Skip to content

Briefings - 1172. page

China Expanding its Influence Through Confucius Institutes

China is expanding its influence through Confucius Institutes, says Deputy Minister of Education according to a government portal under the State Council. Currently there are 256 Confucius Institutes in 81 countries. Over 100 countries have applied with the Chinese government. These establishments are primarily funded by oveasea partners while both Chinese government and overseas partner share the management. These institutes have been used to further the Chinese government policy on oversea Chinese and encourage their patriotism toward China. Confucius Intstitues are headquartered in Beijing under the Office of Chinese Language Council International of the State. It goal is to establish 500 Confucius Institites by 2010.

Source: China Internet Information Center, March 12, 2009
http://www.china.com.cn/zhibo/2009lh/2009-03/12/content_17427344.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Rights Lawyer Gao’s Family Arrived in the US as UN Refugees

Wife and two children of prominent rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng arrived in the United States 11 March 2009 from Thailand where they were granted UN refugee status, says Radio Free Asia. The family left Beijing Jan 9 and traveled nonstop together with friends. They group successfully eluded police and arrived Thailand on Jan 16. They fled China because of the long-term government harassment and surveillance that makes it impossible for a normal life. Their 16-year-old daughter has attempted suicide. Lawyer Gao Zhizheng, a Christian, has openly criticized the Chinese regime for its persecution of Falun Gong. As a result he was imprisoned and tortured. His wife believed that the Chinese authorities arrested him again as of Feb 4, 2009. 

Source: Epoch Times, March 12 and 13, 2009
http://epochtimes.com/gb/9/3/12/n2459537.htm
http://epochtimes.com/gb/9/3/13/n2460476.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

State Media: China Needs More Hawks to Safeguard National Interest

Without more hawks, there is no protection of Chinese national interest, warns an article of Global Times, a newspaper under the State media People’s Daily that focuses on international news. The Global Times article advocates for tough stance against the West and Japan as China is increasingly involved in international conflicts. The article cites examples of Wu Yi, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, Sha Zukang, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and former Chinese Ambassador in Washington, Li Zhaoxing.  Chinese Navy admirals were quoted in the article to say that with the People’s Liberation Army, other countries have no chance in the South Chinese Sea.

Source: Global Times, reprinted by Qiaobao (a Chinese Government sponsored newspaper in the United States)
http://www.usqiaobao.com/newscenter/2009-03/09/content_198164.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Chinese Navy: Pentagon Making up Story about USNS Impeccable

Chinese Navy top officials stated that U.S. stories about Impeccable were untrue. Deputy Political Commissar of Chinese Navy, Wu Huayang, stated that Pentagon’s statements about Chinese vessels harassing USNS Impeccable were totally U.S. speculations. “There were no confrontations or conflicts between China and U.S. ships,” Wu was quoted by Global International Leader under Xinhua. Chinese Navy Deputy Chief of Staff, Zhang Deshun, stated that USNS Impeccable was in the economic zone of the Chinese continental shelf and was engaging in ocean surveillance with military purposes. The U.S. Pentagon said on March 9 that Chinese ships dangerously trailed and followed the U.S. surveillance ship and harrassed the U.S. crew on board USNS Impeccable on March 8 in the South China Sea .

Source: China News, March 10, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/03-10/1596401.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

7,000 Border Police Stationed as Village Cadres

A Ministry of Public Security (MPS) official recently revealed a massive dispatch of officials and police from MPS border control corps into bordering regions since early December 2008. 600,000 personnel were sent out and 7,123 police were stationed at local villages, serving as local Party chief or member of Village Committee. It’s reported that 16,112 social conflicts were solved and 449 social unrests were handled.

Source: Sina.com, March 11, 2009
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2009-03-11/043015288984s.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Minister: 300,000 Mid-and-small-size Companies Out of Business

A sample survey shows that 7.5% of the country’s mid-and-small-size companies have gone out of business since the end of 2008, according to Li Yizhong, China’s Minister of Industry and Information Technology. The percentage amounts to an estimated more than 300,000 businesses, using total of 4.3 million in year 2007. Li said that mid-and-small-size companies account for 99% of the nation’s enterprises, 80% of the total employment, and 60% of the size of the economy. Amid the current financial crisis, they are particularly hit hard.

Source: Ta Kung Pao, March 11, 2009
http://www.takungpao.com/news/09/03/11/ZM-1046497.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Commentary: Obama Follows Bush’s Old Path

China’s state media Guangming published an article commenting Obama’s Iraq policy—“Non-Withdrawal’s Withdrawal, Non-fight’s fight, Obama Follows Bush’s Old Path.” The article was also published in other major state media and websites. The article says “Due to U.S.’s geopolitical factor in Middle East, whether it is ‘ending’ or ‘withdrawal’ from (Iraq war), U.S, has not and will not ‘responsibly end the war.’ At the same time, it will absolutely make all kinds of reasons to indirectly occupy Iraq. Therefore, Americans will forever live in illusions. This is America’s ‘always beauty’ legend. But the end of Iraq war is not an end.” The article continues, “In all, Iraq’s occupation will not be interrupted, (U.S.) will continue to control Iraq militarily, economically, and politically. Bush used lies and cheating in the past. Today’s democrats will do the same to maintain and consolidate the occupation. After 19 months, who can say the occupation will not continue?”

Source: Guangming net, March 8, 2009
http://guancha.gmw.cn/content/2009-03/08/content_895434.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-03/09/content_10972520.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Study Times: Obstacles to Military Transformation

Attachment to old munitions, vested interest groups and rigid ideology are the three obstacles to military transformation, says Study Times, the newspaper of the School of Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party. “We should be on alert and eliminate any attachment to old mechanical munitions that may block the transformation.” The article attributes the failure of the transformation efforts of Nikolay Ogarkov (Russian Military Officer) to vested interest groups in Russia who would see their positions and interest impaired as a result of changes. Finally, “the outcome will have been already determined even before the war starts between an army guided by rigid ideology and an army guided by new innovative ideology.”

Source: Study Times, March 2, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=0&id=2474&bid=7

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military