Government/Politics - 157. page

On April 28, 2016, the 20th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth National People’s Congress adopted a law to regulate the activities of foreign NGOs in China. The law will become effective in January 2017. 

Xinhua reported that, on April 25, the National Political and Judicial Department held a working conference in Beijing. At the conference, Xi Jinping issued directives to all the political and judicial departments requiring them to build an honest and upright team, to improve their professional skills and the quality of their work, and to be persistent in managing the workforce in accordance with the law. Meng Jianzhu, Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, announced the directives. The conference participants included the head of Public Security, the Supreme Court, and the Procurator General.

Source: Xinhua, April 25, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2016-04/25/c_1118729326.htm

VOA published an article based on a news report from Hong Kong’s Apple Daily about some recent actions affecting the China Youth League. On April 6, a newly appointed Deputy Secretary General for Guangdong Province was taken away for investigation on the first day he was on the job. The official was said to have a China Youth League background but the official media has not yet confirmed that news. According to Apple Daily, in June and September of 2014, a former secretary of a Municipal Party Committee in the City of Guangzhou and a Vice Chairman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were charged with corruption. On March 23, a report stated that the Central Discipline Inspection Commission was investigating another official who was the Secretary of a Municipal Party Committee in the City of Zhuhai. All these officials were said to have had a background with the China Youth League prior to their recent appointments. The article cited a report stating that the Politburo Standing Committee of the Party has decided to downsize the workforce in the Youth League. The article said that it is an indication that the Youth League could slowly be dissolved in official circles. Another observation was that Xi Jinping has been taking action to straighten out the Youth League to prevent the emergence of someone like Ling Jihua, the formal Chief of the Party’s General Office, who came from a Youth League background. 

VOA reported that some Chinese celebrated the disaster in Japan after strong earthquakes struck there in April. Some Chinese complained, wondering why the earthquake was not of a magnitude of 10 (so that more Japanese would die). "How come only a few dozen people died? It would be better if hundreds of thousands died." "I wish there were more earthquakes of magnitude eight in Japan, so that it would not have time to threaten China." "It is said that 80 percent of Japanese have negative views of China. Let those 80 percent die in this earthquake." "It would be much better if this whole island country sank."

Some companies also used it in their advertising. A car dealer in Xi’an City posted on the web, "To celebrate the big earthquake in Japan, our store will offer super low prices on all cars for the next three days. If the aftershocks continue, the promotion will continue. If a higher magnitude earthquake occurs, the price will go even lower. If 100,000 Japanese die, the price will go to the bottom. If Japan sinks, all cars will be free."

Many Chinese netizens criticized this behavior. Internet commentator Tian Qizhuang thought it was caused by the anti-Japan patriotism that has become popular in China over the last few years. "I think a very important issue is that the current education (in China) lacks a certain aspect of human nature. Some extremist ideology is expanding and brainwashing people. People don’t treat others as humans anymore. They don’t take themselves as human either. Instead, they are just a political tool."

Source: VOA, April 18, 2016
http://www.voachinese.com/content/voa-news-chinese-nationalists-hail-kumamoto-earthquake-20160418/3290221.html

On April 24, China Discipline and Inspection Daily, the official publication of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), published a commentary warning that officials who slack off will be dealt with seriously. The commentary stated that the intensification of the anti-corruption campaign is deterring officials from engaging in the abuse of power. However, many officials continue to take no, slow, or illegal actions when they are expected to perform their official duties. The harm these "lazy government officials" bring is more serious than corruption. The commentary acknowledged that slacking off, omissions, and non-performance are increasingly rampant. It stated that it is better to hold someone accountable once than to motivate him a thousand times. 

On April 19, 2016, Xi Jinping held an Internet security and information working meeting. At the meeting, he stated that government officials should get online often to listen to the opinions and suggestions that the public expresses online.  

On April 18, 2016, China’s Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate jointly issued implementation guidelines on the penalty for corruption cases under the China’s Criminal Law Amendment (9). The penalty became effective in November 2015. 

People’s Daily reported that, on April 16, the China Screen Writers Forum was held during the China (Ningbo) Cultural Industries Fair. A group of elite Chinese screen writers gathered together and discussed the issues relating to current movie screenplays. The article said that many of the attendees were concerned that China’s movie and television industry does not lack world class directors and movie stars. Rather, it lacks good quality original screenplays. According to the article, China’s movie industry demonstrates an unhealthy trend which overly emphasizes box office revenue and entertainment effect. It tends to seek a quick turnaround but lacks the kind of work that has depth in real life. According to the article, the existing works tend to follow the trend. They copy each other and are growing on a distorted path.

Source: People’s Daily, April 18, 2016
http://culture.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0418/c22219-28283732.html