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Hu’s online visit û a New Channel for Chinese Styled Democracy?

Hu Jintao made a surprising online visit to Qiang Guo Forum on June 20 and chatted live with Chinese cyber fans for 22 minutes. Hu’s visit was viewed as recognition from the government to take internet as a channel for people to express their voice, according to a survey conducted by China Youth Daily after Hu’s visit. Among 2874 surveyed, 71.9 percent agreed that the government has begun to seriously take on the opinions on the internet and the cyber expression has become a new avenue to realize the Chinese styled democracy. While 56.8 percent among surveyed agreed that Hu’s visit was “a historical step”, only one in two agreed that this will help to increase Chinese citizen’s participation in social affairs.

Source: China Youth Daily, June 30, 2008
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2008-06/30/content_2243141.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Girl’s Death Sparked Unrest in Guizhou Province

Over 10,000 people gathered in front of the local police station and government buildings in Weng’an County in southwest Guizhou province Saturday, June 28, to vent anger towards the local government’s cover up of an alleged rape and murder of a female student. Angry crowd torched the police station, county government building, and Civil Affairs Bureau building. 1500 anti-riot police arrived on Sunday morning and used tear gas and high voltage baton at the scene. It was reported that at least three people died, 200 people arrested including 30 middle school students, and 150 injured.

The victim, Li Shufen, was a student from Weng’an County No. 3 High School. She was found dead in a river around midnight on June 21. After the reports from the medical examiner concluding the death as “suicide,” Li’s uncle went to the county party committee to appeal but was beaten to death. Three suspects were said to be connected to the local government authority and were released within 8 hours.

Source: The Epoch Times, June 30, 2008
http://news.epochtimes.com/gb/8/6/30/n2173202.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Mainland Official Media Expected to Re-enter Taiwan

Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council is expected to pass a proposal to allow Xinhua and People’s Daily, two official news agencies from mainland China, to re-enter Taiwan and setup their correspondence stations before the end of June. The permit is for three months plus one extension. The Council is also expected to loosen up the requirements for mainland movie stars to perform in Taiwan.

Both agencies were asked to leave Taiwan in 2005 after Beijing passed the “Anti-Separation Law”. The agencies were said to have reported “biased and untruthful” news during that time.

Source: BBC, June 24, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7470000/newsid_7472000/7472094.stm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Russian Survey Showed US as No. 1 Enemy; China Ranked No. 2 Ally

A survey results reported by a Russian newspaper suggested that 33.3 percent of surveyed consider US as its number one enemy to Russia and Sakartvelo ranked the second at 31 percent. Among the list of allies, 35.5 percent surveyed chose White Russia as number one and followed by China as the second at 18 percent. Germany ranked the third at 16.7 percent followed by Armenia at 12.7 percent, France 9.4 percent, and Italy at 9.1 percent.

Source: Xinhua, June 20, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-06/20/content_8399299.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China to Increase Oil and Electricity Price

National Development and Reform Commission issued a notice stating that Oil and Electricity price will increase starting June 20. The notice said that the increase would exclude three provinces (Sichuan, Shanxi, and Gansu) which were affected by the earth quake.

China has been imposing the government controlled oil pricing system with supplemental funding from the government to keep the oil price low. The recent increase was resulted from the pressure of the worldwide oil price surge.

Source: BBC, June 19, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7460000/newsid_7464300/7464311.stm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Over 10,000 Chinese Citizens Signed Petitions to Call for Citizens’ Rights

Citizen Supervising Political Affairs Society Of China published a news release stating that they have collected signatures on a petition from 11,259 citizens in China. The petition was to question Chinese regime’s responsibilities in handling the earth quake warnings and the safety of the building structures. It calls for protection of citizen’s rights in supervising the government, investigate and take legal actions against those who shall be held responsible.

Source: Gong Ming Jian Zhen (Citizen Supervising Political Affairs Society Of China), June 16, 2008
http://www.gmjz.org/X-Space/html/69/t-3969.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China BBS Forum: “Kung Fu Panda” is Unwelcomed in China.

On June 17, three people were protesting outside of the State Administration of Radio Film and Television against the movie “Kung Fu Panda” entering China. The messages on the banner reads: “We will not allow Hollywood to make money in China after we survived the natural disaster”; “Get out! Hollywood”; “Get out! Kung Fu Panda!”

The comments posted along with the pictures noted that according to unverified sources, the reason to call for banning “Kung Fu Panda” is because people were upset with Spielberg’s letter dated in February 2008 withdrawing as an artistic advisor to the Beijing Olympics. Kung Fu Panda is due for release in China on Friday June 20.

Source: Sina, June 16, 2008
http://bbs.sina.com/viewthread.php?tid=43934&extra=page%3D1

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Fear Arises Over Housing Market Downturn Following Stock Market Plunge

China’s housing developers showed great concern over the plunge stock market fearing the further decline in housing market. The statistics showed that the number of sales closed in Beijing for the week of June 9 was 2017, a 25 percent down compared with the same period of 2007 and 50 percent down from 2006.

China’s stock market fell over 10 percent last week, the worst ever in the past twelve years.

Source: Xinhua, June 16, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2008-06/16/content_8380076.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources