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Briefings - 1152. page

Media Industry Grows Even in a Bad Economy

Although it has been affected by the global economic crisis, nonetheless, China’s media industry has grown to a record high in recent years, with expenditures exceeding 420 billion yuan in 2008, double the number in 2004.  Despite the decline in the economy that has resulted in obvious difficulties in the media industry, China still expects a gradual increase, possibly reaching 530 billion yuan in 2010.

Source: China News, April 27, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/cj/kong/news/2009/04-27/1666331.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Internal Strife Drags the Progress of Combined Operations in Military

Xinhua published a People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) Daily article reporting that internal strife has significantly impacted the military’s performance in combined operations.

The report listed the reasons for internal strife as: poor willingness to collaborate with other military units, out-of-date command structure and system, and lack of standardized information technology systems among military groups. Lack of processes, out-of-date combating systems and equipment, and insufficient training and practice are also listed as causes for poor performance in combined operations.

Source: Xinhua, April 23, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-04/23/content_11240287.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Why Foreign Investments “Flee” China?

International Herald Leader, a newspaper under Xinhua, published an article reporting that it became popular for foreign business invested in China to take their money and run away, abandoning their companies or factories in China and without filing for bankruptcy.

There are reasons for foreign investors to choose the “flee” strategy instead of a normal exit process. First, China has a lengthy process for foreign companies to terminate business in China. The bankruptcy process lasts 65 to 165 days. Some local governments even drag it to six months or a year. Second, China’s law requires the company to bear “unlimited liability” for its debt even after it declares bankruptcy.

“(If it is) easy to enter but hard to exit, (it) is definitely not a good investment environment.” said a Japanese trade promoter in Beijing.

Source, International Herald Leader, April 24, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-04/24/content_11248230.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China Loses 160 Thousand Acres of Cultivated Land Annually Due to Soil Erosion

China News reported that on April 12, 2008, Chen Lei, the Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources said that China lost more than eight million acres of cultivated land due to soil erosion in the past fifty years, averaging an annual loss of 160 thousand acres.

Chen Lei said that the northwest region loses one centimeter of surface soil every year. In some parts of northeast China, which has always had rich soil, the depth of cultivated soil has decreased from one meter to less than twenty centimeters. 77% of the land in northern China has less than 30 centimeters of surface soil.

Soil erosion not only destroys soil resources, but it is also a main factor for pollution. China’s scientists estimate that soil erosion creates economic loss of 2.25% of the GDP. The environmental damage is immeasurable.

Source: China News, April 12, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/04-12/1642204.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Minister of National Defense: China Can Wipe out Any Enemy within First Island Chain

An article posted by an unnamed author on the forum of the Global Times, under the People’s Daily, discussed some insider knowledge about the North Korea Nuclear Crisis in 2003.

The article claimed that the Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie ordered over 100,000 combat troops to replace the Chinese North Korea border patrol police after obtaining intelligence of a US surgical operation to remove the current North Korean regime. Two more steps were taken: one on the South China front bordering Myanmar and one on the Japanese front by sending a submarine to the Tokyo Bay. Liang later boasted during a visit to the US, "China can wipe out any enemy within First Island Chain."

Source: Global Times Forum, April 16, 2009.
http://bbs.huanqiu.com/viewthread.php?tid=188284&fromui

(Chinascope notes: The ultimate source of this article is unclear. Officially, the Chinese Defense Minister does not have the direct authority to move troops.)

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Supports the US “800 Plan” for Chinese Language Education

The China Press, a US based publication sponsored by the Chinese government, reported that the Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong announced China’s support of the "800 Plan." The plan consists of: a scholarship for 800 people, an invitation to 800 US students to attend a summer camp in China and an invitation to 800 US education professionals to visit China every year.

The report suggested that the demand of learning Chinese is heating up in the States. It helps improve the strategic relationship between the two countries.

Source: The China Press, April 19, 2009.
http://www.chinapressusa.com/huajiao/2009-04/16/content_207951.htm

[Editor’s note: The plan is channeled through the Chinese state-sponsored Confucius Institute, which offers Chinese language courses with messages considered “positive” by the Chinese government.]

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Announced Policy on Administering Private Publishing Companies

Xinhua News republished an Oriental Morning Post article on April 7 regarding the official announcement of the new policy governing the private publishing industry in China. The policy clearly stated that private publishing will be included in the formal planning and administration of China’s overall publishing industry.

Due to the tight control the Chinese government has on the publishing industry, private publishing companies were constantly facing the pressure of a potential violation of government rules. However, while validating the status of the private publishing industry, the new policy also emphasizes the government’s role of "guiding" and "regulating" the behaviors of the private publishing companies.

The new policy is unclear about foreign capital’s role in the private publishing sector. The report stated a belief that the new policy will not heavily impact state-owned publishing companies.

Source: Oriental Morning Post, April 7, 2009.
http://epaper.dfdaily.com/dfzb/html/2009-04/07/content_123104.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

The Central Propaganda Administration Issues Guidelines on Patriotic Education

In gearing up for the 60 year anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s rule in China, the General Office of the Party issued guidelines for patriotic education. The guidelines consist of six parts with detailed requirements for all levels of government bodies to follow.

Source: Xinhua, April 26, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2009-04/26/content_11262168.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics