Maher Zain, a 1981-born singer who was just eight when his Lebanese family was admitted by Sweden, is the latest showcase that Muslim immigrants can make contributions to world peace rather than causing troubles to their receiving countries. With millions… Read More ›

Month: September 2015
China is conducting air-sea patrols for Chinese oil rigs in waters disputed with Vietnam
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news website: Major Chinese military site mil.huanqiu.com has published photos of Chinese oil rigs to the southwest of China’s Hainan Island and the patrol amphibious aircraft and… Read More ›
Cadence of Conflict: Asia, September 28, 2015
The unstated reason Chinese Pres. Xi snubbed Zuckerberg is probably for his age. Chinese think a man can’t do business until he’s at least in his 40’s and “is old enough to grow a mustache”. Whatever the reason, China having… Read More ›
China praises UK chancellor for ignoring China’s human rights abuses
British Chancellor George Osborne has been praised by Chinese state media for not mentioning allegations of human rights abuses during his visit to the country. An editorial published in the Global Times English-language daily on Friday said Osborne had shown… Read More ›
China says its new PL-15 air-to-air missile has U.S. Air Force spooked
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site: According to Chinese media mil.huanqiu.com’s report, the website of U.S. media Popular Science monthly said in its report that the PL-15 beyond visual range air-to-air… Read More ›
Desperate China crushing its own people
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first state visit to the U.S., the White House, the secretary of State and Congress should duly note a grim reality — Beijing’s recent, sweeping detention of human rights lawyers and activists. China’s repressive crackdown makes both of… Read More ›
China to have stealth attack helicopter by 2020
The following is based on translations of reports in Chinese media: The China Daily says in its report that China’s major helicopter producer AVIC disclosed that China would have a stealth attack helicopter by 2020. The helicopter is regarded as… Read More ›
China’s ‘Silk Road’ initiative is at risk of failure
The Silk Road Initiative is the major project for Chinese President Xi Jinping. On every state visit and within every diplomatic forum, he has promoted his idea of “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR). Beijing wants to create China-centred infrastructure networks… Read More ›
China launches 20 satellites with one rocket – with a veiled threat that it can also carry 20 nuclear warheads
The following is based on a translation of a report from Chinese media: China’s top official media CCTV reported in its primetime news that China has successfully launched its new Changzheng VI rocket to send 20 satellites into their orbits…. Read More ›
Cadence of Conflict: Asia, September 21, 2015
China mostly talked this week. And they plan to talk more next week with Obama about Taiwan’s elections. Taiwan now allows 5,000 new Chinese visitors per day and China will give Taiwanese electronic passes in their visits. This raises questions… Read More ›
China says its new Pterosaur II drone is advanced by world standards
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site: A model of China’s new Yilong-II (Pterosaur II) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attracts people’s keen attention at Beijing Airshow but few of its functions are… Read More ›
Why India should reject China’s obsession with bigger, denser megacities
The world is in awe of China’s relentless capacity to produce gargantuan cities, each outdoing the most recent superlative that describes its predecessor. If Shenzhen and Shanghai are megacities, and the Pearl-River Delta a sprawling urban agglomeration, then what should… Read More ›
As old China slows, new China remains closed to foreign firms: ‘The worst time for multinationals’
As China’s old economy slumps, service industries from banking to telecommunications are poised to take up the slack. The catch for American and other foreign firms: They’re locked out of these new growth drivers. Overseas banks and life insurers have… Read More ›
Chinese admiral says South China Sea belongs to China – because it has ‘China’ in its name
Speaking at this year’s First Sea Lord/RUSI International Sea Power Conference in London, Chinese Vice Admiral Yuan Yubai, commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) North Sea Fleet, did not shy away from controversy. He emphatically stated that the… Read More ›
Has North Korea’s Kim Jong-un replaced John Boehner as Speaker of the House?
We have met the enemy and it is us: we have become too tired to be effective and hence are becoming indifferent. The charade on Capitol Hill continues, and not only about the nuke “deal” with Iran. Will the carnival end before… Read More ›
Putting Hong Kong’s Chief Executive above legislature makes Hong Kong ungovernable
In its report “Beijing says Hong Kong top leader is above legislature, judiciary” today, Reuters quotes Zhang Xiaoming, Beijing’s chief liaison officer in Hong Kong, as saying “The dual responsibility of chief executive to the central government and Hong Kong… Read More ›
Cadence of Conflict: Asia, September 14, 2015
China managed to stay out of the lime light this week, while its satellites shined. There seemed to be some chest thumping. Chinese police ordered local Taiwanese police to investigate a Taiwanese suspect without going through their normal international channels…. Read More ›
China’s new weapons showcased in September 3 parade, which China says are capable of attacking Japan and Taiwan
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site: China’s Huanqiu.com website carries a report on an article on the website of Britain’s Jane’s Defence Review published on September 9 on China’s new weapons… Read More ›
US says China cyber attacks are ‘unacceptable’ and US will win online confrontation
US President Barack Obama has said that alleged Chinese cyber attacks are “not acceptable”, ahead of a visit from Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Several hacks on US institutions have been blamed on China, including one involving millions of government staff…. Read More ›
China shows off powerful new turboshafts for China’s versions of Apache and Osprey helicopters
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site: A report in mil.huanqiu.com says that at the upcoming Tianjin Helicopter Exposition, China will showcase its new Wozhou-16 turboshaft engine and the model of a… Read More ›
China to explore ‘dark side’ of the moon
China has confirmed it plans to send a spacecraft to land on the moon’s “dark side” before 2020, state media reports — a mission, which, if successful, would make it the first country to do so. The mission will be… Read More ›
Doing a business event in the Gobi Desert
It is something in China, about which very little is known in Europe – the business meeting, which builds relationships impossible to break. Often, though, it is also impossible to form, and must be made in a different way, which… Read More ›
China says its long-range aircraft carrier killer ballistic missiles confound US spies
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site: Mil.huanqiu.com says in its report on the DF-21D ballistic missile, which China showcased for the first time in its military parade on September 3, that… Read More ›
Cadence of Conflict: September 7, 2015
China’s pushing into the water. Beijing celebrated America’s victory over Japan in 1945. The Communists who took over China four years later seemed to take much of the credit. And they are still angry that, even after 66 years, they… Read More ›
For Hollywood, the road to China is littered with broken deals – the perils of doing business with China
Hollywood talent agent Jeff Berg flew to Shanghai last summer to celebrate one of his biggest deals — a partnership with Chinese investors in Resolution, his new agency in Century City. Two hundred business executives, government officials, actors and journalists… Read More ›
China showcases its DF-5B MIRV ICBMs in military parade
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site: Mil.huanqiu.com says in its report that when the DF-5B missile appeared on the TV screen in China’s military parade on Thursday, the TV host said… Read More ›
China’s anti-fascist parade indistinguishable from fascist parade
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of China’s triumph over the Imperial Japanese Army in 1945, China’s communist leaders have orchestrated a massive shutdown of Beijing on a scale not seen since the same city was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army in August 1937…. Read More ›
China’s new KJ-500 aircraft to replace KJ-2000 as major AEW&C
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site: Hong Kong media mil.ifent.com reports that in the military parade on September 3, China displayed its new AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control), the KJ-500,… Read More ›
US readies cyber sanctions against China ahead of state visit
The White House is preparing a slate of sanctions it could bring against Chinese enterprises in response to cyberattacks against American businesses, a government official familiar with the process told CNN. The move is a show of force on the… Read More ›
Nerves on edge as Chinese authorities probe market mayhem
The head of hedge fund manager Man Group Plc’s (EMG.L) China business has been taken into custody to help authorities in a probe into recent market volatility, Bloomberg reported on Monday, while separately a local financial reporter confessed on national… Read More ›