Information/Technology - 96. page

On June 10, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published the Chinese Technology Roadmap Towards 2050. The Roadmap includes three strategic targets of Space Science and Technology: (1) Space Science targets major breakthrough in frontier scientific areas such as black holes; (2) Space Application targets earth observation infrastructure; (3) Space Technology targets bottleneck technologies such as high resolution and high precision time space datum, miniaturized and self-guided spacecrafts, and manned space missions.

Source: Xinhua Net, June 10, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2009-06/10/content_11521661.htm

Radio France International reported that, on June 10, the Publicity Department of the CCP sent a notice to all media and propaganda management organizations requesting that media should not criticize the forced-pre-installation of Green Dam, an Internet filtering software, which has received widespread negative publicity both domestically and internationally. Though it claims to protect youth from accessing indecent content, a study at the University of Michigan found that this software performs text filtering, with a majority of its blacklisted words being about Falun Gong and quitting the communist party.

The Publicity Department’s notice states, “According to instructions from the Central Committee’s top leader,” no media should publish statements that question or criticize the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s decision to pre-install the Green Dam Internet filter software. The Publicity Department suggested, “(Media) can have experts and parents give statements, focusing people’s concern on openly supporting the ministry’s action to protect growing youth.” Also, the Publicity Department requested that all media strengthen the management of their websites and “immediately block and remove” any words of criticism from their public forums.

Source:
[1] Radio France International, June 11, 2009
http://www.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/114/article_14265.asp
[2] Computer Science and Engineering Division of the University of Michigan
http://www.cse.umich.edu/~jhalderm/pub/gd/

On May 19, 2009, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued a notice regarding the pre-installation of Internet filtering software. The notice said that, in order to control the low and vulgar contents on the Internet and to protect minors from exposure to the harmful "bad information," all computers manufactured or sold in China after July 1 should have "Green Dam-Youth Escort" software pre-installed. The software provides functions to block sexual content, filter websites deemed improper, control Internet browsing time, and record the web site visiting history.

According to Computer Science and Engineering Division of The University of Michigan’s research, "Green Dam scans text entry fields in various applications for blocked words, including obscenities and politically sensitive phrases (for example, references to Falun Gong). Blacklisted terms are contained in three files…" The researchers "also found what appears to be a word list for a more sophisticated sentence processing algorithm in the unencrypted file FalunWord.lib," which is dominated by Falun Gong related terms and sentences.

Many newspaper and Netizens expressed their angst with MIIT’s forceful imposition of more Internet control. China News Services’ survey on June 11 showed that only 20% of the people supported MIIT’s position. MIIT declared that "(the Green Dam-Youth Escort) software will not monitor user’s Internet behavior, nor was it to collect any user information."

Source:
[1] Miit.gov.cn, June 9, 2009
http://www.miit.gov.cn/n11293472/n11293832/n11293952/12398220.html
[2] Nanfang Daily, June 9, 2009
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/nfjx/200906090005.asp
[3] China News, June 11, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/it/it-itxw/news/2009/06-11/1729900.shtml
[4] The Computer Science and Engineering Division of the University of Michigan
"Ananlysis of the Green Dam Censorware System"
http://www.cse.umich.edu/~jhalderm/pub/gd/

On June 10, the Chinese Academy of Sciences released a strategic research report entitled “Innovation 2050: Scientific Revolution and Future of China.” A technological roadmap for the next 50 years, the report covers 18 key areas including energy, population health, space, the ocean, information, national, and public security.

Over 300 experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences spent more than a year to develop the report, which clearly defines the focal point for future technology development and lists 22 strategic technology issues which will affect the modernization of China. The roadmap is divided into three phases which will be revised every five years.

Source: Xinhua, June 10, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-06/10/content_11521348.htm

Other than Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Chong Qing, most provinces will see a decrease in college entrance examination applications this year. The main reason is the tough job market college graduates face.

Some high school graduates apply for vocational schools to learn a trade. And more and more of them are applying to colleges overseas.  For example, there are 3000 high school students who take the SAT test each year to apply to colleges in the US.

Source: Huan Qiu, May 28, 2009
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2009-05/473516.html

The China National Certification and Ratification Regulatory Committee announced that it will defer  implementation of its “IT Product Safety Forced Certification System” for one year. The scope of the forced certification has also been reduced to government-procured IT products only. However, Japan, European countries, and the US all expressed concerns about China’s policy.

The certification system dictates that makers of thirteen IT products, which have been either imported or produced in China, including anti-spam software, firewalls, network monitoring and control systems, and OS for IC chips, must disclose the source code to Chinese government for certification. However, the source code is the intellectual property and core compatibility of the software producers. Foreign countries are concerned that Chinese producers may produce copycat products once businesses disclose these trade secrets to China. Also, exposing source code for network tools will allow China freedom to browse private information on the Internet.

Source: The Liberty Times, May 1, 2009
http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2009/new/may/1/today-int2.htm

The highly visible “Hangzhou City Computer Information Network Safety Protection Management Regulation” went into effect in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province on May 1, 2009. The regulation states that no company or person may use computer networks to spread rumors, disturb social order, or destroy social stability; encourage the public to criticize others, expose others’ privacy, or make even subtle personal attacks; or publicly insult or fabricate lies to slander others. On-line service providers must record the valid identification information of the user when he/she is applying for service. [1]

Yangcheng Evening News published several articles to point out that the internet users’ dismay about the tighter government’s restriction over freedom of speech on the Internet. [2] [3] [4]

Source:
[1] Zhejiang News, May 1, 2009
http://www.zj.chinanews.com.cn/detail/1118252.shtml
[2] Yangcheng Evening News, May 2, 2009
http://www.ycwb.com/news/2009-05/02/content_2124053.htm
[3] Yangcheng Evening News, May 3, 2009
http://www.ycwb.com/sp/2009-05/03/content_2124295.htm
[4] Yangcheng Evening News, May 4, 2009
http://www.ycwb.com/misc/2009-05/04/content_2124689.htm

Xinhua News republished an Oriental Morning Post article on April 7 regarding the official announcement of the new policy governing the private publishing industry in China. The policy clearly stated that private publishing will be included in the formal planning and administration of China’s overall publishing industry.

Due to the tight control the Chinese government has on the publishing industry, private publishing companies were constantly facing the pressure of a potential violation of government rules. However, while validating the status of the private publishing industry, the new policy also emphasizes the government’s role of "guiding" and "regulating" the behaviors of the private publishing companies.

The new policy is unclear about foreign capital’s role in the private publishing sector. The report stated a belief that the new policy will not heavily impact state-owned publishing companies.

Source: Oriental Morning Post, April 7, 2009.
http://epaper.dfdaily.com/dfzb/html/2009-04/07/content_123104.htm