Government/Politics - 311. page

The International Herald Leader reported discontent from the public as its members challenged the credibility of official statistics. According to the July 28 report of the National Bureau of Statistics, urban disposable per capita income actually grew 11.2% for the first 6 months of 2009, while the same income for rural residents increased 8.1%. Income for both urban and rural residents exceeded the 7.1% GDP growth. However, netizens cast their doubts by claiming that their income was “being generated” (by the official statistics). A Party School director also questioned the accuracy of the numbers. “The rapid growth of per capita income of urban residents contradicts the drastic decrease of the personal income tax amount.” According to a poll, urban residents perceived the fluxuation in their income for the second quarter of 2009 to be -8.6%, the lowest income since 1999.

Source: Xinhua, August 3, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-08/03/content_11815511.htm

The Central News Agency (CAN) of Taiwan recently published a report based on news from the Hong Kong magazine Mirror. The report suggested that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has started selecting high ranking officials for the Eighteenth National Party Congress (NPC). There are two “hard” conditions: the candidates must be below 45 years old and must be current bureau-level officials. The Organization Department of the CCP Central Committee determines the selection process: The Department officials will meet and vote on the candidates, and then the leaders of the Department will bring back the results for “consideration”. Voting results will not be announced.

Source: CAN, July 29, 2009.
http://www.cna.com.tw/ShowNews/Detail.aspx?pSearchDate=&pNewsID=200907290314&pType0=READTIME&pType1=&pTypeSel=0

From July 26 through July 30, close to 500 people attended the training class held for the spokespersons of the Public Security Bureau at the Chinese People’s Public Security University. This training was another large scale centralized training session held by the Public Security Bureau following a similar session for 3000 county level Public Security Bureau Directors and 400 city level Secretaries of the Discipline Inspection Commission.

Meng Jianzhu, Minister of Public Security, spoke at the closing ceremony of the training session. He stressed the importance for the attendees to fully understand the unprecedented challenges that threaten social stability. He said there is a need to improve the “spokesperson system." Whenever an unexpected event takes place, the spokesperson should immediately come forward and publicize first hand information.  According to Meng, the spokesperson should “always put political work as the first priority. They need to be mentally equipped with the (Party’s) theory of persistency on the socialist path with Chinese characteristics; constantly improve their own political capability, and fully understand and exercise the Party’s instructions and policies.”

Source: Legal Daily, August 1, 2009
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0801/2009-08/01/content_1131716.htm

On August 1, People’s Daily published its Tibetan language edition. This will be the first Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper published in a minority language, People’s Daily reported. The publishing of the Tibetan language edition is to “carry the Party’s voice to tens of thousands of Tibetan households and enhance its media influence.”  According to People’s Daily, it also has the significance to “spread the Party’s philosophy, directions, and policies… (for People’s Daily) to seize the position of being the propaganda landmark in Tibet… and take control in the media war.”

Source: People’s Daily, August 1, 2009
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/9770748.html

The Supreme People’s Court of China recently issued a notice titled “Opinion on Further Strengthening and Standardizing Enforcement,” reported Xinhua. In the notice, the Director of the Enforcement states, “For a long time, there have been frequent and sometimes violent incidents of resisting enforcement of the law… Therefore, we need to establish a rapid response mechanism for enforcement to timely deal with emergencies and unexpected events, remove obstructions and interference with the enforcement of the law, maintain orderly enforcement, and safeguard social harmony and stability.”

Source: Xinhua, July 27, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-07/27/content_11777966.htm

China News Agency quoted a report from Japan New Overseas Chinese News (JNOC News), on Hu Jintao’s speech at the 11th Conference of China’s Diplomatic Envoy to Foreign Countries. JNOC News stated that Hu’s speech has given direction for China’s new diplomacy approaches. Diplomacy activities will focus on six areas: economic development, national security, targeted large countries, culture promotion, rights protection (for overseas Chinese), and harmony.

On National Security, Hu stated that diplomacy should firmly safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and interests. The core is the “One China” principle. That’s Chinese diplomacy’s “red line” that can’t be crossed. It is believed that China will be more aggressive against the Dalai Lama and Xinjiang separatists and pressure their international space. As for the South Sea, China will be firm on any area of land or water, but might exercise control to avoid escalating a situation to cause regional instability.

On rights protection, China wants to extend its influence to develop networks and protect the rights and interests of Chinese citizens and overseas Chinese (people with a Chinese origin but of other nationalities). “Our brothers are all over the world.” “(Let them) come to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate when they run into problems.”

Source: China News Agency, July 22, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/hb/news/2009/07-22/1786127.shtml

Some Chinese universities are forcing graduating students to sign employment status papers before they issue a diploma. Some of the companies mentioned in those papers don’t even exist. According to the Chinese official China Daily, the so called “employed” students don’t truly have jobs. The universities in question often “prepared” the papers for the students who later found themselves considered “employed” without their even knowing.

The Chinese Ministry of Education announced in July that, up untill July 1, Chinese university graduates had an employment rate of 68%. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security believes the rate will be 88% by the end of the year.

Source: Industry and Commerce Daily, July 21, 2009.
http://www.secretchina.com/news/302187.html

Days before the August 1st “Army Day”, Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Central Committee Political Bureau Standing Committee, and Secretary of the Central Political and Law Commission, spoke at the national conference in recognition of “work to safeguard national defense and the interests of military personnel and their dependents.” Zhou stressed that all political and law agencies and related departments in the military should promote national security and its overall strategic development level in order to effectively safeguard the national defense interest and protect the legal rights of military personnel and their dependents, to enhance national defense, and to promote social harmony and stability.

Zhou warned of the existence of unstable elements such as the enemy forces that are unwilling to recognize the power that China has gained over the years, and would use all kinds of means to interfere and destroy. He referred to the “July 5” Xinjiang Riot as an example.

Source: Xinhua, July 22, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-07/22/content_11753084.htm