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Radio Free Asia: China to Set up Party Organizations for Mainland Microblogging Sites

Quoting from the Taiwan based United Daily News, Radio Free Asia reported that, immediately after the Chinese New Year holidays, the Communist Party’s propaganda authorities ordered that Party organizations be established for all microblogging sites. The websites involved, including Sina, Tencent, Sohu, and Netease, have already received the relevant instructions. The report quoted sources as saying that, in the future, the Party organizations will be responsible for major microblogging policy guidlines and decision-making, and will resolutely implement the commands of the CCP’s Central Propaganda Department, the State Council, and the provincial and municipal network management offices. At the same time, starting from March 16, the above mentioned four major microblogging sites will implement real-name registration. Anonymous users can only view contents but will not be able to post or forward articles.

Source: Radio Free Asia, February 7, 2012
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/ql1-02072012094100.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China Scholar Warns Long Term, Serious Challenges Due to Unfavorable Public Opinion from the West

Li Xiguang, a professor and director of the Tsinghua University International Center for Communication (TICC), published an article in the Chinese Communist Party’s Qiushi journal, warning of “long term and serious challenges” due to public opinion from the West creating an unfavorable environment for China.

Li quotes reports from the U.S. based Rand Corporation that laid out the U.S. strategies on cyberwars and global information infiltration. Li’s article said, “We must see that, after China became the world’s second largest economy with its comprehensive national strength continuously growing, the United States and other Western countries found out that when the growth of their hard power was insufficient, they needed to implement their soft power to make up for the relative weakness of their national power.” “They (western media) often hold a strange fear of a heterogeneous and powerful China. They often jeer at certain unavoidable incidents in China’s development and fault them as being the unavoidable consequences of China’s social system. Western media, with their deep-rooted ideological bias, plus their ‘loud voice’ in international communication, has seriously damaged China’s international image and harms China’s peaceful development.”

Source: Qiushi, February 1, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2012/201203/201201/t20120129_135976.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Signs Currency Swap Deal with U’

In the latest indication of the growing political and economic links between Beijing and countries in the oil-rich Gulf region, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a multi-billion dollar currency swap deal. The swap, valued at RMB35bn ($5.5bn), is the latest in a string of currency deals China has agreed to with foreign nations. It is effective for three years and will allow the central banks to draw on the local currency facility to ease bilateral trade. The announcement, which came as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited the UAE for the first time as part of a three country tour of Gulf oil states, acts as both a political statement to bolster China’s ties to the UAE, and a pragmatic measure to increase business with the Gulf’s regional trade hub.

Source: People’s Daily, January 18, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/70731/16914473.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Ministry of Commerce: China’s Exports Face Grim Situation

According to Zhong Shan, China’s Vice Minister of Commerce, China’s international trade is facing a “complicated and grim” situation due to a lack of demand and intensified competition in the international market.

Zhong said that, on the one hand, China’s exports face competition from traditional exporting countries. On the other hand, with regard to labor intensive products, there is growing competition from developing countries due to rising labor costs in China. Statistics show that, since the third quarter of last year, the market share of Chinese exports to the United States, the European Union, and Japan decreased by 1.3%, 1% and 0.6%, respectively. Seven categories of labor-intensive exports, including textiles, clothing, footwear, luggage, furniture, toys, and plastic products saw a rapid decline.

Source: Xinhua, January 9, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2012-01/09/c_111401927.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Qiushi on China’s Morality

Qiushi published an article on on January 1, 2012, on moral issues in China titled, “Correctly Understand China’s Moral Status at the Current Stage of Chinese Society.” The article defended China: “China has achieved great development and progress in its overall social and moral status,” because of China’s economic growth.

However, it did mention the “moral challenges” the country faces. “Ethical issues exist mainly in some areas of the population. Firstly, the moral failure of some officials is prominent in that they seek personal interest and use their public positions, money trading, and corruption. Their behavior has a great negative impact on society. Secondly, the lack of morality in some enterprises and among businessmen is exhibited in their lack of good faith, swindling, and counterfeiting. Thirdly, the moral problem of some cultural celebrities is seen in their seeking fame, plagiarism, and sensationalizing. Lastly, the lack of civic virtue stands out in not abiding by public ethics, not offering to help when others are in danger, and returning evil for good.”

Source: Qiushi, January 1, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2012/201201/201112/t20111228_132528.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Beidou Enables PLA to Get Rid of Dependence on U.S. GPS

According to China News Service, on December 27, China’s second generation of the Beidou satellite navigation system became operational with coverage of China and its neighboring regions. The Beidou system, currently operating as a free trial, offers positioning accuracy to within 25 m (82 ft). Plans include improving accuracy to within 10 m (33ft) next year, at which time six more satellites will be put into orbit and the system will offer services to customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The global system should be finished by 2020 and consist of 35 satellites.

The report said the Beidou system has a very significant military value. With its completion, the PLA will rid itself of its reliance on the U.S. GPS (Global Positioning System). China’s military strength will be greatly enhanced. The report claims that Beidou even outperforms the GPS in certain military functions. For example, Beidou’s short message capability allows the “group call” function that enables accurate commands and coordination. The military commanders can use the Beidou system to control the position of troops at any time and pass relevant orders.

Jin Yinan, a director at China’s National Defense University, said that letting the Beidou system be put into use as early as possible will play a huge role in enhancing national security. It is more significant than manned space flight and the Chang’e lunar exploration program.

Source: China News Service, December 28, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/hb/2011/12-28/3564478.shtml

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Qiushi Reemphasizes: No Religious Beliefs for Party Members

In a high profile article published on Qiushi, the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship publication, Zhu Weiqun, the CCP’s deputy chief of the Department of Organization, proclaimed that a Party member must not have religious beliefs.

Zhu said, “At present there is a noteworthy phenomenon: there is a rising trend among Communist Party members of participating in religious activities and establishing close personal relationships with religious leaders. Some Party members have become de facto religious followers.” “If a Party member believes in a religion, he is bound to become the spokesperson for a certain religious force. In some regions, religious believers may administer the Party’s religious work and may make use of government resources to foster religious fervor.”

He added, “While domestic and foreign hostile forces have tried to use religion to engage in separatist activities in some ethnic minority areas, allowing religious beliefs for Party members will greatly weaken the Party’s combat strength in the struggle against separatism.” “Allowing religious beliefs for Party members will debilitate the Party in ideology and organization, causing the Party to degenerate from a Marxist political party into a non-Marxist political party.”

He suggested that “If a Party member is actively involved in religious life and missionary work, even using the identity of Party member to protect and promote illegal religious activities, the Party organizations should take timely measures to remove him from the Party,.”

Source: Qiushi, December 15, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/dj/201112/t20111215_129931.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China to Further Support Expansion of Confucius Institutes

On December 12, 2011, China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing held the opening ceremony for the sixth annual global conference of Confucius Institutes. Li Changchun, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, attended the conference. Liu Yandong, State Councilor and president of the Confucius Institute Headquarters council, gave a speech calling for “supporting the development of Confucius Institutes to further promote cultural exchanges.”

The ceremony featured an “I Sing Beijing” concert performed by foreign vocalists. The music included pieces from classic operas such as Madam Butterfly, as well as from revolutionary operas that forged and culminated in the Cultural Revolution, such as Red Guards on Honghu Lake and Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy.

The first conference was in 2006. More than 2,000 university presidents and representatives of Confucius Institutes from 105 countries in the world attended the 2011 conference.

Source: Xinhua, December 13, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-12/13/c_122412214.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend