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All posts by WDH

Curbing Road Traffic and Factory Productions Helped in Reducing Air Pollution over Beijing

Curbing the road traffic and suspension of some factory productions have helped in bringing in down the Air Pollution Index (API) by 20%, according to the announcement made by the official from the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau today on July 25. Since July 1, the road traffic has been reduced by 25.1%. All construction works over the city involving cement and concrete have been suspended starting July 20. The four big coal-burning power plants have reduced the emission by 30%. Other major factories involving metallurgy, raw building materials, and petrochemical will either reduce emission or suspend production during the Olympic game.

Source: People’s Daily, July 25, 2008
http://society.people.com.cn/GB/41158/7566998.html

Party Organization Department: Total Membership Reached 74 Million

Total party membership reached 74 million by the end of 2007, according to an announcement by the Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee on July 1, the 87th anniversary of the Party. There was an increase of 2.7 million or 5.6% in party membership from the year 2006. The total number of party organizations established at the local level had reached 3.6 million, up by 99,000 from the year earlier. There were 17,600 party committees, 22,200 chief offices, and 3.2 million branch offices. Among the party members, 32.4% hold college or advanced degrees and 52% were aged 36-59. There was 1% increase of members with business managerial and specialized skills, and 0.3% increase of the students.

Source: Xinhua, July 1, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-07/01/content_8471350.htm

Independent TV Station Loses Signal Over China

On Monday, June 16, weeks before the opening of the Beijing Olympics, New Tang Dynasty Television’s (NTDTV) broadcast into Asia was stopped. Millions of households in China are no longer able to receive the broadcast of the largest independent Chinese-language TV network. The cause of the downed signal, according to Eutelsat Communications, the satellite operator, was due to "an anomaly to the satellite power supply system". The broadcasting of VOA programming using the same satellite, however, has not been affected. Eutelsat has declined NTDTV’s request to provide an estimate on when the signal may be restored. Kerry Hong, spokesperson for NTDTV, suspected that the “termination” was made under pressure from the Chinese government in exchange for lucrative contracts. NTDTV, widely known for being the only uncensored Chinese-language TV program broadcast over China, has been using the Eutelsat satellite service since 2002.

Source: NTDTV, July 1, 2008
http://ntdtv.com/xtr/b5/2008/07/01/a159985.html

State Official Claims Human Rights Improved Without Confrontation With State

Chinese citizens achieve human rights without confrontation with the State, claimed Luo Haocai, Vice Chairman of the National Political Consultative Congress and Chairman of the China Human Rights Research Society, during a speech given in an International conference in Tokyo on June 16. Luo claimed that China has made significant progress and achievement in the cause of the human rights by consistently fulfilling the objective and principle based on the UN articles “Charter of the United Nations” and “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”  There are still numerous problems and difficulties in the human rights cause in China, Luo admitted.

Source: Chinanews, June 16, 2008
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2008/06-16/1283236.shtml

Has News Media Really Opened Up Due to the Earthquake?

The Earthquake in Sichuan has shifted the focus of the world’s media away from Tibet and the Olympics. The outside world may have been misled by a false impression that the Chinese government has opened up its news media, according to the author of this article published in Taiwan News. The authorities had learnt from the past, starting in 1991 during flooding in the central part of China, that opening up the media to report in the event of a natural disaster helps to improve the official image and attract foreign donations especially from overseas Chinese. The authorities have never lost control of the media as demonstrated in the current situation where official media reports have been centered on praising the Party and government leaders.

Source, Tainwan News, 6/2/2008
http://news.epochtimes.com/gb/8/6/3/n2140347.htm

Party Members Urged to Lead by Example in Earthquake Relief

Members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) are called to take the lead in earthquake relieving efforts to demonstrate the party’s superiority by leading the people to win the battle against the disaster, according to a new announcement released today (May 20) by the Central Party Organization Department. All basic level party organs damaged by the earthquake must be quickly restored and temporary party organs should be established in all displacement centers. All party leaders need to be at the frontline of the relief work so their images and voices can be heard at all times. Their performance will be the basis for future appointments and promotion. Individuals with heroic and consistent performances should be actively recruited into the party. The party cadres are encouraged to donate for the disaster relief through "special party membership dues". All propaganda departments should heavily promote the exemplary deeds demonstrated by all level of the party organs, leaders and members during the earthquake relief.

Souce: Xinhua, May 20, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/20/content_8215702.htm

Xinhua Commentary: Party and Government Intimately Connect with People

Amid the news of earthquake strike, General Secretary Hu Jingtao Immediately gave out order to rescue the wounded as soon as possible and Premier Wen Jiabao immediately flew to the disaster region to direct the rescue effort. Various other governmental agencies launched emergency operations to support the anti-earthquake relief effort in order to protect the lives and belonging of the people. All these are sufficient proof, claimed by this front page Xinhua commentary, that the Party and the Government are intimately connected with the hearts of the people in the disaster region. Such rapid response has demonstrated to the people the full-hearted determination toward the rescue effort and the deep-affection toward its people by the Party and the Government. This also show-cased the powerful social mobilizing ability of the socialist county, said the article.

Source: Xinhua, May 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/12/content_8154338.htm

Media Ordered to Play Correct Propaganda Roles during Earthquake Crisis

All news and media agencies must strictly follow the Party guideline, firmly control the correct direction of public opinion, emphasize the positive propaganda, stimulate unity and stability, and provide powerful moral support for the earthquake rescue efforts. These are the propaganda directives from the Standing Politburo of Central Party Committee passing down by Li Changchun, a standing member of the Politburo, during an internal teleconference for nationwide propaganda departments. The teleconference, held earlier today, also calls for maximum effort to promote the images of the Party Central Committee and State Council for their extreme concerns and executive decisions to protect the safety of the people in the disaster-hit areas. It also emphasized the need to promote the heroic rescue efforts by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Armed Police, and Public Security Police.

Source: Xinhua, May 13, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/13/content_8162344.htm