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Briefings - 1106. page

Outlook: Communist Leaders Cognizant of a Crisis Disturbing the Party

The China News Agency republished an article from Outlook magazine, which claimed that China’s top party leaders signaled that the party construction effort is critical for the Party to stay in power. ["Party construction effort" is a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) term referring to party development and improvement. — Ed.]

The CPC’s Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee outlined several party construction actions to resolve the current quandaries. The quandaries were identified as “the most important and most dangerous” by the top leaders. Experts deduce that the specific wording indicates that the CPC is cognizant of the crisis.

One worrisome concern is that party members and cadres no longer believe in Marxism and have no confidence in the Chinese Representation of Socialism. Other issues include the party officials’ corruption, as well as problems with party discipline, the official selection process, and officials’ performance.

Source: China News Agency, October 19
http://chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/10-19/1917889.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xi Jinping Signals that Jiang Zemin Still Has Significant Power

Xinhua reported that Xi Jinping, China’s Vice President and internally selected successor to Hu Jintao, gave two books as gifts to Chancellor Angela Merkel when he met with her. The two books were written by Jiang Zemin; they were on energy and information technology; and they had been translated into English. Xi also passed Jiang’s regards and wishes to her [Ed: Jiang has no prior personal or official relationship with Chancellor Angela Merkel: she was elected in 2005, while Jiang retired in 2004]. Xinhua also reported that when he met with German President Horst Koehler, Xi passed Hu Jintao’s regards to him.

Sources:
1. Xinhua, October 13, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/13/content_12219581.htm
2. Xinhua, October 13, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/13/content_12219586.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: China’s Aging Crisis is Deepening

By 1999, Chinese society had entered an aging era when people older than 60 years old made up 10% of the entire population. Ten years later, this figure increased to 12.79 % of the populion, which represents 169 million people.The Ministry of Civil Affairs stated a belief that “China is rushing into an aging society at a speed that is exceeding our imagination.” It was suggested that over the next 25 years, China should be getting ready to develop a strategy to deal with this issue. Development plans, laws and regulations, social and economic policy adjustments – all need to be prepared.

Source: Xinhua, October 26, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/26/content_12328694.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China’s Researcher: Seeking U.S. “Strategic Reassurance” Concept for China

Zhang Zhixin, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, wrote an article about President Obama’s China strategy. Zhang indicated that the US recently came up with a new concept called:"strategic reassurance," which was first mentioned by Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, who also suggested on September 24, that the US invites China to be a prosperous nation as long as the growth is not at the cost of other nations’ safety and welfare. According to Zhang, the message from the US seems to be that Obama is willing to acknowledge China’s status as a rising world power – if China honors the status quo and does not challenge the leading position of the United States. Zhang’s article also asks: what can the US "assure" China of, when they are seeking a promise from China?

Source: Xinhua, October 15, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-10/15/content_12237086.htm 

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Academic Bureaucratization is the Main Problem in Universities

Professor Chen Hongtai, expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. suggested that corruption is not today’s biggest problem in China’s universities. Excessive academic administration, bureaucratization and profit-chasing are the main threats. Chen called for safeguarding the domain of higher education as a “pure land,” where professors should take responsibility for exercising their conscience with regard to society’s future generations.

Source: Global Times, October 15, 2009.
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2009-10/604130.html 

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Ministry of Defense: US Actions Severely Interfered With Sino-US Military Relationship

According to Xinhua, Major General Qian Lihua, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of Defense of China commented on the upcoming US visit of General Xu Caihou, the Deputy Chairman of the Party Central Military Committee. Qian specifically pointed out that in the past several years the actions of the US have created severe interference to and have had a negative impact on the military relationship between the two countries. These actions of the US included substantially increasing the military relationship with Taiwan, advancing weapon sales to Taiwan, the US Congress’ restriction of the Sino-US military exchange into twelve areas in the “2000 National Defense Authorization Act,” the questioning by the US of China’s military strategic intention and development, and the frequent activities of US airplanes and ships in the air and water space that China claimed as its own economic zone.

Sources: Xinhua, October 23, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-10/23/content_12310337.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

International Herald Leader: Russia’s Dilemma – Supplying Natural Gas to China

The International Herald Leader reported that Russia is facing a dilemma on supplying natural gas to China. On October 13, 2009. China and Russia signed a framework agreement for the building of two natural gas pipelines from Russia’s gas fields in the Far East to China. However, for the two countires to reach an agreeable price will be a challenge. China suggested $100-120 USD per thousand cubic meters, but Russia’s lowest price is $250-270 USD. Russia is afraid that asking for too high a price may drive China to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Russia is also concerned regarding whether it will depend too heavily on China financially and will become just a “natural resource provider” to China.

Source: International Herald Leader, October 15, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-10/15/content_12237118.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend