Government/Politics - 340. page

Total party membership reached 74 million by the end of 2007, according to an announcement by the Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee on July 1, the 87th anniversary of the Party. There was an increase of 2.7 million or 5.6% in party membership from the year 2006. The total number of party organizations established at the local level had reached 3.6 million, up by 99,000 from the year earlier. There were 17,600 party committees, 22,200 chief offices, and 3.2 million branch offices. Among the party members, 32.4% hold college or advanced degrees and 52% were aged 36-59. There was 1% increase of members with business managerial and specialized skills, and 0.3% increase of the students.

Source: Xinhua, July 1, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-07/01/content_8471350.htm

In an effort to keep members from abandoing the Party, the Chinese Communist Party has issued numerous publications on Party rules and regulations of membership. According to an article at the official website of Chinese Communist Party, when a new member is admitted into the Communist Party, the person must be sworn in at a ceremony where the person takes an oath. The wording of the oath has evolved over time. The first oath was adopted in late 1920. The current oath was adopted in September 1982. In spite of changes in the wording of the oath over decades, two elements remain unchanged: one shall never betray the Party and shall devote the entire life fighting for the cause of Communism.

Since December 2004 when Epoch Times published Nine Commentaries on Chinese Communist Party, over 39 millions have denounced the Chinese Communist Party.

Source: News of the Chinese Communist Party, October 30, 2007
http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/64162/64172/85037/85040/6451463.html
Epoch Times, http://ninecommentaries.com/

The per capita cultivated land in China is 1.38 mu, below 40% of the average in the world, said Minister of Land Resources Xu Shaoshin June 25, 2008. From 2001 to 2005, cultivation land in China decreased by 110,000,000 mu, mostly due to urban economic development. Local governments increasingly are the offenders in land uses cases, accounting for 80% of land under investigation, Xu said. For the period between 2001 and 2005, only 1% of government officials in the land use violations were disciplined and about 0.1% of violators were charged with criminal offenses.

Source: Xinhua, June 25, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-06/25/content_8433980.htm

Chinese citizens achieve human rights without confrontation with the State, claimed Luo Haocai, Vice Chairman of the National Political Consultative Congress and Chairman of the China Human Rights Research Society, during a speech given in an International conference in Tokyo on June 16. Luo claimed that China has made significant progress and achievement in the cause of the human rights by consistently fulfilling the objective and principle based on the UN articles “Charter of the United Nations” and “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”  There are still numerous problems and difficulties in the human rights cause in China, Luo admitted.

Source: Chinanews, June 16, 2008
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2008/06-16/1283236.shtml

People’s Daily issued an editorial after the Central Committee of the Chinese Communsit Party held an "extremely important" meeting on June 13 to discuss emerging chanlleges in light of the Sichuan earthquake, economic statbility and the upcoming Olympics. The editorial calls for maintaining adquate balance between earthquake relief work and preparation for the Olympics. The editorial furthers states that the key to success lies in strengthening the Party’s leadership and resolute implementation of the Party’s decisions.

Source: Xinhua, June 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-06/13/content_8363411.htm

The Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) opened its 16th National Congress in Beijing on Tuesday June 10. Hong Kong Takungpao published a commentary article titled: “Inciting Preaches Only Yields the Opposite Effect; Youth League Seeks to Change its Image”. The article said that as the major source for future Party leaders, the youth league members have been portrayed as purely political figures, while lacking abilities in economic and public affairs management. The recent appointment of Lu Hao as the new head of the Communist Youth League is an indication of change and an effort towards diversification. Moreover, the youth league is trying to focus more on humanitarian support and provide consultation to the younger generation realizing that preaching ideology no longer serves its purposes.

Source: Takingpao, Hongkong, June 10, 2008
http://www.takungpao.com/news/08/06/10/BJ-917350.htm

Chinese internet users have formed large scale protests on the internet against London Metropolitan University and called boycotting the university, the Global Times reported. On May 21, London Metropolitan University presented the Dalai Lama with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy.

“It is disappointing to see that the London Metropolitan University is actively recruiting college students from China while it openly supports Tibetan independence and disregards the Chinese people’s feelings” said the article, “Boycotting the London Metropolitan University is a reflection of Chinese people’s general consensus.”

The statistics published by England Higher Education Statistic Bureau show that there were a total of 49,595 Chinese students studying in England in 2006/2007, the highest among all overseas students.

Source: Global Times, June 10, 2008
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/14549/7359660.html

The Earthquake in Sichuan has shifted the focus of the world’s media away from Tibet and the Olympics. The outside world may have been misled by a false impression that the Chinese government has opened up its news media, according to the author of this article published in Taiwan News. The authorities had learnt from the past, starting in 1991 during flooding in the central part of China, that opening up the media to report in the event of a natural disaster helps to improve the official image and attract foreign donations especially from overseas Chinese. The authorities have never lost control of the media as demonstrated in the current situation where official media reports have been centered on praising the Party and government leaders.

Source, Tainwan News, 6/2/2008
http://news.epochtimes.com/gb/8/6/3/n2140347.htm