Information/Technology - 92. page

Statistics released by China Internet Network Information Center suggest that by the end of June 30, 2009, Chinese personal blogs and my space users had grown from 19.7 million to 182 million.

The study suggests that Internet users access information mainly through search engines and Internet news. The survey also suggests that 84 percent of the users feel the Internet is the most important information channel and 48 percent of users have more trust in the Internet than in television.

Source: Xinhua, July 16, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-07/16/content_11719076.htm

Epoch Times reported that, in an effort to justify the forced use of Internet filter software, China used faked evidence against Google and even shut down Google China for a few hours. On June 18, the host of the popular prime time show, “Focus Report,” on state-run CCTV demonstrated that a large number of pornography terms could be found in a Google search. On June 25, network traffic analysts found that a week before the CCTV program, some people had deliberately searched lots of pornography terms on Google. The daily pornography terms search rose 5950 percent, in a linear fashion as opposed to a smooth curve that would  occur in normal situations. Those searches came from Beijing. Netizens also found out that the student who appeared on the "Focus Report" program accusing Google China of linking to pornography information was actually an intern for CCTV’s “Focus Report” program.

As a result, Google was forced to stop the suggestion and translation features on Google China, which had given it a competitive advantage over some other search engines operating in China. Those features also made it easy for individuals inside mainland China at least to see links that the government had blocked. There is also a report that Google China agreed to install server filtering software (the so called server version of the "Green Dam" filtering software) on its servers.

Source:
[1] Epoch Times, June 29, 2009
http://epochtimes.com/gb/9/6/29/n2572846.htm
[2] Epoch Times, July 8, 2009
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/19317/

Ye Maoxi, a Chinese business owner of the Xijing Group from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province bought out a troubled UK satellite station named “Propeller.”

According to China News, Propeller was the first European digital satellite station to broadcast programs that contain original productions only. The station was established in February 2006 and currently has coverage in dozens of European countries. It was awarded the “best satellite television station in Europe” in Venice, Italy in November 2008. The station lost its funding from the government in the midst of the economic crisis and was eager to find a strategic investor. Ye learned about this opportunity while he was accompanying Wen Jiabao on his visit to Europe at the beginning of the year, and finally closed the deal six months later. Ye plans a major makeover and hopes to turn the station into a platform for domestic businesses and to increase its exposure overseas.

Prior to this, Wang Weisheng from Wenzhou also purchased a television station in the Emirates and has been airing programs since August 1, 2006.

Source: Zhejiang News, July 13, 2009
http://zjnews.zjol.com.cn/05zjnews/system/2009/07/13/015664716.shtml

Outlook Weekly, a magazine by Xinhua News, published an article on the expansion of the Chinese Space Technology Group. The Group currently has four bases. In addition to the Beijing Base and Chengdu Base, the Shanghai Base focuses on solar cells, composite materials and mechanical & electrical equipments. The Xi An Base focuses on space equipment manufacturing and special technologies.

Four more bases have been added to the Group. The Tianjin Base focuses on spacecraft, environmental protection, and unmanned aircraft. The Inner Mongolia Base focuses on polycrystalline silicon and space biology. The Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Base focuses on microsatellite, and mechanical & electrical equipment. The Hainan Base focuses on launching sites, conferences & exhibitions, and science education.

Source: Outlook Weekly, June 22, 2009.
http://news.sohu.com/20090622/n264683019.shtml

Beijing News reported on June 17 that Beijing is taking several Internet control measures. All Web site owners, editors, and bloggers need to provide their real names when registering. By the end of this year, Beijing will establish a ten-thousand volunteer Internet patrol team to monitor websites. All websites with permits for publication of audio-visual programs through the Internet or other information networks will go through information review, publication management, recording, and retaining processes. The Beijing Public Security Department will develop Internet filtering software for computers at Internet Cafes, schools, and in the home.

Source: Beijing News, June 17, 2009
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/beijing/2009/06-17/008@021703.htm

Xinhua News recently republished an article from Guangming Daily, a Beijing city based national newspaper, on "occupying the internet battlefield with Chinese socialist culture." The article suggests the enhancement of government involvement in managing the internet with the following measures: (1) establishing a dedicated government branch for internet control; (2) making enforcement laws; (3) setting up mechanisms to approve registration and to control network entry; (4) deploying tiered governance.

The article urges the government to build up the "core ethics value" of Chinese socialism and to increase the financial and labor investment to educate the population and to "occupy the battlefield" – through the mainstream sites.

Source: Xinhua News, April 20, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/theory/2009-04/20/content_11218500.htm

The International Herald Leader, a newspaper under the Xinhua News Agency, posted an article stating that the hacker business is an established gray industrial chain China. The article stated, “‘Hacker’ does not necessarily mean ‘wrecker." But the ‘wrecker’ part of the hacker business has become a large-scale industrial chain with more than 200 million yuan in annual income.” The hackers’ industrial chain includes: the “thief hackers,” who steal valuable network information; the “gun sellers,” who sell hacker tools and provide after-sale technical support; the “hired network killers,” who normally use a DDOS approach to attack web sites; and hacker trainers, whose teaching covers the technology of virus and Trojan creation and network attacks. It was said that a typical hacker’ web site can bring at least two to five million yuan annually.  

Source: Xinhua, June 12, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-06/12/content_11529888.htm

Xinhua reported that on June 10 the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced China’s bio-resource technology development road map to 2050. The road map outlined six strategic paths to transform China from a bio-resource large country to a bio-resource and bio-economy super power.

1. Photosynthesis mechanism research and bio-plants’ light power utilization improvement, to achieve large scale application and commercialization of renewable bio-energy
2. Bio-energy research and energy plant production base establishment, to achieve large scale commercial application of bio-energy, reducing oil imports by 30%
3. Development and utilization of micro-organisms and related industry chains
4. Sustainable development and usage of strategic bio-resources
5. Gene sequence and gene resources research
6. Bionic material and technology research.

Source: Xinhua, June 6, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2009-06/10/content_11521711.htm