Briefings – Page 1241

CNS: United States Facing an Unprecedented Credibility Crisis

Carried by China News Service (CNS), Hong Kong based Wenweipo published article on February 26, 2008, titled "United States facing an unprecedented credibility crisis". The article lists a few issues that negatively affected U.S.’s international image: war against Iraq and Afghanistan, gigantic military expense and fiscal deficit, missile defense system set up in countries outside U.S., and recent shoot-down of a spy satellite. The article stated that while U.S. often criticizes other countries for manipulating currencies, U.S. let its own currency to depreciate without control. "The conducts of U.S. makes world countries to show suspects on its credibility."

Source: China News Service, February 26, 2008
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/1029/6924836.html

Briefings | | February 26, 2008 | US-China Relations

Beijing Hires PR Firm to Handle “Olympic Crisis”

According to an article published by International Herald Leader, a newspaper under Xinhua, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) hired a public relation firm to handle "crisis management," although the name of the firm was not mentioned. The job of the firm was to respond to negative media reports about Olympic Game, arrange media to conduct interviews in Beijing or other places of China. The article stated three challenges faced by China before the Beijing Olympics: international critiques on Beijing’s support for Sudan’s dictator regime; quality of China exports; and large scale domestic social unrests.

Source: International Herald Leader, February 26, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2008-02/26/content_7669584.htm

Briefings | | February 26, 2008 | Government/Politics

India and China Decide to Hold Joint Military Drill in India

VOA reports on February 25 that India authorities have announced that India and China will hold a joint military drill this year in India. Details of the drill are yet to be determined. Both countries had a joint military drill in China earlier.

Source: VOA, February 25, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-02-25-voa30.cfm

Briefings | | February 26, 2008 | Geo-Strategic Trend

“Self-Discipline Pact” Signed to Serve the 210 Million Internet Users

On February 22, 2008, China’s eight leading State run online media signed the "Chinese Pact on the Self-discipline on Visual-Audio Programs and Services of the Internet," urging all Chinese domestic websites to “spread positive, healthy programs and boycott corrupt, outdated ones.” The eight State media are the official websites of Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, the State Council Press Office, China Radio International, China Central Television, China Youth Daily, China Economic Daily, and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

There are 210 million Chinese Internet users, according to the 21st Statistical Survey Report on the Internet Development in China published in December 2007. 69 percent are under 30 years old. The largest age group is between 18 and 24, accounting for 32% of the total Internet users.

Source: Xinhua, February 22, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-02/22/content_7647209.htm
China Internet Network Information Center, December 2007
http://www.cnnic.cn/index/0E/00/11/index.htm

Briefings | | February 25, 2008 | Information/Technology

Xinhua: Sudan Newspaper Hails China’s Darfur Stance

On February 24, 2008, China’s envoy for Darfur, Liu Guijin, arrived in Sudan for a four-day visit. Xinhua reported that Sudan Vision, a Sudanese English-language newspaper ran an editorial in both English and Chinese, hailing China’s position on Darfur. Xinhua quoted from the editorial, “China develops cooperation partnership with Sudan based on China’s long term consistent support of African development. The support is not political.”

Source: Xinhua, Febraury 24, 2008.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-02/24/content_7660729.htm

Briefings | | February 25, 2008 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Western Enemy Forces Who Are Pressuring Beijing Olympics Will Be The Losers

On February 21, Xinhua posted an article titled “Western Enemy Forces Who Are Pressuring Beijing Olympics Will Be The Losers”. The article was originally published on February 19 by Lian He Zaobao, the highest circulating Chinese daily in Singapore and the region, titled “What can the West Gain From Politicizing The Olympics” written by Zheng Yongnian.

Zheng claimed that “the West forces that are politicizing the Olympics will not gain any political values and the reforms in China will not follow the expectations set by the western world.” The article criticized the western democracy system and said “the democratic system is often accompanied by social turmoil and slower economic development or even endless racial conflicts in many countries.” Zheng wrote: “Holding the Olympics will help China to strengthen its soft power in the world.”

Zheng Yongnian, Columnist for Zaobao since 2004, is a professor at China Policy Institute of Nottingham. He graduated from Beijing University in the 1980’s and went to Princeton University for his graduate program in 1995.

Source: Xinhua, February 21, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-02/21/content_7641296.htm

Briefings | | February 25, 2008 | Government/Politics

China Pressed Vatican to Ditch Ties with Taiwan

Ye Xiaowen, director-general of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, met with the Vatican’s Ambassador to the United States during his visit to Washington DC. Ye Xiaowen emphasized that Beijing’s terms were for the Vatican to switch diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan and for Rome to accept Beijing’s control over the Chinese church.

Beijing and the Vatican broke formal diplomatic relations after the Chinese Communists took power in 1949. Eight to twelve million Catholics in China are split between a state-sanctioned church, and an "underground" one. “Underground church” rejects government control and answers only to Rome.

Source: news.ifeng.com and Reuters, February 21, 2008-02-21
http://www.sara.gov.cn/GB//xwzx/xwfb/db5828f9-e047-11dc-adc6-93180af1bb1a.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080221/wl_nm/china_vatican_dc_1;_ylt=AsGanRTaQhiGOglueNo_KGRPzWQA

Briefings | | February 22, 2008 | Government/Politics

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