Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng (R), Liu Wang (C) and Liu Yang (female) attended the setting-out ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province on June 16, 2012. They took the Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft into space and entered the Tiangong-1 space lab module which has been in the orbit for nine months on June 18. They will stay in the space lab for more than one week before returning to the Earth. The leaders of BRICS nations met in Los Cabos, Mexico on Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang met with Indian External June 18, 2012 before G20 Summit and agreed to boost Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna at the Great Hall of the People cooperation within the group of five major emerging in Beijing on June 6, 2012. Mr. Krishna was in Beijing for the economies. Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Indian An Indian Navy fleet consisting of the Guided Missile External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna at the Great Hall of Stealth Frigate Shivalik, the Guided Missile Destroyer the People in Beijing on June 7, 2012. Rana, the Guided Missile Corvette Karmuk and the versatile Fleet Tanker Shakti under the command of Rear Admiral P. Ajit Kumar arrived at Shanghai for a 5-day friendly visit on June 13. There are 1225 Indian officials and soldiers on board.

Mr. Deng Xijun (second from left), Charge d' Affairs of Mr. Wang Xuefeng, Minister of the Chinese Embassy, Chinese Embassy in India, visited Dish TV control room on presented the gift to Disha, a Class X student from June 16. Chandigarh after listening and watching her creative and vivid multimedia China information demonstration with other diplomats and their families. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 3

CONTENTS

I. G20 & Rio+20

1. BRICS Leaders Meet in Los Cabos for Closer BRICS Cooperation, G20 Coordination 4 2. President Hu Jintao Attends the Seventh G20 Summit and Delivers an Important Speech 5 3. G20 Leaders Seek to Boost Global Growth in Los Cabos Summit 7 4. G20 Los Cabos Leaders’ Summit Closes, With New Agreements Reached 8 5. Tackling Challenges for Sustainable Development 9 6. China Looks Forward to Rio+20 Summit with Six-point Proposal 12 7. Chinese Premier Leaves for Rio+20 Conference, Four-nation Latin America Tour 13 8. Chinese Premier Arrives in Rio de Janeiro to Kick Off Latin America Tour 13 9. Chinese Premier Urges Joint Efforts to Promote Sustainable Development 14

II. Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Beijing

1. SCO Summit Opens in Beijing 15 2. Upholding Lasting Peace, Promoting Common Prosperity 19 3. SCO Beijing Summit Holds Small-Scale Meeting 21 4. Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan Addresses the Opening Ceremony of the SCO Business Forum 23 5. Declaration of the Heads of State of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation 24 Organization on Building a Region of Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity 6. Press Communiqué of the Meeting of the Council of The Heads of the Member States 29 of The Shanghai Cooperation Organization 7. Chinese Vice Premier Meets India’s Foreign Minister, Pledging Closer Cooperation 32

III. DOMESTIC AFFAIRS

1. China Successfully Launches Spaceship with First Female Astronaut 33 2. Chinese Space Station to Benefit World 34 3. China’s Manned Submersible Reaches 6,965 Meters under Sea 35 4. National College Entrance Examination: A Nerve-wracking Experience for Parents 36 5. China to Help 13 Million Disable People Obtain Rehabilitation 37 6. China Plans to Accelerate Internet Construction 38 7. A New Green Plan 38 8. Operable Democracy 41 9. Tasting China 44

IV. SOUTH CHINA SEA

1. Ten Questions Regarding Huangyan Island 47

V. TIBET TODAY

1. Great Progress in Tibet after Democratic Reforms: Western Sociologists 51 2. Panchen Lama’s Guru Offers Grand Buddhist Ritual 52 3. Environmental Protection Stressed in Railway Construction 53 4. Tibet Receives 26 Percent More Tourists in Jan.-May Period 53 5. Foreign Tourists in Tibet 54 4 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

I. G20 & Rio+20

BRICS Leaders Meet in Los Cabos for Closer BRICS Cooperation, G20 Coordination

Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the meeting, held on the sidelines of a G20 summit in this Mexican resort city, along with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and South African President Jacob Zuma. Hu urged the G20 summit, which will start later in the day, to pick up the all-in-the-same-boat spirit and buoy up the international community’s confidence in the global economic On June 18, 2012, the leaders of BRICS nations met in LOS CABOS, Mexico and agreed to boost cooperation within the group of five major recovery. emerging economies. Noting that BRICS members have departments. boosted coordination and cooperation in a variety They should also step up coordination and of areas, Hu said the BRICS nations should next cooperation in a bid to play an active role in the commit themselves to promoting economic growth international community’s effort to resolve the and improving the people’s livelihood. European debt crisis, he added. The five countries should “manage their own As regards the G20 meeting, Hu said the Los things well, maintain the momentum of Cabos summit is held against the background of a development and contribute to the recovery of the world economy beset with instability and world economy,” he said. uncertainty, and thus has drawn great attention The BRICS nations, Hu added, should firmly worldwide. push forward the reforms in international China supports the BRICS nations to economy and financing so as to increase the coordinate their stances and jointly push for presence and say of emerging economies and positive results at the summit, which should reflect developing countries, improve global economic the all-in-the-same-boat spirit and a commitment governance, and create an institutional framework to mutual benefit, said the president. conducive to long-term, healthy growth of the The G20 conference, he said, should focus on world economy. coordinating macro-economic policies, reinforcing The president also said the BRICS nations the international community’s confidence in the should jointly work to deepen pragmatic global economic recovery and demonstrating the cooperation in various areas and strengthen group’s spirit of cooperative partnership in jointly consultations among their fiscal and finance NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 5

addressing major risks and challenges in global The BRICS leaders agreed that ensuring economy and financing. sufficient resources for the IMF is conducive to the In addition, Hu called on the G20 summit to international community’s efforts to tackle the adopt a development-oriented perspective, pay due current major challenges in global economy and attention to the opinions of emerging economies financing. and developing countries, and guarantee their The BRICS nations are ready to help, they said, rights of and space for development. while stressing that the IMF should implement the While discussing the issue of boosting funds 2010 reform plan on its quotas and governance in for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Hu a comprehensive and timely manner. emphasized that the G20 members have to take The leaders also discussed the possibility of the global economic stability and growth into setting up a currency swap arrangement and a account and encourage and support euro-zone foreign exchange reserve pool within the five- nations to adopt due measures to lift market member framework. confidence.

President Hu Jintao Attends the Seventh G20 Summit and Delivers an Important Speech

On June 18, 2012, the Seventh G20 Summit accumulated. In such a circumstance, the was held in Los Cabos, Mexico. President Hu Jintao international community must consolidate the attended the summit and delivered an important outcome of addressing the international financial speech entitled “Seeking Progress while crisis and maintain economic and social stability Maintaining Stability and Working Together to and development. At the same time, the Promote Development”. He stressed that the world international community must seek progress, economy is in a critical transitional period. There explore new ideas, take new initiatives, solve new is a long way to go to improve global economic problems, and promote the strong, sustainable and governance. the international community should balanced growth of global economy. greatly cherish the role and impact of G20 and First, the international community should firmly grasp the trend of world economic unswervingly promote the stabilization and development. the international community should recovery of world economy. At present, the main work together in a spirit of solidarity, coordination tasks of the members of G20 remain to maintain and cooperation to jointly overcome the risks and growth, promote employment, and ensure challenges on the road ahead and promote the stability. The international community should, in development and prosperity of the world. a spirit of helping each other and seeking win-win In his speech, Hu pointed out that since the cooperation, consolidate and strengthen the hard- Cannes Summit, the global economy has won recovery; the international community should maintained the momentum of recovery; however continue to support some European countries to unstable and uncertain factors are still outstanding; solve the debt problems in a constructive and the deep-rooted contradictions resulting in the cooperative manner and strive to get these international financial crisis have not yet been economies back onto the track of stable growth at eliminated; new risks are being formed and an early date; the international community should 6 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination should strengthen cooperation with the United and take full account of national circumstances Nations, and enhance the functions of the and reasonable concerns of each country; the international financial institutions in promoting international community should promote development and reducing poverty; the technological progress and innovation, foster international community should strengthen emerging industries, and provide driving force for support to developing countries in foreign trade the continuous growth of world economy. and increase investment in food security, Second, the international community should infrastructure and other development issues. unswervingly deepen the reform of the Fifth, the international community should international financial system. The priority is to stand firm to advocate sustainable development. implement the 2010 IMF quota and governance The international community should actively reform packages and increase the representation develop green industries such as energy-saving and and voice of developing countries; the international environment-friendly industries, and build a community should strengthen international resource-saving, environment-friendly society; the financial regulation, improve the international international community should adhere to the monetary system, and establish an international principle of common but differentiated reserve currency system with stable value, rule- responsibilities and support the parties to choose based issuance and manageable supply. the road of sustainable development in line with Third, the international community should their national conditions; the international stand firm to promote the healthy development of community should avoid new green trade barriers; international trade. The international community the international community should firmly support should jointly create a free, open, fair and equitable the United Nations as the main channel in the field global trading environment and oppose all forms of sustainable development. of protectionism; the international community Hu pointed out that since the beginning of the should maintain the openness and inclusiveness year, China has continued to strengthen and of various bilateral and regional free trade improve macroeconomic regulation and has arrangements, maintain and strengthen the maintained the general stability in economic multilateral trading system; the international operation. China will firmly follow the theme of community should pay attention to the value chain scientific development, accelerate the issue in international trade and look at the so-called transformation of economic development mode, trade imbalances in a more objective and balanced maintain stable and rapid economic development manner. and the basic stability of price level in general, and Fourth, the international community should maintain social harmony and stability. unswervingly push forward the cause of Mexican President Felipe Calderon presided development. The international community should over the summit and the leaders delivered speeches pay more attention to the spillover effects of the based on the theme. The participating leaders said policies and measures taken by some countries in that facing such a complex and difficult world addressing the international financial crisis on economic situation, the international community developing countries, and push for substantial should strengthen unity and coherence, jointly measures and concrete results in boosting the cope with problems and challenges such as the general prosperity and progress of developing financial crisis, employment, poverty, and countries and narrowing the gap between the environment and promote the strong, sustainable North and the South; the international community and balanced development of global economy. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 7

The summit also discussed the replenishment contribute $43 billion to IMF. to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In order The summit focused the discussions on the to cope with risks and challenges facing the world world economic situation, strengthening the economy, the IMF needs to have adequate international financial system, development, trade, resources. China’s supports and decides to employment and other related issues. participate in the IMF replenishment and will Wang Qishan also attended the summit.

G20 Leaders Seek to Boost Global Growth in Los Cabos Summit by Xinhua writer Ran Wei

Los Cabos, Mexico, June 19 (Xinhua) — The integrity and stability of the euro area. seventh G20 summit concluded in the Mexican “We look forward to the Euro Area working resort of Los Cabos Tuesday afternoon, with the in partnership with the next Greek government to group’s leaders reaching important consensus on ensure they remain on the path to reform and issues ranging from promoting economic growth, sustainability within the Euro Area,” said the strengthening international financial system, to leaders in the declaration. fighting trade protectionism. Greece is now at the heart of eurozone crisis. On Sunday, the pro-bailout conservative New CONSENSUS FOR GROWTH Democracy party beat the anti-bailoutleftist Syriza The G20 Los Cabos summit is being convened party in the European country’s crucial election. at a time when the global economy is facing great The new development temporarily eases market risks to growth and stability. The prolonged fears about a Greek exit from the eurozone, but eurozone debt crisis, slowdowns in major long-term uncertainties still remain. developed nations and even in emerging MORE RESOURCES FOR IMF economies, and high unemployment in parts of the world are all posing threats to the fragile In a major breakthrough of the summit, some recovery. G20 members agreedto inject 456 billion U.S. In a declaration issued after the summit, G20 dollars to increase the resources available to the leaders agreed that strong, sustainable and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Among them, balanced growth remains the top priority of the China contributes 43 billion dollars, with Brazil, group, and vowed to take “all necessary policy Russia, India and Mexico committing 10 billion measures” to work together to boost demand, dollars each. restore confidence andimprove financial stability. “I take away from Los Cabos a sense of On the eurozone crisis, which draws wide convergence that will facilitate the comprehensive attention in the Los Cabos summit, G20 leaders and coordinated approach to global economic and signaled their support to Greece and theeurozone, financial challenges advocated by the IMF,” while urging Europe to step up its efforts in fiscal ChristineLagarde, managing director of the IMF, reform. They also told eurozone members to take said at a press conference held on the sidelines of necessary policy measures to safeguard the the Group of 20 Leaders’ Summit Tuesday. 8 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

PROGRESS ON RESISTING CHINA’S IMPORTANT ROLE PROTECTIONISM During the Los Cabos summit, the important Following the global economic downturn, role played by Chinaand its readiness to shoulder protectionist practicesin international trade have its responsibilities in the international affairs are intensified. According to a recent report issued by widely recognized. the World Trade Organization, as many as 124 “We have seen a pattern now that China is new trade restrictive measures taken by G20 prepared to bear its global responsibilities,” said economies were recorded since mid-October 2011. John Kirton, Co-director of the Canada-based G20 To promote open trade and investment, the Research Group. G20 leaders on Tuesday vowed to resist In a press conference held following the closure “protectionism in all its forms.” of the seventhG20 Leaders’ Summit Tuesday, “We underline the importance of an open, Mexican President Felipe Calderon praised the predictable, rules-based, transparent multilateral important role played by emerging economies led trading system and are committed to ensure the by China. centrality of the World Trade China’s 43-billion-dollar contribution to the Organization(WTO),” said the statement. IMF is a “very high number,” said Calderon.

G20 Los Cabos Leaders’ Summit Closes, With New Agreements Reached

Los Cabos, Mexico, June 19 (Xinhua) — The principles and rejecting protectionism, stepping up seventh Leaders’ Summit of the Group of Twenty, regulatory framework and making progress in or G20, ended here in Los Cabos, a coastal resort creating a new institutional framework for in Mexico, Tuesday afternoon, closing a two-day Financial Stability Board to ensure a secure session, with G20 leaders agreeing to issues financial system and sustained growth, improving including controling European crisis and financial inclusion, enhancing food security and generating global growth. promoting green growth as a priority of the G20 While addressing a press conference held agenda. following the closure of the summit Tuesday, With the Plan of Action in Los Cabos, G20 Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared the leaders have made commitments to the following G20 Los Cabos summit a success and detailed aspects: to address decisively the situation in the agreements agreed by G20 leaders at the summit. euro area, to ensure global financial stability, to According to Calderon, one important strengthen demand and economic growth and the achievement with the G20 Los Cabos Leaders’ generation of jobs, to focus monetary policy to Summit was signing of the Action Plan of Los maintain price stability and sustain global economic Cabos for Growth and Jobs, followed by recovery, to ensure fiscal consolidation in advanced agreements reached in ensuring an increase in economies, to ensure that emerging markets financial resources available to the International maintain a solid growth path and sustainable, and Monetary Fund (IMF) for 456 billion U.S. dollars, resist protectionism and keep markets open to restoring growth through acting under free market international trade, said the Mexican president. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 9

The group also issued a declaration after the The Chinese president also presented a more summit. detailed five-point proposal, urging the G20 The seventh G20 Los Cabos Leaders’ Summit members to be firmly committed to promoting was attended by heads of state or government steady recovery of the world economy. representing 19 nations of the group’s 20 members, The G20 groups Argentina, Australia, Brazil, plus leaders representing European Union, as well Canada, China, France, Germany, India, as leaders from major international organizations, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi including the United Nations, IMF, and from a Arabia, South Africa, the Republic of Korea, number of countries being invited by Mexico, the Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, host nation. as well as the European Union. It was created in During the past two days of the summit, world December 1999 in response to the financial crises leaders also discussed poverty, education, affecting the emerging economies in the late 1990s. environment, in addition to issues concerning the Confronted with a global financial crisis, heads global economic situation, trade protectionism, of state or government of the G20 members met financial stability and food security. for the first time in Washington in November 2008 In a speech delivered at the summit’s first to work out an action plan to prevent the financial plenary session held Monday, Chinese President system and the global economy from collapsing. Hu Jintao elaborated on China’s viewpoints on Since then, leaders of the G20 members met problems plaguing the world economic regularly: in London in April 2009, Pittsburgh in development. September 2009, Toronto in June 2010, Seoul in He called on the world’s 20 leading November 2010 and Cannes in November 2011. industrialized and developing economies to seek At the last summit in Cannes, specific measures new progress while ensuring stability. were agreed upon under the Cannes Action Plan Hu said that while there has been some for Growth and Jobs in order to ensure global improvement in growth prospects, the world economic growth. The leaders made progress in economy is still facing prominent destabilizing reforming the international monetary system, and factors and uncertainties. the euro-zone crisis was also a key topic of “Faced with this situation, we need to discussion. consolidate what we have achieved in countering The G20, which accounts for 90 percent of the financial crisis, and maintain economic and global output and two thirds of the world’s social stability and development,” he said. “At the population, has become the premier forum for same time,we should endeavor to make new economic and financial cooperation. progress while ensuring stability.”

Tackling Challenges for Sustainable Development

Deng Xijun, Chargé d’ Affairs a. i. of Chinese Embassy in India

The United Nations Conference on 20 - 22, 2012, which is commonly known as Sustainable Development will be held on June Rio+20, treating “green economy within the 10 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

context of sustainable development and poverty carried out afforestation for two decades, with eradication” and “institutional framework for coverage now reaching 620,000 square sustainable development” as its two themes. kilometers. We are also committed to the Under the two themes, Rio+20 will assess the implementation of energy conservation, and progress and implementation gaps in meeting increase the efforts in pollution control. Since already agreed commitments, address new and 2005, while maintaining a robust economic emerging challenges, and secure renewed growth, China has cut energy consumption per political commitment to sustainable unit of GDP by 21%, and emissions of major development. pollutants such as S02 and COD by 16% and We are aware that uneven development, 14% respectively. China also attach great severe regional environmental pollution, importance to people’s livelihood and strive to desertification, climate change, population promote the well-being of the people. growth, poverty, increased demand for natural China cannot develop itself in isolation from resources and energy supply are among the the rest of the world, and global sustainability challenges China, India and many other can not be maintained without China. China has developing countries are facing for sustainable taken the initiative to promote bilateral and development. multilateral cooperation. We have carried out China is committed to pursuing sustainable cooperation with many countries in the fields of development as a national strategy. As a matter resources, environment, disaster prevention and of fact, sustainable development is embodied in mitigation, and a large number of demonstration China’s traditional values. Over 2,000 years ago, projects on sustainable development with the the great Chinese philosophers Mencius observed United Nations agencies and other international that “refraining from over fishing will ensure organizations. We have fully honored our fishing last forever” and “cutting wood commitments in the field of sustainable according to the season ensure the health of development, complying with various forest” are the means to achieve harmony international treaties that China has joined. between man and nature. Meanwhile, China is also providing any China has achieved remarkable results in possible assistance to other developing countries promoting sustainable development process and and least developed countries in accordance with accumulated some experience. China has the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and instituted the most stringent systems for emphasis on practical results, utilization of managing farmland and water resources, and diversified forms, and the pursuit of common fed one fifth of the global population with less development. As of the end of 2010, China had than 10% of the world’s farmland and only 28% offered zero tariff treatment to more than 60% of the world’s per capita water resources. In the of the products from 38 least developed past decade, we have implemented the policy of countries, provided other developing countries development-oriented aid to the rural poor and with 287 billion yuan (USD 46 billion) of financial lifted around 70 million people out of poverty, assistance, and written off 30 billion yuan (USD making China the first country to meet the 4.76 billion) debt of 50 heavily indebted poor Millennium Development Goal. China has countries and least developed countries. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 11

China is in the process of rapid differentiated responsibilities”. We believe that industrialization and urbanization and its global sustainable development can only be development has many constrains. First, China achieved under such principle while developing is poor in natural endowment, low in per capita countries are ensured equitable right to share of resources, and it has a fragile eco-system development and assumed responsibilities that and disparity in regional development. Second, are compatible with their capacity. At the same we are facing the dual pressures to accelerate time, developed countries should fully honor development while restructuring the economy. their commitments of providing official China is still a developing country with large development assistance, adequate funds and population, weak economic foundation and low- advanced technology to developing countries level productivity. Measured by the newly- and help them enhance capacity for adjusted national poverty line, China still has environmental protection and sustainable 128 million poor people in rural areas. Each year, development. over 10 million people enter the labor market. Second, stick to coordinating the three pillars The conflict between our resources supply and of economic growth, social development and demand is more prominent, the emissions of environmental protection. It is necessary for us major pollutants continue to exceed the capacity to develop a green economy as well as eliminate of the environment. China thus faces a poverty and promote human well-being. formidable task of growing the economy while Third, pursue the principle of diversifying protecting the environment. Third, economic and development models. We shall respect the way social structural problems are prominent in of sustainable development every sovereign China. The industrial structure is not sound; the country chooses. Every country has its right to domestic and external demand as well as independently choose the path of development investment and consumption are not balanced; suited to its national conditions. economic growth is too dependent on investment China and India, as two emerging economies and exports; and domestic consumer demand is consisting of one-third of the population in the obviously insufficient. world, both want to eradicate poverty and While a global consensus on sustainable achieve modernization. The Indian saying “We development has emerged, joint actions to produce to live, not to consume” and the ancient promote sustainable development are still weak Chinese philosophy of “unity between heaven and uncoordinated. The gap between the and man” and “the law of following the nature” developed and the poorest countries has are all examples of oriental wisdom. We look continued to expand. Under such forward to the cooperation between China and circumstance, the Rio+20 has indubitably India in Rio+20 to guarantee a sustainable attracted great expectations from the world development for both countries and other and is undoubtedly set to have a significant developing countries. We hope that the Rio+20 and profound impact on the future sustainable shall send a positive, clear and powerful development. We think the Rio+20 should focus message to reinvigorate international on three principles. cooperation and inject new vitality into First, adhere to the principle of “common but sustainable development. 12 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

China Looks Forward to Rio+20 Summit with Six-point Proposal

Rio de Janeiro, June 16 (Xinhua) — China will The fourth is to promote the establishment of make joint efforts with relevant parties to achieve mechanisms for sustainable development, which comprehensive, positive and pragmatic results at could help resolve the practical difficulties of the upcoming United Nations Conference on developing countries. Sustainable Development (Rio+20 summit), a The fifth is to effectively provide support and Chinese diplomat said here Saturday. assistance for developing countries, which are the “Sustainable development is an important weak link in the chain of sustainable development. issue relating to the future generations of all The summit should develop specific countries, while strengthening international implementation plans to provide financial cooperation and seeking common prosperity is the assistance, debt relief and transfers of technology only way to achieve it,” Chinese Assistant Foreign for developing countries. Minister Ma Zhaoxu said at a sideline event ahead The last is to initiate the process of setting goals of the Rio+20 summit. for sustainable development. The summit should China attaches great importance to the summit, clarify the guiding principles of achieving the goals, Ma said, calling for political will and wisdom to which should also be an effective complement to achieve new progress in sustainable development. the Millennium Development Goals. China has made a six-point proposal to the As a responsible developing country, Ma said, upcoming summit, Ma said. China has actively been promoting international First, efforts should be made to uphold the cooperation in sustainable development and has principle of “common but differentiated fully honored its commitment to the international responsibilities,” a major achievement of the community with unremitting efforts to promote 1992 Earth Summit in Rio and which serves global sustainable development. as the guiding principle of international China has participated in the Rio+20 with a cooperation. positive and constructive attitude, he added. Second, the development of society, economy The June 20-22 Rio+20, the largest United and environmental protection should be balanced. Nations conference ever to be held in Rio de Janeiro, The summit should promote comprehensive, Brazil, will bring together leaders from more than balanced and sustainable development of 190 nations who will reach a series of political mankind. agreements to improve people’s standard of living The third is to open up broad prospects for the and protect the environment. green economy, which is important to achieving Twenty years after the 1992 Earth Summit in sustainable development, eradicating poverty and Rio, the United Nations is again bringing together restructuring economies. China hopes the summit governments, international institutions and major could promote international cooperation in groups to discuss a range of measures to reduce promoting the green economy and address the poverty while promoting decent jobs, clean energy concerns of developing countries. and more sustainable and fair use of resources. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 13

Chinese Premier Leaves for Rio+20 Conference, Four-nation Latin America Tour

Beijing, June 19 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier anniversary of the landmark UN Conference on Wen Jiabao left Beijing Tuesday morning to attend Environment and Development hosted by Rio in the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable 1992. Wen is scheduled to talk about China’s Development (Rio+20) in Rio De Janeiro, and pay approach to sustainable development at the official visits to Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and conference and exchange views with leaders Chile from June 20 to 26. attending the conference. Wen was invited by Brazilian President Dilma China hopes the conference will deliver Rousseff, Uruguayan President Jose Mujica, “positive, clear and strong” signals of international Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de cooperation in sustainable development, Vice Kirchner and Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. Foreign Minister Xie Hangsheng Monday told a Rio+20, which will be held from June 20 to 22, press briefing in Beijing. also known as the Earth Summit, marks the 20th

Chinese Premier Arrives in Rio de Janeiro to Kick Off Latin America Tour

Rio de Janeiro, June 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese developing countries, Wen said. Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Noting his visit to Brazil is aimed at enhancing Wednesday afternoon to attend the UN mutual trust, broadening consensus and deepening Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 cooperation, Premier Wen also expressed his belief summit). that the visit will promote bilateral ties to a higher In a speech delivered at the airport, Wen said level. that China and Brazil have witnessed an all-round China attaches great importance to the Rio+20 and rapid development of bilateral ties since they summit and calls for political will and wisdom to established diplomatic ties 38 years ago. achieve new progress in sustainable development. The two sides have maintained frequent high- During the conference, Wen will deliver a level contacts, achieved fruitful results in speech to elaborate on China’s policies on cooperation in various fields, and kept close sustainable development and urge the coordination and cooperation on major international community to enhance cooperation. international issues, he said. He will meet with leaders attending the conference In the context of a world undergoing massive, to exchange views, Chinese Foreign Ministry deep and complicated changes, China and Brazil, Spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters prior to as two major developing countries with great Wen’s departure. influence, should strengthen cooperation, which The June 20-22 Rio+20 summit, the largest UN is in line with the fundamental interests of the two conference ever to be held in Rio de Janeiro, will countries and the two peoples and is conducive to bring together leaders from more than 190 nations enhancing cooperation and solidarity among who are expected to reach a series of political 14 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

agreements on improving people’s living standard headquarters of the UN Economic Commission for and protecting the environment. Latin America and the Caribbean, the Chinese After the summit, Wen is scheduled to pay Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu said. official visits to Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Liu said Wen’s visits will further deepen Chile. A host of pragmatic cooperation agreements relations between China and the four countries, are expected to be signed during the tour. and consolidate partnership between China and Wen would meet with leaders of the four Latin America. nations to discuss bilateral ties as well as regional Bilateral trade between China and Latin and international issues of common concern. He America recorded a sharp increase to 241.5 billion would also deliver a speech in Chile at the U.S. dollars in 2011.

Chinese Premier Urges Joint Efforts to Promote Sustainable Development

Rio de Janeiro, June 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese Noting that major progress has been made Premier Wen Jiabao here on Wednesday urged in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, the international community to make joint efforts Wen pointed out that the global process of to promote sustainable development, while sustainable development is “not balanced” as the pledging China’s readiness to live up to its gap between the North and the South is widening responsibilities as a major developing country in and resources and environment related issues this regard. remain acute. “To jointly promote sustainable development, “Sustainable development faces new and we should take a fair, just, open and inclusive grave challenges posed by the international approach,” said Premier Wen at the three-day financial crisis, climate change, energy and food UN Conference on Sustainable Development security and local conflicts,” Wen said, adding (Rio+20 summit), which opened Wednesday. that “preserving resources and the environment He stressed that countries around the globe to achieve sustainable development is the only should continue to work as partners, adhere to choice we have.” the Rio Principles, “especially the principle of Creating “a green and prosperous world” common but differentiated responsibilities.” should be “the ultimate goal we should pursue He announced that China will contribute 6 as we work together to advance the global million U.S. dollars to a UN Environment process of sustainable development,” the Program trust fund for projects and activities premier said. that help developing countries raise capacity for He proposed that to jointly promote environmental protection. sustainable development, the international He also promised that China will make community should explore effective models of available 200 million yuan (31.7 million dollars) growing green economy, he proposed. for a three-year international project to help While there are no uniform standards or small island countries, least developed countries models for green economy, “green economy and African countries tackle climate change. should be pursued according to the actual NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 15

conditions of a country,” he said. China will help other developing countries “We should pursue green economy as an raise capacity for environmental protection, effective way of promoting sustainable ecological preservation and desertification development in all countries and advancing control, Wen said. global economic recovery,” he said. He said promoting sustainable development The premier also proposed improving the is a great cause that will benefit both current and mechanism of global governance to promote future generations and pledged that China will sustainable development, stressing that the work with the international community to share United Nations should play a leading role in opportunities and meet challenges. developing an effective institutional framework The Rio+20 summit is another large-scale of sustainable development. high-level international conference on “Its (the UN’s) capacity for guidance, sustainable development following the 1992 UN coordination and implementation should be Conference on Environment and Development enhanced so that it can better integrate the three in Rio de Janeiro and the 2002 World Summit pillars of economic growth, social progress and on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, environmental protection,” he said. South Africa. He called for “a new type of partnership” The Rio+20 summit aims to review the for sustainable development with the progress made in sustainable development over participation of international agencies, the past 20 years and act urgently in the face of governments and the public. the global financial crisis, reiterate political Meanwhile, the premier said China is ready commitments and address new problems and to live up to its responsibilities. “The more it challenges for sustainable development. develops, the more opportunities China will More than 120 heads of state or government create and the more contribution it will make to and over 40,000 representatives are attending the world,” he said. the summit.

II. Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Beijing

SCO Summit Opens in Beijing

On June 7, 2012, the 12th meeting of the Hu, as the head of state of the host country, Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai presided over the meeting. The participants Cooperation Organization (SCO) kicked off in exchanged in-depth views on the deepening of the Great Hall of the People. Chinese President friendly cooperation among member states and Hu Jintao, Kazakh President Nursultan major international and regional issues and made Nazarbayev, Kyrgyz President Almazbek plans for and reached new consensus on the Atambaev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, future development of the SCO. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Uzbek At 9:30 am, Hu received the distinguished President Islam Karimov attended the meeting. guests and shook hands with them cordially at 16 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

the north hall of the Great Hall of the People. The meeting officially started at 9:40am. Hu delivered an important speech with the title of Maintaining Lasting Peace and Promoting Common Development. He said that the summit is held at the beginning of the second decade of the SCO and has great significance to the SCO’s future development. The SCO has achieved remarkable development over the past decade. We responded to the call of the times for peace and development, upheld the The restricted session of the 12th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is held at the Great Shanghai Spirit, concluded the Hall of the People in downtown Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2012. long-term good-neighborly friendship and cooperation treaty, carried SCO, bring tangible benefits to the member states forward the idea of friendship from generation and make new contributions to peace and to generation and created a new model of development in the region and the world at large. regional cooperation. The SCO has become the Hu put forward 4 proposals. First, build the banner of peaceful development. It is widely SCO as a harmonious family, strengthen recognized and supported by the people of communication and consultations, enhance member states. Its international influence and mutual understanding and trust, status has been significantly improved, said Hu. comprehensively implement the long-term good- He pointed out that the complex and neighborly friendship and cooperation treaty fluctuating international and regional situation and strive to build a harmonious region. Second, at present brings numerous unstable and build the SCO as a strong guarantee for regional uncertain factors to the region. Only by security and stability, establish and improve the strengthening cooperation and solidarity and security cooperation mechanisms, squeeze the unswervingly developing the SCO can we space of the “three forces”, eradicate drug effectively handle challenges and problems, trafficking and transnational organized crimes maintain regional peace and stability and and firmly support the efforts of countries to achieve common development and prosperity. safeguard their sovereignty, independence, He added that the SCO is standing at a new territorial integrity, security and stability. Third, starting point. We should work out and well build the SCO as a driving force for regional implement the development goals of the SCO in economic development, unswervingly push the next decade, make clear the development forward pragmatic cooperation, advance the direction, specify measures and initiatives to connectivity projects of railways, highways, ensure the better and faster development of the aviation, telecommunications, power grids and NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 17

energy pipelines, build the development bank, Nazarbayev noted that member states should food safety cooperation mechanism, seed bank, strengthen planning under the new agricultural demonstration bases and the energy circumstances to make sure the balanced growth club, promote trade and investment facilitation of the SCO in the security, economic and cultural and step up cooperation in science and fields. They must resolutely crack down on the technology, culture, education, health and other “three forces” and international cyber-crime, fields. Fourth, build the SCO as an efficient boost the multilateral economic cooperation, platform for international exchanges and expand develop the SCO University and enhance its international influence, strengthen educational and cultural exchanges. consultations with other international and Atambaev said that member states should regional organizations, safeguard peace, promote reinforce solidarity and deepen pragmatic development, push foward world multi- cooperation under the guidance of the Shanghai polarization and democratization of Spirit. It is important to establish the special international relations and reinforce account and development bank of the SCO and communication and coordination of position on advance energy and transport infrastructure major international and regional issues. connectivity. Kyrgyzstan will take over the He said finally that China is willing to work rotation presidency of the SCO and is willing to with other member states to fully implement the make positive efforts to promote the SCO’s consensus reached by the meeting of Council of development. Heads of State, steadily promote cooperation and Putin said that the SCO should work out the jointly create the future of the SCO. (See another future development strategy and action plans. text for the full speech) It should enhance security cooperation and

The large group meeting of the 12th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is held at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2012. 18 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

establish anti-drug functions in its Regional and made remarks. They expressed willingness Antiterrorist Structure; deepen economic to strengthen contact with the SCO, safeguard cooperation, make use of the Entrepreneurs’ regional peace and stability and achieve common Committee and Interbank Consortium, boost development. large cooperation projects and accelerate the The participants also exchanged views on the development of logistics industry; encourage issue of Afghanistan and Iran’s nuclear issue. cultural exchanges. Russia will host the member Secretary-General of the SCO Muratbek states’ enterprises and border regions youth Imanaliev, Director of the Executive Committee forum. The SCO should develop links with other of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the countries and international and regional SCO Dzhenisbek Dzhumanbekov and officials organizations in the principle of openness. from the UN, the Commonwealth of Rahmon noted that the SCO has gained Independent States, the Eurasian Economic positive results in the political, security, Community and the Collective Security Treaty economic, cultural and other fields and opened Organization were present at the meeting. a new road of good-neighborly and friendly The meeting agreed to accept Afghanistan cooperation among member states. The member as the SCO’s observer state and Turkey the states should review the experience, support each SCO’s dialogue partner. other and work together to build a safe, happy, It is decided that the 2013 SCO summit will harmonious and prosperous family. be held in Kyrgyzstan. Karimov pointed out that the SCO’s mid-term After the meeting, the heads of member states development strategic planning makes clear the signed the declaration on building a region with direction for its future development. He believes lasting peace and common prosperity, the the summit will significantly push foward resolution on the SCO’s mid-term development member states’ practical cooperation and enable strategic planning, the resolution on the SCO them to respond effectively to new threats and regulations on political and diplomatic measures challenges and create a peaceful and secure and mechanism of response to events external environment. jeopardizing regional peace, security and All the participants spoke highly of China’s stability and the resolution on the cooperative important contributions to the SCO’s program on fighting terrorism, separatism and development and believe that the summit will extremism for 2013-2015 and jointly met the become a new milestone in the course of press. development of the SCO. A press communiqué was released by the Participants from the observer countries, meeting. including Iranian President Mahmoud Member of the Secretariat and Director of the Ahmadinejad, Mongolian President Tsakhia General Office of the CPC Central Committee Elbegdorj, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Ling Jihua, member of the Secretariat and and Indian Foreign Minister Somanahalli Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Mallaiah Krishna and those from the host’s guest Central Committee Wang Huning and State countries, including President of Turkmenistan Councilor Dai Bingguo attended the meeting and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Afghan related activities. President Hamid Karzai attended the meeting NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 19

Upholding Lasting Peace, Promoting Common Prosperity

Remarks by H.E. Hu Jintao President of the People’s Republic of China At the 12th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Beijing, 7 June 2012

Dear Colleagues, the member states, we have jointly implemented As the Shanghai the “Shanghai Spirit”, Cooperation Organization concluded the Treaty of (SCO) enters its second Long-Term Good- decade, we are gathered Neighborliness, Friendship here at the 12th summit of and Cooperation, embraced the organization to jointly the peaceful vision of explore ways to promote building long-standing peace and development. friendship, explored new This summit provides us models of regional with an opportunity to cooperation, and build on past achievements achieved important and make new progress, results in our cooperation. and is thus of great significance to the future In particular, by taking joint actions against development of the organization. terrorism, separatism and extremism, drug In the past ten years, the member states have trafficking and transnational organized crimes, we acted in the spirit of unity and coordination, and have safeguarded the security and development made remarkable progress in the development of interests of member states, and upheld peace, the SCO. We have improved the institutional security and stability in the region. The SCO, building of the organization, signed over 100 which has become a banner for peace and important documents for cooperation, and development, enjoys broad support from people admitted new observers and dialogue partners. across the member states, greater global influence These achievements have laid a solid foundation and notably higher international standing. for the development of the SCO and increased its The present regional and international situation influence in the international community. is complex and volatile. The underlying impact of In spite of the volatile international situation, the international financial crisis still persists. we have managed to preserve peace and Regional hotspot issues keep flaring up, and the development in this region against the challenges situation in West Asia and North Africa remains of the Afghan war, the Iraqi war, the international turbulent. As a result, there are still many financial crisis and the turbulence in West Asia instabilities and uncertainties in the regional and North Africa. Following the trend towards situation, and the development of the SCO faces peace and development and heeding the calls of both new challenges and new opportunities. The 20 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

SCO member states are all confronted with the Extremism, establish and improve the security arduous task of development, and we all need a cooperation mechanism, take coordinated actions, stable internal environment and a peaceful and suppress the space of terrorist, separatist and tranquil external environment. We must strengthen extremist forces and eliminate drug trafficking, cooperation and unity, keep pushing forward the organized transnational crime and other vicious development of the SCO, and seize and make good forces. We should take the revision of the use of the favorable opportunities. This is the only regulations on emergency response mechanism as way for us to tackle the challenges and problems an opportunity to comprehensively enhance the we face, safeguard regional peace and stability, SCO’s capacity for action and rapid response. The and achieve common development and prosperity internal affairs of each country in this region in this region. should be decided independently by its people. We The SCO is now standing at a new starting are firmly against interference in the internal affairs point. We must be practical in our efforts, set out of the member states under any pretext and we the goals for the development of the SCO in the firmly support efforts of individual countries to next ten years and ensure their delivery, chart a uphold sovereignty, independence, territorial clear course for the development of the integrity, security and stability. organization, and devise specific steps and - We need to make the SCO a driver of regional measures to help the SCO grow faster and better economic development. The SCO member states so that it can bring tangible benefits to the member span across Eurasia with vast landmass, rich states and make new contribution to peace and resources and huge development potential. We development of the region and the world at large. should bear in mind the features of the regional - We must build the SCO into a harmonious economy and the actual development needs of and amicable home. The member states should each country, make full use of the effective platform strengthen communication and consultation, provided by the SCO, bring out our respective enhance mutual understanding and trust, fully strengths, stay committed to practical cooperation implement the Treaty of Long-Term Good- and endeavor to achieve common development Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, and and prosperity. Member states need to work hard address existing problems in the spirit of mutual to complete projects aimed at improving regional respect, consultation on an equal footing, mutual connectivity, such as railways, roads, air links, understanding and mutual accommodation. And telecommunication, power grids and energy we should work together to build a harmonious pipelines, so as to breathe new life into the ancient region and a harmonious and amicable home for Silk Road. We should establish a development the people of this region. To this end, the Chinese bank, a food security cooperation mechanism, a side wishes to propose that a SCO committee on seed bank, agricultural demonstration and good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation dissemination bases and an energy club to should be established to promote the people-to- promote trade and investment facilitation and people exchanges between the member states and the economic development of all countries in an firm up the popular support and social basis for all-round way. We need to intensify cooperation the development of the SCO. in science, technology, culture, education and - We need to make the SCO a source of strong health, develop high-tech products and support for regional security and stability. Member industries and comprehensively enhance the states should fully implement the Shanghai competitiveness of our individual countries in the Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and global economy. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 21

In the next three years, China will train 1,500 communication, coordinate positions, speak with experts for other member states. In the next ten a consistent voice based on the merits of the years, China will offer 30,000 government issues and our common interests and make new scholarships for other member states and invite and greater contribution to world peace and 10,000 teachers and students of the Confucius stability and common development. institutes to come to China for study programs. To Dear Colleagues, promote the development of the member states and support economic cooperation programs under the Over the past year, other SCO member states framework of the SCO, China has decided to have given China enormous support and help and provide other member states with new loans worth worked tirelessly for the success and positive 10 billion US dollars. outcomes of this meeting. I wish to express my - We need to make the SCO an effective sincere appreciation to you for your support. China platform for international exchanges with greater will actively support the work of the incoming international influence. The member states share president, Kyrgyzstan, in a spirit of practical and common interests and extensive consensus on friendly cooperation. We hope to join hands with many major regional and international issues. all other member states to act in an enterprising We should use this platform to enhance and pioneering spirit, fully implement the consultation with other regional and agreement reached at this meeting, steadily international organizations to uphold peace, advance the cooperation of the SCO across the boost development, and promote a multi-polar board and create a bright future for the world and greater democracy in international development of the SCO. relations. On major regional and international Thank you. issues, the member states need to strengthen

SCO Beijing Summit Holds Small-Scale Meeting

On June 6, 2012, a small-scale meeting of the summit is held on the occasion that the SCO enters 12th summit of the Council of Heads of State of the second decade of development. The SCO has the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) passed an extraordinary journey. Despite the was held in the Great Hall of the People. Chinese fluctuating international situation, the SCO has President Hu Jintao presided over the meeting as maintained the momentum of stable, healthy and head of state of the host country. Kazakh President rapid development, completed the mechanism Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kyrgyz President Almazbek building, made remarkable achievements in the Atambaev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajik field of counter-terrorism, scored tangible progress President Emomali Rahmon and Uzbek President of economic and cultural cooperation and Islam Karimov attended the meeting. demonstrated great potential and broad prospects The heads of state discussed the procedural of development. Practices have proved that the issues of the summit, including the topics and establishment and development of the SCO serves schedule and exchanged views on the SCO’s the common interests of member states and plays development and other relevant issues. an important role of safeguarding regional security Addressing the meeting, Hu Jintao said the and stability and promoting common 22 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

development. maintain close communication and coordination He pointed out that the current international and send out clear and consistent signals on the and regional situation remains complicated and major issues of the region and the surrounding volatile and the SCO’s development faces both new regions. We should intensify mutual support on opportunities and challenges. During this summit, issues involving our core interests, including heads of state will determine the direction and goals sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, of the SCO’s development within the next decade, social stability and development path. gather consensus and make pioneering efforts to Third, we must hold high the banner of further grow the SCO, bring tangible benefits to cooperation and development and strive to achieve the member states and contribute more to common prosperity. We should use our maintaining peace and stability of the region and complementary advantages to strengthen regional the world at large. cooperation and comprehensively push forward First, we must hold high the banner of peace cooperation in the four focal areas of finance, and harmony and strive to build a harmonious energy, food and transportation. Member states region. We should comprehensively implement the should improve the quality and efficiency of long-term good-neighborly friendship and economic development through effective cooperation treaty, enhance the mutual trust of cooperation, enhance ability to withstand risks, lift member states, strengthen mutual support and up international competitiveness and achieve consolidate internal unity. mutual benefits. Second, we must hold high the banner of anti- Fourth, we must hold high the banner of terrorism and stability, resolutely safeguard opening up and cooperation and strive to expand regional peace and stability and protect the security the international influence of the SCO. We should interests and development interests of member strengthen the SCO’s contacts with relevant states. We should firmly crack down on the “three international and regional organizations, promote forces” and curb drug trafficking and the Shanghai Spirit and the SCO’s new security transnational organized crimes. We should concept, new development concept, new NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 23

cooperation concept and new civilization concept promote the cooperation on infrastructure and widely spread the idea of carrying forward construction, enhance security and law friendship from generation to generation and enforcement cooperation, improve the action and building a harmonious region. rapid response capability, jointly combat the “three Hu Jintao pointed out in the end that the next forces”, drug trafficking and other transnational decade will be a critical period for the SCO’s organized crimes, step up cultural exchanges, development. We must seize the opportunity to consolidate good-neighborly friendship, intensify promote mutually beneficial cooperation, build the communication and coordination on major SCO into a community of interests and destiny of international and regional issues and strive to build member states, jointly establish a harmonious a harmonious region with lasting peace and region and create a better future of common common prosperity. development and prosperity. They expressed concern about the situation in The heads of states agreed that the SCO has Afghanistan. They hope that peace, stability, good played a key role of promoting the cooperation of neighborliness and development can be realized member states, jointly handling crises and in Afghanistan as soon as possible. challenges and safeguarding regional security and They also discussed the Syrian issue and Iran’s stability. Under the current complicated and nuclear issue and called for political solutions fluctuating international and regional situation, through negotiations so as to maintain regional member states should consolidate unity, strengthen security and stability. strategic planning, make clear the future direction, In the evening, Hu as well as the heads of state, deepen pragmatic cooperation, boost further VIPs and representatives of international development of the SCO and bring benefit to the organizations participating in the summit watched people in the region. They should reinforce the Night of Good-Neighborly Friendship gala economic, trade, food and energy security performance at the National Centre for the cooperation, explore new ways of financing to Performing Arts.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan Addresses the Opening Ceremony of the SCO Business Forum

On June 6, 2012, Vice Premier Wang Qishan China has accumulatively invested more than attended the opening ceremony of the Shanghai US$20 billion in other member states. A number Cooperation Organization (SCO) Business of major cooperation projects of cross-border oil Forum in Beijing and delivered a speech. and gas pipelines, highways, railways and Wang said that it is of great significance to communications have been built, cooperation hold the Business Forum before the SCO Beijing in the fields of energy and mining, processing summit opens. Since its establishment 11 years and manufacturing, commerce and logistics ago, the SCO has played an important role of and agriculture moves forward steadily, promoting pragmatic cooperation in the region. financial cooperation is very effective and China’s trade volume with other SCO member regional economic integration has made states for the first time exceeded US$100 billion significant progress. Facts have proved that in 2011, growing by 9 folds compared with 2001. the increasingly close economic ties of member 24 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

states have brought tangible benefits to the people. He stressed that as economic globalization goes deeper, to further enhance regional economic cooperation helps enrich and strengthen the value of the SCO, grow the economy and improve people’s livelihood in the member states and jointly cope with challenges. He hopes the SCO member states’ governments work together to actively market levels and build a sound “soft” and implement the multilateral economic and trade “hard” cooperation environment. cooperation outline, optimize trade structure, The SCO Business Forum is one of the expand mutual investment and enhance trade activities within the framework of the 12th and investment facilitation. It is necessary to meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State. speed up infrastructure connectivity Around 700 people attended the event, construction, deepen energy and mineral including representatives of the member states, cooperation, broaden cooperation in such fields observer countries and dialogue partners, as agriculture, manufacturing, high technology government officials of the especially invited and tourism and tap new growth point of countries, members of the SCO Entrepreneurs’ regional economy; boost local currency Committee and Interbank Consortium as well settlement and currency swap, cement regional as business delegates from the financial, financial cooperation and make innovations of electromechanical, IT, transport, energy and financing; make greater use of the role of market, resources development sectors. step up cooperation at the local, enterprise and

Declaration of the Heads of State of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Building a Region of Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity

The heads of state of the member states of the Heads of State of SCO Member States in Beijing Shanghai Cooperation Organization (hereinafter from 6 to 7 June 2012. referred to as “the SCO” or “the Organization”) The heads of state noted the ongoing complex participated in the Meeting of the Council of the changes in the international system since the NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 25 beginning of the 21st century, featuring an increasingly multi- polar landscape, stronger regional coordination, deepening globalization, closer interdependence between countries and a larger role for information technologies. It is imperative for the international community to meet global challenges through effective and concerted actions. Given the complexity of the world economic situation and the persistent instabilities and uncertainties, another large- scale economic and financial crisis may strike. necessary steps to avoid border dispute and Meanwhile, the risks of terrorism, narcotics safeguard peace, tranquility and stability. trafficking, transnational crimes, development The member states will continue to strengthen imbalance, food shortage, climate change and and upgrade cooperation within the SCO proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as framework and build the SCO region into a region well as the threats and challenges of local and of lasting peace, friendship, prosperity and regional conflicts still exist. harmony. Responding to the common aspirations of the In this connection, the heads of state declare people of the member states, the SCO has carried the following: out effective work to promote peace, cooperation I and development, lived up to the “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, The member states call on the international consultation, respect for cultural diversity and community to work for the peaceful co-existence pursuit of common development, and helped and dialogue between civilizations, seek consensus, establish an effective model for building friendly promote coordinated and sustainable and cooperative state-to-state relations. development, respect the cultural traditions and Thanks to the concerted efforts of the member values of different countries, and build closer state- states, the SCO has played an important role in to-state relations on the basis of universally securing peace and sustainable development, recognized rules and principles of the international upholding the security, stability and development law. of the region, combating terrorism, separatism and The member states honor the Charter of the extremism, battling narcotics trafficking and United Nations, the Charter of the Shanghai transnational organized crimes, advancing Cooperation Organization, the Treaty of Long-Term regional cooperation and strengthening good- Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation neighborliness and mutual trust. between the Member States of the Shanghai The member states will continue to enhance Cooperation Organization and other international military mutual trust in the border region and take treaties acceded to by the member states as they 26 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

further develop and deepen their relations. prevention of outer space weaponization. They The members states desire to build mutual promote the formulation of a “treaty on the relations on the basis of respecting each other’s prevention of the placement of weapons in outer sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and space and the threat or use of force against outer independent choice of social system and space objects”, and the formulation and development path and non-interference in each international implementation of outer space other’s internal affairs. The member states support transparency and confidence-building measures. each other in maintaining domestic stability and The member states will, on the basis of the promoting economic growth. principles of respect for state sovereignty and non- No member state will join any alliance or group interference in other countries’ internal affairs, of countries targeted at other member states, and work to build a peaceful, secure, fair and open issues between member states or between members information space. The member states oppose the and other countries shall be addressed through application of information and telecommunication political and diplomatic means and consistent with technologies in a way that endangers their the international law, with every possible measures political, economic and social security and prevent explored. the use of the Internet to propagate terrorism, extremism and separatism ideologies. II III The member states share the view that it is important to promote a new security concept The member states are of the view that regional featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and affairs should be solved through consultation coordination in international relations, and build between relevant countries in the region and a indivisible security space in the world where the international organizations. The specific means interests of all countries are respected. and mechanism for maintaining regional security Unilateral and unrestricted build-up of missile and stability should be decided by the countries of defence by an individual country or a country bloc that region. will endanger international security and strategic In the event of a situation threatening the stability. The relevant issues must be resolved by peace, stability and security of a member state of all the countries concerned through political and the SCO or the entire region, the member states diplomatic efforts. The member states firmly believe shall, in accordance with the organization’s that one should not pursue its own security at the relevant documents, take political and diplomatic expense of other countries’ security. measures to deal with the situation timely and The member states support the building of a appropriately. world free of nuclear weapons and in strict The member states continue to step up bilateral compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation and multilateral cooperation to jointly combat of Nuclear Weapons. The SCO calls on all nuclear terrorism, separatism and extremism, battle illicit weapon states to sign the relevant protocols to the trafficking in drugs and weapons and other Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia transnational criminal activities, address illegal and take real steps to move forward the migration and meet the new threats and challenges establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in in other security fields. Central Asia. The member states support Afghanistan’s effort The member states stand for ensuring outer to build an independent, neutral, peaceful, space security, peaceful use of outer space and prosperous country free of terrorism and drug- NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 27

related crimes. They are of the view that the norms governing international relations. They national reconciliation process in Afghanistan stand for strict implementation of relevant UN should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. The Security Council resolutions. They support the P5 member states support the United Nations’ leading plus one and Iran in opening sustainable dialogue role in coordinating the international efforts on the process and they support efforts to find a political issue of Afghanistan. The member states will help and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue the Afghan people in their national reconstruction. through dialogue and talks between relevant The member states decide to give Afghanistan the parties. The member states expect Iran, as a observer status in the SCO. responsible member of the international The member states express deep concern over community, to play an important role in the situation in western Asia and northern Africa. maintaining peace and prosperity. They sincerely hope to see peace, stability, IV prosperity and progress in this region. They call on the international community to respect the The member states support each other and purposes of the UN Charter and norms of the promote experience sharing and practical international law, respect the independent choice exchanges and, in light of national social and of the countries and peoples in the region, and economic priorities, build on modernization and work to ease tensions. They oppose armed innovation-driven growth to increase the potential intervention or forced “regime change” and for economic development. disapprove of unilateral sanctions. The member states maintain that economic The member states underline that all acts of globalization should be conducive to a trading violence inside Syria must stop. They support relationship that is balanced, mutually beneficial, broad-based domestic dialogue that respects Syria’s fair, efficient and non-discriminatory and that sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. benefits all countries. They welcome the UN Security Council’s support The member states are ready to continue to for political mediation efforts in solving the crisis work with the international community to and believe that a peaceful solution to the Syrian contribute to removing the impacts of the issue through political dialogue serves the common international economic and financial crisis and interests of the Syrian people and the international achieving sustainable growth of the world community. economy. The heads of state of the member states express The member states will deepen and improve deep concern over the developments surrounding win-win regional economic cooperation, Iran, an SCO observer state. They regard any promote trade and investment facilitation, attempt to resolve the Iranian issue by force as undertake major co-investment projects and unacceptable as such attempts will produce absorb the participation of observer states and unpredictable and serious consequences dialogue partners. threatening stability and security of the region and The member states consider it necessary to even the world. They call on all parties to exercise continue to promote cooperation in the border maximum restraint and avoid remarks or actions region and neighboring areas to increase which might further escalate confrontation. connectivity and share the results of economic The member states are of the view that all development. countries should abide by the purposes and The member states will work hard to principles of the UN Charter as well as the basic safeguard energy security in the region. 28 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

The member states attach importance to partners and international and regional developing transport infrastructure that organizations that have signed relevant connects Asia with Europe, building relevant documents with the SCO. They will continue to international transport corridors and improving engage in dialogue with other international the efficiency of multimodal transport, and they organizations and mechanisms that endorse the will continue to strengthen cooperation to purposes and principles of the SCO. accomplish the above tasks. The member states note with satisfaction an The member states shall protect the social and increasing interest of the international economic rights and interests of citizens from community in establishing contacts with the SCO other member states residing within their borders and welcome the participation of the Republic in accordance with national laws and their of Turkey in the cooperation within the SCO respective international obligations. framework as a dialogue partner. V VI The smooth development of the SCO region The member states stress that under the requires a peaceful, secure and stable guidance of the “Shanghai Spirit”, the SCO, as international environment as well as unremitting an important player and constructive force in efforts to establish a fair and democratic the international relations, has become a model international order. of state-to-state and regional cooperation in the The United Nations should play a central role 21st century. in upholding world peace and security, The member states will continue to promote promoting common development and increasing peace, justice, democracy and diversity in the mutually beneficial international cooperation. world and advance development and prosperity The SCO member states reaffirmed their support of all countries and mankind by building for the United Nations in enhancing its efficiency harmonious and friendly partnerships in the and building up its capacity for timely and region. effective response to challenges and threats Nursultan Nazarbayev President of the through reforms. Republic of The relevant parties should continue Kazakhstan consultations to seek a package solution to the Hu Jintao President of the issue of the UN Security Council reforms that People’s Republic of accommodates various interests and concerns China and reach the broadest possible consensus. In Almazbek Atambayev President of the the interest of unity among UN member states, Kyrgyz Republic there should be no presetting of negotiation Vladimir Putin President of the timetables, no premature discussion of any Russian Federation proposal that has not yet gained overwhelming Emomalii Rahmon President of the support from member states, and no piecemeal Republic of approach. Tajikistan The member states attach great importance Islam Karimov President of the to developing friendly ties and productive Republic of coordination with observer states, dialogue Uzbekistan NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 29

Press Communiqué of the Meeting of the Council of The Heads of the Member States of The Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Beijing, 6-7 June 2012

On 6-7 June 2012, the Meeting of the Council of the Heads of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Beijing. President Nursultan Nazarbayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan, President Hu Jintao of the People’s Republic of China, President Almazbek Atambayev of the Kyrgyz Republic, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, President Emomalii Rahmon of the Republic of Tajikistan and President Islam Karimov of the Republic of Uzbekistan attended Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Miroslav the meeting. Jenca, Chairman of the Executive Committee of The meeting was chaired by President Hu Jintao the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergei of the People’s Republic of China. Lebedev, Secretary General of the Eurasian SCO Secretary-General Muratbek Economic Community Tair Mansurov and Sansyzbayevich Imanaliev and Director of the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Organization Nikolai Bordyuzha also attended the Counter-Terrorism Structure (RCTS) Dzhenisbek meeting. Djumanbekov attended the meeting. The heads of state exchanged views on the The heads of delegations from the SCO international and regional situations, major observer states i.e. President Mahmoud international and regional issues and outlook of Ahmadinejad of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the future development of the SCO. President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj of Mongolia, The heads of state stated that the establishment President Asif Ali Zardari of the Islamic Republic and growth of the SCO gave a strong push to of Pakistan and Minister of External Affairs S. M. regional cooperation, enhanced good- Krishna of the Republic of India, as well as guests neighborliness and mutual trust and brought about of the host state i.e. President Hamid Karzai of the the harmonious coexistence of SCO member states. Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and President Comments by the member states on the work Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan of the SCO and their positions and approaches attended the meeting and delivered statements. regarding how to further improve practical The Special Representative of the UN Secretary- cooperation have been incorporated into the General and Head of the UN Regional Centre for Declaration of the Heads of State of the Member States 30 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Building a session of the SCO Forum (Almaty, 23-24 April a Region of Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity. In 2012), the meeting of ministers of finance and the declaration, the member states stated their heads of central (national) banks (Beijing, 16-17 shared vision for establishing a just, democratic May 2012), the meeting of culture ministers (Beijing, and multi-polar world architecture and developing 4-7 June 2012) and the prosecutors general state-to-state relations on that basis. They conference (Dushanbe, 5-6 June 2012). expressed the resolve to build an indivisible world Since the meeting commemorating the 10th security space and the desire to pursue a path of anniversary of the founding of the SCO, the innovation and sustainable development suited to member states have worked extensively in political, their national circumstances and to promote global economic, cultural and other areas of cooperation progress with their own development. They also and achieved a series of concrete outcomes. spelled out specific steps for international The heads of state noted that as the threats of cooperation towards these goals. terrorism, separatism, extremism, illegal narcotics The heads of state approved the Strategic Plan trafficking and transnational organized crimes for the Medium-term Development of the SCO. They became more acute and turmoil in some parts of stated that the SCO is an open and harmonious the world persisted, to conduct active political and regional cooperation organization running steadily diplomatic work on crisis early-warning and on a smooth and effective institutional basis, and emergency response and engage in security it is conducive to enhancing the good- cooperation remains a highly urgent task. neighborliness and common prosperity of the The heads of state approved the revised version member states. of the SCO Regulations on Political and Diplomatic The heads of state heard and approved the Measures and Mechanism of Response to Events report on the work of the SCO delivered by the Jeopardizing Regional Peace, Security and Stability and Secretary-General and the report on the work of the Programme of Cooperation in the Field of the RCTS delivered by the RCTS Council. Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for Over the past year, the SCO held the Meeting 2013-2015, which broadened the legal basis for of the Council of the Heads of Government (Prime security cooperation among the member states. Ministers) of the member states (St. Petersburg, 7 The heads of state stressed the importance of November 2011), the meeting of heads of cooperation among member states in safeguarding departments responsible for the prevention and international information security and pointed out elimination of emergency events (Dushanbe, 28 the need to prevent information and September 2011), the meeting of economic and communication technologies from being used to trade ministers (Dushanbe, 26 October 2011), the undermine world peace, stability and security and meeting of transportation ministers (Moscow, 28 to continue to promote the formulation of an October 2011), the meeting of heads of counter- “International Code of Conduct for Information narcotics agencies (Beijing, 2 April 2012), the Security” under the framework of the United meeting of secretaries of security councils (Beijing, Nations. 12 April 2012), the meeting of heads of supreme The heads of state supported resolving the courts (Beijing, 23-25 April 2012), the meeting of Iranian nuclear issue through political and heads of senior audit institutions (Shanghai, 23- diplomatic means. 24 April 2012), the meeting of defense ministers The heads of state pointed out that the (24 April 2012), the meeting of the Council of strengthening of missile defense by a country or Ministers of Foreign Affairs (Beijing, 11 May 2012), group of countries in a unilateral and unrestrained NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 31

manner in disregard of the legitimate interests of cooperation among the member states. other countries will cause harm to international The heads of state spoke highly of the work of security and global strategic stability. The relevant the SCO Secretariat and the RCTS, and believed issue must be addressed by all countries concerned that they provided effective safeguards for the through political and diplomatic efforts. smooth operation of the SCO, the Business Council The heads of state noted the important progress and the Interbank Consortium and the SCO made in regional economic cooperation and the Forum, enabling them to play an important role in need to further promote trade and investment tapping into the potential of economic and facilitation, strengthen economic and technical academic cooperation. cooperation in non-resources fields, fight goods The heads of state maintained that given the smuggling and protect intellectual property right. evolving international situation and increase in The heads of state emphasized the need to SCO activities, it is necessary for the parties and continue to take concrete measures to develop permanent bodies of the SCO to enhance the multilateral economic and financial cooperation publicity campaign for SCO activities to foster an in the region. They pointed out that the mechanism objective and positive image of the organization. of the meeting of ministers of finance and heads of The SCO member states supported greater central (national) banks plays an important role international coordination and stronger in helping countries in the organization share cooperation with the observer states, dialogue experience on safeguarding economic and financial partners and international and regional stability and advance their fiscal and financial organizations such as the United Nations and its cooperation. specialized agencies, the Association of Southeast The heads of state commended the work that Asian Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent has been done on setting up the SCO Development States, the Collective Security Treaty Organization Fund (Special Account) and SCO Development and the Eurasia Economic Community. Bank, and instructed that the above-mentioned The member states took note of the wish of the work be continued and completed as soon as relevant countries to join the SCO. The member possible. states will continue to have consultations on the The parties expressed their readiness to legal, fiscal and administrative conditions for safeguard energy security in the SCO region. membership expansion and work for early The heads of state stressed that the Agreement completion of the work on the basis of consensus. among the Governments of the SCO Member States The member states will continue to follow the on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture signed in principle of expanding the SCO’s international June 2010 must take effect as soon as possible so exchanges and carry out cooperation with other as to raise the efficiency of agricultural multilateral organizations and mechanisms. cooperation. The heads of state decided to give the Islamic The heads of state maintained that it is Republic of Afghanistan the status of SCO observer important to strengthen SCO cooperation in state and the Republic of Turkey the status of SCO culture, science, technology, innovation, tourism dialogue partner. and health and ensure sound sanitation and The heads of state decided to appoint Mr. epidemic control in the SCO region. Dmitry Mezentsev (Russian Federation) Secretary- The member states pointed out that the success General of the SCO and Mr. Zhang Xinfeng (the of activities for the SCO Year of Good-neighborly People’s Republic of China) Director of the Friendship has deepened the friendship and Executive Committee of the RCTS. Their terms will 32 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

be from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015. Republic of Kyrgyzstan will hold the SCO The heads of state applauded the work of presidency in the next stage. The next meeting of China during its presidency of the organization the Council of the Heads of the SCO Member States and expressed appreciation to the Chinese side for will take place in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan in the warm hospitality during the Beijing Summit. 2013. In accordance with the SCO Charter, the

Chinese Vice Premier Meets India’s Foreign Minister, Pledging Closer Cooperation

On June 6, 2012, Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang met with India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing and pledged to boost pragmatic cooperation between the two nations. A sound relationship between China and India is in the fundamental interests of the people of the two nations, Li said, adding there is much more cooperation than competition between the two largest developing countries. China and India enjoy important opportunities to develop their bilateral ties as the world is witnessing profound on infrastructure and information technology. changes and the rise of Asia, said the Chinese During their meeting, Li also urged the two vice premier. sides to boost cultural and people-to-people The Chinese side is willing to work together exchanges and cooperation within multilateral with India to maintain strategic communication, frameworks to counter global challenges improve political mutual trust, and including the ongoing financial crisis, climate appropriately address disputes and safeguard change, energy and food security and safeguard the peace and tranquility in border areas to the common interests of all developing countries. advance the bilateral relationship to a new For his part, the visiting Indian foreign phase. minister said the India-China relationship is one “It is an important cornerstone for the of the most important bilateral relationships in development of China-India relations to deepen the world and the Indian side is willing to pragmatic cooperation to achieve win-win improve mutual trust and friendship with China reciprocity,” Li said, adding that the two sides to facilitate the countries’ cooperation on trade should create favorable conditions for bilateral and investment. trade and investment and improve cooperation NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 33

III. DOMESTIC AFFAIRS

China Successfully Launches Spaceship with First Female Astronaut

Jiuquan, June 16 Shenzhou-9 and “would like (Xinhua) — China on to extend warm Saturday sent three congratulations and sincere astronauts, including its first regards to all those female astronaut Liu Yang, participating in the research into space for the nation’s and tests of the country’s manned space docking space program.” mission. Liu Yang, 33, is joined by Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, commanding officer Jing atop an upgraded Long Haipeng and Liu Wang, a March-2F carrier rocket, former air force pilot who blast off from the Jiuquan has been selected as an Satellite Launch Center in astronaut trainee since northwestern China’s Gobi January 1998. dessert at 6:37 p.m. Live televised footage Saturday. showed the astronauts inside Shenzhou-9 will the capsule were quite calm complete an automated and a giant red Chinese docking procedure with the The Long March-2F carrier rocket carrying China’s character Fu, which means manned Shenzhou-9 spacecraft blasts off from the orbiting Tiangong-1 lab launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center good fortune, was seen in the module in two days. The in Jiuquan, northwest China’s Gansu Province, capsule. astronauts will then attempt June 16, 2012. (Xinhua/Li Gang) “The big red Fu is such a a manual docking which is Chinese style of blessings to considered as a major step forward in China’s astronauts. They are carrying numerous manned space program to build a space station expectations of Chinese,” said microblogger around 2020. Zhongdaboyan Wanglaoshi. “I am expecting their About 20 minutes after the ignition, successful return.” commander-in-chief of China’s manned space A manual docking, if successful, will program Chang Wanquan announced the demonstrate a grasp of essential space rendezvous Shenzhou-9 spacecraft had accurately entered its and docking know-how. China succeeded in the orbit and the launch was successful. automated space docking between Shenzhou-8 President Hu Jintao, who is in Denmark for a and Tiangong-1 last year. state visit, said in a congratulatory letter that he Liu Yang, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was very glad to hear the success of launching major, was a PLA Air Force pilot with 1,680 hours 34 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

of flying experience and deputy head of a military flight unit before being recruited as an astronaut candidate in May 2010. After two years of training, which shored up her astronautic skills and adaptability to space environment, Liu excelled in testing and was selected in March this year for the Shenzhou-9 manned space mission. “I am grateful to the motherland and the people. I feel honored to fly into Photo taken on June 16, 2012 shows the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center showing China’s astronauts Jing Haipeng, Liu Wang and Liu Yang after the space on behalf of hundreds launch of China’s manned Shenzhou-9 spacecraft inside the return capsule. Shenzhou-9, of millions of Chinese atop an upgraded Long March-2F carrier rocket, blast off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China at 6:37 p.m. Saturday and accurately entered its females,” Liu told the press orbit. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming) Friday. She said she had long dreamed of watching with loneliness,” said Wu Ping, spokeswoman for Earth from space. Liu told Xinhua that “after being China’s manned space program. trained as an astronaut, I have found there is still More than 50 female astronauts from seven a very long distance from sky to space. A human countries have gone into space to date. The longest being is so minute in the space.” space flight by female astronauts lasted 188 days. She is described “outgoing, sincere, well-versed Wu believed a female astronaut would and sensitive” by her two crew mates. showcase Chinese women’s good image and “Female astronauts generally have better further promote social influence of the manned durability, psychological stability and ability to deal space program.

Chinese Space Station to Benefit World

Beijing June 16 (Xinhua) — The successful country’s space missions. launch of China’s fourth manned spaceship All the tests and experiments to be done in paves the way for a future space station, which this mission will well prepare the country for might subsequently benefits the world in space building a space station in near future. exploration. Two docking tests, one automated and one Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, carrying two males manual, are critical to operations for the and one female, will break new grounds for the scheduled space station to receive supplies and NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 35

accommodate astronauts. The Shenzhou-9 crew will have the longest stay in space, which helps test both the spacecraft and the orbiting module Tiangong-1 for functions and comfort for longer human stay. More human interest might be added in this mission with the first Chinese woman entering space. A century ago many of them were illiterate, binding their feet small enough to please men and sharing their polygamous husbands with other women. Wu Bangguo (R, front), chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) So far human knowledge on Standing Committee, attends the ceremony to see off three astronauts who are outer space remains limited. due to board the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft at the apartment compound called Pooling more resources and Wentiange, or “Ask-the-Sky Pavilion,” in the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwest China’s Gansu Province, June 16, 2012. The three astronauts talents in the cause will no doubt are Jing Haipeng, Liu Wang and Liu Yang. (Xinhua/Liu Jiansheng) broaden the horizon. Chinese have contributed several most for selecting and training astronauts, next to the important inventions to human civilizations, and United States and Russia. China will offer access are now working in aspects of space exploration. to astronauts’ training to other countries, Key scientists of the Chinese manned space especially developing ones. mission commented that China presented a more After the service of the International Space efficient and economic way compared with Station is designated to cease in 2020 or 2028, a Russian and U.S. space explorations, while new space station might be needed by the whole learning a lot from foreign experience. China is world. willing to share its experience with the rest of China plans to set up such a space station by the world. 2020 and open it to global scientists. China is the third to establish a mechanism

China’s Manned Submersible Reaches 6,965 Meters Under Sea

Aboard Xiangyanghong 09, June 19 (Xinhua) of 6,965 meters below sea level, surpasing a fresh — The Jiaolong, China’s manned deep-sea national record set earlier in the day. submersible, made a second dive into the The dive, which started at 7 a.m. local time Mariana Trench Tuesday, and reached a depth after the leaking oil pipe of its hydraulic system 36 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

had been repaired, is expected to re-check the the previous record of 5,188 meters made last hydraulic system and test various functions and July. the security of the submersible at great depths. The Jiaolong will attempt four more dives, After setting a new national record in the aiming to move deeper and deeper to pursue the Mariana Trench, located in the western Pacific goal of reaching 7,000 meters below the sea level Ocean and the deepest part of the world’s oceans, between mid-June and early July. sea drivers are collecting water samples and The Xiangyanghong 09, the vessel’s placing markers on the sea floor. oceanographic mother ship, reached the Last Friday, the vessel reached 6,671 meters designated dive zone in the Mariana Trench on below the sea in the first dive, well surpassing June 11.

National College Entrance Examination: A Nerve-wracking Experience for Parents

by Cheng Yingqi (China Daily)

At 8:30 am, parents, police and paramedics the exam, for example, some students may faint in lined up at the gate of the High School Affiliated the classroom and we have prepared some medical to Renmin University of China in Beijing. All came services accordingly,” said a doctor surnamed Xin to help their “soldiers” on the battleground - of the Beijing Emergency Medical Center, who students taking China’s college entrance exam. stayed in an ambulance at the exam site. On Thursday and Friday, 9.15 million students Song Zhigang, a police officer, told China Daily will take the national college entrance exam, or that the police stay at the exam sties every year. gaokao, competing for 6.85 million spaces in “We provide drinking water, fans and college. medicine to the parents waiting outside. This year Outside the examination site, parents sit on the is my fourth time coming here, but I still feel ground and wait for the two-and-half hour exam nervous as if I am sitting in the exam room, as the to end, chatting with each other to kill time. “I will wait here in case he has emergencies, such as stomachache,” said a father surnamed Zhu. To ease traffic pressure in Beijing, leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization also contributed their efforts. The SCO summit was initially planned to be held at 9 am on Thursday in Beijing. But organizers decided to delay the starting time by 30 minutes to alleviate traffic congestion for the 73,000 students in Beijing traveling to the exam sites. “We arrived at 7:30 am and will stay until the A student waits to sit the national college entrance exam (June 7-9, nationwide exam) outside Guangqumen Middle exam finishes. Some emergencies may occur during School in Beijing on June 7. Zou Hong / China Daily NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 37

students remind me of the time I took gaokao,” Song said. Some students who will take gaokao next year visited the exam sites to get a feel for the atmosphere. “I have come to the spot since grade one in junior school to feel the tense atmosphere, and thus to make myself better prepared when it is my turn,” said Meng Fanzhao, now in his second year in high school. “The competition for a prestigious university seemed to start when my son went to school when Parents of Chai Zixin push their son’s wheelchair into the he was 6 years old. Children compete for higher national college entrance examination site at Yucai Middle scores to enter a better middle school, then a School in Xi’an, capital of Northwest China’s Shaanxi better high school. And all this preparation is for province, on Thursday. Chai broke his leg about 10 days before the exam. Yuan Jingzhi / for China Daily today’s fight,” said Zhao Xichen, a father in Shaanxi province, whose child attends gaokao this fight, and so will I,” Zhao said. year. Tang Shi contributed to this story. “I feel my son will be relieved after this final [email protected]

China to Help 13 Million Disable People Obtain Rehabilitation

Beijing, June 11 (Xinhua) -- China will help 13 also provide subsidies on 1.6 million occasions for million disabled people obtain rehabilitation community or household services for people through the implementation of key rehabilitation suffering from mental disabilities and diseases, as programs, said a government action plan released well as for seriously disabled people, the plan said. on Monday. The state will include the disabled people in The National Human Rights Action Plan of both urban and rural areas in the basic endowment China (2012-2015) published by the State Council insurance and basic medical insurance, according Information Office pledges to develop to the plan. undertakings relating to the disabled, improves The state will establish a subsidy system for the social security and services for them, and protects financially-challenged disabled population and their lawful rights and interests. will subsidize nursing care for the severely To comprehensively carry out community- disabled, it said. based rehabilitation services, the state will help 13 The action plan pledges that the state will million disabled people obtain rehabilitation to stabilize and expand employment for the disabled various degrees through the implementation of key by providing employment services and vocational rehabilitation programs, the action plan said. training for disabled people who seek employment, The state will supply five million pieces of and make sure that an additional 800,000 disabled supporting devices for the disabled people. It will people will be employed by 2015. 38 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

According to the plan, China will raise the renovation of barrier-free facilities and expand the education level of the disabled and strengthen scale of publications in braille and improve a development-oriented poverty reduction programs coordinating work mechanism of legal assistance for the disabled population in rural areas. to the disabled to protect their rights and interests China will also quicken the construction and by law, the plan said.

China Plans to Accelerate Internet Construction

Beijing, June 11 (Xinhua) — China will children’s palaces, and open them to the public accelerate the Internet construction and ensure free of charge, the plan said. that over 45 percent of its population have access The plan also pledged to promote the people’s to the Internet by 2015, said the National Human educational rights and raise the overall educational Rights Action Plan of China (2012-2015) released level of all Chinese citizens. Monday. The government will work to consolidate the By 2015, the Internet connection speed for achievements in nine-year compulsory education. urban households will reach 20 Mb/s, and that The net enrollment rate in elementary schools for rural households will be 4 Mb/s. The will remain at above 99 percent, and the number government will work to gradually spread Internet of students graduating from compulsory education connections and usage throughout the rural areas, will reach 93 percent of the total enrollment. said the document issued by the Information Office Efforts will also be made in allocating of the State Council educational resources in balanced manner, Effective measures will be taken to accelerate promoting pre-school education, developing the construction of public cultural facilities, vocational education, quickening steps in making promote the development of cultural undertakings, senior high school education universal and boosting enrich the people’s cultural life and guarantee the higher education, the plan said. citizens’ cultural rights, the document said. Moreover, China will improve the policy Moreover, the government will improve public system of financial assistance to poor students. cultural facilities and cultural service networks. China will improve the national allowance China will increase and improve public cultural program for poor senior high school students and facilities like culture centers, museums, libraries, the dynamic adjustment mechanism of state art galleries, science and technology museums, scholarships to ensure that students do not drop memorial halls, workers’ centers, and youth and out of school because of poverty, the plan said.

A New Green Plan

— Foreign companies join in China’s efforts to seek sustainable city development by Liu Xinlian, Beijing Review

As the urban population surges, Chinese cities energy consumption, high carbon emission and now face environment pollution, traffic jams, high other pressures. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 39

At the end of 2011, China had 690.79 million people living in urban areas and 656.56 million in the countryside. For the first time, China’s urban population surpassed that of rural areas after three decades of economic development encouraged farmers to seek better living standards in towns and cities. “In view of China’s ambitious plan to create a sustainable growth path for its cities, Siemens will play a key role in this emerging market and will grow strongly here by providing tailored and comprehensive solutions GREEN CITY: Siemens presents its solutions to sustainable city development to improve the quality of life for its in China at the China International Green Industry Expo held in Beijing citizens,” said Xiao Song, President of (CFP) Siemens Infrastructure and Cities more than 5 trillion yuan ($795.5 billion) in energy- Sector North East Asia/ASEAN-Pacific at the saving and environmental protection projects in UrbanTec China Conference 2012 in Beijing on the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) period at the EU- May 30-31. China Cooperation on Urbanization Forum held At the conference, Siemens presented its in Brussels on May 3. innovative concepts in sustainable city More than 75 percent of the buildings in development and smart urban infrastructure China’s cities are not energy efficient and need construction. urgent renovation, Li said. “Through sustainable technology, we are In response to the growing demand for green committed to helping cities transform for the better urbanization in China, top world industrial of their citizens and businesses,” Xiao said. conglomerates have proposed their own solutions Urbanization Challenges for sustainable development. IT industry giant IBM launched its Smarter China’s rural population fell as a proportion Cities Challenge project, in which solutions for city of the nation’s total to 48.7 percent in 2011 from management service, infrastructure service and 81 percent in 1979, according to the National human service were offered. IBM designed new Bureau of Statistics (NBS). That migration may operations centers for 30 demonstration cities continue for another few decades. around the world, coordinating various functions A World Bank report says there will be an under one roof. estimated increase of 350 million urban residents In February, the Caterpillar Foundation in China over the next 20 years. announced a five-year, $12.5-million grant to the With more urbanization and industrialization World Resources Institute to advance progress of ahead, China still needs investment to upgrade its environmentally sustainable and livable cities in industries and infrastructure, said Ma Jiantang, China, India and Brazil. Five cities were chosen to Commissioner of the NBS. demonstrate how they can use “Avoid Shift and Vice Premier Li Keqiang said China will invest Improve” strategies to increase energy efficiency, 40 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

curb greenhouse gas emissions, and improve water quality, urban mobility and land use. Siemens also offers a comprehensive portfolio for urban infrastructure. “The growth dynamics for sustainable development of infrastructure is still intact. We live in a world with high volatility, but the underlying dynamics is unchanged,” said Peter Löscher, CEO of Siemens. “Siemens is getting ready to share with Chinese cities our world-leading urban technologies and solutions and to build green cities for the new century,” said Xiao. Last October, Siemens signaled a strategic shift toward urban infrastructure and services with the creation of a fourth business arm in addition to industry, energy and healthcare. The new sector, with around 87,000 employees, comprises five divisions: rail systems (rolling stock), mobility and logistics (traffic, transport and logistics management), low and medium voltage, smart grid (intelligent power grids) and building technologies. A New Approach

While businesses, households and individuals INTELLIGENT MODEL: Visitors look at a model of a smart are all involved in building low-carbon cities in urban transportation system at the China (Ningbo) Smart China, governments play the leading role, City Technology and Applications Expo held in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province (ZHANG PEIJIAN) according to the World Bank report Sustainable Low-carbon City Development in China. increasing passenger volume. In Shanghai, Siemens As a green technology pioneer, Siemens has regional headquarters reduced energy over the years widely applied its environmental consumption by 30 percent against buildings of technology and solutions to help cities in China similar scale and cut down carbon emissions by cut down their carbon footprint. over 1,400 tons every year. In April this year, It has constructed one of the world’s largest high voltage direct-current transmission links to Siemens Smart Grid Division entered into transmit green power from hydroelectric plants in cooperation with Guangdong Electric Power Yunnan Province to the heavily industrialized Design Institute to provide wind farm project Pearl River Delta. The line could reduce carbon designs and consulting services. emissions by 30 million tons per year. In Beijing, Siemens is employing a new sales approach in by equipping Metro Line 10 with its most advanced China. It meets with urban decision-makers signaling and control systems Siemens enables the directly through a team of city account managers. metro trains to run at much closer intervals to meet Siemens has already designated 13 city account NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 41

managers for cities including Beijing, Tianjin and with cities like Beijing and Guangzhou, capital of Shanghai. They can offer their respective city the Guangdong, to identify particular energy-efficient entire Siemens portfolio and combine their technologies for the cities to reduce emissions experience to help develop the company’s portfolio without a massive shift in citizens’ lifestyle. for cities. At the UrbanTec China Conference 2012, Siemens has successfully partnered with a Siemens signed a memorandum with the Beijing number of major cities in China. In September Municipal Government to cooperate in green 2011, Siemens sealed a memorandum with the mobility, energy-saving buildings, low-carbon Municipal Government of Wuhan, capital of emission, environmental protection, financial central China’s Hubei Province, to support its all- services and talent development. round transformation into a “resource-saving and Siemens’ service portfolio for sustainable cities environmental-friendly society” through pilot includes much more than advanced technology and projects to upgrade the urban infrastructure facilities. It even includes financial services for tight- efficiency. Later that month, Siemens signed a budget investors who want to renovate their framework agreement with the Guangdong property and infrastructure. Provincial Development and Reform Commission “Tapping the opportunities brought by China’s to enhance cooperation in transportation, 12th Five-Year Plan, we will continue to play a industry, energy and healthcare sectors during the proactive role in this growth market,” said Mei- 12th Five-Year Plan period. Wei Cheng, CEO Siemens North East Asia and Siemens also conducted energy-saving studies President and CEO of Siemens Ltd., China.

Operable Democracy

— Chinese villagers learn from U.S. rules on deliberative decision making by Yuan Yuan, Beijing Review

On May 2, a small meeting attended by seven thing in raising chicken is to learn how to prevent people was held in Nantang Village in Fuyang City, chicken diseases,” said Xu at the meeting. Before east China’s Anhui Province. They were discussing he continued, Yang interrupted him. how to involve more senior villagers in the organic “Xu, this is not the topic of this meeting. We’ll chicken-raising industry. discuss that later,” said Yang, who then added that The host of the meeting, Yang Yunbiao, is the each person had only two minutes to state their head of the Nantang Xingnong Cooperative, an idea. organization set up in 2007 to develop the village’s This was the first time Xu attended a meeting economy. in this village and he found the format of the Xu Changqiang, a 29-year-old man from meeting was very different from similar gatherings southwest China’s Guizhou Province, attended the in his hometown. meeting. As the owner of a chicken farm in “In my hometown, the meetings are mostly Guizhou, he was sent to Nantang to share his chaotic. Some people are too loud and some are experience in poultry farming. “I think the first too silent and no matter what we discuss, it is the 42 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 village head who makes the final decision,” Xu said. However, in Nantang, although Yang is the head of the cooperative, he cannot make a unilateral decision on any issue and has to listen to all the attendants’ opinions. Finally those present vote to make a final decision and all attendants have to follow the same rules regardless of their age and position in the village. New-style Meetings Until just a few years ago Nantang’s meetings were no A FRESH TRY: Yang Yunbiao, head of the Nantang Xingnong Cooperative in different from those in any other Fuyang City, east China’s Anhui Province, introduces Robert’s Rules of Order Chinese village. “When we set a to the village (GENG YUHE) topic for a meeting, normally in the Students’ Senate and found the people would start talking about some other things organization’s meetings were held in a totally and some people talked for almost half an hour different way. and many other people didn’t even get a chance The head of the senate had no right to make to talk. Fights broke out in quite a few cases,” Yang decisions. His or her job was only to announce the said, who once almost dismissed the cooperative. beginning and ending of the meeting and to All the changes came in 2008, when Yuan organize people to speak and vote. Everybody gets Tianpeng came to the village. the chance to speak and different ideas will all be Yuan, then 36 years old, graduated from the taken into consideration. Beijing University of Posts and It was the first time Yuan got to know Robert’s Telecommunications in 1998. After working for one Rules of Order, which were set by an engineering year in the China Post Group, he quit and went to officer, Henry Martyn Robert, more than 200 years study at the University of Alaska in the United ago. After failing to preside over a public meeting States for a master’s degree. in his community, Robert decided to study At Beijing University of Posts and parliamentary law and find out an effective way Telecommunications, Yuan was chairman of the to hold meetings. Finally, he completed the book Students’ Union and participated in meetings Robert’s Rules of Order, which has become the basis almost every week on the union’s activities and for rules governing conventions in the United the arrangement of its funds. “The meetings were States. mostly not effective at all. Attendants either According to the rules, a meeting should allow complained a lot or talked about other things for a the airing of as many different opinions as possible long time,” Yuan said. “When I asked them to bring concerning a motion. Everybody has the chance to out some constructive ideas, few people could do state their ideas within a fixed length of time. People that. This made me feel frustrated.” have to state clearly whether they are for or against At the University of Alaska, Yuan was enrolled the motion at the very beginning of the speech. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 43

Yuan learnt that these rules were introduced Beijing, Yuan met Yang, who was very interested to China more than 100 years ago. “But in those in adopting Robert’s Rules of Order in arranging days, China was in civil war and the procedure village meetings. Yuan also wanted to see whether was not spread well under those circumstances,” this Western procedure could work in Chinese Yuan said. villages. In 2003, Yuan came back to China and started Yuan had never worked in any villages before his own business. In the process of dealing with so this was fresh and challenging. At first, he other business people and government officials, he didn’t know how to explain the rules in an found they also had similar problems in holding understandable way to villagers. meetings. Yuan saw the chance and decided to “Words like motion, amendment and election devote his time to spreading Robert’s Rules of Order are so far away from the villagers’ lives,” said Kou, in China. who went to the village with Yuan. For Yuan, there are four factors in China that Volunteers recruited by Yuan then created make the spread of Robert’s Rules of Order possible: shows about problems with meetings and present More and more homeowners are organizing them to Nantang villagers. “It worked very well,” themselves independently to protect the property Yang said. “After the shows, we asked the villagers rights endorsed by the Constitution; minority to find out the problems revealed in them and shareholders are learning to protect their rights and instructed them how to avoid similar problems.” interests; NGOs are improving their self- Yuan visited Nantang three times in 2008 and governance capacities, and rural selfgovernment finally worked out the Nantang Xingnong organizations (cooperatives/village committees) Cooperative Conference Regulations based on have mushroomed and they need to establish a Robert’s Rules of Order. There were nine articles democratic and efficient decisionmaking process. in the regulations at the beginning and by the end “All these factors offer the possibilities of of the process it increased to 15. spreading Robert’s Rules of Order in China,” Yuan Kou filmed the whole process of Yuan’s training said. in the village and saw the changes with the In early 2006, Yuan stopped his business and villagers. “Everybody is actually willing to be spent one and a half years translating Robert’s Rules involved in village issues and they just need an of Order. After completing the translation, he effective way to express that,” Kou said. started a new company in 2007 to instruct people But there are some habits that couldn’t be on how to hold meetings for business units and modified within a short time. According to Kou, organizations. at the last meeting of the Nantang Xingnong In April 2007, Yuan spent a month teaching Cooperative she and Yuan attended before they Robert’s Rules of Order in a law firm in Beijing. left the village, some people still said “opposition “They had already built up an effective procedure to you” instead of “opposition to your motion.” before my training, but after one month, they still “It will take some time,” Yang said. After the couldn’t get used to some of the rules, including training in 2008, the Nantang Xingnong asking for the host’s permission before speaking,” Cooperative started to adopt Robert’s Rules of Yuan said. Order to make decisions on controversial issues. Now, newcomers to the village have to learn and Nantang Experiment adapt themselves to the new format of the In May 2008, introduced by Kou Yanding, a meetings. female documentary maker and NGO worker in “But we don’t have to use it on every meeting 44 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

as in some cases, when the majority of people all chickens well, they will get a bonus, so it will not agree on an issue, we don’t need to discuss and be a burden but a motivation for the villagers,” vote,” Yang said. Yang said. Based on their successful pilot in Nantang, Kou After half a month, Yang and other members and Yuan wrote the book Operable Democracy, of the cooperative visited the senior villagers which was published in April 2012. involved in the project and found it worked very The meeting on May 2 ended with a vote on well. the issue of who should pay for the baby chickens “Now, I’m working with Yuan on setting up a offered to the senior villagers to raise—the standard on what issues should be discussed with cooperative or the villagers themselves. Robert’s Rules of Order and what should not,” said “We finally voted and the decision was that Yang. the costs should be split 50-50 between the villagers Email us at: [email protected] and the cooperative. If the villagers raise the

Tasting China

— A documentary on Chinese food recalls memories of culinary traditions by Bai Shi, Beijing Review

A documentary chronicling the history and in the documentary. Catering services and grocery culture of Chinese food called A Bite of China rose stores have seen a spike in business following each to fame nationwide soon after its debut on China episode. Central Television (CCTV), the country’s biggest Online food sales have surged since the show national TV station, on May 14. The seven-episode was aired. Taobao, China’s largest online shopping series averaged a rating of 0.5 percent, surpassing site, received a flood of orders for local food like other TV programs aired in prime time. The show is attracting food buffs as well as a general audience, becoming a popular search topic on the Internet with up to 10,000 clicks per hour. On discussion forums and micro-blogging sites, rave reviews of the show from ravenous viewers pour in. Weight loss diets are put on hold as tempted TV audiences admire mouth-watering local dishes from across China. In addition to high ratings, A

Bite of China ignites people’s passion LOCAL DELICACY: An image from the documentary shows a Shanghai delicacy for the local delicacies showcased called steamed buns with crab (FILE) NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 45

Wuhan duck neck and Jinhua ham. According to site traffic statistics, Taobao’s snack category had over 4.5 million hits in seven days between May 14 and 20 when the documentary was shown. A Bite of China caught on even in the international market. During the 65th Festival De Cannes in April, many foreign distributors signed contracts with CCTV to purchase the documentary at the film festival’s trade fair. Zhang Lin, Director of the POSITIONING: A photographer rearranges dishes on a table during the filming of the documentary A Bite of China (FILE) Overseas Market Department at China International Television Corp., said the cuisine to local delicacies and snacks, the crew outpouring of interest is rare for a Chinese traveled around China from the East China Sea to documentary. “A Bite of China received many the west Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and recorded inquiries from foreign TV companies. At present, details of diverse people sharing stories about their we are closing the deal with South Korean and experiences with food. Japanese purchasers. Some European distributors “Generally speaking, there are 800 scenes at are also negotiating with us.” least for each 50-minute episode,” Chen said. From the many hours of footage they craft a A Bite of Success narrative highlighting the “deeper aspects of Few TV programs on Chinese cuisines have food,” he continued. “We try to show great received the wide praise given to A Bite of China. respect to the custom and culture passed on by “Its success can be attributed largely to three our ancestors.” points: good theme, good timing and good job,” Beyond the colorful images of local foods, the said Chen Xiaoqing, the director of the sophisticated design brings a fresh perspective to documentary. the documentary. While most shows about Chinese “First, Chinese food is famous for its long cuisine focus only on the preparation process in history and great diversity around the world,” the kitchen, A Bite of China offers broad and deep Chen said. “Second, CCTV offers a special time insights into the geographical, historical and slot in the evening for documentaries. Third, and cultural dimensions of what Chinese people eat, most importantly, the production team did an said Bian Jiang, adviser of the documentary and excellent job with the documentary.” Deputy Secretary General of China Cuisine The documentary’s production team began Association. work in March last year. In order to cover the great “The documentary not only shows how to cook diversity of Chinese food ranging from haute abalones, but also depicts the hard work people 46 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 put into breeding and acquiring abalones near the is filled with fricassee, a delicacy of Shaanxi seaside,” said Bian. “Compared with the final Province. “My mouth watered when watching the product, the complicated preparation process and show. I miss my hometown so much,” Ji said. sweat put into it by the people can be more Ji grew up in Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi Province. impressive for audiences.” She couldn’t be more familiar with her hometown’s famous dish. Having lived in Beijing for many Home Cooking years, Ji felt homesick when she saw her favorite Another distinguishing feature of the show is food in the documentary. its unique look into the everyday lives of the Though people can find their hometown’s fare Chinese people. No matter what dish the in large cities like Beijing, these foods cannot replace documentary introduces, it always tells a true story their memories of home. Many people believe that of how a common Chinese family relates to a authentic local dishes can only be prepared in specific food. Fans of the show commented on the traditional ways using the material and water of Internet that A Bite of China is “extensive,” “real,” the local place. and “impressive.” Traditional methods of cooking are often One episode featuring cured meat, a delicacy environmentally sustainable. For example, the in central China, is tied to a woman’s memory of documentary shows how farmers of the Shangri- her mother in a mountainous village of Hunan La area in Yunnan Province carefully restore the Province. The mother would prepare enough cured land pits from which they dig mushrooms called meat to sustain her family through the winter tricholoma matsutake to avoid destroying the when there were no fresh vegetables. The surrounding hyphae. Fishermen of Chagan Lake documentary shows a woman rising before dawn in Jilin Province use large mesh nets while fishing to prepare a dish of fried bacon and dried turnip to make sure they get big fish and give little fish a for her daughter’s lunch. After breakfast, she walks way out so as to ensure the sustainability of fish with her daughter along the way to a distant resources. village school, stopping at daybreak to tell the Despite the changes China has undergone over young girl, “It is bright now. The way ahead is not the past 30 years, people respect the ancient difficult to walk. You can do it by yourself.” wisdom of a balanced relationship between human The segment reflects the deep, universal love and nature. This idea is presented in full by the of a mother for her daughter. It also shows how documentary. food can unite an ordinary family together around Liu Wen, General Supervisor of CCTV’s a dinner table. Documentary Channel, said at a seminar on May Locally Made 30 that the second season of A Bite of China is going into production at the end of the year. The series All of the Chinese foods shown in the will continue with the original season’s storytelling documentary are made by traditional means. style. Diversified local cuisines have formed throughout “The channel serves as a window which allows its 5,000-year history in the vast Chinese territory. the world to better understand China. The Ji Shaoting, a Xinhua News Agency documentary aims to help a global audience not only correspondent, is a “foodie” and loyal viewer of appreciate Chinese cuisine, but also learn about the documentary. She recalled the feeling of Chinese custom and culture behind it,” Liu said. nostalgia during a scene in which a steamed bun Email us at: [email protected] NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 47

IV. SOUTH CHINA SEA

Ten Questions Regarding Huangyan Island

— The National Institute for South China Sea Studies June, 2012

1. Where is Huangyan Island? government conducted a survey on island names in the South China Sea. In 1983, China Committee Internationally known as Scarborough Shoal, on Geographical Names was authorized to Huangyan Island (once named Minzhu Jiao or publicize a list of geographic names of some South Democratic Reef) is situated in the South China China Sea islands, which used Huangyan Island Sea at 15°07’ N and 117°51’ E and is a part of as the standard name of the island,with Minzhu China’s Zhongsha Islands. With reefs and rocks Jiao as an alternative name. in a circle ring shape stretching about 55 kilometers in circumference, Huangyan Island has a lagoon 3. How has China developed and exploited with an area of about 130km2 and a depth of 10 – Huangyan Island? 20 meters. Huangyan Island and its surrounding waters 2. When did China discover and name have been China’s traditional fishing grounds since Huangyan Island? ancient times. Chinese fishermen have engaged in China conducted astronomical and fishery activities for generations. In addition, they geographical surveys of the South China have used Huangyan Island as a safe haven in their Sea,including Huangyan Island, in the 13th voyage in the South China Sea. Genglubu, an century during the Yuan Dynasty. It shows that ancient Chinese navigation log recording trips in China discovered and exploited Huangyan Island the South China Sea, and other ancient documents in the Yuan Dynasty,to say the least. and literature contain complete records of Chinese In 1935, the Lands and Waters Mapping fishermen’s activities around Huangyan Island. Review Committee of the then Chinese government Since the Yuan Dynasty, the Chinese people have approved and publicized the geographical names never stopped developing and exploiting of 132 islands, shoals, reefs and sand bars in the Huangyan Island and its surrounding waters and South China Sea, and Huangyan Island,with the the Chinese government has exercised effective name of Scarborough Shoal was included in the management and jurisdiction over their activities list as part of the Zhongsha Islands of the Chinese all these years . These historical facts are supported territory. In 1947, the Department of Territory of by official documents, local chronicles and official the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Chinese maps in the past centuries. government approved and publicized the The Chinese government has also sent out geographical names of 172 islands in the South scientific expedition teams to Huangyan Island on China Sea, including Huangyan Island which was many occasions. For instance, scientists of South then named Minzhu Jiao in Chinese as part of the China Sea Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Zhongsha Islands. In the early 1980s, the Chinese Academy of Sciences landed on Huangyan Island 48 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

for research activities in October 1977 and June Island, just like the Nansha, Zhongsha and 1978 respectively. The South China Sea Branch of Dongsha islands, have always been China’s the State Oceanic Administration organized a territory. Although they had been occupied by comprehensive survey on Huangyan Island in Japan for some time during the war of aggression April 1985. The Chinese South China Sea Scientific waged by Japanese imperialists, they were all taken Expedition Team stepped onto Huangyan Island back by the then Chinese government following for scientific research and erected a one-meter-high Japan’s surrender.” Therefore, Huangyan Island cement monument in 1994. The relevant as part of the Zhongsha Islands indisputably department of the Chinese government approved belongs to China. China issued the Statement of the application by radio amateurs to embark on the People’s Republic of China on the Territorial Huangyan Island for radio exploration activities Sea in 1958,in which China reaffirmed its in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 2007 respectively. sovereignty over the Dongsha, Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha islands. In 1959, the Office for Xisha, 4. How has China exercised effective Nansha and Zhongsha Islands’ Affairs under the jurisdiction of Huangyan Island? government of Guangdong Province, was opened Among the 132 islands, shoals, reefs and sand by the Chinese government on the Yongxing bars in the South China Sea in the list of Island, which is a part of the Xisha Islands. The geographical names approved and publicized by office became a part of the government of the the Water and Land Mapping Review Committee newly-established Hainan Province in 1988. of the Chinese government in 1935, Huangyan In the early 1980s, the Chinese government Island was listed as part of the Zhongsha Islands. conducted a survey of the geographical names of The committee subsequently issued the Map of the Nanhai Islands. In 1983, the Committee on China’s Islands in the South China Sea and Geographical Names of China was authorized to included Huangyan Island into China’s territory. publicize the geographical names of selected The Internal Affairs Ministry of the Chinese islands in the South China Sea, in which government produced a Location Map of the South Huangyan Island was included as the standard China Sea Islands in 1947,in which the name and Minzhu Jiao as its alternative name. The geographical names of the Dongsha, Xisha, Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Zhongsha and Nansha islands were clearly Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone publicized marked, together with 172 islands, shoals, reefs in 1992 has explicitly provided in article 2 that “ and sand bars. Huangyan Island, then named The land territory of the People’s Republic of China Minzhu Jiao, was marked as part of the Zhongsha includes the mainland of the People’s Republic of Islands. In 1948, this Location Map was officially China and its coastal islands; Taiwan and all publicized by the Internal Affairs Ministry of the islands appertaining there to including the Diaoyu Chinese government as an appendix to the Islands; the Penghu Islands; the Dongsha Islands; Administrative Map of the Republic of China. the Xisha Islands; the Zhongsha Islands and the After the founding of the People’s Republic of Nansha Islands; as well as all the other islands China in 1949, China has continued to exercise belonging to the People’s Republic of China.” Once sovereignty over Huangyan Island. Chinese again, China reaffirmed its sovereignty over the Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai, in his 1951 statement islands in the South China Sea, including on the US and UK’s draft peace treaty with Japan Huangyan Island. It needs to be mentioned that and the San Francisco Conference, explicitly stated not any country has ever opposed or disputed the following: “ The Xisha Islands and Nanwei China’s sovereignty over Huangyan Island. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 49

5. Why is Huangyan Island outside the the Treaty of Paris between the US and Spain on territory of the Philippines? 10 December 1898 with Huangyan Island outside Before 1997, the Philippines had never claimed the Philippine territory.” sovereignty over Huangyan Island. In fact, the composition and scope of the Philippine territory 6. When did the Philippines place its claim was clearly determined by a series of international over Huangyan Island? treaties . The “Treaty of Paris between Spain and Since May 1997, the Philippines has revealed the United States” in 1898, the “Treaty of its intention to occupy China’s Huangyan Island. Washington between Spain and the United States” At that time, the Chinese Radio Sports Association in 1900 and the “Anglo-American Treaty” in 1930 organized a China-US-Japan radio expedition had clearly defined that 118 degrees east longitude team to land on Huangyan Island for radio is the western limit of Philippine territory. The activities. During this period, the Philippines Huangyan Island is outside it. After the Second repeatedly dispatched warships and military World War, the Philippines signed a series of aircrafts to track, monitor and harass these treaties and agreements with the US,which have amateur radio activities. Two members of the all reiterated the legal effect of the above-mentioned Philippine House of Representatives blatantly three treaties. The Act 3046 set by Philippines about boarded a naval vessel to land on Huangyan its territorial sea baseline in 1961 and the Island, where they erected flags and monuments, amendment of the territorial sea baseline by and blocked and intimidated the Chinese Philippines in 1968 have both clearly reaffirmed personnel. In 2009, the Philippines amended the that 118 degree east longitude is the western limit Philippine Territorial Sea Baselines Act to include of the Philippine territory and Huangyan Island is Huangyan Island into its territory. China has not a base point of the Philippine territorial sea expressed its unequivocal opposition to these baseline. activities by the Philippines and has lodged solemn The official maps of the Philippines publicized representations with the the Philippine side. respectively in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and even 2011 have all marked Huangyan Island as outside 7. Why do you say that the Philippine claim the boundary of the Philippine territory. of the sovereignty over Huangyan Island does The Philippines officially and explicitly stated not hold water? that Huangyan Island did not belong to the The Philippines’ position on Huangyan Island Philippines. For instance, the former Philippine has been inconsistent and self-contradictory and ambassador to Germany stated clearly in his letter is absolutely groundless according to the to German radio amateurs on 5 February 1990 that international law. “Huangyan Island is not within the territory of a) Before the 1990s, the Philippines had never the Philippines according to the National Mapping challenged China’s sovereignty and jurisdiction and Resource Information Authority of the over Huangyan Island. Philippines (NAMRIA).” Both the official b) In the late 1990s, the Philippines advanced document issued by NAMRIA dated 18 October its territorial claim over Huangyan Island on the 1994 and a document from the Philippine Amateur ground of geographic proximity and on the excuse Radio Association to the American Radio Relay that Huangyan Island is located within the 200 League dated on 18 November 1994 made it clear nautical miles of the Philippine EEZ according to that “the territorial boundary and sovereignty of its one-sided interpretation of UNCLOS. However, the Philippines were provided for in Article 3 of the principle of geographic proximity does not 50 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

provide the legal basis for territorial sovereignty provides for 200 nautical miles EEZs, the while its EEZ-based claim violates the principle of Philippines has the sovereignty over Huangyan international law that “the land dominates the Island. Clearly, the Philippines here has sea”, and it is also a misinterpretation and abuse misinterpreted and misapplied UNCLOS on the of the UNCLOS. basis of its own interests,which is contrary to c) After the Huangyan Island Incident in April international law and to UNCLOS. It has been an 2012, the Philippines has given a new reason for established basic principle of international law that its claim, saying that the Philippines has effectively “the land dominates the sea”. Coastal states derive occupied and managed Huangyan Island ever their sovereign rights and jurisdiction over EEZs since its independence. But China has discovered, from their territorial sovereignty. UNCLOS does exploited, named and effectively administered not have any provision to change a country’s Huangyan Island and has never stopped its sovereignty over territorial land, let alone effective jurisdiction over the island even since the empowering any nation to extend its EEZs to 13th century, much earlier than the independence include territories of other countries. Hence, of the Philippines. UNCLOS can not serve as a basis for a country to claim sovereignty over China’s Huangyan Island. 8. Why do you think the Philippines violates In this context, ignoring the fact Huangyan Island international law by basing its territorial claim has always belonged to China, the Philippines’ on the geographic proximity ? EEZs-based territorial claim to the detriment of The Philippines claims sovereignty over China’s territorial sovereignty is not only a Huangyan Island because it is closest to the misinterpretation and abuse of UNCLOS, but also Philippines. According to international judicial represents a violation of the fundamental principle practice and international case law, the so-called of the inviolability of territorial sovereignty “geographic proximity” does not constitute a basis enshrined in the UN Charter. for one country to occupy the territory of another country. In today’s world, many countries have 10. What actually happened on Huangyan remote off-shore territories,which are much closer Island in April 2012? to other countries than to their own. There are When 12 fishing boats from Hainan, China numerous cases in the world in which countries were conducting normal operations in the have owned offshore territories or islands that are Huangyan Island lagoon on the morning of April far away from their own countries and closer to 10, the Philippine Navy warship Gregorio del Pilar their neighboring countries. Therefore, geographic blocked the entrance to the lagoon. The Philippine proximity cannot change the sovereignty of these armed personnel boarded four Chinese fishing territories or islands. boats, questioned the Chinese fishermen, searched the boats and took photos. They were rude and 9. Why do you say that the Philippines’ rough,severely violated China’s territorial Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)-based claim sovereignty and the human rights of Chinese of sovereignty over Huangyan Island represents fishermen. On the afternoon of 10 April, upon a misinterpretation and abuse of United Nations learning of the incident, the Chinese marine Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)? surveillance vessels No.84 and No.75, both The Philippines claims that since Huangyan performing routine patrol duty nearby, Island is about 125 nautical miles away from its immediately headed to the Island to protect the Luzon Island,thus within its EEZs, as the UNCLOS safety of the Chinese fishermen. On the afternoon NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 51

of 11 April, the Chinese fishery administration escalating the situation, made erroneous remarks boat No.303 also arrived on the site and instructed to mislead the public at home and abroad and whip the Chinese fishing boats and fishermen to up hostile sentiments. All the above actions have evacuate safely and get rid of the Philippine severely damaged the bilateral relations. To prevent intimidation. Afterwards, an archaeological ship further provocation by the Philippines, the Chinese of the Philippines stayed in the lagoon for illegal public service ships have continued to keep close operation for a long time, and refused to leave the watch over Huangyan Island waters, provide site until 18 April after China’s repeated administrative and other service to Chinese representations. fishing boats in accordance with China’s laws, After the occurrence of Huangyan Island so as to ensure Chinese fishermen a good Incident, China has consistently adhered to its environment for operations in their traditional position of solving the issue through diplomatic fishing grounds. consultation. However, the Philippines kept

V. TIBET TODAY

Great Progress in Tibet after Democratic Reforms: Western Sociologists

Vienna, May 23 (Xinhua) — Great progress has Those who were against the religious law or been made in various aspects of China’s Tibet rules had to suffer such cruel medieval Autonomous Region since democratic reforms punishments as eyes burned with hot oil, hands were adopted there in 1959, said Western cut off and body sewn in wet yak skin, dried and sociologists in a recently published article. thrown into ravines, it said. U.S. columnists John Naisbitt — once assistant The “Tibet-in-exile government” led by Dalai to the commissioner of education under U.S. Lama was still an “undemocratic regime” with the President John F. Kennedy — and his wife Doris style of a “medieval potentate,” said the columnist made the remarks in an article published last couple, citing a report from the German Stern Friday in WirtschaftsBlatt, a daily Austrian Magazine in 2009. financial newspaper. After traveling in China several times for on- “Tibet cannot and should not be excluded the-spot investigations and interviews, the when talking about China’s today and tomorrow,” American authors, who specialize in futures study, according to the article entitled “The Various Faces concluded that significant progress has been made of Tibet,” because “the Tibet Autonomous Region in Tibet since the introduction of democratic covers about one eighth of China’s territory.” reforms more than 50 years ago. In fact, the system in Tibet till 1950 maintained The authors cited impressive statistics, which by the “brutal religious police” showed “not a led to their conclusion: In 1959, there were no roads pretty face” for the majority of the population in the real sense in Tibet while the total length of while “90 percent of the people lived as slaves, serfs roads now adds up to some 50,000 km. or bonded laborers, the article said. Its gross domestic product (GDP) rocketed from 52 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

18 million euros (22.6 million U.S. dollar) in 1959 living standard, economic and social development to 5.3 billion euros (6.7 billion dollars) in 2009. in Tibet. Life expectancy in Tibet has extended from 35.5 Admitting problems existing in Tibet, they said to 67 years; education, once a privilege of the “even the god-king has two faces,” and ultimately, monks and aristocrats, is now accessible by 98 “everyone must make their own opinion” and percent of the population. should view the problems from an overall They also listed facts on the change of people’s perspective.

Panchen Lama’s Guru Offers Grand Buddhist Ritual

Xiahe, Gansu, June 2 (Xinhua) — Thousands Monastery in Tibet in 2002. of pilgrims gathered Saturday on a grassland near Words of the Saturday’s ritual has been a monastery town in northwest China to attend a circulating on the Internet for a week, as many four-day Buddhist ritual, known as Kalachakra, Tibetan scholars and religious leaders relayed the offered by the 11th Panchen Lama’s guru, senior news on their Sina Weibo microblogging accounts. Tibetan monk Jamyang Gaytso. “It is an opportunity that can not be missed. “We expect more than 100,000 Tibetan Best regards to my guru,” said Jompo Rinpoche, a Buddhism devotees to turn out during the ritual,” senior monk in Xigaze, Tibet. said a spokesman of Xiahe county, Gansu province, “It is a blessing to attend the ritual,” said home to Labrang Monastery — one of the six major Lobecheri, a monk who came to Xiahe with a Gelugpa monasteries in China. “Not just Gansu, dozen monastery fellows from Huangnan Tibetan people from neighboring Qinghai and Sichuan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai. “If I missed provinces are also coming.” the Kalachakra, I would be very sad.” Kalachakra, which means the wheel of time, As pilgrims came, tents dotted a 10-km stretch is a key ritual of the Gelugpa sect of the Tibetan of the grassland, typical for the Tibetan nomads, Buddhism. The ritual, if offered by senior monks, though some set up their tents on flat-bed trucks often draws a huge crowd. to avoid the rain-soaked ground. “My family will Amid rain, the 83-year-old guru gave Buddhist sleep on the truck tonight. No problem for us. We teachings in Tibetan language for hours from 1 feel honored to be here already,” said Namgachi, p.m. to 4 p.m. on the first day. He sat at a center a young herder. stage surrounded by circles of crimson-robed “The government stands ready to provide help Tibetan monks and devotees who listened, for pilgrims coming to temporarily live on the meditated, and prayed. Some used mobile phones, grassland,” said Wang Yan, deputy head of the cameras, and recorders to record the teachings. Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Jamyang Gyatso, a native of Xiahe, entered government which administrates Xiahe. Labrang Monastery at the age of eight. He earned Local officials say they have set up medical care the Gesi title, bestowed only to masters of Tibetan booths, deployed seven trucks carrying clean Buddhism, and was chosen in 1998 to guide the drinking water, and installed about 30 pre-fab Buddhist studies of the 11th Panchen Lama. The toilets on the grassland. More than a hundred guru offered Kalachakra initiation to the Panchen traffic police are also mobilized as more and more Lama, then 12 years old, at Zhaxi Lhunbo pilgrims are arriving by car. NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012 53

“We are more experienced, because a number government. “Large religious gatherings with more of key religious activities are held here every year,” than 10,000 turn-out were held as usual this year said Tserangji, deputy head of Xiahe county and all went on well.”

Environmental Protection Stressed in Railway Construction

As Lhasa-Shigatse railway in Tibet is under construction, builders strive to protect local ecological environment from every aspect. Known as the “extension line” of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the railway starts from Lhasa, the regional capital, goes along the Lhasa River and the Yarlung Zangbo River and arrives at southwest Tibet’s Shigatse City, the second largest city there. Due to the vulnerable ecological vegetation on the plateau and the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the environmental protection was stressed even before the Lhasa-Shigatse railway in Tibet is under construction. construction in 2010. A series of measures was taken. “During the construction, we try out best to transplanted piece by piece, and after the minimize the possible impact on ecological construction of roadbed, the turf would be put environment. We won’t dig big holes or disturb back. To avoid affecting the migration of wildlife, river systems. Borrow pits are always chosen on elevated passageways are used in main areas to barren hills or badlands, and the land reclamation make way for animals. and local planning are combined with the project In addition, sedimentation tanks are set for as much as possible,” said a person in charge. mixers and trucks. The wastewater was discharged To reduce soil erosion, the dumping site was into the sedimentation tank first, and after set in low-lying land, and the construction of its precipitation for three times, it would be recycled drainage system is of a high standard. for dust suppression to achieve zero emissions. To protect the land and vegetation, the turf is

Tibet Receives 26 Percent More Tourists in Jan.-May Period

Lhasa, June 6 (Xinhua)— Tibet received 1.45 Of the total number of tourists, 1.42 million million tourists in the first five months of the year, were domestic tourists, the regional tourism bureau showing an increase of 25.7 percent year on year, said in a statement. local tourism authorities said on June 6. In May, the southwestern autonomous region 54 NEWS FROM CHINA /JUNE 2012

received 900,000 tourists, as it entered the annual in the five months, it added. peak travel season that lasts until October, it said. Tibet expects 10 million tourist arrivals and 12 The plateau region earned nearly 1.5 billion billion yuan in tourism revenue this year. yuan (237 million U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue

Potala Palace

Foreign Tourists in Tibet

Tibet sees a thriving tourism industry as the group tours come and go, successively. weather gets warmer. Also, tourists enjoy more Shopping sites are busy and vibrant as well. A convenience from the flexible tourism policy in this shop owner says at least several foreign groups come season. to his shop each day. Statistics from Tibet Tourism Department shows “They paid me in US dollars for exchange of that Tibet receives over one thousand international Tibetan dharma-vessels, which they are interested tourists daily. in” he says. Fully prepared in reception, guide services and Statistics from Tibet Tourism Department says sightseeing, Tibet impresses international tourists a that Tibet receives over one thousand international lot. tourists daily. On June 10, Tibet received 217 group Andrzej Brozek, from Netherland, and the other tours, 1,588 tourists from 40 countries. Among which 28 tour members are intoxicated with Tibet. So they 330 are Americans, which account for the majority, choose it as first stop in China. followed by 186 Germen and 101 Malaysians. In his eyes, Tibet is open to international tourists. The Civil Aviation Administration of China and “It takes us only 4 days to get the Tibet Travel the Tibet regional government agreed at a June 7 Permits, which is very convenient and beyond our meeting to encourage air travel companies to establish expectation.” more routes linking the regional capital of Lhasa with So far, Andrzej Brozek has been to the Potala Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and several Palace, Jokhang Monastery and the Borkhor Street. southeast and west Asian countries. Next he will go to the Yamdrok Lake. Tibet’s government chief Padma Choling said that Foreign-language tour guides are very busy these Tibet is striving to build itself into an international days. A local tour guide says she is incredibly tourist destination, with a goal of drawing 15 million scheduled these days as tourism thrives in this season, visitors annually by 2015.