Government/Politics - 332. page

Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially has declassified files from 1961 to 1965, reported Xinhua.  The files declassified pertain to evolution of China-Soviet relationships and the breakup of the two Communist Parties.  Included also are those on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and on No. 103 to 128 Ambassadorial talks between China and the United States.  

More than 41,000 files have been declassified since 2004.  3,400 persons/times have accessed the files.  Over 700 of them were from other countries.

Source: Xinhua, November 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-11/12/content_10347508.htm

Zhejiang Provincial Communist Party Committee expelled from the Party Mr. Yang, a district Party Secretary in Wenzhou city.  The Party committee also fired him from his position on the Wenzhou City Standing Committee.   The disciplinary actions were prompted by Yang’s refusal to return to China from a September trip to Europe.  The Party Committee determined that his unauthorized stay in Europe was in serious violations of the Party rules and has created bad influence.

Source: Xinhua, November 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-11/12/content_10348515.htm

Chinese internet users are stunned by web photos showing Taoists kicking goose-steps and saluting to flag-rising, wearing Taoist priest’s robe.

Wudang Taoist Academy is a three-year religious college recently approved by the State Administration of Religious Affairs (SARA), located at the Wudang mountain, where famous Taoist temples are seated.

The kicking of goose-steps is part of the military training that all newly enrolled students ought to undertake. The flag-rising ceremony aims to cultivate the patriotic passion of the students, according to the Nanfang Daily report.

Source: Nanfang Daily, November 12, 2008
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/tpxw/200811120056.asp

In a recent report published by China’s Nanfang People Weekly (or Nanfang Renwu Zhoukan), mistresses of corrupt officials were found least subject to legal punishment.

The report investigates 41 corrupted officials at the ranking of governorship in the Communist Party, Government, People’s Congress, Political Consultative Conference, and Judiciary Branch, spanning from 1998 to 2008. The sources used are public information from the court system and media interviews with the defense lawyers and family members of the officials.

36 out of the 41 investigated have at least one mistress. These officials aged 62 on average at the time of being prosecuted, with their legal spouses around 60. The mistresses are on average 11 years younger than the spouses, while the largest age difference being over 30. After a comparative study, the report concludes that the motives of possessing mistresses have shifted from seeking sexual pleasure toward mutual benefits. The special group of mistresses of high officials are de facto playing the role of money managers.

However, the mistresses are more or less risk free from among the group of investigated, as only 8 out of the 36 were put on trial and 5 convicted, shows the report.

Source: Radio Free Asia, November 11, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/fubai-11112008110523.html

Xinhua magazine China Comment published an article calling the end of American style of free capitalism. The article says that U.S. government’s massive involvement in the market signals the end of the free capitalism of America. The author argues that the sudden collapse of the free capitalism is the result of the shortcomings of free capitalism. The article listed several deficiencies of the capitalism that resulted in the crisis. In the end, the author concludes: “…The financial crisis and the U.S.’s “nationalizing” market rescue shows that the American flag of freedom has already descended from the flagpole. For so many years, the United States has been offending other countries’ sovereignty and will to promote the free capitalist model, now many problems have come.

Source: Xinhua, November 11, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-11/11/content_10339611.htm

In a recent issue of Qiushi magazine, an article, authored by Meng Jianzhu, the Minister of Public Security, defined the tasks of the public security as maintaining the order, dissolving the conflicts, deterring the violent behaviors, and keeping the situation in control. It called for a stop to intensifying the conflicts caused by improper measures taken by police.

In particular, Meng cautioned against using weaponry and forceful measures so as to prevent blood shedding. He also stressed on guiding the public opinion and announcing the government message in the first time at emergent events. It’s believed that Meng’s article is a response to the recent escalation of police violence and inflated public discontents.

Source: Nanfang Daily, November 4, 2008
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/nfjx/200811040022.asp

In reporting the current financial crisis spread in Western countries, China’s state media utilized the opportunity to tout the greatness of Marxism and the advantage of socialist (communist system). Following are a few examples:

Jie Fang Daily: Financial Crisis Made Marx’s “The Capital”a Hot-Sale Book in Germany http://www.jfdaily.com/news/xwgj/200810/t20081016_412008.htm

Wen Hui: “The Capital” Comes Back to the Class of German Universities http://wenhui.news365.com.cn/hqsc/200811/t20081104_2082270.htm

Xinhua: The Lasting Attraction of “The Capital” http://www.hq.xinhua.org/comments/2008-10/22/content_14712203.htm

Xinhua (originally from People’s Daily): The Forever Marx http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-10/28/content_10263109_1.htm

CN West News: “The Capital” Becomes the “Straw” and “Prescription” for the Self-Realization and Rescue of the Dying Capitalism
http://opinion.cnwest.com/content/2008-10/20/content_1484562.htm

[Translator’s note: in phone conversations with family members and friends from mainland China, many asked that U.S. is also following the path of socialism.]

More and more lawyers in China are willing to represent Falun Gong, a group that was outlawed and its members are persecuted in China.  In the past, most of the Falun Gong adherents were sent to the detention center without the legal procedure.

A recent trial was held in Jixi City of Heilongjiang Province on October 30. Two Falun Gong adherents Liu Jinglu and Sun Lixiang were arrested for distributing flyers on the street and are currently detained at the No. 1 Detention Center in Jixi City. A few hundreds of friends and family members were waiting outside the court. Four lawyers were hired to represent the defendants. Xun Lixiang wrote in her statement to the court that she suffered beating, electrocution, and threatening while being detained and pleaded not guilty. The defense lawyers raised the objection against a series of actions by the prosecutor and the judge and concluded that the behaviors have violated the court order and asked the court to investigate. The trial lasted for an hour and half and the next trial date will be announced at a later time.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Jiang Tianyong, Li Xiongbing, Tang Jietian, three defense lawyers said that the suppression of Falun Gong adherents is against the common values, the constitution as well as the spirit of law. Jiang Tianyong noted that every step the court took was under the direct supervision of the 610 office whose name was unanimous on any court paper. “610 is an illegal entity here.  Spiritual belief is not a crime. This (Falun Gong) case is within the boundary of freedom of belief. Falun Gong adherents have the rights to practice and spread their beliefs which formed no threat to the society and hence can’t be judged by the law. The so called ‘obstruction to exercise of law’ was groundless and was forced upon by the authority” Li Xiongbing said.

Source: The Epoch Times, October 31, 2008
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/8/10/31/n2314576.htm