Saturday, June 29, 2013

Here comes the stick, where is the carrot?

China Boosts Security in Xinjiang After Bloodshed

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/china-boosts-security-xinjiang-bloodshed-19535318?singlePage=true#.Uc_J2230dqM

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN Associated Press

BEIJING June 30, 2013 (AP)

Chinese paramilitary troops began conducting round-the-clock patrols Sunday in the northwestern region of Xinjiang following a series of bloody clashes that have killed at least 56 people over the last several months.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

China commits combat troops to Mali

After weeks of speculations, China has officially committed combat troops to Mali today.

You can read a good summary from today's FT.com

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e46f3e42-defe-11e2-881f-00144feab7de.html#axzz2XRWBsxTX

June 27, 2013 2:14 pm
China commits combat troops to Mali

By Kathrin Hille in Beijing

China has publicly committed combat troops on a UN peacekeeping mission for the first time, marking a big shift in Beijing’s foreign policy.

Having close to 1,900 personnel deployed as of December last year, China is already the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions among the five permanent member countries of the UN Security Council. But Beijing has long shied away from sending combat troops.

http://chn.chinamil.com.cn/jwjj/2013-06/27/content_5390966.htm

　　记者：前不久，联合国秘书长潘基文访问中国期间专程前往中国国防部维和中心参观，并在参观时对中国参与联合国维和工作给予高度评价，对中国作出的突出贡献给予肯定。前不久有报道称，中国将向马里派出维和部队，请问最近进展情况如何？

　　杨宇军：应联合国请求，中国政府决定向联合国驻马里综合稳定特派团派遣工兵、医疗和警卫分队近400名官兵。这是中国军队自1990年首次派出联合国维和人员以来，参与的第24项联合国维和行动，也是中国军队首次派出安全部队参与维和。

　　记者：刚才提到的安全部队是否是作战部队？如果在当地进行维和是否会和当地武装力量发生冲突？第二个问题，从今天开始，美菲在距离黄岩岛108公里的地方举行联合军演，菲方发言人表示实际演习地点离黄岩岛非常远，预计中国不会将此次演习视为挑衅行为，请问中方作何回应？是否把这次演习视为挑衅行为？

　　杨宇军：关于第一个问题，联合国维和部队中没有所谓的作战部队。联合国维和行动的主要目的是，帮助有关国家和人民恢复与维护和平，防止战争，监督停火，维和人员不直接卷入驻在国武装冲突。

　　中方安全部队是指警卫分队，主要担负联合国驻马里综合稳定特派团战区司令部和维和部队营区的安全警卫任务。中国维和部队将认真履行联合国维和行动有关规定，为维护马里及该地区的和平与稳定发挥建设性作用。

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Photo of the day: PLA's Arty spotter UAVs

According the Chinese edition of the same report, those An-209 tactical UAVs are organic to artillery regiments for reconnaissance and target positioning purposes.

Training for key operators of new-type UAV concludes

A 30-day training for the key operators of the new-type reconnaissance UAV concluded successfully recently. The reconnaissance UAVs have been used in the artillery troops in recent years. They are new-type information weapons used for battlefield reconnaissance and surveillance, targeting and damage assessment. They have the characteristics of a large range of mobility, multiple reconnaissance means, high positioning accuracy and fast response. (China Military Online/Wu Sulin)

Now you have it, ancient Chinese military secret is out.

Hemp, Inc. Reports on Its Hemp Crop in Northwest China
By Hemp, Inc.
Published: Tuesday, Jun. 25, 2013 - 12:41 am

LAS VEGAS, June 25, 2013 -- /PRNewswire/ -- After the planting of its hemp crop in the Gansu Province of Northwest China, Hemp, Inc. is pleased to report that the cultivation is progressing on schedule. "According to a USDA report, on average, China produces significantly higher yields per acre of hemp. That's the primary reason we chose China to grow our crop," said David Tobias, President of Hemp, Inc. "Hemp seeds, hulled and marketed as 'hemp hearts' or as 'toasted hemp seed', are in high demand by consumers. The actual retail value of this harvest, in seed products alone, could be well over $2,000,000. We are encouraged at the prospects to gain market share as America's demand for hemp foods is on the rise."

Another part of the crop consists of a Hemp cultivar suitable for textile manufacturing. These hemp fibers will be blended with cotton or other natural fibers and made into soft, durable garments such as T-shirts. Hemp clothing is growing in popularity, and celebrities have added to hemp's appeal by wearing designer hemp on the red carpet. Demand for Hemp fabric may become much greater however, as according to a recent release by a leading natural fiber company, EnviroTextiles; "Research has proven hemp's ability to kill surface bacteria, while cotton, polyester, and polyethylene allow bacteria such as staph to remain on their surfaces for up to months at a time. China's military is using industrial hemp fabric for uniforms to fight staph infection. Other tests show hemp fabrics superior resistance to UV and infrared wavelengths, providing multiple applications for military use."

Hemp, Inc. CEO, Bruce Perlowin stated, "These tests show antimicrobial and antibacterial attributes of the hemp plant, that along with the heart healthy Omega fatty acids and protein in the seed, and hemp's soil remediation qualities, make for a sustainable crop that is useful in every aspect."

A value-added part of the Hemp plant is the chaff... the highly absorbent central part of the stem, obtained by mechanical de-fibering after the seeds are removed. The chaff is used for wet process hemp concrete building applications and animal bedding.

"We want all the chaff to use for the hemp adobe bricks that we will be making on our facilities in Arizona," continued Perlowin. "The market for eco-friendly landscape and building materials is huge." Tobias continued, "We are at the beginning of an expanding market. Elite athletes began moving toward vegan protein supplements of which hemp is best. Recently, Hemp has gone mainstream in local markets. Now we're seeing the possibilities in healthcare, construction and even military applications. The economy of hemp is expanding, and Hemp, Inc. is poised to be an important part of it."

Hemp, Inc.'s TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP) seeks to benefit many constituencies, not exploit or endanger any group of them. Thus, the publicly-traded company believes in "upstreaming" of a portion of profit from the marketing of their finished hemp goods back to its originator. By Hemp, Inc. focusing on comprehensive investment results—that is, with respect to performance along the interrelated dimensions of people, planet, and profits— our triple bottom line approach can be an important tool to support sustainability goals.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/25/5521668/hemp-inc-reports-on-its-hemp-crop.html#storylink=cpy