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Briefings - 865. page

PLA Major General Challenges the U.S. with Ten Questions

On June 5, 2012, at a press conference for the release of a report assessing the power of the U.S. military, PLA Major General Luo Yuan posed 10 questions to the United States. The China Strategy Culture Promotion Association, where Luo serves as its spokesperson and Deputy Executive Director, released the report.

The 10 questions are as follows:

Who has the largest and best-equipped military? Who has the world’s biggest military budget? Who has the largest inventory of nuclear weapons? Which country is involved in the most wars at present? Which country arranges the greatest number of combined military excises around the world? Who perceives China as its enemy? Who is the target of the U.S. strategic pivotal shift to the East? Who is the target of the air and sea combat strategy? Who is implementing or preparing to implement cyberspace warfare? Who is creating roadblocks in the Sino-U.S. military cooperation?

Luo concluded that the U.S. has the most powerful military with the largest budget and has a strong hostile state of mind towards China.

Source: Huanqiu, June 5, 2012
http://mil.huanqiu.com/paper/2012-06/2789073.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

CRN: China’s Nationwide Flood Season Started

China Review News (CRN) recently reported that China’s national flood season officially started  on June 1, 2012. All flood control headquarters for China’s river systems switched to full gear operations. According to the Bureau of National Weather Services, this year’s outlook is not optimistic. This year’s primary rainy season is expected to have a worse impact than last year’s. Based on national records, across the nation more than 40,000 small-scale reservoirs still experience different levels of safety risks. Chen Lei, the Minister of Water Resources and Deputy Chief of the National Flood Control Headquarter, recently required those who do flood control work to place a significant emphasis on preventing these reservoirs from collapsing. In Hubei Province alone, along the Yangtze River, the banks have already collapsed in 142 different places. The Yangtze River is the largest river in China.

Source: China Review News, June 1, 2012
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1021/2/8/2/102128278.html?coluid=45&kindid=0&docid=102128278&mdate=0601230650

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xinhua: China Planning a Pilot Program Allowing Foreign Companies to Issue RMB Stock Shares

Xinhua recently reported that the State Council is planning to allow foreign companies to enter China’s stock market by issuing shares of stock in Chinese currency (RMB). The government is designing a pilot program and is preparing rules and technical details. Also under consideration is allowing foreign organizations with Chinese currency to invest those foreign-owned RMB in China’s domestic market. The plan supports Shanghai in becoming an international financial center, while it strengthens Hong Kong’s current status as an international financial center. The plan is part of China’s effort to widen the use of China’s currency internationally and to enhance the acceptance of China’s currency as an international reserve currency. The new pilot program may be extended to issuing bonds and establishing funds, in addition to stock shares.

Source: Xinhua, June 2, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/finance/2012-06/02/c_123225878.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Bureau Director: It Is Illegal for the U.S. Consulate to Release Air Quality Numbers

On June 1, 2012, China News reported that Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau Director Zhang Quan made some public comments about Shanghai’s air quality monitoring standards. He suggested in a news conference that it is illegal for the U.S. consulate in Shanghai to release Shanghai’s local PM2.5 air quality readings to the general public. He pointed out that the U.S. consulate measures local air quality with its own equipment. The Shanghai government does not currently release this number, but it plans to complete equipment testing in June. Shanghai is in the first group of Chinese cities that will actually provide PM2.5 numbers. The U.S. embassy in Beijing started releasing Beijing’s local PM2.5 numbers several years ago, but this is the first time a Chinese official suggested that it is illegal to do so. PM2.5 particles are air pollutants with particulate matter having a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, small enough to invade even the smallest airways. These particles generally come from activities that burn fossil fuels, such as traffic, smelting, and metal processing. 

(Ed: The U.S. rates pollution levels according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard that is more stringent than the one used by the Chinese government. On Tuesday, for example, the U.S. Embassy reported that the level was “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” while Beijing categorized the air quality as “good.”)

Sources: China News, June 1, 2012
http://www.chinanews.com/df/2012/06-01

Washington Post, June 4, 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-says-foreign-embassies-not-allowed-to-report-on-air-quality-in-beijing-other-cities/2012/06/05/gJQABHT4EV_story.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China and Europeans Countries Held High Level Political Party Forum

The third China-European Union High-Level Political Party Forum was held in Brussels, Belgium for three days starting on May 29, 2012. Wang Jiarui, head of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, led a group of Chinese delegates to participate in the forum. Politicians and experts from China and Europe gathered together to explore new paths to engage both sides in working together to deal with common challenges.

Wang spoke at the forum and expressed China’s wish to openly cooperate with European countries, expand cooperation in international trade and affairs, enhance exchanges in dealing with domestic affairs and challenges, and resolve the current crisis.

Close to 100 people attended the forum, including the delegates from China and the representatives from parties at the major and local levels in Europe.

Source: International Department of Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, May 30, 2012 http://www.idcpc.org.cn/ziliao/cn_eu_party3/dongtai/120530.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

The National Rural Youth League Held a Conference in Changsha

From May 28 to 30, 2012, the National Rural Youth League of the Communist Party held a conference in Changsha, Hunan Province. The purpose of the conference was to further carry out the key directives that Hu Jintao mentioned during the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Youth League, to summarize the Youth League’s work achievements made so far this year, and to lay out the plans for the Youth League’s work in rural regions.

The representatives from 22 Rural Youth Leagues at the provincial, city, and district levels attended the conference.

Source: China Youth Daily, June 3, 2012
http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2012-06/03/nw.D110000zgqnb_20120603_4-01.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Marxism Theoretical Research and Development Project Conference Held in Beijing

On June 2, 2012, the Marxism theoretical research and development project conference was held in Beijing. The conference summarized the achievements made over the past eight years and further laid out the plan for the next step forward. Li Changchun, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, spoke at the meeting. Li requested that the work should “further carry out the key directives from the Sixth Plenary Session of the 17th Communist Party of China Central Committee held last year and that the work demonstrate a high level of understanding and confidence in the Marxist theory; further promote the development of the Party’s ideology and theory; promote the development of social sciences; and create a fine ideological and theoretical atmosphere ahead of the upcoming 18th National Congress.”

Liu Yunshan, the head of the propaganda department, hosted the meeting. There were 320 people from various propaganda departments, Marxism theoretical study groups, departments of education, and central news media agencies attending the meeting.

Source: Xinhua, June 2, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-06/02/c_112099638.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Qiushi-: The Manifestation, Cause, and Lessons from Democracy’s Failure in Developing Countries

Qiushi recently published an article about the process of democratization in developing countries. The article stated that, since 1970, many developing countries have been dragged into joining the global democratization movement. Although democratic transformation has been going on for more than 30 years, most developing countries have gotten into trouble and experienced a democratization crisis. These crises have the following manifestations: 1). Democratization has brought about social turmoil, conflicts, and even war; 2). It resulted in poor efficiency in administration due to internal fighting; 3). It caused political corruption; 4) It affected economic development and brought poverty in its wake. The objective reasons for its failure include: 1) A poor economic foundation to support democracy; 2) The lack of an efficient system and of the laws to guarantee democracy’s execution; 3). The lack of a “democratic rationality” due to the poor quality of people’s education.

The article concluded that China should learn from the countries that failed after choosing the path of democracy and find a democracy suitable to China’s national situation; develop democracy in coordination with economic development; and not have a “shock style” democratization.

Source: Qiushi，May 31, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/zz/ywgc/201205/t20120531_161302.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics