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37 Karaoke Songs Blacklisted Due to Forbidden Contents

Recently, an entertainment karaoke TV venue in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, banned a list of 37 karaoke songs, mostly from Taiwan and Hong Kong. The ban triggered a widespread outcry from Chinese netizens. 

In response to inquires in the aftermath of the event, the Ministry of Culture issued a notice in support of the ban, citing the “Regulation on the Administration of Entertainment Venues” issued by the State Council. Articles 13 and 18 of the Regulation prohibit “activities in entertainment venues that contain content banned by the Regulations.” “Song lyrics, TV pictures, and electronic games should not contain content banned by article 13 of the Regulation.” “The music selection system used in entertainment venues should not connect to an overseas music database.”

Source: People’s Daily, April 22, 2011
http://culture.people.com.cn/GB/87423/14462009.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China’s Richest Moving Money Overseas through Investment Immigration

On April 20, 2011, China Merchants Bank (CMB), jointly with Bain & Company, issued the 2011 China Private Wealth Report. The report stated that half a million in China have investment assets exceeding 10 million yuan (US$ 1.5 million). These individuals have demonstrated a declining willingness to put their money in real estate. The proportion of real estate in their total investment portfolio dropped from 17.6% in 2009 to 13.7% in 2011. Over 90% of the interviewees expressed a lack of interest in additional investment in housing, while 50% are considering gradually withdrawing from this sector. On the other hand, the report shows a stronger desire among the richest to leave China through investment immigration. About 60 percent of these millionaires (with assets over 10 million yuan) either have completed or are considering investment immigration. Among the billionaires (assets over 100 million yuan or US$ 15 million), 27 percent have already completed the process of investment immigration.
Chinese individuals’ overseas assets have increased rapidly in recent years: from 2008 to 2010, the annual average growth approached 100%. At the same time, the population of overseas emigrants through investment also showed a rapid increase. Over the past five years, the number of green card holders in the U.S., resulting from investment, registered an annual average growth of 73%.

Source: China Review News, April 21, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1016/6/8/3/101668301.html?coluid=48&kindid=0&docid=101668301&mdate=0421160941a

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China Tibet Online: The Dalai Lama’s Retirement Is a Political Show

China Tibet Online, the government website for Tibet, recently published a commentary on the Dalai Lama’s announcement that he would retire. It mocked the retirement as a “political show.” The lengthy article made three main points: (1) His decision to “retire as a political leader” proves that Dalai Lama is a separatist instead of a pure religious icon; (2) His arrangements to retire are to prepare for the transfer of power – in case the Dalai Lama loses the ability to remain in charge; (3) The Dalai Lama may not be able to truly retire because a large number of “independent followers” may lose unity, courage, and direction. The commentary also quoted the Dalai Lama’s estimate of his own life span of 113 years and concluded with the belief that the “show” may not be over yet.

Source: China Tibet Online, April 1, 2011
http://www.tibet.cn/news/index/ydzl/201104/t20110401_980413.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

A Beijing Resident Privately Measured Nuclear Radiation in His Community

Although the Chinese government announced that the Japanese nuclear leak has had no impact on China, some people were still concerned. Weeks after the nuclear crisis occurred following the tsunami in Japan, a Beijing local resident, Mr. Chen Jin, spent 1,400 yuan (US$213) on a pocket sized portable device to measure the level of nuclear radiation in his community. He also borrowed larger U.S. made equipment for better accuracy. Chen posted his results online for his community to see. The equipment he used has consistently shown a normal radiation level. The Beijing News report also mentioned that a government expert suggested that Chen’s activities were unnecessary and might be unprofessional.
Source: Beijing News, March 23, 2011
http://epaper.bjnews.com.cn/html/2011-03/23/content_213370.htm?div=-1
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Scholar Rebuts CASS’s Report on the Middle Class

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) recently issued a report claiming that the size of China’s middle class stands at a quarter of the population and is growing at the rate of one percent per year.

Cheng Xiaonong, a U.S. based China expert, commented that “The concept of ‘middle class’ is borrowed from the West. There is a serious problem with using it in China. … The government willfully categorizes some people as middle class, which then becomes a banner for the government to tout its achievements. Government think tanks such as CASS then begin to dance with the government, using a variety of statistical indicators to put people into the bucket of the so-called middle class. If you look at public opinion, most Chinese people do not consider themselves to be middle class.”

Source: Radio Free Asia, March 26, 2011
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhong-03262011011353.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Party Chief: Crackdown on Separatist and Disruptive Activities in Tibet

Zhang Qingli, Secretary of the Party Committee in Tibet, recently discussed the development plans for Tibet for the next five years.  He mentioned tightly controlling social stability – a severe crackdown on separatist and disruptive activities is planned. “The stability of Tibet matters for the stability of the whole nation; the security of Tibet matters for national security. … (We should) always maintain a high degree of awareness, and strictly guard against and harshly crack down on all separatist and disruptive activities. … (We should) thoroughly expose and criticize the Dalai clique, so that the people can tell right from wrong.” Zhang also focused on enhancing the establishment and expansion of Chinese Communist Party organizations at the grassroots level.

Source: China Tibetan News, March 14, 2011
http://www.chinatibetnews.com/zhengfuzaixian/2011-03/14/content_655645.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Ministry of Public Security Notice Reveals Police Brutality and Corruption

The Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security recently issued a nationwide notice within the police system to “combat corruption,” emphasizing “zero tolerance” on problems about which the general public felt strongly. The notice mentions “unnatural death of personnel involved in cases,” suggesting widespread police brutality during investigations and interrogations, and “management of property involved in cases,” hinting at embezzlement. It also bans police officers from participating in land acquisition and resettlement activities, as in recent years the police have been widely used to expel local residents from of their homes, sometimes resulting in their death. 

Source: People’s Daily, March 3, 2011
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1027/14053491.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Beijing Uses IBM Technology to Launch Social Service Management System

On March 16, 2011, Beijing’s Chaoyang District launched a comprehensive “Social Service Management” system. The system is a solution provided by IBM’s Smart City technology, which is capable of real-time processing of a large database, providing statistical and quantitative analyses, monitoring the progress, providing feedback, and realizing grid management of the space. Chaoyang’s Chinese Communist Party chief in charge of city management gave an example: “Chaoyang District has established a housing information database. Every residential building has a person-in-charge, (of the database) who controls the situation in every community and neighborhood with high precision.” 
Chaoyang’s system covers the following modules: emergency response, city management, stability maintenance, manufacturing safety, social services, customer support, dynamic economic environment, law and judiciary, and Communist Party buildup.

Sources:
China News Service, March 16, 2011 http://www.chinanews.com/tp/2011/03-16/2911090.shtml
Sohu IT, March 20, 2011 http://roll.sohu.com/20110320/n304608364.shtml

 

Briefings | | |   Social Stability