POLITICAL ISSUES
ALGERIA
1. Algeria’s ruling party hopes to deepen cooperation with CPC
Algiers, Sunday, 16 December 2012
Secretary-General of Algeria's ruling party National Liberation Front (FLN) Abdel Aziz Belkhadem expressed hope to deepen cooperation with the Communist Party of China (CPC) during a meeting with a Chinese delegation headed by Zhang Xiaolan, member of the Standing Committee of CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and secretary of Gansu Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

EGYPT
2. China says Egypt's new constitution a "major step"
Beijing, Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China is positive about the approval of Egypt's new constitution and wishes the country a smooth political transition.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

IRAN
3. Senior Chinese advisor leaves for Iran, Azerbaijan, Latvia
Beijing, Monday, 10 December 2012
China's senior political advisor Bai Lichen left Beijing for a good-will visit to Iran and other countries.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

4. China calls for new talks between Iran, G6
Beijing, Friday, 14 December 2012
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that China encouraged Iran to further strengthen cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and called for a new round of talks between Iran and the G5+1 (Russia, China, Britain, France, the U.S. and Germany).
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

ISRAEL
5. China opposes Israeli settlement expansion: FM spokesperson
Beijing, Monday, 3 December 2012
At a daily news briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that China reiterated its opposition to Israel's settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank and urged Israel to create necessary conditions to resume the peace talks with Palestine at an early date.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

6. China urges Israel to remove obstacles to peace talks: UN envoy
United Nations, Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, remarked at the Security Council that China urged Israel to take effective measures to remove the obstacles to peace talks, and create necessary conditions for rebuilding mutual trust towards an early resumption of peace talk with the Palestinians.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

7. China voices opposition to Israeli settlement expansion
Beijing, Friday, 21 December 2012
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying reiterated China's firm opposition to the expansion of Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and urged Israel to make constructive efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

SYRIA
8. China hopes parties will stick to political resolution for Syrian conflict
Beijing, Friday, 7 December 2012
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that China hopes all relevant parties will work to seek a political resolution for the Syrian conflict. He made the remark when asked to comment on a recent meeting of the United Nations and the Arab League special enovy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

9. China urges swift political solution to Syrian crisis: envoy
Manama, Saturday, 8 December 2012
Wu Sike, China's special envoy to the Middle East, said that China calls on the international community to swiftly find a political solution to the ongoing Syrian crisis and to allow the Syrian people to determine the process of political transition on their own. He made these remarks at the three-day Manama Dialogue 2012, which focuses on security developments in the Gulf region.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

10. China urges just, peaceful and proper settlement of Syrian issue
Beijing, Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that China hoped all relevant parties in Syria will work to realize the just, peaceful and proper settlement of the Syrian issue.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

11. China to keep contact with Syria's parties: FM spokesman
Beijing, Thursday, 13 December 2012
Foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that China is willing to maintain contact and communication with all relevant parties in Syria. He made the remarks when asked to comment on the Friends of Syria meeting held in Morocco which recognized the National Coalition for the Opposition Forces formed by Syrian opposition groups as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

12. China says deeply concerned about Syrian violence
Beijing, Friday, 14 December 2012
At the daily press briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that China has been closely watching changes in the situation in Syria and is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in that country.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

13. China stresses political resolution for Syria issue
Beijing, Monday, 17 December 2012
During a regular press briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying called for a political resolution to the Syrian issue and urged the start of a political transition process led by the Syrian people.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

14. China welcomes UN special envoy's visit to Syria
Beijing, Tuesday, 25 December 2012
Hua Chunying, foreign ministry spokesperson, said that China welcomes the UN special envoy's visit to Syria and wishes him a positive trip.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

15. Chinese ambassador urges political solution to Syria crisis
Damascus, Monday, 24 December 2012
The Chinese ambassador to Syria, Zhang Xun met with the visiting UN-AL envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and they stressed the urgent need for a political solution to Syria's 22-months crisis.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

16. China deeply concerned over Syrian situation
Beijing, Monday, 31 December 2012
Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China is deeply concerned about the Syrian situation and urged all relevant parties to consider the long-term interests of the Syrians.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

YEMEN
17. China supports positive political process in Yemen
United Nations, 4 Dec
During the open UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN Wang Min said that China supports Yemen in continuing to promote peaceful and orderly political process.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
BAHRAIN
18. Senior Chinese legislator meets Bahrain guests
Beijing, Thursday, 20 December 2012
Ismail Tiliwaldi, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, met with a delegation from the financial and economic committee of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain and discussed issues of mutual concern.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

IRAQ
19. Chinese embassy in Iraq reopens visa service
Baghdad, Thursday, 20 December 2012
Chinese Embassy in Iraq announced that Iraqis can apply for visas to China in Baghdad from now on. It is the first time that the embassy restarts its visa service to Iraqi citizens since the 2003 war.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

QATAR
20. Chengdu-Doha direct flight to start March 2013
Chengdu, Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Qatar Airways is to operate a new direct air route from Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, to Qatar's capital of Doha from 19 March 2013.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

TURKEY
21. NATO's Turkey missile deployment "inconducive" to peace: China FM
Beijing, Wednesday, 5 December 2012
During a press conference, foreign ministry spokesperson Hong lei said that NATO's decision to deploy Patriot missile batteries in Turkey is "inconducive to peace, security and stability" in the region.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

22. China launches Turkish satellite
Jiuquan, Wednesday, 19 December 2012
A Turkish Earth observation satellite was successfully sent into space from northwest China’s Gobi desert.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

COMPILED BY DIPANWITA CHAKRAVORTTY

Dipanwita Chakravortty is pursuing her M Phil degree in School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.  Email

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats 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