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People’s Daily: China’s People’s Congress System Is Superior

In order to fend off any requests for more democracy, China has kept promoting its own political system. People’s Daily published an article stating that China’s People’s Congress system is better than Western parliamentary democracy. The article gave the following reasons:

First, the "people’s democratic dictatorship" is what determines the nature of China’s People’s Congress system, while the purpose of the western political system is to serve the "bourgeoisie dictatorship." Second, China’s system is a democracy based on “the rights belonging to the people,” while the western system is a democracy based on "the rights belonging to capital." Third, China’s People’s Congress is the organ with the highest power of the state, but the Western system has a "separation of powers." China’s system guarantees the public has the top power, where the Western system is balanced. Fourth, China’s system is one legislative body following the "democratic centralism" principle. The Western system is a multi-party or bicameral system. China’s system ensures the efficiency of carrying out a substanial initiative quickly.

The article further rebutted the suggestion to adopt a Western style of democracy. It stated that the [Western] "one person one vote" election system would quickly lead China into turmoil or even civil war. "[If] it gave up the political path that has the People’s Congress system as the foundation of its political system, [China] would for sure fall into social turmoil, the country would be split, the result would be people’s deaths, and government policies would end."

Source: People’s Daily Online, September 30, 2014
http://theory.people.com.cn/n/2014/0930/c40531-25764547.html

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson on the Sino-Russian Military Alliance Issue

On September 17, Hong Lei, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, was answering reporters’ questions. A news reporter asked, “Yesterday, a Russian congressman suggested that the Western’ sanctions against Russia will push Russia and China to establish a military alliance. What is China’s response?”

Hong replied, “The Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership will not have an alliance, we will not confront each other, and we will not target third-parties. China will adhere to its strategic cooperative partnership position. [China will,] with Russia, continuously increase our strategic trust, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and strengthen our cooperation on international and regional affairs.”

Hong also stated, “On the Ukraine issue, sanctions will not solve the problem. The issue will ultimately be handled through a political resolution.”

Source: Xinhua, September 17, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-09/17/c_1112522728.htm

Xi Jinping and Shanghai Officials Fight over Ancient Chinese Poems

On Chinese media, Xi Jinping and Shanghai officials had an open fight on the issue of whether to include Ancient Chinese poems in elementary school textbooks. People’s Daily, Xinhua, and Jiefang Daily were all involved.

On September 9, People’s Daily published a commentary by an author whose name was "Commentator of the Party’s Newspaper," stating that Xi made a statement that "he is very much against removing classic ancient poems and articles from students’ textbooks." "To see this form of ‘de-Sinicization’ (removing Chinese factors and culture) is very sad. We should put these classics into student’s heads to form the genes of Chinese culture." The commentary further pointed out that Xi’s criticism was targeting Shanghai, which recently conducted text book reform and removed all ancient poems from the elementary school’s first grade textbooks.

The Beijing local government responded that they will increase the number of ancient poems in the first grade textbooks from 8 to 22 and that, during the years of elementary school, students will learn over 100 ancient poems.

However, Jiefang Daily, the Shanghai government’s official media, provided a different response on an official microblog: "What benefit does it bring to tradition to add a dozen poems over a night? Anyone who understands a little bit of ‘tradition’ knows what ‘揠苗助长’ (trying to help shoots grow by pulling them up – also spoils things by pushing) means and also what ‘过犹不及’ (going too far is as bad as not going far enough) means. Tradition does not need a coarse tribute, nor can education ignore the natural law. Progress gradually; be gentle and honest. If you have extra energy then start to learn more literature and don’t forget: this is the tradition." The blog stayed on the site for a day before it was removed.

Xi fought back from the sky. According to Xinhua, on his trip to Tajikistan on September 11, Xi spoke from his plane while flying at 10,000-meters high, "Classic ancient poems and articles are part of the Chinese nation’s blood and our genes. … Chinese classes [in school] should teach classic ancient poems and pass on the Chinese tradition."

On September 14, Xinhua reported that during Xi Jinping’s visit to the Maldives, Xi published an article in his name in the local newspaper, Today’s Evening, and on the website for Sun Online. The article, titled "True Friend, Partner in Development" quoted two Chinese ancient poems.

[Editor’s note: As Xi and Wang Qishan have continued their anti-corruption campaign, a Central Commission for Discipline Inspection team has been sent to Shanghai to gather public reports on Shanghai official’s corruption cases. The team has been stationed in Shanghai for about two months.]

Sources:
[1] People’s Daily Online BBS, September 10, 2014
http://bbs1.people.com.cn/post/2/0/0/141813132.html
[2] DWNews Online, September 11, 2014
http://blog.dwnews.com/post-805684.html
[3] Xinhua, September 11, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-09/11/c_1112446258.htm
[4] Xinhua, September 14, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-09/14/c_1112472554.htm

Xi Jinping’s Speech on the People’s Congress System

Xinhua reported that Xi Jinping made an important speech at the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the National People’s Congress (NPC) on September 5, 2014. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee and the Standing Committee of the NPC organized the event. All seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee were in attendance.

According to Xinhua, "Xi stressed that the People’s Congress system is a key component of the Socialist system with Chinese characteristics." "In China, to develop the socialist democratic system, …, the key is to adhere to the unity of the Party’s leadership, to the people being in charge, and to the rule of law."

"Xi stated that to adhere and improve the People’s Congress system, [China] should strengthen and improve legislative work to ensure that national development and major reform have a legal basis."

"Xi stated that to develop a socialist democracy, the key is to increase and expand, but not weaken or contract, [China’s] strengths and characteristics. [China] should adhere to the CCP’s leadership to set the overall direction and to coordinate all sources."

Source: Xinhua, September 5, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-09/05/c_1112384336.htm

Hong Kong Magazine: Xi Jinping Has Survived Six Assassination Attempts

In its August 2014 edition, Hong Kong’s The Trend Magazine quoted a source identified as a top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official as saying that Xi Jinping has, to date, survived six assassination attempts. These attempts took place in different cities when Xi was visiting them. Investigations revealed that all six incidents were the result of internal conflict. That is, it was CCP officials who had hired assassins to kill Xi.

From the time that Xi took the top CCP leadership post until July 2014, the CCP security organization has issued 16 security warnings for Xi. Among those, four warnings were in Beijing, including his visits to the Beijing Municipal government offices.

Source: World Journal Online, August 30, 2014
http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_anews/25696442/articlem112

Develop the Capability to Enforce China’s Ocean and Sea Sovereignty

China Review News reported that Chen Qing, Deputy President of the Union for Media Communication in Macao, gave the keynote speech at a conference on ocean and sea sovereignty and on the Chinese nation’s resurrection. In his speech, Chen discussed the development of the advanced ocean and sea sovereignty concept.

Chen proposed that the oceanic and sea defense strategy should change from active offshore defense to deep water military control. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) should expand its reach to the West Pacific, Australia, and Africa. The PLA should also re-organize its space combat force, network combat force, missile combat force, and remote air and sea attack force so they are placed along the transportation routes that are critical to China. China must have the ability to control and to break other’s control of the ocean channels used for its food and energy supplies.

For the near-sea strategy, China must first subdue Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It should calm the U.S. and maintain a good relationship with the European Union to cut off its support for its near-sea rivals. It should also occupy key water paths to break the island chain blockade.

Source: China Review News, August 24, 2014
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1033/5/1/7/103351707.html?coluid=136&kindid=4711&docid=103351707&mdate=0824002538

Huanqiu Commentary on Gao Zhisheng

Huanqiu Shibao, or Global Times, a state newspaper under People’s Daily, published a commentary that denounced Gao Zhisheng as a pawn that the West uses in its political battle with China.

The commentary labeled Gao as the "Western touted ‘rights attorney’" and said that he had written three open letters to the top leaders of China, asking that China stop the "persecution" of Falun Gong.

It stated, "Gao’s wife and two children live in the U.S. The Western media has provided a large amount of support for him. [All these] make his interest in Chinese society different from the majority of attorneys."

"The West concentrates the focus of China’s human rights on a few political dissidents and heaps cynicism on China’s large-scale improvement of its citizen’s rights. Gao Zhisheng and others, in fact, have become a lever that the West uses in its political combat with China. They all know this well and have thus collaborated with [the West.]"

The article further warned Gao to stay away from politics; otherwise he will be a "target of sanctions under the law." "In any society, politics and law are very close to each other. If a person combines his individual actions together with actions that challenge national security and the fundamental political system, he is very likely, sooner or later, to cross the legal red line."

Source: Huanqiu Online, August 5, 2014
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/shanrenping/2014-08/5099388.html

The Battle at Zhongnanhai

(Revised)

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Since early 2012, when then Chongqing police Chief Wang Lijun, attempted to defect to the U.S., an intense political drama has been on display in China. This drama, titled “The Battle at Zhongnanhai,” has included multiple episodes, including the downfall of Bo Xilai, the smashing of “flies,” and the “tiger hunt” of Zhou Yongkang and Xu Caihou. Many people are expecting the next episode to be the capture of the “spider” (Jiang Zemin). [1]

Don’t underestimate the drama. It is a battle between China’s current top leader Xi Jinping and a former top leader, Jiang Zemin, with the full support of Jiang’s faction. Also, it breaks the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) long tradition of confining their operations and in-fighting to a closed circle. It is the first time that the CCP has openly displayed its internal struggle on the world stage and it even uses the world stage to conduct its campaign.

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