Social Stability - 133. page

People’s Daily published an article revealing more information on corrupt government officials’ new tactics. The article reports that corruption remains rampant and that some corrupt officials have obtained dual nationality in secret [in case the need it]. It summarized the changes in the style, characteristics, and means of corruption that officials have been using: First is mortgaging their power for personal gain. In order to hide the evidence of corruption, some corrupt officials have carefully planned the timing of exchanging power for money, waiting for years before harvesting the fruits of their corrupt acts. Second is illegally collecting wealth indirectly through a third party such as a spouse, child, sex partner, friends, or relatives They have even designated third person to harvest the gains through engaging in business activities. Third is using a more intelligent way to counter anti-corruption. Many officials conducting illegal activities hide their bribes by using the name of a joint investment, money management under trustees, and trading stocks through agents. Fourth is using their overseas connections as their base for corruption. Some corrupt officials commit their crimes outside of China’s borders, or move the proceeds of their criminal activities overseas. Some have even used different means to secretly acquire citizenship in foreign countries.”

Source: People’s Daily, April 11, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/30178/17622484.html

On April 8, 2012, the Internet Society of China published an open statement calling for the Internet industry to resist the spread of rumors on the Internet and create a civilized Internet environment that would abide by the law. The statement asserted that Internet rumors had become a public threat and had caused serious harm to the public interest, national security, and social stability. It asked for the industry to exercise measures to resist the rumors and create a healthy and civilized Internet environment.

Xinhua also followed up with another article titled “Crack Down on Internet Rumors; the Public Actively Supports and Vows to Uphold a Clean Internet Environment.” It described the dissatisfaction that the general public has towards the rumors and quoted a number of people who use the Internet as supporting the statement that the Internet Society of China issued.

Source: Xinhua, April 8, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-04/08/c_122944865.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-04/08/c_111750277.htm

U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke met with the senior management of Tianya, a top Internet forum in China, which currently has 66 million registered users. Locke stated that the U.S. Embassy would like to work with Tianya to establish an official Embassy space with updates on the latest news, policies, and events, and to engage directly with extremely dynamic Tianya users. To Tianya users, Ambassador Locke said,“I believe that new technologies and social media are changing the entire world. They are transforming the globe. … [One] can even learn about events that take place anywhere in the world. This is what Tianya is doing every day."

Source: Nainan.net, April 6, 2012
http://news.hainan.net/newshtml08/2012w4r6/858377f0.htm

Following the shutdown of websites in China and the arrest of Chinese Internet users for allegedly fabricating or disseminating online rumors, state media continue to publish commentaries that show the authorities have a deep apprehension about online postings pertaining to Communist Party leaders. For example, a People’s Daily commentary states, “If we allow ‘the rumors’ to run amok, it will seriously disrupt the social order and stability and endanger social integrity.” Xinhua’s  commentary, titled “Resolutely Say ‘No’ to Rumors and Their Followers,” states that those who fabricate or spread rumors are not law-abiding. “Making ‘jokes’ about important matters of social security and stability demonstrates a lack of responsibility toward society and toward themselves. It is very harmful.”

Sources:
People’s Daily, March 31, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-03/31/c_122911504.htm
Xinhua, April 1, 2012
http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-04/01/c_111731139.htm

On March 30, 2012, People’s Daily published a commentary titled “Let’s be Firm in Making Progress While Maintaining Stability.” It called for stability in the midst of challenges. The article highlighted the central administration’s key focuses for 2012 which are: to be persistent in “making progress while maintaining stability” and to be persistent in “scientific development.” The article then called for the nation to be "clear minded… be firm in our stance… not to be distracted by noise and rumors … and to firmly unite with the central administration” in facing the challenges from the “ever changing international political and economic environment and the constant new developments in domestic economic movements.”

Source: Xinhua, March 31, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-03/31/c_122911503.htm

On March 30, 2012, the spokesperson from the State Internet Information Office reported that 16 websites had been shut down for allegedly fabricating or disseminating online rumors about “Military Vehicles Entering Beijing… Beijing is in trouble.” Those Websites included www.meizhou.net, www.xn528.com/forum-40-1.html, www.dadongyang.com, and www.ezeem.com. Microblog sites on Sina and Ten Cent were given warnings; they were ordered to take additional measures to manage the Internet.

The Beijing Public Security Bureau confirmed that 6 people were arrested for spreading rumors on the Internet. The Security Bureau warned that netizens should “abide by the law, not trust and spread rumors, and be timely in reporting rumors.”

VOA called the arrests Beijing’s revenge. Based on the comments it gathered from the media scholars outside of China, China’s media control is far from opening up.

Source: Xinhua, March 30, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-03/30/c_122911337.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2012-03/30/c_122911330.htm
Voice of America, March 31, 2012
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20120331-China-Cracks-Down-on-Websites-145377595.html

The Chinese Luxury Consumer White Paper 2012, a joint study done by China’s Industrial Bank and the Hurun Research Institute, was published on March 27, 2012. The study revealed that the number of China’s wealthiest individuals, those with net assets of over six million yuan (~US$1.0 million) has increased to 2.7 million; their average age was 39 years old. The number of those with more than 100 million yuan (~US$16 million) reached 63,500; their average age was 41 years old. Among them, 85 percent plan to send their children overseas for education; 90 percent of the super rich (billionaires) plan to do so.

Source: People’s Daily, March 28, 2012.                                                                                         http://finance.people.com.cn/GB/17515451.html

Following the conclusion of the Two Conferences (the National People’s Congress and the Chinese Political Consultative Conference), China Youth Daily Social Investigation Center conducted a survey involving 2,412 people, 38.9 percent of whom were born in the 1970s and 24.2 percent of whom were born in the 1980s.

The survey showed that 88.2 percent wished that their representatives would regularly perform their roles. Of those surveyed, 95 percent stated they don’t know their local representatives’ contact information; 76.1 percent wanted to have their representatives’ contact information so they could raise issues and make suggestions; 91.2 percent wanted it to be mandatory for the representatives’ contact information to be  publicly accessible; 88.3 percent wanted their representatives to take more responsibility and not just attend the “Two Conferences.” Out of this group, 68.4 percent felt "quite strongly" about it.

As to the specific actions that they wanted their representatives to perform, they are ranked as follows: supervising government work (88.5 percent), gathering public opinion (86.8 percent), and raising concerns on behalf of the general public (81 percent).

Source: Xinhua, March 20, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2012-03/20/c_122855107.htm