Toy Stand

A zero-sum mentality about China-US relations is reflected not only in the thinking of some US politicians, but also in a new survey conducted by the Pew Research CenterThe report finds that people in the Philippines still like the US and have confidence in its leader, President Donald TrumpToy Stand

The survey released on Sept 21 bore a title saying people in the Philippines still favor the United States over China, but that the gap is narrowingA quarter now name China as the world's leading economy, up from 14 percent the last time the Philippines was surveyedToy StandAnd despite the Philippines being the most pro-Trump nation in Pew's spring 37-country survey, confidence in Trump now is lower than it was in then-President Barack Obama in 2015The US was believed to be fully behind the scenes when the Philippines, under President Benigno Aquino III, filed the arbitration suit in 2013 against China in a tribunal in The Hague, a case in which China had refused to participate

His tough rhetoric on the US and softened rhetoric on China, especially compared with his predecessor Aquino III, has worried many in the USThe Obama administration had done everything it could to internationalize the South China Sea issue and had used the Philippines, a US ally, to advance the American strategyIn its 2016 defense white paper, Japan interferes in the South China Sea

The white paper served as an implementation scheme for the controversial security bills that enable Japan's Self-Defense Forces to play a more comprehensive global military role and allow implementation of the new US and Japan alliance guidelinesIt made irresponsible accusations against China, claiming that China continues to act in an "assertive" manner, including attempts at changing the status quo by coercioncn]On August 2, Japanese government approved this year's version of defense white paper, which described the security environment surrounding the country "increasingly severe"China's "dangerous acts" in the South China Sea and East China Sea could cause unintended consequences

(To overblow Chinese ship's entry, Japan's foreign ministry summoned Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua in the tee hours of that day, and lodged a protest)Refusing to have a territorial dispute in the East China Sea, Japan is unlikely to talk with China over its settlement, leaving the waters near the islands a minefield

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Hatakaze quickly followed them into that areaIn response to the Hatakaze's entry, the Chinese Jiangkai I-class frigate rushed into the waters, according to the Japanese weekly Nikkei Asian ReviewHiding the first part of the episode, the white paper criticized China for its frigate's entry into Japan's "contiguous" zone near the disputed islets in the East China SeaOn June 8, three Russian naval ships entered the waters close to the Diaoyu Islands

The defense legislation eliminates geographic constraints by substituting a situational threshold (situations that "gravely affect the peace and stability of Japan") rather than limiting support to "situations in areas surrounding Japan"Iowa's ties with China had already shown signs of increasingEven though Iowa is best known for its agricultural products and services, Reynolds said that advanced manufacturing is "actually the largest sector of our GDPReynolds said last month when announcing the trip that "there is no better time than now to market and pitch our products in China

"We believe as a united Iowa agricultural delegation, we can find opportunities that are beneficial to both China and Iowa," Reynolds saidAccording to Allen Williams, the business development manager at the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the state has had more inquiries from China in recent months than in the previous two or three years

Our relationship with the country is strong, and their growing middle class means increasing purchasing power, and Iowa stands to gain significantly as a resultUS beef had been banned from China since 2003 due to a mad cow disease scare

" When Branstad was receiving a Chinese trade delegation as Iowa governor in March, he remarked that he would like to be able to enjoy a bite of US beef at the US embassy in BeijingMeetings are planned for the delegation with Chinese government officials, industry partners and Branstad in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an, Shaanxi provinceIowa Governor Kim Reynolds is leading a trade mission to China that will feature officials from groups representing the state's major agricultural producersReynolds, who succeeded Terry Branstad as governor when he became the US ambassador to China on May 22, noted that agricultural "is the backbone of Iowa's economy and contributes about $112 billion to our economy annually""Relationships are especially important in China, and we are fortunate that Governor Branstad welcomed a then local agricultural official from China over 30 years ago into Iowa named Xi Jinping, who is now the nation's president," said ReynoldsLast year, nearly $6 billion worth of US pork was exported to China, including more than $1 billion from Iowa

"We will have representatives from our corn, soybean, beef, egg, poultry, dairy and turkey sectors seeking an opportunity to expand their footprint in China as the country's middle class grows," Reynolds said of the 10-day trip, which began on WednesdayHis wish came true on June 30 in Beijing when Branstad had prime rib from Nebraska to celebrate the return of US beef to China after 13 years

It detailed how one particular photograph in the series depicted the daughter of the famous Chinese statesman, Zeng GuofanThe story about a collection of rare photographs of Beijing from the late 1800s, on show in London's Chinatown, included a number of images from the exhibit - one of which set Watt back on his heels

The article explained how British photographer, Thomas Child, who had moved to China as an engineer, captured marriage ceremonies during the late Qing dynasty - which spanned from 1644 to 1912"The display of Child's work at the China Exchange, an organization in London, was the first time US-based collector, Stephan Loewentheil, had shared the original images of life during the Qing dynasty in Peking, now known as Beijing

"The family rose in importance in Shanghai from the late Qing dynasty into the twentieth century and went through more than 70 years of ups and downs until 1950," he saidWhile Watt's reaction to the never-before-seen photographs was by far the most compelling, the exhibition in Soho's Gerrard Street attracted worldwide attention, making headlines in the UK, the US, Europe and China"The success of the show reflected the increasing global interest in China's people and culture, as well as the interest of the people of China in preserving and studying their own history," said Loewentheil, who's Historical Photography of China Collection is the largest holding of late Qing dynasty photographs of China in private hands"My great, great grandfather was Zeng Guofan," Watt said

The 79-year-old never expected when he was browsing the internet that day that he would uncover a piece of family history dating back some 140 years"It was a picture I had never seen before and my instinct told me that the subjects could be my great grandparents," he told China Daily

According to Watt, the unique wedding photograph documents the moment of the start of the prominent Nie family in China"The groom, Nie Jigui, served as Shanghai's Governor from 1890 to 1893, died in 1911 and was buried in Hunan, while the bride, Zeng Jifen, died in 1942 and was buried in Shanghai

Not to mention, in an exhibition some 3,500 miles away from where he livedPortrait of a womanWhen New York-based Raymond Watt came across an article on the BBC news website about a Chinese photography exhibition in the UK last November, he was shocked, to say the least

"Today, Beijing is a vastly different place and the early photographs presented a perspective on the city which had never been previously availableThe country, which gained independence from the United Kingdom in April 1961, remains one of the least developed in the worldIt has eight surgical operation rooms and 300 patient bedsThe Chinese Navy's hospital ship Peace Ark arrives on Tuesday in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on an eight-day mission to deliver free medical services to 2,000 people in the West African nation

The visit marks the first time the ship has visited West Africa, Xinhua said[Photo/Xinhua]The Chinese Navy's hospital ship Peace Ark is providing humanitarian medical services to the people of Sierra Leone during an ongoing port call in the West African nation, Chinese media reported

The vessel arrived on Tuesday in Freetown, Sierra Leone's capital and largest city, which is a major port on the Atlantic OceanA nurse from China draws blood as part of an examination of a boy on the Peace Ark on Sept 21,2017

Sierra Leone is the second destination for Peace Ark in its "Harmonious Mission 2017" tourMedical personnel began examining and treating local residents immediately, Xinhua News Agency reported