China rebuffs US over Taiwan

SEOUL—The Chinese mainland said it would not tolerate any interference over Taiwan, after US President George W. Bush praised the island’s democracy and urged Beijing to open dialogue with Taipei.
“Taiwan is a part of China, an inseparable part of China, and China does not brook any interference in its internal affairs,” Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing told reporters on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea.
Li was reacting to comments Bush was to make later Wednesday in Japan holding up Taiwan that had successfully “moved from repression to democracy”.
The Chinese foreign minister later held talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the US envoy to the talks on North Korea nuclear weapons programme, Christopher Hill.
The United States is the leading arms supplier to the island despite switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.
Bush stressed that Washington’s “One China” policy was unchanged and emphasized “there should be no unilateral attempts to change the status quo by either side”.
Bush’s unusually strong comments came during an Asian tour in which the president was to visit Beijing for a brief summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
The two will meet before then on Friday when they join 19 other leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC) forum in the South Korean port of Busan.
Bush highlighted the North Korea talks, for which China has played host on five occasions, as an area of Sino-US cooperation.
“The six-party talks have produced commitments to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. These commitments must be implemented. That means a comprehensive diplomatic effort from all the countries involved, backed by firm resolve,” he said.
He also said he would press Hu to follow through on pledges made at their last meeting in September to crack down on knock-offs of trademarked US goods and address China’s exploding trade surplus with the United States.
“I welcomed those commitments, just as I welcomed China’s announcement in July that it would implement a flexible, market-based exchange system for its currency,” said Bush. “But China needs to take action”.  (The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item)

Hu Jintao wraps up fruitful Europe trip

MADRID—President Hu Jintao yesterday wrapped up a week-long visit to Europe which took him to Britain, Germany and Spain.
He was due to leave for Seoul late yesterday to start a state visit to the Republic of Korea and then attend the Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) in Busan on November 18-19.
His European trip was dominated by trade and economic issues, but the Chinese leader also achieved new progress in strengthening ties with the major European Union members.
On Monday, Spain became the fourth nation in the EU to establish a strategic partnership with China, which already has similar partnerships with Britain, Germany and France.
Before winding up his three-day Spain visit, Hu inaugurated the first Chinese-Spanish Business Summit along with Spanish King Juan Carlos yesterday morning.
He said the comprehensive strategic partnership would create more favourable conditions for both countries to deepen economic and technological collaboration.
The Chinese Government will facilitate broader and closer co-operation between enterprises of the two countries and support their joint exploration of markets in third countries, he told the event attended by more than 1,000 Chinese and Spanish business leaders.
Carlos spoke highly of the Spanish-Chinese friendship, saying that increased co-operation is conducive to economic and social development in both nations.
He saluted China's "spectacular economic dynamism" which had led Madrid to seek a "new qualitative dimension" with Beijing.
That dynamism, underpinned by spectacular growth, has seen Europe's biggest states signing a slew of trade accords during Hu's tour.
On Monday, China and Spain inked a series of agreements worth a total of US$1.1 billion, adding to US$3 billion worth of deals signed in Britain and Germany.
China, Spain to cement economic, cultural co-operation: China and Spain agreed on Tuesday to cement cooperation in economic and cultural fields as part of their efforts to push Sino-Spanish relations forward greatly.
The two countries will fully exploit the functions of the Sino-Spanish Mixed Committee of Commerce and Trade and try to enlarge two-way investment, said a joint communique released during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Spain.

Chinese Naval Fleet leaves for 1st joint exercise abroad
Bureau Report

BEIJING—A Chinese naval fleet has set off last week from the Zhanjiang Port for a visit to Pakistan, India and Thailand. The fleet, formed by the Shenzhen missile destroyer and Weishanhu depot ship, will hold a joint military exercise focusing on marine search and rescue with the navies of the three countries, reported People’s Daily. The visit will take about one month. It will be the first time for the Chinese navy to conduct joint military exercise with visited countries' navies in sea area under the countries' jurisdiction.
Since India is not the first stop of the Chinese naval fleet, the Indian Defense Ministry has not officially announced information on the ships and forces of the Indian navy to take part in the exercise. According to local media the location of the China-India would be near the Cochin military port on the western coast of southern India. Joint military exercise needs approval from the highest level. Marine search and rescue by warships is military action of the nontraditional security area. It is of strong humanitarian tone both in peace times and war times and part of navy's function.
Naval experts said that compared with substantive joint combat exercise many of the military skills and tactics used in search and rescue such as searching, communications and command are also needed in actual combat. Therefore, without considerable political and military trust on both sides China wouldn't be able to launch joint marine search and rescue in these countries. As early as 2003 Pakistani and Indian naval fleets visited China and conducted joint marine search and rescue exercises with Chinese navy in the East China Sea. This kind of exercise normally includes joint formation of ships from both sides, marine communications operation, sea-air three-dimensional search of ships in distress, ship formation arriving at the scene after receiving order, fire fighting, rescue and transportation of personnel in distress etc.
The Indian Ocean countries welcome military exchange and cooperation with the Chinese navy. In fact, the first countries Chinese naval fleets visited in mid-1980s also included the Indian Ocean countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Among the several oceans, the Indian Ocean is of unique strategic status. On the one hand, the Indian Ocean countries are not traditionally maritime powers. On the other, the Indian Ocean is the most important strategic channel for transporting resources like oil. Therefore, to establish friendly political and military ties with the Indian Ocean countries and ensure the security and stability of the Indian Ocean through broad and in-depth international security cooperation is the general trend. The joint military exercises between China and Pakistan, India and Thailand are just the reflection of this security concept of "seeking security through cooperation".

Joint Pak, China TV manufacturing plant established
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—M/s SVA-Ruba Electronic Company, a joint venture of Pakistan and China has set up a TV manufacturing Plant in Sunder Industrial Estate near Lahore, which will be inaugurated on Thursday.
This was disclosed by Mr. XU Weihu, Chairman SVA Group of China in a meeting with Minister for Industries, Production and Special Initiatives, Jahangir Khan Tareen here Wednesday.
He said, China is interested in establishment of its export base in Pakistan for its electronic products and for the purpose M/s Shanghai Video Audio Group (SVA-Group) has made a joint venture with one of the Pakistan’s leading industrial group Ruba Group.
XU Weihu said, China is planning for a wider investment in manufacturing sector as there is excellent business opportunity in Pakistan due to farsighted economic policies of government and the availability of skilled human resource.
On the occasion, the Minister said that in view of many infrastructure development projects in the country and robust growth by the national economy there is tremendous scope for investment in Pakistan.
“Our doors are open for every one who is interested in investment in Pakistan”.
He said it is encouraging that China is keen to play a positive role in the industrial advancement in fast growing economy of Pakistan by bringing state of the art latest technology and investment to Pakistan.
He said China is our old friend and has always cooperated with Pakistan in various fields for the promotion of business and trade ties. This friendship and business ties will further promote, he added.
The Minister said Engineering Development Board is also working for development of industrial sector which can facilitate Chinese investors in setting up of their manufacturing and engineering plants in Pakistan.