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Briefings - 785. page

People’s Daily Signals Tightening of Internet Blogging

On December 18, 2012, People’s Daily published an article titled “The Internet Is Not above the Law.” The article raised the issue that the Internet has been used for commercial fraud, malicious attacks, and rumor mongering. “[We] must be aware that the Internet is not above the law and that those who express themselves on the Internet may violate the law, knowingly or unknowingly. … An open China needs an Internet world that is civil, law-abiding, and healthy. Whether it is the government monitoring authorities or netizens themselves, we should all value this platform. It is unrealistic to require that every person’s remarks be correct and expressed in a right way; yet it is mandatory that people should be aware of the rule of law and be accountable for their own actions and remarks.”

Source: People’s Daily, December 18, 2012
http://society.people.com.cn/n/2012/1218/c1008-19929548.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Military Professor: China Must Be on Guard against ‘Peace Disease’

On December 12, 2012, the International Herald Leader, a newspaper under Xinhua News Agency, published an article titled, “Liu Minggfu: China Must Be on Guard against ‘Peace Disease.’” According to Liu Mingfu, a professor at the PLA National Defense University, we must firmly grasp the “Missile” (People’s Safety) and the “Egg” (People’s Livelihood) with both hands.

Liu stated, “The development of China’s military forces is behind China’s economic development; it lags behind what is needed for the Sino-US strategic competition. Therefore, China must increase military spending and speed up the pace of the army’s build-up.”

Source: International Herald Leader, December 12, 2012
http://ihl.cankaoxiaoxi.com/2012/1212/134491.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

The Chinese Government Actively Supports the Development of Confucius Institutes

On Dec. 16, 2012, China’s State Councilor, Liu Yandong, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the seventh conference of Confucius Institutes. According to Liu, who is also the president the Confucius Institute Headquarters Council, the Chinese government will actively support the steady development of Confucius Institutes, following the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.

In 2012, 400 Confucius Institutes and over 500 Confucius Classrooms were in operation globally. They received about 655,000 registered students from 108 countries and regions. Liu encouraged Confucius Institutes to expand the coverage of their operations from major cities to other regions and from colleges to communities.

Source: Xinhua, December 16, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2012-12/16/c_114044652.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Wealth and Brain Drain: China Leads in International Emigration

According to China’s Academy of Social Science’s Blue Book, China is experiencing its third large-scale overseas emigration. The affluent and the intellectual elite are the main groups leading the emigration process. China is suffering a wealth and brain drain. The findings were published on Monday, December 17, 2012, in China’s Annual Report on Chinese International Migration 2012. The number of overseas Chinese was reported to have reached 45 million in 2010, topping the world’s list of overseas emigres in absolute numbers. In 2011, over 150,000 Chinese became permanent citizens in major immigrant countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Of that number, 87,017 Chinese have been granted permanent residency in the United States.

Worldwide, international migration increased from 195 million in 2005 to 214 million in 2010, constituting 3.1 percent of the world’s population.

Source: China Review News, December 17, 2012
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1023/5/0/6/102350692.html?coluid=45&kindid=0&docid=102350692&mdate=1217174755

Briefings | | |   Grapevine

Xinhua: Quick Risk Management Required after U.S. QE4

Xinhua recently published an article about the new QE4 policy that the U.S. Federal Reserve announced on December 13. The article called for early risk management reactions to remedy the damage. The U.S. Fed’s QE3 and QE4 operations will inject a combined $85 billion in monthly currency. The article expressed the belief that the U.S. move was much faster than the international community expected. The Fed announced its QE3 plan only three months ago. Since China has the world’s largest foreign exchange reserve, mostly in U.S. Dollars, the QE4 execution will have the heaviest impact on China. It can also cause rapid appreciation of the Chinese currency. The immediate result will be a slowdown in Chinese exports. The article suggested that China should take similar actions to increase the supply of the Chinese currency so that the appreciation expectation can be stopped. The author called the U.S. “selfish” and concluded that the Fed is introducing an unnecessary “depreciation war.”
Source: Xinhua, December 14, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/comments/2012-12/14/c_114022883.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Xinhua: Nanjing Discontinued the Government’s Paid Health Care Benefits

Xinhua recently reported that, starting January 1, 2013, the City of Nanjing will no longer provide Government Paid Health Care Benefits for all people, including government officials and those working in government sponsored organizations. For decades, health care has been one of the primary benefits given to government workers. Nanjing is the capital city of Jiangsu Province, which is one of the wealthiest provinces in China. It is estimated that the move will impact over 200,000 people, who will all have to join publicly available insurance plans. Before this new move was announced, Jiangsu’s other twelve cities that the provincial government directly manages had already implemented the new policy. Many Nanjing residents could not believe that government officials would be losing this privilege. However, the new policy has two “catches” that are raising doubts. One is that government officials whose rank is above “Deputy Bureau Director” are exempt. Second, for a period of “transition” time, the government will cover the increased cost that government officials must pay because they must switch to a regular insurance plan. 
Source: Xinhua, December 15, 2012
http://www.xinhuanet.com/comments/20121215jrht/
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: China’s Global Strategy

Xinhua recently published an article discussing the strategic adjustments that are required based on the current global political environment. The article suggested that many countries in the world (such as the U.S. and Japan) are adjusting their global strategies and China needs to do the same in order to keep pace with them. The article discussed four areas for the new strategic adjustments. On the east side, China should stabilize the Asia-Pacific region as an answer to the U.S. shift of its strategic focus to the East. This stabilization effort should especially emphasize the relationship with Japan and the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations). On the north side, China should enhance its relationship with Russia, focusing on nuclear technology, space technology, and trade. On the west side, China should strengthen its ties with the Mid-Asian and West Asian countries, especially with nations that are rich in energy resources and who may be suffering from the U.S. strategy of “reducing its energy dependency.” On the south side, China should pay extra attention to the traditional “Southern” developing countries that include the African countries and the Latin American countries. Direct investments from China to these countries are growing very rapidly. 
Source: Xinhua, December 16, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2012-12/16/c_124095365.htm
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

November Year to Date Profit for State Owned Enterprises Down 7 Percent

According to data released by the Ministry of Finance on December 14, 2012, November year to date profit for State Owned Enterprises was 1.94 trillion yuan (US$310 billion), down seven percent compared to the same period last year.

The revenue for November year to date was 37.94 trillion yuan (USD$6.08 trillion), up 10.9 percent from the same period in 2011 and 11.8 percent from October. The industries that showed the largest increase in profit included electric power, tobacco, electronics, light industry, and the auto industry. The industries that showed the sharpest decrease in profits include the chemical industry, nonferrous metals, transportation, construction material, and mechanical areas.

Source: Xinhua, December 15, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2012-12/15/c_114034861.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources