TaiShang
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Tis the season of joy! Enjoy your travel and family re-union, folks! And to lasting peace!
Ignore and report Indian trolls. Quoting them is one of deadly mistakes. They will out-talk you.
Wish Vietnam all the best in the new year and hope all past wounds are to be healed in time. Past is past; let's look into future and move on.
Do not let a few China-hating Indians to put flame between the two peoples.
***
China, Vietnam vow to deepen partnership - CCTV News - CCTV.com English
BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping and his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Phu Trong, pledged Wednesday to promote sound and steady development of their countries' partnership.
In a telephone conversation with Trong, Xi said he is pleased to speak to Trong on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of China-Vietnam diplomatic relations.
Noting that this is the third year in a row for them to speak over phone on the anniversary, Xi said high-level contact and communication are important to maintaining sound and steady development of bilateral relations.
Xi, who is also Chinese president, pointed out that friendship and cooperation have been the mainstream of China-Vietnam relations since the two countries established diplomatic ties 65 years ago.
The two parties, countries and peoples have supported each other, helped each other, adhered to the leadership of the parties and followed the path of socialism, Xi said, adding that they have become a community of common destiny with strategic importance.
The international and regional situations are undergoing profound changes and the two countries are both at key stages of reform and innovation, he noted.
Against this backdrop, he said, it is in line with the fundamental interests of both sides and conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity for the two sides to cement political mutual trust, boost win-win cooperation, strengthen guidance of public opinion, and properly handle differences.
Xi stressed that the CPC and the Chinese government have always attached great importance to the traditional friendship with Vietnam and treated the bilateral relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective.
The CPC and the Chinese government, he added, stand ready to work with their Vietnamese counterparts to promote sound and steady development of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in accordance with the spirit of good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners.
Xi also spoke highly of the achievements Vietnam has made in reform and development under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) chaired by Trong, and said he looks forward to hosting Trong soon this year.
Trong, for his part, said that the friendship and good neighborliness between Vietnam and China, which were fostered by the older generation of leaders of the two countries, are key to the success of the revolutionary causes of the two countries.
The CPV and the Vietnamese government and people have always regarded developing the friendly cooperative relationship with China as a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy, said Trong.
He added that his country is willing to work with China to enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and advance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, so as to push forward the sound and steady development of bilateral ties.
Trong also invited Xi to visit Vietnam.
Besides, the two leaders exchanged Spring Festival greetings, and wished the people of each other's countries a happy festival.
***
Vietnam becomes China’s second largest ASEAN partner - News VietNamNet
***
Spring Festival Gala a Display of China’s Soft Power | The Cambodia Daily
BY ARIA DANAPARAMITA AND OUCH SONY | FEBRUARY 14, 2015
It was a spectacle: Traditional and modern Khmer and Chinese music enraptured as hundreds of dancers took to the stage in elaborate costumes—and with literally flying colors as a pair of acrobats spun above the stage.
Cambodia and China held their first joint Spring Festival Gala on Phnom Penh’s Koh Pich island on Tuesday as a precursor to ringing in the Chinese New Year, which falls on Thursday.
The 2-1/2-hour extravaganza, presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife, Bun Rany, was jointly organized by National Television of Cambodia (TVK) and China’s Yunnan provincial television station to be broadcast on both networks.
According to organizers, it presented 260 Chinese performers and about 150 Cambodians to a theater of invited guests.
Speaking to the audience, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the gala event served “to strengthen and to expand the relations between Cambodia and China through art.”
“Through this Spring Festival Gala…I strongly believe relations between the two countries as well as the two peoples will be closer,” he said, a sentiment echoed by his Yunnan counterpart.
“Cambodia and China have drunk the water from the same river. Our sensations are like one family,” said Zhao Jin, delegate of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee’s publicity department, referring to the Mekong River, which flows through Yunnan and to Cambodia.
The show presented diverse artistic forms in more than 20 numbers including traditional Apsara dance, which shared the stage with Chinese women in red dresses spinning ribbons, gold vest-clad men performing acrobatics and fan dancers whirling as a female singer crooned in high falsetto.
In addition to traditional performances, there was also Chinese pop, with a singer in a magenta blazer and sunglasses leading a “Gangnam Style”-esque number. There was even a piece of Italian opera.
But beneath the sparkle, the message was evident.
In one overtly literal number, dancers in white tutus pirouetted in front of images of King Norodom Sihanouk mingling with Mao Tse Tung, and King Norodom Sihamoni shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“This is basically just sort of a propaganda arm of the [Chinese] government showing a closer relationship to Cambodia,” said Sean Weatherall, an audience member who was a director of studies at the Yunnan Department of Education for five years until 2014, after seeing the show.
China has already positioned itself as Cambodia’s biggest trade partner and a major source of foreign aid, pumping billions of dollars into Cambodia over the past two decades, which analysts say is a strategic necessity as the Asian superpower looks to establish a friend in the region.
Cozy relations have been further cemented by the Cambodia-China Inter-governmental Coordination Committee. At a meeting of the committee in December, China pledged a $144 million aid package.
China is also attempting to increase its cultural influence. In November, it opened a three-story “Cultural Mansion” in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kok district, the first it has opened overseas.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government-funded Confucius Institute, which opened in Phnom Penh in 2009, seeks to teach Cambodians about Chinese language and culture. As of June 2013, there were 13 branches across the country, with plans to expand to all 24 provinces.
China’s growing use of soft power—a foreign policy approach that makes use of cultural capital—reflects the Chinese desire to strengthen its influence in Southeast Asia, particularly as the Asean bloc moves toward economic integration this year.
“Anything can be used for a political purpose,” said Ang Cholean, ethnologist at the Royal University of Fine Arts. But art, he says, wields particular potency “because art is part of everyday life.”
According to Mr. Cholean, cultural exchange between Chinese and Cambodians has a long history.
“Among the Cambodian population you have an important percentage of people with Chinese blood and ties to Chinese culture,” he said, adding that a prominent Chinese presence in Cambodian territories dates back to at least the 13th century, citing ancient Angkor-era documents.
The arts, Mr. Cholean says, “is one of the ways of penetration, but…I think the main purpose is business, commerce, financial affairs.”
“Nowadays, Cambodian economy is dominated by foreign economies, including Chinese, including Singaporean, including Taiwanese,” he said.
And the Yunnan connection in Tuesday’s show is no coincidence.
In a document posted to China’s official government website in 2011, the administration formally named the southwestern province as part of its “bridgehead” strategy to Southeast Asia, which aims to improve infrastructure and industry in the province to boost trade with neighboring countries.
“Business and economic relations that profit each other have built up a great cross-border bridge,” Mr. Zhao said during the Spring Festival Gala. “From now on, Yunnan will play its role as a center link to Southeast Asia and South Asia.”
And as Tuesday’s extravaganza shows, China’s efforts already appear to be making something of an impact.
Audience member Troeung Monich, who is a civil servant at the Foreign Ministry, said she was captivated by the performances but the most important element was the relations between the two nations.
“For me, I think it is really beneficial because they want to perform from the bottom of their hearts to let our Cambodian people see [their culture], because they have a relationship with us…. Cambodia also can show what we have in return,” she said.
Svay Leemeng, a film producer and writer in the audience, also commended the beautiful stage and performances, saying such events helped to cement the “immortal relations” enjoyed by the countries.
“Cambodia and China will keep deep relations for a long time going forward,” he predicted.
It is unclear if the Yunnan dancers, singers and musicians saw themselves as agents of Chinese diplomacy.
But as the event ended and the guests emptied the theater, many marveled at what they had seen.
As for the artists, they were to leave Cambodia the very next day. Their job here was done.
Ignore and report Indian trolls. Quoting them is one of deadly mistakes. They will out-talk you.
Wish Vietnam all the best in the new year and hope all past wounds are to be healed in time. Past is past; let's look into future and move on.
Do not let a few China-hating Indians to put flame between the two peoples.
***
China, Vietnam vow to deepen partnership - CCTV News - CCTV.com English
BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping and his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Phu Trong, pledged Wednesday to promote sound and steady development of their countries' partnership.
In a telephone conversation with Trong, Xi said he is pleased to speak to Trong on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of China-Vietnam diplomatic relations.
Noting that this is the third year in a row for them to speak over phone on the anniversary, Xi said high-level contact and communication are important to maintaining sound and steady development of bilateral relations.
Xi, who is also Chinese president, pointed out that friendship and cooperation have been the mainstream of China-Vietnam relations since the two countries established diplomatic ties 65 years ago.
The two parties, countries and peoples have supported each other, helped each other, adhered to the leadership of the parties and followed the path of socialism, Xi said, adding that they have become a community of common destiny with strategic importance.
The international and regional situations are undergoing profound changes and the two countries are both at key stages of reform and innovation, he noted.
Against this backdrop, he said, it is in line with the fundamental interests of both sides and conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity for the two sides to cement political mutual trust, boost win-win cooperation, strengthen guidance of public opinion, and properly handle differences.
Xi stressed that the CPC and the Chinese government have always attached great importance to the traditional friendship with Vietnam and treated the bilateral relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective.
The CPC and the Chinese government, he added, stand ready to work with their Vietnamese counterparts to promote sound and steady development of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in accordance with the spirit of good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners.
Xi also spoke highly of the achievements Vietnam has made in reform and development under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) chaired by Trong, and said he looks forward to hosting Trong soon this year.
Trong, for his part, said that the friendship and good neighborliness between Vietnam and China, which were fostered by the older generation of leaders of the two countries, are key to the success of the revolutionary causes of the two countries.
The CPV and the Vietnamese government and people have always regarded developing the friendly cooperative relationship with China as a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy, said Trong.
He added that his country is willing to work with China to enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and advance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, so as to push forward the sound and steady development of bilateral ties.
Trong also invited Xi to visit Vietnam.
Besides, the two leaders exchanged Spring Festival greetings, and wished the people of each other's countries a happy festival.
***
Vietnam becomes China’s second largest ASEAN partner - News VietNamNet
***
Spring Festival Gala a Display of China’s Soft Power | The Cambodia Daily
BY ARIA DANAPARAMITA AND OUCH SONY | FEBRUARY 14, 2015
It was a spectacle: Traditional and modern Khmer and Chinese music enraptured as hundreds of dancers took to the stage in elaborate costumes—and with literally flying colors as a pair of acrobats spun above the stage.
Cambodia and China held their first joint Spring Festival Gala on Phnom Penh’s Koh Pich island on Tuesday as a precursor to ringing in the Chinese New Year, which falls on Thursday.
The 2-1/2-hour extravaganza, presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife, Bun Rany, was jointly organized by National Television of Cambodia (TVK) and China’s Yunnan provincial television station to be broadcast on both networks.
According to organizers, it presented 260 Chinese performers and about 150 Cambodians to a theater of invited guests.
Speaking to the audience, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the gala event served “to strengthen and to expand the relations between Cambodia and China through art.”
“Through this Spring Festival Gala…I strongly believe relations between the two countries as well as the two peoples will be closer,” he said, a sentiment echoed by his Yunnan counterpart.
“Cambodia and China have drunk the water from the same river. Our sensations are like one family,” said Zhao Jin, delegate of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee’s publicity department, referring to the Mekong River, which flows through Yunnan and to Cambodia.
The show presented diverse artistic forms in more than 20 numbers including traditional Apsara dance, which shared the stage with Chinese women in red dresses spinning ribbons, gold vest-clad men performing acrobatics and fan dancers whirling as a female singer crooned in high falsetto.
In addition to traditional performances, there was also Chinese pop, with a singer in a magenta blazer and sunglasses leading a “Gangnam Style”-esque number. There was even a piece of Italian opera.
But beneath the sparkle, the message was evident.
In one overtly literal number, dancers in white tutus pirouetted in front of images of King Norodom Sihanouk mingling with Mao Tse Tung, and King Norodom Sihamoni shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“This is basically just sort of a propaganda arm of the [Chinese] government showing a closer relationship to Cambodia,” said Sean Weatherall, an audience member who was a director of studies at the Yunnan Department of Education for five years until 2014, after seeing the show.
China has already positioned itself as Cambodia’s biggest trade partner and a major source of foreign aid, pumping billions of dollars into Cambodia over the past two decades, which analysts say is a strategic necessity as the Asian superpower looks to establish a friend in the region.
Cozy relations have been further cemented by the Cambodia-China Inter-governmental Coordination Committee. At a meeting of the committee in December, China pledged a $144 million aid package.
China is also attempting to increase its cultural influence. In November, it opened a three-story “Cultural Mansion” in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kok district, the first it has opened overseas.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government-funded Confucius Institute, which opened in Phnom Penh in 2009, seeks to teach Cambodians about Chinese language and culture. As of June 2013, there were 13 branches across the country, with plans to expand to all 24 provinces.
China’s growing use of soft power—a foreign policy approach that makes use of cultural capital—reflects the Chinese desire to strengthen its influence in Southeast Asia, particularly as the Asean bloc moves toward economic integration this year.
“Anything can be used for a political purpose,” said Ang Cholean, ethnologist at the Royal University of Fine Arts. But art, he says, wields particular potency “because art is part of everyday life.”
According to Mr. Cholean, cultural exchange between Chinese and Cambodians has a long history.
“Among the Cambodian population you have an important percentage of people with Chinese blood and ties to Chinese culture,” he said, adding that a prominent Chinese presence in Cambodian territories dates back to at least the 13th century, citing ancient Angkor-era documents.
The arts, Mr. Cholean says, “is one of the ways of penetration, but…I think the main purpose is business, commerce, financial affairs.”
“Nowadays, Cambodian economy is dominated by foreign economies, including Chinese, including Singaporean, including Taiwanese,” he said.
And the Yunnan connection in Tuesday’s show is no coincidence.
In a document posted to China’s official government website in 2011, the administration formally named the southwestern province as part of its “bridgehead” strategy to Southeast Asia, which aims to improve infrastructure and industry in the province to boost trade with neighboring countries.
“Business and economic relations that profit each other have built up a great cross-border bridge,” Mr. Zhao said during the Spring Festival Gala. “From now on, Yunnan will play its role as a center link to Southeast Asia and South Asia.”
And as Tuesday’s extravaganza shows, China’s efforts already appear to be making something of an impact.
Audience member Troeung Monich, who is a civil servant at the Foreign Ministry, said she was captivated by the performances but the most important element was the relations between the two nations.
“For me, I think it is really beneficial because they want to perform from the bottom of their hearts to let our Cambodian people see [their culture], because they have a relationship with us…. Cambodia also can show what we have in return,” she said.
Svay Leemeng, a film producer and writer in the audience, also commended the beautiful stage and performances, saying such events helped to cement the “immortal relations” enjoyed by the countries.
“Cambodia and China will keep deep relations for a long time going forward,” he predicted.
It is unclear if the Yunnan dancers, singers and musicians saw themselves as agents of Chinese diplomacy.
But as the event ended and the guests emptied the theater, many marveled at what they had seen.
As for the artists, they were to leave Cambodia the very next day. Their job here was done.
