UN Clears China Sea-Floor Plan

choi

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Jeremy Page, UN Clears China Sea-Floor Plan; Beijing's first manual deep-sea craft, the Jialong, will explore the ocean floor for minerals. Wall Street Journal,  July 23, 2011.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903554904576459911843098154.html

(a) Excerpt in the window of print: US investment in such research and exploration has declined over the past two decades.

(b) Quote:

"The Jialong is diving at a site between Hawaii and the North America mainland, where China was granted rights to explore for minerals in 2001 by the international Seabed Authority, a UN body that oversees mining in international waters.

"ISA, meeting at its headquarters in Jamaica, said it had approved on Tuesday applications from China and Russia--the first from any countries--to explore relatively newly discovered deposits called polymetallic sulphides that form around volcanic vents in ridges on the seabed.

"If the Jialong's current mission is successful, it will surpass the Alvin, the only active US submersible, whose maximunm depth is 4,500 meters. An upgraded version caoable of reaching 6,500 meters is slated to be ready by 2015.

(c) My comment: So far, Jialong has not reached its stated goal of 5,000 meters.


---------------------------------Separately
(1) Lo Chu-tung, P-3Cs ‘Perform’ Well in Military Drill. Taipei Times, July 26, 2011 (available now).
http://taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/07/26/2003509169

Quote:

"Taiwan procured 12 P-3C aircraft from the US for US$1.9 billion in 2007. The first aircraft was delivered to Taiwanese units training in the US last month, with the other 11 scheduled for delivery this year and next.

"The Ministry of National Defense had wanted to add anti-aircraft-carrier scenarios to the war games, but retired vice admiral Lan Ning-li (蘭寧利) said that without knowing more details about the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) plans for a carrier battle group, the inclusion of such platforms would have been insignificant. As the J-20 stealth fighter has yet to be incorporated into the PLA Air Force, it also was not included in a scenario simulating the defense of Penghu and Taiwan proper.

"The scenario also ruled out the possibility of a major US intervention in the conflict.

(2) 宋楚瑜坚决参选，台大选现变局. VOA Chinese,  July 25, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110725-james-soong-elections-taiwan-126105048.html
("台湾中央研究院社会学研究所研究员萧新煌认为，虽然宋楚瑜没有明确表达是要参选总统还是立法委员的选举，不过目前看来参选立委比较有可能")

Note: The report cites
鄒景雯, 親民黨主席宋楚瑜︰2012我一定參選.
http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2011/new/jul/25/today-fo7.htm
, whose transcript is divided into three.
(a) 台灣需要強有力的政府團隊
http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2011/new/jul/25/today-fo7-2.htm
(b) 親民黨 要扮演關鍵力量
http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2011/new/jul/25/today-fo7-3.htm
("問：你個人呢？之前有區域立委、不分區與總統三個選項，是否已有所決定？" The answer is no.)
(c) 與馬見面 徒增後遺症
http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2011/new/jul/25/today-fo7-4.htm
(In conclusion: "宋：做過台獨聯盟主席的張燦鍙在擔任台南市長時，我與他相識，他很認同我的一句話：「我們有不同的過去，但有共同的未來！（We may come from different past, but we share a common future!）」我們有不同的意見，但是我們都愛台灣，都在為這塊土地奮鬥。大家的政治立場不見得一樣，但我們應該有共同的目標，一起維護台灣的價值。因為我們都在這裡成長，我們在這裡有共同的人脈、朋友與理想，不論我們的想法有多麼的不一樣，我們仍須承認，我們只有一個台灣，一個我們共同擁有的台灣！")

(3) 美国务卿称美国将维持在亚洲强势. VOA Chinese,  July 25, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110725-clinton-asserts-us-asia-126104323.html
("克林顿说：'亚太地区的未来与美国的未来是相连的。我们不仅是亚洲本区的外交或军事强国，还是本区一个的经济强国。我们会留在这里'”)

My comment:
(a) I had no indea what "亚洲本区" meant. The pertinent portion in the manuscript published in the web site of US Department of State is: "We are a resident power in Asia—not only a diplomatic or military power, but a resident economic power. And we are here to stay."
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Remarks on Principles for Prosperity in the Asia Pacific. July 25, 2011
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/07/169012.htm
(at Shangri-la, Hong Kong; sponsored by both US Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macau and the Asia Society)
(b) There is no need ot read the rest of the VOA report.

(4) 台国防部证实解放军战机越过海峡中线. BBC Chinese,  July 25, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2011/07/110725_taiwanpla_byjameslin.shtml
("台国防部的声明说，这两架战机当时是在海峡中线以西空域从事例行训练任务；媒体报导则说，这两架苏27型战斗机，当时是在驱赶在公海进行侦查的美军高空侦查机")

Note: The VOA report shows Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is vocal about the incursion.
台军方证实中国战机越过海峡中线. VOA Chinese,  July 25, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110725-china-air-taiwan-126105298.html
(在野的民进党立院党团干事长蔡煌琅表示, 中国战机越过海峡中线是非常不友善的行为, 台湾国防部、陆委会不能闷不吭声, 应该要求对岸道歉, 并要求下不为例, 如果中国不回应的话, 就应该列为下次江陈会协商的议题。他说：'共军飞越海峡中线是一种侵略行为, 同时也是挑衅、不友善, 也是一种示威。'”)

There is no need to read the rest of the VOA report.

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