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Briefings - 1222. page

Internet Bloggers Were Penalized for “Spreading Rumors” About Earthquake

The authorities have fined and reprimanded 4 persons that were found spreading rumors on the Internet about an earthquake, reported the People’s Daily Online on May 13, 2008. These 4 persons are from the cities of Dalian, Langfang, Yuncheng and Jiaozuo. The report stated that they fabricated stories that there would be a major earthquake in Beijing and that the Sichuan earthquake was the result of human errors, with the purpose to attract online visits to their blogs. “The Public Security Department hopes that the broad masses of the people will not believe rumors, or spread rumors. It will enforce the law and strictly penalize those who deliberately create and spread rumors to confuse the people with the ulterior motive to incite unrest.” reported the People’s Daily Online.

Source: People Daily Online, May 14, 2008
http://society.people.com.cn/GB/41158/7235559.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China and Venezuela Join Hands in Oil Development and Refining

The State owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has recently signed a framework agreement with Venezuela’s Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA ) to form two joint ventures, one for heavy oil development in Venezuela and the other for oil refining in China. PDVSA will hold 60% and CNPC 40 % in the development of the joint venture project in Block Junin 4 of the Orinoco belt in Venezuela, with an estimated production capacity of 20 million tons per year. The refinery in China will refine the 20 million ton of crude oil from the Block Junin 4 joint venture. CNPC will hold 60% and PDVSA 40%.

Source: Xinhua, May 13, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/13/content_8162051.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Beijing: No Major Earthquakes Despite Jolts

Beijing Seismological Bureau said on May 12 that in the near future, Beijing will not see any destructive earthquakes. Earlier, Beijing residents felt jolted at 14:35 on May 12. The shakes lasted about one minute. Gu Yongxin, Deputy Director of Beijing Seismological Bureau, stated that it was the aftermath of the recent Sichuan earthquake.  Reports of possible earthquakes in Beijing was dismissed as rumors.

Source: Xinhua, May 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/12/content_8153951.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xinhua Commentary: Party and Government Intimately Connect with People

Amid the news of earthquake strike, General Secretary Hu Jingtao Immediately gave out order to rescue the wounded as soon as possible and Premier Wen Jiabao immediately flew to the disaster region to direct the rescue effort. Various other governmental agencies launched emergency operations to support the anti-earthquake relief effort in order to protect the lives and belonging of the people. All these are sufficient proof, claimed by this front page Xinhua commentary, that the Party and the Government are intimately connected with the hearts of the people in the disaster region. Such rapid response has demonstrated to the people the full-hearted determination toward the rescue effort and the deep-affection toward its people by the Party and the Government. This also show-cased the powerful social mobilizing ability of the socialist county, said the article.

Source: Xinhua, May 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/12/content_8154338.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Media Ordered to Play Correct Propaganda Roles during Earthquake Crisis

All news and media agencies must strictly follow the Party guideline, firmly control the correct direction of public opinion, emphasize the positive propaganda, stimulate unity and stability, and provide powerful moral support for the earthquake rescue efforts. These are the propaganda directives from the Standing Politburo of Central Party Committee passing down by Li Changchun, a standing member of the Politburo, during an internal teleconference for nationwide propaganda departments. The teleconference, held earlier today, also calls for maximum effort to promote the images of the Party Central Committee and State Council for their extreme concerns and executive decisions to protect the safety of the people in the disaster-hit areas. It also emphasized the need to promote the heroic rescue efforts by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Armed Police, and Public Security Police.

Source: Xinhua, May 13, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/13/content_8162344.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Sichuan Government Dismissed an Earthquake Warning Inquiry as Rumor

On May 9, 2008, three days before the earthquake in Sichuan Province occurred, Sichuan government in its website posted an article reporting that the Earthquake Bureau in Aba Prefecture successfully quelled an earthquake rumor. The article revealed that the bureau received a telephone inquiry asking if it is true that an earthquake was about to occur. The local government immediately identified the source of the rumor and clarified the rumor was a misunderstanding of a telephone conference about geological disasters. The article was removed after the earthquake happened but the picture was captured and circulated on the Internet.

Source: Boxun, May 12, 2008
http://peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2008/05/200805121812.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China Establishes Large Commercial Aircraft Enterprise

Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China,Ltd. (CACC) announces its formal kick-off on May 11 in Shanghiai, Xinhua reports. The company is approved by the State Council and is owned by the State. The new company has an equity of 19 billion yuan (US$2.71 billion) It is responsible for the development and manufacture of large commercial aircrafts. Zhang Dejiang, deputy premier and member of politic-bureau, attended the opening ceremony.

Source: Xinhua, May 11, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/11/content_8144814.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

April CPI Up 8.5 Percent; Inflation Expectations On the Rise

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced on May 12 that April CPI were up 8.5 percent compared with the same period last year and was a 0.2 points increase from March. Food price increase was 22.1 percent, the highest of all.  The increase came after 8.1 percent increase in April PPI, Producers’ Price Index, among which crude oil up by 37.9 percent, coal mining and washing up by 20.9 percent. Peng Zhilong, Deputy Director General of the Department of National Accounts at the NBS said the Inflation expectations are rising and would be hard to bring CPI down to the targeted 4.8 percent in the short run.

Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People’s Bank of China spoke at Shanghai Lu Jia Zhui Forum on May 10 admitting “anti-inflation is the biggest concern in China’s currency policy.”

Source:
National Bureau of Statistic of China, May 12, 2008 http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjfx/jdfx/t20080512_402479287.htm
Xinhua, May 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2008-05/12/content_8149854.htm
Xinhua, May 10, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2008-05/10/content_8140766.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources