Breaking

... for openness and credibility....

Political Issues
Egypt
1. China, Egypt seek cultural cooperation via Cairo book fair
Cairo, Monday, 23 January, 2011
As a part of bilateral efforts to enhance cultural cooperation between the two countries, China will participate as the Guest of Honour in the 43rd Cairo International Book Fair in Egypt.
Source: Xinhua

2. China blocks “Egypt” searches on Micro-blogs
Beijing, Sunday, 30 January, 2011
China has blocked the word “Egypt” from micro blog searches displaying concern that protests calling for political reform in Egypt could spill over into Chinese internet space.
Source: Reuters

3. China sends planes to bring back stranded Chinese in Egypt
Beijing, Monday, 31 January, 2011
Concerned about the security of Chinese citizens in Egypt, the Chinese government has sent two planes to bring back stranded citizens there.
Source: Xinhua

Iran
4. China receives invitation to visit Iran's nuclear sites: China FM
Beijing, Tuesday, 4 January, 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that China, along with certain EU and Non Aligned nations as well as other permanent members of the UN Security Council, received an invitation from Iran to visit its nuclear sites.
Source: Xinhua

5. China, Iran officials discuss nuclear issue
Beijing, Wednesday, 12 January, 2011
Iranian Deputy Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Bagheri met with Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun and Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Hailong in Beijing to discuss bilateral ties as well as Iran's nuclear programme, but did not comment on the pending invitation to visit Iranian nuclear facilities.
Source: Reuters

6. China says "difficult" to accept Iran nuclear invite
Beijing, Thursday, 13 January, 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that it would be ‘difficult’ for them to visit Iranian nuclear facilities, following the European Union declining a similar invitation.
Source: Reuters

7. US may punish China firms evading Iran sanctions: Clinton
Washington, Wednesday, 19 January, 2011
United States’ Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that some Chinese firms were still failing to comply fully with UN sanctions and suggested that Washington could impose its own sanctions on them. This in spite of Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu insisting earlier that Beijing was implementing UN sanctions against Iran.
Source: AFP

8. China: Iran nuke issues cannot be solved after one meeting
Beijing, Sunday, 23 January, 2011
Following the failure of the two day talks at Istanbul, between Iran and the United States, France, Germany, China, Russia and Britain, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Hailong said that both sides needed to be dedicated to talks and negotiations as the nuclear issue could not be resolved in just one or two discussions.
Source: Reuters

Israel
9. Settlement issue is greatest block to resumption of direct Palestinian-Israeli talks: China
United Nations (New York), Wednesday, 19 January, 2011
Recognising that "the question of settlements is the greatest block to the resumption of the direct talks" between Israel and Palestine, China urged Israel to “immediately and completely cease" its settlement construction activities, in the ‘occupied territories’ including West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Source: Xinhua

Jordan
10. China hands over aid project to Jordan
Amman, Tuesday, 19 January, 2011
The Low-income Family Housing Project funded by the Chinese government to benefit low income Jordanians was handed over to the Jordanian government. The Chinese government had earlier granted 15 million U.S. dollars to implement the project.
Source: Xinhua

Qatar
11. China, Qatar vow closer energy co-op
Beijing, Wednesday, 12 January, 2011
In a meeting in Beijing, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiya both expressed their determination to expand bilateral cooperation in the areas like energy, finance and infrastructure.
Source: Xinhua

Sudan
12. China says it will send observers to Sudan referendum
Beijing, Tuesday, 4 January, 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that, at the invitation of both the north and the south, it would send observers to Sudan, when the south holds an independence referendum, in order to play a ‘proactive and constructive role for the sake of Sudan’s peace and stability’.
Source: Reuters Africa

13. China still partner of Sudan's north, south after referendum: ambassador
Khartoum, Friday, 7 January, 2011
Hoping for permanent peace and stability in Sudan, the Chinese Ambassador there, Li Chengwen stated that China would continue to cooperate with Sudan's north and south and seek mutual benefit regardless of the outcome of the forthcoming southern Sudan referendum.
Source:  Xinhua

14. China urges long-term peace in Sudan
United Nations (New York), Wednesday, 19 January, 2011
While China welcomed the smooth completion of the referendum in Southern Sudan, it emphasized that the referendum was not an end in itself in implementing the Comprehensive Peaceful Agreement and that realizing sustainable peace, stability and development was the final goal.
Source: China Daily/Xinhua

Syria
15. Syrian-Chinese Unique Historic Relations Discussed     
Damascus, Sunday, 16 January, 2011
The Syrian Vice President Dr. Najah al-Attar met the Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Chen Zhili (also the President of All-China Women's Federation) and highlighted the deep rooted relations between the two countries over the last few years and pledged to boost cooperation prospects between women’s organizations in both countries as well as bilateral media relations.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

16.   Syria Baath party leader meets with President of All-China Women's Federation
Damascus, Tuesday, 18 January, 2011
The President of the All-China Women's Federation Chen Zhili, praised Syria's stances in supporting Chinese core issues and strategic role in regional and international arenas and affirmed China's support to Syria's right to defend its territories, while the Assistant Regional Secretary of the Ba’ath party advocated broadening cooperation between his party and the Chinese Communist Party.
Source: Xinhua

Tunisia
17.   China hopes stability in Tunisia restored: FM
Beijing, Saturday, 15 January, 2011
Stating that, “Tunisia is China’s friend,” the Chinese foreign ministry hoped that stability was restored in Tunisia as soon as possible.
Source: Xinhua

Economic Issues
Iran
18. China's LNG work has eyes on Iran, and beyond
Beijing, Friday, 14 January, 2011
China may gain the capability to build a natural gas liquefaction plant in five years, potentially opening the door to vast gas reserves in Iran (second largest in the world) where sanctions have kept away western firms.
Source: Reuters

19. China renews Iran oil deal with steady volume
Beijing, Saturday, 22 January, 2011
China, the world’s largest buyer of Iranian crude oil, has renewed its annual import pacts for 2011, keeping volumes steady at some 460,000 barrels per day.
Source: Arab News

Iraq
20. China Considers Cement Plant in Anbar
Anbar, Wednesday. 5 January. 2011
A delegation of Chinese companies visited the Anbar province of Iraq to discuss investment in Cement production projects in the region.
Source: Iraq Business News

Israel
21. China, Israel ink contracts worth about $100 million
Thursday, 20 January, 2011
A package of economic and trade cooperation contracts valued at 648 million Yuan ($98 million) were signed between enterprises from Israel and the Chinese city of Harbin.
Source: People’s Daily Online

Jordan
22. Trade volume between Jordan, China drops slightly
Amman, Friday, 28 January, 2011
According to the Customs department of China, the total trade volume between China and Jordan in 2010 amounted to $2.05 billion, reducing by 0.48 per cent from the previous year.
Source: The Jordan Times

Kuwait
23. Kuwait: crude oil exports to China soar 33%
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Kuwait's crude oil exports to China increased by 32.9 per cent in December 2010 compared to a year earlier. Kuwait’s exports to China increased by 39 per cent over in the year 2010.
Source: Global Arab Network

Morocco
24. Morocco, China encouraging investments, strengthening relations
Beijing, Thursday, 20 January 2011
Moroccan Industry, Trade and New Technologies Minister Ahmed Reda Chami and China's Vice Commerce Minister Fu Ziying met and expressed their will to improve bilateral economic and trade relations and increase investment. China is currently Morocco’s third largest trading partner.
Source: Global Arab Network

Oman
25. Oman’s oil output up 6.6% in 11 months
Saturday, January 08, 2011
As Oman’s oil output increased by 6.6 per cent in the first 11 months of 2010, China has emerged as the largest importer of Omani Oil, receiving around 100 million barrels (41.7 % of Oman’s total oil exports).
Source: Emirates 24/7

Qatar
26. China's CNPC, Qatar Petroleum planning JV in China
Beijing, Thursday, 13 January, 2011
In a meeting between visiting Qatar Oil Minister/Deputy Prime Minister  Abdullah al-Attiyah and Wang Yong, the head of state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), it was decided that China and Qatar will strengthen cooperation in the oil and gas industries, ostensibly through a planned joint venture project between China National Petroleum Corp and Qatar Petroleum.
Source: Reuters Africa

Saudi Arabia
27. Saudi Arabia boosts term crude sales to China as oil use surges
Beijing/Singapore, Wednesday, 26  January 2011
In a bid to cement its stake in the fastest growing fuel market, Saudi Arabia will boost contract crude sales to China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec) by 10 per cent in the year 2011.
Source: The Daily News Egypt/Reuters

Sudan
28. China-Sudan bio-energy project launched
Khartoum, Sunday, 30 January, 2011
A joint China-Sudan bio energy project to be established 25 kilometres east of Khartoum was inaugurated by the Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha.
Source: China Daily/Xinhua

UAE
29.  Dubai, China trade exceeds Dh38b
Dubai, Friday, 21 January, 2011
In a meeting held between Ahmed Butti, the Executive Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, and the Chinese Consul General in Dubai Zhan Jingbao, it was announced that trade exchange between China and Dubai exceeded Dh38 billion in the first ten months of 2010.
Source: Khaleej Times

Compiled By Debak Das

Debak Das is a Graduate Student at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Emai

As part of the policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spellings and date format to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI@ND P R Kumaraswamy