Government/Politics - 321. page

Starting from the Olympics in 2008 China has moved to the offensive in its public relations, wrote a government think tank, the Institute of Public Communications of the Remin University of China. From SARS in 2003 to Tibetan violent crackdown in March 2008, China was passive in public relations during crises. However, the Olympics in August 2008 served as a turning point when China changed to the offensive. In subsequent crises such as toxic milk powder and current international financial crisis, China was more proactive and quickly controlled the situation. The article recommends three PR weapons available to the State: media, visits and speeches by overseas leaders, and statements by Chinese celebrities such as Yao Min (athlete), Zhang Ziyu (actress), Jackie Chan (actor) and Jet Li (actor).

Source: Xinhua, February 3, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-02/03/content_10755014.htm

20 of the 31 Secretaries of Communist Party’s Provincial Organization Departments are “monks from outside,” Nanfang Daily reported. 11 of the 20 previously held posts at the Party’s central committee, 9 transferred from other provinces. There are signs that the tendency may accelerate in 2009. Within the past two months, 3 Secretaries of the Party’s Provincial Organization Departments were changed. None of the new officials are from local.

Source: Nanfang Daily, January 19, 2009
http://epaper.nddaily.com/A/html/2009-01/19/content_689692.htm

Jia Qinglin, Chairman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Number 4 Party leader, published a strongly worded article to scold those who call for freedom. In a article published in Party Magazine Qiu Shi (Seeking the Truth) on January 16, 2008, Jia wrote:”(We must) continue to uphold the correct political direction, steadfastly walk along the unique Chinese socialist political road; build a solid defense against Western Two-party or Multi-party system; against the Two-House, Three-Power Center system and various other wrong ideas.”

Jia’s comment was a clear attempt to squelch the recent debate on freedom in Chinese official media.

In January 2009, three articles in Chinese Media stirred up great interest among Chinese people:
Beijing Daily (January 13):“Seeking the Truth Cannot Separate from Freedom of Speech”;
People’s Daily (January 13): “How Could Government Officials Survive Internet Scrutity” ;
Yan Huang Chun Qiu (January, 2009): “Constitution Politics: The Demand for China’s National Revival” .

These articles and the fact they passed the censor, and Jia’s quick rebuttal were seen as a sign of heated debate among Chinese top leaders.

Source: Yazhou Zhoukan, February 2, 2009 
http://www.yzzk.com/cfm/Content_Archive.cfm?Channel=ag&Path=3188660351/05ag3.cfm

Xinhua published a special article commenting that Pentagon’s plan to ship arms to Israel at the time when U.N. Security Council passes the resolution to ask all sides in the Gaza conflict to cease fire immediately is pouring oil to fire. The article says, “The reason why Gaza conflict is so difficult to compromise is because there are outside forces’ involvement in addition to the deep historical and ethnic contradictions, chief among which is the patronage of Israel by the United States.” The article also says, “Israel is U.S.’s reliable ally in Middle East. A strong Israel is consistent with America’s interest. Because of this reason, in almost all conflicts and wars happened in the Middle East, the United States always stand by Israel’s side as long as Israel was involved. It’s no exception in the current Gaza conflict.”

Source: Xinhua, January 13, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-01/13/content_10652183.htm

Courts selectively “designate” jurors in spite of the random selection required by the law, said Study Times, the publication of the Party School of CPC, on December 29, 2008. The designations are based on relationships with judges. Lack of uniformity in sentencing has also become a major problem in the legal system. Judges tend to have too much discretion in sentencing. Scholars are calling for separation of trials and sentencing to reduce abuse of discretion by judges.

Source: Study Times, December 29, 2008
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2366&nid=8473&bid=5&page=1

Radio Free Asia reports that after New Year’s Day, China’s State media’s will mandate reporting the economic achievement under the rule of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and promoting the history of CCP as the main theme. At the same time, the authorities will apply more strict examination of media reports and publications. Particularly when the content is related to Taiwan, Tibet and so on, the media reports and publications must be consistent with the authorities in political stance. 2009 will be the 60 years anniversary of China under the rule of CCP.

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 29, 2008 http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/chuban-12292008095619.html

A Beijing senior official recently claimed to “resolutely” strike on hostile forces’ secession, infiltration, and sabotage activities using the ethnic issues, so as to defend ethnical solidarity and social stability.

At the National Ethnical Working Forum on December 24, Jia Qinglin, the member of standing committee of Politburo and Chairman of The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), set the requirement of “deeply understanding the significance of the ethnical solidarity under the new situation and practically defending the ethnical solidarity.” Jia said it’s needed to “resolutely” strike on domestic and overseas hostile forces’ secession, infiltration, and sabotage activities using the ethnic issues, so as to defend national unity, ethnical solidarity, and social stability.

Earlier in December, the Ministry of Education issued the Guidelines for Ethnical Solidarity Education, requiring elementary schools to strengthen the education of ethnical solidarity from the third grade, calling it a “strategic task that matters for the great renaissance of the nation of China.”

Source: Voice of America, December 25, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-12-25-voa40.cfm

At the beginning of this year, the official target for the number of unemployed was set at 10 million or 4.5 percent. However the reality is far worse than that now. According to experts, the unemployment rate in China is estimated to be at 8 percent and could possibly reach even the 10 percent mark. They explain that even though there is a labor investigation system setup by the National Bureau of Statistic, the publicized number does not include those who are excess labor in the countryside, peasant workers who lost their jobs in cities such as regions of the Pearl or Yangtze River Deltas or the 12 percent of college graduates who are still looking for jobs.

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 20, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhong-12192008223343.html