U.S. Applies Anti-Subsidy law again Chinese Imports

Today, U.S. Department of Commerce announced that U.S. will use Anti-Subsidy law to imports of coated free sheet paper from China. Read the full press release and fact sheets here.

Below are the other events that are gong on in DC:

7 p.m. -- (CHINA/ENGINEERS/CHAO) EVENT -- Labor Secretary Elaine Chao delivers remarks to a Chinese Institute of Engineers-U.S.A. reception.

Location: Hotel Washington, 15th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Sky Room

Contact: Jennifer Coxe or Matthew Faraci, 202-693-4676 or 866-422-1630

Note: This event is invitation only. Press should notify the Labor Department's Office of Public Relations at 202-693-4676.

8:30 a.m. -- (CHINA/MILITARY) HEARING -- The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on "China's Military Modernization and its Impact on the United States and the Asia-Pacific." Friday's panelists include: Dr. Ehsan Ahrari, professor of Counterterrorism, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies; James Lewis, director and Senior Fellow of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Michael P. Pillsbury, consultant at the Department of Defense; Eric Hagt, director of the China Program at the World Security Institute; and Dean Cheng, research fellow at the Center for Naval Analysis Corporation. Second and final day.

Highlights

8:30 a.m.: A discussion on "Information Warfare, Missile Warfare, Cyber Operations, and Other Disruptive Capabilities of the PLA."

10 a.m.: A discussion on "The PLA's Objectives in Space."

Location: 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Contact: Kathy Michels, 202-624-1409, kmichels@uscc.gov

+12:30 p.m. -- (CHINA/RIGHTS/FALUN GONG) EVENT -- Falun Gong practitioners hold a rally in front of the Russian Embassy to condemn "the Russian authority's unlawful repatriation" of two Falun Gong UN refugees on Wednesday, Ma Hui and her eight-year old daughter Ma Jing. Falun Gong adherent Ms. Ma Hui and her 8-year-old daughter, Ma Jing, were seized on March 27 by Russian Immigration officers at their St. Petersburg residence and forcibly put on a plane to China, according to Falun Dafa Information Center. Falun Gong practitioners and human rights activists say they are "deeply concerned for the safety of mother and child, as the action is said to result from pressure by visiting Chinese communist diplomats."

Location: In front of the Russian Embassy, 2650 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Contact: Tao Wang 202-422-8133

3 p.m. -- (DARFUR/CHINA/RIGHTS) RALLY -- Amnesty International USA holds a rally to urge China, the leading foreign investor in Sudan, to increase its efforts to confront the crisis in Darfur.

Location: The Chinese Embassy, 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW

Contact: Suzanne Trimel, 212-633-4150

China's Military buildup, Taiwan Trade-Going on in DC

3/29

8:30 a.m. -- (CHINA/MILITARY/HOUSE) HEARING -- The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on "China's Military Modernization and its Impact on the United States and the Asia-Pacific." First of two days.

Highlight

8:30 a.m.: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.); Del. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam); and Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) testify.

10:15 a.m.: William Schnieder, chairman of the Defense Science Board, is among those participating in a panel on "Beijing's Doctrine on the Conduct of Irregular Forms of Warfare."

1:15 p.m.: Gen. James Cartwright, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, is among those participating in a panel on "PLA Modernization in Traditional Warfare Capabilities: Force Integration and Force Protection."

2:45 p.m.: A panel on "The Taiwan Strait Military Balance."

Location: 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Contact: Kathy Michels, 202-624-1409

(TAIWAN/TRADE/OUTLOOK) ADVISORY -- At 10 a.m., the Washington Post hosts a web chat on "A Path Worth Taking? The Prospects and Challenges of a U.S.-Taiwan Free Deal," with Fadah Hsieh, vice minister of economic affairs in the Republic of China (Taiwan); and John Chen-Chung Deng, deputy representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S.

Contact: 202-895-1852

Note: Log on to http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/05/viewpo int-te" to participate.

First Direct Flight to Beijing from DC

I purposely left a news that is going on in DC from my previous post, because it has special meaning to me and other Chinese who live in DC area. Today marks the first direct flight from DC to Beijing operated by United.

Special ceremony is being held this morning, and the flight departs from Dulles International Airport in Virginia at 12:30pm. Event details are:

9:30 a.m. -- (TRANSPORT/CHINA/FLIGHT) EVENT -- Gov. Timothy Kaine (D-Va.); Zheng Zeguang, minister of the Chinese Embassy; H.R. Crawford, vice chairman of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA); and former FAA administrator Jane Garvey, chairman of the Capital-to-Capital Coalition, attend an event to celebrate United 897, the first-ever nonstop flight between Washington and Beijing. The feature traditional Chinese dragon dancers, and the plane will be adorned to symbolize the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded United Airlines the new nonstop U.S.-China route in February 2007, stating that the route "will provide the greatest public benefit and promote the national interest."

Schedule

9:30 a.m.: Media check-in begins and security escort to gate

10:30 a.m.: Photo Opportunities at the gate

11 a.m.: Remarks from speakers

12:30 p.m.: United 897 departs

Location: Washington-Dulles International Airport, Gate C3

Contact: 847-700-5538 or 847-700-4088 ormedia.relations@united.com

Note: Media must RSVP to United Airlines media relations by Tuesday, March 27 at 5 p.m.. Once in the United terminal, check in at counter marked Position 80 (located in the back lobby) to obtain a security pass. Photo IDs are required.

What's going on in DC-3/28

Today is a day of China in DC, please bear with me as I list the events related to China that is being held in DC on March 28th, 2007.

SENATE FINANCE -- 10 a.m. -- Holds a hearing on "Risks and Reform: The Role of Currency in the U.S.-China Relationship." Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.); Stephen Roach, the managing director and chief economist at Morgan Stanley; Eswar Prasad, former head of the China Division at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Cornell University professor; Morris Goldstein, senior fellow at the Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics; and John Makin, visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, testify. 215 Dirksen

Contact: 202-224-4515

8:30 a.m. -- (CHINA/CONSUMERS) NEWS CONFERENCE -- The Gallup Organization holds a news conference to discuss its latest survey of the Chinese consumer, including "impressive growth but long-term problems." Participants include Stephen Roach, managing director and chief economist of Morgan Stanley; Tao Wu, senior research director, Gallup China; and Rajesh Srinivasan, Gallup regional director of research, Asia.

Location: Gallup Organization, 901 F Street NW

Contact: Katie Javorsky, 202-715-3110

11 a.m. -- (TAIWAN/OUTLOOK) DISCUSSION -- The Heritage Foundation holds a discussion on "Reshaping the Taiwan Strait." Participants include Dan Blumenthal, vice chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission; Bruce Jacobs, professor of Asian languages and studies at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Richard Kagan, professor of history at Hamline University; John Tkacik Jr., senior research fellow for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia at the Asian Studies Center of the Heritage Foundation.

Location: Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Lehrman Auditorium

Contact: 202-675-1752


12:30 p.m. -- (CHINA/ISLAM) DISCUSSION -- The George Washington University (GWU) Elliott School of International Affairs holds a lecture, "China's Muslim Minority: Xinjiang Province in Historical Perspective," with James Millward of Georgetown University.

Location: GWU Elliott School, 1957 E Street NW, Lindner Family Commons

Contact: 202-994-6240

5:15 p.m. -- (CHINA-US) SPEECH -- Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong discusses "U.S.-China Relations in the Context of Peaceful Development," in a speech to the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Topics include the recent National People's Congress session and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's trip to China.

Location: SAIS, Nitze Building, 1740 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Kenney Auditorium

Contact: Felisa Neuringer Klubes, 202-663-5626

5:30 p.m. -- (CHINA/KOREA/US) DISCUSSION -- The Elliott School of International Affairs holds its annual Gaston Sigur Memorial Lecture on "Korea Triangle: The Two Koreas Behind China and the United States." Participants include Former Korean Foreign Minister Han Sung-Joo.

Location: The George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E Street NW

Contact: 202-994-6240

Shinzo Abe's double talk

Washington Post's editorial really got Shinzo Abe, in an article titled Shinzo Abe's double talk, it pointed out the contradictions inside the Japan's PM. on one hand, he is compassionate about Japanese girl named Meigumi who was abducted by North Korea, on the another hand, he refused to apologize for comfort women who were forced to be prostitute by Japanese Emperor Army during the War.

It seems that Abe's refusal to soften his stance has backfired, has it has spreads to Washington. Check out the article here.

China Japan News Roundup

U.S. Joint chief of Staff Peter Pace is visiting China, in Beijing, he ask Chinese military more transparent. (Yomiuri)

Comfort women issue spreads, Korea's foreign minister criticizes Japan's PM Shinzo Abe is playing word game.(Asahi)

What's going on in DC-3/22

1. 9 a.m. -- (AFRICA/CHINA/HYDROPOWER) FORUM -- The Woodrow Wilson Center (WWC) holds a forum on "China ExIm Bank in Africa: Opportunities for Strengthening Environmental Standards for Hydropower in Sudan." Participants include Ali Askouri of the Leadership Office of Hamdab Affected People; and Peter Bosshard of the International Rivers Network. Location: WWC, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Contact: 202-691-4000
2. Comfort women issue is still unfolding in DC, a group of semi-celebrities, activists with Korean ties, is lobbying U.S. congress to pass a bill to ask Japan formally apologize. Participants include CBS reality show Survivor winners Yul Kwon and Becky Lee, human rights lawyer and runner-up "Survivor: Cook Islands"; Jackie Bong-Wright, anti-human trafficking activist; John Feffer of the International Relations Center; and Ok Cha Soh of the Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues. Location: Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th Street NW, Langston Room Contact: 703-944-9661
3. At 4pm, Chinese ambassador to the U.S. Zhou Wenzhong gives a speech on US-China relations at the UN. Brown University will carry the speech live on its website at here.

what's going on in DC

China and Japan related events to be held on 3/16 in DC:

Noon -- (DEFENSE/SECURITY/CHINA) FORUM -- The Defense Forum Foundation (DFF) holds a Congressional Defense and Foreign Policy Forum, "Chinese Intelligence Operations: Growing Threat to U.S. Security." Participants include J. William Middendorf, chairman; and Suzanne Scholte, president of DFF; and Bill Gertz, author of "Enemies: How America's Foes Steal Our Vital Secrets And How We Let It Happen."

Location: B-338 Rayburn House Office Building

Contact: 703-534-4313

Note: RSVP requested by noon, Thursday, March 15th.

China Japan News Roundup

China's premier Wen Jiaobao will be visiting in less a month, from April 11 to 13, Wen will be meeting his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe and then go to Kyodo. (Yomiuri)

China's People's Congress wraps its annual meeting today in Beijing, New York Times has a opinion article about the China's sort of Congress. (NYT)

Chinese women are honored by Hillary Clinton

Today at 6:30 p.m, US. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), chairman of the Republican Policy Committee; and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) deliver remarks at a 2007 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards ceremony. Clinton and Hutchison are honorary co-chairs of the Vital Voices Global Partnership. This year, Vital Voices is honoring four women from China "for their pioneering work in health, legal reforms, and women's rights" -- Gao Yaojie, Guo Jianmei, Wang Xingjuan, and Xie Lihua -- "who used their voices, ingenuity, and skill to lift their fellow citizens' lives." Vital Voices supports "women leaders as pioneers of economic development, political participation, and human rights in their countries and as catalysts of global progress." For details, check out Vital Voice's press release here.

China Japan News Roundup

To celebrate 35th anniversary of normalizations of Sino-Japan relationship, a ceremony will be held in Beijing in March 13th. Japanese singers Ayako Hirahara, Maki Godo will be performing. (Asahi)

China's search engine Baidu is looking to enter Japanese market, with its Japanese language search engine open and running, Baidu is also ISO a Japanese partner. (Nikkei Net)

Comfort women is still a topic closely watched by the Chinese. Yesterday, Japan's PM Abe indicated that he apologized for the issue, and today every Chinese media outlets reports Abe's apology, it is said that Beijing still wants to send Wen Jiabao to visit Tokyo next month, and it doesn't want to spoil the mood even before Wen leaves. (Yomiuri Shumbun)

China's space exploration keeps expanding, Beijing has set the year of 2012, five years from now as the year when something from China will be landing on the Moon. (Nikkei Net)

What's going on in DC

Noon -- (RUSSIA/CHINA/BURNS) FORUM -- The Elliott School of International Affairs holds a discussion with Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns on "U.S. Relations with Russia and China."

Location: The George Washington University (GWU) Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E Street NW

Contact: 202-994-6240

5:30 p.m. -- (JAPAN/DEFENSE) FORUM -- Georgetown University holds a forum on "Political Non-Violence and the Threat of a Remilitarized Asia Pacific: The Controversy Surrounding Japan's Constitutional Commitment to Nonviolence, its Implications for Global Peace, and U.S. Policy Considerations." Participants include Nagasaki Archbishop Rev. Mitsuaki Takami; and Filo Hirota of the Catholic Council for Justice and Peace.

Location: Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, Riggs Library

Contact: 202-687-4328

Comfort women makes Japan More uncomfortable

Japan's PM Shinzo Abe's stance over comfort women issue continues to cause protest, this time from the U.S. The New York Times put stories and photos of survived comfort women on its first page, titled Denial Reopens Wounds of Japan’s Ex-Sex Slaves. In a separate editorial article, No Comfort, New York Times asks in the first paragraph, "What part of “Japanese Army sex slaves” does Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, have so much trouble understanding and apologizing for?"

Also a news related to the World War two, a journal written by Emperor Showa's chief servant was discovered in Japan. The journal disclosed that the Emperor was really not into the War with China, in fear of possible clash with Soviet Union. It also revealed that the Emperor thought when the war started, it wouldn't be easy to take over China.
「支那事変はやり度（た）くなかった。それはソヴィエトが怖いからである」、「自分の得て居る情報では、始めれば支那は容易のことでは行かぬ」 (TBS)

Comfort Women uncomfort Japan

Comfort Women arose to diplomatic debate again this week, with the U.S. Congress foreign affairs committee, led by Democratic congressmen Lantos from California, is considering to pass a bill calling Japan to formally apologize for forcing Korean and Chinese women to be comfort women for the Emperor army during the World War II, and Japan's PM Shinzo Abe recently refused to admit that then Japanese army had nothing to do with comfort women. Abe's refusal has evoked a uproars of protest from the Koreans and Chinese. Check out my previous post here.

What's going on in DC

1.At 11:30am, China's currency is again a topic that is being used by politicians here in DC. Republican Senator Jim Bunning and Michigan Democratic senator Debbie Stabnow held a press briefing on "currency manipulation taking place in countries such as China". No doubt that Michigan got hurt by China, as a state that has the most manufacturing job loss to cheap Chinese imports. Check out press release here.

2. At 5:15pm, The Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) holds a forum titled, "Grassroots China and New NGOs." Participants include Anne Thurston, former president of China Studies at SAIS. Check out details here.

China Japan News Roundup

China criticizes Abe Shinzo's statement on comfort women issue. During a Q&A session at Japan's congress, when being asked that the U.S. Congress is considering a bill to ask Japan to compensate for the Comfort women, his stance on this issue, Abe answered that, the apology has been made to the women by former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Kono, and he wouldn't make any apologies.
(TBS)

U.S. takes a harsh stance over China's human right records, according to World Human Rights Record released today, U.S. department of State put China along with North Korea, Burma and Sudan. (Niikei Net)

French soccer star Zidane, who got a red card at World Cup Final with Italian for heading off an Italian palyer, refused to play with Chinese in Chengdu this June because"Chinese players are doing rough play. (Asahi)

the Pig Baby is born

this weekend, the new year of the Pig is officially over. However, the babies are just about come.

According to Chinese customs, every baby who is born in the year is a Xiao Jinzhu(Golden Pig baby. Personally I don't know how the baby is golden? ) To make own baby to be one of the pig babies, millions of young couples married last year to catch the lucky wave.

In Beijing, a baby boy, who weights 6250 grams (about 12.3 pounds) is born. Without a doubt, I do believe it is qualified to be a pig baby, however, weather it is golden or not, I have no idea...

for a video clip, click here (TBS）

2nd Armitage Nye Report

On Feburary 16th, a very important and influential report on U.S. strategy in Asia is released. Title the U.S.-Japan Alliance: Getting Asia right through 2020, it is co-authored by former deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Dean of Kennedy School at Howard Joseph Nye.

If the first Armitage_Nye report-"The United States and Japan: Advancing Toward a Mature Partnership", released in October 2002, could be credited for successfully building a US-Japan alliance more closely tied than ever and comparable to the U.S.-UK alliance, the second report includes a bigger picture-U.S.-Japan alliance and how it will affect the Asia-Pacific region.

Billed as a bipartisan effort to map out U.S.'s policy towards Japan and Asia, it is worthy of closely reading. Download the report from CSIS website here.

China Power felt in Japan, FINALLY

If you are a news junkie like me, or you have been following what's going on for the past day or two, you would have noticed that one world has been echoing a same word-Shanghai.

The reason? Shanghai stock index plunged and it affected the world, from Russia to Brazil, from main street to Wall Street, the World stock markets trembled by Chinese stock markets. I am also impressed by reaction from the Japanese. At first, Tokyo Stock Exchange seemed to be unaffected at all, it was a rule of thumb that when the U.S. snoozes, Japan catches cold. So Shanghai seems to be a very unlikely candidate to affect Japan. It seemed that it worked just like that on Tuesday, Feb. 27th, the day when the two Chinese stock markets, Shanghai and Shenzhen both dropped nearly 9%, 100 billions evaporated within a single trading day. Located in the time zone that is only one hour away from Shanghai, Tokyo market had its own business as usual, the market barely moved.

However, the China power is not going to let Japan unnoticed, when it dropped European market index to over 3%, and brought down Dow Jones Index to 416 points lower, the Tokyo market simply couldn't be business as usual anymore, it dropped more than 600 points, and the downward trend extended to the day after.

It reminds me how Tokyo reacts to China's rising, every time after uproars from Washington, Japanese starts to make a point to Beijing, too. In such issues such as Taiwan, North Korea, Japan is also closely following the U.S, it is why the Chinese believe that to solve problems with Japan, it has to go through Washington.