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All posts by LKY - 189. page

Former Prime Minister Suffered Stroke

According to people close to the source, Li Peng, the 80-year-old former Prime Minister, suffered a stroke on February 3 and was sent to the 301 PLA hospital for emergency treatment. Li regained conscious after 48 hours of urgent rescue but is still listed in critical condition. He is reportedly to appear facial paralyzed.

Li’s name is closely linked to the Tiananmen Square Movement in 1989, when Li backed the use of force to suppress the student protest.  His last public appearance was at the opening ceremony of 17th National Congress in October 2007.

Source: New Century Net
http://2newcenturynet.blogspot.com/2008/02/blog-post_2004.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Developing Spaceplane That Can Bomb Any Target on Earth

Zhuang Fengan, a Chinese Aerospace expert, disclosed that China has been conducting research on spaceplane. Yan Liang aircraft stress testing base in Xian, a subsidiary of No. 1 Group of China Aviation Industry will carry out the final testing, which is expected to be completed before 2010.

The Global Times calls the U.S. developed spaceplane “sudden and swift; capable of bombing any target on earth.”

Source: Wenweipo, Hong Kong, February 6, 2008 http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/army/2008/02/200802060815.shtml

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Chinese New Year û Snow Storm Strands Millions

Because of heavy storms hitting the south and northwest regions of China since mid-January, millions of migrant workers have been stranded and unable to go home for Chinese New Year. In Guangzhou alone, 1.1 million out of 3.8 million sold train tickets were returned due to cancellations. The local labor security agency in Guangdong Province has issued an urgent notice to various levels of authorities asking that they persuade those who are stuck on the road to return to Guangdong. They are hoping to keep 65 percent of the migrant workers for the New Year.

Source: Xinhua, February 5, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-02/05/content_7575411.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

New Internet Domain Technology û Potential Savings of Billions of Dollars

On January 24, after ten years of research and development, the China Ministry of Information announced the launch of a decimal internet technology. It combines domain name, ip, and MAC addresses, and will replace the existing hexadecimal system developed by the U.S. Xie Jianping, Chief Engineer in charge of the project said that China has become the second country in the world next to the U.S. that has mastered the technology in domain names and address distribution.

China pays 500 billion yuan (US$6.9 billion) to the U.S. each year for worldwide Internet usage, including domain registration, analysis, channel resources, equipment, and software. The total amount exceeds China’s annual defense budget.

Source: China First Finance Daily, January 24, 2008
http://finance.people.com.cn/GB/6818246.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Communist Youth League Enters Hong Kong College Student Association

For the first time, a communist party youth league member from mainland China will run for office in an election for board members for the Hong Kong University students association. It was reported that this student candidate refused to disclose his position about June 4, 1989, Tiananmen student movement even though the campaign policy of the association specifically calls for correcting the mistakes made during June 4th . Some student members are concerned that the political position of the Hong Kong University student association might be affected because of it.

Source: The Apple Daily, January 26, 2008, reprinted by Boxun
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2008/01/200801262036.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Open Letter Calls for Prosecution of the Shanghai Gang

On January 19, in his third open letter to the top leaders of China, Kong Qiang, a government employee from Shandong Province and the owner of “China Shenzheng Net,” a rights advocate website, called for the immediate legal prosecution of Jiang Zemin and his gang, also known as the “Shanghai Gang.” Kong said, “Otherwise, we will never be able to face either the people in China, or the people around the world.”

In an exclusive interview with The Epoch Times, a news media based in New York, Kong disclosed that through his activities as a human rights advocate, he has come across substantial evidence against the Shanghai Gang and feels that he can no longer be silent.

Kong is 39 years old and works for the Administration of Industry and Commerce in the Qubu Municipality in Shangdong Province. He founded Shenzheng net in July 2005. The website has been shut down repeatedly due to his disclosing sensitive inside information about the Shanghai Gang. Kong has received numerous threats that he will be fired from his work and sent to a mental hospital. He previously published two other open letters, on December 6 and 24 in 2007.

Source: The Epoch Times, January 19, 2008
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/8/1/21/n1984358.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xinhua: The U.S. is Struggling under Globalization; the View of a Declining US is on the Rise

Xinhua carried an article from The Global Times entitled “The U.S. is Struggling under Globalization; the View of a ‘Declining US’ is on the Rise.” The article starts with the following remarks: “2007 marks the year of the U.S.’ decline.” “The U.S. is following in the footsteps of the former Roman Empire.”

The article cites the following as sufficient proof that the U.S. is going the way of unavoidable decline: Domestically, the U.S. is unable to cope with the domestic sub-prime crisis and the depressed economy. Internationally, the U.S. is unable to defeat Bin Laden and the Al Qaeda. Politically, the U.S. has no solution for Iran’s defiance. Economically, the U.S. is unable to control the price of oil. On the military front, Iraq and Afghanistan are a big mess.

The article also cites articles from the Economist, Financial Times, Der Spiegel, and Focus magazine to support these views. Finally, the article quotes comments by Jin Canrong, a professor at the School of International Studies and School of Public Administration of Renmin University. Jin said that the U.S.’ inability to adjust in the globalization environment has weakened its global influence. He continued, “The U.S. has begun to adjust its policies, but not its self-centered mentality. Any real fundamental change will require time and many lessons.”

Source: Xinhua, January 18, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-01/18/content_7447982.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Existing System Criticized for its Effect on the Art Community

In an interview with Nanfang Weekend, Wu Guanzhong, a prominent 89-year-old contemporary painter spoke out against various issues in the art community. He said that the commercialized education system erodes the quality of education. Teachers’ evaluation process is a waste of time and money; it is full of personal connections and not effective. He is calling for closing the state-owned art associations and institutions, saying they have become corrupt and unproductive. “Events organized by these places are just like the prostitution industry, which is purely money driven.” Wu said, “The art community has been politicized. The artworks are way overpriced and the Art centers only collect junk artwork.” He concluded that there are all sorts of issues in the art community, including education, facility, contest, and market. “The existing system is the cause of it all.” Wu said he is speaking the truth and wants to speak up more when he is able.

Source: Nanfang Weekend, January 9, 2008
http://www.infzm.com/culture/whtt/200801/t20080109_34385_1.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability