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Briefings - 1176. page

Xinjiang Arrested Close to 3,000 for Endangering State Security

Chinese authorities arrested 1,295 ethnic Uyghurs in Xinjiang (East Turkestan) region in the first 11 months of 2008 on suspicion of endangering state security. Of them, 1,154 were formally charged and faced trials or administrative punishment, reported the official The Procuratorial Daily on the December 27, 2008 conference of Xinjiang procuratorial authorities. . In 2008, the judicial authorities in Xinjiang took the maintenance of social stability as its top priority and struck hard on the three forces of terrorism, separatism and religious extremism that endanger state security" in the run up to China’s hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Source: People’s Daily, January 4, 2009
http://unn.people.com.cn/GB/14748/8618257.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xinhua Blasts Paulson and Bernanke for Holding China Responsible for Economic Crisis

Xinhua publishes a headline editorial at its website rebutting the comments of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that China’s high level of deposits caused the imbalance of global economy. The article is titled “Paulson and Bernanke’s Nonsense Cannot Change the Facts.” The article says that Paulson and Bernanke reversed the cause and result and it was U.S.’s low interest policy that directly caused the over-extended expenses. The article further says that if someone gets into trouble, an honest person should look within not shift the responsibility to others.

Source: Xinhua, January 6, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-01/06/content_10614509.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Negative Growth in 2009 if No Significant Increase in Government Expenditure

China must increase its expenditures from 4,000 billion to 10,000 billion Yuan to avoid negative growth, said Study Times, the publication of the Party School of CPC, on December 29, 2008. The current cycle of investment has run its course. It is clear next year’s investment will be around –10%, a reduction of 1,000 billion to 1,500 billion yuan. The previously announced 4,000 billion yuan government expenditure for 2009 and 2010 will not offset the decrease of the market demand. Moreover, exports in 2000 will likely see a growth of -10 to -20%.

Source: Study Times, December 29, 2008
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=0&id=2365&bid=4

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China Government Think Tank: Obama Should Follow Bush

Researcher at Institutes of American Studies of China Academy of Social Sciences states that Obama’s policy toward China will most likely follow the transition that Bush made after 911. The article predicts that Obama will be low key in his China policy to avoid confrontation. During his term, the U.S.-China Economic Strategic Dialogue will be upgraded in rank and areas expanded. The article comments that it would be critical that Obama follows Bush in balancing the Congressional pressure and the White House position.

Source: Outlook, December 23, 2008
http://news.sohu.com/20081223/n261371205.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Friends of Judges Selected as Jurors

Courts selectively “designate” jurors in spite of the random selection required by the law, said Study Times, the publication of the Party School of CPC, on December 29, 2008. The designations are based on relationships with judges. Lack of uniformity in sentencing has also become a major problem in the legal system. Judges tend to have too much discretion in sentencing. Scholars are calling for separation of trials and sentencing to reduce abuse of discretion by judges.

Source: Study Times, December 29, 2008
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2366&nid=8473&bid=5&page=1

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

The Main Theme China’s State Media Will Be Promoting the History of Chinese Communist Party in the N

Radio Free Asia reports that after New Year’s Day, China’s State media’s will mandate reporting the economic achievement under the rule of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and promoting the history of CCP as the main theme. At the same time, the authorities will apply more strict examination of media reports and publications. Particularly when the content is related to Taiwan, Tibet and so on, the media reports and publications must be consistent with the authorities in political stance. 2009 will be the 60 years anniversary of China under the rule of CCP.

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 29, 2008 http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/chuban-12292008095619.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China to Strike on Hostile Forces for Ethnic Separatist Activities

A Beijing senior official recently claimed to “resolutely” strike on hostile forces’ secession, infiltration, and sabotage activities using the ethnic issues, so as to defend ethnical solidarity and social stability.

At the National Ethnical Working Forum on December 24, Jia Qinglin, the member of standing committee of Politburo and Chairman of The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), set the requirement of “deeply understanding the significance of the ethnical solidarity under the new situation and practically defending the ethnical solidarity.” Jia said it’s needed to “resolutely” strike on domestic and overseas hostile forces’ secession, infiltration, and sabotage activities using the ethnic issues, so as to defend national unity, ethnical solidarity, and social stability.

Earlier in December, the Ministry of Education issued the Guidelines for Ethnical Solidarity Education, requiring elementary schools to strengthen the education of ethnical solidarity from the third grade, calling it a “strategic task that matters for the great renaissance of the nation of China.”

Source: Voice of America, December 25, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-12-25-voa40.cfm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Chinese Municipalities Order Harsh Punishment for Petitioners Headed to Beijing

Due to a flurry of factory bankruptcies across the nation, the number of migrant workers going to Beijing to appeal is increasing markedly. Beijing requires all local governments in the political-legal committee to emphatically work on preventing and controlling “petition riots.” An article from the website of the People’s Daily on December 23, 2008, recommends that the whole country follow the regulation issued by (the government of) Sanxi Province to give harsh punishments to petitioners. The article reveals that the office of the Taiyuan Municipal Party Committee and the Political-Legal Committee issued a notice to punish those who go to Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, Zhongnanhai, foreign embassies in China, central government leaders’ places, and provincial and municipal Party and government offices to appeal, as well as those who organize and instigate group appeals.

Source: Boxun, December 23, 2008
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2008/12/200812231119.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability