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Sino-Russian Youth Friendship Exchange Year Launched in St. Petersburg

The opening ceremony of the "Sino-Russian Youth Friendly Exchange Year" was held on March 28 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin each sent a letter of congratulations.

In his letter, Xi Jinping said that, "President Putin and I jointly decided to hold the ‘Sino-Russian Youth Friendly Exchange Year.’ Year 2014 is a ‘Sino-Russian Youth Friendly Exchange Year’ and year 2015 will also be a ‘Sino-Russian Youth Friendly Exchange Year.’" The initiative will promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia at a high level and will promote the China-Russia friendship for the coming generations. The leaders of the two countries have undertaken this major initiative with an eye toward long-term bilateral relations.

In his letter, Putin expressed that large humanitarian events such as Russia’s "Year of China" greatly expand bilateral cooperation in many fields, including education, science, culture, tourism and sports. The "Youth Friendly Exchange Year" will further strengthen the China-Russia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Source: Xinhua, March 29, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-03/29/c_126330401.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Beijing Joins Taipei in Criticizing Student Protesters

The students’ occupation this month of Taiwan’s parliament to oppose the government’s attempt to pass a controversial trade agreement with China is indeed unprecedented. The trade deal allows Beijing and Taipei to invest more freely in each other’s service markets. Protesters say the deal will hurt Taiwan’s economy and leave it vulnerable to pressure from Beijing, but Taipei says it will benefit Taiwan’s economy.

Beijing’s official media joins Taipei in criticizing the protesters.

People’s Daily Online quoted from the Chicago China News & Digest, a local Chinese language newspaper, which stated that the Taiwan Benevolent Association in Chicago had issued a "solemn declaration" that the recent development revolving around the trade deal turned Taiwan’s representative politics into "mob politics." Opposition parties’ politicians are using inexperienced students as a tool in a power struggle. They have trampled on democratic politics and disgraced Taiwan’s international image.

People’s Daily Online also quoted from the Taiwan based United Daily News that some Taiwanese have organized a "White Justice Alliance" and called for a street parade on March 29. The Alliance states that not everyone is against the trade deal.

[Editor’s note: The students are also concerned that the KMT has steamrolled the political system, reneging on a promise to allow a thorough review and public consultation on the terms of the deal, thus threatening Taiwan’s hard-earned democratic system.]

Source: People’s Daily Online, March 27, 2014
http://tw.people.com.cn/n/2014/0327/c14657-24752121.html
http://tw.people.com.cn/n/2014/0327/c14657-24751014.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

PLA Daily: Learn the Lessons from First Sino-Japanese War in 1894

People’s Liberation Army Daily recently published a series of commentaries about the 1894 Sino-Japanese War that took place 120 years ago, giving an unusually objective evaluation of the Japanese military reform at the end of 19th century. That interaction prompted the continuous bloody conflicts between the two neighboring countries. The commentaries called for the People’s Liberation Army commanders to study the humiliating defeat of the Qing Empire at the hands of the Japanese. Analysts believe that the move is to warn of the effect of corruption within the military.

The commentaries said that the discipline and dedication of the Japanese army enabled them to defeat the Qing Dynasty’s Pei-yang Fleet.

One article stated: "(The) Chinese navy’s equipment, including the warships’ tonnage and the fire power, were indeed no less than those of the Japanese navy. … Quite a number of officers and even commanding officers of the fleet fostered ridiculous arrogance. Foreign military professionals who were paid and invited at a high price to instruct the navy were often subjected to ridicule and mockery. That was in stark contrast to the spirit of tireless learning of the Japanese Navy."

Analysts say these articles aimed to reveal the following facts: a lot of challenges that the Qing Dynasty’s army faced are the same as those the PLA battles today: nepotism, factional strife, and corruption.

A military expert at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law said, "If such phenomena continue, the PLA is bound to be defeated if a military conflict between China and Japan were to occur."

Tensions between China and Japan have deteriorated to the worst level since the end of the Cold War. Both sides repeatedly send planes and ships near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

One article on PLA Daily stated, "In a sense, the 1894 War has not ended."

One retired officer in Beijing said, "What our army is facing is clearly what the Qing government failed to deal with. This is exactly the reason why Chairman Xi Jinping urged the PLA senior officers to get rid of their stereotyped thinking."

The Pei-yang Fleet was a result of the Qing Dynasty "Self-Strengthening Movement." On the eve of the Sino-Japanese naval battle in 1894, the Pei-yang Fleet had about the same strength as the Japanese Navy in military hardware, but it was still defeated.

Source: Xinhua, March 24, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-03/24/c_119903160.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Xinjiang: Crackdown on Terrorism and Religious Extremism

Recently, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s Public Security authorities held a video conference on cracking down on crimes of religious extremism.

Zhu Changjie, Vice-Chairman of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Chinese Communist Party secretary, and the head of the Public Security authorities, demanded a "profound understanding of importance and urgency of combatting crimes of religious extremism at all levels."

The Autonomous Region vowed it would strike hard on violent terrorist and religious extremist criminal activities, while at the same time focusing on prevention and reactions to emergencies.

Since February 10, Xinjiang’s public security has cracked several related cases, destroyed a number of gangs, and arrested a number of suspects.

Source: Guangming Daily, March 24, 2014
http://politics.gmw.cn/2014-03/24/content_10772936.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Central Bank: Sixty Percent of the Residents Believe the Housing Prices “Unacceptably High”

In the first quarter of 2014, the People’s Bank of China conducted a survey of twenty thousand urban depositors in 50 cities. The results showed that 64.3 percent of the residents believe that current housing prices are "unacceptably high," 33 percent believe that current prices are "acceptable," while only 2.7 percent of the residents believe they are "satisfactory." Within the next three months, 15 percent of residents will be ready to buy a housing unit. This figure is 2.7 percent higher than the previous quarter and 0.2 percent higher than the same period last year.

The report showed that 55.8 percent of residents believe that the general price level is "unacceptably high." 32.6 percent of the population expected the price level to continue to climb, 48.5 percent expected the price level to remain "basically unchanged."

Source: Xinhua, March 22, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-03/22/c_119890856.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

SAPPRFT Steps up Regulations on Web Audiovisual Programs

On March 19, China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) issued a "Notice on further strengthening the management of web TV Series, mini movies, and other Internet based audiovisual programs." The Notice demanded an enhanced regulation on the entry and exit mechanism and content review and approval of such programs.

The Notice stated that all Internet service units that stream web TV Series, mini movies, and other audiovisual programs should have qualified auditors trained by state or provincial professional associations, have a sound editing, review, and management system for the program contents, legally obtain a "permit for web dissemination of audio-visual programs" issued by radio, film and TV broadcasting authorities, and conduct business in strict accordance with what’s allowed by the license.

The Notice stated that Internet service units that produce and stream on its website audiovisual programs should legally obtain a "permit for producing radio, film and TV programs" and the relevant "permit for web dissemination of audio-visual programs."

The Notice stated that Internet audiovisual program service units should abide by the principle of "whoever operates the website is responsible," and implement the system auditing before broadcasting. The units should have auditors to review the contents of the programs before being web streamed.

The Notice stated that the Internet service units that forward and upload audiovisual program are subject to the same regulation as those that produce the programs. Internet service units should verify the genuine identity of individuals and institutions that upload audiovisual programs to the website.

The Notice stated that major funders and operators of Internet audiovisual program service units should be responsible for the contents of the programs. Those who violate the regulations may be subject to punishment including warning, fine, or suspension of qualification for investing in or operating an Internet audiovisual program service for up to five years.

Source: Xinhua, March 19, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-03/19/c_119850244.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China to Complete Beidou Global Navigation System in Six Years

Yang Yuanxi, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in an interview that China has successfully launched four Beidou experimental satellites and 16 Beidou navigation satellites, with the second stage of the Beidou Navigation Project – Beidou satellites regional networking – successfully accomplished. The level of the accuracy of the Beidou system in the Asia-Pacific region is no worse than the Global Positioning System (GPS), said Yang. He suggested that China accelerate the formulation of relevant industrial policies to improve the navigation industry and guide its orderly development.

Yang said, from the completion of the experimental system of Beidou in 2000, to official provision of continuous positioning, navigation, timing, and other services in the Asia Pacific region by the end of 2012, it took only a dozen years for China to join the club of only four major satellite positioning and navigation systems in the world. It is planned that around 2020, China will complete the Beidou global satellite navigation system of geostationary orbit satellites and 30 non-geostationary satellites, offering complete coverage with high-precision, highly reliable positioning navigation services.

Source: Xinhua, March 4, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/info/2014-03/04/d_133158767.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Youth Daily: Environmental Protection Draws the Most Public Attention

A China Youth Daily team that monitors online public opinions issued a report on February 27. The report, based on a calculation of the amount of keyword-tagged information that has appeared at various online platforms since March 2013, came up with the top ten hot topics of public opinion, namely: environmental protection, anti-corruption, social security, food and drug safety, the stability of (housing) prices, Internet regulation, reform of the household registration system, judicial reform, health care reform, and social mores.

The issue of "environmental protection" rose to the top of the list, with three times more online discussions than the No.2 issue of anti-corruption. Of the 68 million online discussions, more than 70 percent (70.8 percent) of the netizens focused on PM2.5, a measure of particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter found in the air, which are believed to pose the greatest health risk. With over 48 million discussions on the matter it had more than a one third (35.6 percent) jump over last year. China Youth Daily received responses to over 1,000 questionnaires on how to deal with the air pollution. Approximately one third (29.3 percent) of the respondents called on the Government to strengthen its regulatory responsibility.

The topic of "anti-corruption" and "social security" ranked No. 2 and No. 3. on the list. The amount of total online discussion was about 22 million each, with a difference of only 3 percent. These two issues have made the list three years in a row, but the change this year is that "anti-corruption" jumped to No.2.

Source: China Youth Daily, February 27, 2014
http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2014-02/27/nw.D110000zgqnb_20140227_1-03.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources