South Korean raid frees hostage crew from pirates

Updated: 2011-01-22 11:57

(Agencies)

South Korean naval special forces approach the Samho Jewelry vessel using a boat before carrying out an operation to rescue its crew members, in the Arabian Sea Jan 21, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

SEOUL - At dawn Friday, South Korean commandos steered their boat to a hijacked freighter in the Arabian Sea. Under covering fire from a destroyer and a Lynx helicopter, they scrambled up a ladder onto the ship, where Somali pirates were armed with assault rifles and anti-tank missiles.

Five hours after the risky rescue began, it was over.

All 21 hostages were freed from the gunfire-scarred freighter. Eight pirates were killed and five were captured in what President Lee Myung-bak called a "perfect operation."

It was a remarkable ending to the daring and rare raid, handing South Korea a stunning success in the battle against pirates who have long tormented shipping in the waters off the Horn of Africa.

The lone casualty among the crew was the captain, identified as Seok Bae-gyun, 58, who was shot in the stomach by a pirate, South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported. He was taken by a US helicopter to a nearby country for treatment, but the wound was not life-threatening, Lt. Gen. Lee Sung-ho of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters in Seoul.

"My heart stopped when the news of all the members being rescued was broadcast," the captain's son, Seok Hyun-wook, told the newspaper. "If I knew that they were planning a rescue, I would have been nervous all along."

The successful raid also was a triumph for South Korea's president and military. Both came under harsh criticism at home for being too slow and weak in the response to a North Korean attack in November on a South Korean island near disputed waters that killed two marines and two civilians.

Friday's operation came a week after the Somali attackers seized the Samho Jewelry, a 11,500-ton chemical carrier sailing from the United Arab Emirates to Sri Lanka.

"We will not tolerate any behavior that threatens the lives and safety of our people in the future," President Lee said in a brief televised statement.

The wife of one of the South Korean crew wept in gratitude as the hijacking ended. The unidentified woman told the Yonhap news agency that "family members couldn't sleep or eat well and prayed for a safe return. I am very relieved."

Choi Young-soo, the father of 25-year-old crewman Choi Jin-kyung, told the JoongAng Ilbo that his relatives "were in tears when we saw the news."

"When I heard the news of the hijack, I thought the sky was falling," the elder Choi was quoted as saying.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak speaks at the presidential Blue House in Seoul Jan 21, 2011 after South Korean naval special forces rescued crew members of the Samho Jewelry vessel in the Arabian Sea. [Photo/Agencies]

Of the 21 crew members, eight were from South Korea, two were from Indonesia and 11 were from Myanmar. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the Samho Jewelry was being accompanied by the destroyer to a safe area; it did not elaborate.

Other countries' special forces have launched several raids to rescue hijacked ships in recent months, but hours, not days, after capture, and then only after they were assured the crew was locked in a safe room, commonly referred to as a "citadel."

The raid on the Samho Jewelry was rare because it came a week after the ship was seized. It was not clear if the crew was in a citadel during the rescue, but the wounded captain clearly was not.

Security forces are usually reluctant to launch such raids because of the risk to the hostages.

Malaysia holds 7 Somali pirates after saving ship

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-01-22 17:25

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's navy was holding seven Somali pirates Saturday after thwarting an attempt to hijack a chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden, authorities said.

The Royal Malaysian Navy said its commandos injured three pirates in a gunbattle and rescued the 23 crew members of the Malaysian-flagged MT Bunga Laurel early Friday, less than two hours after the assailants stormed the vessel with pistols and assault rifles.

The navy sent a ship and a helicopter, which were then 14 miles (22 kilometers) from the Bunga Laurel, after crew members locked themselves in a safe room and activated a distress call, it said in a statement late Friday.

Elite security forces managed to board the ship and overpower the pirates after an exchange of gunfire, the statement said. No one among the rescue team or Bunga Laurel's crew was injured.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he was informed that seven pirates were captured. Authorities were considering whether they should be brought to Malaysia to face trial for the hijack attempt, Najib told a news conference.

"I am proud of our (navy), which acted with full efficiency and demonstrated courage," Najib said.

The naval ship was in the Gulf of Aden to escort vessels with Malaysian interests. The attack occurred only two hours after the ship had left the Bunga Laurel after accompanying it to what was considered relatively safe waters in the Gulf of Aden, about 300 miles (500 kilometers) east off the coast of Oman, the navy statement said.

The navy did not provide details of the crew members' nationalities. Representatives of the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation, which was operating the Bunga Laurel, could not immediately be reached.

Other countries' special forces have also launched raids to save ships boarded by Somali pirates within hours of the attacks in recent months, after being assured the crew was locked in safe rooms, commonly referred to as "citadels."

In another successful but riskier rescue Friday, South Korean special forces stormed a freighter in the Arabian Sea that had been hijacked a week earlier. They freed 21 crew members and killed eight Somali pirates.

Fossil mom helps shed light on ancient life

By Yan Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-22 09:43

The fossil of a female pterosaur known as Mrs T. [Provided to China Daily]

BEIJING - She was gliding over a lake on her way to a patch of soft soil where she wanted to lay her egg when a sudden gust of suffocating toxic volcanic gas hit her, breaking her wing and plunging her into the water more than 160 million years ago.

Mud on the lake bottom quickly buried the flying reptile's body and, over time, it turned to rock.

Now, researchers are celebrating the fact that the fossilized remains of the pterosaur they nicknamed Mrs T and her un-laid egg are shedding new light on ancient mysteries.

They say the discovery of the fossil, which was unearthed in 2009 in Northeast China's Liaoning province, has helped solve mysteries surrounding the creatures - including how to tell the difference between males and females.

"The discovery of Mrs T has thoroughly resolved that longstanding question," said Lu Junchang, who led a team of paleontologists from China and Britain that worked on the find.

Lu, who is also a researcher with the Beijing-based Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, made the announcement on Friday at the same time as an article on the breakthrough appeared in Science magazine.

The research team reported that the reptile, specified as a Darwinopterus, a mid-Jurassic pterosaur, was a sexually mature female and a rare example among fossilized pterosaurs because it was found along with an egg.

Lu and his team said Mrs T and several other examples demonstrated that male pterosaurs had a relatively small pelvis and a large bone crest on top of the head, while females had a larger pelvis and no crest.

Paleontologists had long wondered whether the crest belonged to males or females and whether its primary purpose was for fighting or attracting a mate.

The egg found beside the hip of Mrs T measured about 3 centimeters in length and was thought to match the size of her body, added Lu. The wings of the pterosaur spanned more than 70 cm.

Lu said it was clear that Mrs T was female and that the egg was her egg and not one snatched from another nest for food because the reptile would not have been strong enough to have carried such a large egg because her legs were too thin.

The team reported that the shell of the egg was like parchment, a characteristic shared by all existing reptiles, including crocodiles and lizards.

The fossil is now in the possession of the Zhejiang Museum of Natural History in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.

Chinese money looks to invest in US

By Wang Chao and Tan Yingzi (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-22 10:15

Nick Damjanovich, construction superintendent of SANY America, stands at a construction site in the Peachtree City Industrial Park, Georgia, US. [Photo by Tan Yingzi/China Daily]

BEIJING/WASHINGTON - Chinese companies are making their way into the United States, and their influence can be felt in all facets of life.

When you walk into a new convenience store, it may be run by a Chinese couple speaking broken English; when you enter a furniture store, the manager greeting you might be Chinese and he may own five other stores nearby; even when the gas company comes to change your meter, you may notice that the new meter has Chinese characters on it.

On Nov 1, 2010, the Ministry of Commerce issued a report showing China's outbound direct investment in 2009 reached $56.5 billion, the fifth largest in the world. From 2002 to 2009, China's outbound direct investment grew by 54 percent annually.

While some of the investment came from State-owned companies, the majority came from the private sector.

Chinese investments come into the US in several ways: mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures with domestic companies, buying small businesses and building new factories.

"Opportunities for investment (into the US) will last for a long time, perhaps 30 to 50 years," said Lin Shunjie, deputy secretary-general of the China Chamber of International Commerce.

Lin said what private enterprises do is surprisingly diversified. While State-owned companies might not want to invest in areas with limited returns, private companies seem willing to invest in projects that bring them consistent returns.

SANY Group Co Ltd, the largest construction equipment manufacturer in China and one of the top 10 in the world, is not too dissimilar from many other ambitious Chinese companies.

"After the company went public in 2003 on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, we entered a new phase of development that required us to explore more resources worldwide," Tang Jianguo, president of SANY America, told China Daily.

"The US is home to the leading heavy equipment manufacturers and it has the best technology, talent and market, and I believe the company can benefit from investments in the US."

Based on an agreement with the Georgia state government in 2006, the company established a factory on 92 hectares and will invest more than $100 million over the next few years. Company managers said they expect to create about 600 jobs in the state.

The China Chamber of International Commerce said 70 to 80 percent of its 300 members have overseas investments, with 20 to 30 percent of them investing in the US.

One main reason for the investments is that with the onset of the global financial crisis, Chinese companies, especially exporters, are finding it harder to export to the US. As the yuan appreciates, the dollars they accumulated from exports are losing their value, pushing companies to find an outlet for their money. The US is an optimal destination.

"The US is desperately in need of investments, which are what Chinese enterprises possess," said Chen Yongjun, deputy director of the business school at Renmin University of China in Beijing. "It is the best time for Chinese companies to invest in the US. Previously, US companies were worried that their technology would be stolen when they brought their technology into China. But if we invest in the US, we become stakeholders and will protect our intellectual property rights, creating less concerns for US partners."

Lin said it is also a good opportunity to rebuild Chinese brands. "For decades, Chinese products have been synonymous with being cheap and of low quality, just like Japanese products were in the 1970s. It was the only message conveyed to American consumers. If we let it be, it will also take us 30 years, like the Japanese, to eliminate that and rebuild brands. Through manufacturing in the US, we might rebuild our brands in 20 years."

To many private enterprises, investing in the US is a wise move since they will become part of a local company and can label their products "made in the USA". And since labor is much more expensive in the US than in China, most investments go to technology-intensive industries, rather than consumer products.

"We don't advise all types of Chinese companies to invest in the US since many of them may not survive. Companies should alter their production models and add value to their products first before they consider investing overseas," Lin said.

China Daily

Japan's rocket carrying cargo for space station blasts off

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-22 17:03

TOKYO - A Japanese rocket carrying an unmanned cargo transporter to the International Space Station (ISS) blasted off Saturday, said reports from Tanegashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAEA) has announced that the launch was a success and the cargo unit separated from the rocket as scheduled.

The H-2B rocket, originally scheduled to lift off on Thursday, was launched at 2:37 pm (0537 GMT) at Tanegashima Space Center after a two-day delay due to adverse weather conditions.

According to the JAEA, the rocket carries the HTV2 transporter, which is expected to connect with the ISS on Friday.

Also included in the cargo are equipment for use in Japan's Kibo laboratory module, food and drinking water for astronauts.

Malaysia holds 7 Somali pirates after saving ship

Updated: 2011-01-22 17:25

(Agencies)

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's navy was holding seven Somali pirates Saturday after thwarting an attempt to hijack a chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden, authorities said.

The Royal Malaysian Navy said its commandos injured three pirates in a gunbattle and rescued the 23 crew members of the Malaysian-flagged MT Bunga Laurel early Friday, less than two hours after the assailants stormed the vessel with pistols and assault rifles.

The navy sent a ship and a helicopter, which were then 14 miles (22 kilometers) from the Bunga Laurel, after crew members locked themselves in a safe room and activated a distress call, it said in a statement late Friday.

Elite security forces managed to board the ship and overpower the pirates after an exchange of gunfire, the statement said. No one among the rescue team or Bunga Laurel's crew was injured.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he was informed that seven pirates were captured. Authorities were considering whether they should be brought to Malaysia to face trial for the hijack attempt, Najib told a news conference.

"I am proud of our (navy), which acted with full efficiency and demonstrated courage," Najib said.

The naval ship was in the Gulf of Aden to escort vessels with Malaysian interests. The attack occurred only two hours after the ship had left the Bunga Laurel after accompanying it to what was considered relatively safe waters in the Gulf of Aden, about 300 miles (500 kilometers) east off the coast of Oman, the navy statement said.

The navy did not provide details of the crew members' nationalities. Representatives of the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation, which was operating the Bunga Laurel, could not immediately be reached.

Other countries' special forces have also launched raids to save ships boarded by Somali pirates within hours of the attacks in recent months, after being assured the crew was locked in safe rooms, commonly referred to as "citadels."

In another successful but riskier rescue Friday, South Korean special forces stormed a freighter in the Arabian Sea that had been hijacked a week earlier. They freed 21 crew members and killed eight Somali pirates.

Hu maps road ahead for Sino-US ties

Updated: 2011-01-22 08:11

By Tan Yingzi and Wu Jiao (China Daily)

President Hu Jintao (L) visits the Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, which houses a Confucius Institute, in Chicago, during the final day of his US visit, Jan 21, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

Chinese president suggests route to take "sound and steady" links with the US forward

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO - President Hu Jintao reaffirmed on Thursday in the United States that China will continue to deepen its reform and opening-up and adhere to peaceful development while he also urged Washington to be mindful of Beijing's "core interests" in Taiwan and Tibet.

Before leaving for Chicago on the final stop in his four-day state visit to the US, Hu delivered a speech at a luncheon in Washington where he explained China's approach to maintaining a cooperative partnership with the US.

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About 500 US business and political leaders attended the event that was hosted by the US-China Business Council and the National Committee on US-China Relations, along with several cooperating organizations.

The two countries issued a 41-item joint statement on Wednesday laying out the foundations for future China-US relations that emphasized their common interests and recognized differences.

During his speech, Hu identified the broad common interests and responsibilities that are the basis of China-US relations and proposed several steps to take the "sound and steady" relationship into a new decade.

He said both nations are committed to upholding world peace and stability and reforming the international system as well as developing the Asia-Pacific region and building stronger bilateral ties in all fields to benefit the people of both countries.

In addition to expanding strategic and economic cooperation, the Chinese president urged the US to treat China with respect and as an equal and to handle major and sensitive issues in an appropriate manner.

"Taiwan- and Tibet-related questions concern China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and they represent China's core interests," he said.

"They touch upon the national sentiment of 1.3 billion Chinese people. We hope that the US will honor its commitments and work with us to preserve the hard-won progress of our relations."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Beijing firmly opposes leaders or government officials from any country meeting with the Dalai Lama in any form, and also firmly opposes any country using the Dalai Lama issue to interfere in Tibet-related issues, which are China's internal affairs.

US President Barack Obama met the Dalai Lama in Washington in February, despite China's strong opposition, an event that worsened bilateral relations that were already disturbed by an earlier US arms sale to Taiwan.

Beijing broke off military ties with the US after the arms sales and the military-to-military relationship did not start to warm back up until the end of last year.

At the end of his speech, Hu assured his US hosts that China - still a developing country - will continue to "deepen reform and opening-up, advance economic, political, cultural and social restructuring in an all-round way, and improve the socialist market economy."

To address growing concerns about China's military modernization, Hu reaffirmed that China will remain committed to peaceful development and strive for a peaceful international environment.

"We do not engage in the arms race or pose a military threat to any country," he said. "China will never seek hegemony or pursue an expansionist policy."

Before the luncheon, Hu held talks with House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, during which he called upon Congress to continue helping the countries boost their relations.

While addressing a gathering of business leaders at a welcome banquet in Chicago held by Mayor Richard M. Daley, Hu said Chicago had played an important role in advancing trade and cultural ties with China.

And he pledged to further elevate bilateral trade and cultural ties, and called for fair treatment from the US on such issues as Washington's control of high-tech exports to China. He also called for a level playing field for Chinese companies wanting to invest in the US.

Several hundred Chinese Americans gathered on the streets in Chicago to welcome the Chinese leader.

In eager anticipation of what they expect will be new economic opportunities thanks to closer links between China and Chicago, local Chinese American leaders had been posting welcome signs throughout the city's Chinatown.

Daley said the city's long-range goal is to make Chicago the most "China-friendly" city in the United States and establish it as China's "Gateway to America".

Hong Liu, president of the Chinese American Association of Greater Chicago, told the Chicago Tribune that local "residents should be honored that Chicago is the only city outside Washington DC that he selected to visit".

Analysts said Hu's visit to the US was a success.

Sun Zhe, director of the Center for US-China Relations at Tsinghua University, said the win-win partnership in business highlighted during the visit was a major improvement on talk of "economic cooperation and helping with the global revival" stressed in 2009 when Obama visited Beijing.

He said, in the post-crisis era, the partnership will help ensure comprehensive business cooperation between the world's top two economies.

Fan Jishe, an expert on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was interested in why Hu decided to visit Chicago instead of cities with large Chinese American populations such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, or financial centers such as New York.

"I think Beijing wants to convey the message that the economic surge of China is not a burden but a benefit for the US," he said.

Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger said on Wednesday: "They can call this summit a success, not because it has solved every problem but because it has sought the way by which the problems can and will be solved."

Nicholas Berry, director of Foreign Policy Forum, told China Daily the US treated China as a partner.

"The state visit is staged as a celebration of China's rise - a message from Obama to both the American people and the Chinese that the United States does not consider China a 'strategic competitor', that is, a military threat. Instead, China is now a major power that the US will treat as such."

John Frisbie, US-China Business Council president, said: "Most simply, the visit by President Hu is a reminder of the importance of the relationship - seen by many as the most important bilateral relationship for both sides in the 21st century.

"This is a relationship in transition, and this visit is an important part of navigating that transition."

Kelly Chung Dawson in New York and Li Xiaokun in Beijing contributed to this story.