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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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VOA: China Passed Law Defining Terrorism, Terrorist Organization

Voice of America (VOA) reported on October 29 that the China’s National People’s Congress recently passed a law defining “terrorism” and “terrorist organization.” During its draft stage, legal professionals, as well as the general public, widely questioned this law. They expressed concern that the government would, potentially, use this law to suppress human rights and political opposition. It was believed that this law expanded the scope of [what the government considered as] terrorism and introduced the possibility that the Criminal Law would be abused. Famous Chinese human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, commenting in a VOA interview, suggested that the basic idea behind this new law is to help “maintain stability.” Mr. Jiang believed that the government introduced this law after suffering “extreme anxiety” over the issue of social stability. Singapore anti-terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna told Associated Press that China designed the new law to make it easier to obtain intelligence from the West.

Source: Voice of America, October 29, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20111029-New-Definition-of-Terrorism-132848558.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Li Changchun Calls for Forging Cultural Soft Power to Protect China’s Cultural Security

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo and the Propaganda Chief of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, elaborated on the “Decisions by the CCP Central Committee regarding Further Promoting Reform and Development of the Cultural System,” which passed on October 18 during the Sixth Plenary Session of 17th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Li addressed the issue of “strengthening the country’s soft power by developing socialist culture with Chinese characteristics” and called for “forging cultural soft power in order to protect China’s cultural security.” Li said, “China must continuously expand its international cultural influence in order to forge its soft power, which will be compatible with its international image and protect China’s cultural security.” According to Li, culture is a key measure of a nation’s overall power. Whoever takes the lead and possesses strong cultural soft power will gain the advantage in the world’s competition.

Source: China News Service, October 27, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2011/10-27/3419185.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: Shanghai Establishes Oversea’s Cultural Promotion Centers in Australia and Canada

The “Xin Jing Shan Chinese School” in Melbourne Australia and the “Jia Hua School” in Montreal Canada are the two Chinese schools in foreign countries that have been named as “Shanghai Oversea’s Cultural Promotion Centers,” the first in China. According to Cui Minghua, director of the Oversea’s Chinese Affairs Office in Shanghai, the Oversea’s Cultural Promotion Center will increase China’s cultural influence in the world and provide assistance to schools and agencies with programs such as exchange students, teachers, cooperation between schools, and sharing teaching resources. The Center will work with the existing 39 Chinese education sites in Shanghai to promote education and cultural exchanges between Shanghai and overseas Chinese education centers.

The “Xin Jing Shan Chinese School” in Melbourne was formed in 1992 and has 9 school districts with 4,000 students and 200 teachers. It is the largest Chinese schools in Australia. “Jia Hua School,” the top Chinese school in Montreal, was formed in 1994. It has 2,000 students and the most comprehensive Chinese teaching curriculum in the Eastern Canadian region.

Source: Xinhua, October 27, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-10/27/c_111129078.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

The Shortest Lived Road In Yunnan Province Collapsed Again

"Xin Shan Road" is in Xinping Yi and the Dai Autonomous County in Yunnan Province. Cyber fans jokingly call it the “shortest lived road.” In June of 2011, the second day after its completion, Xin Shan road collapsed killing 2 people and injuring 2. On October 25, Xin shan Road collapsed again. The size of the site is 4,500 square meters. The left side of the road was buried under 7 meters of collapsed debris. The local transportation department blamed the collapses on the unstable road structure and the rainy season. It has been reported that traffic will resume on Xin Shan Road on October 26, after intensive repair work.

Source: Xinhua, October 26, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2011-10/26/c_111125944.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Qiushi Journal on Western Freedom of the Press

[Editor’s Note: Qiushi Journal published an article that criticized the Western world’s “freedom of the press,” saying it is just a lie. The article argued that capital controls the media in Western countries, so the media only represents the opinion of a particular interest group. The government also uses many tactics to control or direct the press to serve its purpose. Furthermore, the Western countries apply a double standard on freedom of the press. While they control the media in their own countries, they use “freedom of the press” as a tool to stir up turmoil in other countries or even to subvert other governments. The following are excerpts from the article.] [1]

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Reports | | |   Report

Three High Speed Railway Lines in Guangdong Forced to Stop Construction Due to Lack of Funding

Yang Cheng Evening News reported that three high-speed railways in Guangdong Province stopped or postponed construction work and entered the “winter sleep” phase in advance due to an interruption in the chain of financing. It has been reported that China’s Ministry of Railways owed 130 billion yuan (over US$20 billion) to the construction company. Some peasant workers have not received their wages for more than half a year. 　

Source: Yang Cheng Evening News, October, 27, 2011
http://www.ycwb.com/epaper/ycwb/html/2011-10/27/content_1241444.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Study Times: The Hard Requirement behind Soft Power

Study Times, a publication of the Party School of the CCP’s Central Committee, published an article to clarify some of the important issues related to the cultural development that the 6th Plenary Session of 17th Congress of the CCP mapped out. The article said that one views culture as “soft power” when comparing it to the economy and military “hard power.” However, that does not mean that it lacks a solid foundation. Actually, there is a “hard requirement” behind “soft power.” The article pointed out that culture, as a phenomenon and a product of spirit, has multiple properties. Above all, ideology is one of its most fundamental properties. Culture reflects the political and economic interests of a certain class. Culture has a very clear ideological property, as well as powerful ideological function.

What Western society currently promotes as “universal values” is a manifestation of culture reflecting an ideological property and playing an ideological role. [Therefore], when others are holding up the banner of ideology, we cannot give up on ourselves.

The article concluded that the reason the CCP took the action it did at the 6th Pleanary Session, to develop the socialist core value sytem as the fundamental task of cultural development, was because the socialist core value system is the fundamental manifestation of socialist ideology, the spirit of prospering the nation, and the essence of socialist advanced culture. It determines the direction of Chinese style socialism.

Source: Study Times, October 24, 2011
http://www.studytimes.com.cn:9999/epaper/xxsb/html/2011/10/24/03/03_35.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

“Only with Determination and Being Unafraid to Perish Together Can We End the South Sea Game”

Huanqiu (Global Times) published a commentary following the announcement that the U.S. and the Philippines would conduct joint military exercises. The article suggested China should take a hard stance toward the U.S. even if it would mean "to die with the U.S. all together." The following is an abstract of the article:

“China champions a harmonious world. However, the U.S. and other countries viciously utilize that intention. They use it as a tool to blackmail and extort China to affect its diplomatic policy. China should change to a different way of thinking. When others repeatedly apply pressure, China does not need to so ‘determinedly’ insist on a peaceful position. Let others come to beg China for peace. As long as China is firm in its reasoning and powerful in its strength, those nations whose own security and interests are their priority will be more likely to give up the idea of disrespecting and tricking China.”

When the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry was asked if the article represented the government’s position, she responded that the media had the right to express its own opinion, and believed that what the media said was based on the truth and the facts while maintaining a responsible attitude.

Source: Huanqiu, October 26, 2011
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Observation/2011-10/2121200.html
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Observation/2011-10/2117710.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations