Effective September 15, 2007, the Beijing municipal government will implement a new regulation that boosts national defense education among its residents. Government entities, the media, schools and residents’ groups are also required to provide national defense education. Scores of national defense education courses must be included in the student curriculum in high schools and colleges.
Briefings - 1233. page
Hu Jingtao: The Sole Work of PLA is to Fight Taiwan
Recently Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party promoted a referendum on membership in the UN, to take place in the spring. The CCP’s Central Committee regard this as stepping over the line regarding the CCP’s "Anti-Secession Law." The CCP General Secretary and Chair of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Hu Jingtao, emphasized in an internal meeting of the CCP that the sole work of the PLA is to fight Taiwan. This is the first time Hu clearly raised such a proposal in a CCP internal meeting. [1]
Chinese Government Think Tank on Iraq: American Style Democracy Will Lead to Chaos and Instability
According to a Xinhua report, a government think tank concluded that what has happened in Iraq demonstrates that western democracy will not result in prosperity but in chaos and instability.
Tibetan Living Buddhas Cannot Reincarnate without Government Approval
China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs has issued a decree, "Reincarnation Regulations of Tibetan Living Buddhas," providing that, after September 1, 2007, it will be "illegal or invalid" for a Tibetan living Buddhas to reincarnate without government approval. If a Buddha reincarnates, it must serve the interests of national unity and the solidarity of all ethnic groups. No group or individual from outside the country can influence any reincarnation. The Reincarnation Regulations also require that temples that apply for permission for a living Buddha to reincarnate must bere "legally-registered venues for Tibetan Buddhist activities."
Criminal Investigation against Legal Daily Reporter Aborted
During a midnight interview with Xinhua on January 8, 2008, Gao Weiyi, the Deputy Governor of Xifeng County, stated that Fengxi had officially aborted the criminal investigation against Zhu Wenna, the Legal Times reporter who published a “negative” report on January 1, 2008, implicating the County Party Secretary. Local authorities also rescinded the warrant previously issued for her arrest. The Public Security Bureau Chief was quoted as saying that the investigation and warrant were “not appropriate.”
The investigation and the ensuing warrant issued on January 4 prompted an uproar from news media, who cried foul and alleged that the Xifeng County government and the Party had abused their power in this incident.
Source: Xinhua, January 9, 2008 http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-01/09/content_7389210.htm
China Plans to Launch 17 Satellites in 2008
Huang Qiang, secretary-general of the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense, revealed on January 7, 2008, that China plans to launch 15 rockets, 17 satellites and its third manned mission in 2008. The launch of Shenzhou VII in October will include a space walk; it wil initiate a joint effort with Russia to explore Mars in 2009. The agreement between China and Russia was signed on June 27, 2007.
Source: Southcn.com, January 8, 2008
http://news.southcn.com/china/zgkx/content/2008-01/08/content_4303378.htm http://bbs.tiexue.net/post2_2344250_1.html
The Government Steps In to Curb Inflation
The price of basic essentials increased dramatically in China last year. Food prices climbed more than 18%, while the price of pork soared 50%. Families with low incomes, numbered in the hundreds of millions in China, spend between 30% and 50% of their income on food for the table. The Chinese government is stepping in to introduce heavy fines for retailers and producers if they increase the price of basic necessities.
Source: BBC, January 10, 2008
Chinese government website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7180442.stm
http://wj.yaw.com.cn/Get/gzdt/154208428.htm
Warrant Issued for the Arrest of Reporter of Negative Article
The Public Security Bureau of Xifeng County, Liaoning Province, initiated a criminal investigation of a reporter from The Legal Daily for her “negative” report published on January 1, 2008, about the Party Secretary of the County. On January 4, 2008, the Xifeng police were dispatched to Beijing with a warrant for her arrest.
Zhu Wenna, a seasoned reporter of The Legal Daily, was advised by her employer on the afternoon of January 4, 2008, to go into hiding because 4 policemen from Xifeng County were looking for her. The police left Beijing on January 6, 2008, without Zhu Wenna.
Members of the media were appalled at the government’s bully tactics to silence the voices against local government and Party officials’ corruption and abuse of power.
The Legal Daily is a state-owned newspaper under the supervision of the China’s Ministry of Justice. The Legal Daily is the “mouthpiece of the Party” on political and legal developments, as its website states.
Source: Xinhua, January 8, 2008.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2008-01/08/content_7382566.htm