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China Setting up Confucius Institutes in Southeast Asia

China has set up 18 Confucius Institutes and 14 Confucius Classrooms in Southeast Asian countries with a total of 60,000 students, Xinhua reported from the recent second annual “China-Southeast Asia Education Exchange Week” held on August 6 in Guiyang, Guizhou province. 

According to Hao Ping, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education, China has sent 5,062 voluntary Chinese language teachers to ten countries in Southeast Asia. From 2006 to 2008, China sent experts to Southeast Asian countries and trained 2,986 Chinese language teachers. It also organized 2,334 people from those countries to come to China for Chinese language training. By the end of 2008, China had awarded scholarships to 439 students attending Confucius Institutes in Southeast Asia.

Source: Xinhua, August 6, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-08/06/content_11836745.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Music Piece Red Flag Trilogy for Patriotic Education

The grandly-styled musical piece “Red Flag Trilogy” is being played on all major television and radio stations, at universities, science research institute as well as in some municipal communities, Xinhua reported. “Red Flag Trilogy” is a collaborative effort by Beijing University, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the August First (Chinese Military) Film Studio. The trilogy consists of three pieces: praising the party, praising the military and praising the national flag.

According to Xinhua, Zhao Weiming, professor of the Institute of Journalism, stated, “The intent of the ‘Red Flag Trilogy’ is to express people’s love of the Party, of the People’s Liberation Army and of the country.” “It will be used to exemplify unity, patriotism and a way to express people’s feelings.” The production has been made into a music video which will be included in the upcoming celebration of the 60th anniversary of the PRC.

Source: Xinhua, August 6, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-08/06/content_11837721.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Party Directives to Suppress Petitions at Local Levels

The Central Political and Legal Committee issued directives requesting that local officials handle petitions on law and litigation-related issues locally without elevating them to Beijing.

Zhou Bensun, secretary of the Central Political and Legal Committee, recently spoke at the "National Conference and Training for Petitions about Law and Litigation-related Issues." He stressed the need to build a strong and reliable foundation locally so that cases can be solved without going to Beijing and "create a harmonious and stable social environment to welcome the upcoming 60 year anniversary celebration." Zhou asked all political and legal agencies to seriously study and understand the directives issued by the central administration. Exercise and carry out the “opinions of the Central Political and Legal Committee and further improve handling of petitions about law and litigation-related issues.”

Source: Xinhua, August 7, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2009-08/07/content_11840345.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

500 Attended Public Security Bureau Spokesperson Training Classes

From July 26 through July 30, close to 500 people attended the training class held for the spokespersons of the Public Security Bureau at the Chinese People’s Public Security University. This training was another large scale centralized training session held by the Public Security Bureau following a similar session for 3000 county level Public Security Bureau Directors and 400 city level Secretaries of the Discipline Inspection Commission.

Meng Jianzhu, Minister of Public Security, spoke at the closing ceremony of the training session. He stressed the importance for the attendees to fully understand the unprecedented challenges that threaten social stability. He said there is a need to improve the “spokesperson system." Whenever an unexpected event takes place, the spokesperson should immediately come forward and publicize first hand information.  According to Meng, the spokesperson should “always put political work as the first priority. They need to be mentally equipped with the (Party’s) theory of persistency on the socialist path with Chinese characteristics; constantly improve their own political capability, and fully understand and exercise the Party’s instructions and policies.”

Source: Legal Daily, August 1, 2009
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0801/2009-08/01/content_1131716.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China County-Level Officials to Train for Sudden, Mass Uprisings and Disasters

The China National School of Administration plans to build a national training base for officials to deal with sudden or disastrous incidents. The training will most likely target the officials including those at the county level. It will last five to seven days and will use eight to ten typical cases so that the officials will have an overall understanding in handling emergency incidents.

According to the 2005 Social Blue Book, China’s mass incidents grew from 10,000 to 60,000 between 1993 and 2003, with the number of participants increasing from 730,000 to 3.07 million. In 2008, mass incidents took place in Wenan of Guizhou Province, Longnan of Ganshu Province, and Menlian of Yunnan Province. On June 25, 2009, the party secretary of Shishou city of Hubei Province was dismissed for his failure in handling a mass incident.

Source: Nanfang Daily, July 31, 2009
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/nfjx/200907310004.asp

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

People’s Daily Publishes Tibetan Language Edition

On August 1, People’s Daily published its Tibetan language edition. This will be the first Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper published in a minority language, People’s Daily reported. The publishing of the Tibetan language edition is to “carry the Party’s voice to tens of thousands of Tibetan households and enhance its media influence.”  According to People’s Daily, it also has the significance to “spread the Party’s philosophy, directions, and policies… (for People’s Daily) to seize the position of being the propaganda landmark in Tibet… and take control in the media war.”

Source: People’s Daily, August 1, 2009
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/9770748.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Zhou Yongkang Stresses the Need for the Military to Promote Social Stability

Days before the August 1st “Army Day”, Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Central Committee Political Bureau Standing Committee, and Secretary of the Central Political and Law Commission, spoke at the national conference in recognition of “work to safeguard national defense and the interests of military personnel and their dependents.” Zhou stressed that all political and law agencies and related departments in the military should promote national security and its overall strategic development level in order to effectively safeguard the national defense interest and protect the legal rights of military personnel and their dependents, to enhance national defense, and to promote social harmony and stability.

Zhou warned of the existence of unstable elements such as the enemy forces that are unwilling to recognize the power that China has gained over the years, and would use all kinds of means to interfere and destroy. He referred to the “July 5” Xinjiang Riot as an example.

Source: Xinhua, July 22, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-07/22/content_11753084.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Huanqiu BBS: US Spends Millions to Pay Chinese Internet Spies

To counter claims by western medias on the, “China poses an Internet threat theory,” Quanqiu carried an article on its BBS sites denying that China could pose any Internet threat and counterclaiming that China has been the victim of cyber attacks by foreign countries. It also claimed that US intelligence agencies spend tens of millions of dollars every year to support a group of “Internet traitors” from China to infiltrate and instigate rebellion against China.

The article said, “Most of these Internet traitors are either losers or those without a stable income.” “They regularly visit various Chinese BBS sites and receive a fixed income from the US. … Intelligence agencies from the US or Japan hired them to publish articles to attack the Chinese government or spread rumors against us… Their topics target the government system, value concepts, or social morality. Many (democratic activists) carry extreme views against China.”

Source: Quanqiu, April 14, 2009
http://bbs.huanqiu.com/zongluntianxia/thread-213435-1-2.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations