Chinese Politics Archives - Page 123 of 124 - US-China Perception Monitor

Lessons from the Sino-Myanmar Relationship

Jun 19, 2013 | Chinese Politics |

After three years of construction, pipelines in Myanmar are nearly ready to begin pumping oil and natural gas into China’s southwestern provinces. It should be an exciting time for China, which is set to establish another vital source for its voracious consumption of natural resources, but the event is largely overshadowed by unintended developments within Myanmar. Besides costing Beijing billions of dollars to construct, the pipelines have sparked widespread resentment among Myanmar’s residents, who are demanding compensation for lost land and damaged livelihoods. Unfortunately for the Chinese leadership, far from being an isolated episode that can be easily resolved,...

China and Ghana’s conundrum: Why poverty, not just criminality, must be addressed

Jun 13, 2013 | Chinese Politics |

Since early June, 169 illegal Chinese miners have been rounded up and detained in Accra, Ghana. This is the latest push by the Ghanaian government to crack-down on illegal small-scale mining, an epidemic that has pot-holed the resource-rich nation, and has received considerable international media attention. Small-scale mining, also known as artisanal mining, has long plagued the West African nation. As much as 95% of all small-scale mining in Ghana is illegal.[1] Illegal mining robs local governments of tax revenues, risks environmental damage, and causes tensions in local communities when illegal miners are foreigners. Considering Ghana’s large gold deposits, its...

A Good Start: Positive notes from the first Obama-Xi summit

Jun 10, 2013 | Chinese Politics |

The results of the first Obama-Xi summit were nothing dramatic. No treaties were produced, no communiqués were presented. Both leaders appeared together only briefly: for a press conference on the first day and a stroll around the grounds of the California estate on the second day. Nevertheless, the meetings between Obama and Xi may have breathed new life into US-China relations. Both the US and Chinese delegation emerged from talks optimistic and enthusiastic. Obama described the progress they had made as “constructive” and “terrific.” Xi labelled the meetings “in-depth, sincere and candid.” Later, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon spoke...

Why The West Is So Worried About Energetic Chinese Foray Into Africa?

Jun 8, 2013 | Chinese Politics |

As American President Barack Obama comes calling hot on the heels of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jingping, insular Kenyans have chosen to view the visit through a narrow prism. Commentators have only focused on why Kenya went missing from the itinerary, and concluded that it can only be due to the pending ICC trials. As American President Barack Obama comes calling hot on the heels of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jingping, insular Kenyans have chosen to view the visit through a narrow prism. Commentators have only focused on why Kenya went missing from the itinerary, and concluded that it...

China Vs America : Which Way for Africa?

Apr 3, 2013 | Chinese Politics |

Africa is this century’s most visible economic battle ground for China and the West. But in recent years, this battle has been intensified so much so that it is being waged out in the open. Last year, Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State, visited 6 African countries in an effort, among others issue, to curb China’s influence in this rising continent. Recently, China’s new President, Xi jinping, was in Africa visiting Tanzania and then South Africa where he joined his counterparts from the BRICS economic bloc. Mr. Jinping’s African trip was out to solidify China’s economic interest in...