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China Net: China Plans to Enhance National Accreditation Systems

China Net recently reported that the State Council has just announced a plan to enhance a number of different national accreditation systems. Of all of the systems planned, the accreditation standard for information security products was given a top priority. The plan also required a “breakthrough” in the technologies used to establish and enhance the accreditation systems in other key fields, including food safety, carbon emissions, new energy, environmental protection, transportation vehicles, agriculture, biology, medicine, and contemporary services. The plan also called for establishing complete and strengthened national or industry standards, as well as improving China’s capability of participating in the processes of building international standards. The plan also included requirements to expand the technology for measuring and tracing capacities, which should be fully compliant with international metrological standards. 
Source: China Net, May 29, 2013
http://www.china.com.cn/news/txt/2013-05/29/content_28970217.htm
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CRN: China Expands Its Satellite Data Receiving Capabilities

China Review News (CRN) recently reported that the Remote Sensing and Digital Earth Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences officially launched a satellite receiving station in Hainan Province. This extended China’s direct data receiving capabilities to the South China Sea. For a long period of time, China has suffered from not having sufficient data from remote sensing satellites. The new station was equipped with dual large-sized satellite dishes as well as long distance fiber data communication systems. The station is not only tasked with communicating directly with several Chinese environment and disaster monitoring satellites and earth resource satellites. It was also assigned the mission of accepting data from Pakistani satellites. The Chinese government has plans to double the capacity of this station over the next two years. The new station is strategically important because it is part of a three station national land-based satellite data receiving infrastructure. The other two stations are located in Beijing and Xinjiang. 
Source: China Review News, May 25, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1025/5/2/9/102552906.html?coluid=4&kindid=18&docid=102552906&mdate=0525075222
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China’s Economy May Decline in the Fourth Quarter

Economic Information, a publication under Xinhua, published an article about the economic trends in 2013 by Li Zuojun, who is from the Resources and Environment Policy Institute at the State Council’s Development Research Center. Li predicted that, after the weak growth in the first three quarters, China would face a probable economic decline.

According to Li, some growth was the result of the following: the residual effect of the 2012 economic rebound, an increase of investors’ confidence as a result of the installation of new leadership, the new urbanization strategy, and the improvement of the international environment where the economic recovery of the United States, the stabilization of Europe, and the improvement of Japanese economy stimulated China’s exports.

The probable decline in the fourth quarter of 2012 will be caused by two factors. One, in May of last year, China adopted policies and measures aimed toward steady growth. Policies of this nature tend to bring growth for about one year. After October 2012, China’s economy rebounded. This will last no more than one year at the maximum. Two, there may be new macro adjustment policies implemented in the second or third quarters to contain the rebound of Gross Domestic Product, the Consumer Price Index, and the housing market. The economy will slide as a result.

Source: Economic Information, April 18, 2013
http://www.jjckb.cn/opinion/2013-04/18/content_440102.htm

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MIIT: Five Categories of Apps Banned from Smart Phones

Xinhua recently reported that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced on its official website that five categories of software are not allowed to be preinstalled on any smartphone sold in China or connected to China’s networks. The five categories are: (1) Apps that collect or modify users’ personal information without permission; (2) Apps that quietly make use of the communication capabilities of the device, causing unauthorized traffic; (3) Apps that block normal use of the smartphone functions or network functions; (4) Apps providing information banned by the government; (5) Apps causing other damage related to information security and network security. The new rules are set to take effect on November 1, 2013. In addition to rolling out new rules, it is widely expected that, between April and December, the MIIT will launch a campaign against “junk text messaging.” 
Source: Xinhua, April 20, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/info/2013-04/20/c_132324341.htm
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Chinese Government’s Ban on Satellite TV Receivers Meets with New Technologies

During the "two sessions" [the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)] held in Beijing, it was decided that satellite TV receivers would be taken off the shelves from China’s major online stores. One official, who was unwilling to disclose his name, told the VOA reporter that the Chinese government’s provision of banning individual citizens from receiving foreign satellite TV programs dates back to 1993. Then Premier Li Peng issued a regulation forbidding Chinese citizens from receiving foreign television programs, but allowing the installation of receivers at three-star hotels that accommodate foreigners. Later, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) installed satellite receivers in every village so that the people in remote areas could "hear the voice of the Party’s central committee." Some people are now familiar with the technique of using one receiver to watch programs from multiple satellites. After watching the government programs, they are then able to switch immediately to programs from foreign satellites by just swirling the knob.

Recently, a number of self-immolation incidents have occurred in Tibetan areas. As a result, the Chinese government intensified the campaign against unauthorized installation of satellite TV receivers in Qinghai and other settlements of mostly Tibetans. During the "two sessions" in March this year, the Qinghai provincial government issued a new regulation to confiscate and burn satellite TV receivers in monasteries and residential homes, to impose fines for those who disobeyed, and to reward those who reported the sales network of receivers. In Huangnan Tibetan autonomous prefecture alone, 26,984 sets of satellite receiving equipment were confiscated and destroyed.

On the other hand, with the development of the Ku-band broadcasting satellite technology, satellite signals are growing stronger over China. At the same time, the ground satellite receiver is getting smaller and smaller. Some can even be put inside a room in the house or on the patio. A new technology has been developed called the TV rod. It can be plugged into the computer thus enabling the immediately reception and watching of foreign television programs, including Voice of America.

Source: Voice of America, April 8, 2013
http://www.voachinese.com/content/china-20130408/1636829.html

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Chinese Media Pounding Heavily on Apple

Hua Shang News recently reported that, in the past couple of weeks, major Chinese media channels have been pounding heavily on Apple’s public image. The report accumulated repeated coverage by People’s Daily and Chinese Central Television (CCTV) on the quality of Apple’s customer service. Xinhua also reported on this topic. Key claims of these media reports are that Apple discriminates against Chinese consumers, has an arrogant attitude, evades taxes, refuses media investigations, and is breaking Chinese warranty laws. The massive media coverage triggered widespread discussions in the Chinese online community which included many different opinions. On March 27, Apple reportedly adjusted its Chinese warranty policies on its official website. Unconfirmed rumors suggested that this was one response to the recently imposed restrictions on U.S. government procurement policies against Chinese communications equipment vendor Huawei.
Sources: 
Hua Shang News, March 30, 2013
http://hsb.hsw.cn/2013-03/30/content_8491052.htm
Global Times, March 30, 2013
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2013-03/3781547.html
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People’s Daily: China’s Cellphone Internet Usage Higher than EU and U.S.

People’s Daily recently reported on the findings of the "2012 Chinese Urban Communications Behavior Research" published by the Ericsson Consumer Research Center. The research results showed that 87 percent of Chinese smartphone owners used Internet services. This percentage is higher than the high of an 86 percent usage rate for the U.S. and EU developed nations. Chinese users have a higher rate for phone services, web browsing, and Internet gaming. For instant messaging, Chinese customers are drastically more active than EU and U.S. customers. The research also found that Chinese mobile users are more interested in using smartphones than they are in using laptops or tablets to get onto the Internet. The research is part of a global telecommunication study conducted by Ericsson.
Source: People’s Daily, March 23, 2013
http://it.people.com.cn/n/2013/0323/c1009-20888325.html
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SARFT: TV Documentaries to be Submitted for Approval before Shooting

China’s State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) recently issued a "Notice on the implementation of the system of announcing the subject of TV documentaries." The Notice stipulated that, to further boost the market for TV documentaries and to avoid duplication of subject matter and waste resources, starting in 2013, the subject of TV documentaries must be submitted for examination and approval.

Although SARFT did not specify which types of TV documentaries fall under the above regulation, contemporary subjects that involve the corruption of senior officials or promoting multi-party democratic mechanisms are usually strictly scrutinized, in addition to the subjects of violence and pornography.

According to the new policy, 1) those productions of TV documentaries that have been prohibited under the jurisdiction of the central government, documentaries that are to be jointly produced by Chinese and foreign organizations, and imported documentaries, need to submit directly to SARFT; 2) those to be produced or imported by the military must first be submitted to the PLA’s General Political Department before final submission to SARFT; 3) those to be produced or imported under the jurisdiction of local governments must first be submitted to local radio, film, and television authorities before finally being submitted to SARFT.

Source: Radio Free Asia, February 22, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/kejiaowen/jz-02222013154735.html

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