Chinascope – Page 1007

Chinese Student Enrollment in the U.S. Increases Sharply

On November 14, 2011, the Institute of International Education in the U.S released its annual report, which showed that the enrollment of Chinese students in the United States had increased 22% in the 2010 – 2011 academic year compared to the previous year. Nearly 158,000 Chinese students were studying in the United States, which accounted for 22% of the total number of international students in the U.S. This was the 2nd year in a row that China had the largest number of International students in U.S. universities and colleges.

India and South Korea accounted for the 2nd and 3rd largest number, with 14% of international students studying in the U.S. being from India and 10% from South Korea.

Source: Xinhua, November 15, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-11/15/c_122279203.htm

Briefings | | November 16, 2011 | US-China Relations

China’s Cyberwarfare

Download PDF

China is spearheading a war in cyberspace. Reports about China’s cyber-espionage or its attacks are mushrooming. A study of the available online information published in the Chinese media as well as the Western media leads to the conclusion that China has elevated cyberwarfare to a paramount strategic position and is fighting it using the “People’s War” (人民战争) Approach.

Continue reading →

Analyses | | November 15, 2011 | Opinion

30 Billion Tons of Polluted Water Discharged into Yangtze River

Wuhan Evening News recently reported that over 30 billion tons of polluted water has flown through the Yangtze River since 2006. Zang Xiaoping, the Deputy Chief of the Yangtze River Water Resources Protection Bureau, commented in an interview that – although pollution indeed is intensifying – the rate of increase in water pollution is slowing down. Zang said the Yangtze River discharges a total of 1 trillion tons of water into the sea annually and 30 billion tons of polluted water is only a small percentage. He said that the pollution level will not result in “fundamental” health threats. Large cities along the river are enhancing their pollution control, but Zang is “worried” about the pollution caused by the development pace of small cities, which are, currently, the primary contributors to water pollution.

Source: Wuhan Evening News, November 13, 2011
http://cjmp.cnhan.com/whwb/html/2011-11/13/content_4919640.htm

Briefings | | November 15, 2011 | Economy/Resources

RFA: Farmer’s Lose Income Due to Sharp Drop in Price of Agricultural Products

Radio Free Asia (RFA) recently reported that the news is spreading widely in the Chinese media that the prices of agricultural products have been dropping. As an example, key Chinese cabbage producers saw a sharp drop in prices – 90% compared to last year. Even if they sold out their entire inventory of products, the farmers could hardly recover their basic costs. Famous Chinese economist Hu Xingdou suggested that this pattern of the price dropping every other year resulted mainly from unbalanced information between the farmers and the market. The lack of a futures market for agricultural products and the lack of organized farmer’s associations have contributed to farmers’ inability to manage market risks. Nor has the government lent a helping hand to the farmers. The recent adjustments in the macro economy had a negative impact on the capital market for investment in agricultural products.

Source: Radio Free Asia, November 10, 2011
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/s-11102011095715.html

Briefings | | November 15, 2011 | Economy/Resources

First Confucius Institute Opened in Switzerland

On November 8, 2011, the first Confucius Institute opened in Geneva, Switzerland, through the collaborative efforts of Renmin University and the University of Geneva. The City of Geneva authorized the Institute to locate its facility in a villa on the shores of Lake Geneva. Wu Ken, China’s ambassador to Switzerland; Jin Yeran, President of the Confucius Institute; Ji Bachen, the President of Renmin University; university officials from Geneva University; and Geneva state officials attended the opening ceremony.

Source: Xinhua, November 9, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-11/09/c_122252926.htm

Briefings | | November 14, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Independent Candidates Cut from Running for People’s Congress in Beijing

In Beijing’s recent "election," many independent candidates ran to be nominated as representative to the People’s Congress; however, the Chinese authorities prevented their nomination. Many found their names had been eliminated from the final list of candidates. On November 8, when the election results for the nomination to the People’s Congress in Beijing came in, only the names the government authorities chose appeared. No independent candidates made the list.

Ms. Wu Qing, a professor from Beijing Foreign Language University, said that the election procedure violated the related laws. Wu told Voice of America (VOA), “They did not hold a pre-election but rather used the number of nomination votes each candidate received as the pre-election votes.” “Taking Beijing Foreign Language University as an example, some students were asked to sign a blank recommendation form and didn’t even know who they were recommending. The same thing happened at the China University of Political Science and Law. … Some employees who worked for State Owned Enterprises were fired because they didn’t recommend their company president.”

Wu also disclosed that university students received tremendous pressure from the university authorities. “There were security personnel, secret police, the regular police, and people from my neighborhood at the university. Many students felt unprecedented pressure… The hidden guidelines from the authorities insured that the candidates recommended by the grass roots masses would never make it to the final nomination list.” She said she has made the nomination list seven times in the past, but didn’t make it this time because she was considered “the most difficult People’s Representative to deal with.”

Source: VOA, November 9, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20111109-BEIJING-ELECTION-133538593.html

Briefings | | November 14, 2011 | Government/Politics

CCTV to Broadcast in English in Washington DC

According to a VOA report, in 2012, China Central Television (CCTV) will establish a broadcast station in Washington, D.C. and will air 6 hours of English television programming each day. Many view the move as China’s effort to gain international discourse rights and as an investment in gaining soft power in the world.

Financial News also reported that CCTV rented 36,000 square feet of office space at 1099 New York Avenue, which is three blocks from Bloomberg News.

Source: VOA, November 9, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20111109-cctv-us-133559953.html

Briefings | | November 14, 2011 | US-China Relations

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

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