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Government/Politics - 207. page

Qiushi: The Unity of Developing the Socialist System and Improving the National Governance Systems

Qiushi reported on a speech that Xi Jinping recently gave at the opening ceremony of the Seminar for Major Provincial Leaders to Study the Decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee. In his speech, Xi stated that "[We] must fully understand the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reforms. It is a unity of two sentences: Improve and develop the Socialist system with Chinese characteristics and advance the modernization of national governance systems and governance capacity."

The Qiushi article discussed how to understand Xi’s statement. It explained the "unity" or the "same goal" of developing the social system and improving governance system: the CCP "should, via improving and developing the Socialist system with Chinese characteristics, implement the institutionalization, standardization, and procedures of governing the Party, the nation, and social affairs," and also "via building up the national governance system, develop the Socialist system with Chinese characteristics."

It further elaborated on the "national governance culture" and affirmed its importance in applying Marxist theory and the "correct political viewpoint and value system" to guide the national governance system.  

Source: Qiushi Online, June 15, 2014
http://www.qstheory.cn/bwtj/2014-06/15/c_1111149821.htm

Qiushi: Closely Watch Out for Ideology Security on the Internet

On June 15, 2014, Qiushi Theory, a political theory periodical that is published by the Chinese Communist Party Central Party School and the CCP Central Committee, reprinted an article from “Chinese Social Sciences Today” titled “Closely Watch Out for Ideology Security on Internet.” According to the article, maintaining the security of ideology on the Internet is as important as maintaining the security of technical information. Some Western countries have been promoting Western ideology and [the Western] political system on Internet, which is a “War without Smoke.” Thus, China cannot secure its national political system if it does not control the ideology circulating on the Internet. 

Source: Qiushi Theory, June 15, 2014
http://www.qstheory.cn/bwtj/2014-06/15/c_1111148848.htm  

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Foreign Countries Should Not Interfere in Hong Kong Affairs

BBC Chinese recently reported that Hua Chunying, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warned that Hong Kong affairs are internal to China and other countries better stop their interference. Since Beijing published the White Paper on Hong Kong on June 10 (Editor’s note: See Chinascopes briefing from June 11 at: http://chinascope.org/main/content/view/6404/81/), both the U.S. and the British consulates have criticized the policies explained or laid out in the White Paper. When the press asked Hua to comment on the US/UK reactions, she advised, “They should read the White Paper more carefully and contribute more to Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.” The U.S. State Department commented that the United States expected China to keep the promises it made in the Hong Kong Basic Law. The well-respected Hong Kong Bar Association later issued an announcement clarifying that the White Paper is “incorrect” in stating that Hong Kong judges and judicial officers are part of the executive branch that “rules” Hong Kong.
Source: BBC Chinese, June 12, 2014
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/06/140612_china_hk_us_uk.shtml

Guangming Daily Commentary: CCP to Emphasize the Quality of Party Members over the Quantity

Guangming Daily carried a commentary about the new guidelines the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party recently published. The guidelines are to be used in growing Communist Party membership. The commentary stated that, for the first time, the guidelines clearly raised the requirement to “control the quantity; optimize Party structure; improve quality and the ability to carry out tasks…” According to the commentary, the guidelines call for control of the quality of the Party members to the point where, if necessary, any unqualified members will be dismissed, if necessary. The commentary stated that the Party’s organization department and its research institute often question why the Soviet Union established itself with 200,000 party members; sustained its growth with 2 million party members, but collapsed when it had 20 million members.

According to the statistics from the Organization Department, by the end of 2012, the total number of members of the Chinese Communist Party had reached 85 million, making it the Party with the largest number of members in the world. However, according to the commentary, “how to maintain the advanced spirit of the Party members and guarantee that each member truly believes in the Communist ideology” has become a new challenge for the Party.”

Source: Guangming Daily, June 13, 2014
http://dangjian.gmw.cn/2014-06/13/content_11601891.htm

Chinese Scholar: Current Education System Does Not Nurture Student Creativity

China Youth Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Youth League of China, published an article about Chinese students’ lack of aptitude for innovation. The paper interviewed the Chinese scholar, Zhang Xueji, director of the research center at the School of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Science and Technology in Beijing. Zhang stated that more and more Chinese students are losing interest in innovation. When compared to college and graduate students in the U.S., they lag far behind in creativity skills.

Zhang told China Youth Daily that the talent for innovation is the scarcest resource for a country. Zhang listed a number of reasons that caused the lack of innovation consciousness and ability in the academic field of research in China. First, the transmissive style of teaching does not nurture an interest in creativity. Second, the existing assessment of the scientific and technological achievement process also needs to be changed. Zhang said that the system shouldn’t emphasize whether a research paper that a graduate student publishes during his graduate education meets a quota, but rather, whether the quality of the paper meets the requirement. This emphasis has resulted in a lack of original research projects. A third factor that Zhang brought up is the lack of trust between research fellows working for a company and those research fellows working for the college. The fact that both sides are afraid of potential risks presents a barrier to their ability to collaborate.

Source: China Youth Daily, June 15, 2014
http://qclz.youth.cn/lzrs/201406/t20140615_5366719.htm

State Media on One Country, Two Systems

China’s two state media, Xinhua and People’s Daily, both published editorials on the white paper titled, “The Practice of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ Policy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.” China’s State Council issued the white paper on June 10, 2014. 

Xinhua’s editorial stated that, unfortunately, some people in Hong Kong do not understand "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law. “Some incorrect views on economic, social, and political issues are affecting social security, economic development, democracy, and progress in Hong Kong, and are causing problems …” Xinhua further stated that one should always be alert to external forces using Hong Kong to interfere with China’s domestic affairs and should prevent and contain the handful of Hong Kong people who disrupt the implementation of "one country, two systems" in collusion with those external forces. 
People’s Daily emphasized that being patriotic to Mainland China is a basic political requirement for Hong Kong’s self-rule and that Hong Kong must be ruled by those Hong Kong people who are patriotic toward Mainland China. 
Sources: 
Xinhua, June 10, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2014-06/10/c_1111077352.htm 
People’s Daily reprinted by Xinhua, June 11, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2014-06/11/c_126605318.htm

State Council Explains One Country, Two systems Policy in Hong Kong

On June 10, 2014, the Information Office of the State Council issued a white paper giving China’s explanation of the "one country, two systems" policy in Hong Kong, titled “The Practice of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ Policy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”

The white paper explained that the "two systems" means that, within the "one country" the main body of the country practices socialism, Hong Kong and some other regions practice capitalism. “The ‘one country’ is the premise and basis for the ‘two systems,’ and the ‘two systems’ is subordinate to and derived from ‘one country.’ … The main body of the country must practice socialism and that will not change.” 
The white paper further stated that for Hong Kong to retain its capitalist system and enjoy a high degree of autonomy with the "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," “Hong Kong must fully respect the socialist system practiced on the mainland in keeping with the ‘one country’ principle and, in particular, the political system and other systems and principles in practice.” The white paper also warned that it is necessary “to stay alert to the attempts of outside forces to use Hong Kong to interfere in China’s domestic affairs and to prevent and deter attempts by a very small group of people who act in collusion with outside forces to interfere with the implementation of ‘one country, two systems’ in Hong Kong.” 

Source: Xinhua, June 10, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2014-06/10/c_1111067166.htm

Global Times: China Can Use the Gun to Solve Territorial Disputes

Global Times, or Huanqiu Shibao, a state newspaper under People’s Daily with a focus on international news, published an article stating that it is perfectly fine for China to "fire a gunshot" when dealing with territory disputes with its neighbors.

The article argued that peaceful development and regional war coexist in the world. "A country should have the right to development, the right to peace, and the right to have a war." "During China’s peaceful rise, to safeguard the sovereignty of its national territory and its ocean rights," China can "selectively choose to use force or peaceful negotiations." There is no need to tie its hand with the notion of "peaceful development."

"China’s renaissance includes economic development, as well as safeguarding its ocean territory and recapturing its lost islands." When the opportunity for recovering its lost territory comes, China should not hesitate to grab it.

Source: Global Times Online, June 10, 2014
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2014-06/5015795.html