Global News Post: China

US: China's Currency 'Significantly Undervalued'

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The United States Treasury criticized China for "significantly" undervaluing its currency, but again refrained from labeling Beijing a currency manipulator.

In its twice-yearly report, the Treasury acknowledged that China's currency has appreciated. But it said the increase is too slow and has not gone far enough.

Beijing announced last month it would allow the value of the yuan to fluctuate more against the dollar -- a move welcomed by Washington.

However, the Treasury expressed concern about recent reports of Beijing's "heavy intervention" to keep the value of the currency low to gain trade advantages.

A weaker yuan makes Chinese goods cheaper for Americans and makes U.S. goods more expensive for Chinese, giving an advantage to Chinese exporters.

While the U.S. has consistently raised currency complains with China for years, it has not labeled China a currency manipulator since 1994.

The label could lead to trade sanctions and would provoke an angry response from Beijing.---VOA News</div>

US: China's Currency 'Significantly Undervalued'

The United States Treasury criticized China for "significantly" undervaluing its currency, but again refrained from labeling Beij...

CHINA URGES ISRAEL TO MAKE "BRAVE" DECISIONS ON PEACE TALKS

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">BEIJING (NNN-XINHUA) - China's President Xi
Jinping urged Israel to make "brave" decisions on the latest round of
peace talks with the Palestinians, after negotiators ended another U.S-mediated
session with no sign of a breakthrough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"At present, the Israeli-Palestinian talks
process has entered a crucial stage; there are opportunities and also many
difficulties," Xi told visiting Israeli President Shimon Peres, China's
foreign ministry said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"(China) hopes that Israel keeps in mind the
broader picture of peace, shows strategic wisdom, makes brave decisions as
early as possible, and pushes along with the international community and
Palestinians, for substantive progress on peace talks," Xi added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The U.S.-brokered negotiations, which began in
July, plunged into crisis last week, after Israel, demanding a Palestinian
commitment to continue talking beyond an Apr 29 deadline for a peace deal,
failed to carry out a promised release of about two dozens Palestinian
prisoners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">China has traditionally had a low profile in
Middle East diplomacy, despite its reliance on oil imports from there, but is
keen to assert its role as a force in international politics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Last year, Xi met both Israeli Prime Minister,
Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, urging them to revive
discussions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Xi, who took office in Mar last year, did not
outline any specific proposals for the peace talks, saying simply that China
would keep "playing a constructive role."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Xi said, the Chinese and Jewish peoples had long
had friendly relations, pointing out China's role in fighting "fascism and
militarism" during World War Two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Beijing has maintained close relations with the
Palestinians for decades. In recent years, it has also cultivated ties with
Israel, though Israel is wary of China's links with Iran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">China, Iran's top oil customer and a permanent
member of the U.N. Security Council, has opposed unilateral sanctions on
Tehran, such as those imposed by Washington and the European Union, and has
called repeatedly for talks to resolve the standoff over Iran's contested
nuclear programme. -- NNN-XINHUA<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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CHINA URGES ISRAEL TO MAKE "BRAVE" DECISIONS ON PEACE TALKS

BEIJING (NNN-XINHUA) - China's President Xi Jinping urged Israel to make "brave" decisions on the latest round of peace tal...

China Tightens Controls on Internet Use

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Kate Woodsome<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">’s legislature has approved new
rules that will tighten government control of the Internet by requiring users
to register their real names, and demanding Internet companies censor online
material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The state-run Xinhua News Agency says lawmakers
approved the measures Friday at the closing meeting of a five-day session of
the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Beijing</span></st1:place></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> says the regulations are aimed
at protecting the personal information of Web users and cracking down on abuses
such as junk e-mail. The rules also aim to “safeguard national security and
social public interests,” according to Xinhua. They have the same legal effect
as a law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has long tried to get Internet
users to register their real names rather than pseudonyms with service
providers, but with nearly half a billion netizens, the task has been an uphill
battle. The new regulations aim to change that and, for the first time, lay the
written groundwork to police companies that are not complying with the
government’s censorship policies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Identity protection
or censorship?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The decision says network service providers
will “strengthen management of information released by users” by instantly
stopping the transmission of “illegal information” once it is spotted and by
taking relevant measures. Those measures, Xinhua reports, include removing the
information and saving records, before reporting to it to authorities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The rules did not say what constitutes
illegal information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Beijing</span></st1:place></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has a complex information
management system that includes blocking foreign websites like YouTube and
Facebook, censoring Internet searches for sensitive words and phrases and
deploying an army of bloggers to steer online discourse away from potentially
volatile political and social issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite that, the growth of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
Internet has lead to a growth in online calls for reform. Complaints on Chinese
microblogs about corruption, abuse of power, human rights violations and
environmental pollution have led to action offline, including street protests
and the dismissal or resignation of corrupt officials.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Fighting corruption<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Human rights and free speech advocates say
real-name registration will curtail people's ability to report, often
anonymously, corruption and official abuses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Li Fei, a Standing Committee member,
dismissed those concerns Friday at a news conference in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We still call on the public to expose
any corruption by all means after the law comes out," he said. "The
illegal and corrupted will be punished.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Online chatter about a string of sex and
financial scandals has led to the downfall of several local officials in recent
weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Duncan Clark, a Beijing-based consultant and
a senior adviser to <st1:placename w:st="on">Stanford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype>'s Graduate School of Business, says <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> seems to
be trying to strike a balance between information control and government
accountability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We’ve seen for a long time the
Internet being used to expose corruption but what’s been interesting in the
recent few weeks, which may be a counter current to these new crackdowns on the
Internet, is a lot of this has been followed up,” he said, describing the
Internet as a “scary thing” for many officials who don’t want their actions
questioned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The new normal?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The latest Internet regulations come amid a
crackdown on virtual private networks, or VPNs, which Web users need to get
around <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
so-called “Great Firewall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Chinese officials say there has been no
change in the policy toward VPN providers, which they say must be registered
with the government. But the move has caused an uproar among Chinese netizens,
as well as foreign companies and journalists who say the crackdown is
preventing them from doing their jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Clark said there is often a spike in
Internet controls around sensitive events, like the recent 18th Communist Party
Congress that elected <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
new generation of leaders. He said after such events, there is a general lack
of enforcement, followed by another drive ahead of another big event. But this
time is different, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Since the Party Congress, we’ve seen
increased measures, not lessened,” <st1:place w:st="on">Clark</st1:place> said.
“So the big question I would say, is when we get to the spring of next year,
when the new leadership takes up the formal positions in the new government, is
this the new normal?”</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Additional reporting by Victor Beattie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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China Tightens Controls on Internet Use

By Kate Woodsome China ’s legislature has approved new rules that will tighten government control of the Internet by requiring user...

ASEAN Leaders Disagree Over South China Sea Disputes

ASEAN Leaders Disagree Over South China Sea Disputes

Southeast Asian leaders meeting at a regional summit in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh are once again disagreeing over the cont...

India Seeks More Market Access to and Investment from China

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<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PHNOM PENH</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:country-region></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-UNI) – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
today sought greater access for Indian players in the Chinese market in
services, information technology and pharmaceutical sectors to balance the
trade between the two countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">During
his meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, their 14th in the last eight
years, Dr Singh also wanted Chinese investment in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s infrastructure which
requires one trillion dollars in the next five years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China
is India's largest trade partner but the trade deficit between the two
economies has ballooned to 23 billion dollars in China's favour in October this
year, as India continues to import more than what it exports to the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> have set a target of taking
their total trade to 100 billion dollars by 2015. The total bilateral trade
reached a high of 73.90 billion dollars last year but the figure dropped to
55.6 billion in the first 10 months of this year, a drop of eight per cent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Briefing
the Indian media accompanying the Prime Minister on his "fruitful and
detailed" meeting with his Chinese counterpart in the Cambodian capital,
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said Mr Wen told Dr Singh that <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> is looking for gradually balancing trade and
is cognisant of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
interest. --NNN-UNI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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India Seeks More Market Access to and Investment from China

PHNOM PENH , Cambodia (NNN-UNI) – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today sought greater access for Indian players in the Chinese market i...

China Watching Obama's Burma Visit

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
Scott Stearns<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Barack
Obama is the first <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
president to visit <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
It is part of a trip to Asia meant to reinforce <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state>'s
so-called "Asia pivot" which has raised concerns in <st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city>
about greater <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
influence in the region.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">U.S.</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> officials say the president's visit
recognizes the decision by Burmese leaders to embark on a path of reform and
democratization after decades of repression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tom
Donilon, Obama's national security advisor, says the president believes
engagement is the best way to encourage further reforms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"There’s
a lot more to be done, and we are not going to miss this moment in terms of our
opportunity to push this along and to try to lock in as much reform and lock in
this path forward as best we can," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Donilon
says the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>
is encouraging Burmese authorities to collaborate further with both the
international community and domestic civil society. It is part of what the
Obama administration calls a "rebalancing toward the Asia-Pacific" -
a move toward greater <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
military, diplomatic, and commercial presence in Asia that has caused anxiety
in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The
idea is to persuade the Chinese that the American rebalancing is good for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>,"
said Michael Pillsbury, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who worked for
former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
says Chinese leaders see the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region>
visit as further evidence of <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
deception about the aims of its <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place> pivot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The
<st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> is portrayed basically
to Chinese youth and to Chinese university students and I am afraid to Chinese
officials as a very crafty, dangerous, highly-coordinated, ruthless, cunning
power that in many ways <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
would like to emulate," he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> "Every move the American government is
taking, including Obama's visit to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region>
is now clearly taken as a geo-strategic move," said professor Xiang
Lanxin, who chairs international affairs studies at <st1:city w:st="on">Shanghai</st1:city>'s
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Fudan</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>. "It is not something
promoting <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>
democracy. That's not even the issue here. The issue is to wean <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country-region> away from the Chinese
strategic borders. You keep on saying this has nothing to do with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. But the
Chinese exactly think everything has to do with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. You keep on using this kind
of language to try to reduce the psychological burden on the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> side.
It's not working."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Michael
Pillsbury says <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>'s view
of President Obama's trip to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region>
shows how much the Asia pivot has roiled relations between <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state>
and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"What
I think both Professor Xiang and I are trying to convey is the idea of two
sides with some degree of distrust, even paranoia, each focusing on events and
activities that may in fact be innocent but no one quite knowing," he
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">U.S.</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> officials say they have discussed with
their Chinese counterparts the reforms they would like to see in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and believe it is a shared goal that is in the interests of everyone in the
region. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>

China Watching Obama's Burma Visit

By Scott Stearns Barack Obama is the first U.S. president to visit Burma . It is part of a trip to Asia meant to reinforce Washing...

India Expects Stability in Its Relations with China

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PHNOM
PENH, Cambodia (NNN-Bernama) -- India expects continuity and stability in its
relations with China, its largest trading partner, after the once-in-a-decade
leadership change in the Communist nation, India's Commerce Minister Anand
Sharma said on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Replying
to a question on the change of leadership in <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
and whether he anticipated its impact on relations with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the
Commerce and Industry Minister said he expected "continuity and stability
in the bilateral ties".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Sharma
is accompanying Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Phnom Penh</st1:place></st1:city> for the Asean and East Asia
Summits, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">However,
Sharma refused to pre-judge whether the new Chinese leader Xi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Jinping
was a conservative. Xi was appointed as the General Secretary of the ruling
Communist Party of China this week and is expected to become Chinese President
next March.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Speaking
ahead of a meeting between Manmohan Singh and the outgoing Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao, Sharma said the Indian Prime Minister is expected to seek larger
investments from <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>,
particularly in the National Manufacturing and Investment Zones being set up in
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The
meeting between the Prime Ministers will cover all issues," Sharma said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
meeting between Manmohan and Wen, who have met a number of times during the
last few years, could be their last as <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> has replaced its old guard
with a new set of leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Sharma
said that in the past, India has flagged, both at meetings at PrimeMinister
level and Commerce Minister level, the issue of a "fair trade
balance"and market access for India in IT and pharmaceutical sectors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"But
it doesn't mean these are the only issues. We consider <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> as an
important partner, largest trading partner," Sharma added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China
is India's largest trade partner but the trade deficit between the two
economies has ballooned to US$23 billion in China's favour in October this
year, as India continues to import more than what it exports to the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> have a set a target of taking
their total trade to US$100 billion by 2015. The total bilateral trade reached
a high of US$73.90 billion last year but the figure dropped to US$55.6 billion
in the first 10 months of this year, a drop of 8 per cent. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>

India Expects Stability in Its Relations with China

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (NNN-Bernama) -- India expects continuity and stability in its relations with China, its largest trading partner, ...

China's Hu Issues Warning About Corruption

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
William Ide<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqMsrceiSXO8ayzn31NTjvw0T7oasXc7mPhQm5v9c7OfeVM26__ah4aoDC5IeqWzpzAZ-0LNE_Il8tLQDdVOWWevki7sxh6be9ucgPktYZfcbo6Lr7U9fFQw1boz7zzSw_RRE1AaScag/s1600/2012110814431355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqMsrceiSXO8ayzn31NTjvw0T7oasXc7mPhQm5v9c7OfeVM26__ah4aoDC5IeqWzpzAZ-0LNE_Il8tLQDdVOWWevki7sxh6be9ucgPktYZfcbo6Lr7U9fFQw1boz7zzSw_RRE1AaScag/s1600/2012110814431355.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NNN---
Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of
China (CPC) and Chinese president, delivers a keynote address during the
opening ceremony of the 18th CPC National Congress at the Great Hall of the
People in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s capital on 7 November 2012.
Photo courtesy xinhua---NNN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">’s once-in-a-decade leadership transition began
Thursday, with a warning from the country’s outgoing leader. In a long and wide-ranging
speech to mark the beginning of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
18th party congress, President Hu Jintao warned that the party and even the
country are facing fatal challenges if it does not do more to deal with the
problem of corruption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
his final remarks as leader of the political party that single-handedly rules 1.3
billion people and charts the course for the world’s second-largest economy, President
Hu had a warning for the Chinese Communist party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Opposing
corruption and building an honest and clean government is a clear stance the
party has been adhering to and is an important political issue the people have
been paying attention to. If we fail to handle this issue [corruption] well, it
could prove fatal to the party and even cause the collapse of the party and the
fall of the state," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Hu
made his remarks at <st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city>’s massive Great Hall
of the People, during the opening of the 18th party congress, a major political
event in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
which is held once every five years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">His
comments could not have been more timely. 
This year’s meeting has been largely overshadowed by a murder and
corruption scandal involving one of the party’s once-rising stars Bo Xilai.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
remarks resonated with Yu Jingzi, a delegate from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Shanghai</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It's
fair to say that it's not just this year that has seen an attention-grabbing
case involving a senior official like this one,"Yu said. "The Chinese
Communist party, being a big ruling party, always pays attention to this issue
and is paying more and more attention to it. Of course, we need to do a lot
more work on this issue."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
party is clearly aware of the problem and, according to statistics published in
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s
state media; the country’s disciplinary system has handled more than half a
million corruption cases since the last party congress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">However,
legal analysts note that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
anti-corruption efforts focus largely on local or lower-ranking officials and
rarely reach all the way to the top echelons of the party’s leadership.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Hu
says no one is above the law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Communist party expelled Bo Xilai earlier this week, just as the country’s
roughly 2,300 delegates were arriving to attend the congress. Bo has been
accused of using his position to seek profits for others and of taking bribes
either personally or through family members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But
corruption is not the only challenge <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> is facing. Not only is <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s economy
slowing in the face of a weak global economy and growing domestic debt, but
social unrest is on the rise as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
public is increasingly distrustful of the government’s pledges to stamp out
corruption and calls for more accountability and clean governance are growing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
word, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
leaders acknowledge that the party needs to listen more to the public’s wants
and concerns, but issues such as basic rights are still largely ignored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Human
Rights Watch Deputy Director Phil Robertson says authorities resist a broader
discussion of human rights, because they fear where it could lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
Chinese government is very concerned about human rights issues in the sense
that if it addresses these issues it is opening a can of worms," he said.
"It has to discuss he many issues related to land, related to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tibet</st1:place></st1:country-region>, to
Xinjiang, related to the day to day rights abuses that Chinese citizens face
trying to use the Internet."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
the eve of the party congress, a young single mother and three young monks set
themselves on fire in protest of <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>’s
policies in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tibet</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Security has been ramped up in <st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city> ahead of
the congress but, despite that, one woman in her 30s was able to hold a brief
unexplained protest in <st1:place w:st="on">Tiananmen Square</st1:place> before
being dragged off by police.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Although
his speech did not address the growing range of discontent that Chinese are
expressing, Hu urged the party to work to double <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s GDP (gross domestic product)
and per capita income in the country’s big cities and countryside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">’s outgoing leader also spoke about the
country’s need to take a more assertive role in the region and become a
maritime power. When speaking about the military, he said <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> should be
prepared for “local war” in the information age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Skirmishes
between <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> and its
neighbors along its coast and in the <st1:place w:st="on">South China Sea</st1:place>
have been growing in recent years.  Although
this has raised concern among some of <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>’s
neighbors, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>
insists its rise and intentions are peaceful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Following
this Congress, Hu will step aside and Vice President Xi Jinping will take over
as head of the Chinese Communist party. Early next year, Xi is expected to
assume Hu’s role as president, as well. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>

China's Hu Issues Warning About Corruption

By William Ide NNN--- Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese ...

China Invites India's 'Missile Man' to Teach at Peking Varsity

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BEIJING</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-PTI) -- <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
has invited <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>'s "missile
man" and former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam to teach at the prestigious
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Peking</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> here, offering him a lab of
his choice to work with the students. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
his first-ever visit to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
at the invitation of the reputed Beijing Forum, a Chinese government backed
intellectual body; Kalam appeared happy to receive the offer to teach but said
it all depends on his schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Asked
whether he would be visiting <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>
often to teach, 82-year-old Kalam told PTI, "I am a teacher. I teach in US
and as a Professor wherever the knowledge takes me I go and share it. Particularly,
I like meeting young people and I would like to contribute to their knowledge."
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
invitation to teach at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Peking</st1:placename>
 <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> was extended
to Kalam by its Chairman Zhu Shanlu when he met the former Indian president
Thursday night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
was invited to teach once a year, the subject of his choice and stay as long as
he wants. The subject could be science and technology or humanities, Kalam's
secretary H Sheridon said, adding that the offer included setting up Laboratory
of Kalam's choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kalam
began his career as an Aerospace engineer and later became <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s top
guided missile scientist heading the DRDO, which recently has come up with 5,000
km Agni V missile which brought a number of Chinese cities within its range. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Significantly,
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
has organsied a special visit for Kalam to Chinese academy of aerospace
technology Friday altering its earlier plans to take him on tour of its top
aeronautical plant which manufacture its fighter planes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kalam
himself said he is interested in teaching sustainable development and praised <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Peking</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>'s
recent move to open ethics department which he said is a "beautiful idea".
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
is scheduled to formally address students of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Peking</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>
Saturday and interact with the Chinese and Indian professionals at the Indian
Embassy here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kalam
said being ancient civlisations and holding 37 per cent of the world population,
both <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> should
cooperate and jointly work for the prosperity of their people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"There
is no doubt we need harmony between two civilisations. How to do it, so I have
come to the conclusion the two great civilisations should become model
civilisations by coming together," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The
two countries mean 37 per cent of the humanity. It has got a tremendous
potential if the two countries put together their joint vision. The joint
effort could be for a technology mission or societal development mission or
even multiple missions," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We
should be partners," he said referring to the annual Strategic Dialogue
between both the countries. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"So
there are tremendous opportunities to the two if they come around and work for
peace and prosperity," Kalam said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Asked
about critics back home that are skeptical about <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the history of
hostilities between the two nations, who fought a war in 1962, Kalam said the
countries of European Union came together after over 100 years of wars. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Those
who fought wars are now sitting together in EU Parliament," he said and
referred to US and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
decision <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">to
drastically reduce their missile stockpiles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"History
is there. But the generation is changing. <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>
has over 50 per cent youth and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
over 40 per cent," he said, adding the two could match their respective
strengths. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> is strong in software and services sectors
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
is strong in manufacturing and two could be "partner", he said.
"We both can join (hands) to make products for the world. (So) the
technology co-operation (can) bring human cooperation." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">During
the reception hosted by Beijing Forum on Thursday, Kalam said that this one
unique action will become a harbinger for evolving a great model of cooperation
in an integrated and unique way for the world of nations to assimilate to
arrive at world peace and prosperity for all. -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

China Invites India's 'Missile Man' to Teach at Peking Varsity

BEIJING (NNN-PTI) -- China has invited India 's "missile man" and former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam to teach at t...

World Has Enough Space for both China and India, Says Beijing

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BEIJING</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-XINHUA) -- There is enough room to
accommodate the common development of both <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">China</st1:country>
and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country>,
says Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
made the comments in response to <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">India</st1:country>'s
commemorative activities and media reports to mark the 50th anniversary of the
border conflict in 1962 between <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">India</st1:country>
and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We
have noticed relevant reports and commentaries," Hong said at a regular
news briefing here Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As
the most populous developing countries and emerging economies, <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">China</st1:country> and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country> face important opportunities
for development, Hong pointed out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"<st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">China</st1:country> and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country> are partners, rather than
rivals. We have far more common ground than disagreements, more mutual
interests than conflicts," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As
the leaders of the two countries have repeatedly pointed out, the world has
enough space to accommodate <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">China</st1:country>
and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country>
for common development and there are enough areas for the two countries to have
co-operation, Hong said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"<st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">China</st1:country> is willing to work with <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country> to look
forward, enhance trust, communication and co-operation to deepen the
China-India strategic partnership and benefit the two countries and its
people," Hong said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:country><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country> fought over the border in
1962 and hostility affected bilateral relations until the end of the 20th
Century.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:place></st1:country><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> paid homage to soldiers who lost their
lives in the war over the weekend and Defence Minister A.K. Antony said that
there would not be a repeat of the 1962 India-China war. -- NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

World Has Enough Space for both China and India, Says Beijing

BEIJING (NNN-XINHUA) -- There is enough room to accommodate the common development of both China and India , says Chinese Foreign Min...

Obama to Launch Trade Case Against China

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">U.S. President Barack Obama will launch a trade complaint against China Monday over government subsidies for its auto industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Administration officials say Mr. Obama will announce the move during a campaign stop in the Midwestern state of Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The swing state has a large manufacturing base where many blame China for depressing its industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Obama administration says it "is launching enforcement action against China at the World Trade Organization" because, Washington says, Beijing is illegally subsidizing exports in its autos and auto parts sectors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The U.S. says the practice puts U.S. manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage and encourages the outsourcing of production to China.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The announcement comes as Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney intensifies his criticism of Mr. Obama's approach to China. Both candidates have made China, in particular its trade practices, an election issue. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Obama to Launch Trade Case Against China

U.S. President Barack Obama will launch a trade complaint against China Monday over government subsidies for its auto industry. Administra...

Chinese Protest at Japanese Embassy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">BEIJING (VOA News)--- Thousands of Chinese protesters staged a demonstration outside the Japanese Embassy in Beijing Saturday, angry over Japan's actions to claim complete control of a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Protesters threw rocks and burned Japanese flags at the embassy, but were held back by riot police from breaking through a barricade.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">There are also reports of protests in other Chinese cities.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The protests are the latest in a series of demonstrations since Tuesday when Japan said it had bought the islands from a private owner. China says such a purchase is not legal, and claims the territory as its own.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The dispute escalated Friday when China sent six surveillance ships to the waters around the uninhabited islands, known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Chinese Protest at Japanese Embassy

BEIJING (VOA News)--- Thousands of Chinese protesters staged a demonstration outside the Japanese Embassy in Beijing Saturday, angry over J...

Global Warming: In Geoengineering We May Trust

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By <a href="http://www.groundreport.com/Stephen"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">David Stephen</span></a>  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.groundreport.com/Media_and_Tech/Global-warming-In-geoengineering-we-may-trust_1/2947148"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">GroundReport</span>-</a>-- At least, there is reason to believe in a short-term source for respite, geoengineering, if a feared level of climate change is about. Geoengineering is now likely for large scale-deployment more than ever, as weather anomalies globally have become a serious cause for concern and news of rising levels of carbon emissions continue to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Geoengineering is the scientific answer to the tepidity of world leaders, towards a global agreement to mitigate global warming-causing greenhouse emissions. Geoengineering (or climate engineering) is a general name for certain technologies aimed at reducing solar radiation available to the earth, or at removing carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Geoengineering technologies range from simple to complex, with a technology as ‘simple’ as afforestation, and another as complex as putting giant reflectors in space to return inbound solar radiation. Geoengineering technologies have their controversies, as their effects can be tied to international conflicts; or threats to biodiversity & urbanization; or further weather catastrophe, and unknowns.  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Geoengineering is also expensive and will have to be sustained for a number of years after initial deployment. All these worries are there, but are placed a little less than the good it will do as an alternative. Geoengineering had a big week, with two major announcements. The bigger one, a carbon dioxide removal test, reported findings from a research on iron fertilization, conducted in 2004, that showed the ability of phytoplankton to sequester carbon at sea depths.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The other announcement, a solar management one, is an intention to test the effects of injecting sulphate particles to about 24km above sea level, to know their effects on ozone chemistry. These steps-forward in geoengineering, point to form. Geoengineering is gradually taking shape, and as time goes, most of the several questions asked in the 2009 UK’s Royal Society Report on geoengineering, will find a home.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Geoengineering research is advocated, and the plea is for more public funds to come in. The US government via the National Science Foundation is involved, and the British government recently supported a proposed research on geoengineering. Geoengineering research in Canada, Europe and Australia is getting some support from the government, and the subject in these places is rising.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Several other governments who can support too are probably waiting on their scientists and local researchers to work. Russia had a test some time ago, and China may be looking at a right time to do something. Field tests will hew new observations and are superior to lab tests in this respect.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Season and geography is known to differentiate climate at locations, and tests or finding somewhere may require expansion somewhere else or may allege ‘effects here’. This may lead to new interests in research that may not be guided by the carefulness with previous ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Geoengineering tests will eventually go around, since pat locations to deploy it would (or maybe) be needed in future. But how is this to be regulated and centered on the objective? A US scientist gave a hint this week, he said, it must be publicly funded and must be approved by government agencies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This, a possibility in the States, may not be the same elsewhere, which possibly may spark new controversies. Regulating geoengineering research, even though scientists have asked about what may be classed as geoengineering or not, is necessary. Outlining the ways a research should go, making it public and inviting colleagues to join the discussion is an ethics part that should be attended to, quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This conversation will also be boosted if ‘pioneering’ tests follows the ‘guideline’. Scientists have the might to shape geoengineering, to avoid it becoming another small ball of global disagreement, even at this research stage. It may also be necessary for scientists leading geoengineering research, to clear the air about myths that may limit government funds available for their work.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the developing world, especially Africa, usually bashed by climate change, it is possible for activists to presume that big economies are sponsoring geoengineering instead of mitigating emissions. Supporters of this and, haters of geoengineering in these big economies may further loud it and cause a furor that may limit or intermit geoengineering funding by the government.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Addressing this ‘myth’ may still not prevent this, but will be the case to be evoked while defending the move. A point that may be used in defense is “We are researching geoengineering as a possible alternative, as the world may need to cap rise in the average temperature of the earth; because of its controversies, government funding is preferred for outdoor experiments against individual or corporate funding. And government ‘token’ on this does not affect their mitigation commitment, which is the main solution, not geoengineering”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Geoengineers have some work to do, to give the subject shape, aside increased studies and reports. Those that don’t even believe in anthropogenic global warming may support geoengineering, but not substantially,  in an unshaped state. Many who already know about geoengineering are coming to trust its temporal ability, and many more around the world likely will, if bad weather events suddenly line. We can be afraid of rise in the average temperature of the earth, and resulting effects, but geoengineering may get us to trust it, for reprieve, if scientists decide to give it shape.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This work is licensed under a </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></div></div>

Global Warming: In Geoengineering We May Trust

By David Stephen GroundReport - -- At least, there is reason to believe in a short-term source for respite, geoengineering, if a feare...

Russia, China Block West’s UN Resolution on Syria

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">UNITED NATIONS (RIA Novosti)--- Russia and China vetoed on Thursday a Western-backed UN resolution on Syria over fears that it could lead to foreign military intervention in the violence-wracked Middle East country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">"We offered flexibility on Russia and China's concerns, but still they refused to engage," said Britain's UN envoy Mark Lyall Grant after the vote. "They have chosen to put their national interests ahead of the lives of millions of Syrians."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Lyall Grant also said the failure to approve the resolution would lead to "all-out civil war."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin called the comments "unacceptable" and accused the West of thinking only of "its own geopolitical interests, which have nothing in common with those of the Syrian people."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">United States envoy to the UN, Susan Rice, called the failure of the reolution "a dark day."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">"We have missed yet another critical opportunity to work together," she said. "We, and especially the people of Syria, cannot afford to miss anymore."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Rice also said the conflict in Syria could result in a "proxy war that will engulf the region."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The resolution was drawn up by Britain and threatens non-military sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad's regime if it fails to withdraw heavy weapons and troops from urban areas within 10 days. The resolution is also tied to Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which provides for the use of force to put an end to the rapidly escalating conflict. It received 11 votes in favor, with two abstentions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The 15-strong Security Council now has until midnight on Friday to come to an agreement on the extension of the UN monitoring mission in Syria. Russia had earlier circulated a rival resolution that proposed extending the mission by 90 days, but contained no mention of sanctions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Churkin said on Thursday that Western countries had refused to work with Russia on the resolution and that Moscow would not put it to a Security Council vote.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This was the third time that Russia and China had vetoed a UN resolution on Syria, and Lyall Grant accused both countries after the vote of failing in their responsibilities as permanent members of the UN Security Council.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed earlier this year not to allow a repeat of the “Libya scenario" which saw the ouster and murder of long-time Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi after a NATO military campaign.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">And Russia said on Wednesday after a suicide bombing in Damascus had killed the Syrian defense minister that the adoption of the West’s resolution would be “direct support” for rebel forces, who say they have launched the final battle for control of the capital.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Moscow-based analyst Fyodor Lukyanov said before the vote that a failure to pass the resolution could see the open arming of rebel forces by Western powers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“If there is no compromise, there will be no more resolutions, and the West, along with leading Arab states, will begin to more actively and more openly support the opposition and hope that Assad will be toppled by force,” said Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of the Russia in Global Affairs journal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Certain countries might also recognize the [opposition] Syrian National Council as the legal government,” he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The White House on Thursday criticized the vetoes of Russia and China as "highly regrettable" and "highly unfortunate".<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One: "They are on the wrong side of the Syrian people, the wrong side of hope for peace and stability in the region," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters after the vetoes were cast in New York. "It was a highly regrettable decision."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Carney also said the United States does not support extending the U.N. observer mission in Syria after the failure of the Western-backed U.N. resolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Fighting raged in Damascus for a fifth day on Thursday, as rumors circulated that Assad and his family had left the country. But Syrian state television aired footage on Thursday afternoon of Assad swearing in the country's new defense minister.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Russia’s Foreign Ministry refused to comment on media reports that Assad’s British-born wife, Asma, was in Moscow when contacted by RIA Novosti on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The United Nations, quoting Syrian rights activists, says some 16,000 people have died in Syria since the start of the revolt.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Russia, China Block West’s UN Resolution on Syria

UNITED NATIONS (RIA Novosti)--- Russia and China vetoed on Thursday a Western-backed UN resolution on Syria over fears that it could lead t...

China-Made US Olympic Uniforms Spark Controversy

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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">By Brian Padden</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://www.voanews.com/flashembed.aspx?t=vid&id=1419310&w=640&h=360&skin=embeded" width="640"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the U.S. Congress, more outrage over the U.S. Olympic team wearing uniforms manufactured in China.  Some lawmakers directed their anger this week at the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement that could lower tariffs on footwear imports</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now that the U.S. Olympic team acknowledges wearing uniforms made in China, there's new pressure on President Obama to preserve tariffs on the import of footwear from low-wage countries</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Representative Michael Michaud of Maine supports the current import tariffs of 8 to 37 percent on shoes made in Indonesia, China and other countries to offset government subsidies in those places. But he is most concerned about Vietnam, because it is part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement currently being negotiated</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>"</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Anytime you negotiate a trade deal, for me is how do we make sure that whatever countries are part of that negotiation, what do they do currently, whether it's environment, labor or currency manipulation, and how do we make sure we have a level playing field," said Michaud</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Michaud's district in Maine, three New Balance footwear manufacturing facilities operate and employ close to 900 people.  New Balance President and CEO Rob DeMartini says all other things being equal, his company can still make a profit producing 25 percent of its products in the U.S., where workers earn close to $20 an hour, compared with the $5 a day workers in developing countries often make</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>"</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We don't need wages level," said DeMartini.  "We need the full playing field level, and, when we do that, even though our labor costs are as much as 20 times higher per hour, we still have found a way to make productive and profitable shoes here in the U.S</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>."</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But he says without the tariffs, New Balance and many other remaining American manufacturing companies will most likely have to outsource their operations, and chances are future U.S. Olympic gear will not be made in the United States.---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div>

China-Made US Olympic Uniforms Spark Controversy

By Brian Padden In the U.S. Congress, more outrage over the U.S. Olympic team wearing uniforms manufactured in China. Some lawmakers d...