Government/Politics - 322. page

On December 15, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences issued the Social Blue Book for 2009 and held a forum to report the overall situation of Chinese society, analyzing the country’s current situation and also predicting the hot issues for 2009. The book revealed that seeing doctors and employment are the most prominent issues. It also said that the current jobless rate of college graduates is over 12 percent, three times the registered jobless rate.

Source: people.com.cn, December 16, 2008 
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/8523717.html

The Central Committee of the Communist Party held an economic conference from December 8 to 12, 2008. The conference sets forth five major tasks for 2009 to overcome the global financial crisis. They include moderate macro economic controls, land use of farmland, structural changes to stimulate spending, financial reforms and measures to maintain social stability.

Source: People’s Daily, December 11, 2008
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1024/8498365.html

An article posted on Study Times, the journal of the Party School of the Chinese Communist Party, states that China’s social problems result from stalled political reform. According to the article,  economic reforms have not been implemented to the fullest extent. Old power refuses to withdraw and instead is strengthening control to suppress market mechanism, thus leading to a rise in corruption. The article concludes that furtherance of economic and political reform is the key.

Source: Study Times, December 8, 2008
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=0&id=2321&bid=12

Chinese human rights are at the best period in history, said State Council Information Office Director Wang Chen. He stated that China has applied the universal human rights to the specific situation of China and has blazed a path of Chinese style human rights. The improvement of human rights has been in sync with the political, economic, social and cultural development, said Wang.

Source: Xinhua, December 9, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-12/09/content_10476593.htm

China’s state media have reacted angrily to French President Sarkozy’s decision to meet Dalai Lama and have continuously published articles to attack and discredit Sarkozy recently. Below are a few examples:

A Hoax Damaging [Sarkozy’s] Political Reputation
December 7, 2008, from People’s Daily
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-12/07/content_10466978.htm

Xinhua International Commentary: Unwise Move that Damages China-French Relations
December 7, 2008, from Xinhua
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-12/07/content_10465973.htm

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: The Wrong Action of Meeting Dalai by French Leader Rudely Interfered with China’s Internal Affairs
December 7, 2008, from Xinhua
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-12/07/content_10469357.htm

Sarkozy’s Political Show Is Overdone
December 8, 2008, from Guangzhou Daily http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-12/08/content_10472908.htm

College students are being recruited as "Information Security Agents" by the authority among Chinese universities, according to a web document recently disclosed from an official website of Dezhou College in Shandong province. This document details the guideline for "recruitment and administration" to establish a "secret student security team" among "political reliable" candidates. One of the stated missions is "to deeply investigate and monitor the mind status and trend of the faculties and students during important holidays, social and political events". All members conduct one-way communication for secrecy and have a monthly quota of reporting at least three "valuable information" to authority.

Source: Secret China, December 6, 2008
http://211.64.32.2/bumen/bwc/show.php?id=331

As part of the theme to celebrate the achievement of the open door policy adopted 30 years ago, Xinhua has been publishing a series of articles focused on the subject. On December 1, in its international section, Xinhua published a talk given by Wu Jianmin, a commentator for Xinhua, former Chinese ambassador to France and President of the China Foreign Affairs University who summarized the major changes that China’s foreign relations have gone through in the past 30 years ago.

Wu summarized the major changes in the following three areas: worldwide environment, policy adjustment, and the focus. He said that the world has transitioned from war and revolution towards an era of peaceful development. From 1949 to 1978, China’s foreign policy was focused on surviving the embargo from the western countries led by the US which was aimed at eliminating China. But since 1978, as China has adopted an open door policy and the Party has shifted its focus to economic development, there has been a need to maintain a good relationship with other countries. As a result, the guiding principle of foreign policy has changed to seeking the common ground with other countries. The focus of the policy has also shifted from fighting for survival towards building mutual cooperation since China has a need for it.

“Currently China’s foreign relations are entering a golden stage”, Wu said, “we have formed dynamic relationships with 172 countries that are the giants, neighboring countries, developing countries and maintained the multilateral foreign relations with them.”

Source: Xinhua, December 1, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-12/01/content_10436728.htm

In responding to the recently published conclusions by the UN Committee Against Torture where China was reported to have a “large number of torture cases”, Qin Gang, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the claims calling them false accusations. “A few individuals in the ‘Committee Against Torture’ used unverified or fake sources to purposefully politicize the entire process. They have added a large amount of slandering facts and false accusations which we are completely against.” Qin said, “we will continue to be firmly devoted in protecting human rights. We are also willing to engage in international cooperation which will be based on equal rights and mutal respect so as to promote developments in the human rights field."

Source: People’s Daily, November 23, 2008
http://world.people.com.cn/BIG5/8212/9491/113836/8389641.html