform for business cooperation. China has taken an active part in regional security cooperation, worked hard to facilitate peaceful resolution of regional hotspot issues, actively participated in efforts to meet nontraditional security challenges and played an important role in upholding regional peace and stability. China has played an active role in advancing the Six-Party Talks process for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and made unremitting efforts to maintain peace and stability in Korean Peninsula and to promote longterm peace and stability in Northeast Asia. China has been actively involved in Afghanistan s reconstruction and supported the country in achieving stability and development. It is China s consistent position that disputes over the sovereignty of some islands and delimitation of some waters in the South China Sea should be peacefully settled by the parties directly concerned through negotiations, and that pending the settlement of the disputes, the parties concerned may put aside their differences and engage in joint development. In 2002, China and ASEAN countries signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. In 2011, China and ASEAN countries reached agreement on the guidelines for the implementation of the DOC, and launched practical cooperation under the DOC framework. China has set up the China-ASEAN maritime cooperation fund and is ready to carry out with ASEAN practical cooperation in maritime connectivity, marine scientific research and environmental protection, safety of navigation, search and rescue and fighting transnational crime to build up mutual trust and expand common interests. Facts have shown that China has been committed to promoting enduring peace, mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. China will always be a good neighbor, good friend and good partner for other Asia-Pacific countries, and contribute more to building a peaceful, growing, prosperous and harmonious Asia-Pacific region. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Meets with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton On 12 July 2012, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Phnom Penh, Cambodia during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meetings. Yang Jiechi said that since the beginning of this year, China-US relations have continued to make progress. President Hu Jintao and

21 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY President Obama had two successful summits in Seoul, ROK and Los Cabos, Mexico. Vice President Xi Jinping paid a successful visit to the United States. The Fourth Round of Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the Third Meeting High-level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange produced fruitful results. The two sides have reiterated their commitment to build a China-US cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit and agreed to explore ways to develop a new type of relationship between them as two major countries. This has set the direction for the growth of China-US relations for now and in the long term. The Chinese side stands ready to work together with the United States to continue to implement the agreement reached between the two heads of state, maintain and strengthen dialogue, coordination and cooperation in the bilateral, Asia-Pacific and global context, constantly expand common ground, respect each other, properly handle differences and sensitive issues and reflect the spirit of building a new type of relationship between major countries in all aspects of China-US relationship, thus advancing the relationship along a healthy and steady track. Yang Jiechi said that the Asia-Pacific region is where the interests of China and the United States are the most intertwined and where the two countries have the most frequent interaction. China and the United States should put in place a sound pattern of interaction in the Asia Pacific that features win-win cooperation. China hopes that the United States will respect the interests and concern of China and other countries in the region. China stands ready to keep close communication with the United States on Asia-Pacific affairs through such channels as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the Consultations on Asia- Pacific Affairs, push forward regional cooperation, and facilitate the sound growth of various regional institutions for cooperation. Clinton said that the United States is committed to developing a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship with China. The US-China relationship has great importance. A good bilateral relationship is not only in the interests of both countries, but also important for the region. The two sides have established numerous mechanisms for interaction such as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, and their enhanced cooperation in the Asia Pacific will send out a positive signal. The US side appreciates the constructive role played by China on major international and regional issues and stands ready to further step up communication and coordination with the Chinese side so as to seek new progress in bilateral relationship and in regional cooperation. The two sides reviewed their cooperation carried out in the Asia-Pacific region in disaster relief, science and technology, climate change, energy policy, forest management and other fields, and reached agreement in principle to further conduct cooperation in such fields as wildlife protection, disease control and fishing management. They agreed to have the fourth round of Consultations on Asia-Pacific Affairs in September or October this year. The two sides also exchanged views on Middle East and other international and regional issues.

22 20 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 On the Asia-Pacific and Sound China-US Interaction in the Region-Luncheon Presentation by Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center 5 July, 2012 President Alice Meng, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, I am delighted to join the Asia Society Hong Kong Center and meet and talk with all of you. I was invited to attend and speak at a function sponsored by the Asia Society a few years ago when I was Chinese ambassador to Japan. Over the years, the Asia Society Hong Kong Center has done a great deal in promoting exchanges between the East and the West and facilitating mutual understanding in the Asia-Pacific region. I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Asia Society Hong Kong Center for what you have done. Hong Kong has just celebrated the 15th anniversary of its return to the motherland. President Hu Jintao was here just days ago for the celebration and the inauguration of a new SAR government. The president applauded the progress Hong Kong has made on various fronts and expressed full confidence in a better future of Hong Kong. The course of Hong Kong s development has always coincided with the tremendous changes of China in its modern history. Hong Kong s cession over a century ago, its return to the motherland 15 years ago, and Hong Kong s prosperity today, together with the vigorous growth of the motherland, all bear witness to the historical process in which the Chinese nation has moved away from the brink of collapse and embarked on a path of revival. What Hong Kong has accomplished in the last 15 years makes a compelling example of the enormous success of one country, two systems, and speaks in a unique way to the strong vitality of peaceful development, to which China is committed. Fifteen years ago, shortly after Hong Kong s return, the Asian financial crisis broke out. Many people were doubtful as to whether Hong Kong would survive the crisis, whether China would stand up to the challenge and whether the Asian Miracle would continue. Fifteen years have passed. Neither Hong Kong nor China or the entire Asia has gone under. Instead, we have braved the storms, demonstrated fresh vitality, made new headway and found new paths of development. Despite the impact of the recent international financial crisis, Asia has remained a bright spot and served as a growth engine for the world economy. The topic of Asia s rise is now popular in all regions of the world. Asia, a continent that has nurtured splendid

23 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY civilizations in human history, that was once left behind in the wave of industralization and endured untold humiliation and hardships in modern times, is writing its success story. As a Chinese, and as an Asian, I cannot feel more proud. Asia s development has benefited from the diligence and talent of the Asian people, from the profound traditions rooted in Asia s civilizations and from the concerted efforts of all countries in the region. Most important, Asia has maintained peace and stability on the whole, and countries in Asia have been active in searching for development paths suitable to national conditions. We all are willing to engage each other in cooperation for common development. On our way ahead, there might still be challenges, but the opportunities will outweigh challenges. I am confident that Asia will tap into opportunities and achieve even greater development in the next 10 to 15 years. Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, To sustain development in Asia and even the broader Asia-Pacific, countries in this region need to pursue closer cooperation, maintain a peaceful and stable regional environment, establish partnerships for mutually beneficial cooperation, and work to ensure a bright vision of development and prosperity. Throughout the years, China has always acted for enduring peace, mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity in the Asia- Pacific. China s security and development is closely linked with the Asia-Pacific region, and China s own growth contributes to regional security and development. China has worked actively to promote the peaceful resolution of regional hotspot issues. China helped initiate the Six-Party Talks process, participated in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and supported the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) s move towards preventive diplomacy on the basis of confidence building, thus playing a unique and important role in upholding peace and stability in the region. China s reform, opening up and fast economic growth have lent strong impetus to regional economic development and offered huge business opportunities to other countries. The launch of the China-ASEAN free trade area and China-Japan-ROK cooperation have all given a strong boost to regional economic integration. China is the biggest trading partner of ASEAN, Japan, ROK, India and Australia and the biggest source of investment for many countries in the region. Regarding the Asia-Pacific, China s intention is transparent, its policy constructive and its approach inclusive. In the security aspect, we believe countries should build mutual trust and seek common security. China never aspires to be THE power in the region. Nor does China approve of such attempt by other countries. Security at the expense of others will only make us all less secure. Economically, China is committed to common development and prosperity of all countries in the region and beyond. China has never tried to succeed alone. In fact, we don t think that any country can really succeed alone. On regional affairs, we maintain that regional affairs should be handled by countries in the region through consultations and we respect the role of ASEAN as being the driver in East Asia cooperation. China has never coveted dominance on regional affairs and we don t think anyone should ever try to. What needs to be pointed out is that the Asia- Pacific is a vast region. Countries in and outside the region have close links and extensive interests here, hence the great diversity of the region and strong interdependence among the countries. Such characteristics should and can be translated into cooperation opportunities and growth dynamism. We respect the reasonable presence and interests of various parties in the region and we welcome constructive contribution from all parties. For China, an Asian country located on the Pacific

24 22 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 coast, the Asia-Pacific is our home and our root. We hope that the legitimate rights and interests as well as due responsibilities of China both on land and in the sea are fully respected. What China seeks in the Asia-Pacific is equal partnership for cooperation. What China commits to build is an open and inclusive regional architecture. And what China wants to see is sound interactions among countries. We believe this serves not only China s national interests but the common interests of all countries. In this context, whether China and the United States can interact in a sound manner in the Asia- Pacific naturally becomes a focus of attention. China and the United States are located on the two sides of the Pacific Ocean. The two countries have more overlapping interests and more frequent interactions in the Asia-Pacific than anywhere else. Their regional policies and interactions have a major bearing on the development and stability of the region and are taken very seriously by both sides. President Hu Jintao and President Obama held their 12th official meeting last month during the G20 Summit in Los Cabos. The two presidents reaffirmed the commitment to jointly building a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit and exploring ways to build a new type of relationship between major countries. China and the United States may begin their endeavor of building a new type of relationship between major countries here in the Asia-Pacific. And I believe that the success or failure of such endeavor really hinges on the region. The two sides should work together to explore patterns of positive interaction in the Asia-Pacific that features peaceful coexistence, healthy competition and win-win cooperation. Success in this regard will not only mean success in building a new type of relationship between major countries but also make important contribution to peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific. In fact, the two sides have already reached important agreement on how China and the United States should get along with each other in the Asia-Pacific, and that was literally made clear in the China-US Joint Statement released during the state visit by President Hu Jintao to the United States in January last year. What needs to be done now is to truly implement the consensus on the ground. Along this line, we will work with the US side and do the following: The first is to nurture mutual trust. Building mutual trust is a two-way process that requires sustained and serious efforts by both sides. Each should view the other side s strategic intentions in an objective and rational manner, and take concrete steps so as to forge a virtuous cycle of mutual trust and cooperation with the two being mutually reinforcing. China and the United States are shaping each other s Asia-Pacific policies. If one takes the other as a genuine partner, one will get a partner indeed. Secondly, the two sides need to have candid communication. Sound, steady and sustained growth of China-US relations are important to the two countries, the region and the world at large. Meanwhile, China-US relations are highly complex and new issues will keep emerging. The two sides need to have candid communication, make their interests and concerns clear to each other and find new ways and new measures to address the issues. Over the past three years or more, China and the United States have been engaged in candid and in-depth discussions on the regional situation, their respective Asia-Pacific policies and regional hotspot issues through such channels as leaders meetings, the Strategic and Economic Dialogues, Strategic Security Dialogue and the Consultations on the Asia-Pacific. The two countries have maintained close communication and coordination in regional multilateral settings such as the Asia- Pacific Economic Leaders Meeting, the East Asia Summit and the ARF. And the two countries have had useful discussions on how they can get along with each other in the Asia-Pacific region. We applaud all this and we hope that the two sides

25 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY will continue to make good use of these communication channels. Third, the two sides need to expand cooperation. China and the United States have extensive common interests in the Asia-Pacific. Both sides hope to see economic growth and greater trade and investment facilitation in the region. And both sides hope to see peace and stability continue to prevail in the region and relevant hotspot issues being brought under control. Both need to tackle the challenges of terrorism, piracy, transnational crimes and pandemics and both stand to benefit from the sound development of regional mechanisms and win-win regional cooperation. There is a lot that the two sides can do together. Fourth, the two sides need to properly manage differences. China and the United States are different in history, culture, development stages and social systems. It is just natural for them to have disagreements, colliding interests and different approaches in some regional affairs. China-US relations are now mature enough that the two sides can not only focus on their commonalities but also, and more importantly, approach their differences correctly. The two sides should both take a more open, accommodating and positive stance. They should list their differences candidly, and manage and resolve such differences through level-headed and pragmatic discussions. They should identify shared interests and the biggest common divisor in bilateral relations, and remove obstacles that might hinder sound interactions between China and the United States in the Asia-Pacific. In June last year, China and the United States formally launched the Consultations on the Asia- Pacific under the framework of the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogues. In less than one year, US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and I have co-chaired three consultations. The frequency is rarely seen in the over 60 dialogue and consultation mechanisms between China and the United States. In the consultations, the two sides have had candid and in-depth dialogue on a wide range of topics including the situation in the Asia- Pacific, their respective policies and interactions in the region, regional cooperation mechanisms and hotspot issues. This has increased mutual understanding, expanded common ground and facilitated cooperation between the two sides. What has happened shows that China and the United States have the capability and wisdom to ensure sound interactions in the Asia-Pacific. In a few days time, the ASEAN-plus foreign ministers meetings will be convened in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Foreign ministers of the participating countries will gather to discuss ways for upholding peace and stability and advancing development and prosperity in the region. Now that the world economic recovery remains fragile and development and cooperation in East Asia is drawing increasing attention, China is ready to work with all participating countries, including the United States, in a spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving differences, to actively explore concrete measures to deepen mutual trust among various parties, consolidate the growth momentum of the regional economy and strengthen regional security cooperation, so as to jointly uphold the sound environment of peace, stability and prosperity in the region. Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, Hong Kong has a special role to play in serving as a bridge in China-US exchanges. There are now over 1,200 American companies based in Hong Kong and more than 60,000 US citizens living and working here. Over the past two years, Hong Kong has become the fastest growing export market for the United States. I don t know whether you have noticed that Mr. Zhang Yesui, the master of the handover ceremony of Hong Kong s return in 1997, is now serving as China s Ambassador to

26 24 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 the United States. This coincidence shows, in its own way, Hong Kong s unique connection with China-US relations. Hong Kong s continued prosperity and stability serves the interests of China, the United States and other countries in the Asia-Pacific. We welcome the United States and other countries to continue to enhance exchanges and cooperation with Hong Kong. We believe that when everyone acts in a way that contributes to Hong Kong s stability and development, it will make Hong Kong, the pearl of the East, shine even brighter. We hope that sound interactions between China and the United States in the Asia-Pacific will become a strong pillar to underpin the new type of major-country relationship between China and the United States. We also hope that Hong Kong will join other places of the motherland and continue to witness such an unprecedented historic project that will bring benefit to people for generations to come. Thank you very much. III. SOUTH CHINA SEA ISSUE Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the South China Sea Issue In response to the remarks by some countries about the South China Sea issue at the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi explained China s position on the issue. Yang pointed out that China s sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters is supported by ample historical and legal evidence. Yet given the complexity of the South China Sea issue, China has always called for shelving disputes and seeking joint development. China and ASEAN countries had candid discussions and reached broad consensus on the South China Sea issue 20 years ago and signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in Phnom Penh ten years ago. An important principle of the DOC is to let sovereign states directly concerned resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means through friendly consultations and negotiations. Parties agreed to work, on the basis of consensus, towards the eventual formulation of a code of conduct in the South China Sea (COC). China is open to launching discussions on COC on the basis of full compliance with the DOC by all parties. What is essential is that all parties exercise self-restraint in keeping with the spirit of the DOC, and refrain from taking moves that will escalate and complicate the disputes and affect peace and stability. China hopes that all parties will do more to enhance mutual trust, promote cooperation, and create necessary conditions for the formulation of COC. Yang said that China is a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and places importance on upholding the principles and purposes of the Convention. The Convention states at the very outset the desirability of establishing, with due regard for the sovereignty of all States, a legal order for the seas and oceans. This means that the Convention has not given itself the authority to change the territory of countries and that it cannot be cited as the basis for arbitration in territorial disputes between countries. Countries concerned should first resolve their territorial disputes over the Nansha Islands and, on that basis, proceed to resolve the issue of

27 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY maritime delimitation in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, the UNCLOS included. Yang said that the South China Sea is an important shipping route. China is a big trading nation, and 60% of China s external trade goes through the South China Sea. Therefore, China attaches great importance to the freedom and safety of navigation in the South China Sea. Last November, China and Indonesia co-hosted in China the Workshop on Maintaining Freedom and Safety of Navigation in the South China Sea. China has taken an active part in the Cooperative Mechanism in the Straits of Malacca and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia and set up the Maritime Consultation Mechanism with ASEAN countries. China will continue to work closely with the littoral countries to ensure smooth sea lanes in the South China Sea. Countries in the region should make better use of the convenience brought about by the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea to strengthen connectivity and facilitate trade and mutually beneficial cooperation between regional countries and countries outside the region. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Huangyan Island In response to the remarks by some individual country on the Huangyan Island incident at the ARF Foreign Ministers Meeting, Foreign Minister Yang pointed out that Huangyan Island has always been part of the Chinese territory and is not a disputed island. It is very clear how the incident came about. The Chinese people were shocked and surprised by the Huangyan Island incident. The Philippine side sent a naval vessel to hurt the Chinese fishermen on China s territory. What they did caused wide concern and strong indignation among the Chinese people. China urges the Philippine side to face facts squarely and not to make trouble. Facts and Truths about the Huangyan Island Incident June 2012 The question of sovereignty over the Huangyan Island has never been in doubt or under dispute for centuries. Even until 2011, maps officially published in the Philippines marked Huangyan Island as outside the Philippine territory. The attempt by the Philippines to lay claims over China s Huangyan Island on shaky grounds clearly violates the fundamental norms governing international relations, which calls for the respect of territorial integrity of a state. It will also leave a lasting negative impact on the stability of the international order. The recent incident over the Huangyan Island was provoked by the Philippines and came as a total shock for us in China. On 10 April, twelve Chinese fishing boats operating as usual in the lagoon of the Huangyan Island were blocked by a naval ship of the Philippines. The Philippine armed personnel boarded four of the Chinese fishing boats, took photos, questioned the fishermen, and even forced them to stand under the scorching sun for two hours without tops. China refrained from

28 26 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 sending naval ships to the scene, and instead sent administrative vessels to provide protection to Chinese fishermen. The Chinese side also made diplomatic representations to the Philippine side, and requested the withdrawal of Philippine vessels from the waters of China s Huangyan Island. China s hope and objective was to solve the incident through bilateral talks. To give diplomacy a chance, all Chinese fishing boats left the waters of Huangyan Island from 13 April until 9 May. However, such good-will was not reciprocated. Instead, the Philippine side took a series of actions to escalate and complicate the situation. It unilaterally severed diplomatic contact with the Chinese Embassy in Manila for 14 days and resorted to Megaphone Diplomacy. Highranking officials of the Philippine government kept making tough comments, whipping up nationalistic sentiments among the Philippine people. Anti-China demonstrations were encouraged both in the Philippines and overseas. The Philippines also tried hard to push ASEAN member states and countries outside the region such as the United States, to support its claims visà-vis China, fuelling the tense atmosphere in the region. According to the Philippine side, it had the backing and even assistance from some countries. What s more, a vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard with armed STF personnel onboard was positioned outside the Huangyan Island lagoon, and a vessel belonging to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines with armed personnel on board anchored inside the lagoon. Personnel from the Fishery Administration vessel planted bamboo poles on the rocks and released floating balls on the waters inside the lagoon, disturbing fishing activities by Chinese fishermen. When some Chinese fishermen tried to clear these obstacles, they were intimidated at gunpoint by people onboard the Philippine government vessel. Chinese vessels and the people onboard were under constant threat from the Philippine vessels, and that China s Huangyan Island faces the danger of invasion and occupation. The Chinese side exercised maximum restraint in the face of repeated provocations by the Philippine side. China reacted not by sending naval ships to the scene, but by only government vessels to keep on proper alert. The aggressive conduct of the Philippine side has inevitably affected the bilateral relations between China and the Philippines. The tough-worded rhetoric, the violation of China s sovereignty, the inhumane treatment of Chinese fishermen, and the fanning of anti-china sentiments have caused much concern and outrage among the Chinese people. As a natural result, they didn t want or dare to travel to the Philippines. Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China never issued travel warnings about the Philippines, tourism agencies in China, out of business or personal safety concerns, made arrangements to suspend travel to the Philippines. And as early as in March this year, the Chinese quarantine authorities notified its Philippine counterpart that insects harmful to human health had been found in the tropical fruits exported to China from the Philippines and called on the Philippine side to take measures to address the problem, to no avail. Under the new circumstances, the Chinese market reacted negatively to the importing of Philippine fruits. It must be made clear that the Chinese government has not issued a ban on such imports. As a matter of fact, there has been a continuous daily flow into the Chinese market of large quantities of fruits from the Philippines that meet local Chinese quarantine requirements, far more than those that are not admitted because of quarantine problems. Nevertheless, even under such a difficult situation, the Chinese side continued to reach out to the Philippine side. We have kept various channels of communications open with the Philippine side. We urged it to reflect on its mistakes, give clear and consistent messages and create necessary conditions for the improvement of relations with China in sincerity and through

29 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY concrete actions. Under the unremitting efforts of the Chinese side, Philippine leaders started to soften their rhetoric. The Philippine side resumed contact with the Chinese Embassy in Manila. The President of the Philippines adopted measures aimed at improving relations and de-escalating the situation. Special envoys on Chinese Affairs were appointed. A new Ambassador to China was nominated, and the plan of the Philippine retired military officer to land on the Huangyan Island and plant a Philippine national flag was called off. On 3 June, the vessel of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, which had been staying inside the lagoon for weeks, came out. During all this time, there was no Chinese government vessel inside the lagoon until 30 May and two boats went into it when the Chinese fishermen were subjected to armed intimidation by the Philippine vessel. They left the lagoon on 5 June after doing some cleaning-up operations. However, an armed Philippine Coast Guard vessel and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel still remained outside the lagoon and often sent light boats or speed boats to approach the mouth of the lagoon. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel even made attempts to enter the lagoon again. The Chinese side has to keep alert on the sea. On 16 June, the Philippine side withdrew its two vessels from the waters of the Huangyan Island due to the approaching Typhoon season. Along with the easing of the situation, the Chinese side relocated some of the governmental vessels. The repeated provocations of the Philippine side have caused deep concern on the part of China for the security of the Huangyan Island. While the number of government boats has decreased, the need remains to keep constant alert in the Huangyan Island area against further incidents. In the 21 st century, no country would or should condone any other country s arbitrary designation of new territory, otherwise international rules and norms would be seriously compromised. Although China-Philippines relations have been in difficulties since the Huangyan Island incident, the channel of contact and communication between the two sides is now open and smooth and positive progress has been made. The bilateral relations are coming back into normal and the overall situation is improving. In recent days, senior officials of the Philippines have made statements to ease the tension. The Chinese side is relocating and reducing its deployment of government vessels in light of the situation in this area. Things have calmed down to a large extent. The Chinese side is making efforts for the early improvement of China-Philippines relations. Having no more such provocative acts would help. A Seafaring Strategy The Chinese Government made a strategic decision with far-reaching significance when it established Sansha City on June 21, The move solidifies China s sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and surrounding waters. It also shows the government s increased resolve to strengthen administrative management over the area, marking a symbolic milestone in China s development of the islands. Historic records show that China began to exercise administration over the islands as early as A.D It was the first country to discover and name the islets around Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha Islands and has since continued its administration over the region. Therefore, it is an indisputable fact that China possesses sovereignty

30 28 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 over the islands and the nearby waters. China has always pursued the principle of friendly relationships, peaceful coexistence and deepening ties with countries in the region. Despite some countries provocative behavior in the South China Sea in recent years, the Chinese Government has adopted a rational attitude, with a commitment to avoiding deteriorating conditions over the disputes and fostering a positive atmosphere of peaceful development among relevant countries. China is not willing to see turmoil in the region. But, this does not mean that China will concede on the issue of sovereignty. The establishment of Sansha is within China s right, and this will not be dissuaded by others. With the existence of the administrative body, followup economic planning, ocean protection, resource development and even a military presence will be put into place. These are the steps the Sansha Municipal Government must play to exert tangible management over the region. The development of Sansha will be a big issue facing China. A prosperous and harmonious local society is helpful in safeguarding peace in the South China Sea area. Extensive development planning and basic infrastructure construction are necessary for the smooth operation of the local government. Establishing Sansha City marks a turning point for China s policy in the South China Sea. It shows that China is moving forward confidently in the face of future uncertainties. It should be stressed that, on the precondition of protecting sovereignty, China is committed to maintaining regional peace, cooperation and common development. Sansha by the Sea China sets up a city to govern the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha islands and their surrounding waters in the South China Sea by Lan Xinzhen There are nearly 300 cities in China. On June 21, the Chinese Government added another to that list. Sansha is the smallest city in China- it s also one of the most controversial, located in the politically sensitive South China Sea whose surrounding countries make overlapping sovereignty claims on the area. A statement released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on June 21 said that the city will govern the Xisha (Paracel), Zhongsha and Nansha (Spratly) islands and their adjacent waters. The Sansha Municipal Government will be seated on Yongxing Island of the Xisha Islands. The city has jurisdiction over an area of more FISHING GROUND: Fishermen try to make a catch in water surrounding the Xisha Islands on May 6, 2012 (HOU JIANSEN)

31 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY than 2 million square km, most of which is water. National Strategy Sansha is part of China s administrative plan and long-term strategy on the South China Sea issue, said Li Guoqiang, Deputy Director of the Research Center for Chinese Borderland History and Geography at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. In November 2007, the State Council approved plans for Sansha. The plan was proposed by the Hainan Provincial Government, which previously held jurisdiction over the region. China is the first country to discover, name and exercise sovereignty over the islands and their adjacent waters. The People s Republic of China set up a county-level administration office governing the area in In 1988, Hainan Province was established, and the administrative office was put under its auspices. A spokesperson of the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on June 21 that the founding of Sansha will help improve China s administrative management in the area, promote its future development and protect the waters of the South China Sea. In its 50-plus years of history, the administrative office had fulfilled its responsibilities, yet its functions were no longer compatible with the area s social and economic development, said Li. Qu Xing, Director of China Institute of International Studies, said that setting up Sansha City will not only strengthen China s governance over these South China Sea islands and waters, but also safeguard the country s sovereignty and marine rights and interests in the area. He said that Sansha will focus it routine work on marine environment protection, research and FISHERY ADMINISTRATION: China Fishery Administration Ship No. 311, the largest of its kind, departs from a port in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, for the Xisha Islands on March 10, 2009 (CFP) resource development. The Central Government and Hainan Provincial Government will provide necessary fiscal support to the city. Through these actions, the Chinese Government is exercising legitimate jurisdiction over South China Sea islands, Qu said. Sansha will also handle fishery disputes in the South China Sea and protect fishermen s personal and property safety. Investment Opportunities Like other cities, Sansha is bent on attracting investment to prop up its economy, improve people s livelihood, construct public utilities and improve social welfare, Li said. This is a very good opportunity for foreign enterprises to invest in the area, Li said. Foreign companies can seek approval from the Sansha Municipal Government to build factories or make other forms of investment to tap local resources according to relevant laws and regulations of the country, he said. The South China Sea has huge oil and natural gas reserves. Data from the Ministry of Land and Resources show that the area has more than 200 oil-gas-bearing structures and 180 oil-gas fields; it

32 30 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 has potential oil reserves of 55 billion tons and gas reserves of 20 trillion cubic meters. Li said that Sansha can attract companies to develop oil and natural resources, and foreign companies can do so by forming joint ventures with their Chinese partners. Technological breakthroughs in offshore drilling platforms and the new success of the Jiaolong submersible have demonstrated China s strength as a maritime power and its capacity to carry out offshore and deep water exploration and extracting. Tourism is also a focus of Sansha, said Li. In 2009, the State Council mentioned developing tourism in Xisha in its plan to build Hainan into an international tourism island. On June 25, the Hainan Provincial Bureau of Cultural Relics designated four reefs in the Xisha Islands as cultural heritage protection areas including the Beijiao Reef, the Huaguang Reef, the Yuzhuo Reef and the Yongle Reef. In cooperation with the Ministry of Public Security, the bureau will construct offshore monitoring platform and conduct routine law enforcement inspections to protect offshore cultural relics. Moreover, Hainan has already set up six marine ecological reserves in the area since The area may soon become a hot tourist destination. I am very optimistic about Sansha s tourism prospect, Li said. Rich in fishery resources, the South China Sea has been a traditional fishing ground of Chinese fishermen. The establishment of Sansha marks a milestone in the development of Hainan s marine economy, said Zhao Zhongshe, Director of the Department of Ocean and Fisheries of Hainan Province at an interview on June 24. Zhao said that Sansha will develop four types of fisheries, including marine fishing industry. He said that fishing grounds in the area can sustain a maximum catch of more than 2 million tons, whereas the current annual catch of Hainan Province is only around 80,000 tons, which promises big development potential. In addition, Sansha will develop deep-water net cage aquaculture, seedling industry and marine product processing industry. Each of the four fishery industries is very attractive to investors, Zhao said. Rough Waters Ahead Setting up Sansha City is a real political, economic, social and defense maneuver. Gong Shaopeng, a professor of international relations at China Foreign Affairs University, said that a lot of work needs to be done to set up a new city, such as setting up local government organizations, and holding elections for local legislative and political advisory bodies. And it will take a significant amount of time for Sansha to build its infrastructure, medical care and education systems, Gong said. IV. DOMESTIC AFFAIRS President Hu Attends HKSAR s 15th Anniversary Celebrations Hong Kong, July 1 (Xinhua) President Hu Jintao attended a gathering here for the 15th anniversary of Hong Kong s return to China and the swearing-in ceremony of the fourth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Sunday morning.

33 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY Hu, arriving in Hong Kong Friday, was present at the inauguration ceremony in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, overseeing Leung Chun-ying to be sworn in as the new HKSAR chief executive. Principal officials of the fourth-term HKSAR government and members of the Executive Council also took their oaths. The central government will unswervingly give its full support to the chief executive and government of the HKSAR in administering Hong Kong pursuant to law, while working with the local residents to maintain and promote the longterm prosperity and stability of the territory, Hu said at the ceremony. Hu said the central government will remain committed to the principles of one country, two systems, Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong and a high degree of autonomy, and tagged advancing the cause of one country, two systems as the shared mission of the central government and the government of the HKSAR. Leung, who is to turn 58 next month, said during the next five years of his tenure, he and his government will focus on addressing major issues, such as sustaining economic growth, expanding job opportunities, offering more public housing and other items concerning people s livelihood. Dressing in dark suit and red tie, Leung called his standing for election a humbling experience and vowed to honor the pledges he had made - to uphold justice, protect the rights of the people, safeguard the rule of law, clean government, freedom and democracy and take an inclusive approach towards different opinions and views. In spite of many challenges, Leung said the new HKSAR government could resolve the conflicts that exist in our society and clashes that may arise from different values or political ideologies. Tung Chee-hwa, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People s Political Consultative Conference who also served as the first HKSAR chief executive, and Leung s predecessor Donald Tsang were also present at the ceremony as witnesses. President Hu wrapped up his tightly-scheduled three-day trip after the ceremony. Before his departure, he met with Leung and the new leaders of the executive, legislative and judicial bodies of the HKSAR separately. Hu expressed confidence in Leung, believing he will lead the new HKSAR government to seek changes while preserving stability, unite the people of all sectors in Hong Kong and work together to further advance the city s development. While meeting principal officials of the fourth-

34 32 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 term HKSAR government, members of the Executive Council, president of the Legislative Council and chief justice of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong, Hu urged them to administer the city according to law, strictly abide by and implement the Basic Law while remaining honest and efficient. The celebrations on Sunday began with a flag-raising ceremony at the Golden Bauhinia Square, with an audience of some 3,000, including Tsang, Leung and principal officials of the HKSAR government. Premier Wen Says Stabilizing Growth is Top Priority Beijing, July 10 (Xinhua) Premier Wen Jiabao said Tuesday that stabilizing economic growth is the most pressing matter currently facing China. Policies and measures to stabilize economic growth currently include boosting consumption, diversifying exports and promoting investment, Wen said while meeting representatives from research institutes and companies on Monday and Tuesday. The emphasis on investment to shore up growth comes as the world s second-largest economy is being challenged with slumping external demand and low consumption at home. Wen said the structure, quality and cost-effectiveness of investment should be given greater importance, adding that investment should be used to improve livelihoods and help the country develop scientifically. China customs said Tuesday that exports rose 11.3 percent year on year to billion U.S. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) speaks during a meeting on the economic situation in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, Wen Jiabao presided over two meetings with representatives from research institutes and companies on the economic situation on Monday and Tuesday respectively in Beijing. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) dollars in June, slowing from 15.3 percent in May. Imports increased 6.3 percent to billion U.S. dollars, also down from the 12.7-percent growth registered a month earlier. As a developing nation, China needs to

35 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY maintain a certain level of economic growth so as to provide a foundation for economic and social development, as well as the improvement of people s livelihoods, the premier said. The country s economic growth expanded 8.1 percent in the first quarter of the year, marking the slowest quarterly growth in almost three years. Statistical authorities are scheduled to release economic growth data for the second quarter on Friday, with analysts expecting a growth rate of 7.5 percent. Wen reiterated the government s priority of stabilizing growth after the State Council, or China s Cabinet, first talked of prioritizing growth stability in May amid fears of decelerating growth in the coming months. Wen said that while internal and external economic factors are complicated, China needs to strengthen its confidence in stabilizing growth. Company representatives who met with the premier came from the auto, investment, commercial trade, logistics, e-commerce, new energy and real estate sectors. Wen said their opinions will help the central government create macroeconomic policies that better suit reality. Wen encouraged the enterprises to attach more importance to the research and development of new technology and the cultivation of newlyemerging industries. He said reforms for fiscal and financial policies should be carried out alongside efforts to stabilize growth. The country will continue to implement proactive fiscal policies with a focus on structural tax reductions in order to reduce tax burdens for small- and micro-sized firms, according to Wen. Wen also called for improved implementation of government guidelines to encourage private investment in state-monopolized sectors such as railways, municipal infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, health and education. Wen said economic restructuring and the transformation of China s economic growth pattern should be pushed forward so as to make economic growth more vigorous and sustainable. China s central bank announced surprise cuts in the benchmark interest rate for the second time in a month earlier this year to stabilize growth. China Persists in Restructuring Economy Amid Slowdown Beijing, July 6 (Xinhua) The amount of photovoltaic capacity installed in China will reach 21 gigawatts by 2015, four times more than that in the government s initial plan, local media reported citing sources from the National Energy Administration. Although the figure has yet to be confirmed, there is no doubt that the country is pouring investment into the new energy sector, especially the renewable energy resources. The government is trying to combine stimulus measures and restructuring efforts to reinvigorate the slowing economy. On the website of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), there are lists of all projects approved by the country s top economic planner. By June 20, a total of 1,500 projects had been approved, the data shows. Among the approved projects, new energy ones such as wind power and photovoltaic power generation account for a big proportion. Others include information engineering, high-end equipment, technical innovation, water conservation and poverty-relief projects. Energy saving and environmental protection are notably emphasized in new projects. For example, in the power sector, projects with big generating capacities are replacing those with

36 34 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 small capacities. Similar changes are happening in the metallurgy and building materials industries. Since the financial turmoil, the weaknesses of the Chinese economy its excessive dependence on external demand have been exposed. The country has realized that restructuring is needed, as problems have emerged in the country s economic development, including unreasonable industrial layouts, environment pollution and imbalanced regional growth. Right at this time, stabilizing growth has become the pressing concern. The slowing economic growth in China has aroused widespread concerns this year. Media reports, both at home and abroad, focus on the Chinese government s measures to stabilize growth. As the recent NDRC approvals show, government investment mainly went into fields that are promoted in the country s 12th Five-year Plan ( ). To spur economic growth, the government needs to moderately loosen its monetary policies. The central bank cut both the reserve requirement ratio and benchmark interest rates in the first half of this year. Though investment in the infrastructure sector has played an important role in stimulating economic growth over the years, this round of investment differs from the past. On May 30, the State Council, or China s cabinet, adopted a plan to boost the development of seven strategic emerging industries amid the country s economic slowdown. According to the plan, the strategic industries include energy-saving and environmental protection, information technology, biology, advanced equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials and new-energy vehicles. A lot of investment will be put into these industries. These new industries are key to China s economic restructure. They will contribute to solving a variety of problems such as low addedvalue in exported products, huge energy consumption, serious environmental pollution and labor shortages. Private investment also must play a role. China s state-dominated oil sector has started to make efforts to woo private capital. The China National Petroleum Corporation, a state-owned oil giant, has signed an investment framework agreement with investors, including the National Council for Social Security Fund (NCSSF), Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Fund (UICIF) and Baosteel Group Corporation, to jointly develop the country s third west-east natural gas transmission project. The NCSSF, which manages the country s social security funds, was launched in 2000 to serve as a coffer for social security expenditures, while the UICIF, initiated by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, is a platform for private investors to invest in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The government also pinned much of its hopes on consumption and demand growth, another major source for economic development. The coverage of a nationwide medical insurance and social security network is expected to help release the huge consumption potential among Chinese people. Besides, fiscal measures such as tax reduction and subsidies on the low-emission cars and new energy vehicles were also applied. In May, the government pledged to earmark 26.5 billion yuan (4.2 billion U.S. dollars) to subsidize the consumption of household electrical appliances for a one-year period. The move will not only stimulate consumption but also promote product upgrades. Regional imbalances serve as the follow-up dynamic. The country s western regions, which lag behind other areas in terms of average economic growth, host a large number of infrastructure projects. A number of power, mining, agriculture and high-tech programs have also been planned

37 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY for the west of the country. Projects approved so far this year show the government s intention to stabilize growth and promote reform at the same time. The ideal outcome is a more balanced and healthier economy. A Timely Decision As China s economy undergoes a relatively sluggish state, the Chinese Government s timely decision to promote the development of an environmentally-friendly circular economy will bring new opportunities for domestic economic growth. China is now at a critical point of rapid industrialization and urbanization. On one hand, it is working to accelerate economic development. On the other hand, it is facing challenges in energy conservation, environmental protection and so on. Under these circumstances, promoting economic structure adjustment and the transformation of our economic growth mode is an important measure. After a seven-year trial, the conditions have formed for China to develop a circular economy, which refers to a system wherein the materials of production circulate in a renewable manner without harming the environment. It has already become a consensus in Chinese society to follow a green and low-carbon road of development. A series of policies and regulations have been set up, leading to industrial breakthroughs in new technologies and deepening the concept of green consumption in people s minds. China s objective of developing a circular economy is to avoid the traditional economic growth model of high consumption, high pollution and low efficiency, and instead to take a new road of industrialization to solve environmental problems. Therefore, the road to a circular economy starts in the industrial area. It is estimated that the circular economy s output value will reach 1.5 trillion yuan ($238 billion) in the next five years. This is an alluring big cake for many investors at home and abroad. But, before sharing the cake, we must realize that China is at a stage of rapid industrialization. There are no fundamental changes in its extensive economic growth mode, which means China s economic development will have to go through a stage of huge resource consumption. Thus, resources should be more effectively used and efforts should also be made to reduce waste. We must change the policy of solely targeting GDP growth. The governments at various levels need to take circular economy, overall development, coordinated development and sustainable development as important tools in working out economic development planning. Given the situation that some local governments tend to neglect environmental protection due to the pressure of economic growth and employment demand, the current administrative management system in terms of environmental protection needs to be reformed to combat interference from local protectionism. Meanwhile, China needs to strengthen its cooperation with the rest of the world. We still lag behind developed countries in the area of technology. Absorbing advanced circular economic technologies to update our own industries is a win-win decision.

38 36 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 An Integrated Industrial Mode Shows Promise in Fighting Against Desertification A biomass thermoelectric project s successes in combating desertification in China s Maowusu Desert drew much attention at the Third Intersessional Meeting of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) on March 26. Scientists from China introduced their efforts to combat desertification, reduce carbon emissions and improve people s livelihoods at a side event concerning the sustainable development of Inner Mongolia. The symposium was cosponsored by China s State Forestry Administration, the Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Inner Mongolian Maowusu Biomass Thermoelectric Co. The Chinese Government has made outstanding achievements over the past several years by means of planting trees, with the Maowusu project as one of the successful cases, said Sha Zukang, UN Undersecretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, and Secretary General of Rio+20 of the UNCSD. The project made great efforts in dealing with global climate change, shouldering social responsibility and developing green economy, and its experiences are worth learning from, added Sha. French botanist Andre Aubréville coined the term desertification to describe the process by which fertile land becomes desert. Since the 1990s, the issue has drawn attention from scientists and the governments of many countries. The UN has convened many special conferences to discuss methods of preventing this form of land degradation, which is often caused by inappropriate agricultural methods, overgrazing, climate change and soil erosion. MOUNTAINS OF SAND: The photo shows tamarisks planted on the edge of the Maowusu Desert in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, to prevent desertification (WU LUMING) In 1992, the UN Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, where representatives of countries worldwide discussed specific ways to implement sustainable development. One of the outcomes of that summit was the adoption of Agenda 21, the UN action plan for the 21st century. It is a comprehensive blueprint of action to be taken globally, nationally, and locally by the UN, governments, and major organizations in every area in which humans directly affect the environment. In October 1994, representatives of countries in the world adopted United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. In the convention, desertification was defined as land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Currently, one third of the world s landmass are threatened by desertification, resulting in an increasingly austere impact on society, economy and environment. Many countries list

39 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY desertification and land degradation as a challenge to long-term social and economic development. China has the largest area of land affected or threatened by desertification in the world according to the State Forestry Administration. By the end of 2009, the country had 2.62 million square km of degraded or degrading land, and 1.73 million square km of desertified land, as well as 310,000 square km land showing an apparent tendency toward desertification. largest deserts in China. Uxin Banner in southern Inner Mongolia is located in the center of Maowusu. Covering an area of 11,645 square km, Uxin is a region where 94.8 percent of land is Challenges There has long been a dispute on methods to combat desertification and relations between desertification control and sustainable development. A surprisingly large portion of sandy areas in the world contain water, and only 50 cm beneath the surface of most deserts, the humidity content is around 5 percent. Far from being dead wastelands, desert ecosystems typically contain enough water to support plant growth. Planting trees is a common method to fight against desertification, said Li Jinglu, General Manager of the Maowusu Biomass Thermoelectric Co. However, maintaining the shrubs requires significant investments, a big challenge, as shrubs need constant cutting to survive, according to Li. Planting trees is only the beginning. A fundamental way to protect desert ecosystems is to perform maintenance on the trees every three or four years to keep them alive, otherwise, the efforts will be in vain, Li said. Green areas covered by trees a decade ago might degrade to their original state. Repay in Kind The Maowusu Desert, located between Yulin City in central China s Shaanxi Province and Ordos City in Inner Mongolia, is one of the four GREEN GREAT WALL: An aircraft spreading tree seeds on the southern edge of the Maowusu Desert last June (CHEN TUANJIE) affected by desertification. Combating soil erosion is a cruel fact of life the banner must face. The Maowusu Biomass Thermoelectric Co. is situated in Uxin, where Li has worked for nine years. The company operates a thermoelectric power plant using shrub trimmings as fuel. While harvesting energy from the combustion of biomass, the power plant also sequesters carbon dioxide emissions to cultivate spirulina, a type of algae that can be used as a nutritional supplement. In this way, a unique industrialized mode of fighting desertification has taken shape, producing environmentally friendly electricity, improve people s livelihoods and reducing emissions. This circular industrial system recycles carbon and uses sand to fight sand. The core to utilize new energy in desert area is to control desertification, said Li. The shrubs develop usable bush wood and require pruning in three to five years in order to flourish. This is a solution to combat desertification, develop biomass energy and materialize low-

40 38 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 carbon production and emission reduction, Li told Beijing Review. Maowusu s thermoelectric power project, put into operation in November 2008, has invested an average of 50 million yuan ($7.9 million) annually in late shrub maintenance, including an industrialized chain of planting, nursing, cutting, transporting and processing. The project created about 8,000 jobs, and increased the annual incomes of local herdsmen by more than 70 million yuan ($11 million). Industrial Role Model Su Zonghai, Undersecretary General of the China Green Carbon Foundation, analyzed the project s performance in the Beijing-based Forestry Economics magazine. Three-carbon economy [carbon absorption, carbon emission reduction and carbon sequestration], an industrialized mode to combat desertification, is not only a typical recycling economic mode, but also a new eco-economic development mode integrating well with forestry of carbon sinks, low-carbon economy, and ecological construction. The project, with a total investment of 500 million yuan ($79 million), has thus far-treated 24,000 hectares of desert; built a first-phase spirulina production item by using sequestered carbon dioxide emitted during electricity generation; and produced over 240 million kilowatt-hours of electricity with the 30,000-kilowatts thermoelectric plant. The company realized a production chain of planting trees to fight desertification and absorb carbon dioxide. Trimmings from those trees fuel the power plant, which traps carbon dioxide emissions which are in turn sequestered within the spirulina producing algae. The Maowusu project is considered an industry exploring the improvement of human environment, and a model item providing healthy food. The project exposed desert value as a resource, integrated human living environment with human health, and achieved sustainable development through an industrialized recycling chain process. Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of UN Convention to Combat Desertification, spoke highly of the Maowusu project at the symposium. He hoped the approach could be introduced as a good model for African and other developing countries and become a best practice globally to fight desertification. China s National Museum Celebrates Centennial In a congratulatory letter, Chinese President Hu Jintao spoke highly of the great achievements of the National Museum in collecting and protecting cultural relics, undertaking scientific research and hosting exhibitions. Hu also urged the museum to enrich its collections, strengthen its research and exhibition capabilities, expand international exchanges and make new achievements in building a country with cultural strength. Lying to the east of Tiananmen Square in central Beijing, the National Museum was founded BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) The centennial of China s National Museum was celebrated on Monday, as the country s top leaders called for more such promotion of Chinese culture.

41 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY in 1912 and now has a collection of more than 1.2 million pieces. It is the largest museum in the world in terms of the area of construction. Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, also attended the celebration, and awarded prizes to four experts in heritage for their outstanding achievements and contributions to academic research. Liu Yunshan, head of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, called for more government input to China s museums in a bid to help them better serve the people. V. TIBET TODAY Some Thoughts on Recent Self-Immolations in Tibetan Inhabited Regions Text by Sonam Rinchen and Nyudlia Araeva(USA) According to Buddhism, suicide is considered as one of the greatest sins and person committing suicide cannot be reborn in any world, he stays as a hungry ghost that can never find comfort. For Buddhists who aim for reaching Nirvana this is a hard way to reach the destination. Contemplating on the recent tragic events happening in Tibetan inhabited regions in China these days, numerous self-immolations of Tibetan Buddhist monks, nuns and lay people, cannot leave me, as a Tibetan, as a Buddhist and as a human being indifferent to the whole situation. There are several things that make me think and contemplate, first, how can Buddhist monks perform these non-buddhist acts and what is behind those acts; Second, what is the reaction of the Tibetan Buddhists leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama on these acts of self-immolation of the Tibetan people? To answer these questions, let us take a closer look at how these acts would fit into Buddhist teaching. According to Buddhism, suicide is considered as one of the greatest sins and person committing suicide cannot be reborn in any world, he stays as a hungry ghost that can never find comfort. For Buddhists who aim for reaching Nirvana this is a hard way to reach the destination. In this way these acts of selfimmolation are in conflict with the Buddhist teaching. The question arises; how can these acts be performed by Buddhists monks, then, who should know the law of karma very well. It is obvious that they are either desperate or are encouraged to do so? Looking at the situation in those Tibetan inhabited regions, I cannot find any obvious recent policy changes or other reasons that might cause this sort desperation. The Chinese policy in Tibet and other Tibetan inhabited regions has not changed to the worse, the economic and social situation in Tibet and other Tibetan inhabited regions is actually improving, people have access

42 40 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 to health care, education, there is plenty of food, people have economic opportunities, a lot of government funds are spent on preservation of unique Tibetan culture, people exercise religious freedom. For Tibetans in Tibet and other Tibetan inhabited regions, it has become easier to travel to India. Recent Kalachakra teaching attracted thousands of Tibetans. The only change that I am thinking of is that Dalai Lama s messages are now easier to Tibet and other Tibet inhabited regions, the Tibetans can listen to his speeches on Radio Free Asia and Norway Tibetan Radio. But what is Dalai Lama s take on the series of these events? Let us take a closer look at his comments and publicly expressed view regarding the matter. In his interview to the Indian news agency in Boddhgaya answering the question of a reporter why he does not advise the Tibetans to stop killing themselves Dalai Lama said that the Tibetan people in Tibet are the bosses and he cannot tell them what to do. In this way he is trying to say that he has no power over their actions. But he knows that they are performing those self-immolations out of their blind faith in him. His response that he has no influence on the people s actions in Tibet and other Tibetan inhabited regions is hypocritical and even cruel. It means letting Tibetans in Tibet and other Tibetan inhabited regions commit more and more self-immolations? Dalai Lama s response that he is not going to advise them to stop de-facto means his endorsement of those actions. At the same time he is trying to interfere by telling people not to practice Shugdgen. He even outlawed Shugden practice in India. Soon after he announced about his disapproval of Shugden practice Shugden monasteries in Tibet were attacked by his followers who destroyed numerous Shugden statues. He prohibited to admit Shugden practitioners into Tibetan public hospitals in India. He introduced the law to segregate Shugden people from other people. Who is he trying to kid? Is not he the boss? He succeeded in manipulating mass media both in the west and in Asia, as well as manipulating his fellow Tibetans and western powers. It is hard to believe that western media does not know the different messages that Dalai Lama is sending to the Tibetans and to western public regarding human rights. But somehow these media present only one face of Dalai Lama and fail to present his other face. It is not an unknown fact that Dalai lama has received his Nobel peace prize because the Chinese government oppressed the students on Tiananmen Square. He received U.S. Congress Golden medal as counter act against rising power of China. Or is Dalai Lama manipulated by western powers? A video uploaded to You Tube shows Dalai Lama s talk about the effect of prayer. When asked by someone in the audience to pray for world peace, Dalai Lama said that he was not a believer of prayer and actions were more important than prayers. Nevertheless, on January 4 during Kalachakra initiation he held a special prayer for the selfimmolated. Then he asked Kalon Tripa to honor those who self-immolated by reading aloud their names, ages and names of their hometowns. A special prayer followed meaning that those heroes were sent to heaven. Immediately 6 more people burned themselves. During the same Kalachakra initiation Dalai Lama met the Tibetans who came for the initiation from Tibet. Addressing the compatriots from Tibet he pointed out that the Tibetans in Tibet are suffering and have a very difficult life. Ideas about constant suffering in Tibet are put into people s minds to make them believe that they are really suffering. And the Chinese are to be blamed for it. At the same time, during meetings with U.S. presidents, from George Bush Sr. to George Bush Jr, Bill Clinton and Barak Obama, during the ceremony of receiving U.S. Congress Golden medal, he never asks U.S. leaders to help alleviate

43 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY the suffering of his people who, according to what Dalai Lama constantly says to Tibetans, suffer in Tibet. Dalai Lama never asks U.S. Government to help the Tibetan people to make it easier for them to get political asylum in the U.S. Hundreds of Tibetan immigrants are denied of political asylum by immigration authorities which makes them to allude to hiring immigration lawyers, stay illegally in the Chinese restaurants, etc. The Tibetans attempting to get a political asylum in the U.S. have to confront many obstacles starting from Dharamsala. The Tibetans coming to Dharamsala from Tibet undergo certain procedures and one of them is receiving an ID from the Tibetan Government. The ID is actually a so-called green book, it is a document that each adult Tibetan should have and which shows that the person owning the book supports the Tibetan administration in Dharamsala through paying taxes. The Tibetans usually pay for the green book a certain amount of money depending on how much taxes are due by the person getting the book. U.S. immigration authorities require presenting this green book from the Tibetans asking for a political asylum. Rules are rules and everyone should respect them. But what if the people having power, in this case, Dalai Lama s representative in New York, violate and abuse rules by selling the green book to non-tibetans, who are willing to pay more money...or more taxes? The only thing that Dalai Lama asks the U.S. leaders is to put pressure on China to let him go back to Tibet. With the intention to get more power and rule in Tibet? These are the questions that occur to me. While more and more Tibetans self-immolate, the Tibetan administration is raising more funds and Dalai Lama received more fame and international awards. No wonder Dalai Lama is laughing and smiling. Chinese Embassy in India Refutes Dalai Lama s Nonsense in His Interview with The Hindu On July 9, 2012, The Hindu published the interview with the Dalai Lama who tried to mislead the public on the issues of self-immolation, Middle Way, his reincarnation, etc. The Chinese Embassy sent a letter to the editor of The Hindu to refute the Dalai Lama s nonsense. On July 10, The Hindu published the letter, and the full text is as follows: Muddying the Waters The Dalai Lama refused to call self-immolations wrong in an interview published by The Hindu on July 9. Then readers may ask him what compassion really means to him. His prayers for those self-immolators amount to encouragement of the violent deed. As to autonomy, the Dalai Lama s views totally contradict the Chinese Constitution. Regional ethnic autonomy and the people s congress system are the norms for ethnic minorities to exercise autonomy. He advocates the Greater Tibet which is a legacy of the British imperialists to split China. It s against the Constitution too. No Tibetan living in Tibet Autonomous Region and autonomous prefectures buys his argument. With an ulterior motive, the Dalai Lama has been muddying the waters with regard to reincarnation. His disguised Tibet independence drive is doomed to failure.

44 42 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 China to Increase Train Services to Lhasa Xining, July 1 (Xinhua) China will increase passenger train services from major cities to Lhasa to cope with a travel surge that has rippled across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since a landmark railway opened six years ago, railway officials said Sunday. Trains will travel daily between Guangzhou, capital of south China s Guangdong province, and Lhasa starting from July 9, said Wang Tao, a spokesman for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company. Chengdu-Lhasa trains will soon follow the same schedule. Seven major Chinese cities currently have Lhasa-bound trains. All are expected to operate on a daily basis in the future, Wang said. Among them, Beijing, Shanghai and Xining already have daily trains to Lhasa. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway, spanning 1,956 km from Xining to Lhasa, has transported million passengers since going into operation on July 1, 2006, said Bao Chuxiong, general manager of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company. Bao said railway has become the first choice for most Tibet travelers. The number of Qinghai-Tibet Railway travelers has grown by about 10 percent annually, he said. Last year, it reached 10.6 million, up 65.6 percent compared to the figures from But the increase has strained railway operators, as there are not enough oxygenated trains to meet demand, said Ma Xiaojun, another official with the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company. Because of the low oxygen content on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, trains traveling on the railway have to use sealed and oxygenated train cars. Currently, all Lhasa-bound passengers board oxygenated trains from the departure city, but this arrangement will become impossible when all services are offered on a daily basis, Ma said. Starting this month, passengers on Guangzhou- Lhasa trains will need to switch from ordinary trains to oxygenated trains at the Xining railway station, just as they would transfer between flights in an airport, he said. The mass transfer, usually involving hundreds or even thousands of passengers, is really a scene to watch, the official said. The railway station operators have undergone many drills to be prepared. Railway officials said that if the transfers work properly, efforts to increase Lhasa-bound train services will be expedited so that people can easily ride a train to Tibet from any Chinese city connected to the country s railway network. Ji Kangping, a researcher with the Academy of Social Sciences in Qinghai, said the railway has become an important driver for the region s economy. The number of domestic tourists to Tibet has grown particularly fast in recent years, he said. According to the Tibet Tourism Bureau, the region received 8.6 million tourists last year, about

45 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY seven times the number received before the Qinghai-Tibet Railway opened. Tibet aims to attract 10 million tourists this year, with tourism revenues expected to reach 12 billion yuan (1.89 billion U.S. dollars), the local government said. Construction of 4.7-bln-USD Tibet Tourism Park Launched Lhasa, July 9 (Xinhua) Construction has begun on a 30-billionyuan (4.7 billion U.S. dollars) culture and tourism park in Lhasa, capital of southwest China s Tibet autonomous region. The park, with a planned area of 800 hectares 2 km from downtown Lhasa, is expected to be completed in three to five years, said Ma Xinming, deputy mayor of Lhasa city, as the building project launched on Sunday. The park is designed to improve Tibet s tourism credentials and be a landmark of its cultural industry, Ma said. It will include attractions themed around Princess Wencheng, daughter of Emperor Li Shimin of the prosperous Tang Dynasty ( A.D.), who married Tibetan King Songtsan Gambo when she was 16. The princess, along with a dowry consisting of numerous treasures, books, golden furniture and medical equipment, traveled 3,000 km to her new home. Visitors will be offered regular Wenchengbased outdoor performances named Princess Wencheng and other educational and entertainment facilities tracing the footsteps of the princess in Tibet. The actors featuring in Princess Wencheng will be sent to Beijing for rehearsals and will begin touring the show in late September. The culture and tourism park will also include an Art City, home to displays of Tibetan handicrafts and medicine, and a Folk City, where tourists can get a taste of local life and buy folk goods. Cultural innovation, business and residential districts will also be incorporated into the project. Biodiversity Survey Launched in Tibetan Forest Nyingchi, July 9 (Xinhua) A group of researchers and photographers have started a 15- day biodiversity survey in the virgin forest of southwest China s Tibet autonomous region. The team will use cameras to record endangered species in Lulang Forest of Nyingchi prefecture in the southeast of Tibet, an area known for its rich biodiversity including all major

46 44 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 vegetation of the northern hemisphere. We will trek to and around the Segrila Pass to take photos and notes of the plateau area s vegetation, birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, explained Xu Jian, head of the expedition team, on Sunday. Xu said he hoped their findings would prove helpful for the local nature reserve administration and forestry authorities in their future conservation efforts. The survey was co-sponsored by two nongovernmental organizations, the Biodiversity Image Survey to Tibet and the Images Bio-diversity Expedition. The two organizations carried out three similar biodiversity surveys in Tibet from 2010 to They recorded more than 850 wildlife species in the Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon and took photos of rare species including Zorotypus medoensis, a rarely seen insect, Asiatic wildcats and red gorals. The team also completed anthropological surveys in 10 local villages. An exhibition showcasing 120 photos of their travels has this year toured Beijing, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Shanghai and Chengdu. Journey From Hoh Xil to The Northern No-Man s Land in the Grassland of Tibet In the northern part of Tibet Autonomous Region and the western part of Qinghai Province, there is an extensive area which is currently the best-protected pristine eco-environment in the world. It is also one of the natural reserves created by China. Covering the biggest area at the highest altitude, this land also contains the richest resources. Named Hoh Xil, it is a completely unoccupied area of the northern Tibetan grassland (also it is named the Changtang Natural Reserve). The whole area is under the jurisdiction of Tibet Autonomous Region. In 1993, the local government of Tibet Autonomous Region approved the establishment of the Changtang Natural Reserve. On January 18th 1994, Sonam Dargye, the party secretary of the committee of the west region of Dritod County of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province, risked his life in the protection of Tibetan antelopes in Hoh Xil by fighting with 18 illegal hunters. On October 5th, 1995, to strengthen the protection of natural resources and the primitive eco-environment in which Tibetan antelopes are the main resource, the local government of Qinghai Province ratified Hoh Xil to be a provincial level natural reserve. In May 1996, the ground was broken for the first non-government natural eco-environmental

47 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY protection station, Sonam Dargye Natural Reserve, at Hoh Xil on the east flank of Mt. Kunlun. On September 10th, 1997, with the assistance of the local government, Sonam Dargye Natural Reserve was founded. In December 1997, the State Council ratified Hoh Xil Natural Reserve as a state-level Natural Reserve. In March 1999, Hoh Xil Budongquan Protection Station was established at the mountain pass of Mt. Kunlun. In April 2000, the State Council approved the upgrade of Changtang Natural Reserve to be a state-level natural reserve. In October 2005, Tuotuohe River Protection Station at the source of Yangtze River in Hoh Xil was founded. On June 12th, 2011, the newspaper Tibet Daily reported that the number Tibetan antelopes in Tibet Autonomous Region had increased to 150 thousand head. By New Year 2012, good news came from Qinghai Province: two surveillance systems had been installed at Wu Bei Bridge, Wudaoliang, in Hoh Xil Natural Reserve and Sonam Dargye Protection Station was in trial operation. Within ten years in the eco-environment of the desert area, while keeping abreast with my desperate ambition to find the meaning of life, I made several expeditions to Hoh Xil, as well as to the North Tibetan grassland. I went through the greatest challenges of my life while traveling to unforgettable places in comparison with my previous 40 journeys in Tibet. In May 1999, I first went to the spot that was located closest to the sky. Leaving from the town centre in Nagqu in the northern part of Tibet, our cars drove deep into the northern grassland. The weather during that season in inland China had already turned to spring, accompanied by the blossoming of flowers, but the northern grassland of Tibet, a wide and empty place, was still swept by strong winds. What a god-forsaken place! Gradually, as we went further and further far away from the urban area, my mind became a little more uncertain after the excitement of the very beginning. Before setting off I made comprehensive preparations: I brought tents, a sleeping bag, a feather coat, a flashlight and food. In particular, I borrowed a thick coat from friend. I thought this was more than enough for this journey, but just before left, I was told I needed to add more. When we first reached this area, we felt the greatest difficulty would be altitude sickness and catching cold. I was nervous about this and therefore I borrowed a quilt and cushion. The police force of Nagqu Forest Bureau designated 11 armed policemen to accompany us. On one hand, they guarded us for the sake of safety considerations; they led a patrol of the wildlife in the No-man s land on the other hand. With these companions I felt a little bit of safety. In the primitive wilderness of no-man s land, magnificent beauty is everywhere. The lakes, swamps, river and grassland give the desolate plateau a life and a vivid beauty. Such a special land cultivates and protects the rare wildlife inhabiting at the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, turning to the richest location of wildlife in terms of high concentration of various categories of animals and the biggest number of wildlife. Especially, the three big families amongst wildlife, Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and Tibetan Asses are the dominant life forms in this primitive and desolate land. On the second day after we set off, the weather suddenly turned to the worse. Strong wind, combined with snow, afflicted the land. Suddenly, the wildness was covered in snow. It was at the same time troubles began to bother us. Out of three cars, two were bogged in a marsh. Though we had made comprehensive preparations for coping with such a situation by taking various kinds of tools with us (to avoid being trapped)more than ten people worked together for some time but could not extricate the cars. After spending seven hours, we finally solved the problem. It was very cold and we were hungry. With such a bad experience, the drivers were very careful for the rest of the journey.

48 46 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 Seeking For Tibetan Antelopes Frankly speaking, I have longed to visit the desert wilderness for a long time. I have extensive experience of Tibet, but I found the prospect of this journey extremely exciting because of the fascination and beauty of this land, especially the unique geographic environment in conjunction with the abundant native wildlife. I had seen Tibetan antelopes before and it remains one of my favorite animals. Along with the herders living in the northern grassland of Tibet, every May and June is the season that Tibetan antelopes migrate north for The Tibetan antelope is called Zui in Tibetan language. It is under the protection of the state, ranking as the first grade wildlife in the state. Usually its body is about 130 centimeters long and about 50 kilograms in weight. The Male antelope has a long, slim and bent horn. The upper body appears to be yellow brown, while the rest of the body and tail is white. Often, Tibetan antelopes inhabit an altitude of meters, but it has no fixed habitat, rather traveling from one place to another in the wake of seasonal change and dependant upon food availability. Tibetan antelopes habitually spend their year on the highland plains that have plentiful water and grass. Interestingly, for several years the wool of Tibetan antelopes has been used to produce luxury items. For this reason, Tibetan antelopes began to come under threat. About 500 gram of Tibetan antelope wool is sold on the international market at a price of over 100,000 Yuan, being much more than gold. Enticed by this sudden huge profit, criminals from both inside and outside of China conspired with illegal poachers to hunt and kill Tibetan antelopes without concern for strict governmental rules and regulations. Tibetan antelopes start mating in winter in the south part of Changtang. When summer comes, they migrate to the north part of Changtang, Hoh Xil, to reproduce. By following the migration and breeding habits of Tibetan antelopes, we decided to enter the wilderness area from the north to track their migration path northward. After this trekking journey, we finally arrived in the uninhabited wilderness. The altitude was several hundred meters higher and the temperature is much lower. One day, in this broad and desolate land, several zigzagging tracks appeared in front of us, clear and extending into the distance far away. By finding such paths, I felt convinced we had found the Tibetan antelopes. I was so excited at first but after we had spent several days we found nothing. The path was very narrow. Obviously, it was the path of Tibetan antelopes because they like to migrate in groups but not as individuals. They seem to travel in family groups. Maybe this is a good way for them to defend against enemies. From the width and depth of these paths, it is easy to assess the quantity of Tibetan antelopes passing through. Since then, these zigzagging paths have become deeply imprinted in my mind. One day, at the hut of Mayi Gangri of

49 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY Changtang Natural Reserve, in the north part of Tsonyi, we finally found groups of Tibetan antelopes migrating northward. Watching them through a high-powered telescope, they looked like rows of soldiers striding silently northward. They formed groups of different sizes; some about ten, others were a hundred or even a thousand. A local wildlife guard who had 20 years experience of in wildlife told me that Tibetan antelopes had very sensitive hearing and sense of smell. Any speaking or coughing by humans would alert them immediately. Vehicles are the least likely to get close to them. Therefore, we had to leave our cars one kilometer away from the antelopes. I held my breath and crouched down while holding my camera. The wildlife guard asked us to note carefully in which direction the wind was blowing since we were only allowed to move with the wind so the Tibetan antelopes would not pick up our scent. At this close distance to the Tibetan antelopes, we had to lie on the ground and crawl forward. I held my camera and with difficultly I crawled toward the Tibetan antelopes. Frankly speaking, it was rather difficult to breathe even through we were sitting peacefully at an altitude of 5000 meters, let alone running. I tried hard to open my mouth to take in more oxygen. However, breathing was difficult and made me tend to cough. I tried to be extra careful, as I was really afraid of scaring the Tibetan antelopes and causing them to run away. Tibetan antelopes are good at running. It is said their running speed could reach kilometers per hour. In such a geographically complex highland, it is impossible for motor vehicles to catch up with them, especially the female antelopes when they are pregnant. However, a lot of running while pregnant will kill the baby of the female antelopes. I suppressed my coughing, which caused me some difficulty. I watched the antelopes carefully and found they were mostly pregnant females with only a few males. These female antelopes had yellow fur, similar to the dying grass in winter, from which it was difficult to separate them. We moved closer to them, almost reaching to ten meters away. I was told not to move any closer. I immediately raised my camera and held my breath to take a shot. In front of me, there were three groups of Tibetan antelopes of different sizes. The smallest group was about a hundred antelopes. I stretched out on the ground. Due to the antelopes being positioned in a long line my camera could only focus on some ten of them through my lens. Several times, I really wanted to move forward to focus on one or two, but I controlled myself. For a while, lines of several thousand Tibetan antelopes passed by me. The sight intoxicated me. Later, we encountered several other Tibetan antelopes and I witnessed their running speed. A wildlife policeman told me that previously these Tibetan antelopes were not afraid of people, but nowadays things have changed since they experienced poaching by criminals. Today, human beings have become the enemy and killer of wildlife. This is pity! Two months later, aiming to find newborn baby antelopes, I returned to the no-man s land in the grassland. Since the weather was warmer, the grass had already turned a little green as the grassland revitalized. Though the habitat of Tibetan antelopes alters with the changing climate, the birthplace of these antelopes has never changed. No matter how far off they are they always return, whatever the distance, to have their baby born in the same place as in previous years. This is a plain river valley protected from the wind with abundant grass and a favorable climate. Getting out of the car, I looked in the direction in which the guard was pointing and I was shocked. Thousands of footprints of antelopes covered the plain, accompanied with wolves and vultures standing on hills and mountains, as though the Tibetan antelopes had just left. I was told that the birth of baby antelopes only took a short time and several hours later baby antelopes could be running

50 48 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY 2012 everywhere without stopping. However, in the last ten days, though we searched for baby antelopes everywhere, we did not fortunately find any one of them. For quite a long time, I was puzzled as to why Tibetan antelopes have chosen this plain to have their babies and what food could be supplied for them to maintain their lives while baby antelopes were being delivered. In accordance with the descriptions of a local herdsman, I discovered that Tibetan antelopes seldom fed themselves during baby antelope reproduction. Since this is the particular season for the wild geese to migrate northward. The location for the delivery of baby antelopes is actually the halfway stopover of the wild geese during their migration. Therefore, Tibetan antelopes take the excrement of the wild geese as their food, and the wild geese eat the placentas of baby antelopes. What a natural ecological chain! No matter whether such a story is true or not, it has been passed from generation to generation in the northern grassland of Tibet. For this reason, I consulted the wildlife experts especially who worked for the Bureau of Forestry of Tibet Autonomous Region. According to their investigations, Tibetan antelopes soon get to breeding after their arrival in the breeding area. And then leave without any longer stay. So, a little food is probably enough for them to feed themselves in a short period. The reason to choose this place as the reproduction location might be the soil composition of trace elements and minerals. One day, a miracle occurred. On a high slope, we found a big group of Tibetan antelopes looking like a mass of little ants from several kilometers away through our telescopes. This was actually what we had been searching for. They covered three mountainsides just in front of us. Everybody in our team was shocked, including those wildlife experts who accompanied us and claimed that they had never previously seen such a big flock of Tibetan antelope. In order not to disturb these Tibetan antelopes, we got out of the cars. I wore camouflage while walking at least three kilometers and then lay down to take a breath. I carefully examined the geographical situation and started to crawl forward. Soon the hard pebbles and grass roots tore my camouflage. My legs and arms felt painful, but I tried to ignore it and keep on moving towards the Tibetan antelopes. I stopped at about ten meters from the flock and quickly focused to shoot The scene in front of me was quite striking. The whole area from the top of hill to the bottom of the valley was covered with Tibetan antelopes, over ten thousand of them, and half of them were baby Tibetan antelopes, frolicking and gazing on the grassland. I really wanted to move in a little bit close, but I was afraid to lose this wonderful moment since any move might result in a stampede of the flocks and even worse to cause the baby antelopes to be trampled to death. If such things happened, I was definitely a criminal act. Finally, I chose to stay silently. Under the strong sunlight, I felt my back burning. On such extensive grassland, the land almost touched the sky. The groups of antelopes were moving, but my camera was not up to catching all movement. I wished at this moment I had a video camera to record such a magnificent moment. Later, experts told me that this flock of Tibetan antelopes was the biggest group that they had found in recent years. As we left, we found another group of Tibetan antelopes of about ten thousand. I felt so lucky to see these antelopes and also pleased that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau had such massive numbers of them. Tibetan Wild Yaks These immense numbers of wildlife spring from an area devoid of humans, which brings vigor to the land. In this land, we could feel the interdependence of life and the significance of the environment in which we were traveling. Wild yaks

51 NEWS FROM CHINA /JULY are the second biggest animal group in this noman s land. The wild yak is heavy with a big body. It has an aggressive disposition. The wild yak, in comparison with the domestic yak, has short legs but long hair. In particular, the male wild yak is very strong. The wild yaks are distributed in the north of Ngaqu and Ngari, and some are on the boundary area between Tibet and Qinghai, Xingjiang, Gansu and Sichuan. Their habitat is generally in the highland at above the sea level where the climate is hash, as yaks like cold more than hot. This is why the yak is the most common amongst the animals on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is also one of the highest priority wildlife animals for the state (Grade one) to protect. Whenever I returned to the noman s land, I encountered many wild yaks. Concerning safety issues, whenever we met wild yaks we became very discreet and tried not to get too close in case they attacked us (especially male yaks). One day, in the hinterland of the wilderness no-man s land, we found there were about 130 wild yaks while we watched through our telescope. We were very excited because finding such a big group of wild yaks at this area seemed quite rare. They were grazing there and some were lying on the meadow to take a rest while baby yaks frolicked about. Just as I got up to shoot the wonderful scene, suddenly the sky turned dark with a big black clouds wandering above our heads. For a while, a wind blew from northwest and threw ice and snow in our faces. The visibility was very low. I had to hide my head in my feather coat and lay there silently. At this moment, we saw the previously dispersed wild yaks quickly convene together tightly as if a giant umbrella sheltered the baby yaks. I was very impressed with such an emotional attachment. Half an hour later, the cloud dispersed. I moved slowly toward the flock. I discovered a secret, i.e., if I mimicked the animals gesture to move forward, they would not be easily disturbed. When wild yaks looked at me, I immediately stopped and acted like a yak. After one second of staring at me, the wild yaks became disinterested and then I took the opportunity to move a little bit forward to shoot. However, I was finally discovered when I was about ten meters from the yaks. I was very nervous and ready to run away. Interestedly, they did not attack me but ran off in a different direction roaring. Once again, we encountered a single wild yak on the way. Due to the flat plain, the vigilant yak saw the car in the distance and immediately ran away. As it s not as fast as the Tibetan antelope, the car soon passed in front of it. At about ten meters the yak suddenly stopped and stared at us while breathing heavily. We had to stop the car. After a while, we started the engine again but the big strong yak pawed the ground