China will now be in Haiti under the leadership of close ally, Brazil who commands the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
Near Haiti close to Santiago in the eastern end of Cuba the Chinese already operate one of two listening posts on the island.
China has made economic moves in Peru, Brazil, and Venezuela and has control of the Panama Canal.
So, the Chinese quietly continue to move in our region. They could wind up with a massive "turn key" listening station. It is a story that gets little notice in mainstream American media. I am sure the Chinese want to keep it that way and most Americans could care less, for now.
Note: Mexican President Vincent Fox said Wednesday that his country looks forward to closer military cooperation with Russia, such as assembling Russian helicopters in Mexico or importing mixed civilian-military factories. #msg-3244001
Whoever gets to Cuba after Castro’s death wins!
He did not mince his words, arguing that the United States must be prepared to intervene within hours of Castro's death to prevent his compinches — his accomplices — from cementing their hold on power. #msg-2991903
-Am
China to send anti-riot peacekeepers for Haiti
www.chinaview.cn 2004-06-04 21:50:21
BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhuanet) -- China kicked off a three-month training for 148 anti-riot policemen on Friday, and will select 125 to compose its first team of anti-riot peacekeepers for missions in Haiti, according to the Ministry of Public Security.
Vice Minister Meng Hongwei said Friday at the training's opening ceremony that the anti-riot peacekeeping team would help maintain local public security order and handle possible social turbulence, which would require rigid and higher standards in skills and disciplines than a common peacekeeping police.
The team will head for Haiti in early September this year and stay there for about six months.
"China's active involvement in peacekeeping missions of the United Nations, especially in Haiti which has not set up a diplomatic relationship with China, fully exhibits a peace-loving and responsible image of the country," Meng said.
According to him, the 148 trainees, including 13 females, come from Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Chongqing municipalities and are aged 28 on average, with the oldest up to 41 and the youngest only 22.
From the Tianjin anti-riot squadron, Yang Yunsheng, 41, was quite confident in fulfilling the training. "We will cooperate andtrain hard to build a powerful force with tenacious style, adept skills and strict disciplines," Yang said in his oath.
Female trainee Han Yiqiu said her major goal was to build up her physical strength so that she could get qualified for the mission when the training ended.
The organization of an anti-riot team with international working experience could not only boost the government's cause of promoting peace and stability in the world, but also benefit domestic public order, especially the security defense work for the 2008 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing, Meng acknowledged.
Since 1999, the Chinese government has sent 253 police to participate in UN peacekeeping missions, including operations in East Timor, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Liberia, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Haiti. Currently, 55 policemen are still left in these areas for peacekeeping tasks. Enditem
China has been close to the Dominican Republic through its relationship with Cuba. President-elect Leonel Fernandez may be ready to take the relationship to a new level.
China was also trying to influence El Salvador’s March 21 elections, but missed. China is getting as close as possible to the United States and has made moves in Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, the Panama Canal and Canada. Probably more to this list. #msg-2572920 #msg-2488765 #msg-3521633
And whoever gets to Cuba first after Castro’s death wins!
He did not mince his words, arguing that the United States must be prepared to intervene within hours of Castro's death to prevent his compinches — his accomplices — from cementing their hold on power. #msg-2991903
-Am
Dominican Republic may switch allegiance to China
By Debby Wu STAFF REPORTER Thursday, Jul 15, 2004,Page 4
The official diplomatic ties between Taiwan and the Dominican Republic might be at risk of breaking up, a legislator said yesterday.
The issue was brought up during a banquet Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng hosted in honor of former Dominican Senate speaker Ramon Alburquerque Ramirez and his 15-member delegation last Thursday, according to a legislator who attended the banquet, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"Ramirez told Wang that the Dominican Republic's new president might intend to improve the country's relations with China," the legislator said.
President-elect Leonel Fernandez is slated to be inaugurated on Aug. 16.
The legislator said Wang replied that he hoped the two countries could work toward maintaining diplomatic relations, as Taiwan has been a diplomatic ally of the Dominican Republic for more than 60 years. Ramirez told Wang that maintaining diplomatic ties should be the target of lawmakers in both countries.
Wang offered no comment on the incident in response to questions from reporters yesterday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that there was any turbulence in relations between the two countries.
"Taiwan and the Dominican Republic have maintained a stable and friendly relationship in the past, and Taiwan has had close ties with Fernandez, who has been a long-time friend of the country," Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Richard Shih said.
"Fernandez has also promised that if he is elected, he will continue to maintain the ties between Taiwan and the Dominican Republic," Shih said.
He said that Fernandez had invited President Chen Shui-bian to attend his inauguration. Premier Yu Shyi-kun is expected to attend Fernandez's inauguration as Chen's special envoy.
Cuba bristles at Bush 'transition' plan Mon Aug 1, 2005 3:02 PM ET
He did not mince his words, arguing that the United States must be prepared to intervene within hours of Castro's death to prevent his compinches — his accomplices — from cementing their hold on power. #msg-2991903
-Am
By Anthony Boadle
HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's communist government is bristling over President Bush's efforts to hasten its downfall by appointing a "transition coordinator" to prepare for a post-Castro Cuba.
"Once again Bush is rudely meddling in Cuba's internal affairs by appointing one of his men to publicly coordinate subversive actions against the island," the ruling Communist Party newspaper Granma said on Monday.
The Bush administration named Caleb McCarry on Thursday to the State Department post of Cuba transition coordinator, a position created last year as part of a strategy to prepare for what it hopes will be a move from communism to democracy.
The announcement added to tensions in Havana where economic hardship and prolonged power outages fueled rare street protests and graffiti against President Fidel Castro this summer.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, announcing the appointment, said the White House's policy was to "accelerate the demise of Castro's tyranny."
She said McCarry, a staff member of the House International Relations Committee for the past eight years, will "direct our government's actions in support of a free Cuba."
"Viva Cuba libre," McCarry said in Spanish.
Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque confidently responded on Sunday that McCarry would retire before ever setting foot in Cuba.
But Ricardo Alarcon, president of Cuba's legislature, said McCarry's appointment was a bad sign for Cuba.
"This is proof that they are really following the plan. ... (McCarry) will coordinate everything the United States does to overthrow the revolution," said Alarcon on Saturday.
Castro, who will turn 79 next week, has been in power since a 1959 revolution that ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. His government is facing discontent over shortages that have persisted since the collapse of Soviet communism deprived Cuba of billions of dollars in subsidies more than a decade ago.
The Cuban leader last week blasted the Bush administration's "exceptional degree of hostility," citing U.S. financing of his opponents and increasing radio and television broadcasts from a military plane used previously in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Cuban leader warned dissidents who have taken their small protests to the streets of Havana that they will be met with counter demonstrations.
A veteran dissident said the appointment of a transition coordinator in Washington was a mistake.
"It's counter-productive. This will deepen tensions between Washington and Havana and allow Cuba's totalitarian government to raise the specter of foreign interference in Cuban affairs," said human rights activist Elizardo Sanchez.
(Additional reporting by Saul Hudson in Washington)
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