Xinhua April 25 news: Li Congjun was appointed as director of Xinhua News Agency. Li was born in September, 1949; graduated from Shandong University with doctor degree of literature in 1985. He has served as Party secretary and deputy director of Xinhua News Agency since August 2007. He was appointed as deputy minister of China Propaganda Ministry in February 2001.
Source: Xinhua, April 25, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-04/25/content_8050886.htm
Jens Galschiot, a Danish artist and rights activist was denied entry into Hong Kong when he arrived on April 26 to participate in peaceful protests against the Olympic torch relay and make repairs to the Pillar of Shame, a sculpture created by Jens to commemorate the June 4th, 1998 massacre in Beijing. Jens and two other members of The Color Orange, a movement using the color orange as a symbolic protest against right violations by the Chinese regime, were detained at the airport for six hours and forced to board a return flight by armed police at 11 o’clock at night.
Source:
Apple Daily, April 27, 2008 http://www.appleactionews.com/site/art_main.cfm?iss_id=20080427&sec_id=6996647&art_id=11039480
Ming Pao News, April 27, 2008
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20080427/gaa1.htm
“To Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, the year 2008 is a year that is full of challenges and tests. It will determine their future as the 5th generation successors to the party. ” reported Oriental Daily, a Hong Kong based newspaper. Both Xi and Li are newly elected members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party. As the Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission, Xi is being pressed to handle the recent protest in Tibet as well as threats of boycotting the Olympics from the West. He is also tasked with managing Hong Kong and Macau affairs. Li, on the other hand, heads China’s economic development where the stock and real estate markets, as well as consumer confidence and agriculture, fall on his plate.
Source: Boxun, April 22, 2008
http://peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2008/04/200804221336.shtml
Asian Times reports that Wu Bangguo, Chairman of National People’s Congress, published an article in Qiushi magazine, a top publication of the Chinese Communist Party, with a hard-line stance. Wu states in the article that China will never follow the political system of Western countries, will never have multiples party to take turns for power, and will never adopt the “separation of powers” and parliamentary system. Wu’s article sets a tone that is in sharp contrast to the direction of executive system reform.
Source: Asian Times (Chinese), April 21, 2008.
http://www.atchinese.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48998&Itemid=110
Xinhua posted a key message on its front page titled: “Take the Core Interests of the Country as the Top Priority; Express Patriotism with Enthusiasm but Rationality.” It published a series commentaries calling for rationality when expressing patriotism with titles such as “The best way to show patriotism is to focus on your own work” , “Patriotism with rationality is more powerful”, “College students and teachers: work and study hard; Express your patriotism with Rationality”, and “Do not Fall in the trap set up by the anti-China forces.”
Source: Xinhua, April 21, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-04/19/content_8006485.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-04/21/content_8019579.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-04/20/content_8016838.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/comments/2008-04/20/content_8011534.htm
A number of rallies were staged by overseas Chinese in various locations including Paris, Berlin, London, Manchester, Los Angeles, and Atlanta to show support for the Beijing Olympics and protest against percieved biases in Western media coverage of Tibet. More protests will take place in the coming week in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City against negative coverage by CNN of the Tibetan crackdown by Chinese authorities. In Australia, over 10,000 Chinese people are expected to go to the capital Canberra to safeguard the torch relay which is scheduled to arrive on April 24.
Source: The Beijing News, April 20, 2008
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/guonei/2008/04-20/011@072623.htm
The Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee (CCCCP) plans to employ 20,000 new college graduates each year for five years from 2008, working as cadres at the village level within the political hierarchy. According to The People’s Daily, the purpose is to “strengthen the construction of grass-root organizations, cultivate educated leaders for building socialistic new villages, and build up reserves for Party and government cadres.” In principle, the candidates should be CCP members or excellent Communist Youth League (CYL) cadres. The starting positions include Assistant to Village Party Secretary, Assistant to Director of Village Committee, or Village CYL Secretary.
Source: People’s Daily, April 16, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-04/17/content_7993652.htm
According to Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA), 10,000 plus foreign students will have to leave China during the Summer Olympics. Several universities in Beijing and foreign diplomats have confirmed that all foreign students will not be allowed to stay during the months of July and August, even though they may not have completed their studies. One spokesperson from Beijing University was quoted as saying that “there is no exception, as this is an order from above.” The ban also includes week-long summer classes. DAAD or the German Academic Exchange Services in Beijing also warned incoming visiting scholars. Foreign students will not be able to come back until after September 17, when the 2008 Paralympics will have finished. However, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to confirm this news.
Source: Deutsche Welle, Chinese, April 17, 2008
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3273472,00.html