Government/Politics - 350. page

The Shougang Group (The Capital Steel Group), the third largest iron and steel company in China, is recruiting vehicle drivers from its employees for the Olympics. These drivers will serve members from the International Olympics Committee, delegation leaders from overseas, sponsor representatives and other international dignitaries. Applicants who are Communist Party members and Communist Youth League members are preferred while those who have been involved with Falun Gong and other banned religious groups will be excluded.

Li Jinhua, the Auditor General of China’s National Audit Office, stated that in 2006 the central government had questionable losses in the amount of 12 billion yuan due to corruption and mismanagement.

According to Legal Weekly reprinted by the official Xinhua site on July 27, 2007, some provinces in China are experiencing a serious shortage of judges. "In many courts in cities and prefectures such as Huahua and Xianxi in Hunan Province, we are missing over one-third of the needed judges," reported the article.

Security will be tight for the Olympics. "Beijing’s Olympics Intelligence Center will conduct background checks and risk assessments on all athletes attending the Olympics in Beijing." "Once found questionable, the person will be denied a visa and barred from entering China. No explanations will be provided."

On June 25, 2007, Hu Jintao, the Communist Party Secretary, the President of China and Chairman of the Central Military Commission spoke at the Central Party School of the Communist Party in Beijing. Hu’s speech has not been made public, but People’s Daily issued a series of editorials on the speech. The most recent editorial, published on August 15, 2007, is titled, "Promoting Chinese Style Socialism amid Challenges." [1]

Since July 2007 Beijing authorities have replaced ethnic Tibetan Party Secretaries in 54 out of 74 counties in Tibet. The move is viewed as a step to further strengthen Communist control of Tibet and to prevent "Tibetan Independence." The 54 new Party Secretaries are from other parts of China.

China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs has issued a decree, "Reincarnation Regulations of Tibetan Living Buddhas," providing that, after September 1, 2007, it will be "illegal or invalid" for a Tibetan living Buddhas to reincarnate without government approval. If a Buddha reincarnates, it must serve the interests of national unity and the solidarity of all ethnic groups. No group or individual from outside the country can influence any reincarnation. The Reincarnation Regulations also require that temples that apply for permission for a living Buddha to reincarnate must bere "legally-registered venues for Tibetan Buddhist activities."

During a midnight interview with Xinhua on January 8, 2008, Gao Weiyi, the Deputy Governor of Xifeng County, stated that Fengxi had officially aborted the criminal investigation against Zhu Wenna, the Legal Times reporter who published a “negative” report on January 1, 2008, implicating the County Party Secretary. Local authorities also rescinded the warrant previously issued for her arrest.  The Public Security Bureau Chief was quoted as saying that the investigation and warrant were “not appropriate.”

The investigation and the ensuing warrant issued on January 4 prompted an uproar from news media, who cried foul and alleged that the Xifeng County government and the Party had abused their power in this incident.

Source: Xinhua, January 9, 2008 http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-01/09/content_7389210.htm