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Briefings - 1088. page

Google May Close Its Chinese Operations

Google said on January 12 that it may pull out of China after a “sophisticated” computer network attack against its email service originated from China. The attack, discovered in December, was against the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Most of the attack attempts were blocked. Only two accounts were accessed. The jeopardized information was just the account information (e.g. account creation time) and emails contents were intact.

Google questioned the feasibility of continuing its business operations in China and decided that it is no longer willing to continue censoring its search results on Chinese Google sites, which was required by the Chinese government.  

"We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn our offices in China," said David Drummond, Google Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer.

Source:
1. BBC Chinese, January 13, 2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2010/01/100113_google_china_internet.shtml
2. Washington Post, January 12, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/12/AR2010011203024.html?hpid=topnews

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Russian Media: China Will Buy 100 More RD-93 Engines

Russian media reported that after Rosoboron export, Russian’s state defense product export company, signed a 43 RD-93 aircraft engine contract with China in December 2009, Russia is likely to sign another contract with China to sell 100 more RD-93s. This engine is to be installed on FC-1 fighter. Currently, China signed another contract to sell 150 FC-1 to Pakistan (Pakistan will assemble the plane using the components provided by China).

Russian military experts believe that although China frequently claims it has made great progress in the R&D of the engines, the fact that it continues buying Russian engines indicates that China still lags behind. Exporting engines to China will allow Russia to control the capability of fighter planes that China exports.

Source: Eastday.com, January 12, 2010
http://mil.eastday.com/m/20100112/u1a4945924.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Sued by US Web Filtering Company on Green Dam Software

On January 4, 2010, Santa Barbara, California-based CYBERsitter, LLC filed a lawsuit against China, two Chinese software makers, and seven computer manufacturers for their involvement in creating and distributing Green Dam software. University of Michigan’s scientists found that they had taken CYBERsitter’s code. CYBERsitter seeks $2.2 billion in damages for copyright infringement, theft of trade secrets, unfair competition, and civil conspiracy. The company alleges that the defendants distributed over 56 million copies of the Green Dam software.

In June 2009, China mandated that all new computers must have Green Dam installed starting July 1, 2009. Green Dam was said to protect youth from accessing porn sites, but it was revealed to block people from accessing websites on the government’s black list such as Falun Gong, Dalai Lama, and so on. The mandatory installation was eventually stopped because of strong protests by Western governments and computer manufacturers.

Source:
1. Beijing Youth, January 9, 2010
http://bjyouth.ynet.com/article.jsp?oid=62404507
2. Information Week, January 5, 2010
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/vulnerabilities/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222200365

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Tightened Media Engagement between Hong Kong, Macao and the Mainland

On December 29, Wang Chen, Director of State Council Information Office, said that in 2009, the relationship between Hong Kong and Macao media and the Mainland was tightening more and more. According to statistics by the Information Office, there are 19 HK/Macao media agencies with more than 80 reporters covering Mainland news. In 2009, these reporters delivered 1688 person-time work on important affairs. He emphasized the facts that HK/Macao reporters attended Mainland advanced trainings; and HK/Macao media provided strong support in tough situations such as the earthquake. Wang urged the reporters to follow the instructions from public opinion administrative officials when reporting emergency events.

Source: Xinhua, December 29, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2009-12/29/content_12723662.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Current Land System Provides Soil for Corruption

The CCP Central Party School’s newspaper, Study Times, recently republished an article on the current policies on  land usage. Today in China, people know that the government’s income comes largely from charges based on the state owned land. Most countries in the world create value out of utilizing land, such as producing high quality agriculture products. Indirect and sustainable creation of the national value based on land reflects the true value of land. In China, land is now more of a “private” stock item for real estate resale. The simple relationship between some government officials and real estate developers provides soil for corruption. The people believe it is the system and the policies that caused the situation.

Source: Study Times, December 21, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=3145&nid=11430&bid=12&page=1

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Six Aspects of 2010 Policies toward Ethnic Minorities

Yang Jin, Director of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, recently delivered a speech on six aspects of the 2010 work plan of the Commission: (1) Earnestly deliver on the duties of supervision and policy recommendations; (2) Improve the mechanism for implementing laws and policies relating to ethnic minorities, especially in cities; (3) Significantly widen the scope of publicity and education work; (4) Carefully resolve conflicts in Tibet and Xinjiang to maintain stability; (5) Enhance research and communication to play a better assisting role for the Party Central Committee, the State Council and below; (6) Enhance the work on building the talent pool of ethnic minorities to provide a reliable base for organizational growth.

Source: Xinhua, December 23, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-12/23/content_12695669.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xi Jinping: Recruit Outstanding Intellectuals and College Students into the Party

On December 24, 2009, a national working conference regarding the CCP’s development inside colleges and universities was held in Beijing by the CCP Central Committee’s Organization Department, Propaganda Department, and Education Department.  Vice President Xi Jinping, met the representatives of the attendees and gave a speech prior to the meeting according to Xinhua.

Xi stressed the importance of the Party building at higher education under the new situation. A university (or college) president, who must be under the leadership of the university Party Committee, has the administrative power. It is important to use the Chinese style socialist theoretical system to educate teachers and students and recruit outstanding intellectuals and college students into the Party.

Source: Xinhua, December 24, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-12/24/content_12700534.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

PLA Major General: Demand that the U.S. reduce and eventually stop arms sales to Taiwan

According to Huanqiu.com, on January 10, 2010, Major General Luo Yuan, Deputy Secretary General of the Chinese Society of Military Science, told Hong Kong “Ta Kung Pao,” a pro CCP newspaper, that China should at least demand that the U.S. make specific commitments to reduce and eventually stop arms sales to Taiwan by finalizing a timetable and a road map.

If the U.S. ignores China’s demand, Lu Yuan said that China can
1. Interrupt Sino-U.S. military ties and organize official and non-governmental protests; or
2. Apply trade-related sanctions on the related U.S. companies;
3. Take corresponding non-cooperative strategies in the areas where the U.S. needs China’s cooperation and reserve the right to take further actions.

Source: Huanqiu.com., January 10, 2010
http://taiwan.huanqiu.com/news/2010-01/684289_2.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations