Skip to content

All posts by NNL - 191. page

Chinese Scholar: Five Challenges to China’s Modernization

Zhang Xin, Professor and Ph.D. Advisor to the Marxism Institute, People’s University outlined five challenges to China’s modernization process. Zhang furthered his thoughts during one of a series of interviews on "Studying and Practicing the Scientific Concept on Development" organized by Xinhua Net.

The five challenges are:
1. Countryside Modernization – the urban-rural gap is getting wider
2. Environment – a challenge China has been facing over a long period
3. Resources
4. Regional Development Imbalance
5. Relatively Backward Technology


The greatest conflict that China faces is the conflict between interests. While China experiences exceptional economic growth, problems related to social security, an urban-rural gap, a regional economic development gap, and problems in taking people’s homes/land for new development are all interest-related conflicts that threaten social stability.

Source: Xinhua, April 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2010-04/19/content_13383544.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

VOA: Culture Institutes in U.S.and China Disproportionate

China has established sixty Confucius Institutes in the U.S., but the US hasn’t formed a single formal culture institute in China. On April 9, 2010, VOA discussed the disproportionate nature of culture exchange institutes between the two countries. Some US politicians were concerned and working on improving the situation. China recently "graciously" agreed to have the US establish four “culture centers” in China as “independent organizations” which may be sponsored by the US government. China’s Confucius Institutes are under the domain of the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, an organization under the Ministry of Education. The Chinese government grants US$1 million as startup cost for each institute.

Concern that the US would promote human rights was given as the major reason that China limits U.S. cultural centers.

Source: VOA, April 9, 2010
http://www1.voanews.com/chinese/news/special-reports/us-china-relations/20100409-Confucius-90346234.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Nigeria Recovered Its Broken Wings with Chinese Fighter Planes

Global Times quoted an article from the Nigeria Daily Sun newspaper on April 8, “Air Force Has Recovered Its ‘Broken Wings’ – Inaugurates Chinese Multi-Role Combat Aircraft.” It claimed that Nigeria has recovered its air force power after spending US$250 million to purchase fifteen F-7 fighter planes and armaments from China. The deal included twelve F-7NI single-seat fighters, three F-7NI double seat trainers, twenty live PL-9C air-to-air missiles, ten training PL-9 rounds, unguided rockets, and 250/500 kg bombs. Nigeria’s government approved the deal in 2005. China started training Nigerian pilots in 2008 and delivered the aircraft in 2009. China’s F-7 is a Chinese copy of the Russian Mig-21.

Sources:
1. Global Times, April 9, 2010
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Observation/2010-04/771941.html
2. Daily Sun, Nigeria, April 8, 2010
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/apr/08/national-08-04-2010-025.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China to Invest 400 Billion Yuan in 3G Network

China is going to beef up its investment in promoting 3G mobile networks over the next two years. On April 8, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and seven more ministries jointly issued a “Notice on Promoting the Development of 3G Mobile Communication Network,” outlining the goal and implementation strategy for 3G-network development. The notice calls for 3G-network coverage in all cities at or above the prefecture level and the majority of counties, towns, major highways and tourist areas, by 2011. 400 billion Yuan will be invested in 3G-network construction and over four hundred thousand 3G base stations will be built to support one hundred fifty million 3G users.

According to MIIT, China had only 16 million 3G users as of February 2010.

Source: Shanghai Stock Information Service, April 9, 2010
http://paper.cnstock.com/html/2010-04/09/content_10460.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Antibiotics Abuse in Animal Farming

Outlook Magazine published an article, disclosing that many farmers in China have over-used antibiotics in raising animals, causing meat, eggs, and milk to contain antibiotic residues. Some farmers sell animal products after feeding antibiotics to sick animals. Some farmers routinely feed animals with low doses of antibiotics, though the animals are not sick. These practices produce more resistant bacteria among animals and also threaten human health.

The average Chinese consumes 138 gram of antibiotics per year, the highest in the world and ten times the amount used in the U.S. on an average basis. Among the antibiotics users, only 20% truly need them and 80% are abusers.

Source: Outlook Magazine, April 12, 2010
http://news.sohu.com/20100412/n271440936.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China’s First Internet Platform Based on Cloud-Computing

Hong Meng (www.worldhm.com) was officially introduced in Beijing on April 3, 2010, as China’s first Internet platform that involves cloud computing [cloud computing delivers services over the Internet and distinguishes itself through 1) Selling it on demand for as long as the user needs it, i.e., from one minute to an hour or longer. 2) The service is managed by the provider and one needs only computer and Internet access to use it; and 3) it is elastic]. Hong Meng claims to have a leading global position in applying cloud-computing technologies. Its platform is supported by over 10, 000 servers, which can serve information independently or jointly by either China’s regions or industries.

According to Hong Meng’s website, the limitations of current cloud-computing architecture are isolated data storage and “cloning” servers for Internet coalition. Hong Meng’s technology, which is truly “multi-system and multi-user,” goes beyond that. Its data cannot only be used by the server where it was stored, but can also be used by the higher-level “server group” that owns the server. Therefore, it offers a complicated data storage and management system.

Sources:
1. Xinhua, April 4, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2010-04/04/content_13299478.htm
2. Hong Meng website, April 4, 2010 http://www.worldhm.com/data_shtml/bbbbbbbbbfbb/bbbi/info_xinwenxwjjinfo/worksort_dzbdbb,2010_4_4/185900.shtml

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Central Military Committee on Military Information Security

After receiving Hu Jintao’s approval, the Central Military Committee recently published an order “The Opinion on Strengthening Military Information Security Protection Under the New Situation.” The order outlines the following areas:
1) Strengthen the leadership for the information security protection and clarify each organization’s role and responsibilities, to establish an integrated and connected information security management system.
2) Improve the information security work mechanism and standardize procedures for security management, network security, and electromagnetic safety.
3) Establish an information security team.
4) Improve information security protection technology and methods.
5) Strengthen the management of information security protection, including management of human resources, information, network, critical weaponry equipments, and containers, sites, and activities that are related to security information

Source: Xinhua, April 6, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-04/06/content_13306916.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Youth Online: News Reporters Ignoring Their Social Responsibilities

Xinhua republished an article by China Youth News concering frequent scandals divulging that news reporters in China had accepted bribes. The most recent such incident was that news reporters accepted 2.6 million yuan “acceptance fees” for not reporting over 30 deaths during a mine explosion in Wei County, Hebei Province on July 14, 2008. Nine reporters from eight news media (local media and central government media) were sentenced to prison terms, fined, and banned from reporting news.

China Youth News said the large number of scandals is a result of news reporters pursuing money for themselves and forgetting their social responsibility.

Source: Xinhua, April 2, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2010-04/02/content_13287383.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources