Chinese oil painting sells for record $30 million

A Chinese artwork has sold for a record 236 million Hong Kong dollars (30.4 million US dollars), a new high for contemporary Chinese oil paintings. Master artist Wu Guanzhong’s painting was auctioned at the Poly Auction Hong Kong on Monday night, China’s state Xinhua News Agency reported.

Chinese oil painting sells for record $30 million

Wu’s masterpiece, entitled The Zhou Village, portrays the picturesque tranquil beauty of Zhouzhuang - a famous water town and popular tourist attraction in China’s Jiangnan, the southern area in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Chinese oil painting sells for record $30 million

Measuring 148 by 297 centimeters, the painting was finished in 1997 when Wu was 78. It is the largest oil painting on canvas ever auctioned in China.

Combining the Western oil painting tradition with scenes from China, Wu has been called the father of modern Chinese painting.

The new record comes despite auction sales of living Chinese artists’ works falling by 45 percent, according to a survey by wealth publisher the Hurun Report, which collated auction results for the 100 most lucrative Chinese artists.

China dismisses US report on freedom of navigation

China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged the United States to show respect for other countries' sovereignty and security, in response to the Pentagon's newly-released annual freedom of navigation report.

The Freedom of Navigation Report for the Fiscal Year 2015 was released by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on Monday. According to the report, the US military conducted "freedom of navigation" operations against 13 countries and regions last year, including several to challenge China's claims in the South and East China seas.

"We regard the so-called 'freedom of navigation' operations as a violent means to which the US resorts to promote its unilateral claims,” said Hua Chunying, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a regular press briefing.

“We hope the US can respect the sovereignty and security of other countries and contribute more to safeguard the international maritime order and regional peace and stability,” she added.

This photo taken on Dec. 11, 2015 shows uniquely beautiful winter scenery of the Zhaoshu Island in the South China Sea. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingquan)

Meanwhile, the US DoD said on its website that these operations aimed to preserve the rights, freedoms, and lawful use of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all nations under international law.

In 1979, the US established the Freedom of Navigation program before the signing of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), said Hua, adding that its aim was to safeguard the US military's maximum freedom and maneuverability to enter the oceans of the world and challenge the new maritime order as a non-signatory of the 1982 UNCLOS.

“These moves by the United States are an attempt to dominate maritime order and reflect its logic of hegemony and exceptionalism in its treatment of international law,” said Hua.

Media reports said six US Air Force planes performed a flight mission in "international airspace" in the vicinity of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea on April 19.

China's Ministry of National Defense on Monday said in a statement that the US is pushing for a militarization of the South China Sea in the name of freedom of navigation and overflight.

China is concerned about and opposed to actions that threaten the sovereignty and security of countries around the South China Sea and undermine regional peace and stability, according to the statement.

Will DPRK rock NE Asia with a fifth nucleartest?

Speculation is mounting that the DemocraticPeople's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is ready to push the button on yet anothernuclear test.

News that the country's Workers Party willhold its first congress in nearly forty years early next month has fanned therumors, given that Pyongyang typically timed nuclear tests to coincide withmajor political events.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye onTuesday expressed near-certainty that a launch was imminent, stating that theDPRK has "completed its preparations for a fifth nuclear test" and itcould be carried out at any time.

The president's assessment came after theDPRK fired a ballistic missile last Saturday from a submarine – the launch,which failed, was denounced by the UN.

Photo: Yonhap

The UN Security Council adopted Resolution2270 in March to impose tough new sanctions on the DPRK in response to thecountry's nuclear and missile tests carried out earlier this year.

US State Department spokesman Mark Tonerechoed President Park’s determination to take hard-hitting actions against theDPRK, saying that the US will look at "other options" to increasepressure on the DPRK and strengthen defense of its allies if Pyongyang doesconduct yet another nuclear test.

"We're going to look at other optionsas we move forward if North Korea continues with this kind of behavior,"Toner warned, but didn't detail what "other options" could mean.

Toner added that his country would makeevery effort to convince the DPRK to return to talks about its nuclear program.

The DPRK has carried out two nuclear andseveral ballistic missile tests in recent months, heightening tensions on theKorean Peninsula and inducing condemnation and concern among the internationalcommunity at large.

CCTVNEWS

CICA: Cooperation on anti-terrorism measures tops conference agenda

Foreign ministers from 26 countries have gathered in Beijing for the fifth Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) where they are expected to issue a statement that represents a consensus on a host of issues and blueprints on the conference's future development.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday met with the foreign ministers of Turkey, Palestine and Pakistan.

The meeting is aimed at deepening cooperation between states through dialogue and promoting sustainable security. This year's focus will be centered around cooperation on anti-terrorism measures within Asia.

CICA is so far the only multilateral security mechanism that covers almost all of Asia. It is distinguished from other security mechanisms that are commonly dominated by super powers.

What does CICA do?

Chinese President Xi Jinping is a strong advocate of the forum. During the 2014 summit, Xi proposed what he called the “New Asia Security Concept,” which seeks to establish “common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia.”

The new concept set principles and targets for the member states to conduct security cooperation and urge them to collectively safeguard peace in the region.

“Peace and development of Asia is closely connected with the future of mankind, and Asia's stability and revival is a blessing to peace and development of the world,” Xi said at the fourth CICA Summit in Shanghai in 2014.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) poses for a group photo with world leaders and representatives attending the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Shanghai, May 21, 2014. (XINHUA/MA ZHANCHENG)

China's strong support for CICA comes with reasons, as the country is seeking a peaceful rise but at the same time facing security threats and disputes in its neighborhood.The ongoing regional security issues include the increasing nuclear activities in the Korean Peninsula, South China Sea disputes, and the deployment of THAAD, an advanced US missile defense system in the Republic of Korea.The CICA Summit gives China an opportunity to promote regional exchanges to address both security demands and economic ties. While it is pushing its “Belt and Road” Initiative to promote cooperation in trade and economy, China is also cooperating on fight against a growing threat from extremism, terrorism, and separatism in the region. During the two-day meeting that starts today, delegates will hold close door meetings and multilateral meetings. President Xi is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech on Thursday, the concluding day for the conference.