Government/Politics - 262. page

On January 6, 2012, Qiushi, a journal of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article titled “Independent Media Are the Guardians of the Capitalist System.” The article is a short commentary that intends to solicit more supportive comments from Internet users. It invites them to post their comments in a box below the article to “list examples explaining why independent media cannot really be independent and to further analyze the biggest truth behind independent media so as to lead people to discuss and understand the nature of freedom of press in the West.”

Citing the “Murdoch News Corporation scandal” and the U.S. mainstream media’s “delayed” and “negative” reports on "Occupy Wall Street," the article criticizes freedom of the press in the West as a “self-proclaimed signboard.”

Source: Qiushi Journal, January 6, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/llzx/201201/t20120106_133752.htm

Ye Hailin, an expert at the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies under China’s Academy of Social Sciences, made some recommendations that China should use to greatly enhance its anti-terrorist forces. He suggested that China consider promulgation of an anti-terrorism law to change the current practice of applying criminal law and increase the capability of its police powers in targeted areas. Although it should not expect too much, China should also seek international cooperation. “We must understand that, since the death of bin Laden, it has been be the same old model of ‘the terrorists in my country are the freedom fighter in yours.’ … [We] should rely on those countries that are friendly, i.e., those who share common interests and aspirations with us and with whom we have built a foundation of cooperation, such as Pakistan.” Lastly, Ye recommended that the people should be prepared to build their mental capability to withstand anti-terrorist measures that will inevitably affect their livelihood.

Source: International Herald Leader, January 9, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2012-01/09/c_131344251.htm

Wang Chen, the head of the International Communication Office of the Communist Party and the Information Office of the State Council, emphasized that the focus of China’s international communication work is “to more proactively and effectively broadcast the voice of China.” The remarks were made at the International Communication Work Conference held January 4 and 5, 2012. According to Xinhua, the conference held that, for 2012, international communication should follow the Party and should “portray a civilized, democratic, open, and progressive China to the world, and create an international public opinion environment more favorable [to China].”

Source: Xinhua, January 5, 2012.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-01/05/c_111379201.htm

In 1991, 20 years ago, the Chinese government published its first white paper, Human Rights in China. Since then, the government has published a total of 78 white papers. In 2011, it published nine white papers. They are:

1. China’s National Defense in 2010
2. China’s Foreign Aid
3. Sixty Years Since the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet
4. China’s Peaceful Development
5. The Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics
6. New Progress in the Development-oriented Poverty Reduction Program for Rural China
7. China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change
8. China’s Foreign Trade
9. China’s Space Activities in 2011

Source: People’s Daily, January 5, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/16800546.html

Yang Jiechi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs published an article suggesting that China should do more targeted work in countries that hold elections. The website of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published an article in which Yang reviewed China’s achievements in 2011 and provided an outlook for 2012. First and foremost, “[with respect to major countries, we] should enhance mutual trust, expand cooperation, properly handle differences, and promote the stable development of bilateral relations. As for those countries that hold elections, [we] should do more targeted work, avoid the interference that its domestic politics may cause to bilateral relations, and ensure smooth transitions and new developments in the bilateral relationship.”

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, January 2, 2012
http://www.mfa.gov.cn/chn/gxh/tyb/gdxw/t892268.htm

On January 1, 2012, Hu Jintao delivered a speech at a New Year’s party held by the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. In his speech, Hu emphasized the Party’s core leadership position and the socialist road with Chinese characteristics. Hu stated, “China must stick to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, uphold the system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhere to the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and move toward established goals with unbounded confidence."

Source: China Review News, January 1, 2012
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/6/1/8/101961876.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=101961876&mdate=0101170512

In a high profile article published on Qiushi, the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship publication, Zhu Weiqun, the CCP’s deputy chief of the Department of Organization, proclaimed that a Party member must not have religious beliefs.

Zhu said, “At present there is a noteworthy phenomenon: there is a rising trend among Communist Party members of participating in religious activities and establishing close personal relationships with religious leaders. Some Party members have become de facto religious followers.” “If a Party member believes in a religion, he is bound to become the spokesperson for a certain religious force. In some regions, religious believers may administer the Party’s religious work and may make use of government resources to foster religious fervor.”

He added, “While domestic and foreign hostile forces have tried to use religion to engage in separatist activities in some ethnic minority areas, allowing religious beliefs for Party members will greatly weaken the Party’s combat strength in the struggle against separatism.” “Allowing religious beliefs for Party members will debilitate the Party in ideology and organization, causing the Party to degenerate from a Marxist political party into a non-Marxist political party.”

He suggested that “If a Party member is actively involved in religious life and missionary work, even using the identity of Party member to protect and promote illegal religious activities, the Party organizations should take timely measures to remove him from the Party,.”

Source: Qiushi, December 15, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/dj/201112/t20111215_129931.htm

Recently, Xinhua released a series of products and services at http://www.news.cn/yuqing/ designed to monitor and lead public opinion. According to Duan Saimin, the chief of the Xinhua public opinion center, when public opinion is properly guided, it will be conducive to the resolution of problems and can promote social stability and harmony. Otherwise, conflicts and problems will be amplified and affect local social stability and harmony. He acknowledged that few people in the local governments have recognized and understood the mechanism of public opinion. “They lack experience in responding to public opinion and some lack complete emergency procedures; … ultimately the conflicts and problems (that came up in the past) were amplified through the Internet, thus damaging the image of the government and enterprises, and causing irreparable harm.” According to Duan, since 2003, Xinhua has routinely provided public opinion reports to Communist Party leaders. Currently it has a team of over 100 public opinion analysts.

Source: Xinhua, December 20, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-12/20/c_122451786.htm