Social Stability - 116. page

Xinhua published an article that China Youth Daily originally carried. The article reported on the anti-terrorist measures that China has implemented as a result of the recent domestic terrorist incidents. One of the measures reported was that the first tier police forces in Shanghai and in Guangzhou have started to carry guns while they are on duty. A second measure that the article mentioned was that China’s Public Security University has initiated China’s first anti-terrorism major. The University intends to recruit 80 students who will major in anti-terrorism. Lastly, the article pointed out that axes and gasoline have become the terrorists’ top two choices. As the article indicated, while these items are readily available and easy to access, they are equally dangerous.

Source: Xinhua, May 12, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2014-05/12/c_126486862.htm

On May 6, 2014, China Reviews News published an article on the major social problems that cause social instability in China. A discussion of the issues follows:

1)    Livelihood Issues: Ordinary Chinese people do not have enough money to buy an apartment, see a doctor, or send their children to a good school. In addition, the Chinese people worry about unemployment, retirement, social security, food safety, traffic congestion, public safety, property disputes and other basic livelihood issues.

2)    Land Acquisition: Local governments’ major financial source is the sale of land. Chinese farmers are losing their farmland, but do not receive any reasonable compensation.

3)    Resettlement: Residential properties have been demolished for urbanization, large-scale water conservancy, and construction, but without any reasonable resettlement.

4)    Environmental Pollution

5)    Social Injustice

6)    Judicial Injustice

7)    Corruption, as well as Government Officials’ Privileges

8)    Nationalism

Source: China Review News, May 6, 2014
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1031/6/8/9/103168971.html?coluid=151&kindid=11513&docid=103168971&mdate=0506002536

On May 4th, which has been established as China’s Youth Day, Xinhua carried an article on Chinese youth and their mental state as they pursue their dreams in life. The article observed that the youth in China are under tremendous social pressure. Many of them are puzzled and lost as they face a reality that turned out to be different from their expectations. They face the issues of skyrocketing housing prices and a valid urban residential status. Those who came from the rural areas seeking opportunities in the urban regions feel especially unsettled. The article also quoted Lian Xi, director of the youth development research center of the University of International Business and Economics. Lian stated that, currently, Chinese youth often develop their understanding of society while they are in school. Then, when they enter society, because of the reality they face, many of them encounter insecurity about their futures.

Source: Xinhua, May 4, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-05/04/c_126456893.htm

On the afternoon of the April 25, the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo held its fourteenth study session, with a focus on national security and social stability. Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of safeguarding national security and social stability in the face of the new situation and new challenges. China News Service estimated that this was the sixth time within two months that Xi Jinping mentioned anti-terrorism.

Xi pointed out, "We must soberly pay attention to the increasing threats and challenges to national security and social stability under the new situation, especially the resonance between a number of different threats and challenges." "The fight against terrorism matters for national security, for the vital interests of the masses, and for the overall situation of reform, development and stability. It is a battle to defend our national unity, social stability, and people’s happiness. We must take decisive measures, keep up the high pressure and firmly crack down on the terrorists’ blatancy."

These are the other five situations in which Xi mentioned "anti-terrorism."

On March 2, after the incident at Kunming’s railway station, Xi Jinping gave an instruction to understand deeply the seriousness and complexity of the anti-terrorism situation and to take effective measures to crack down resolutely on violent and terrorist criminal activities.

On March 4, at a meeting with minority ethnic groups, Xi Jinping said, "We must resolutely oppose all behavior that harms the great unity of all ethnic groups. We must resolutely punish and battle violent terrorist activities according to the law, and we must build an impregnable fortress of ethnic solidarity, social stability, and national unity."

On March 4, in his phone conversation with Russian president Putin, Xi Jinping expressed a willingness to maintain and strengthen anti-terrorist cooperation with Russia.

On March 10, in his phone communications with Obama, Xi Jinping emphasized his willingness to strengthen cooperation with the international community, including the U.S., in battling terrorism.

On April 9, Xi Jinping presented the flag to the "Falcon Commando" special forces of the People’s Armed Police. He asked the PAP, as an important national counter-terrorism force, to be conscientious in implementing the decisions and deployment of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, to be resolute in cracking down on violent terrorist crimes, and to safeguard national security and social stability.

Source: China News Service, April 27, 2014
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2014/04-27/6110089.shtml

Radio France International reported on April 18 that more workers from the Yuyuan Shoe Factory have joined the strike that started a few days ago. The factory is located in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, which is very close to Hong Kong. The factory is owned by a Taiwanese company that is an important supplier of Nike and Adidas. The Yuyuan Shoe Factory is the largest shoe manufacturer in the world. The strike started a few days back when around 30,000 workers called for the company to make larger social security payments [some media reported that worker’s wanted the company’s social security contributions to be made in accordance with Chinese law]. The number of workers on strike quickly doubled within four days, to over 60,000 in total. This strike is becoming the largest labor strike in the history of China under communist rule. The communist labor union and the local police are siding with the company management by forcing the workers to go back to work. As of the time Chinascope published this briefing, the situation was still developing.

Source: RFI, April 18, 2014
http://www.chinese.rfi.fr/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD

Study Times recently published an article on how to improve the handling of crises that spread over the Internet. The article recommended that China should develop an Internet security and information control mechanism, strengthen its monitoring and emergency response capability for such crisis, develop new technologies, improve communication between the government and the people, and educate the media and the people about how to be cautious. The article suggested that the government initiate efforts in the following areas:

1. Strategy and institutional structure: The government should include Internet crisis management as part of its national security strategy and develop a proper institutional structure and laws on Internet information management. Also the government should clarify the structural relationship between the National Security Commission, the Central Internet Security and Information Leading Group, and local governments.

2. Early detection of and emergency response to Internet crises: The government can establish Internet information collection teams to monitor news discussion groups, forums, and search engines’ search results; it can also collect information on the hot issues and events as well as on people’s opinions on these issues and events.

3. Internet technology: The government should put the R&D of Internet technology in a core position and strive for China’s own innovations of core Internet technology.

4. Crisis management: The easiest way is for the government to tell the truth, so as to gain people’s trust and weaken the impact of negative opinions.

5. Education: The government should educate media professionals on professional ethics and professional “discipline.” It also needs to educate the general public about Internet crisis – to train citizens on how to tell, criticize, and evaluate information on the Internet. It can do this through the use of television, newspapers, the Internet, school, and special education programs.

Source: Study Times, March 24, 2014
http://www.studytimes.cn/shtml/xxsb/20140324/4272.shtml