Chinese News Coverage of Latin America

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1. 拉美和加勒比近三年4900万人挨饿
49 million people went hungry in Latin America and Caribbean over the past three years
来源:人民网      时间: 11月26日

Venezuela Global Television reported that despite continued economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), 49 million people went hungry between 2010 and 2012. The region’s underfed population has decreased by only one million since between 2007 and 2010. Uneven distribution of income is a major contributor to the food problem. According to the United Nations, 8.3 percent of the Latin American population does not consume the recommended minimum daily calories. Another problem in the region is obesity, however. In most LAC countries, more than 20 percent of adults are considered obese.

2. 巴西教育部长表示将在多领域加强与中国学术交流
Brazil’s Minister of Education: Brazil will strengthen academic exchanges with China in many fields
来源:国际在线专稿  时间:11月22日

During the China-Brazil Education Cooperation Dialogue in Sao Paulo, Minister of Education Aloízio Mercadante stressed the importance of strengthening academic cooperation and communication with China. According to Mercadante, China and Brazil are both important emerging economies. Brazil must work with China on economic, political and technological cooperation. According to an agreement signed in 2012, Brazil will send 5,000 students to China for studies in science fields. China will also send exchange students to Brazil. This infusion of Brazilian exchange students will likely promote the study of Portuguese in China and Chinese students will help to promote Chinese language study in Brazil, Mercadante added.

3. 工行收购阿根廷标准银行80%股份 获阿央行批准
Central Bank of Argentina approves ICBC’s purchase of an 80 percent Stake in Standard Bank Argentina
来源:中国经济网   时间:2012年11月12日

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) finalized purchase of an 80 percent stake in Standard Bank’s Argentine unit. The purchase was approved by the Central Bank of Argentina on November 10th. This is the first Chinese bank acquisition of a financial institution in Latin America, and the first time that a Chinese bank has acquired a controlling stake in a mainstream commercial bank. This deal makes ICBC the most comprehensive Chinese bank operating in Latin America.

4. 厄瓜多尔总统科雷亚宣布竞选连任下届总统
Ecuador’s Correa to run for another presidential term
来源: 人民网    时间: 2012年11月11日

President Correa of Ecuador announced that he will begin a campaign for re-election. The 49-year-old has been president since January 2007. And with a public approval rating of 56 percent, he is likely to out-compete his political opponent, banker Guillermo Laso. Correa promotes “civic revolution” in Ecuador to eliminate social inequality. In an effort to safeguard national independence, Correa opposes neo-liberal economic policy and hegemonic foreign policy. If re-elected, Correa’s success will have implications beyond Ecuador’s border and into the surrounding Andean region.

5. 委内瑞拉治安恶化 数十万枪支被缴
Venezuela’s deteriorating law and order witness seizing of hundreds of thousands guns
来源:人民网   时间:2012年11月11日

The Venezuelan security situation continues to deteriorate. The government is attempting to limit illegal use of firearms. It seized 300,000 guns, but crime continues. Incidents of crime in Venezuela include armed robbery, kidnapping, burglary, and gang violence. Even soldiers and police are sometimes involved in criminal activities. Not only Venezuelan citizens, but also diplomatic missions in Venezuela are threatened by the mounting violence. Some diplomats have lost children to shootings. Chinese citizens residing in Venezuela should pay more attention to public safety because violence tends to escalate toward the end of the year.

6. 阿根廷最大规模的反政府示威游行 借此表达不满
Argentina’s largest anti-government demonstrations express public dissatisfaction
来源:环球时报    时间:2012年11月10日

On 8 Nov 2012, Argentina saw its largest anti-government demonstration in the past ten years. Demonstrators protested against the country’s surging inflation and high crime rate, and also challenged a change in constitutional presidential term limits proposed by President Cristina Kirchner. These protests are generally organized by means of social networking sites in major cities. Livelihood issues are thought to have provoked recent mass demonstrations. In addition to inflation, exchange controls and attempts to stop tax evasion have affected personal budgets.

7. 欧洲人口“逆向”迁往拉美
European population moves “in reverse” toward Latin America
来源 : 新华网    时间: 2012年11月07日

As the European debt crisis continues, more Europeans are moving to Latin America for jobs. Among Latin American countries, Mexico and Brazil are currently employing the most Europeans. European job seekers are entering such fields as infrastructure, construction, information technology, engineering, financial services, and new energy technology. These are sectors in which high-end technical talent is needed to fill local gaps. Europeans are filling a gap left by movement of high-skilled Latin America labor to the United States. Analysts believe that Latin American countries should seize upon this opportunity and implement more relaxed immigration policies to attract highly-educated foreign immigrants.

8. 大公维持委内瑞拉国家信用等级
Dagong maintains credit rating for Venezuela
来源:人民网   时间:2012年11月07日

The Chinese credit rating company, Dagong, has decided to maintain its credit rating of BB+ for Venezuela’s sovereign debt with a stable rating outlook. Dagong maintains its BB+ rating of Venezuela for three reasons: 1) the reelection of Hugo Chavez means a stable political situation, 2) the overheating economy will return to normal after the presidential election, although economic development shortcomings and macro-economic imbalances still exist, and 3) despite the fact that government debt has risen while medium-term debt repayment prospects remain low, high international crude oil prices will help the economy to sustain growth and fiscal pressures will ease following the election.

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