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Briefings - 1016. page

China: The Truth behind the United States’ Coercive Purchase of China’s Rare Earth Minerals

On October 23, 2010, Chinese Business View (www.hsw.cn), one of China’s official websites, published an analytical article titled, “The Truth behind the United States’ Coercive Purchase of Chinese Rare Earth Minerals.” 

The article claims that the reason that US-led Western countries are pressuring China to rescind rare earth export restrictions is to store rare earth. Once China’s rare earth supply is depleted, they will have enough rare earth to confront China.

Source: Chinese Business View, October 23, 2010
http://hsb.hsw.cn/2010-10/23/content_7912280.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China Launches Official Online Mapping Service to Compete with Google Earth

On October 23, 2010, World Journal, a Taiwan based Chinese newspaper, reported that China is making a full out effort across China to provide a government-backed map service called “Map World” in order to compete with Google Earth. 

The Chinese mapping data was considered the confidential information of the military. "Map World" has a strong background. According to the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, the project is backed and supported by the Ministry of Land Resources, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, the State Secrets Bureau, the PLA Secrets Office, the PLA’s General Staff Department, the Armed Police Headquarters, the Surveying and Mapping Bureau under the PLA’s General Staff Department, and other security and intelligence agencies.

Source: World Journal, October 23, 2010
http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_hnews/10013300/article-%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E6%8E%A8%E5%A4%A9%E5%9C%B0%E5%9C%96-%E5%90%91%E8%B0%B7%E6%AD%8C%E5%9C%B0%E7%90%83%E5%AE%A3%E6%88%B0?instance=noon

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Bank of China Plans to Acquire Banks from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

On October 20, a China News Agency reporter interviewed Qiu Yi, Vice Chairman of the Bank of China (BOC), while they were at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) second China-ASEAN Summit Forum on Financial Cooperation ＆ Development. Qiu said that business at the BOC’s branches in ASEAN is booming, and that BOC is planning to acquire banks in ASEAN in order to enhance BOC’s overseas expansion. Qiu also said that, as the strategy of having the Chinese renminbi go overseas is being implemented, BOC is experimenting with renminbi services in non-trade areas, including providing cash in renminbi, providing financial renminbi products, and becoming a major dealer in the renminbi overseas.

Source: China News Agency, October 21, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/fortune/2010/10-21/2602931.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Huanqiu: U.S. Strategy to Encircle China Is Only aStraw Fence

Chou Hao, a scholar from the PLA National Defense University, published an article in Huanqiu (a subsidiary of Xinhua), commenting on the U.S. strategy toward China in China’s neighboring countries. The article said that the U.S. recently increased its involvement in the affairs of China’s neighbors. Structurally, the strategic fence that the U.S. has set up to surround China is composed of three main parts: The strongest section is the massive military networks in the military bases of China’s neighbors; the key links are the military coalitions based on the traditional allies of Japan and South Korea; the perimeter is made up of the partner countries the U.S. is trying to win over, including India and Vietnam. Chou believes that such an encirclement strategy, though a “perfect” model to prevent and restrict China, has its inevitable weaknesses.

Source: Huanqiu (Global times), October 19, 2010
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/roll/2010-10/1180889.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China to Implement Universal Tax Policy for both Domestic and Foreign-Investment Enterprises

The China State Council issued a notice stating that, beginning December 1, 2010, China will collect a city maintenance and development tax and an education fee from enterprises in China that have foreign investors, and from foreign companies, as well as from foreign individuals. This is a major move to unify the tax policies for both domestic enterprises, and enterprises with foreign investors, after having unified the income taxes on them in 2008.

Source: Xinhua, October 21, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-10/21/c_13568892.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Seven Institutions Designated for Training Party Officials

In 2010, over 2,000 senior officials from 15 Party departments and government ministries will complete the annual mandatory 40 credit hour training at the National School of Administration, the Party School of the Chinese Communist Party, located in Beijing University, Qinghua University, Renmin University, and Beijing Normal University.
 

Earlier, a quarter of the special topic classes were cancelled due to lack of students and 76% of the students dropped out during the lectures. As of October, the National School of Administration had held 6 special topic classes and 8 lectures with 642 senior officials attending.

Source: Guangming Daily, October 19, 2010
http://news.gmw.cn/2010-10/19/content_1319398.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Hong Kong Civil Servants Receive Training in Chinese National Affairs

Denise Yue, the Secretary for Civil Service (SCS) of the Hong Kong government, stated that in 2011 about 5,800 civil servants will receive training in Chinese national affairs, an increase from 2,700 in 2010.

Modules on national affairs will be added to the training for new civil servants. Additional spaces will be available for mid-level managers to study national affairs at Zhongshan University in Guangzhou and Shenzhen Graduate School of Beijing University in Shenzhen. These managers may also be sent to Mainland China for training purposes. The SCS of the China National School of Administration will establish a dedicated new program at that school to cover National Affairs, specifically for heads of departments.

Source: Xinhua, October 18, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-10/18/c_12673322.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Hunan Releases Draft of Emergency Response Plan

The Hunan provincial government released a draft of its emergency response plan. It is touted as the first in China. The plan includes details on how to deal with natural disasters, accidents, and social unrest. It provides the authority needed to requisition supplies from private citizens if they are needed for emergencies. The draft plan does not provide details on how, in case of requisition, private citizens will be compensated. The draft plan divides the response into four levels: normal, larger, major, and highest emergency responses. Responsibility for implementation of the first three levels is with the county, municipal, and provincial governments. The State Council holds responsibility for the highest response level.

Source: Xinhua, October 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2010-10/19/c_12674507.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics