BBC Monitoring Quotes From China, Taiwan Press 17 Jan 06

The following is a selection of quotes from editorials and commentaries carried in 17 January 2006 website editions of mainland Chinese, Hong Kong and Taiwan newspapers available to BBC Monitoring. Unless otherwise stated, the quotes are in Chinese. The figure in brackets after the quote indicates the date of publication on the website

“New Iraq strategy caught in dilemma”

Beijing’s Renmin Ribao (People’s Daily, Chinese Communist Party newspaper): www.people.com.cn “…The differences between the Department of State and the Pentagon have highlighted the difficult situation of President Bush’s new strategy being stuck in a dilemma: On the one hand, ensuring the successful reconstruction of Iraq needs greater financial support, and enough military forces must also be maintained; but on the other hand, in order to placate anti- war mainstream public opinion, Bush cannot but make clear his intention to reduce war spending and reduce the US military in Iraq. He really is having difficulty going forward, and also having difficulty retreating. The US’ dilemma in Iraq can only make one think of the current deadlocked Iranian nuclear issue. Even though the remarks of top US officials have never ruled out the possibility of resorting to force against Iran, public opinion generally thinks: Although one cannot say that it has not considered using guided missiles to eliminate Iran’s nuclear facilities, the possibility of fighting another Iraq-style war is certainly not big…” (Li Xuejiang, reporter, US) (17)

“Nation still peaceful despite changing times”

Beijing’s China Daily in English: www.chinadaily.net “…The country is now rapidly emerging as an influential power with an ever- louder voice in international and regional affairs from being an extremely backward developing nation… The nation is also evolving from being a lesser member to a player to which the international community has paid more and more attention. It is impossible for China, with today’s influence, to remain aloof from the interwoven web of contradictions and conflicts between big powers… China should carefully consider how to best balance different contradictions and interests while arranging its foreign activities…” (Prof Meng Xiangqing, Institute of Strategic Studies, University of National Defence)

“Japan must not heap more trouble on Sino-Japanese relations”

Renmin Ribao overseas edition: “…Recently, some politicians in Japan have thought that whoever adopts a hard-line standpoint towards China, may win more votes, and have vied with each other to make insolent remarks towards China… The Japanese new cabinet’s policy towards China is still not certain, but an improvement in relations between both countries is not completely hopeless, and China and Japan will both have to make positive efforts for this…” (Prof Liu Jiangyong, professor, Institute of International Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing) (17)

Renmin Ribao overseas edition: “…The national conditions of China and Japan are different, and it is normal to have different views. The crux of the issue lies in the fact that Japanese leaders cannot let their behaviour ride roughshod over Sino-Japanese relations, and they should abide by the spirit of the three Sino- Japanese political communiques with practical action, and abide by the mutual understanding and tacit understanding which the governments of both countries have achieved since Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations were normalized, namely abiding by the set rules; and on historical issues and the Taiwan issue, establish a relationship of mutual trust with Chinese leaders, namely honouring one’s word; not doing things to hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, for example not visiting the Yasukuni Shrine and so on, namely not acting unreasonably. From now on, regardless of who will be in power in Japan, so long as they can put the ‘two abides and one will not’ into practice, they can manage relations with China well.” (Liu Jiangyong; same commentary as above) (17)

“How can China be allowed to destroy Taiwan’s sovereignty and economic independence?”

Taipei’s Liberty Times: www.libertytimes.com.tw/ “While the [opposition] pan-blue camp is blocking the arms procurement bill time and again, the deployments of the US, Japan and other countries to respond to the threat from China have not ceased… China’s strategic plans have long since pointed out that China’s military forces must enter the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea, to guarantee the continued expansion of its national strength. The true meaning contained in China’s so-called ‘great cause of unification’ is the pursuit of a hegemonic status. Now, China is playing the ‘peaceful rise’ slogan to shield its arms expansion, and if Japan and the US relax their military safeguards against China, and let China turn into a military hegemon, Taiwan could be in imminent danger…” (Editorial) (17)

“Take care not to shake the farmers’ ‘rice bowl’”

Renmin Ribao: “…Along with the expansion of urban construction and the land-use needs of enterprises, rural land is being requisitioned, and some farmers are losing land. This is a result of the progress of time, it is inevitable and also essential. But we must see at the same time, that in some places, some grassroots cadres have ignored the land rights of farmers, which has led to the repeated occurrence of land disputes with farmers, and this is becoming a prominent problem affecting the current social stability and development of rural areas… And what is more, individual cadres are seeking private profits from land, using the massive economic profits of land management, to illegally contract out farmers’ land, and embezzle the income from land contracting and so on. If the problems with cadres are not solved and public trust is not won, doing a good job of managing rural areas and farmers’ land will be empty talk…” (Zheng Youyi) (17)

Beijing’s Zhongguo Qingnian Bao (China Youth Daily, newspaper sponsored by Chinese Communist Party Communist Youth League: zqb.cyol.com “Zhang Zhibiao, a villager from Huangxing Village, Changsha County, Hunan – a farmer who toppled 13 polluting chemical plants – has been honoured as an ‘environmental protection bodyguard’, who led the public to resist pollution by chemical enterprises, and finally made the government completely close down all 13 chemical enterprises… Zhang Zhibiao’s circumstances actually reflected the plight of the rights and freedom of citizens – they aren’t allowed to scream with pain, let alone call for an oppressive environment to be changed… Indeed, the existence of people like Zhang Zhibao who do not fear adversity is a force that will enable justice to triumph over evil. But, besides individual efforts, we must also reconsider: When will public services departments no longer be absent? When can the channels for the public to protect their rights be unblocked? When will the cost of the public protecting their rights no longer soar?” (Sun Lizhong) (17)

“Not walking the Zhao Ziyang road will not work!”

Hong Kong’s Apple Daily: appledaily.atnext.com/ “A year ago today, former Chinese Communist Party general secretary Mr Zhao Ziyang – who opposed the Chinese Communist Party’s iron-fisted suppression of the student movement and who opposed the Chinese Communist Party’s bloody suppression of the democratic movement – passed away… If the Chinese Communist Party continues to refuse to walk the ‘Zhao Ziyang road’, and if the Chinese Communist Party continues to refuse to step onto the track of democracy and a legal system, the contradictions and conflicts between divergent interests will become sharper and sharper, and the conflicts between officials and the people will become more numerous and more intense, and an irredeemable chaotic situation could even appear again… What’s even more fearful is that the clashes that occurred in Zhongshan and Shanwei [in Guangdong Province] were not individual cases, but a problem that is happening everywhere, and an increasingly universal phenomenon… Do those in power in the Chinese Communist Party have the courage to correct the mistakes of 1989, and let China step onto the ‘Zhao Ziyang road’?” (Lo Fung) (17)

“Farmers should protect their rights, open channels should replace suppression”

Hong Kong’s Ming Pao: www.mingpaonews.com “After the especially big clash between the police and people in Shanwei which led to the deaths of eight villagers, a protest also occurred in Zhongshan city recently because farmers were dissatisfied with land compensation and the authorities sent the police to suppress the incident which resulted in a clash between the police and people. Guangdong is the wealthiest province in China, but similar incidents are occurring one after another, which shows that the contradictions between farmers protecting their rights and local economic development have already become a serious social problem. It deserves the serious attention of the Chinese Communist Party leadership, should be handled fairly and properly with the concept of ‘people-oriented’ governance, and public interests should be protected, to prevent China’s human rights record and international image from being disgraced…” (Editorial) (17)

“Time, luck and Tamiflu needed to curb pandemic”

Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post in English: www.scmp.com “…If the worst happens, and a pandemic is triggered by a mutation of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, much reliance will be placed on a scarce supply of drugs capable of combating the virus. It is therefore of great importance that while scientists race against time to develop a human vaccine, the virus does not develop resistance to the drugs which are available to fight it…” (Editorial) (17)

Sources: As listed