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Briefings - 1196. page

Revised Export Control List Released

China released a revised list of items subject to export controls, effective November 1, 2008. The list released on September 25, 2008 covers 85 categories including agriculture, coal mining and washing, textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, telecommunication equipment, computers and other electronics, heath products and others. The list contains 150 kinds of technology. 33 of them are totally banned from export while 117 are subject to export restrictions. National security and public interest have been cited as the guiding principle in formulating the list. The September 25 list is a revision of the December 2001 list.

Source:
Xinhua, September 25, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-09/25/content_10110694.htm
Ministry of Commerce, September 26, 2008
http://xxhs.mofcom.gov.cn/aarticle/c/d/200809/20080905802352.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China’s Foreign Minister on Post-Olympic Diplomacy Challenges

China will further develop its relations with Russia, India and Brazil as well as maintain good relations with Western countries, said Yang Jiechi, China’s Foreign Minister in a Communist Party journal, Qiu Shi addressing "unprecedented opportunities and challenges” after the Olympics. “China will continue the good momentum of development with the United States, Europe, Japan and other Western [countries] and properly handle conflicts and differences, and strive to enhance mutual trust and common interests. At the same time we should further enhance the strategic dialogue and cooperation with Russia, India, Brazil, and other emerging great powers to expand the new space of diplomacy for us as agreat power.”

Source: Qiu Shi, September 16, 2008
http://www.qsjournal.com.cn/qs/20080916/GB/qs%5E487%5E0%5E10.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Launched Manned Spacecraft Shenzhou 7

The launch of Shenzhou 7 spacecraft serves as a milestone in the increase of China’s national power, said an editorial in the People’s Daily. China launched its third manned spacecraft on September 25, 2008 with three astronauts on board to attempt its first space walk. The People’s Daily editorial continuned that 30 years of reform have provided the guarantee for such a technologally advanced move. Shenzhou-7 blasted off on a Long March II-F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu Province.

Source; Xinhua, September 26, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-09/26/content_10112799.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Xinhua: U.S. Intensively Monitors China’s Space Development from China’s Neighboring Countries

The U.S. espionage priority has been the four Chinese space R&D bases of Jiuquan, Xichang, Taiyuan and Hainan, according to a September 24 Xinhua article. 6 of the 12 U.S. espionage satellites are on Asia, particularly China. “Actions” in Jiuquan are clearly under their watch. The electronic survailance bases that the U.S. has established around China serve as the ear on China’s space development. Current there are over a dozen U.S. monitoring stations in Japan and Korea. The U.S. also maintains radar stations and electronic monitoring sites in Central Asia for this purpose. The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office conducts systematic monitoring activities. Located in Pentagon, it has an annual budget of between $250 to 350 million. It has digital imaging spy satellites such as Navy satellites KH-8 and KH-9, and CIA’s KH-11.

Source: Xinhua, September 24, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/24/content_10102121.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Over Twelve Thousand Infants Hospitalized Due to Contaminated Powder Milk

The Ministry of Health estimated that as of September 21, a total of 12,892 infants were hospitalized. 104 of them are in serious condition. Another 39,965 visited clinics. Of all infants receiving treatment, 81.87% are 2 years old or younger%. 17.33% are those between 2 and 3 years old. Those above 3 account for 0.8%. As of September 15, 2008, about 10,000 infants who had been fed contaminated Sanlu powdered milk were examined. 1,253 have been diagnosed with kidney illness. 2 of them have died. 913 were treated as outpatients. 340 remained in the hospital. As the number of victims sharply increases, sources in Hong Kong media indicated that they received instructions from Communist Party Propaganda Department not to report on the incident.

Source:
Xinhua, September 21, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-09/21/content_10088082.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-09/15/content_10010189.htm
Apple Daily, September 24, 2008 http://www1.appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?iss_id=20080924&sec_id=15335&subsec_id=15336&art_id=11638976

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China’s Rebuttal to US 2008 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said that China was strongly disappointed and was against the “2008 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom” published by US State Department on Friday September 19.  She said the report gave groundless criticism to China’s policy on religion and ethnic groups, which is against basic guidelines in handling international relationships. It has also interfered in China’s domestic affairs. “We strongly ask the US to correct its actions of criticizing religious affairs in other countries at its own will and stop publishing the report. "

Source: Xinhua, September 23, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-09/23/content_10098514.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Vice Premier’s Political Guidance to China’s Internet Society

In his greeting letter to the annual conference of Internet Society of China, Zhang Dejiang, the Vice-premier, gave party’s political guidance to the members of the Internet Society. He hope that the internet industry shall “hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics; Strengthening the ideological and moral construction under the guidance of theories by Den Xiaoping and the ‘three representatives’”.

Source: Xinhua, September 23, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/internet/2008-09/23/content_10096848.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Residential Home Purchases in Big Cities Will Hit New Low

The survey taken by the Bank of China suggested that only 13.3 percent of the residents living in the big cities intend to purchase residential homes in the next three months, the lowest since 1999.  The number is down 1.8 points from last quarter and 2.8 points from the year before. The survey also showed that deposit in a bank savings account has become the top selection for surveyed residents in terms of the financial investment in light of the recent stock market crash. The survey indicates 42.8 percent predict that the consumer price will continue to increase.

Source: Xinhua, September 23
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local//2008-09/23/content_10095134.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources