Skip to content

All posts by NNL - 196. page

Russian Media: China Will Buy 100 More RD-93 Engines

Russian media reported that after Rosoboron export, Russian’s state defense product export company, signed a 43 RD-93 aircraft engine contract with China in December 2009, Russia is likely to sign another contract with China to sell 100 more RD-93s. This engine is to be installed on FC-1 fighter. Currently, China signed another contract to sell 150 FC-1 to Pakistan (Pakistan will assemble the plane using the components provided by China).

Russian military experts believe that although China frequently claims it has made great progress in the R&D of the engines, the fact that it continues buying Russian engines indicates that China still lags behind. Exporting engines to China will allow Russia to control the capability of fighter planes that China exports.

Source: Eastday.com, January 12, 2010
http://mil.eastday.com/m/20100112/u1a4945924.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Sued by US Web Filtering Company on Green Dam Software

On January 4, 2010, Santa Barbara, California-based CYBERsitter, LLC filed a lawsuit against China, two Chinese software makers, and seven computer manufacturers for their involvement in creating and distributing Green Dam software. University of Michigan’s scientists found that they had taken CYBERsitter’s code. CYBERsitter seeks $2.2 billion in damages for copyright infringement, theft of trade secrets, unfair competition, and civil conspiracy. The company alleges that the defendants distributed over 56 million copies of the Green Dam software.

In June 2009, China mandated that all new computers must have Green Dam installed starting July 1, 2009. Green Dam was said to protect youth from accessing porn sites, but it was revealed to block people from accessing websites on the government’s black list such as Falun Gong, Dalai Lama, and so on. The mandatory installation was eventually stopped because of strong protests by Western governments and computer manufacturers.

Source:
1. Beijing Youth, January 9, 2010
http://bjyouth.ynet.com/article.jsp?oid=62404507
2. Information Week, January 5, 2010
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/vulnerabilities/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222200365

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Chinese Researcher: Three Incidents That Could Cause the Real Estate Bubble to Burst

Beijing Youth published an article by Ni Jinjie, a visiting researcher at the People’s Insurance Company of China, studying when China’s real estate bubble would burst. Ni identified what might cause the bubble to burst, for example, local governments hiking up land prices, speculators pumping hot money into the real estate market, and strong demand. Ni put forward three conditions for China’s real estate market to burst:

1. When the central government initiates the financial system reform and begins to restrict local government’s land income;
2. When the government’s monetary policy moves into a retraction cycle.
3. When there is no buyer for Real Estate properties.

The first two conditions are a function of the government. Ni noted that despite the central government’s determination to control real estate prices, the current land policy and monetary supply policy are still stimulating the bubble.

Source: Beijing Youth, December 30, 2009
http://dycj.ynet.com/article.jsp?oid=62017714

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Implementing Party Committee Spokesperson System

Advancing the party committee spokesperson system will be a major task for the development of a systematic press release system in 2010, said Wang Chen, director of the State Council Information Office.

“To establish the party committee spokesperson system” was mentioned for the first time in the “Decision” of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Party committees, from the local level to the central committees, should increase the release of information, using press releases, media interviews, and other approaches to publish information about party activities.

As of now, several local party committees including Changsha City, Hunan Province, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, and central committees including the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, the Department of Organization, and the Department of United Front Work have already established a spokesperson system.

Source: Xinhua, December 29, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-12/29/content_12723244.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

General Staff Department (GSD) on Military Training for 2010

The GSD of the Central Military Commission issued a military training order for the PLA in 2010. The order focused on informational issues, including research for an up to date military training, including training for combat skills, training in complicated electromagnetic environments, joint exercises, and so on.

The GSD official said that the entire PLA and armed policed are to place military training as a top priority and place emphasis on military training in 2010.

Source: Xinhua, December 29, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-12/29/content_12723672.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Jia Qinglin: Performing United Front Work in the Domestic and External Environments

Jia Qinglin, member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), addressed the subject of National United Front Work in Beijing at a national conference held on December 22, 2009.
 
Jia emphasized that the domestic and international environments have changed significantly in recent times. He stressed that the United Front Work should be carried out in these two environments and be a factor in national development. He continued that the United Front Work should assist and support non state-owned enterprises, given that the Chinese nation is putting into operation major industry adjustments and “employing a broad” strategy.

Jia also urged that race and religious issues be brought under Party control. 

Note: United Front Work is the Communists Party’s effort to bring non-communists under its control and convert them into communist subjects.

Source: Xinhua, December 22, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-12/22/content_12688657.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

CASS Ranked China’s Economic and International Standing

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) evaluated, ranked, and published in its yellow book of eleven countries on economic and international standing, ranking China a "7."  

CASS published its report on December 24, 2009. The U.S., still considered a super power, was clearly ranked number "1," followed by Japan in second place and Germany in 3rd place.  

The evaluation criteria was based on five main and four secondary factors: 1) territory and natural resources, population, economy, military, and science; and 2) social development, sustainability, security and domestic politics, and international contribution.

China is ranked 2nd concerning military power. Its population is a contributor to its overall ranking.

Source: China Internet Press Center, December 24, 2009
http://www.china.com.cn/news/2009-12/24/content_19123633.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

VOA: How to Interpret China’s Rising?

Voice of America (VOA) published some experts’ opinions concerning China’s rising.  

Some highlights are:
1. The more Western countries ask China for help, the more China ignores Western countries. In the past, before a U.S. President came on a State visit to China, China released several political prisoners as a goodwill gesture. But now, China no longer feels such a gesture is necessary.

2. According to World Bank’s poverty standards, there are 800 million Chinese living below the poverty line. Besides, China’s small to mid- sized enterprises are struggling to survive. Additionally, there are complicated social problems and a suffocating political system. So China is not really rising.

3. China’s economic performance was a fake prosperity. China’s government plunged six trillion yuan into the economy, but the money was absorbed by the real estate industry. Now China’s real estate market is a bubble ready to burst. In 2010, the crisis will truly damage China.

Source: VOA, December 20, 2009
http://www1.voanews.com/chinese/news/china/China_emerging_20091220-79754647.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources