China Reform Monitor: No. 1006

December 7:

Maria Otero, Undersecretary of State and Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, said the U.S. “is deeply concerned and saddened by the continuing violence” in Tibet and called on China to let residents “express their grievances freely.” Otero urged Beijing to talk with the Dalai Lama “without preconditions” and to allow “observers unrestricted access to China’s Tibetan areas,” Agence France Presse reports. Official Chinese rhetoric “that denigrates the Tibetan language, the Dalai Lama, and those who have self-immolated has further exacerbated tensions,” read Otero’s statement. In response, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said: “The so-called ‘statement’ confuses right and wrong, confounds black and white, and sends the wrong message to ‘Tibetan independence’ separatist forces. It is pernicious in nature and its effect is bad. China is strongly dissatisfied, opposes it resolutely and has made solemn representations with the U.S.”


December 9:

Beijing and Shanghai will allow transit passengers from 45 countries to stay for 72 hours without a visa. Shanghai municipal authorities said the State Council recently approved the new visa-free transit policy, which goes into effect on January 1, 2013. Countries on the list include the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and several European countries, among others. Officials hope the policy will help the two cities’ airports become international air hubs and they are developing tours and services to accommodate the anticipated influx of visitors. Beijing alone is expecting 600,000 to 800,000 transit visitors next year, the official Xinhua news agency reports.

December 10:

With the cooperation of China’s Ministry of Public Security, North Korea’s security services recently sent a team into China to arrest and repatriate defectors and disrupt organizations that support them, DailyNK reports. The efforts are part of Pyongyang’s nationwide crackdown to prevent and punish defectors and their families. To stop desperate North Koreans from sneaking into China, North Korean border guard units along major defection routes have begun 24-hour patrols and installed and expanded barbed wire and CCTV cameras.

China has stepped up inspections on North Korean cargo to find items banned under UN Security Council sanctions. Although recently reported, the measure was taken months ago after a Chinese freighter bound for Syria was caught in May at Busan Port, South Korea carrying 445 North Korean-made graphite cylinders bound for use as missile parts. Beijing was also critical of Pyongyang’s decision to launch another ballistic missile. Yonhap reports that late last month Li Jianguo, vice chairman of China’s National People’s Congress, visited Pyongyang where he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and urged him not to go ahead with the missile launch. But according to a South Korean official, also quoted by Yonhap, it is too early to know if China has changed its North Korea policy: “We will be able to determine whether the Chinese position is different, when we look at the Chinese attitude in discussions on sanctions on North Korea.”

December 12:

The 5th high-level dialogue between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the U.S.’ Democratic and Republican parties was held in Washington, DC. Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (CPC-ID), met with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Assistant Secretary of State Richard Williamson, representing the Democratic and the Republican parties, respectively. Wang briefed the U.S. side on the 18th CPC National Congress and explained China’s future goals and development plans, the official People’s Daily reports. In comments posted on the CPC-ID’s official website Wang said: “China will play a more active role in international affairs, shoulder its responsibilities and make more contributions to global peace and development.” Both U.S. parties expressed hope for expanded discussions with the CPC on bilateral, regional and international issues.

[Editor’s Note: Neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party has issued a press release about this meeting with the CPC. The high-level dialogue mechanism between the two countries’ political parties was launched in March 2010.]