Extracts.
Friday, November 17, 2000, updated at 21:21(GMT+8)
China, Brunei Sign Documents on Economic Cooperation
China and Brunei signed an agreement on encouraging
and protecting investment on November 17 in Bandar
Seri Begawan.
The two countries also inked a long-term contract on
China's purchasing crude oil from the oil rich
country in southeast Asia, and a memorandum on
tourism.
The documents were signed during Chinese President
Jiang Zemin's first state visit to Brunei.
The Chinese leader started his two-day visit to
Brunei after attending the 8th informal leadership
meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
During the visit, Jiang met with Brunei Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah on bilateral ties. Both leaders
expressed their hope to strengthen economic
cooperation between the two countries.
Earlier November 17, Jiang also met with Brunei
business executives and encouraged them to invest in
China, especially in western China which is a hot
point in China's economic development strategy in the
next century.
****
Friday, November 17, 2000, updated at 20:32(GMT+8)
Israel Tightens Economic Sanctions on Palestinians
Israel has decided to impose tough economic sanctions
against the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in
the aftermath of the killing of four Israelis on
Monday in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
This has come as an additional response apart from
the closure on the territories under full Palestinian
control following the incidents.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) manning the
checkpoints between Israel and the Palestinian
autonomous areas have been ordered not to allow any
goods but humanitarian aid products, such as food and
medicines, to enter the self-rule territories.
In a new move against the policy abided by in
previous weeks, the Israeli authorities have decided
to limit the amount of gasoline available to the PNA
to the minimal level.
In the meantime, Israel has tightened a decision to
prevent the transfer of raw materials which could be
used by the PNA for various projects, including
cement and concrete.
At present, shortage of various non-food items is
apparent in the Palestinian territories.
Israeli security personnel say that significant
economic hardship resulting from the closure and
trade-blockage policies can be felt across the West
Bank and Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak also said on
Thursday that Israel is withholding millions of
dollars in tax revenues owed to the PNA as part of
Israel's efforts to pressure the Palestinians to stop
violence.
In the past six weeks, Israel has transferred only 30
million shekels (about 7.3 million U.S. dollars) to
the PNA in rebates on tax and customs collected on
Palestinian imports and labor, Israeli leading daily
Ha'aretz Friday quoted economic sources in Gaza as
saying.
Before the outbreak of the current Palestinian Al
Aqsa Intifada (or uprising) on September 28, Israel
transferred an average of 233 million shekels (about
56.8 million dollars) to PNA a month.
The figures show the freeze on funds Israel is
obligated to transfer to the PNA each month has
already begun, but it was the first time Israel had
publicly admitted to any suspicion, the paper said.
The Palestinians have accused the freezing of the
funds as part of Israeli aggression against them. In
an official statement, PNA Chairman Yasser Arafat
charged "Barak has declared war on us, whether it be
economic or military."
Under their agreements, Israeli and Palestinian
representatives from both sides are supposed to meet
on the 20th each month to submit receipts and
invoices from their transactions. Six days later, the
two sides are expected to make the necessary
financial transfers.
IDF estimates that the number of Palestinians
currently working in Israel has dropped by 80 percent
since the eruption of the bloody clashes which have
so far claimed more than 220 lives, mostly
Palestinians.
****
China Declares Elimination of Absolute Poverty A senior official from the
Chinese government Thursday declared that China, with the world's largest
population of 1.25 billion, has rid itself of absolute poverty on the whole
according to the standard set by China in accordance with its unique
situation and characteristics.
Gao Hongbin, General Director of the State Council Leading Group Office of
Poverty Alleviation and Development, told Xinhua during an exclusive
interview that China's poverty rate in its rural areas is now below 3
percent, the lowest among world developing countries.
"At present, except for some 26 million disabled people or those living in
extremely bad natural environment areas, we have succeeded in eliminating
absolute poverty in the country," Gao said.
According to Gao, the Chinese definition of being above "absolute poverty"
refers to an annual income above 635 yuan (about US$77), which, though
relatively low, is enough in China for a person to enjoy basic life
necessities, that is, to have enough to eat and wear and to have a place to
dwell.
China was reported as having 250 million people living in absolute poverty
in 1978 when the reform and opening-up policy was adopted. Seven years
later, the figure dropped to 125 million, mainly as a result of successful
rural reform advocated by late leader Deng Xiaoping.
In 1994, when China's absolute poverty population dropped to 80 million,
the central government launched a "seven year poverty alleviation plan"
which vowed to basically eliminate absolute poverty by the end of the year
2000.
"We are now just at the expected point," said Gao.
"This is the first time in history for China to solve the food and clothing
problem for all its citizens on the whole, it is a marvelous achievement
and of great epochmaking meanings."
He attributed China's poverty alleviation achievement mainly to the
government's hard-work and huge investment as well as to the participation
of the wider society.
"The Chinese central government alone spent 24.8 billion yuan (nearly US$3
billion) in poverty alleviation in 1999, 30 times more than in 1980," the
official said.
Peter Sullivan, vice president of the Asia Development Bank, viewed China's
poverty relieving efforts as the most impressive in Asia, and China "should
feel pride for this."
Mats Karlsson, vice president of the World Bank, said that China's poverty
alleviation will deeply influence the international community.
According to Kerstin Leitner, resident representative of the United
Nation's Development Program to China, China has set up a model for the
world's developing countries in helping the poor.
However, local observers pointed out that "eliminating absolute poverty on
the whole" doesn't mean that China's battle against poverty has come to an
end.
They pointed out, China will have to cover an even longer way to ultimately
delete poverty within its territory. As a matter of fact, China will come
to a new start point to continue helping those still in poverty and those
needed to be further economically and socially developed.
According to Gao, China is now drafting another poverty alleviation and
development strategy plan for the 21st century, which will be issued and
initiated at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
****
Chinese Spy Allegation Slammed
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed strong dissatisfaction on
November 16 over a report carried by Washington Times, calling it a "sheer
fabrication out of ulterior motives."
While commenting on the report alleging that China, since early 1990s, has
begun to send spies to the United States to steal the most up-to-date
sensitive intelligence, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said
"it must be pointed out that there are always some people in the US who
cling to the Cold War mentality and have prejudice of and hostility against
China. The rumors fabricated by them for many years have collapsed in face
of facts."
However, unwilling to concede their own failures, they are now once again
concocting new rumors and launching groundless attacks against China in an
attempt to damage China's image and sabotage the China-US relations, Sun
said, adding that "Their attempt is both deplorable and doomed."
The improvement and development of China-US relations, which is inevitable,
conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, the
spokesman said.
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