All posts by RWZ - 258. page

Xinhua recently reported that the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) decided to vigorously support, promote, and protect China-made documentary movies. Jin Delong, Deputy Chief Editor of SARFT, observed on December 7, 2010, that imported documentaries significantly stifle domestic products. Jin suggested that this area is considered an important element in the national soft-power development strategy. The government should set a better “market stage” for domestic products. Jin announced that SARFT is releasing regulations to “improve the government administration of this marketplace” and to set a cap for the number of imported documentary movies. Meanwhile, the ratio of “domestic vs. imported” programs for television broadcasting is now set to be no lower than 7:3.

Source: Xinhua, December 8, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/08/c_12858844.htm

Xinhua reported that, on December 5, more than one million people in 46 cities all over China took the Civil Service Exam to compete for 16 thousand government jobs. This is the largest exam ever organized for government jobs. The number of people taking the exam grew from 120 thousand in 2004 to 1.41 million this month.

In the eyes of many Chinese, a government position means a relatively stable and easy work environment. However, the competition is intense; for some popular positions there are 900 applicants for each position. Although the State Bureau of Civil Service announced several times that no remedial classes would be offered, remedial courses have nevertheless become a RMB 4.2 billion business. Cheating is a big problem. 409 people were caught last year. Radio monitoring devices were used this year in Beijing to battle cheating technologies.

Source: Xinhua, December 5, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/05/c_12848918.htm

People’s Daily recently published an article on the importance of having the right understanding of the functions performed by the culture industry. The article suggested that the culture industry is an emerging industry that has both an “entertainment function” and an “education function.” The author explained that the “education function” is about providing “social benefits” that actually refer to guiding public opinion. The article called for “insisting on an advanced socialist culture direction” and “emphasizing government guidance." The goal of the culture industry’s “education function” is to establish “the core value system of socialism.”

Source: People’s Daily Online, December 3, 2010
http://theory.people.com.cn/GB/13383723.html

On December 3, 2010, Xinhua reported that Chinese President Hu Jintao had met with non-Party personnel in the format of a symposium on November 30 and delivered an important speech. Members of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CCP Central Committee, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinling, Xi Jinping, and Li Keqiang, attended the symposium. Some non-CCP political leaders expressed fundamental support for the CCP’s economic policies and offered a few suggestions. In Hu’s speech, he admitted that China’s economy had some serious problems and described the domestic and international situation as “complex and volatile.” Hu pointed out six areas to focus on next year: 1) improve macroeconomic control; 2) emphasize agriculture; 3) speed up adjustments to the economic structure; 4) push hard on focal reform areas; 5) actively participate in the global economic reform; 6) enhance social control. Finally, Hu called for non-Party assistance to connect “the Party and the Government” with the people.

Source: Xinhua, December 3, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/03/c_13633909.htm