What is it about Harper’s China trip?
Share Dear readers: Here’s the transcript of today’s briefing on PM Harper’s visit to China. Enjoy. Main point? Just a tour. Nothing to be signed. But free entrance to the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. (my emphasis in bold) ———————- file photo TRANSCRIPTION DATE: November 30th, 2009 – 1:00 p.m. LOCATION: National Press Theater, Ottawa, Ontario PRINCIPALS: ‧Dimitri Soudas, Associate... [Read More...]
Wen Jiabao on facebook!
Share Surprise, surprise…. What an eye opener! China’s primier Wen Jiaobao on facebook! Wen must be the first Chinese leader to use popular, non-state-owned media to promote himself. Whether it is really him who set it up doesn’t really matter, it is the proactive outreaching that shines. An NYT article says: The page offers a few bits of biographical information: His interests are Chinese literature and baseball, and his employer... [Read More...]
Total despair
Share The recent playout of events happening in China has had me completely disappointed towards the Hu Jintao-Wen Jiabao administration, which I used to invest a lot of hope that they might bring changes to China’s political ecology. Obviously, I have been a naive optimist. The most scary thing is the strong, class-struggle style of languages used by the government (or the party?) in recent public speeches and media reports. This administration... [Read More...]
IHT: Wen proves himself to be different, gifted
Share IHT – When Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China set off for a historic visit to Japan nearly two weeks ago, pundits in this region set the bar remarkably low: the very fact of the first visit by a Chinese leader in almost seven years was an achievement in itself, the line went. If the trip could proceed without ugly incident, Wen’s speech to the Diet, the first in 22 years by a Chinese, would secure a place for the visit in diplomatic... [Read More...]
Wen’s personal diplomacy a win
Share (caption: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao sits on an agricultural machine as he visits Japanese farmer Yoshikazu Nagahama in this ancient western Japanese city of Kyoto on Friday April 13, 2007. Wen, on a mission to “melt ice” between Japan and China, planted tomato seedlings helped by Nagahama during his visit to the farm in western Japan. AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, POOL) FT - With a tai chi practice in a Tokyo park, a baseball workout... [Read More...]
Chinese PM closes Japan visit with tea, baseball
Share (caption1: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao wearing baseball uniform prepares to catch the ball during an event with students of private Ritsumeikan University’s baseball team at a stadium in Kyoto, western Japan, on Friday April 13, 2007. After two days in Tokyo Wen, on a mission to “melt ice” between Japan and China, traveled to this ancient capital of Kyoto. caption2: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attends a Japanese tea ceremony... [Read More...]
Full text of Wen Jiabao’s speech to Japan’s Diet
Share Speech by Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council of The People’s Republic of China at the Japanese Diet (Tokyo, Japan, 12 April 2007) Respected Mr. Yohei Kono, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Respected Mme. Chikage Ogi, President of the House of Councilors, Members of the Diet, It gives me great pleasure today to address the Japanese Diet and meet with you, members of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors.... [Read More...]
Chinese press hails Japan visit
Share (caption: Chinese Premir Wen Jiabao, center, meets with schoolchildren of private Ritsumeikan elementary school during his visit to Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, western Japan, on Friday April 13, 2007. A smiling Wen Jiabao sipped Japanese green tea, played baseball with college students and declared his trip a success Friday, wrapping up a tour aimed at warming chilled ties and drawing investment to China. AP Photo/Kazuhiro NOGI, POOL) BBC... [Read More...]
Wen pushes charm offensive in Japan
Share (caption: Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao does tai chi with locals in a park in Tokyo)Reuters – Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to narrow rifts with Japan shifted from summitry and pomp on Friday as he arrived in Japan’s ancient capital for a tea-ceremony, chats with students and a bit of baseball. The trip to Kyoto came a day after Wen — the first Chinese leader to visit Japan since 2000 — addressed Japan’s... [Read More...]
Chinese leader address Japan’s parliament (NYT)
Share NYT — In a rare address to Japan’s parliament by a Chinese leader, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China today pledged friendship with Japan, but also cautioned that Tokyo must match its past apologies for its wartime aggression with concrete actions. Wen said that his three-day visit to Japan was meant to “melt the ice” in relations between the two countries, which have locked horns in recent years over the development of natural... [Read More...]
