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Briefings - 1214. page

Xinhua Report on Washington Times Article on U.S. Hedge Strategy

On May 5, 2008 Xinhua reported on a May 2 Washington Times article entitled “Hedge Strategy.” The Xinhua report contains, in most part, translation of paragraphs from the Washington Times article. For example, Xinhua reported the U.S. Department of Defense consultant, Mike Pillsbury recently said that the U.S. strategy of "hedging" against an emerging military threat from Beijing by building up U.S. forces in the Pacific likely will continue whoever is elected president in November.

Source:
Xinhua, May 5, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-05/05/content_8108466.htm
Washington Times, May 2, 2008
http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080502/NATION04/235824757&template=printart

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

EV71 Cases on the Rise

Part of two preschools in Beijing were closed after discovery of EV71 cases, according to local authorities on May 6, 2008. EV71 cases in Fuyan City, Anhui Province have increased to 4,496 with 22 deaths. Zhejian Province is reported to have over 1, 198 cases between January and May 4, with one death. Hunan Province reported 368 cases as of May 5, with most patients being children under 5 years old. Guangdong Province has 3 deaths, with 1,692 infections.

Source: Beijing QianLong.com, May 6, 2008
http://beijing.qianlong.com/3825/2008/05/06/ 3562@4427593.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Hu Calls on Chinese Youth to Steadfastly Follow the Party

This Xinhua commentary article, titled “Soundly Blow the Strong Note of Patriotism”, quoting a speech by Party General Secretary Hu Jintao given during a recent visit to Beijing University, urges Chinese youth to carry on the glorious tradition of patriotism and steadfastly follow the Party down the socialist path with Chinese characteristics. The article calls on Chinese youth to strongly persist with patriotism and the socialist [path] and unite with solidarity around the core leadership of Hu Jintao to realize the great goal of the country’s revival.

Source: Xinhua, May 5, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/05/content_8109927.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Beijing: New Policy Starts Random Security Searches around Tiananmen Square

A new security regulation, announced yesterday by Beijing’s municipal government, goes into effect today that all persons and vehicles entering the Tiananmen Square are subject to a random security search. The new regulation also adds a list of illegal items forbidden to be brought into the area, including guns, ammunition, knives, explosive and radioactive items, drug and adult materials, and other hazardous articles that can disrupt social order and endanger public security. Security searches around Tiananmen Square will become a routine that will stay in effect all year long, according to one official from the municipal government. Under the old regulations, security searches around the square were performed only during times of special events and major holidays.

Source: Xinhua, May 6, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-05/05/content_8106559.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Opposes US Religious Freedom Report

China "firmly” opposes the “arrogant criticism” by a U.S. report on the religious situation in China. The annual report, released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, constitutes a “malicious attack” on China’s policies on religious and ethnic minorities and is “gross interference” in China’s internal affairs, according to Qin Gang, the Foreign Ministry spokesman. It is a “fact and reality” that Chinese citizens of all ethnic groups enjoy full freedom of religion protected by Chinese law, the spokesman said, adding that the US report undermines China-US relations.

Source: Xinhua, May 6, 2008
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2008/05-06/1241094.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Soft Spread of the Chinese Language Is a National Strategy

Xu Lin, director of China’s National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, talked about the international spread of the Chinese language in an interview with Xinhua’s publication Outlook Weekly magazine. Xu said that the international spread of the Chinese language was a national strategy. To accomplish such a great venture, it must be done through the combined efforts of various departments of the government as well as the whole society. Xu emphasizes that the most pressing issue is to improve the ability for the Chinese language to spread [beyond the country]. China’s National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language was established in 1987. It is made up of officials from 11 departments of the State Council. Its mission is to coordinate various ministries, treat the international spread of Chinese as a national issue, and spread it in a quiet manner. The headquarters of the Confucius Institutes established later is another face of the same office.

Source: Sohu, May 5, 2008
http://news.sohu.com/20080505/n256668069.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Aba Autonomous Prefecture Government Mandates Lawyers to Be in Solidarity with the Party

On April 29, the Judicial Department of Aba Prefecture [Aba is the second largest Tibetan ethnic group in Sichuan Province] held a lawyers’ professional training conference. All 55 practicing lawyers in the region attended the training. During the conference, the lawyers were required to be in solidarity with the Party’s Unified Plan both in thought and action, to be sober-minded about the [political] climate, and to counter-attack the Dalai clique’s separation with concrete actions.

Source: Boxun, May 4, 2008
http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2008/05/200805040315.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

South Korean Media: Chinese State Agent Behind Violence during Olympic Torch Relay

The newspaper World Journal in South Korea reported on April 29, 2008 that a Chinese thug involved in the violence during the Olympic Torch Relay in Seoul had been identified as the head of the Chinese Students Association in Korea. The unnamed person is a PhD candidate in police administration at Dongguk University in South Korea. According to the report, he was an official from China Public Security prior to admission into Dongguk University and upon graduation, is scheduled to return for a professorship at the Public Security University in China.

South Korean MBC TV reported on April 28, 2008 that Chinese students studying in South Korea disclosed that several thousand Chinese students were brought from China to South Korea for the Olympics Torch Relay greeting teams.

Japanese Asahi Shimbun also reported that Chinese embassies organized, directed and financed “greeting teams” in the cities the Olympics Torch Relay passed.

Source: Epoch Times, May 2, 2008
http://news.epochtimes.com/gb/8/5/2/n2102399.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend