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PLA Undergoing Restructuring û Four New Departments Established

Legal Evening News reported that, within a period of one month, the People’s Liberation Army established four new departments. According to the military experts that Legal Evening News interviewed, the move is indicative of further military reform and transformation. On November 22, the PLA established the Strategic Planning Department; on December 12, it established the Research Center for Non-war Military Operations under the Academy of Military Sciences; on December 20, the Research Center for National Policy under the Academy of Military Sciences; and on December 21, the Military Training Department under the PLA’s General Staff Department.

With respect to the two above-mentioned research centers that are under the Academy of Military Sciences, the one on Non-war Military Operations will provide decision-making advisories to the Party’s military leaders, engage in fundamental research on non-war military operations, and establish the related theoretical system. The one for National Policy will participate in the draft of national white papers and prepare annual strategic assessments of the national security environment.

In July 2011, the largest military academy reform in recent years took place when 27 military institutes were consolidated into 14.

Source: Legal Evening News reprinted by Xinhua, December 23, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-12/23/c_122471008.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Press in the U.S. Urges China to Use “Soft Checks and Balances” to Deal with the U.S.

Xiao Dong, the chief editor of China Press, a U.S. based Chinese language newspaper, contributed a special article to People’s Daily. In the article, Xiao wrote that China should use “soft checks and balances” to deal with the U.S. “soft containment” of China which appeared as a recent adjustment to its strategy in the Pacific region. “Soft checks and balances include constraining the U.S. through international organizations, deterring the U.S. through economic means, restricting its freedom through diplomatic measures, and using ingenuity to lead the U.S. strategy toward failure. … Soft power is a capability while soft checks and balances are a means.” Specifically, “China should fully utilize the existing dialogue mechanism to resolve conflicts and seek a win-win situation; fully utilize the framework of international institutions and organizations, particularly those China can effectively influence; and fully use diplomatic means of all kinds to reduce the pressure.”

According to the U.S. based Jamestown Foundation, “China Press is directly controlled by the Chinese government. The paper is characterized by its substantial and timely news reports from Mainland China. It represents the voice and views of China’s Communist government.”

Sources:
People’s Daily, December 21, 2011
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/70731/16672314.html
Jamestown Foundation, “How China’s Government Is Attempting to Control Chinese Media in America” http://www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=3764&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=191&no_cache=1

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China to Procure Foreign Experts to Develop Emerging Technologies and Industries

Zhang Jianguo, China’s Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, spoke at the 14th Expo for Chinese Overseas Experts, which was held in Guangzhou. He indicated that over the next 10 years, China plans to bring in an average of 50 to 100 experts per year for a total of 500 to 1,000 foreign experts. The priority is to bring in strategic scientists, leading technology experts, and international innovative teams that can make breakthroughs in critical technologies, develop high tech and emerging industries, and bring about new disciplines in science.

Source: Xinhua, December 20, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-12/20/c_111259701.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Properly Guiding Public Opinion

Recently, Xinhua released a series of products and services at http://www.news.cn/yuqing/ designed to monitor and lead public opinion. According to Duan Saimin, the chief of the Xinhua public opinion center, when public opinion is properly guided, it will be conducive to the resolution of problems and can promote social stability and harmony. Otherwise, conflicts and problems will be amplified and affect local social stability and harmony. He acknowledged that few people in the local governments have recognized and understood the mechanism of public opinion. “They lack experience in responding to public opinion and some lack complete emergency procedures; … ultimately the conflicts and problems (that came up in the past) were amplified through the Internet, thus damaging the image of the government and enterprises, and causing irreparable harm.” According to Duan, since 2003, Xinhua has routinely provided public opinion reports to Communist Party leaders. Currently it has a team of over 100 public opinion analysts.

Source: Xinhua, December 20, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-12/20/c_122451786.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Review News: What was Mrs. Clinton Busy Doing in Asia?

China Review News published a commentary stating that all of the activities of U.S. Secretary of State Clinton in Asia in 2011 had the purpose of, in summary, building an environment hostile to China. Throughout 2011, Mrs. Clinton set foot in numerous Asian countries, some even twice. The U.S. had joint military exercises with countries neighboring China in the West Pacific and South China Sea. “[The U.S.] even sent its aircraft carriers to the Yellow River to show off its military, obviously an action against China.” “During the second half of the year, her visits to India, the Philippines and Burma were viewed as having a strong meaning for China, even as solidifying hostility against China. … She encouraged India to participate in containing China, provided military support to the Philippines to create chaos in the South China Sea, and dug holes in the foundation of the China-Burma relationship.”

Source: Chinese Review News, December 14, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/3/7/4/101937486.html?coluid=7&kindid=0&docid=101937486&mdate=1214001243

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: China to Pursue Development While Maintaining Stability

For the Communist Party, the key word for the Chinese economy in 2012 appears to be “stability.” A Xinhua commentary echoed the theme of stability that was the focus of the recent Central Committee Working Meeting on the Economy. “Stability is the foundation of progress and has four key elements: maintaining the stability of macro-economic policy, the steady development of the economy, the stability of the general price level, and overall social stability.” Specifically, the commentary added, prudent monetary policy is expected and the steady development of the economy will hinge on the expansion of domestic demand, i.e., consumer demand.

Source: Xinhua, December 14, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-12/14/c_111244198.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Number of Chinese Students Studying Abroad Increases Sharply

According to a China Education Online report released on December 13, 2011, the number of Chinese students studying aboard will exceed 300,000 and may reach 330,000 by the end of 2011. It will be the 4th year for the annual growth rate to exceed 20%. The report said that, since 1978, there were two quantum leaps in the number. One was in 2002 and the other, which has continued unabated, was in 2008. For example, the number of 284,700 students studying overseas in 2010 was double the number in 2007. The most popular country of destination is the United States. In 2010 over 45% of students studying abroad went to the U.S. Other top choices include Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore. The report attributed the growth to the fact that Western countries have been encouraging the enrollment of international students since the 2008 financial crisis began. The report stated that the U.S. Embassy in China granted over 85% of student visa applications. It was also noted that students leaving China tend to be younger in age. While 62% surveyed would like to attend colleges abroad for bachelor’s degrees, 22% wanted to attend high schools.

Source: China Education Online, December 14, 2011
http://gaokao.eol.cn/2011luntan_11216/20111214/t20111214_718923.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Qinghua Scholar: China Should Form Alliances with Other Countries

The International Herald Leader interviewed Yan Xuetong, a professor at Qinghua University in Beijing and Director of The Institute of International Studies. In the interview, Yan advocated that China should form alliances with other countries. He suggested that if China continues its non-alliance policy and does not provide security protection to others, China will not be able to expect support from others if its national security interests are threatened. He also suggested that ideology has no bearing on forming alliances with other countries. Even though Vietnam shares the same ideology as China, it is not China’s ally. The US and Saudi Arabia have totally different ideologies, but they have been allies for dozens of years.

Soruce: International Herald Leader reprinted by Xinhua, December 5, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2011-12/05/c_131284250.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations