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POLITICAL ISSUES
Algeria
1. Chinese vice FM meets with Algerian president
Algiers, Monday, 7 March 2011
Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhai Jun met with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika at Algiers to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Both sides vowed to strengthen political exchanges and enhance mutual cooperation.
Source: People’s Daily Online

Tunisia
2. Chinese Deputy FM Reasserts His Country's Sustained Support
Tunis, Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhai Jun met the Prime Minister of the interim Tunisian government and reiterated China’s constant support to Tunisia and its people on its path to development and in the challenges that lay ahead before them.
SourceAllafrica.com

Egypt
3. China willing to help Egypt overcome difficulties: FM
Beijing, Thursday, 10 March 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that China was willing to offer any assistance within its capacity to help Egypt overcome its current difficulties.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Iran
4. China says dialogue "right path" to address Iran nuclear issue
United Nations (New York), Wednesday, 23 March 2011
The Chinese ambassador to the UN said that negotiation and dialogue is the right path to address the Iranian nuclear issue. He also stated that as a party signatory to the NPT, Iran is entitled to the peaceful use of nuclear energy but should fulfil its international obligations at the same time.
SourceXinhua, Beijing

Israel
5. China condemns bombing in Jerusalem
Beijing, Thursday, 24 March 2011
Announcing that it opposes any terrorist violence that targets civilians China condemned a bombing in Jerusalem that killed one and injured 30 others.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

6. Chinese Mideast envoy urges Israel-Palestinian talks back on track
Tel Aviv, Friday, 25 March 2011
Expressing China’s concern for the regional peace process, visiting Chinese Middle East special envoy Wu Sike met with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon and urged both Israel and the Palestinians to resume the direct talks towards peace.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Libya  
7.  Nearly 1,000 more Chinese evacuees from Libya fly home via Malta
Luqa (Malta), Wednesday, 2 March 2011
About a thousand more Chinese nationals, evacuated from unrest hit Libya, were brought back home.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing; See Also

8. China urges peaceful solutions in Libya: FM
Beijing, Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Urging peaceful solutions from all sides, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reaffirmed that it was imperative to faithfully implement the UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1970.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing; See Also

9. China expresses regret for military strike against Libya
Beijing, Sunday, 20 March 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the multinational military strike against Libya, and said that it did not agree with resorting to force in international relations.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

10.  China Urges Quick End to Airstrikes in Libya
Beijing, Tuesday, 22 March 2011
China escalated its opposition to the American led airstrikes on Libya and called for an immediate ceasefire, suggesting that the coalition forces were imperilling civilians by exceeding the UN mandated no fly zone.
Source: The New York Times; See Also

Lebanon
11.  Lebanese FM, Chinese Mideast envoy discuss peace process
Beirut, Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Chinese Middle East envoy Wu Sike met the Lebanese Prime Minister to discuss the region's peace process and the bilateral relations between the two countries. Wu also urged Israel to return the lands occupied in the 1967 war to their respective owners, including the occupied area in south Lebanon bordering Israel.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Palestinian National Authority
12. China says Mideast unrest should not shade Palestinian issue
Beijing, Tuesday, 22 March 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that the recent turmoil in the Middle East should not distract international attention away from the Palestine issue. It also stated that China was committed to working with the international community to play a constructive role to resolve the issue.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Saudi Arabia
13. Chinese president meets Saudi king's special envoy
Beijing, Friday, 18 March 2011
Chinese President Hu Jintao met with the Saudi special envoy Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz and reaffirming the remarkable growth of China- Saudi relations in recent years he pledged to continue to strengthen their ties.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

ECONOMIC ISSUES
Iran
14. Iran says China to help develop Azadegan fields
Tehran, Saturday, 12 March 2011
Iranian deputy Oil Minister Ahmad Qalebani, announced that separate contracts for developing the north and south Azadegan oil fields have been signed with the Chinese companies. The amount of investment for the development of the two fields will exceed US$6 billion, which is too much for Iranian contractors.
Source: Reuters

15. China to help Iran build world’s tallest dam
Tehran, Monday, 14 March 2011
China has signed a US$ 2 billion contract with Iran to build the Bakhtiari dam, which is to be the world’s tallest dam, the Iranian energy minister announced.
Source: Al Arabiya News

Israel
16. China, Israel pledge to enhance economic cooperation
Jerusalem, Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Israeli President Shimon Peres met visiting Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming and both pledged to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries as well as expand and deepen their bilateral cooperation.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

17. China's securities regulator signs MOU with Israeli counterpart
Beijing, Wednesday, 30 March 2011
The securities regulators of China and Israel have signed a memorandum of understanding on supervision cooperation in securities futures. This move, they expect will help promote the healthy development of their capital markets.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Kuwait
18. China approves US$9 billion Sinopec-Kuwait project
Beijing, Monday, 7 March 2011
A US$9 billion oil refining and petrochemical joint venture between Kuwait and Sinopec to be built in the southern coastal city of Zhanjiang has been approved by the Chinese government.
Source: Reuters

Libya
19. China investments halt in Libya after companies suffer losses
Beijing, Tuesday, 22 March 2011
China will not make any new investments in Libya, in the short term, till the situation stabilises. There have been reports that some of its companies have suffered heavy losses due to the crisis.
Source: Business Standard, New Delhi

Saudi Arabia
20. China taking on more Saudi crude
Beijing, Thursday, 24 March 2011
February marked the sixth consecutive month that Saudi Arabia supplied the most crude oil to China.
Source: UPI

MULTILATERAL ISSUES
21. Chinese deputy FM meets Arab League chief, Egyptian officials
Cairo, Thursday, 10 March 2011
A Chinese delegation led by the Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun met the Arab League Secretary- General Amr Moussa. The international community as well as the Middle Eastern countries should all play a constructive role in stabilizing the regional situation Zhai stated. He also met with the Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during his stay there.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

22. Chinese vice FM visits four nations in West Asia, North Africa
Beijing, Saturday, 12 March 2011
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun visited Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia from March 6 to 12, to get to know better the current situation in the Middle East and exchange views with relevant countries on bilateral ties.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

23. China says Middle East should solve problems itself
Beijing, Saturday, 12 March 2011
During a visit to the region, the Chinese vice Foreign Minister said that the Middle Eastern countries should be left to themselves to resolve the problems that they face, without any outside intervention.
Source: Reuters Canada

24. China offers humanitarian aid to Tunisia, Egypt
Beijing, Friday, 18 March 2011
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced a 50-million-Yuan (US$ 7.6 million) humanitarian aid package aimed at alleviating the pressure caused by the refugees fleeing from Libya.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Compiled By Debak Das

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

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