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The Luxury Performing Arts Center is criticized for Lack of Practical Uses

Pu Chunxi, a renowned Chinese actor recently openly criticized the National Centre for the Performing Arts or the “The Egg” for too much extravagance and lack of practical uses.  Pu listed a number of flaws in the design and questioned “Who is the China National Opera Built for?” Pu’s criticism was widely posted by Chinese media and website and drew warm responses from the visitors.  Some called him “Artist with Conscience”.

Designed by French architect Paul Andreu with construction started in December 2001, National Centre for the Performing Arts held the inaugural concert in December 2007. The project is said to be pushed forward by former President Jiang Zemin.

Source: Nan Fang Weekend, September 3, 2008
http://www.infzm.com/content/16780

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Official Media Praises Obama’s China Think Tank as Pragmatic and Moderate

Xinhua carried an article sourced from Shanghai Morning Post which praised Obama’s “China Think Tank” to be “programmatic and moderate”. It said: “Among those 15 Obama’s China Think Tank members, majority of them came from Clinton’s foreign policy cabinet. They are very familiar with China affairs. Most of them are programmatic and moderate with good relationship with China.”

The article then introduced a few key members led by Senator Biden. The article cited: “Mr. Biden disagrees with ‘engagement and containment’, the two words that Bush administration uses in its China Policy. But rather, Congressman Biden favors ‘compete and cooperate’, which can be used to summarize what Obama’s China policy would look like. "

Source: Xinhua, September 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-09/12/content_9935978.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Preliminary Winners of 2008 Best Self-Disciplinary Chinese Websites

Twenty-one websites were winners in the preliminary contest for Best Self-Disciplinary Websites, according to the Internet Society of China. The winners include www.people.com.cn, www.cnr.cn, www.baidu.com, www.cctv.com, www.china.alibaba.com, and www.xinhuanet.com. The twenty-one winners were selected due to exemplar compliance with the State law and regulations on Internet censorship. Internet Society of China (ISC) was established in 2001 and considered State’s arm in enforcing Internet censorship. In June 2004 its members were “invited” to sign self-discipline pact in order to prevent the spread of anti-government information, porn and anything else that might threaten "national security (and) social stability."

Source: Internet Society of China, September 5, 2008 http://www.isc.org.cn/ShowArticle.php?id=9905

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

High Administrative Cost and China’s Political System

The root cause of high administration expenditure lies in the Chinese system and a deep-down system reform is the only way to resolve the problem, said the People’s Daily website. Major administrative and functional coordination is implemented by government or quasi-government entities that extend their control throughout the country via various layers of government entities. Centralized system brings weak local governments that are derivative of the central government. Too many layers of government also contribute to the high administrative cost of the government.

Source: People’s Daily website, September 10, 2008
http://theory.people.com.cn/GB/49150/49152/7911327.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: New Round of Conflicts between U.S. and Russia

The recent conflict between Russia and Georgia was in fact a forceful rebuttal launched by Russia against the United States’ expansion in Russia’s neighborhood, but not likely leading to major confrontation, said Xinhua.  The article listed Russia’s embargo on Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, support of the Palestine’s Hamas, arms sales to Venezuela, Syria and Iran; and cooperation with Iran on civil application of nuclear technology, all as proactive responses to the United States. “From the long-term perspective, if Russia exercises adequate self-control, the situation would not deteriorate and the relationship between Russia and the West would not suffer major setbacks.”

Source: Xinhua, September 10, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-09/10/content_9898193.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Study Times: Warning of Mounting Social Unrest

The social unrest in Weng’an is not an isolated incident, said Study Times, the publication of the Party School of the Chinese Communist Party.  The article cited official statistics on the increase of social unrests, 8,700 in 1993, 87,000 in 2003 and over 90,000 in 2006.  “The upward trend of numbers continues.”  The article held that the Weng’an incident is representative of major social unrest in recent years in terms of the number of participants, duration, intensity of conflicts, and their ramifications.”  

On June 28, over ten thousand local residents gathered in front of government buildings in Weng’an County, Guizhou Province, over the investigation of the death of a female high school student.  Angry crowds torched the police station, county government building, and Civil Affairs Bureau building. 1500 anti-riot police arrived on Sunday morning and used tear gas and high voltage batons at the scene. It was reported that at least three people died, 200 people were arrested including 30 middle school students, and 150 injured.

Source: Xinhua, September 8, 2008
http://news/xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-09/08/content_9847136.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

State Media Silent on Anniversary of Mao’s Death

September 9 marked the 32nd anniversary of the death of Mao Zedong, the former Chairman and idol of China. Chinese state media had little coverage and remained low key on the anniversary of Mao’s death. Mao’s name has apparently been one of the sensitive names about which the government discourages the open discussion. One posting on the issue was found on house.focus.cn titled: “Chinese people will never forget Mao Zedong”. But when the posting was opened, a message jumped out: “this posting has been deleted after inspection.”

Source: Voice of America, September 9, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-09-09-voa47.cfm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua Defending Increases in China’s Defense Budget

Xinhua published a series of articles in the past few days defending the increases in China’s defense budget and further elaborating on how China feels about the speculation from the West over the lack of transparency in the defense budget.

One of the articles cited: “There is an unwritten rule that exists among US intelligent agencies that China’s publicized defense budget only accounts for half or one third of the actual spending. Therefore, the more information we share, more speculation it would bring. … Apparently, China’s defense budget has become their targeted topic.”

On September 5, Japan issued the 2008 Defense White Paper, in which, it named China for lack of transparency in its military spending.

Source: Xinhua, September 9, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/09/content_9872294.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military