Government/Politics - 284. page

The National United Front Work Directors’ Conference was held in Beijing on December 14, 2010. Jia Qinglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the CCP’s Politburo gave a speech. Jia discussed using United Front work to support economic development. In addition, he stressed several directions for the next year:

1. “Religious issues are important for the Party when ruling the country. (We) must strengthen our research, get a clear understanding (of religious practices and their reach in China), … create new theory, and improve the legal system to develop our Party’s religious work.”

2. “Developing a non-CCP team is the foundation for the United Front works’ long-term work. … (We) should have a plan and focus on developing a group of non-CCP representatives.”

3.  Supporting the CCP’s 90th anniversary will be a major initiative for United Front work in 2011. “(We should) show that there is a collaborative effort between the CCP and other parties to strengthen people’s confidence in the Chinese political system under the CCP’s leadership.”

Source: Xinhua, December 14, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-12/14/c_12879430.htm

According to an article published on Xinhua on December 9, 2010, the English-language channel of China Xinhua News Network Corporation (CNC), will cover all of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa beginning January 1, 2011. CNC World, the English channel of Xinhua News Agency’s TV arm, will broadcast through the Eurobird, Hotbird, and W7 satellites of Eutelsat Communications. On December 10, Xinhua reported that the English-language channel of CNC will reach 4 million African families through MIH’s cable network, the Africa-based MIH Group.

Launched in 2009, CNC has already initiated satellite channel services for the Asia-Pacific region and North America, cable channel services in Hong Kong and Macao, and mobile phone and on-line TV services.

Source: Xinhua, December 9 & 10, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2010-12/09/c_12864295.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/10/c_12867037.htm

Xinhua reported on some comments made by Culture Minister Cai Wu about the future of the culture industry. Cai said that during the “the 12th Five-Year Plan,” the Ministry of Culture will actively coordinate the relevant departments to further perfect the policies in the areas of finance, tax, technological innovation, and land in order to support the development of the culture industry. He said that the Ministry of Culture will soon draft a “Culture Industry Promotion Law.” This will speed up the legislative process for the culture industry and will elevate the effective policy to the level of national law.

Source: Xinhua, December 9, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/09/c_12864842.htm

A Chinese Communist Party Politburo meeting was held in Beijing on December 3, 2010. Hu Jintao presided over the meeting, analyzing the economic requirements for the coming year. The meeting’s outcome stipulated “this year, the economic development environment in China has been extremely complex, with many natural disasters and major challenges.” It also concluded that “China will face many difficulties and challenges in the coming year.” For next year, “(China) should continue to strengthen and improve its macro-economic control, adjust the short-term and long-term priorities … not only solve the current issues, but also advance on solving the deeper conflicts and resolving potential risks … ” It outlined many directions, including increasing internal consumption and raising income for the low to mid-level income group, preventing blindly repetitive government investments, stabilizing consumer prices, developing energy-saving industries, expanding exports, and so on.

Source: Xinhua, December 3, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/03/c_13633917.htm

People’s Daily recently published an article on the importance of having the right understanding of the functions performed by the culture industry. The article suggested that the culture industry is an emerging industry that has both an “entertainment function” and an “education function.” The author explained that the “education function” is about providing “social benefits” that actually refer to guiding public opinion. The article called for “insisting on an advanced socialist culture direction” and “emphasizing government guidance." The goal of the culture industry’s “education function” is to establish “the core value system of socialism.”

Source: People’s Daily Online, December 3, 2010
http://theory.people.com.cn/GB/13383723.html

On December 3, 2010, Xinhua reported that Chinese President Hu Jintao had met with non-Party personnel in the format of a symposium on November 30 and delivered an important speech. Members of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CCP Central Committee, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinling, Xi Jinping, and Li Keqiang, attended the symposium. Some non-CCP political leaders expressed fundamental support for the CCP’s economic policies and offered a few suggestions. In Hu’s speech, he admitted that China’s economy had some serious problems and described the domestic and international situation as “complex and volatile.” Hu pointed out six areas to focus on next year: 1) improve macroeconomic control; 2) emphasize agriculture; 3) speed up adjustments to the economic structure; 4) push hard on focal reform areas; 5) actively participate in the global economic reform; 6) enhance social control. Finally, Hu called for non-Party assistance to connect “the Party and the Government” with the people.

Source: Xinhua, December 3, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/03/c_13633909.htm

People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, published an article on December 02, 2010, emphasizing the significance of ideological work in “consolidating the Party’s ruling status,” “maintaining social harmony and stability,” and “driving forward the smooth development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” The following are some of the key points:

1. Always ensure the Party’s absolute leadership over the armed forces.
2. Be more vigilant toward the hostile forces’ plots to Westernize and divide our country.
3. Always ensure the smooth delivery of the Party’s administrative and military orders.
4. Use media to propagandize the Party’s viewpoints. Take the earliest opportunity to cover the news about emergent incidents and major natural disasters so as to guide public opinion.

Source: People’s Daily, December 02, 2010
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/30178/13377509.html

According to Xinhua on November 30, 2010, the CCP Central Committee issued a notice on how to propagandize and “educate” the whole country on the “spirit” of the Fifth Plenary Session of 17th CCP Central Committee. The propaganda and public education campaign will go from November 2010 to April 2011.

The focus of the campaign is to "further unify the Chinese people’s thinking," strengthen their confidence, and make no changes, so that they firmly and willingly walk on the socialist road with Chinese characteristics and "unite closely around the CCP Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as the general secretary."

Source: Xinhua, November 30, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-11/30/c_13629057.htm