Briefings – Page 798

Boxun Reports on Beijing’s Security for the 18th Congress

November 8, 2012, was the opening day of the 18th CCP Congress. On November 7, Beijing implemented the highest level of security to guard the event. Boxun, a Chinese news website based in North America, posted a group of pictures and videos showing the level of security in Beijing before the opening of the 18th Congress: A security guard with a professional red armband (wearing a professional inspection work permit) was placed on patrol in every cabin of every subway train; buses passing Tiananmen Square had their windows taped shut; there were more security personnel of all kinds than tourists and pedestrians in Tiananmen Square; A Boxun volunteer shot a video of a woman who looked like a petitioner being seized by two Tiananmen Square policemen and dragged into a police car; armed police and special police with weapons usually patrolled outside, in the open, but instead stayed inside their cars checking on people; selling scissors was forbidden in Beijing.

Source: Boxun, November 7, 2012
http://boxun.com/news/gb/china/2012/11/201211080248.shtml#.UJtBJsVWq2o

Briefings | | November 9, 2012 | Government/Politics

Hu Jintao: Corruption May Lead to Collapse of the Party

In his opening remarks at the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing, Hu Jintao acknowledged that corruption presents a serious challenge to the Communist Party. He stated, “If we fail to handle this issue well, it could prove fatal to the Party and even lead to the collapse of the Party and the fall of the State.” He added that those who break the law will be brought to justice, "whoever they are and whatever power or official positions they have."

Hu emphasised, "[We] should ensure that the Party always remains a strong core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics."

Source: Xinhua, November 8, 2012
http://china.huanqiu.com/politics/2012-11/3257281.html

Briefings | | November 9, 2012 | Government/Politics

Disposable Personal Income Lagged Behind GDP Growth

On October 31, 2012, Securities Times published a report on the National Bureau of Statistics of China’s recently released statistics on China’s revenues. According to the statistics, during the 10 years from 2002 to 2011, the personal disposable income of urban residents increased 1.8 times. In the same period, national fiscal revenue increased 4.5 times and domestic GDP went up 3.6 times. “This wide gap shows that during the past 10 years, most of the newly created wealth was distributed outside the reach of China’s residents. Considering the multiple of 4.5 times in the increase in fiscal revenue, it can be said that the government received a much larger share of the benefits than ordinary residents. In fact, on average, urban residents’ income increased by 10 percent per annum, while fiscal revenue went up by as much as 20 percent per annum.”

Source: Securities Times, October 31, 2012
http://news.stcn.com/content/2012-10/31/content_7280245.htm

Briefings | | November 9, 2012 | Economy/Resources

China Radio International Launches Cairo Studio

On November 7, 2012, China Radio International (CRI), the PRC’s external propaganda broadcaster, held an inauguration ceremony for its Cairo studio in the Egyptian capital. The studio was set up in early October of 2012. It produces 16.5 hours of programming each week, broadcast by FM stations in Mauritania for the Arab countries. Its ten programs in the Arabic language consist mostly of interviews and discussions about cultural topics.

According to the director of CRI’s Middle East branch, all of the staff members at the studio are recruited locally. “By using the language style and means of communication that the audience in Arab countries can easily accept, they are introducing China’s history, culture, achievements, and ideologies to the Arab audience.”

As part of the task of producing programs tailored to local tastes, CRI has thus far commissioned the establishment of nearly 20 overseas program studios in major cities overseas.

Source: Xinhua, November 7, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2012-11/07/c_123927002.htm

Briefings | | November 8, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Huanqiu Article Comments on the Real Intention of the U.S. over the Diaoyu Islands Conflict

Huanqiu (The Global Times), which is under the auspices of People’s Daily) published an opinion article that stated that the U.S. is using the conflict between China and Japan over the Diaoyu Islands in an attempt to control both countries. The article said, “The Japanese right-wing, the government of Japan, and the United States are playing a three-way game in the Diaoyu Islands crisis; each of them plays a different role. The purpose is to provoke China and disrupt China’s peaceful development. Currently, the Japanese right-wing and the Japanese government have both appeared on the stage. How is the United States going to play it? So far, the U.S.’s stated position is unexpected, but it reflects the real purpose of the United States. The U.S. will not act as the mediator of the Sino-Japanese dispute and will maintain a neutral stance. In fact, the United States hopes to see China and Japan maintain a certain level of confrontation, consume each other’s energy, and contain each other. If China and Japan were friendly to each other, the United States would be very unhappy. If China and Japan are in conflict, it will, apparently, be more favorable to the United States.”

Source: Huanqiu, November 5, 2011

http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2012-11/3245593.html

Briefings | | November 8, 2012 | US-China Relations

Bo Xilai Scandal – A Very Profound Lesson

Cai Mingzhao, the spokesman for the 18th National Communist Party Congress, said that the Chinese Communist Party has learned a “very profound lesson” from the Bo Xilai scandal. “What happened with regard to Bo Xilai, Liu Zhijun, and others involves serious cases of corruption among senior Party leaders. The lesson is very profound. … The Party Central Committee and the State Council attaches great importance to honest government and anti-corruption work. They have consistently stressed the point that, regardless of who the offenders are and how high their rank, as long as they engage in corruption, [they will] resolutely investigate and pull no punches. The handling of the Bo Xilai and Liu Zhijun investigations has fully demonstrated the strong determination and attitude of our Party with respect to building a clean government and combating corruption.”

[Editor’s Note: On October 26, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate announced that Bo was placed under investigation for suspected crimes. Under Chinese law, China’s Supreme People’s Court will be the court that tries Bo Xilai, meaning there will be no appeal.]

Source: The Communist Party of China website, November 7, 2012
http://cpc.people.com.cn/18/n/2012/1107/c350840-19522246.html

Briefings | | November 8, 2012 | Government/Politics

Mao Omitted from Hu Jintao’s Instructions on the Political Development of the Army’s Ideology

On November 1, 2012, Qiushi, a journal of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article titled, “Scientific Guide to the Political Development of the Army’s Ideology in the New Situation.” The subtitle of the article is the statement, “Study Chairman Hu Jintao’s Important Instructions on the Political Development of the Army’s Ideology.” The majority of the content of the article is nearly the same as similar articles published in the past few years, such as “unswervingly adhere to the party’s absolute leadership over the armed forces.” The big difference, however, is the omission of Mao’s name, ideas, and teaching.

Source: Qiushi, November 1, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2012/201221/201210/t20121030_190237.htm

Briefings | | November 7, 2012 | Defense/Military

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