Chinascope – Page 1006

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 | | October 23, 2011 | Report

Liu Yunshan Met with Press Officials from 12 Developing Countries

On October 20, 2011, Liu Yunshan, a Politburo member and Chief of the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department, met with a group of officials who are in charge of press affairs in developing countries. The group included 23 senior news and press officials and staff members from 12 developing countries. The Party offered a training session in which all of them participated. Wang Chen, the Minister of the State Council Information Office, also attended the meeting.

Liu said, “China and the developing countries enjoy a profound traditional friendship. To strengthen China’s friendly cooperation with developing countries is not only an important cornerstone of China’s foreign policy, but also our long-term and firm strategic choice. In recent years, on the basis of traditional friendship, the relationships between developing countries have achieved new progress. Cooperation and exchanges in the field of news media have been strengthened and mutual understanding and affection have improved.”

Source: Xinhua, October 20, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-10/20/c_111111264.htm

Briefings | | October 21, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Death of Gaddafi Does Not Mean Everything is All Right

On October 20, 2011, Xinhua published a commentary on the death of Gaddafi. It stated that Gaddafi’s death does not mean the game in Libya is over. “People realize that Gaddafi’s death does not mean that everything is now all right in Libya. Gaddafi’s surviving forces will still make trouble. Conflicts between the eastern and western regions, large and small tribes, and various political forces may still surface. A flood of weapons among the people, foreign interference, as well as extremist and terrorist forces fishing in troubled waters are further elements that may contribute to the volatility of the situation in Libya. For the foreseeable future, Libya, in the post-Gaddafi era, will not be at peace. In fact, the death of Gaddafi really raises the curtain for the maneuvers of the various Libyans who are vying for power.”

Source: Xinhua, October 20, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-10/20/c_122181840.htm

Briefings | | October 21, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

People’s Daily Editorial: A Great March toward a Powerful Nation of Socialist Culture

People’s Daily published an editorial following the sixth plenary session of the 17th Central Committee of the CCP held from October 15 to 18. The editorial applauded the meeting’s adoption of a resolution on advancing China’s cultural system reform and its socialist cultural development.

The editorial further observed that the modern world is undergoing a period of major change and adjustment. Different thoughts, ideologies, and cultures are struggling with each other more frequently for supremacy. The status and influence of culture on the competition between national powers is also becoming more prominent. Therefore, the mission to guard the nation’s cultural security has become more arduous and critical and the requirement to boost national soft power and Chinese culture’s international influence has become more urgent.

The editorial stressed that it is an important and urgent political task for the local organs of the Communist Party Committee to deeply study the spirit of the meeting, to take the path of cultural development with Chinese characteristics and to promote the great development and prosperity of socialist culture.

Source: People’s Daily, October 19, 2011
http://opinion.people.com.cn/GB/40604/15940128.html

Briefings | | October 20, 2011 | Government/Politics

China’s State Media on the Purpose of Cultural Reform

Chinese State Media published a number of articles that comment on cultural system reform as proposed at the sixth plenary session of the 17th Central Committee of the CCP held from October 15 to 18. The aticles suggested the following reasons for China to effectuate cultural reform:

1. Culture, as a “soft power,” is part of a country’s comprehensive national power. Nowadays the Oriental and Western ideologies are interacting and merging. “Whoever’s ideology and values are most widely spread (over the world), and whoever controls the discourse right, will have the greatest influence (over the world).” China needs this “soft power” both to defend against the Western countries’ subversion (“a major reason for the former Soviet Union’s disintegration was the severe decline of its cultural soft power”) and also to exercise its influence over the world. “China needs to have its cultural power match its international status.”

2. Culture has become an important support for economic development. “Culture, economy, and technology are increasingly mingled together. Economy has an increased cultural flavor; likewise, culture has an economic function.” Developing the culture industry can help China boost its economic growth.

3. The CCP wants to use culture to improve its deteriorating moral standards.

Sources:
1. Qiushi Journal, Oct 14, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/lg/clzt/201110/t20111014_116563.htm
2. Xinhua, Oct 18, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-10/18/c_111105718.htm

Briefings | | October 20, 2011 | Government/Politics

Guanming Daily: Why Chinese Have Confidence in Chinese Culture

On October 16, 2011, Guangming Daily published an article about China’s confidence in Chinese culture. “The foundation of our confidence in Chinese culture is our successful practice on the socialist road with Chinese characteristics.”

According to the writer, the Vice President of Beijing Normal University, “Our self-confidence in our culture comes from the big achievement of China’s socialist practice which our great people brought about under the leadership of our great Party." China’s self-confidence in Chinese culture is also based on the guidance in the latest achievements in the study of Chinese Marxism.

Source: Guangming Daily, October 16, 2011
http://culture.gmw.cn/2011-10/16/content_2794150.htm

Briefings | | October 19, 2011 | Government/Politics

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

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

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

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