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All posts by TGS - 54. page

China’s Unprecedented Internet Mishap Due to Malfunction of Domain Name Root Servers

On January 21, at around 15:20, China’s entire top-level domain name root servers (DNS) malfunctioned, leaving two-thirds of China’s websites inaccessible and “causing severe damage to China’s Internet.” 

Internet users found themselves re-directed to IP 65.49.2.178 [a U.S. website]. The malfunction lasted until 18:30 when visits to most of the .com websites had been restored. 
The state-run China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) earlier said in a microblog post that the incident was due to a malfunction in China’s top-level domain name root servers and that the incident had no impact on .cn which functioned properly throughout the incident. 
Sources: 
Nanfang Daily, January 22, 2014 
http://epaper.nfdaily.cn/html/2014-01/22/content_7269197.htm 
Xinhua, January 22, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-01/22/c_119082541.htm
Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Chinese Bank Deposits See Transfers

According to Xinhua, the China Banking Regulatory Commission is considering accelerating the introduction of bank insolvency regulations. Its official, Yan Jingmin, stated, “In the future, let capital speak. If a commercial bank cannot maintain solvency, it will exit.” 

“To allow banks to go bankrupt means the State will not cover the deposits of customers in commercial banks [when the bank goes bankrupt],” added Xinhua. The invisible guarantee by the credit of State will end. The depositors would be compensated by the insurance mechanism established in the bank insolvency regulations. 
It was further reported that under the proposed insurance mechanism, the maximum compensation to depositors would be 500,000 yuan. In a panic, Chinese depositors have started to transfer their money in excess of 500,000 to different banks. 
Sources:
Xinhua, January 15, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-01/15/c_126006365.htm 
Jinghua Times reprinted by People’s Daily, January 16, 2014 http://finance.people.com.cn/bank/n/2014/0116/c202331-24133060.html
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

The Number of Chinese Bloggers Declines

According to the China Internet Network Information Center’s annual report issued on January 16, 2014, there has been an overall decline in the use of such social media as weibo (microblogging), social media websites, and forums. In particular, the number of weibo users declined by 27.83 million users compared to the 2012 end of year statistics. The instant mobile messaging services showed an increase, reaching 532 million users. 

According to Sina back in November 2013, it closed about 100,000 weibo accounts because they were in violation of the “seven bottom lines” – the law and regulations, the socialist system, the national interest, citizens’ legitimate rights and interests, the social and public order, morality, and the information’s authenticity. 
Sources: 
Xinhua, January 16, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-01/16/c_119000678.htm 
Radio Free Asia, January 16, 2014 
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/nu-01162014112625.html
Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Xi Jinping: Anti-Corruption Remains Tough and Complicated

On January 14, 2014 at the third plenary session of the 18th Communist Party Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in Beijing, Xi Jinping acknowledged, “The breeding ground for corruption still exists and the anti-corruption situation remains tough and complicated.” 

“All Party members must fully understand the nature of the long-term, complicated, and arduous anti-corruption fight. With the determination to cure a disease with powerful drugs and the courage to scrape the poison off the bone and cut off one’s own snake-bitten wrist to save one’s life, [we must] resolutely carry on the campaign until the end to build a fine Party culture, keep its organizations clean, and fight against corruption.” 
“We will harshly disciple corrupt officials as we find them.” 
Source: Xinhua, January 14, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-01/14/c_118967450.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Increasing Number of Cases of H7N9 in China

On January 9, Xinhua reported that two new cases of H7N9 had been reported in Jiangsu Province and Guangdong Province. 

A woman in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province was diagnosed on January 7 and is being treated in a local hospital. Fushan in Guangdong Province also reported a new case. A 51 year old woman named Cui was hospitalized January 3 and is now in critical condition. She bought a live chicken from a local market on December 31, 2013 and killed the chicken at home.  As of January 8, Guangdong had reported 10 cases. Of those 10 cases, one is known to have died and two recovered. 
Sources: Xinhua, January 9, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/health/2014-01/09/c_118887631.htm
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xi Jinping Calls for Cleaning up Corrupt Officials – the Black Sheep in the Family

At the recent annual work conference on political and legal affairs in Beijing, President Xi Jinping called on China’s judges and law enforcement officials to clean out corruption from their own ranks. The remarks were made amid a wide-ranging probe into leaders in charge of China’s political and legal affairs. 

Xi stressed that political and legal affairs must follow the leadership of the Party and correctly handle the relationship between the Party’s policies and the law of the country. “[We must] achieve the situation in which the Party promulgates, enforces and abides by the law.” Xi also emphasized that the fundamental task of political and legal affairs is to maintain social stability. 
He pointed out that the core value of political and legal affairs is to promote social fairness and justice. “Political and legal workforces should have the courage to take responsibility and, in the face of unhealthy trends, dare to show their sword. [We] must exercise the most resolute will and take the most decisive actions to eliminate corruption in the political and legal sector, and resolutely clean up the black sheep in the family [the trouble-making sheep in the flock].” 
Source: Xinhua, January 9, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2014-01/09/c_125977855.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Outlook: Five New Trends in the International Arena

Outlook News Weekly, a publication under Xinhua disseminated an article on international trends in which it reviewed 2013 and foretold developments in 2014. The article stated that there are five new trends in the international strategic situation. 

First, there appear to be new changes in the international power play. The United States as super power saw its advantages reduced as it is beleaguered by domestic and international problems. China, the European Union, and Russia are now the second tier players, with Japan, India, and Brazil being the third tier players. 
Second, bilateral relationships between three pairs of countries are taking shape. The United States wrestles with the Russians, the United States plays games with China, and China and Japan are in a contest with each other. 
Third, multiple countries on the two continents of the Middle East/North Africa, and the Asian Pacific are engaged in complex chess games.
Fourth, old and new challenges in the arena of international security are intertwined and growing in tandem. The traditional security issues of maritime territorial disputes have led to an arms race in Asia. The U.S. and Russia are competing in R&D for strategic advantages in the ocean, in space, and in nuclear energy. The non-traditional challenges include cyber security, terrorism, climate, and ecological changes. 
Fifth, China is proactively engaging in diplomacy with confidence. 
Source: Outlook News Weekly, January 6, 2014 
http://www.lwgcw.com/NewsShow.aspx?newsId=34103
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Vice Minister of Finance: Current Economy Unsustainable

Wang Baoan, Vice Minister of Finance, wrote an article at Qiushi on challenges the China’s economy faces. He summed up the problems into “four highs” and “four lows:” high input, consumption, pollution and speed; and low output, efficiency, efficacy and tech content. 

Wang wrote, “The ‘current version’ of China’s economy is unsustainable.” He cited a few examples to support his conclusion. China’s use of resources is inefficient. The energy consumption of the gross domestic product (GDP) is 2.6 times the world average. The GDP per capita is only 21 percent of the U.S. and 32 percent of Japan. One U.S. dollar increase in GDP needs five U.S. dollars in investment. “This growth relying on and supported by investment is unsustainable.” 
Other examples include excess production capacity in steel, flat glass and shipbuilding. The excess capacity in solar photovoltaic modules and wind power equipment hit over 40 percent. Commenting on lack of innovation in China, Wang wrote, “When one fish died in the pond, it is an accident. If the majority of the fish died, it indicates that water is the problem.” 
Source: Qiushi, January 1, 2014 
http://big5.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2014/201401/201312/t20131230_307459.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources