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VOA: China to Recruit Technology Experts from Overseas

As China’s demand for technology experts continues to rise, Chinese leaders are more and more conscious of how important it is to have technology experts help China grow. The Chinese government has adopted a series of measures to attract Chinese students who have studied abroad to return to China. The “Thousand People Plan” was introduced at the end of 2008. If offers incentives to attract high tech expertise from overseas to work in China. In June 2010, the State Council issued a mid to long term plan to develop technology experts. At the 10th conference on the international Exchange of Professionals that was held in Shen Zhen on November 5, 2011, the Chinese government announced that it will allow foreigners to hold senior positions in the scientific field or state owned enterprises. It will offer them compensation to match the level of pay they would receive in the U.S. and provide them with long term visas to live in China.

Professor Yan Xuetong, the Director of the Institute of International Studies, Tsinghua University, predicts that the future competition between China and the U.S. will be in technology, education, and expertise. Yan said, “Whichever country can attract the experts will be the most powerful.” He also believes that China doesn’t just need technology experts; it also needs experts who are capable of strategic thinking.

Source: Voice of America, November 17, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20111117-china-talent-war-134070808.html

BBC Chinese: Public Outcry over School Bus Tragedy in Gangsu Province

BBC Chinese reported that on the morning of November 16, 2011, a daycare school bus in Zheng Ning County of Gangsu Province collided with a cargo truck killing 20 children on the bus. The school bus, which had been converted from a 9 passenger vehicle, had 64 students on board at the time of the accident. The report stated that the daycare center had a total of 737 children, but only 4 school buses to use for pickup and drop off.

People were outraged by the tragedy and questioned, “Why do we have so many buses for public transportation but can’t afford a reliable school bus for our children? Our government should take financial responsibility for this.” The accident took place just before the Shenzhou Spacecraft No. 8 returned back to earth. Some people asked, “Why can we guarantee that Shenzhou Spacecraft No. 8 will lift off safely, but we cannot guarantee our children’s safety when they go to school?”.

Source: BBC Chinese, November 17, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2011/11/111117_china_school_bus.shtml

Xinhua: Five Guidelines for Promoting Reform of the Culture System

Xinhua published an article that listed five guidelines for promoting reform of the culture system:

1) Stay firm in using Marxist theory as the guideline and be proficient in knowledge of the ideology that is based on socialist theory with Chinese characteristics in order to ensure that we are walking on the correct path.

2) Follow the advanced cultural character of socialism to serve the people and society and to promote an uplifting spirit and a healthy lifestyle.

3) Stay close to reality, life, and the people and encourage the people to play an active role in reforming the culture system.

4) Give the social effect a top priority. Culture products can educate people, provide social ideology with a guiding principal, and bring economic benefits. However when there are conflicts between social and economic effects, the social effect should prevail.

5) Be firm on the open door policy to promote Chinese culture to the world. Developing Chinese culture should strictly follow the right path particularly in establishing the Communist Party’s leadership, the government management body, social supervision, and the related laws.

Source: Xinhua, November 17, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-11/17/c_111173335.htm

Outlook Weekly: TPP û the Core of the U.S. Strategy to Return to the Asia Pacific

The State Information Center published an article in Outlook Weekly recommending that China join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade pact, an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement. The United States, eight other partners, and Japan have announced plans to participate and are currently negotiating. “Once the TPP is implemented, it will most likely change the current pattern of economic development and trade, have a profound influence on global, economic, and trade relations and regional economic cooperation and impact other forms of the multilateral trading system in the region.” With TPP, the U.S. intends to lead the future in economic cooperation in the region and formulate the new economic order with the U.S. as the center. “TPP may be viewed as the core strategy of the U.S. ‘New Pacific Century.’” The article recommends that China participate as early as possible so that it can set the standards and position itself well strategically.

Source: Outlook Weekly, November 14, 2011
http://www.lwgcw.com/NewsShow.aspx?newsId=24415

Outlook Weekly: Multi-sector Strategy of Culture Development Taking Shape

Outlook Weekly published a commentary that provided an overview of Chinese usage of the Internet, TV, and the radio.

As of June 2011, there were 485 million Internet users (36.2% of the population). About 318 million used a cell phone to access the Internet (65.5% of all Internet users). In the first six months of 2011, the number of mini-blog users accounts increased from 63.11 million to 195 million, a growth of 208%; about 40% of Internet users and 34% of cell phone Internet users have mini-blog accounts. During the same period, trojan or other viruses attacked 217 Internet users. 121 million found their account numbers or passwords had been stolen. About 8% fell victim to online fraud, which affected 38 million users.

As of the end of 2010, China had about 500 million radios and the same number of TVs, which meant that 96.78% of the population in China had access to a radio and 97.62% had access to a TV. Every day, on average, residents in Beijing watch TV for about one hour and 53 minutes, read newspapers for 22 minutes, and spend 33 minutes on the Internet.

Source: Outlook Weekly, November 14, 2011
http://www.lwgcw.com/NewsShow.aspx?newsId=24413

People’s Daily: Three Concerns about the U.S. Return to East Asia

An article in the November 18, 2011, issue of People’s Daily overseas edition discussed [China’s] three concerns about the U.S. “return” to East Asia. The first concern is that it may change the current cooperation model. The cooperation in East Asia has been under the ASEAN model for many years. After joining the East Asia cooperation, will the United States become host in a quest to challenge the “East Asia Model” and promote the “American Model?” This is a big question mark. The second is the introduction of sensitive political security issues. The U.S. claims very openly that it will focus on promoting political security cooperation at the East Asia Summit. Overly introducing political security issues, particularly controversial issues, will not only fail to help the development of East Asia cooperation. On the contrary, it may intensify regional conflicts. The third is that it may cause a dispute between China and the U.S. Many scholars believe that the U.S. “return” to East Asia is to cope with the rise of China and prevent China from becoming dominant. In the current situation, whether China and the U.S. will develop a relationship that involves mutual respect, is mutually beneficial, and will cooperate as partners will directly impact the progress of future East Asian cooperation.

Source: People’s Daily, November 18, 2011
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/14549/16292444.html 

China to Launch More Space Probes

According to Chen Yachang, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering and deputy chief designer of the China-Russia joint Mars explorer, in addition to launching the Shenzhou spacecraft series and the near-earth space station, China will continue to launch probes to explore outer space, including Mars, Venus, and Jupiter.

Source: Guangming Daily, November 17, 2011
http://tech.gmw.cn/2011-11/17/content_2988422.htm

People’s Daily: Strengthen and Improve the Party’s Control of News Reporting and Public Opinion

People’s Daily published a commentary advocating that the Party do four things to improve its control of media and of public opinion. The first one is to strengthen the capability to lead public opinion. In doing so, the article stresses the importance of adhering to the Communist doctrine and the socialist banner. The second is to improve control of the Internet and of the new media. Specifically, the Party’s newspapers, news agencies, television stations, and radio stations must aggressively expand into the new media field. The third is to speed up the development of a modern media network. The priority is to upgrade the Party’s media, including newspapers, news agencies, radio, and TV. The fourth is to establish a large army of news staff members.

Source: People’s Daily, November 11, 2011
http://theory.people.com.cn/GB/16208892.html