Government/Politics - 291. page

On April 1, 2001, the website of www.QSTHEORY.CN, the CPC Central Committee’s theory website, published Xi Jinping’s article titled, “Further Study the Socialist Theoretical System with Chinese Characteristics and Striving to Master the Marxist Position, Viewpoints and Methodology.” Xi Jinping is China’s Vice President, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Principal of the Central Party School. The article is based on Xi Jinping’s speech given at the Central Party School Spring Semester Opening Ceremony on March 1, 2010.

Xi Jinping requests the Party officials to “intentionally apply the ideological weapon of dialectical materialism and historical materialism to transform both the objective world and the subjective world,” and “truly unite most of the masses around the Party and the government.”

Source: www.QSTHEORY.CN, April 1, 2010
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2010/201007/201003/t20100326_25271.htm

Du Qinglin, the head of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCCCP) spoke at a conference in Shanghai, emphasizing the importance of working with non-party representatives. “(It) is an important job that matters for the overall situation, a strategic task with profound influence, and a pressing, realistic topic.” Du called for an “in-depth study of these people’s growth pattern, deep understanding and an accurate evaluation of their characteristics.” 

Cai Wu, the Minister of Culture, discussed preferential policies to encourage and support the export of Chinese culture products and services. These would include marketing, technology and customs services. “China’s culture products and the dissemination of the international competitiveness of power have yet to be further enhanced.” Cai stated that for every show the State sends overseas, China imports 10 shows, and that the annual total income from all shows sent to and performed oversees is less than that of a popular overseas circus. Chinese companies are encouraged to establish an overseas presence by investment or by setting up branches. Minister Cai indicated that the State will support hosting various expos, participation in arts and film festivals, and booking shows.

Source: Huanqiu, April 28, 2010
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2010-04/796483.html

According to Xinhua on April 22, 2010, the People’s Bank of China in conjunction with the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television, the General Administration of Press and Publication, the China Banking Regulatory Commission, the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the China Insurance Regulatory Commission jointly issued a “Guidance on Financial Support to Culture Industries’ Revitalization, Development and Prosperity.”

Song Wenyu, director of the Culture Division at the Ministry of Finance, told Xinhua that currently more than 20 provinces around the country have set up special funds for culture industries. The special funds will be used to build national culture industry bases, nurture state-owned large enterprises and support reconstruction of culture organizations – changing non-profit culture institutions into profitable culture enterprises.

Source: Xinhua, April 20, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2010-04/22/content_13402126.htm

Xu Chongwen, a senior research fellow at the State’s Chinese Academy of Social Sciences published a criticism of “four misconceptions” of the Chinese model. His article is summarized below.

Misconception 1: The term was first coined by foreigners with the ulterior motive of containing China’s expansion. Not true because Deng Xiaoping used the term back in 1980 when discussing the Russian October Revolution. 
Misconception 2: The term “model” means example or demonstration for others to follow; hence one should be cautious when using the term. Wrong because it contradicts Deng Xxiaoping who held countries should independently seek development paths and models suited to their own situation. 
Misconception 3: The Chinese model is the "Beijing Consensus" for the reference use of other countries. Disagree because Joshua Cooper Ramo’s Beijing Consensus was coined to mean opposition to the Washington Consensus. The Chinese model is to develop China based on its own situation and China has no intent to promote it the same way that the Washington Consensus has been promoted.
Misconception 4: It is too early to talk about a Chinese model. This is without grounds. Hu Jintao has set forth the theory on building a harmonious society. No one should use it to deny that the achievements of the Chinese model have already been well recognized.

Source: The Party School of The Chinese Communist Party, April 13, 2010
http://www.cntheory.com/news/Llltllyt/2010/413/1041393831I6EFADA9CEE5413J46J9.html

An article on reform of China’s culture system was published on the website of the Party School of the Chinese Communist Party, addressing bottlenecks and recommendations. The reform moved from pilot programs to full implementation in March 2006. One of the key bottlenecks, according to the article, is “some of the culture enterprises blindly maximize their market profits,” and “have increasingly led to economic benefits diverging from social benefits” and to a greater disparity of income. The recommendation is to uphold the Party’s leadership in the reform, adherence to Marxism and ensuring the dominance of state-owned culture enterprises in the culture market.

Source: The Party School of The Chinese Communist Party, April 14, 2010 http://www.cntheory.com/news/Dshcdssdjt/2010/414/104141520769BBIIKAJ192JK20I11F.html

On April 11, 2010. Nanfang Metropolitan published an article by History Scholar Hong Zhenquai, “Loving Ones Country Does Not Mean the Same as Loving the Imperial Court.” The article suggested that nowadays many people misunderstand the relationship between the people, the country, and the imperial court (or the government in modern society). Mencius [a philosopher from the fourth century B.C. who defended the teachings of Confucius against other philosophies] made public that “people are the most important, followed by the country, with the emperor coming last.” An explanation for the confusion is that the sitting government misleads people into believing that “loving the court is representative of loving the country.”

The article makes a case for people having oversight and control over the government. The article received a lot of compliments for its boldness, given the CCP’s media control. An unconfirmed blog message on Aiyuan said that Nanfang Metropolitan Editor Zhu Di was chastised (and lost her job) for publishing the article. The article is no longer available on the website of Nanfang Daily (Nanfang Metropolitan’s parent company), but can be found on many overseas Chinese sites.

Source:
1. Tianya website, April 14, 2010
http://www.tianya.cn/publicforum/content/develop/1/408089.shtml
2. Aiyuan website, April 17, 2010
http://aiyuan.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/%E4%B8%80%E7%AF%87%E8%AE%A9%E7%BC%96%E8%BE%91%E4%B8%A2%E6%8E%89%E9%A5%AD%E7%A2%97%E7%9A%84%E6%96%87%E7%AB%A0%EF%BC%9A%E7%88%B1%E5%9B%BD%E5%AE%B6%E4%B8%8D%E7%AD%89%E4%BA%8E%E7%88%B1%E6%9C%9D%E5%BB%B7/

Cai Wu, the Minister of Culture, admitted that Western soft power continues to remain stronger than that of China. He saw no fundamental change, and believed that the status quo is not comparable to China’s rising international status. He expressed that China should “expand the international influence of Chinese culture, and, at the same time, truly protect the safety of domestic culture.” To increase China’s soft power is to, among other things, “promote understanding and respect for China’s core interests.”

Source: Xinhua, April 9, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2010-04/09/content_13323486.htm