October 13:
It is time to consider “building a de-Americanized world,” according to a commentary in the official Xinhua news agency. The editorial claims that: “The United States has habituated to meddling in the business of other countries far away from its shores. [It] has gone to all lengths to appear before the world as the one that claims the moral high ground, yet covertly doing things that are as audacious as torturing prisoners of war, slaying civilians in drone attacks, and spying on world leaders. We fail to see a world where the United States is helping to defuse violence and conflicts, reduce poor and displaced population[s], and bring about real, lasting peace. A self-serving Washington has abused its superpower status and introduced even more chaos into the world by shifting financial risks overseas, instigating regional tensions amid territorial disputes, and fighting unwarranted wars under the cover of outright lies. Such alarming days when the destinies of others are in the hands of a hypocritical nation have to be terminated, and a new world order should be put in place, according to which all nations, big or small, poor or rich, can have their key interests respected and protected on an equal footing. All nations need to hew to the basic principles of the international law, including respect for sovereignty, and keeping hands off domestic affairs of others.” The commentary prescribes reduced U.S. involvement: “A key part is the introduction of a new international reserve currency to replace the US dollar so that the international community could permanently stay away from the spillover of the intensifying domestic political turmoil in the United States.”
October 15:
Eddie Cross, a Zimbabwean MP and the policy coordinator of the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T), has said his party “totally underestimated” the impact of the strategies proposed by advisers from the Communist Party of China to Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF. “The [2013] elections were manipulated to hand Mugabe victory, but what did the MDC-T do whilst in government to prevent that from happening: nothing. The political misfortunes of the party can be traced back to the day they joined the inclusive government when Mugabe handed himself the all important ministries,” SW Radio Africa reports.
October 16:
Authorities have arrested several independent Tibetan news providers on the pretext that they engaged in “political activities aimed at destroying social stability and dividing the Chinese homeland.” Three frequent information sources for foreign media are being held in an unknown location. Among them is Kalsang Choedhar, a monk from Palyul monastery who was arrested in Sog, Tibet for circulating information about a crackdown in Driru. In response, hundreds of Tibetan monks demonstrated outside the county government offices to demand his release. Reporters Without Borders said: “We urge the international community to forcefully condemn their detention. There can be no justification for remaining silent in the face of these flagrant violations of freedom of information, not even the ‘respect for sovereignty’ that the Chinese government repeatedly cites in response to criticism of its repressive and discriminatory policies towards Tibetans.”
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October 21:
Senior diplomats and defense officials from China and South Korea and are planning to launch a “two-plus-two” consultative initiative that will bring together director-level diplomats and deputy director-level defense officials from the two sides by the end of this year. The new consultative body will improve bilateral cooperation in the face of growing nuclear threats from North Korea, Yonhap reports. China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi will visit South Korea next month to discuss the DPRK among other issues with South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s top security adviser Kim Jang-soo.
[Editor’s Note: China wants to restart the “six-party talks” on North Korean disarmament but South Korea and the U.S. insist that talks will not take place unless the North demonstrates its seriousness about denuclearization. The talks, which includes the two Koreas, China, the U.S., Japan and Russia, have been stalled since 2008.]
China asked South Korea not to sell FA-50 fighter jets to the Philippines, but Seoul rejected the request as “interference” and will go ahead with the sale. Beijing made the appeal ahead of a summit in Seoul between President Park Geun-hye and Philippines President Benigno Aquino. During the visit, Park thanked Aquino for Manila’s decision to buy the jets and urged a speedy signing of the contract. The FA-50 is a light attack fighter jet that can handle air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, including targeting gunboats. Manila is also in talks with Seoul about a $650 million order for South Korean frigates. Indonesia and Vietnam, which, like the Philippines, have territorial disputes with China, have also bought or are about to buy South Korean weapons, the Choson Ilbo reports.