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All posts by NNL - 202. page

China’s Navy Is Undergoing a Major Transformation

Xinhua published a lengthy interview with the Commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, Wu Shengli. Wu mentioned that the Navy is undergoing a major transformation. The transformation includes modernization from a mechanized system to an information technology based system and extension of target combating area from near sea to distant sea.

Wu stated that the Central Party Committee requested the Navy emphasize the preparation of military combat over the sea as the national security strategy and military strategy, and gradually develop a defense system over the sea to safeguard the country’s ocean security and development interests.

Source: Xinhua, April 15, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909_1.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909_2.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909_3.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909_4.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909_5.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909_6.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909_7.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/15/content_11185909_8.htm

China Kicks off Nationwide Patriotic Education Program

The People’s Daily published an opinion piece titled "Let the Glory of the New Era Shine in our Patriotism." It states that "to celebrate the new China’s 60th anniversary, (China) will carry out public patriotic education in depth throughout the entire nation. The Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China had a teleconference to motivate its staff and assign tasks, marking the kickoff of the program."

Source: People’s Daily, April 15, 2009
http://opinion.people.com.cn/GB/40604/9131420.html

China’s Exports Declined 17% in March Compared to Last Year

China’s General Administration of Customs announced on April 10, 2009 that China’s total amount of imports and exports was $162 billion in March, 2009, a decrease of 20.9% from last year. Among that, exports were $90.3 billion, a decrease of 17.1% and imports were $71.7 billion, a of 25.1% decrease. The trade surplus was $18.6 billion, an increase of 41.2% over the previous year.

Source: BBC Chinese, April 10, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7990000/newsid_7993500/7993522.stm

Human Rights Action Plan Admits China Faces Many Challenges on Rights

China published a “National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010)” on April 14, 2009. At a press conference, Wang Chen, Director of the State Council Information Office, acknowledged that China faces many human rights challenges. There are many unresolved issues in basic human rights, including public participation, legal protection, social justice, employment, social security, education, and medical and public health. The public has a very high expectation and strong demand for human rights improvement and protection.

Source: China News Services, April 14, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/04-14/1645478.shtml

China Formally Announced Its Intention to Build Aircraft Carrier

The Xinhua online forum reported that during his meeting with the Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, the Chinese Minister of National Defense, Liang Guanglie, expressed his intention to build an aircraft carrier. Xinhua stated that this is the first time China has made an official announcement on this issue.

Source: Xinhua, March 21, 2009
http://forum.xinhuanet.com/detail.jsp?id=64963696

In early March, Xinhua published several news articles to prepare for the open announcement, including interviews with retired high-ranking military officials, statements from navy commanders, and quotes from foreign newspapers regarding China’s intentions of building the aircraft carrier. Those articles include the following:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-03/04/content_10938392.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-03/06/content_10954617.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/misc/2009-03/06/content_10953807.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-03/08/content_10968282.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-03/10/content_10979871.htm

Xinhua: Panchen Lama’s English Shocked the World

Xinhua reported the following. On the opening of the Second World Buddhist Forum on March 27, 2009, the 11th Panchen Lama Qoigyijabu gave a speech in English. His English skills “shocked” the eminent monks and cultural elites at the conference. He took at least two English lessons each week.

Xinhua also quoted reports from other media sources. According to Xinhua, Ta Kung Pao said that the Panchen Lama’s good English is helpful to promote Tibetan Buddhism overseas and to clear the outsiders’ misunderstanding of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism. Xinhua said Reuters stated that the “Chinese government chosen” Panchen Lama is the critical tie for Tibetans to stay loyal to the central government. Xinhua also offered Sing Tao’s comment that “Under the official arrangement, the 19-year old Panchen Lama is moving quickly to the front stage.”

 

Chinascope Editor’s note: Panchem Lama is the second highest religious position in Tibet. After the death of the 10th Panchen Lama, the Dalai Lama proclaimed Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama. However, the Chinese government named their own 11th Panchem Lama, Qoigyijabu, whose parents are both Chinese Communist Party members.

Source: Xinhua, April 2, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-04/02/content_11118684.htm

Debate: Is Sichuan Earth Quake Related to Zipingpu Dam?

After Science magazine published an article “Seismology: A human trigger for the great quake of Sichuan?” (January 16, 2009 edition), China Daily interviewed a scholar of the China Engineering Academy, Chen Houqun, to rebut the point of the Science article, that Zipingpu Dam contributed to the earthquake.

BBC Chinese then pointed out that there are many obvious loopholes in Chen’s rebuttal and listed those loopholes in detail. It also pointed out that there are several indications that the Chinese government was aware of the earthquake and had taken certain actions to prepare for it, including releasing the water from Zipingpu Dam, which can be concluded from Chen’s statement, as well. But the Chinese government didn’t announce the earthquake to the public and continues to deny its awareness.

Source: BBC Chinese, April 1, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7970000/newsid_7976600/7976693.stm

Medical Experts Call for Stop to Training Chinese Doctors

At the Ethics of Organ Transplantation Conference (EOTC) at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas on March 28, 2009, world renowned Canadian human rights attorney David Matas gave a presentation on the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) practice of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners for profit.

Medical experts attending the conference were shocked and angered by Matas’ findings. Many expressed that organ harvesting should not be used as a weapon of killing and that doctors who had carried out the organ transplants were committing crimes. The attendees felt that transplant doctors carrying out forced organ harvesting on the Falun Gong practitioners in China had brought a great shame to the organ transplant field, and these experts stated that the US should stop training Chinese doctors and transferring their transplant techniques to Chinese doctors. Some indicated that they would put the case of the CCP’s ongoing live organ harvesting into text books. Some EOTC experts stated they would call for Congress to stop the CCP’s crime.

Source: The Epoch Times, March 9, 2009
http://epochtimes.com/gb/9/3/30/n2479217.htm