BEIJING - Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan will pay official good-will visits to Japan and the Philippines from August 29 to September 6, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry.He will visit the two countries at the invitations of Japanese Defense Minister Koike Yuriko and Philippine Secretary of Defence Gilbert Teodoro.Cao's upcoming visits aim to fulfill the consensus reached between leaders of China and the two countries and strengthen exchanges and trust in defense and security areas, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
SHANGHAI: In a fresh sign of China¡¯s financial strength, a leap in the shares of Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Monday made it the world¡¯s biggest bank by market capitalisation, overtaking US giant Citigroup. ICBC¡¯s Shanghai-listed A shares surged 2.68% to 5.75 yuan, giving it a market capitalisation of 4bn, according to Reuters calculations. That exceeded the 1bn capitalisation of Citigroup, previously the world¡¯s biggest bank, when its shares closed at .73 in New York on Friday. HSBC Holdings was in third place with 5bn. Shares in ICBC, which listed in Shanghai and Hong Kong last October, have gained 15% this month on the back of a rally in China¡¯s booming stock market as well as strong growth in the bank¡¯s own earnings. Weakness in Citigroup¡¯s share price, and appreciation of the yuan against the dollar have also shifted market values in favour of ICBC. But some analysts believe ICBC¡¯s ballooning capitalisation may also be a sign of a dangerously overheated Shanghai stock market as speculating Chinese investors pour money into shares. ICBC, a state-controlled behemoth which is trying to modernise a creaky branch network operating almost entirely inside China, reported income of bn last year. Citigroup, one of the world¡¯s most sophisticated financial institutions with operations around the globe, reported income almost four times as large, at bn. ICBC¡¯s share price yesterday valued it at 28 times analysts¡¯ forecasts for its earnings per share in 2007, far above 11 times for Citigroup and an average of 16 times for major global banks, according to Reuters Estimates. ¨C Reuters
CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Central bank chiefs from the U.S., Europe and Japan warned Tuesday of the risks of the Chinese economy overheating, potentially adding to inflationary pressures in other countries. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet also urged Beijing to let its currency rise in value, saying it would benefit both China and the global economy. "A quick pace toward greater flexibility would be in China's interest and create more flexibility for monetary policy to address the potential overheating of their economy," Bernanke said in a satellite linkup with a banking conference in Cape Town. "We could all be better off, China on the one hand and the global economy on the other hand," echoed Trichet. Critics argue that China is keeping its currency artificially low, contributing to its massive trade surplus with other countries and undermining competitors' prices. Both Bernanke and Trichet conceded that the cheapness of Chinese products flooding world markets had helped reduce global inflation, although said this was balanced by China's huge appetite for fuel and raw materials -- which has contributed to higher oil prices. Overall, China's impact on global inflation was "modest," Bernanke said. China is one of the world's fastest-growing economies, and its expansion has had a ripple effect on prosperity in other countries and offset more modest growth rates in North America, Europe and Japan. Trichet said the current boom was "absolutely exceptional in the global economy," but warned that this could not last indefinitely. "Complacency would be the worst possible advice for all of us," he said. Japan, where growth is a sluggish 2 percent, is keeping a watchful eye on the new Asian giant. "We need to be mindful of the risk of overheating and we can't rule out some risk of inflation in the Chinese economy," said Toshihiko Fukui, governor of Japan's central bank. China is witnessing a stock market boom, with millions of first-time investors jumping into the market, tapping savings and retirement accounts and mortgaging homes to buy stocks. Authorities are worried that the new money is fueling a bubble in prices. Chinese stocks rebounded Tuesday in volatile trading after their sharpest one-day drop in three months a day earlier as strong buying by institutions offset selling by retail investors. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 8.3 percent on Monday -- the benchmark's sharpest decline since an 8.8 percent drop Feb. 27 triggered a global market sell-off.
Chinese President Hu Jintao accepted Thursday credentials presented respectively by new ambassadors to China from Austria, Ecuador, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Nepal, and Yemen.The six new ambassadors include: Martin Sajdik from Austria, Washington Hago Mendizabal from Ecuador, Alisher Salashizinov from Uzbekistan, Vahagn Movsisyan from Armenia, Tanka Prasad Karki from Nepal, and Abdulmalek Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Muaalemi from Yemen.
BEIJING - The crab trade across the Taiwan Strait has slowed in what should be its peak season due to picky quarantine standards put forward by the Taiwan authorities, said a Chinese mainland official here Wednesday."We hope the related non-governmental organizations from both sides will carry on negotiations so that Taiwan people can enjoy this delicacy at the right time," said Li Weiyi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.Fresh crabs, especially those bred in East China's Jiangsu Province, have become a traditional and popular mid-autumn dish and have sold well in Taiwan.The two sides had reached an agreement on quarantine standards of crabs in July, but in August the Taiwan authorities submitted new standards requiring residues of all drugs to be undetectable, which was too picky and impractical, Li said.The mainland had exported quality and safe food, he said, adding that 99 percent of food exported to Japan and the European Union met their standards."We do expect the two sides to show sincerity and settle this problem for the benefit of consumers," he said. "We have noticed that a certain group in Taiwan is trying to discredit mainland foods. Such politically driven action will greatly harm normal trade across the Strait."In the first eight months of this year, the mainland has found 27 consignments of unqualified food imported from Taiwan. "We handled them according to regulations, but did not exaggerate the situation," Li said.He said the mainland would continue encouraging imports of produce from Taiwan.A 30-member purchasing group from the mainland visited Taiwan this month and signed an initial agreement to buy 2,000 tons of local fruits."We will support more farm produce importers and trade organizations in visiting Taiwan," Li said.Meanwhile, he urged the Taiwan authorities to speed up the talks on opening Taiwan to mainland tourists.Tourism organizations from the two sides had held six rounds of talks on technical issues."The two sides have developed common understanding, but a number of problems remained unresolved," Li said.After the fifth round of talks, the mainland put forward a set of practical solutions, but the Taiwan authorities had made no response for months, he said.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Hu Jintao and visiting Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) Honorary Chairman Lien Chan underscored peace and development across the Taiwan Straits in their meeting in Beijing Saturday. Hu Jintao (R), General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Honorary Chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) Lien Chan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, in this April 16, 2006 file photo. [Xinhua]"Peace and development should be the theme of cross-Straits relations, and the common goal of the people both in the mainland and Taiwan," Hu said. Lien said peace was the basis for cross-Strait prosperity and development. Compatriots from both sides of the Straits should face up to the challenges and continue to pursue peace, so as to create economic prosperity on both sides of the Straits. The mainland is creating a miracle with a growth rate of about 10 percent for 27 years, he noted. "Peace and prosperity live together, for if there is no peace, there will be no prosperity, and only peace creates opportunities for us to pursue prosperity," he said. Lien arrived on Thursday leading a KMT delegation to attend a cross-Straits economic and trade forum, which closed on Saturday. Hu extended warm congratulations on the behalf of the CPC Central Committee for the success of the forum. "The two-day forum is an important activity for the two parties to continue exchanges and dialog," Hu said. The mainland announced at the forum a new package of beneficial policies to promote cross-Straits economic and trade relations, and the participants also passed joint proposals for closer economic and trade ties across the Straits. The 15 new favorable policies announced by the mainland pointed out a new direction for the future cross-Straits economic and trade development, Lien told Hu. Hu and Lien met for the first time in Beijing a year ago when Lien, then chairman of the Taiwan-based KMT party, had an "ice-breaking" journey to the mainland. It was also the first meeting between top leaders of the CPC and KMT in 60 years. Hu called for closer personnel, economic and cultural exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan to curb Taiwan secessionist activities and maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait.
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BEIJIN - A Chinese zoo will compensate a man whose daughter was mauled to death by a tiger while she was waiting to have her picture taken with it, the official Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday. Visitors pose for a picture with a tiger chained to a shelf at a park in Huaibei, East China's Anhui Province in this March 26, 2006 file photo.[newsphoto] The six-year-old was preparing to be photographed with a tiger from a local circus last month when a camera flash startled the animal and it turned on the girl who was standing behind, "biting her head", the report said. Kunming zoo, in China's southwest, will pay the father 340,000 yuan (,980), it added. "Nothing can compensate for the loss of my daughter. I hope the government can ban dangerous circus performances in case more people are hurt," Xinhua quoted father Mo Jicai as saying. In 2001, a female worker at the same zoo was also killed by a tiger. And in January, a tiger at the Kunming Wildlife Park attacked another child, but zookeepers were able to open the animal's mouth and save the child, Xinhua said.
KHARTOUM: Chinese peacekeepers were on Wednesday awarded certificates of merit for their excellent performance during their eight-month term in Sudan, a Chinese officer said Thursday.Lieutenant General Jasbir Singh Lidder, commander of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), presented Unit Citations to the engineering, transportation and medical contingents of Chinese peacekeeping troops, and Force Commander Commendations to 22 Chinese troops.The two certificates of merit are the highest honor awarded to peacekeepers from various contributing countries in Sudan, said the Chinese officer.The awards ceremony was held at the base of the Chinese peacekeeping troops in Wau, capital of West Bahr al-Ghazal state in southern Sudan, two weeks before their departure from Sudan to rotate with another batch of Chinese peacekeeping troops.Lidder said it was a great honor for him to serve with the Chinese peacekeepers as they were ending "their very successful term" in Sudan."During the past months, the three contingents of the Chinese peacekeeping troops have done a significant job to be a role model for professionalism, commitment and conduct," Lidder said.The Chinese peacekeepers had also maintained excellent relations with the contingents of other countries as well as the local population, the UNMIS commander said.Li Chengwen, the Chinese Ambassador to Sudan, congratulated all the three contingents, the 22 Chinese peacekeepers as well as the other officers and soldiers. He highly praised their performance in Sudan, especially in the extremely difficult and complicated conditions.The 435-strong Chinese peacekeeping troops, the second batch of Chinese peacekeepers deployed in southern Sudan since China started taking part in UN peacekeeping operation there in May last year and arrived in Wau in January this year.
Beijing's top official on cross-Straits affairs Monday condemned a referendum pushed by Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian as a move that is threatening to drag ties into a "high-risk period".Chen Yunlin, minister of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, called the referendum to join the United Nations under the name of Taiwan as a "scheme" aimed at de jure independence for the island.The Taiwan authorities led by Chen Shui-bian are "attempting to change the cross-Straits status quo that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China " Chen Yunlin said in a signed article published Monday in the latest issue of Qiushi (Seeking Truth) journal, a publication of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.The article came amid mounting concerns from across the Straits and international community over the proposed referendum, which is expected to strain cross-Straits relations and threaten regional stability.In an interview with a German newspaper published Monday, Chen Shui-bian insisted the referendum for Taiwan's admission to the UN will be slated for March as scheduled, along with the island's "presidential" elections.The Taiwan leader was quoted as saying he has no rights to "veto the referendum".Raymond Burghardt, chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan, rapped Chen Shui-bian in a meeting in Taipei last week, saying the United States is greatly concerned about the referendum and hopes it will be scrapped.He said his remarks represented views from the "highest level in Washington".Once Chen Shui-bian's plot materializes, "it will bring serious consequences cross-Straits relations and peace", Chen Yunlin warned in the article.The minister said the fight against pro-independence forces is becoming more and more intense as their secessionist activities are being intensified.He stressed that "China's sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division, and any matter in this regard must be decided by the entire Chinese people including our Taiwan compatriots"."The 1.3 billion Chinese people will never swallow the bitter fruit of 'Taiwan independence'," Chen Yunlin said.He reiterated that Beijing will stay on high alert of any desperate moves of the secessionist forces of Taiwan.In the event that "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces should act under any name or by any means to cause Taiwan's secession from China, or that major incidents entailing Taiwan's secession from China should occur, we shall resort to necessary measures without hesitation to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, our core national interests," he said.
The first national-level association of Taiwan-funded enterprises held its inaugural ceremony in Beijing yesterday - a move which experts say will help boost cross-Straits economic integration and peace. "Taiwan business people are all over the mainland now," said Chang Han-wen, the newly-elected chairman of the Association of Taiwanese-invested Enterprises on the Mainland. According to conservative estimates, there are at least 1 million Taiwan business people on the mainland. The national-level association, comprising heads of Taiwan enterprise associations and representatives of Taiwan enterprises on the mainland, aims to serve the island's enterprises, protect their legal rights, boost relations with the ministries in Beijing and strengthen communication with mainland firms. Chen Yunlin, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the island has chalked up a huge trade surplus with the mainland and its trade with the mainland has become an indispensable driving force of Taiwan's economy. "The mainland market provides huge potential for the expansion and industrial upgrading of Taiwan enterprises," he said. Xu Shiquan, vice-chairman of the National Society of Taiwan Studies, said that the establishment of the association coincides with the mushrooming of Taiwan-funded enterprises on the mainland. "Besides their number and scale, more and more Taiwan enterprises are keen to upgrade their industrial structure into the hi-tech sector," he said. "Though they usually forge local associations, faster expansion and a larger scale require a higher level of coordination," he said. Feng Bangyan, director of the Institute of Taiwan Economy at Jinan University in Guangzhou, said the association, which brings together many business heavyweights, would definitely pressure Taiwan authorities to grant more freedom for economic growth. "The secessionists forces on the island can't hinder the ever-increasing economic bonds linking the two sides across the Straits," he said.