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Briefings - 1229. page

Wen Jiabao Says Most Outstanding Economic Problem is Inflation

According to Xinhua, Chinese Premiere Wen Jiabao hosted a State Council Executive Meeting on current economic affairs on April 16, 2008. The meeting concluded that the most outstanding problem is the overall inflation. Other issues include low production in the agriculture sector, possible overheating of fixed asset investment, and a grim outlook for energy saving. The meeting also required that all branches of the government at all levels make sure the central government policies are effectively and thoroughly carried out from top to bottom.

Source: Xinhua, April 16, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-04/16/content_7989988.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Reports of Missing Grain from Local Reserves Under Investigation

The State Administration for Grain has sent a team to Anhui Province to investigate a recent story that the grain stock from local storage facilities has gone missing missing, prompting speculations of possible corruption charges. Grain reserves are stored and subsidized by the government at local storage facilities but the actual stock may have been inflated by the local officials in order to receive extra subsidized compensation. Meanwhile, recent soaring grain prices have led to illegal selling of reserve stocks for "double profits". Amid fears of the worst grain shortage in two decades, the report caused grave concerns among government officials that this practice may be widespread. The annual nationwide auditing of the grain storage by the State Administration for Grain has been underway six months earlier than the normal August/September season.

Source: Xinhua, April 15, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-04/15/content_7978862.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: Who Are These International Friends of Dalai Lama?

There have always been “a few” international politicians “cheering tirelessly”, either openly or from behind-the-scenes, for the Dalai Lama with an ulterior-motive to use the issue of Tibet to “contain China,” according to a Xinhua article from April 15, 2008.  Among them, singled out by the article, were two US congress representatives, Nancy Pelosi and Thomas Lantos, and two EU Parliament members, Edward McMillan-Scott (Vice-President) and Thomas Mann (President of the Tibet Intergroup). Pelosi, a “longtime hard-line China basher”, and Lantos, the key figure of the Human Rights Caucus Group, have been “the best and the most reliable friends” of the Dalai Lama in the US Congress. Together with other senior members and a special lobby group, “International Campaign for Tibet", they have been the main force “stirring up trouble” to interfere in China’s internal affairs on Tibet. The Dalai Lama Clique also has many “high ranking friends” in the EU Parliament that have been “openly” supporting the “Tibetan Separatists” and are calling for EU leaders to boycott the Beijing Olympic which “has angered” the Chinese people. The “right wing” political forces were also mentioned by the article as supporters of the Dalai clique.

Source: Xinhua, April 15, 2008

http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2008-04/15/content_7978106.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Australian Chinese Organized to Support Olympic Torch and Neutralize Protesters

Boxun reports on April 14 that various Chinese organizations in Australia are being organized to circulate an urgent letter calling on Chinese in various Australian cities to help [Chinese people in] Canberra and support the April 24 Olympic Torch relay in Canberra. The report published the whole letter issued by the Australian Chinese Youth Exchange Promotion Association. The letter claims that there will be several hundred protesters composed of “Tibetan Independence” and other “anti-China” forces trying to sabotage the event. “These people rehearsed to humiliate China using the torch to light cigarettes and toilet paper, and using extinguishers to put out the Torch,” says the letter. The letter detailed the schedules for free transportation from various locations and promised to provide free meals. The report questions who pays for the free meals and free transportation.

Source: Boxun, April 14, 2008-4-15
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/intl/2008/04/200804141107.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xinhua Article Questions Pelosi: What Does Pelosi Want to Do?

On Xinhua’s website on April 14, an article, by Shen Dingli, Deputy Director of the International Affairs Institute of [Shanghai’s] Fudan University, described U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “opposing China no matter what” and questioned what she wanted to do [about China]. The article said that Pelosi started a Congressional Resolution to prohibit U.S. officials from attending the Beijing Olympics using government funds, though she has no control over the U.S. executive branch.

The article complimented President Bush, saying that Bush’s views and actions [regarding Sino-U.S. cooperation for the Olympics] are responsible. The article continued, “Pelosi even publicly called on people to make trouble at her hometown San Francisco during the Olympic Torch relay. Being ranked third to succeed President’s position and as the Speaker [of the House], Pelosi is naturally a top level leader. At such a high level position of public power, she even despises the law, supporting “Tibetan Independence” forces to challenge the Olympic Torch and interfer with the U.S. government’s protection of the Torch relay…”

Source: Xinhua, April 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-04/14/content_7970671.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua Calls US House Speaker Holding Double Standards and Not Welcomed in China

Xinhua carried an article to discredit House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on her support to the protesters in Tibet. The article named the Speaker holding double standards, interfering with China’s internal affairs, constantly hurting Chinese people feelings and damaging Sino-US relationship. The article calls the Speaker an unwelcomed person in China.

Source: Xinhua, April 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-04/12/content_7966283.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China Deepens in Foreign Reserves Losses As US Dollar Weakens

On April 10, the exchange rate between US dollars and Chinese yuan fell below 7 yuan mark to 6.99920. Compared with the exchange rate prior to the currency reform in 2005, Chinese yuan has made cumulative appreciation of 15.5 percent against the dollars. One analysis suggested that the weakened dollars has caused China losing US$35.7 billion or 4 aircraft carriers in the past one month assuming 90 percent of China’s reserve is in US dollars.

Source: Global Times, April 11, 2008
http://www.huanqiu.com/www/115/2008-04/89144.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

People’s Daily: What is the Intention of the Washington Post?

People’s Daily calls a series of commentaries on Tibet published by Washington Post in the past two months are full of one-sided opinions, distorted comments and a shameful act by a few mainstream medias in the US. It claims that the “Lhasa riots as well as the chaos on the streets of London and Paris” have helped the people around the world to unfold the fake mask worn by the Dalai’s group and has allowed the world to see the truth of the so called “righteous, objective, independent” model portrayed by a few US medias.”

Source: People’s Daily, April 12, 2008
http://2008.people.com.cn/GB/7111822.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations