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Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

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Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

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Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

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The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.

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Guangming Daily: Unbelievably Young Government Officials

Guangming Daily, a Beijing City based national newspaper, recently reported on two “very interesting” items that Xinhua news had published. One was about Huang Hua, the Deputy County Chief of Zhidan County, Shanxi Province; another was about Tian Gengwen, a member of the Communist Party Standing Committee of Xunyi County, Shanxi Province. The reporter did some calculations based on statements in Xinhua news and concluded that Mr. Huang must have started primary school at the age of 3 and Mr. Tian must have graduated from college at the age of 16. The report called both “Child Prodigies.” The reporter tried to contact the two individuals for an explanation of their resumes, but had no success. The article called for honesty, openness, and transparency in the government’s handling of its disclosure of information about government officials.

Source: Guangming Daily, October 22, 2011
http://guancha.gmw.cn/2011-10/22/content_2831120.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

International Herald Leader: Do not Forget War

The International Herald Leader, which is under Xinhua News Agency, recently published an article commenting on Japan’s new political position against China. The article referred to the Japanese prime minister’s recent “shocking” comments that suggest that China’s activities in nearby seas were a threat to Japan’s national security. It listed some initiatives that Japan has taken that were unfriendly to China, such as increasing Japanese air force patrols of the East China Sea, joining the push to establish a multi-national framework in the South China Sea, and uniting neighboring countries with “the same value system.” The article alluded to Japan’s long history of invading other countries with no intention of offering sincere apologies. The author stated that China values peace but is not afraid of war. He called for establishing a grand and strong Chinese navy and remembering the fact that China must increase its readiness for war.

Source: Xinhua, October 21, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2011-10/21/c_131202354.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Qiushi: Speed up Reform of State Owned Art Organizations

Qiushi Journal, a bi-weekly magazine published by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, recently published an article on culture reform. In the article, the Ministry of Culture discussed the overall cultural reform and laid out the guidelines for reform of the state owned art organizations. The article called for opening people’s minds to a new system and suggested that the reform should protect the interests of both individuals and organizations. The plan included introducing a modern enterprise system into some organizations, encouraging mergers, converting some to non-profit organizations, removing some that performed poorly, and keeping some organizations as is. The article also emphasized enhancing the government’s “guidance,” as well as ensuring that strict regulations are in place. The reform involved both national and local art organizations.

Source: Qiushi Journal, October 16, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2011/201120/201110/t20111014_116677.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Anxiety Attacks Spread Widely among the Chinese People

People’s Daily Oversea’s Edition reported that the mental disorder that is of greatest concern to the Chinese people is anxiety attacks.

On October 10, 2011, World Mental Health Day, people who stopped by the mental health booth that had been set up west of the Birds’ Nest in Beijing asked the most questions about anxiety. In Shanghai, a survey conducted among 1,000 families concluded that anxiety has become their greatest concern. Jia Xiaobo, a psychologist from the Xinfan Psychological Counseling Center disclosed that 70% of all of his patients suffered from anxiety, stress, and depression. In the meantime, anxiety is attacking those peasant workers who have found themselves fighting for survival in the cities, facing an uncertain future, living far from home, and incapable of taking care of their children. Government officials are also among the group who suffer, as evidenced by the number of reported suicide cases.
 
As to the cause of the disorder, some experts suggested that China’s rapid growth, which has caused serious social changes over the past 30 years, was the problem; some claimed that, with regard to the middle and lower income classes, the cause was an inadequate livelihood and social injustice; others suggested that a lack of spiritual belief and the worship of money were the main contributors. The results of one survey, for example, showed that over 50 percent of respondents believed that only money can buy happiness.

Source: Xinhua, October 21, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-10/21/c_111111757.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xi’an Evening News: China’s Million Dollar Club Reached a Million

On October 19, 2011, the Credit Suisse Research Institute published its second Global Wealth Report. The report said that the total wealth in China grew US$4 trillion from January 2010 to June 2011, exceeding US$20 trillion. China is ranked second in the world next to the U.S. in total wealth, followed by Japan and France. Of the adult population, 37 percent have a total wealth between US$10,000 and $100,000 per person and 5.8 percent have less than $1,000. Meanwhile, China’s million dollar club broke the one million mark. The wealth of 5,000 of those is over US$50 million, which is second to the U.S.

Source: Xi’an News, October 21, 2011
http://news.xiancn.com/content/2011-10/21/content_2499151.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Summary of China-Africa Economic Cooperation

Recently, the China Center for International Economic Exchanges held its 28th Monthly Economic Talk. At the event, Xie Yajing, the Chinese Commercial Counselor for Western Asian and African Affairs, summarized the achievements in China-Africa economic cooperation in the following areas:

1) The trade between China and Africa showed an annual growth of 30 percent. In 2011, it reached US$126.9 billion, which is ten times the amount it was in 2000. In the first half of 2011, total trade reached US$79 billion. The figure for the full year is expected to reach a new record high. China is Africa’s largest economic partner. Meanwhile, Africa’s trade with China accounts for 10 percent of its total foreign trade.

2) By the end of 2010, China’s direct investment in Africa surpassed US$10 billion. In 2010 alone, China’s non-financial investment was US$1 billion, 5 times the size it was in the year 2000. There are 2,000 Chinese companies investing in Africa covering areas such as agriculture, telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, and food services.

3) Over the past 50 years, China has constantly provided aid to Africa. The total of over 800 projects includes railway construction – 2,000 kilometers; road construction – 3,000 kilometers, training – 3,000 people; and medical aid – 17,000 visits to medical personnel.

4) Cooperation in building infrastructure is the key trading component between China and Africa. China has provided non-interest bearing loans, loans on favorable terms, commercial loans, and so on. Chinese companies have invested in projects in Africa from electricity, telecommunications, and transportation, to energy. Its total investment in Infrastructure accounts for 2/3 of the total infrastructure spending in Africa.

Source: China Internet Information Center, October 21, 2011
http://www.china.com.cn/economic/txt/2011-10/21/content_23688099.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Red Flag Manuscript on Controlling Public Opinion

[Editor’s Note: After an explosion of information and opinion sharing erupted on the Internet about the Wenzhou high-speed train accident, Red Flag Manuscript published a series of articles on how to control public opinion. One article stressed that “on major issues related to China’s fundamental political system and national interests, the media should resolutely align with the Party and the people’s position.” [1] It even advocated filtering and modifying the news to “integrate the truth of the news with the country’s national interest.” Another article emphasized that the “central media and main media should send out the first news” and that they should “form an emergency reporting group which would include reporters and editors loyal to the Party.” [2] A third article listed “the decreasing public trust in the government” and “Western hostile forces” as being the reasons that rumors have spread on the new media and suggested developing “opinion leaders” on microblogs who would lead public opinion. [3] The following are excerpts from these articles.]

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Reports | | |   Report

Investigation of a Railroad under Construction Revealed Severe Problem of Quality Control

A Xinhua reporter was shocked by the safety problems he found when he was investigating a Northeast railway construction project. A construction worker told him that, once the railway construction is completed, people will not dare to take the train.

The reporter discovered that the contract for the “Jinyu to Song river line” construction project, an important project in which nearly US$400 million had been invested, had been transferred many times and finally subcontracted to a fake company and a few contractors who had no knowledge of how to build a bridge. A farmer named Lu Tianbo, who once worked as a chef, managed a hotel, and did construction work to built a road but never had experience building a bridge won the construction contract. He then led several dozen farmers in building a big bridge.

Source: Xinhua, October 20, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2011-10/20/c_111110190.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability