POLITICAL ISSUES
EGYPT
1. Chinese, Egyptian leaders vow to deepen strategic cooperation
Durban, Wednesday, 27 March 2013
Visiting Durban for the BRICS summit meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Egyptian counterpart Mohammed Morsi agreed to move forward the strategic cooperative relations between the two countries. Both leaders called for advancing bilateral cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges, and for efforts from both sides to ensure the success of the Suez trade cooperation project.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

IRAN
2. China reiterates opposition to new sanctions on Iran over nuclear programme
United Nations, Wednesday, 6 March 2013
At a Security Council meeting on the latest work of 1737 Committee, Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said that China is not in favour of putting excessive pressure or imposing new sanctions on Iran over controversial nuclear programme.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

3. Dialogue needed to resolve Iran nuke issue: FM spokesperson
Beijing, Thursday, 7 March 2013
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China believes that dialogue and negotiations are the only way to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

4. China calls for mutual trust in Iranian nuclear talks
Beijing, Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that China called on parties concerned to increase mutual trust to promote progress on the Iranian nuclear issue.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

5. Chinese, Iranian FMs discuss ties
Beijing, Thursday, 21 March 2013
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi exchanged views on bilateral relations with his Iranian counterpart Ali Akba Salehi over the phone. Both voiced readiness to maintain communication to promote cooperation in various areas.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

IRAQ
6. China issues Iraq wishes on war anniversary
Beijing, Wednesday, 20 March 2013
During a press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei, said that the China supports the reconstruction of both politics and the economy in Iraq and would continue to work with the international community to help Iraq achieve safety, stability and development.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

SYRIA
7. China urges int'l cooperation on Syrian issue
Beijing, Monday, 4 March 2013
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China hopes that the international community would play a positive and constructive role in finding a political resolution to the Syrian issue.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

8. China slams Syrian seizure of UN peacekeepers
Beijing, Thursday, 7 March 2013
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China condemned the detainment of UN peacekeepers by Syrian opposition forces and called for their release.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

9. China calls for political dialogue in Syria
Beijing, Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Hong Lei, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that China called on all related parties in Syria to open a political dialogue soon, to come to a mutually acceptable transition plan.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

10. Syria chemical arms inquiry must be representative: FM spokesman
Beijing, Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that the composition of a UN group to be assembled to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria must be fully representative.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

11. China repeats call for political resolution in Syria
Beijing, Thursday, 28 March 2013
At a routine press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that China reiterates its call for political resolution to issues concerning Syria and pledges to continue to maintain contact with both the Syrian government and the opposition.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

UAE
12. Top Chinese legislator meets UAE assembly speaker
Beijing, Monday, 25 March 2013
Top legislator Zhang Dejiang met with Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC) of the UAE, Mohammed Ahmed al-Mur. Dejiang said that their ties have reached a new level due to the establishment of a bilateral strategic partnership.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

YEMEN
13. Yemeni PM meets delegation of China's health ministry
Sana’a, Saturday, 30 March 2013
Prime Minister of Yemen Mohammed Salem Basindwa met with a visiting delegation of China's health ministry and expressed hopes that medical and health cooperation between the two countries would be further strengthened.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

ECONOMIC ISSUES
LIBYA
14. Libya expects Chinese companies to resume businesses
Tripoli, Tuesday, 5 March 2013
A high-level Chinese delegation headed by Li Xiaobing, deputy head of the West Asia and North Africa Department of the Ministry of Commerce met Libya’s Housing and Utilities Minister, Ali al-Shareef and discussed the issue of return of Chinese companies to resume businesses in Libya.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

SPORTS ISSUES
15. Late goal hands China 1-0 victory over 10-man Iraq in Asian Cup qualifying
Changsha (Hunan District), Friday, 22 March 2013
China won 1-0 over 10-man team of Iraq in Group C of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup Qualifier held at Changsha stadium.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
16. Third Chinese-Lebanese seminar begins in Beirut
Beirut, Saturday, 16 March 2013
Academic experts from China and Lebanon met for the third Chinese-Lebanese academic seminar, exchanging views on issues of politics, economy and culture.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

17. More foreign leaders congratulate Li on endorsement as Chinese premier
Beirut, Thursday, 21 March 2013
Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani among others wished Li Keqiang on his appointment as the new Chinese Prime Minister.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

18. Turkish Cultural Year events to start in China in March: minister
Ankara, Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Omer Celik said that the events of the 2013 Turkish Culture Year in China would begin by the end of March and continue till April.
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