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Government/Politics - 226. page

Xinhua: Significant Policies on Industrial Overcapacity Soon to Be Announced

Xinhua recently reported that, according to high ranking officials in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry will jointly release, in conjunction with the Development and Reform Commission, an “overall resolution plan for overcapacity.” The plan is being finalized and will be officially put in place very soon. The plan will cover key industries and will take different approaches for different industries. The primary principles that this grand plan follows are: (1) expanding domestic market consumption; (2) moving production capabilities overseas; (3) reorganizing existing companies for optimized output; and (4) retiring high energy consumption and high pollution manufacturers. Focal controls will be applied to industries like steel, cement, electrolytic aluminum, and flat glass. Environmental protection rules will play a very significant role in this round of policy implementation. The China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) is also involved in the planning process to ensure that necessary financial support can be arrange for adjustments required in various industries.
Source: Xinhua, August 20, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/energy/2013-08/20/c_125202878.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Huanqiu: The Key to Governing China Is to Control its Officials

On August 21, 2013, Huanqiu published a commentary stating that to govern China, there must be a way to control the behavior of its government officials. 

“While in the history of Chinese society the people’s rebellions have often resulted in a collapse, the cause of such rebellions has often been a corrupt bureaucracy or social governance errors. The internal rifts among government officials have repeatedly led to national unrest and even ‘subjugation.’” 
The urgency of the problem is based on four factors: First, some government officials believe that they are above the law. To them, civil servant is a synonym for the State’s system of welfare benefits. Second, the market economy has eroded the morality based on “serving the people” and the State has not yet developed a supplemental political force to fill the gap. Third, the Internet has suddenly put an invisible power in the spotlight. It tends to magnify the improper behavior of government officials. Fourth, in China, government officials have much greater power than their counterparts in Western countries. 

Source: Huanqiu, August 21, 2013 
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-08/4266707.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: Bo Xilai Denies Bribery Charges

On August 22, 2013, Xinhua reported that the first day of Bo Xilai’s trial on charges of accepting bribes, embezzlement, and abuse of power began in the Shangdong Jinan Intermediate People’s Court. 

“Bo Xilai appeared in court to be tried. Relevant witnesses provided testimony in court. The defendant’s family members, members of the People’s Congress, members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, media reporters, and about one hundred people from all walks of life attended the trial.”
“Under the auspices of the presiding judge, defendant Bo made statements about the allegations of bribery set forth in the indictment. He denied the allegations. … Both the prosecution and the defense had a full opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses. The court consented to all of Bo ‘s requests to speak. The defendant and his counsel fully expressed their views.” 
“During the trial, defendant Bo Xilai was emotionally stable and his physical condition was normal. The courtroom and audience maintained good order.” 
Source: Xinhua, August 22, 2013 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2013-08/22/c_117057062.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xi Jinping: The Party’s Ideological Work is an Extremely Important Job

At a nationwide meeting held in Beijing on August 19 and 20, the Chinese Communist Party’s Chairman Xi Jinping gave a speech on propaganda and ideological work. Xi emphasized that economic development is the central task of the Party, while the Party’s ideological work is an extremely important job.

Xi pointed out that propaganda and ideological work are to consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field and to consolidate the common ideological foundation for the whole Party and the people of the nation. Party members and cadres should strengthen their belief in Marxism and Communism. Leading officials, especially senior officials, should systematically master the basic theory of Marxism, should honestly and thoroughly study Marxism, Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the "Three Represents" important thoughts, and the Scientific Concept of Development. All Party schools and academies, institutes of social sciences, and universities should have Marxism as a required course and become important forefronts of Marxist study, research, and propaganda. In particular, new and young cadres should do a good job in their theoretical studies and stand firm in their ideals and faith.

Xi asked for in-depth propaganda and education in socialism with Chinese characteristics so as to hold people of all ethnic groups in the nation in unity and cohesion under the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi stressed that to be a true Party member is to adhere to the correct political orientation, hold a firm political viewpoint, firmly propagandize the Party’s theories, path, guidelines and policies, propagandize the Party’s deployment of major tasks, propagandize the Party’s important analyses and judgments on the current situation, resolutely maintain a high degree of uniformity with the Central Committee, and resolutely safeguard the authority of the Central Committee. All the propaganda and ideological units and all the Party members and cadres in the propaganda and ideological fronts should be clear in their adherence to the Party’s principles.

Source: Xinhua, August 20, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-08/20/c_117021464.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

The CCP’s File No. 9 Circular Labels Promoting Democratic Ideologies as Seven Reactionary Trends

On August 21, 2013, Hong Kong Apple Daily published an article on the Chinese Communist Party’s “File No. 9” titled, “Circular on the Current Ideological Situation.” The circular, authorized by the CCP’s General Secretary Xi Jingping, labels seven democratic ideological trends. Although popular in China recently, they are called reactionary trends; the circular warns CCP officials that they will lose their power if they cannot eliminate these seven reactionary trends from Chinese society. According to the circular, “Those who oppose the CCP’s one-party rule make trouble, call for publicizing officials’ assets and property holdings, take advantage of the Internet to oppose corruption, media control, and other sensitive problems so as to incite discontent about the Party and the government.” 

Below are the seven reactionary trends cited by the CCP:

  1. Promoting Western Constitutional Democracy and thus denying the CCP’s leadership and the socialist system.
  2. Promoting universal values and thus shaking the theoretical foundation of the CCP’s rule.
  3. Promoting civil society and thus disrupting the social foundation of the CCP’s rule.  
  4. Promoting neo-liberalism and thus changing China’s economic system.
  5. Promoting Western journalism [freedom of the press] and thus challenging the CCP’s media management system.
  6. Disseminating historical nihilism and thus negating the history of the CCP and New China.
  7. Questioning China’s reform and opening up is to question the nature of Chinese socialism.

Source: Hong Kong Apple Daily, August 21, 2013
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20130821/18387627

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

People’s Daily: Chinese Leadership Structure Better than the U.S. Presidency

People’s Daily recently published a commentary by Professor Hu Angang, Dean of the Institute of China Studies at Tsinghua University. The commentary suggested that the Chinese “joint leadership” structure is more innovative than and superior to the U.S. Presidency coupled with the “dual-party system.” Hu indicated that the U.S. system suffers from a loose organizational structure of political parties, poor mobilization of capabilities, weak political solidarity, a low level of wisdom integrated into its decision-making, and hollow promises made by lying candidates. The U.S. system guarantees ignorance of substantive issues and maximizes delays. The U.S. political structure not only ensures a balance of power, but also introduces mutual constrains and a divided country. The President is often unable to deliver on his promises, as clearly demonstrated by President Obama, who frequently lacks Congressional support. Hu expressed the belief that the 200-year-old U.S. design is largely outdated, while the Chinese Communist Party is structured based on the lessons learned in recent human history, which has been highly competitive. 
Source: People’s Daily, August 16, 2013
http://hb.people.com.cn/n/2013/0816/c194063-19321669.html
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Review News: The Challenges and Subversive Issues China Faces Today

China Review News carried an article which Beijing Times originally published, written by the director of the Public Administration Department of the China National School of Administration. The article was about the challenges and subversive issues that China faces during the current transitional period. The article stated that there is an urgent need for system reform and for strategies to create a better interpersonal environment and a society with a high level of trust among the people. It also cited the lessons from the failure of communist ideology in the Soviet Union. The article indicated that the cause was the lack of a long term strategy. This eventually led to the people distrusting the Party and, eventually, to the collapse of the country.

The top four challenges listed in the article were: 1) a decrease in the government’s authority; 2) departments and organizations that were not responsible for the interest of the nation and its people; 3) a lack of advancement in renovation in socialist ideology so that it fits modern China; 4) a rise in the subjective consciousness of Chinese citizens.

The five subversive issues were: 1) a widening gap between the rich and poor. 2) social issues related to farmers, the rural regions, and agriculture. 3) worsening corruption. 4) unemployment among college graduates. 5) a crisis in social distrust.

Source: China Review News, August 15, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1026/8/0/6/102680604.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=102680604&mdate=0815140745

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Huanqiu: Extreme Political Resistance Has No Future in China

On August 14, 2013, Huanqiu published a commentary on overseas dissidents entitled, “The Overseas Democracy Movement Must Swallow the Bitter Pill of Marginalization.” The commentary stated, “Recently, a number of overseas democracy activists have been connecting with one another on the Internet, bragging about returning home one day next year to make trouble, or about congregating outside of and ‘besieging’ the Chinese government’s overseas establishments around the world. Names forgotten by or unknown to the Chinese people flash like a meteor across the media.” 

Huanqiu said that only about 200 people make up the overseas democracy movement. Engaging in political activities has become their means of survival. The commentary stated repeatedly that democracy activists have been marginalized. “They need to ‘make something happen’ and, at the minimum, generate some noise in the field of public opinion.” “Their experience shows extreme political resistance has no future in China.” 
Source: Huanqiu, August 14, 2013 
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/opinion_world/2013-08/4239302.html
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics