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All posts by RWZ - 265. page

Record Number of Traffic Jams in Beijing

During the evening rush hour on September 17, downtown Beijing had a record number of traffic jams – 140 roads were jammed. This broke the earlier record of 90 roads blocked by snow. During the rush hour, the average traffic speed was less than 20 kilometers per hour. It was believed that the main reasons for the traffic situation were: (1) the fall holiday season, (2) rain, (3) the weekend, (4) increased fender-benders, (5) only cars with tag numbers ending in 4 or 9 were not allowed to be on the road, (6) an ever increasing number of cars. Currently there are 4.5 million automobiles in Beijing. Experts believe that the Beijing traffic problem is ultimately a city planning issue, which is a comprehensive topic. The growing population is becoming a heavy burden. The government is asking drivers to avoid busy roads and even to avoid driving.

Source: Beijing News, September 18, 2010
http://news.bjnews.com.cn/2010/0918/91423.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Guangzhou Daily: Kitchen Knife Buyers Must Register

According to a draft by the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, during the Asian Games, all buyers of kitchen knives and large fruit knives will have to register with their National ID. The registration process also requires that the purpose of the purchase must be entered. Some parts of Guangzhou City have been monitoring the trail of this new policy for some time now. Sellers must comply with the policy as well. Only those authorized by the government can sell kitchen knives. The Public Security Bureau has been sending officers to do random inspections of seller sites. How the knives are carried is also regulated. When appearing in public places, knife owners are required to wrap the knives so that they “cannot hurt other people.”

Source: Guangzhou Daily, September 14, 2010
http://gzdaily.dayoo.com/html/2010-09/14/content_1128532.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

RFI: EU Still Divided on Arms Embargo of China

The EU Foreign Ministers Conference in Brussels ended on September 9. The ministers did not reach a common understanding on lifting the embargo. France generally supports lifting it, but it believed a wide agreement is needed before action can be taken. Luxemburg’s Foreign Minister was disappointed about the situation and believed the EU could impose some condition in return for the lift, such as asking China to sign the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Other conditions noted in a document obtained by AFP are improving the relationship with Taiwan and pardoning those arrested in the Tiananmen Incident.
 

The EU arms embargo was put in place after the 1989 Tiananmen Incident. For the past several years, the EU has been reviewing this policy, but with no concrete results.

Source: Radio France International, September 12, 2010
http://www.chinese.rfi.fr/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20100912-%E6%AC%A7%E7%9B%9F%E5%9C%A8%E8%A7%A3%E9%99%A4%E5%AF%B9%E5%8D%8E%E6%AD%A6%E5%99%A8%E7%A6%81%E8%BF%90%E4%B8%8A%E5%88%86%E6%AD%A7%E4%BE%9D%E6%97%A7

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

CRN: China Should Learn to Shape the U.S. Attitude toward China

China Review News recently reviewed an article by East China Morning News on shaping people’s attitudes toward China. The article suggested that not all Americans are willing to see a strong China. They will try their best to create trouble for China. They are worried about the global expansion of China and that it may strike at the U.S. position as a super power. China should avoid a direct showdown with the U.S. At the same time, China should be fighting back, without hesitation, using a reasonably measured means. Versatile foreign relations should be applied to constrain the negative side of U.S. politics.

Source: China Review News, September 6, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1014/3/7/4/101437427.html?coluid=148&kindid=0&docid=101437427&mdate=0906001356

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Cai Wu: China’s Soft Power Is Still Weak

China News Net reported that Cai Wu, the Chinese Minister of Culture, recently suggested there has been no fundamental change in China’s weak position in the “Soft Power Competition.” He believes that cultural soft power is becoming an important aspect of international competition. Western culture is aggressively penetrating developing countries. The recent world financial crisis is introducing more thoughts on development models, and China’s soft power position does not live up to China’s international status as a world power. He suggested that the Chinese government should push for a change.

Source: China News Net, August 30, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2010/08-30/2499702.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: The Compass Navigation Satellite System Is Unique

Sun Jiadong, an Academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, recently gave a speech at the Shanghai Expo. Sun is the Chief Architect and Designer of China’s self-developed GPS system – the Compass Navigation Satellite System (CNSS). Sun emphasized a unique feature that all other GPS systems do not have: CNSS allows ground devices to transmit short text messages to the satellites, thus establishing two-way communication. Sun also mentioned that although the CNSS is being built rapidly, the real world usage, or even preparation for usage, is minimal. Other than some central government branches, the entire domestic market is still asleep. The Chinese market is still dominated by foreign technologies and products. He believed that the general public needs to be educated about the Chinese space industry’s achievements.

Source: China Review News, September 2, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1014/3/4/0/101434065.html?coluid=45&kindid=0&docid=101434065&mdate=0902093423

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

CRN: New Cold War between China and the U.S. at Sea

China Review News (CRN) published a review of an analysis on the recent frequent naval exercises that the U.S., South Korea, and China have been conducting. The author expressed the belief that the U.S. has an obvious intent to contain the Chinese military within the “first chain of islands.” China has tried to respond to the situation with a series of escalated exercises to demonstrate its capabilities to break the blockade. The analysis cited “the West,” using the name of “A Cold War at Sea.” The U.S. was blamed as the troublemaker, since the U.S. has significantly heightened its participation in military activities around China, especially on the east and south sides. However, at the end of the analysis, the author softened his tone by suggesting that a “serious confrontation” was very unlikely.

Source: China Review News, August 28, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1014/2/8/0/101428094.html?coluid=148&kindid=0&docid=101428094&mdate=0828005921

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Low Altitude Interception Systems Passed Inspection

China Review News (CRN) reported that the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) recently completed a test of the Slow Low-Altitude Small Target Detection and Interception System. The system is urgently needed in the domestic security market, which requires round-the-clock detection and high precision features.

The system is expected to be used at important conference sites, large gatherings and sensitive locations. According to the test results, the system is ready for real-world deployment.

Source: China Review News, August 23, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1014/2/2/9/101422909.html?coluid=45&kindid=0&docid=101422909&mdate=0823090642

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military