China Chronicles September 23, 2012
- Top Chinese security official makes surprise visit to Afghanistan
TOP Chinese security official yesterday made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, the first one by a Chinese leader in nearly half a century.
Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, arrived at Kabul airport late in the afternoon.
The four-hour visit had not been announced by Beijing due to security concerns. It followed a two-day trip of Zhou to Singapore, where he met Singaporean leaders on bilateral ties.
Zhou, who is in charge of security and justice affairs, had planned to go to Turkmenistan.
It marked the first time in 46 years that a Chinese leader set his foot on the soil of Afghanistan, a war-torn country neighboring China.
The last visit was made by late Chinese leader Liu Shaoqi in 1966 when he was the President of China.
During the past half century, Afghanistan was afflicted with series of military coups and two major wars commenced by the former Soviet Union and the United States respectively.
The country is still the front line in the US-led war against terrorism and undergoing daily bombing and bleeding.
In Kabul, Zhou held a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
"It is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples for China and Afghanistan to strengthen a strategic and cooperative partnership, which is also conducive to regional peace, stability and development," Zhou was quoted as saying in a written statement released by the Chinese delegation upon his arrival.
Zhou said the Chinese government fully respects the right of the Afghan people to choose their own path of development and will actively participate in Afghanistan's reconstruction.
China and Afghanistan established diplomatic relations in 1955.
The two countries decided in June to upgrade their ties to the level of a strategic and cooperative partnership at a meeting between Chinese President Hu Jint! ao and K arzai in Beijing, marking a new step for the development of bilateral relations. - Top Chinese security official makes surprise visit to Afghanistan
TOP Chinese security official yesterday made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, the first one by a Chinese leader in nearly half a century.
Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, arrived at Kabul airport late in the afternoon.
The four-hour visit had not been announced by Beijing due to security concerns. It followed a two-day trip of Zhou to Singapore, where he met Singaporean leaders on bilateral ties.
Zhou, who is in charge of security and justice affairs, had planned to go to Turkmenistan.
It marked the first time in 46 years that a Chinese leader set his foot on the soil of Afghanistan, a war-torn country neighboring China.
The last visit was made by late Chinese leader Liu Shaoqi in 1966 when he was the President of China.
During the past half century, Afghanistan was afflicted with series of military coups and two major wars commenced by the former Soviet Union and the United States respectively.
The country is still the front line in the US-led war against terrorism and undergoing daily bombing and bleeding.
In Kabul, Zhou held a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
"It is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples for China and Afghanistan to strengthen a strategic and cooperative partnership, which is also conducive to regional peace, stability and development," Zhou was quoted as saying in a written statement released by the Chinese delegation upon his arrival.
Zhou said the Chinese government fully respects the right of the Afghan people to choose their own path of development and will actively participate in Afghanistan's reconstruction.
China and Afghanistan established diplomatic relations in 1955.
The two countries decided in June to upgrade their ties to the level of a strategic and cooperative partnership at a meeting between Chinese President Hu Jint! ao and K arzai in Beijing, marking a new step for the development of bilateral relations. - for IN THE RED Magazine [SEPTEMBER]
- Taiwan ship visits waters off Diaoyu
A CIVILIAN ship from Taiwan on Friday entered the waters around the Diaoyu Islands and left after being threatened by Japanese ships, Taiwanese media reported yesterday.
Ta Han 711, a working platform ship, was approached by Japanese Coast Guard vessels from in front and behind when it entered the waters 22 nautical miles off the Diaoyu Islands, the media said.
Japanese ships warned the Taiwanese ship in Chinese, saying it had entered Japanese territorial waters. However, the Taiwanese ship responded by saying, "Diaoyutai (Diaoyu Island) belongs to us. We are coming to recover territory, please don't disturb."
Wong Chu, the first mate of the ship, said they intended to supply water and food to ships from the Chinese mainland in the waters around the Diaoyu Islands. After they failed to contact the mainland ships, they decided to go to the islands.
Reports said the ship was threatened by four Japanese ships along with Japanese aircraft. Under the escort of Taiwanese coast guard ships, vessels from the two sides did not collide nor did a stalemate develop.
Ta Han 711 returned to Keelung on Friday night after circling the Diaoyu Islands five or six times, according to the reports.
Tension between China and Japan has escalated in recent days, after the Japanese government announced its "purchase" of part of China's Diaoyu Islands, triggering fierce anti-Japanese sentiment in both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.
Separately, Former Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka said he felt sorry for the Chinese people in a recent interview with Chinese media in Japan, criticizing certain politicians in his country for poor decision making over the Diaoyu Islands issue.
- Hairy crab time
A hairy crab farmer surnamed Jin pulls up his first catch of the year on Yangcheng Lake yesterday in Jiangsu Province. An estimated 3,000 kilograms of crab were caught and then transported to cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Chengdu on the first day of harvest. Many gourmands believe the best hairy crabs come from Yangcheng Lake.
- Child killer tells police he tried to commit suicide
A MAN who killed three children and injured another 13 in south China on Friday has told police investigators he had attempted suicide because he was frustrated with life.
Wu Yechang used an ax to attack 16 children at a care center on Friday afternoon in Pingnan County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Three of his victims died after treatment failed.
Wu had earlier contemplated suicide on Friday as a result of frustrations in both his life and work, but changed his mind as he thought it would be a "meaningless" death and decided to do something "big," according to police.
He then bought an ax and roamed the streets. When he saw the care center, he broke in and began to slash everyone he saw, Wu told police.
Wu had been jobless since he returned home to Pingnan from Guangdong Province, a major manufacturing hub that attracts migrant workers.
Officers said Wu does not have a record of mental illness, but experts will be brought in to determine whether he has a mental disorder.
The care center's manager has also been detained.
Most of the injured children are in a stable condition although one child is in intensive care for excessive blood loss, according to doctors.
- Rainy days ahead across the country
RAIN is expected to fall across many parts of China in the next three days, the national observatory said yesterday.
Strong rainfall will pelt some parts in Tibet Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the provinces of Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi and Fujian through Monday, the Central Meteorological Station forecast. Light to moderate rain is forecast for parts of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions in the coming three days, it said.
- 和田人
嘎 嘎 has added a photo to the pool:
- deep into
![for IN THE RED Magazine [SEPTEMBER]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tIlfvD0XiBWVWCa3rslckqOVY8wPvN_JCmvfVHDEySp8QLBwkMFKfZUUQPHSjOMJCkPExlMZyT4TbWBwiKmh0bwH0dRWuL7vQvFVLvsBeZ7fwjSVeDIObrEC8Q=s0-d)
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