A Political Game Pakistan's
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CHINA DAILY THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2012 world 23 Pakistan’s ‘China bashing’ a political game top court may hold We are not going to gation, freedom of the seas as pleasure and how to do any- Anti-Beijing remarks a reality of US well as security and stability. thing,” said Larsen, who spoke contain China. You Bonnie Glaser, a senior fellow highly of the Obama adminis- PM in presidential elections, politician says can’t. Not only do we at the Center for Strategic and tration’s 100,000 Strong Initia- have no interest, it’s International Studies based in tive to send 100,000 American contempt By CHEN WEIHUA in Congress of US-China issues, also impossible. So Washington, implied in a talk students to China over a four- in New York Larsen works with, as he puts it: two weeks ago, that some of the year period. [email protected] “panda huggers, dragon slayers why do you bring that US policies in the region might On Chinese foreign direct By AGENCIES in Islamabad and even panda slayers — folks ‘‘ up, it can’t happen.” have unintentionally embold- investment in the US, Larsen United States politician Rick who are really extreme against RICK LARSEN ened countries such as the Phil- said he believes the amount is Pakistan’s top court on Larsen said he hopes China China”. CO-CHAIR OF THE US-CHINA ippines. Having made seven still not enough to make a broad Wednesday summoned understands that the so-called Larsen believes the US has to WORKING GROUP trips to China over the last six or impact because it is still less the new prime minister “China-bashing” in the presi- take a multi-pronged approach seven years and having attended than 1 percent of the total FDI to appear later this month dential campaign is simply a toward China. Focusing on just with economic issues in the US However, Larsen said the US many meetings with top Chi- in the US. to face possible contempt reality of elections — a politi- one aspect will hurt the whole that people connect to in their military rebalance in Asia, a hot nese and US offi cials, business Larsen said while different charges, the clearest sign cal process that is important in relationship. everyday lives. topic in both China and the US, leaders and academics, Larsen cultures and values are still a yet it could dismiss a sec- the US. “We have many relations with “It is not just the foreign is not to contain China. said he knows a lot about China hurdle, he advised Chinese ond premier in a show- Both President Barack China, not just one. A good pol- policy aspect, but the economic “We are not going to contain now, although he barely speaks investors to try to understand down over corruption Obama and Governor Mitt icy toward China tries to work aspect, trade aspect — what it China. You can’t. Not only do we Mandarin. the importance of attracting cases. Romney, the Republican presi- all of those relationships. If you means for US jobs and for US have no interest, it’s also impos- However, he said he sees the positive attention in the US. The Supreme Court — dential candidate, have talked just focus on one, as you might trade policy. As a result, that sible. So why do you bring that need for America’s next genera- He recalled a meeting in which disqualified and tough on China during their hear in the fall (election), we plays out more so than other up, it can’t happen.” he said. tion to learn both the language Shanghai in 2011 with a Chi- convicted prime minister campaigns, accusing China of do that to the detriment to US foreign policy issues in this He described the rebalanc- and the culture. nese entrepreneur who said he Yousuf Raza Gilani over unfair trade practices and steal- interests,” said Larsen, a Demo- presidential campaign,” he said. ing as the third step following “In the United States, kids had created 500 jobs in Michi- the issue — summoned ing American jobs. crat who is now serving his sixth Larsen is not a fan of TV cov- diplomacy and trade and the who are learning Chinese are gan. Larsen asked if he had talk- his successor Raja Per- “My advice to folks is always: term in the House of Represen- erage of China in the US, which economic relationship, which learning China. The cultural ed to the local Congressman. vez Ashraf on Aug 27 for Take a deep breath, the election tatives, representing the state of he claims is oft en biased. “I don’t has been leading the way for the aspect is as important. We are “No, why would I do that?” ignoring a request to ask is almost over,” Larsen said. Washington. watch a lot of that because it US in Asia. not just sending our kids to Chi- the Chinese businessman asked. Swiss authorities to reopen As co-chair of the US-China Larsen said the US-China doesn’t do anything good to a Larsen said he believes the na to learn Chinese, it’s more “Because it’s an auto parts cases against the president. Working Group, a group estab- relationship is a foreign policy lot of things I am working on,” US stance on the South China about learning cultural norms, company in Michigan. That’s It is the latest episode in a lished in 2005 to raise awareness issue that has a direct overlap said the 47-year-old. Sea is about freedom of navi- how to do business, how to do why,” Larsen said. two-and-half years saga in which the government has resisted demands to have Asif Ali Zardari investigat- ed, arguing that as head of state he enjoys immunity. Man charged Gilani lost his job in June in a similar showdown with the court aft er refus- ing to write the letter. in killing of Th e head of a fi ve-judge panel, Asif Saeed Khosa, said it was unfortunate that the prime minister had Chinese mine failed to comply with the court order already. If Ashraf does not appear in court or continues to refuse to write the letter, supervisor he could be charged with contempt of court. A prominent Pakistani Collum Coal Mine, a lawyer Abdul Hafeez Pirza- Zambian police private business that run da said Ashraf might also by Chinese investors from be disqualifi ed from offi ce promise to beef Jiangxi province located if he did not write the let- about 325 km south of ter to Swiss authorities, but up security after Lusaka, has an annual pro- still did not expect him to labor dispute duction capacity of 100,000 do so. tons of coal. “I don’t think they (the turns violent Zambia’s government government) are in a mood recently increased the to write the letter,” he said. monthly minimum wage An adviser to the prime By ZHANG YUNBI for certain workers from minister, Fawad Chaudhry, [email protected] 500,000 Zambian kwacha said Ashraf had been GETTING INTO THE GROOVE ($105) to 1 million Zambian informed about Wednes- PHOTO BY JACQUELYN MARTIN / AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE The alleged killer of the kwacha. day’s court ruling, and he Chinese coal-mine super- Th e Beijing News said the would consult with his US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds hands during a dance with other offi cials including visor in Zambia has been local labor union on Aug 2 political allies before mak- charged, and Zambian reached an agreement with ing any decision. Chaudry African Union Chair-Designate Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma during a gala dinner at Sefako M. police have promised to beef the coal mine to tweak the said the court ruling could Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, South Africa, on Tuesday. up security for Chinese citi- Zambian employees’ wage, further deepen political zens in the southern African but the labor union report- instability as a time when country. edly did not immediately the country was facing Information from the Chi- deliver the message to the multiple challenges. nese embassy in Zambia says workers. Zardari is in little imme- that a Chinese supervisor of He Wenping, director of diate danger of being tried. Tucson gunman Loughner pleads the Collum coal mine was the African Studies Section Th e Swiss have indicated killed and four other per- at the Chinese Academy they have no plans to con- sonnel were injured on Sun- of Social Sciences, said the tinue with the case which day in labor clashes at a coal local labor unions in African dates back to the late guilty to rampage, spared death mine in Zambia’s Southern countries are infl uential and 1990s. But the issue has Province. are good at bargaining with become a bone of conten- Th e clashes occurred dur- employers. tion between the Supreme By AGENCIES agreed to dismiss 30 of them. ing a labor dispute at the “Working conditions and Court and the govern- in Tucson, Arizona During an exchange with the Chinese-owned Collum wages are major factors ment. judge before formally enter- Coal Mining Industries Ltd behind the relevant disputes, The court has been Jared Loughner pleaded ing his plea, Loughner admit- in the province’s Sinazongwe and some staff members of aggressive in using its guilty on Tuesday to killing six ted going to the “Congress On district. the Chinese fi rms in Africa clout to investigate the people and wounding 13 oth- Your Corner” event hosted by Reuters quoted a local have not communicated government as well as ers, including then-US Repre- Giff ords armed with a loaded police offi cial on Tuesday as enough with local people,” Pakistan’s security agen- sentative Gabrielle Giff ords, in Glock 19 pistol and 60 addi- saying that a coal miner has He said.