December 5:
According to Vietnam’s Thanh Nien newspaper, “China's claim over 80 percent of the East [South China] Sea [is] based on little of substance.” The article said: “China's economic strength, together with its military modernization and growing energy demand, is a source of concern for other nations claiming sovereignty over parts of the sea.” It also criticized China’s preference for bilateral over multilateral negotiations and “urged that unconcluded talks on a joint Code of Conduct needed to be sealed.” A map China submitted to the United Nations General Secretary in May to stake its claim had further complicated matters since even Chinese scholars have been unable to explain it. Nazery Khalid from the Maritime Institute of Malaysia's Centre for Economics Studies & Ocean Industries said the map was “unfounded and had ignited controversy.” A member of Vietnam's official Government Border Committee was unequivocal: the South China Sea is “not international waters, they are Vietnamese territory,” he said.
December 7:
A high-level Chinese military delegation led by Lt Gen Shu Yutai is visiting Nepal ahead of planned pro-Tibetan demonstrations in Kathmandu on December 10th. Shu is asking the Nepali government to constrain anti-China protests by exiled Tibetans and is discussing border security and defense cooperation. The eight-member delegation met with foreign minister Sujata Koirala among others who assured them of Nepal's commitment to prevent anti-China activity within their country’s territory. Security at China’s embassy and other Chinese installations in Nepal has been increased ahead of the protests, which will mark the 20th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Dalai Lama, the Press Trust of India reports.
December 8:
Israel’s largest private venture capital investment group, Infinity Capital Management Company Limited, and Beijing's Zhongguancun Start-Up Investment Development Center have signed an agreement to establish a 100 million RMB international technology import investment fund to encourage foreign high tech firms to invest in Beijing's Zhongguancun Technology Park. Industry Watch reports the Israeli Ambassador to China Amos Nadai, and Beijing Vice Mayor Gou Chongwen, attended the signing ceremony.
December 11:
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has received a harsh rebuke from Iran’s Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki after China voted ‘yes’ on November 27th for the IAEA board's resolution against Tehran's nuclear program. The letter, which advised Beijing to change its position, said: "Undoubtedly, the illogical conduct of the countries voting against Iran will make the Islamic Republic of Iran more determined to continue the current path to develop peaceful nuclear technology," Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency reports.
December 12:
Beijing will implement a new law giving Chinese high-tech firms an advantage over foreign firms in bidding for government procurement contracts. In an effort to support products and technologies that have “Chinese characteristics,” government accreditation will be awarded to companies capable of "indigenous innovation." Three government ministries will publish catalogs containing accredited companies’ products, which will get preference on tenders. About 30 business groups from the U.S., Europe, Japan and South Korea have sent letters "to strongly urge the Chinese government not to proceed" with the new rule, which they believe unfairly limits their market access. The American Chamber of Commerce in China, for instance, said the law would “reduce competition and limit the ability of Chinese government agencies to make purchases solely on the basis of quality and price,” the Times of India reports.