Skip to content

Government/Politics - 192. page

Beijing Held Its Third World Chinese Education Conference

Xinhua recently reported that, on December 7, 2014, the Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the China Overseas Exchange Association jointly held the Third World Chinese Education Conference in Beijing’s Great Hall. State Councilor Yang Jiechi attended the conference and met with more than 500 representatives of Chinese educational facilities from 50 countries and regions. [1] 

At the opening ceremony, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council gave awards to 1646 “outstanding overseas Chinese teachers” and 120 prominent contributors to overseas Chinese education. They also gave awards to 38 schools for being model schools. [1] 

According to a document issued by the Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council (to the Chinese Embassies and Consulates of different countries), the Chinese Embassies and Consulates in the respective countries must recommend those who receive the awards. A notice attached to the document listed conditions for receiving the awards. Among other conditions, the requirements included that the recommended awardees must agree to and support the “One China” policy and oppose “Taiwan Independence,” “Xinjiang Separation,” “Tibetan Independence,” “Falun Gong,” and the “Democracy Movement.” [2] 
Sources: 
[1] Xinhua, December 7, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2014-12/07/c_127283884.htm 
[2] Information that Chinascope acquired from an internal source

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

People’s Daily Article Hints Death Penalty for Zhou Yongkang

On December 10, People’s Daily carried an article titled, "What Zhou Yongkang Did Is No Different from a ‘Traitor.’" The article mentioned a few names in the history of the Chinese Communist Party: two early leaders in the 1930’s during the civil war with the Nationalist Party and three high ranking military officials after 1949. All of the five ended in the death penalty. The Nationalists killed the early leaders; the three later officials received death sentences.
The article contrasts with a 2013 Xinhua article, months after Bo Xilai was ousted, "Chen Yun was against the death penalty for Jiang Qing: the inner Party struggle should not have bloodshed." This article hinted that there would be no death penalty for Bo. The December 10 People’s Daily article is widely regarded as hinting that Zhou will receive a "death sentence."
Source: People’s Daily reprinted on china.com.cn, December 10, 2014
http://www.china.com.cn/news/2014-12/10/content_34284242.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

What State Secrets did Zhou Yongkang Leak?

One of the findings that the Communist Party Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) made in its investigation report against Zhou Yonkang is that Zhou leaked Party and State secrets. As China’s former security czar, what State secrets did he leak? 

Some analysts believe that it refers to Zhou’s leaking information about the corruption of his opponents to the media. It may also include Zhou’s attempt to create chaos and organize counterattacks against his opponents. It could also refer to his immediately giving information to Bo Xilai about Wang Lijun having sought refuge in the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu. Some others thought that the findings referred to Zhou Yongkang leaking state secrets to North Korea’s Kim Jong-un in order for them to collaborate in creating international tensions. 

Source: Epoch Times, December 7, 2014 
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/14/12/7/n4312884.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Zhou Yongkang Expelled from the Party and Under Arrest

On December 6, 2014, People’s Daily reported that Zhou Yongkang was expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC), and is now under arrest as the prosecutors launched an investigation against him. According to People’s Daily, on December 5, 2014, after reviewing the investigation report of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) against Zhou, the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee reached the decision to expel him. 

Back on December 1, 2013, the CCDI briefed the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee about the indications pointing to Zhou’s disciplinary violations. They made a decision to conduct a further examination. On July 29, 2014, the Politburo filed a case for investigation. 
According to a statement that the Politburo issued on December 5, 2014, the CCDI investigation found “Zhou has been in serious violation of the Party’s political, organizational, and confidentiality discipline. He used his official positions to seek personal gain for himself and others and accepted huge bribes personally and through his family. He abused his power to help relatives, mistresses, and friends make huge profits from business activities, resulting in significant losses of state-owned assets. He leaked the Party’s and State’s secrets. He seriously violated self-disciplinary regulations and accepted a large amount of money and property personally and through his family. He committed adultery with a number of women and traded his power for sex and money.” The statement added that the investigation uncovered leads indicating he may have committed other crimes. 

On December 6, 2014, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued a statement that it has opened an investigation into Zhou’s suspected crimes and decided to arrest him according to the law. 

Sources: People’s Daily, December 6, 2014 
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2014-12/06/nw.D110000renmrb_20141206_5-01.htm http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2014-12/06/nw.D110000renmrb_20141206_3-01.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Investigations of Corrupt Officials Overseas Face Barriers

BBC Chinese recently reported that officials from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested that the Chinese government is considering bringing an action in foreign courts against those corrupt government officials who fled overseas. Observers described this decision as “unusual.” It shows how bad the situation is for the Chinese government’s attempt to bring those fugitives home. The two largest destination countries for these corrupt officials are the United States and Canada. Neither has an extradition treaty with China. Chinese officials complained that these countries have a “bias” against the Chinese legal system. They do not allow the Chinese suspects to be sent back to China, citing a concern for the lack of protection for the suspects’ rights. Although Washington has expressed a willingness to cooperate with Beijing’s anti-corruption investigations, the United States has refused to make more promises related to handing over the suspects.
Source: BBC Chinese, November 26, 2014
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/11/141126_china_hunting_fugitives
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xi Jinping: China Should Develop Its Own Version of Great Power Diplomacy

Xinhua published an article reporting on a talk that Xi Jinping gave at a conference that the central foreign affairs office recently held. Xi gave the direction that China must develop its own version of “great power diplomacy.” Xi said that the diplomacy work should involve constantly assessing and understanding the current trends and risks. The greatest opportunity China faces is to continue to develop itself with a focus on dealing with a number of risks and challenges. According to Xi, China must maintain and strengthen the leadership of the Party and firmly walk the socialistic path with Chinese characteristics. Xi said that China should not give up its own rights or its core interests. … It should also try to gain understanding and support from the international society about the China Dream. … Xi also instructed that, at the same time, China should work on increasing its soft power while telling a good story about China [portraying China in a positive light].

Source: Xinhua, November 29, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-11/29/c_1113457723.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Guangming Daily: Promote the Party’s Red Culture and Take Control of Ideological Work

Guangming Daily published an article written by Zhang Quanjing, the former deputy head of the Organization Department. The article illustrated the importance for the Party in promoting red culture and taking control of ideological work. The article stressed that ideological work was one of the reasons that the Soviet Union failed, leading to its collapse. In the article, the author emphasized that the Party members should be on guard so as that they remain firm in resisting the invasion of Western ideology that comes from the “international hostile forces.” Such ideology promotes a democratic constitution and democratic socialism with the goal of denying the existence of the Chinese Communist Party. In closing, the article emphasized that the Party members should increase the amount of study of theories while the Party should reinforce its rules among the members and punish those who try to smear the image of the Party.

Source: Guangming Daily, November 28, 2014
http://dangjian.gmw.cn/2014-11/28/content_13992309.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Huanqiu: British All-Party Parliamentary China Group Cancelled Visit to China after a Visa Ban

According to Huanqiu, at the last minute, the British All-Party Parliamentary China Group cancelled a visit to China originally scheduled for November 25 because the Chinese Embassy in the UK refused to grant a visa to one of the MPs who was scheduled to go. Richard Graham, head of the All-Party Parliamentary China Group and a former diplomat in Beijing and Macau in the 1980s had defended Hong Kong’s autonomy. After the Chinese Embassy requested that Graham make a statement clarifying his thinking on Hong Kong’s Occupy Central, Graham did not do so and was therefore denied a visa.

Zhou Hong, Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said to a reporter from Huanqiu, “The fact that a British MP delivered a speech to support (Hong Kong’s) “Occupy Central” campaign has violated China’s core interests. The Chinese government does not allow any actions to split China. It is beyond doubt that we have refused to issue a visa to him.”  

[Editor’s note: In a parliamentary debate, Graham is reported to have said that Britain has a duty to uphold the principles of the 1984 joint declaration by Britain and China, which paved the way for the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997. He also spoke of the freedom enshrined in that declaration.]

Source: Huanqiu, November 26, 2014
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2014-11/5215627.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics