HOUSTON, March 24, 2011 — Former US Secretary of State James Baker III under President Ronald Reagan receives an award from the Asia Society and argues in his speech that American fear-mongering about China is “dangerously wrong” at Asia Society Texas Center’s 2011 Tiger Ball. (12 min., 24 sec.)

Also special thanks to http://wanderingchina.wordpress.com/ for first bringing this video to my attention.

By Mica Rosenberg and Alex Leff
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica | Thu Dec 30, 2010 11:16am EST

(Reuters) – Friendlier ties between Taiwan and China are allowing Central American nations to deepen economic links with the communist giant, increasing Chinese influence in a region dominated by the United States.

Central American businesses say the isthmus has been held back by its long support of Taiwan, a self-ruled island claimed by Beijing as part of China, denying the banana and textile exporting countries free access to the world’s No. 2 economy.

The region has been torn between Taiwan’s generous aid and the promise of doing business with Beijing, enviously looking on while bigger economies like Brazil, Chile and Peru steadily increase their shipments of raw materials to China.

Costa Rica made the surprise move of breaking off its decades-long relationship with Taiwan in 2007, now only recognized by a handful of small countries.

El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Guatemala say they have no immediate plans to abandon Taiwan, but are worried they will be left behind after Costa Rica agreed to a free trade deal with China in April that lawmakers aim to ratify in 2011.

[...] Click here to read the complete article direct from Reuters

Silver - Wikicommons

The 9th China International Silver Conference (CISC) will be held this week ,October 15-17.  Major players from across the industry will be heading to Beijing to partake and climb the Fragrant Hills, a beautiful mountain landscape on the outskirts of Beijing which your author climbed back in the fall of 2006.

Here’s some background information on the event. and if this isn’t enough feel free to visit http://silver2010.antaike.com/ for additional info.

As countries around the world have taken a proactive fiscal policy and monetary stimulus, as a result of the global financial crisis, economies have started to show signs of moderate recovery. At the end of 2009, international commodity markets began to rebound; gold and silver were no exception. The world economy continues to suggest complexity and uncertainty and the European sovereign credit crisis is deepening. Many analysts suggest that the price of gold and silver will continue to rise.

In 2010, two principles of global economic recovery are industrial resurgence and the gradual withdraw of government stimulus policy. Governments, under the overall objective background of improving global industrial structure, encouraging economic development methodologies, and controlling inflation, are exploring the new international financial state of affairs. In this post-crisis era, it is also important to grasp potential new financial regulations. The 9th CISC will examine new trends in the global silver market, and discuss ways market participants can help further accelerate silver industrial restructuring and revitalization.

Accordingly, the 2010 China International Silver Conference, will be hosted by Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China, and co-hosted by China General Chamber of Commerce, China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, China Chamber of Commerce of Metals Minerals & Chemicals Importers and Exporters, and the Silver Institute. The CISC is will be organized by Beijing Antaike Information Development Co., Ltd, and will be held in Beijing, at the Fragrant Hill Empark Hotel (five stars) on October 15th-17th, 2010.

9th China International Silver Conference (CISC) will invite important national ministries and leading global industry executives, as well as experts in China and abroad to discuss macroeconomics and the global financial situation, silver industry policy orientation, industry upgrades and technical progress. Additionally, Oct 16th is the Double Ninth Festival in the Chinese lunar calendar, which is an auspicious day worthy of celebration. The custom of ascending a height to avoid epidemics was passed down from long time ago. CISC organizers in particular are looking forward to a climbing tour to Fragrance Hill in
accordance with this event.

Conference Theme: Focus on Beijing, Explore in Development, Open up Interspace
Conference Date: Oct 15th-17th, 2010 Beijing, China
Conference Address: Fragrant Hill Empark Hotel (five stars), Beijing

Conference Scale: 300-400 attendees
Conference Attendee: Silver and precious metals producers, consumers, traders, stock and bond brokers, investors, researchers, media and etc
Conference Format: Reports, Discussion and Activities

Hosted by： Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China
China General Chamber of Commerce
China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association
China Chamber of Commerce of Metals Minerals & Chemicals Importers and Exporters
The Silver Institute

Organized by：Beijing Antaike Information Development Co., Ltd.
Co-hosted by：Henan Jiyuan Jinli Smelting Co., Ltd.

CSA will start with none other than China, The country which unarguably had the most people around the world wishing one another a happy new year at the same time… Not because they have 1.4 billion people, but rather because the entire country is in one time zone, that of Beijing.  Happy New Year China!  I’ll be seeing you soon (CSA will be updated from China as of 2010).

China

Top Chinese leaders including President Hu Jintao on Wednesday watched Peking Opera at the National Center for the Performing Arts in a gala to mark the New Year. (Xinhua Photo)

Soldiers in NE China celebrate new year with local ethnic people. (Xinhua Photo)

Vocalist Kang Mao of Chinese rock band "SUBS" performs at a rock gala to celebrate the New Year in Beijing December 31, 2009. Picture taken December 31, 2009. (REUTERS)

Taiwan – China

A person holding an umbrella watches fireworks exploding from the world's tallest completed skyscraper Taipei 101 during New Year celebrations in Taipei January 1, 2010. (REUTERS)

Australia

Sydney, Australia - Celebrates New Years 2010 (Photo via Newsfromrussia)

Singapore

Fireworks light up the skyline of the financial district to usher in the New Year on Jan. 1, 2010 in Singapore. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Japan

People release balloons as the Tokyo Tower is illuminated to celebrate New Year at a countdown event at the Zojo-ji Buddhist temple in Tokyo January 1, 2010. (REUTERS)

South Korea

Christians sing a hymn during a prayer to celebrate the New Year at Imjingak pavilion near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas in Paju, about 52 km (32 miles) north of Seoul, January 1, 2010. (REUTERS)

Indonesia

Fireworks explode above downtown Jakarta's Welcome Monument, Indonesia, early Friday, Jan. 1, 2010. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

China wants to boost cooperation with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to develop trade and increase investment, said Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming.

[ASEAN] - Five Asean Nations May Form Rice-Trade Body, Thai Official Says - Bloomberg

Five Southeast Asian nations may set up a rice-trade association next year to cooperate in stabilizing rice prices, a Thai official said.

Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar will also cooperate on other issues related to food security and production, said Chiya Yimvilai, a spokesman at a meeting of Asean economic ministers in Bangkok. The countries would also work together on developing rice products, he said.

[Venezuela - Russia] – PDVSA, Russian Group to Start $30 Billion Oil Venture – Bloomberg

Petroleos de Venezuela SA and a group of Russian oil companies plan to spend $30 billion on a joint venture in Venezuela’s Orinoco region.

The 40-year venture will seek to produce crude in the Junin 6 area and may expand to other Orinoco blocks, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin told reporters in St. Petersburg today after meeting with Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez. Russian investors will include OAO Gazprom, OAO Rosneft, OAO Lukoil, TNK-BP and OAO Surgutneftegaz. The venture will be signed “in the coming months,” Sechin said.

[Mexico - Uruguay] – Mexico/Uruguay sign strategic association accord and advance trade – MecroPress

Mexico president Felipe Calderón and Uruguay’s Tabare Vazquez signed on Friday in Montevideo a Strategic Association accord to strengthen political dialogue and bilateral trade relations in the framework of the 2004 free trade agreement.

[Mexico - Colombia - Venezuela - Ecuador] - Mexico offers to mediate between Colombia and Venezuela and Ecuador – MecroPress
Mexican president Felipe Calderón on an official visit to Colombia offered his country’s mediation in the conflict between Bogotá and neighbouring Ecuador and Venezuela.

[Peru - Brazil] - Brazilian President to visit Peru to strengthen strategic alliance – Andina
The next arrival to Lima of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will contribute to create a new strategic alliance to face Asian markets when signing several trade agreements, the President of Peru-Brazil Integration Chamber Miguel Vega Alvear.

“The arrival of Brazilian President will strengthen the progress achieved up to now in this Peru-Brazil strategic alliance and it will create a new stage in which both countries can face Asia-Pacific markets,”

a2a_linkname=”Newswire – South South Emerging Market Cooperation”;a2a_linkurl=”http://chinasouthamerica.blogspot.com/2009/08/newswire-south-south-emerging-market.html”;

Financial regulators in Hong Kong and Taiwan agreed to allow cross-listing of exchange-traded funds in the two markets, Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission said on its Web site yesterday.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKslM3KDLmY&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1]

[Reuters Video] – China’s central bank says the $580 billion stimulus measures are having a better-than-expected impact on the economy, with more action likely.