A top North Korean official has made the first public comments that leader Kim Jong-il is likely to be succeeded by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.
Yang Hyong Sop, a senior official in the ruling Workers' Party, made the comments during an interview with the Associated Press in Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-un was promoted to top political and military positions at a rare party meeting last month.
The younger Kim's succession would cement the family dynasty.
Kim Jong-il, thought to be in poor health, came to power in 1994, following the death of his father, Kim Il-sung.
Kim Il-sung founded the nation of North Korea in 1948 on policy of self-reliance, and built a cult of personality around him and his son.
Four-star general
Speaking at the start of celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of the Workers' Party on Sunday, Mr Yang said: "Our people take pride in the fact that they are blessed with great leaders from generation to generation.
"Our people are honoured to be led by the great president Kim Il-sung and the great general Kim Jong-il. Now we also have the honour of being led by General Kim Jong-un," he said.
Celebrations get under way in Pyongyang to mark the 65th anniversary of the Workers' Party Little is known about Kim Jong-un, other than he is thought to be about 27 years old and was educated in Switzerland.
The world had its first up-to-date glimpse of the young man last month when state media published a photograph and video footage of him at the party's first congress for 30 years.
At the ceremony in Pyongyang, Kim Jong-un was made vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party and was appointed to its central committee.
He was also given the rank of a four-star general.
These promotions have added to the intense international speculation that the younger Kim is being groomed to succeed his father.
Pyongyang is holding three days of celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of the Workers' Party.
Officials say they will be biggest of their kind in the nation's history.
The ceremonies are expected to include a firework display on Friday evening, and culminate in a huge military parade in Kim Il-sung Square on Sunday.
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Prime Minister of Peoples Republic of China,Mr Wen In Europe Now
When the Orient meets the Occident
By Chen Jie (China Daily)
BEIJING - Although Italy and China established diplomatic relations only 40 years ago, culturally the two empires, located at opposite ends of the Silk Road, have known each other for 2,000 years, Fan Di'an, dean of the National Art Museum of China, said at a press conference in Beijing, where the Chinese Culture Year in Italy was announced on Sept 29.
A visitor looks at artifacts from 17th century Italy during an exhibition about Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit priest and cultural ambassador who lived in China from 1582 until his death in 1610. The exhibition featured in this file photo was held in June and July at the Nanjing Museum in Jiangsu province. [Photo/Xinhua]
The cultural event will begin on Oct 7 with a concert performed by the China Philharmonic Orchestra at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. Premier Wen Jiabao and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will attend the opening concert.
Dong Junxin, director of the bureau for external cultural relations at the Ministry of Culture, said the yearlong event will be the largest cultural activity China has launched in Europe following the Chinese Culture Year in France in 2003 and the Europalia China Arts Festival in Belgium in 2009.
"Italy and China both have great history, splendid art and each country has made a significant contribution to world civilization," Dong said.
"Ever since we established a diplomatic relationship in 1970, we've sought to develop all aspects of exchange and communication. The Chinese Culture Year in Italy will be our largest event to date.
"It is not only a platform for showcasing the diversity of Chinese culture to enable the Italians to know more about the Chinese," he explained. "It is also an opportunity to display a confident, open-minded and diverse China."
Riccardo Sessa, Italian ambassador to China, said the Italians and, indeed, many Europeans, knew about China through Marco Polo's pioneering journey to Asia in the 13th century.
He said he hopes the Chinese Culture Year in Italy will present a new opportunity for Italians to learn about not only Chinese culture and history, but also the dynamics of modern China.
Under the baton of Yu Long, the China Philharmonic Orchestra, which Gramophone magazine regards as one of the top 10 symphony orchestras in the world, will perform a concert that combines classical Italian opera and traditional Chinese music.
The first program, East Meets West in Operas, will feature artists from the Peking Opera, who will perform traditional Chinese arias, while the Italian bel canto vocalists will sing arias by Rossini and Puccini.
The renowned violin concerto Butterfly Romance will be performed by the Chinese violinist Lu Siqing, who won first prize in the prestigious Paganini Competition in Italy in 1987.
The program also includes the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Verdi's opera Nabucco, followed by the Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower.
In May 2008, the China Philharmonic Orchestra played the same piece under Yu's baton for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.
"The orchestra and I feel honored to return to Rome," Yu said in between rehearsals in Beijing. "Music is a unique, universal language that can help people from different nations, races and cultures to understand and respect each other.
"As musicians, we would like to do our part - playing music - to make China and its people, who love peace and pursue happiness, better understood in the world. The program interprets the harmony between China and Italy."
Following the opening concert, the Chinese Culture Year in Italy will feature hundreds of events in music, dance, drama and theater, as well as the folk and visual arts. Exhibitions will form a major part of the event, because Europeans are accustomed to attending museums, said Chen Ping, director of the bureau's Western Europe department, who is in charge of the event.
Fan, who will supervise the exhibitions in Italy, said there is a long history of communication in the visual arts between the two countries, adding the Italian artist Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), a court painter for more than 50 years during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), was the first to bring Western oil painting to China.
In the 20th century, many Chinese artists traveled to Europe to learn oil painting, spending time in both Rome and Florence. Italian oil painting and sculpture have had a great impact on Chinese artists, while Chinese brush painting, calligraphy, architecture and gardening have, in turn, influenced their Italian counterparts.
According to Fan, Italian and Chinese art both have long histories, distinguished traditions and a flair for innovation.
The exhibitions in Italy will try to cover Chinese art throughout history, with each show having a specific theme and focus, she said.
There will also be lectures and seminars where Italians can learn more about Chinese art and culture.
By Chen Jie (China Daily)
BEIJING - Although Italy and China established diplomatic relations only 40 years ago, culturally the two empires, located at opposite ends of the Silk Road, have known each other for 2,000 years, Fan Di'an, dean of the National Art Museum of China, said at a press conference in Beijing, where the Chinese Culture Year in Italy was announced on Sept 29.
A visitor looks at artifacts from 17th century Italy during an exhibition about Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit priest and cultural ambassador who lived in China from 1582 until his death in 1610. The exhibition featured in this file photo was held in June and July at the Nanjing Museum in Jiangsu province. [Photo/Xinhua]
The cultural event will begin on Oct 7 with a concert performed by the China Philharmonic Orchestra at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. Premier Wen Jiabao and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will attend the opening concert.
Dong Junxin, director of the bureau for external cultural relations at the Ministry of Culture, said the yearlong event will be the largest cultural activity China has launched in Europe following the Chinese Culture Year in France in 2003 and the Europalia China Arts Festival in Belgium in 2009.
"Italy and China both have great history, splendid art and each country has made a significant contribution to world civilization," Dong said.
"Ever since we established a diplomatic relationship in 1970, we've sought to develop all aspects of exchange and communication. The Chinese Culture Year in Italy will be our largest event to date.
"It is not only a platform for showcasing the diversity of Chinese culture to enable the Italians to know more about the Chinese," he explained. "It is also an opportunity to display a confident, open-minded and diverse China."
Riccardo Sessa, Italian ambassador to China, said the Italians and, indeed, many Europeans, knew about China through Marco Polo's pioneering journey to Asia in the 13th century.
He said he hopes the Chinese Culture Year in Italy will present a new opportunity for Italians to learn about not only Chinese culture and history, but also the dynamics of modern China.
Under the baton of Yu Long, the China Philharmonic Orchestra, which Gramophone magazine regards as one of the top 10 symphony orchestras in the world, will perform a concert that combines classical Italian opera and traditional Chinese music.
The first program, East Meets West in Operas, will feature artists from the Peking Opera, who will perform traditional Chinese arias, while the Italian bel canto vocalists will sing arias by Rossini and Puccini.
The renowned violin concerto Butterfly Romance will be performed by the Chinese violinist Lu Siqing, who won first prize in the prestigious Paganini Competition in Italy in 1987.
The program also includes the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Verdi's opera Nabucco, followed by the Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower.
In May 2008, the China Philharmonic Orchestra played the same piece under Yu's baton for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.
"The orchestra and I feel honored to return to Rome," Yu said in between rehearsals in Beijing. "Music is a unique, universal language that can help people from different nations, races and cultures to understand and respect each other.
"As musicians, we would like to do our part - playing music - to make China and its people, who love peace and pursue happiness, better understood in the world. The program interprets the harmony between China and Italy."
Following the opening concert, the Chinese Culture Year in Italy will feature hundreds of events in music, dance, drama and theater, as well as the folk and visual arts. Exhibitions will form a major part of the event, because Europeans are accustomed to attending museums, said Chen Ping, director of the bureau's Western Europe department, who is in charge of the event.
Fan, who will supervise the exhibitions in Italy, said there is a long history of communication in the visual arts between the two countries, adding the Italian artist Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), a court painter for more than 50 years during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), was the first to bring Western oil painting to China.
In the 20th century, many Chinese artists traveled to Europe to learn oil painting, spending time in both Rome and Florence. Italian oil painting and sculpture have had a great impact on Chinese artists, while Chinese brush painting, calligraphy, architecture and gardening have, in turn, influenced their Italian counterparts.
According to Fan, Italian and Chinese art both have long histories, distinguished traditions and a flair for innovation.
The exhibitions in Italy will try to cover Chinese art throughout history, with each show having a specific theme and focus, she said.
There will also be lectures and seminars where Italians can learn more about Chinese art and culture.
Xinhua News-China and North Korea
BEIJING - China is ready to work closely with the new leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to cement bilateral friendly cooperative ties, said Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Friday.
Xi made the remarks while addressing a reception at the DPRK embassy in Beijing to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).
Xi said over the past 65 years, people of the DPRK had made remarkable achievements in overcoming difficulties, safeguarding national sovereignty and building Korean-style socialism.
He said General Secretary of the WPK Kim Jong Il had led the party and people to be self-reliant, to struggle arduously and to make great achievements in the cause of building a strong and prosperous socialist country.
"We believe that under new leadership of the WPK, the DPRK people will see greater progress in developing its economy, improving living standards, achieving peaceful national unification and expanding foreign relations," said Xi.
China was glad to see the continuous consolidation and development of bilateral ties nurtured by generations of state leaders and the joint efforts of the two peoples.
Xi also recalled Kim Jong Il's two China trips this year, in which the DPRK leader had reached important accords with General Secretary Hu Jintao of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
"We are willing to join hands with the DPRK new leadership to further promote China-DPRK friendly cooperative relations in a spirit of carrying forward the tradition, looking forward to the future, developing good-neighborliness and friendship and boosting cooperation," Xi said.
Xi made the remarks while addressing a reception at the DPRK embassy in Beijing to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).
Xi said over the past 65 years, people of the DPRK had made remarkable achievements in overcoming difficulties, safeguarding national sovereignty and building Korean-style socialism.
He said General Secretary of the WPK Kim Jong Il had led the party and people to be self-reliant, to struggle arduously and to make great achievements in the cause of building a strong and prosperous socialist country.
"We believe that under new leadership of the WPK, the DPRK people will see greater progress in developing its economy, improving living standards, achieving peaceful national unification and expanding foreign relations," said Xi.
China was glad to see the continuous consolidation and development of bilateral ties nurtured by generations of state leaders and the joint efforts of the two peoples.
Xi also recalled Kim Jong Il's two China trips this year, in which the DPRK leader had reached important accords with General Secretary Hu Jintao of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
"We are willing to join hands with the DPRK new leadership to further promote China-DPRK friendly cooperative relations in a spirit of carrying forward the tradition, looking forward to the future, developing good-neighborliness and friendship and boosting cooperation," Xi said.
Monday, 4 October 2010
Diaoyu
BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu has called for concerted efforts from Japan to maintain relations between the two countries.
Ma says the Diaoyu Islands and their adjacent islets have been Chinese territory since ancient times.
Last month, Japan detained Chinese fishermen and seized their ship in waters off the Diaoyu Islands. It insisted on performing what it called "domestic judicial procedure."
--------------------------------------------------
Now the US is going to put its naval presence to shore up support for Japanese fears of their own growing weakness in the area. As the Chinese said: "Well, the US won't do anything, but it can show up".
Meanwhile Russia and China are working together on the issue of these islands as they have always been contentious, although always Chinese.
High level Russian delegates are working with the Chinese government to try to get Japan to accept reality and to have discussions. Meanwhile the Americans continue to support Japanese right-wing nationalists, as is to be expected.
All the Chinese wish to do is to make their historical case and maintain dialogue. Not such a bad thing. The world has changed. China has no need at all to back away from its own legitimacy in the matter.
Ma says the Diaoyu Islands and their adjacent islets have been Chinese territory since ancient times.
Last month, Japan detained Chinese fishermen and seized their ship in waters off the Diaoyu Islands. It insisted on performing what it called "domestic judicial procedure."
--------------------------------------------------
Now the US is going to put its naval presence to shore up support for Japanese fears of their own growing weakness in the area. As the Chinese said: "Well, the US won't do anything, but it can show up".
Meanwhile Russia and China are working together on the issue of these islands as they have always been contentious, although always Chinese.
High level Russian delegates are working with the Chinese government to try to get Japan to accept reality and to have discussions. Meanwhile the Americans continue to support Japanese right-wing nationalists, as is to be expected.
All the Chinese wish to do is to make their historical case and maintain dialogue. Not such a bad thing. The world has changed. China has no need at all to back away from its own legitimacy in the matter.
Great Books about New China #1
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| And this, by Mark Leonard is an exceptional non-fiction book; very up to date and very readable. |
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Thirst For Love by Yukio Mishima
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| This is a very good book. Mishima's understanding of the human condition is quite remarkable. The next one of his on my reading list is: The Temple of the Golden Pavilion |
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