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All posts by LKY - 145. page

Xinhua: Need Party Leaders Who Dare to Oppose Those Loyal to the Dalai Lama

Tibet Daily published a commentary on the talk that Hu Jintao gave during his visit to the Tibetan delegation at the Two Conferences. Hu encouraged the delegation to further promote the “old Tibetan Spirit.” The commentary stated that, in order for them to further promote the “old Tibetan Spirit,” it would be necessary to be firm on anti-secession and to maintain solidarity with the central administration that Hu heads. The commentary also called for recruiting and training Party leaders who are “politically reliable, capable of safeguarding national unity, firm on anti-secession, and who dare to oppose those loyal to the Dalai Lama.”

Source: Xinhua, March 20, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2012-03/20/c_122855073.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Survey Finds that People Would Like to Have Their Representatives Contact Information

Following the conclusion of the Two Conferences (the National People’s Congress and the Chinese Political Consultative Conference), China Youth Daily Social Investigation Center conducted a survey involving 2,412 people, 38.9 percent of whom were born in the 1970s and 24.2 percent of whom were born in the 1980s.

The survey showed that 88.2 percent wished that their representatives would regularly perform their roles. Of those surveyed, 95 percent stated they don’t know their local representatives’ contact information; 76.1 percent wanted to have their representatives’ contact information so they could raise issues and make suggestions; 91.2 percent wanted it to be mandatory for the representatives’ contact information to be  publicly accessible; 88.3 percent wanted their representatives to take more responsibility and not just attend the “Two Conferences.” Out of this group, 68.4 percent felt "quite strongly" about it.

As to the specific actions that they wanted their representatives to perform, they are ranked as follows: supervising government work (88.5 percent), gathering public opinion (86.8 percent), and raising concerns on behalf of the general public (81 percent).

Source: Xinhua, March 20, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2012-03/20/c_122855107.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Chinese Ships Entered Controversial Island Region

According to Kyodonews of Japan, on March 16, 2010, ships from Chinese Marine Surveillance Corps. entered the Japanese area of the Diaoyu Islands (which Japan calls the Senkaku Islands). The Japanese Coast Guard followed with warning signals. The Chinese ships left the area 25 minutes later.

Xinhua reported about the same incident and stated that on March 16, Marine Surveillance Corps. ships No. 50 and 66 entered into the Diaoyu Islands (or Senkaku Islands) region to conduct routine surveillance where they encountered the Japan Coast Guard. According to the Xinhua report, they said, “We immediately called for their attention, displayed our identity, inquired about the situation and declared our position.” Xinhua said that they received no response from the Japan Coast Guard which just simply followed after them.

China’s State Oceanic Administration claimed that the routine surveillance was consistent with China’s position on the ownership of the islands and the nearby region. Chinese Marine Surveillance Corps. is an entity that operates under the supervision of State Oceanic Administration.

There have been continuous conflicts between China and Japan over the ownership of Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands. In September 2010, the Japanese Coast Guard hit a Chinese fishing boat in the region and arrested the boat captain.

[Ed. Media reported in 2010 that the Chinese fishing boat collided with Japanese vessels, after which the Japanese detained the Chinese captain.]  
Source:
Voice of America, March 16, 2012
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20120316-JAPAN-ISLANDS-DISPUTE-142901005.html
Xinhua, March 16, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2012-03/16/c_122840287.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2012-03/16/c_122840354.htm
New York Times, September 10, 2010
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/look-out-for-the-diaoyu-islands/

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Chongqing City Leadership and Judiciary Branches Declare Unity with the Central Administration

On March 15, 2012, the city of Chongqing held a leadership conference and announced the removal of Bo Xilai as the Party chief of Chongqing and the appointment of Zhang Dejiang as his replacement. Zhang Dejiang, the Deputy-Head of the Central Organization Department, made the announcement.

Li Yuanchao, head of the Central Organization Department, spoke at the meeting. Li stated that Wang Lijun’s decision to enter the U.S. Consulate was a serious matter and that the central administration is paying close attention to the investigation. The change in the leadership post in Chongqing was the direct result of Wang’s case. Li requested that the entire Chongqing city leadership unify behind the central administration’s decision and cooperate with the transition in order to guarantee the stability of the political and social environment in Chongqing.

Zhang Dejiang also spoke at the meeting. He expressed his solidarity with the Party’s leadership with Hu Jintao as the head; he also declared his decision to persevere on the path of scientific development and the open and reform policy, and to  fight corruption and promote clean governance.

Following the city leadership meeting, the Chongqing High Court and the People’s Procuratorate immediately held a meeting and repeated the key messages from the city leadership meeting. Both judiciary branches declared their solidarity with the decision that the central administration made. They said they would "maintain a high degree of unity with the central administration and firmly safeguard the stability of Chongqing."

Source: Xinhua, March 16, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2012-03/16/c_122840891.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

February Home Prices Dropped in 64% of Middle to Large Cities

On March 18, 2012, the National Bureau of Statistics published its February home sales report on 70 of the middle to large size cities in China.

The prices of newly constructed homes dropped in 45 out of 70 cities, as compared to January 2012; 21 remained flat and 4 cities had a price increase that was less than 0.1 percent. In the same period in 2011, the prices dropped in 27 out of 70 cities and 12 were higher in February than in January.

For existing home sales, in February 2012, the prices in 45 out of 70 cities dropped compared to January, while 14 remained flat and 11 had an increase that was under 0.4 percent. In the same period in 2011, prices dropped in 44 out of 70 cities and were higher in 7 cities in February as compared to January.

Source: China News Review, March 18, 2012
http://finance.chinanews.com/house/2012/03-18/3752023.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Chinese Companies Investments in Foreign Countries Increase

According to the Ministry of Commerce, by the end of 2011, Chinese companies had invested US$322 trillion in 18,000 businesses in over 178 foreign countries. There were close to 1.2 million expatriates stationed overseas and the cumulative capital investment exceeded US$1,500 trillion.

Of those regions where China invested, the investments in European and African countries grew 57.3% and 58.9% respectively, compared to the same period last year. China’s investment in EU countries grew by 94.1%. The areas in which China invested consisted mainly of coal mining, manufacturing, electricity production and supplies, transportation, and retail industries.

Source: China Economic Net, March 1, 2012
http://intl.ce.cn/specials/zxxx/201203/01/t20120301_23119212.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China Accelerates the Growth of Its ‘rospace Industry

Zhang Jianhen, Vice President of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) disclosed that, during the 12th Five Year plan, China will launch 100 space shuttles and satellites averaging 20 launch missions each year. One of them is Shenzhou No. 9, which is scheduled for a June to August launch this year. The spacecraft will carry three astronauts and implement China’s first space rendezvous. China will also launch 6 BeiDou （COMPASS）Navigation Satellite dishes in 2012. Their launch will mark the completion of China’s navigation system, which will cover China and the nearby regions.

According to Zhang,  CASC’s total revenue for 2011 was 100 trillion yuan and its total assets exceeded 200 trillion yuan. It plans to reach over 250 trillion yuan in revenue by the end of the period of the 12th Five Year plan.

Source: China News Review, March 12, 2012
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1020/3/7/5/102037591.html?coluid=45&kindid=0&docid=102037591&mdate=0312085324

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Police Use Tear Gas to Suppress Protesters in Hainan

According to Hong Kong’s Apple Daily, tens of thousands of villagers from the town of Ying Ge Hai in Hainan Province marched on the streets on March 10, 2010, to stop the opening ceremony of a thermal power station. Ying Ge Hai is famous for its salt fields and its fishing industry. These are the major sources of income for at least 20,000 villagers. Fearing the environmental and air pollution to the area, the villagers have resisted the power plant proposal since last December. However, the authorities have still gone ahead with the plan. On Saturday March 10, the protesters marched to the village office building and demanded that the authorities cancel the opening ceremony. The police force was on the scene and used tear gas to stop the protesters from entering the building. The police besieged and blockaded the entire village, arresting at least 20 protesters. The related online postings were taken down almost as soon as they were posted.

Source: Wen Xue City, March 12, 2012
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2012/03/12/1675489.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability