Grapevine - 9. page

The French Chief of Chinese Language Education (Inspecteur General de Chinois), Professor J. Bellassen commented in a recent interview that Chinese, as a foreign language, is spreading rapidly in the French education system. Twenty seven out of thirty education districts are offering classes in Chinese. Chinese is number five on the French foreign language education list. Also, Chinese language education methodology is highly standardized today in France. More and more people – not only the parents but the masters of educational districts and schools – are realizing the importance of learning Chinese.

Source: Xinhua, November 10, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-11/10/content_12427405.htm

“Tour of the Republic — Train Ride to Jinggangshan” was inaugurated on September 4, 2009. More than 600 people will visit the Revolutionary Sacred Place Jinggangshan to review the New China’s history.

The group is to begin the tour from the Shenzhen Rail Station in the evening. They will spend two days in Jinggangshan to visit revolutionary martyr’s graves, plant memorial trees, visit children of the old Red Army soldiers, and donate to the Hope schools.

Source: Xinhua, September 4, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2009-09/04/content_11998027.htm

Boxun reported that the Politburo has tasked the Ministries of Public Security and State Security with publicizing examples of overseas hostile forces infiltrating the government’s control of the Internet. In late June, the Politburo met to discuss Western hostile forces breaking through China’s Internet control. The Party leaders were shocked at Chinese netizens’ joining hands with foreign governments and companies to resist installation of the Green Dam software. “The Party has lost its control of the Internet, which has become a kingdom within a kingdom. The Party’s leadership and its propaganda have no effect over the Internet.” The authorities plan to resort to the old tactic: publicizing some overseas hostile forces’ conspiracies to infiltrate China via the Internet. Thus they can steer public opinion to support a tightening of Internet control.

Source: Boxun, June 30, 2009
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2009/06/200906302049.shtml

Boxun received a news tip from its unidentified Chinese sources that China has ordered server administration companies to turn in the server login and password information so that a “computer specialist can login in to clean up the server.” Violators could face a fine as penalty as per the 5th clause of Article 21 within Order 33 issued by the Ministry of Public Security, which says that the police can impose a fine of not more than 5000 RMB against the responsible personnel and a fine of not more than 15,000 RMB against the company, close the network and equipment for up to six months, or if necessary, suggest to have the business license of the organization canceled and its network registration canceled, if “(the server host does) not inspect the content of information released on behalf of someone else or not register the unit or individual on whose behalf the information was released.” 

Source:
[1] Boxun, June 12, 2009
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2009/06/200906122129.shtml
[2] Ministry of Public Security, China, December 30, 1997
http://www.mps.gov.cn/n16/n1282/n3493/n3823/n442104/452202.html

Epoch Times reported on May 26 that, based on a reliable source, it may be concluded that an unspecified epidemic of either Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease (HFMD) or influenza A(H1N1) is widely spreading in China. Since March, people have placed many orders for first-aid equipment in China. Medical equipment used in ERs and on hospital wards is also in hot demand. The factories producing this type of equipment and the associated pharmaceutical materials are working overtime to fill the orders.

Source: Epoch Times, May 26, 2009
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/9/5/26/n2538281.htm

A number of articles have circulated widely on overseas Chinese websites questioning the authenticity of the space walk the Chinese astronauts on the Shen Qi spaceship conducted. The articles listed a number of doubts based on official state medias published videos and concluded that the spacewalk was not the live footage of the spacewalk, but rather recordings from the rehearsal at the Astronaut Research and Training Center.

Source: The Epoch Times, October 3, 2008
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/8/10/3/n2284091.htm

The State’s central bank, Bank of China, is said to have expressed interest in acquiring international leasing business of American International Group for $100 Million, Caihua (Hong Kong) reported.  Earlier Vice President of Bank of China Zhu Min indicated that the bank will proactively seek opportunities to acquire U.S. financial institutions.  In 2006 Bank of China acquired 100% of the issued share capital of Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE) for US$965 million, and has now become the largest aircraft leasing company in Asia.

Source: Caihua, October 2, 2008
http://www.caihuanet.com/finetnews/20081002_317396.shtml