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China’s Global Arrangement and Diplomatic Focus for Its Strategic Resources

[Editor’s Note: Chinese Cadres Tribune, which is published by the Party School of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), published an article on China’s strategy and diplomatic focus on its strategic use of natural resources. It argues that China relies heavily on the world for oil and mineral resources. To sustain China’s growth, it is critical that China follow its “going abroad” strategy and apply “natural resource diplomacy” to secure resources from other countries. It recommends encouraging Chinese natural resource companies to expand overseas, develop secure supply channels, increase China’s power to set prices in the global market, and create natural resource reserves. The following are excerpts from the article.] [1]

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Two Deputy Mayors Executed for Embezzlement and Corruption

According to a report from Xinhua, the People’s Supreme Court of China approved the death sentences of two Chinese deputy mayors. They were executed on July 19, 2011. Xu Manyong, the deputy mayor of Hangzhou City (the capital of Zhejiang Province), solicited and accepted bribes totaling 145 million yuan (about US$22.5 million). Jiang Renjie, the deputy mayor of Suzhou City (in Jiangsu Province), solicited and accepted bribes totalling 108 million yuan (US$17 million).

Source: Xinhua, July 19, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-07/19/c_121687423_2.htm

Guangming Daily: What Is the West Afraid of by Warning Africa not to Learn from China?

Guangming Daily published an article expressing the Chinese Communist government’s discontent with British Prime Minister David Cameron’s comments on China during his visit to Africa. The article said, “British Prime Minister Cameron visited Africa recently for the first time since he took office. Although his schedule was cut short due to the News of the World phone hacking scandal, Cameron didn’t forget to find time in Nigeria to give the Africans a lecture on Western democracy and free trade. At the same time, (he) specifically warned the African countries not to learn from China’s development model, which is ‘autocratic capitalism;’ (and that) only a ‘free society’ will bring Africa ‘sustainable stability and development.’ What he meant was that the Western system is the only choice for Africa.”

“Attacking China and Sino-African relations is not a manifestation of Western confidence. On the contrary, it is proof that they lack confidence. They deliberately belittle China in front of Africans. (Their purpose) is to maintain their control and monopoly over Africa in ideology, politics, the economy, and culture, and to kill Africa’s self-awareness and independent development. From this perspective, Cameron—the new generation prime minister of the self-claimed ‘out of the shadow of colonialsm’ and ‘not imposing Western beliefs on Africa,’ is no different from his predecessors. What they have done is truly ‘autocratic capitalism.’”

Source: Guangming Daily,July 28, 2011
http://theory.gmw.cn/2011-07/28/content_2357237.htm

Who Is Trying to Benefit on the South Sea Issue at China’s Expense?

On July 27, 2011, Xinhua republished an article from China Radio International that accused the Philippines and Vietnam of taking action at the recent 44th ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Bali, Indonesia to try to unite the ASEAN countries to form a “united front” against China on the South Sea conflict. The article quoted [Chinese] experts on international affairs who stated that uniting the ASEAN countries to force China to back off on the South Sea issue is an unrealistic proposition. Their purpose is to turn the South Sea conflict into an international “free lunch” so as to benefit both politically and economically at the expense of China’s interest.

The article also named India and Japan for getting into the conflict even though they have nothing to do with the South Sea. Finally, the article pointed out that the U.S. interfered in the conflict at a low cost to itself. [Chinese] experts believe that the U.S. is merely trying to stir up the waters. … The South Sea is only a low cost bargaining chip used to contain China. … “The South Sea is the weakest point in China-ASEAN relations.” The U.S. utilized the weak point to weaken China-ASEAN relations and has now “achieved its goal.”

Source: Xinhua,July 27, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-07/27/c_121726145.htm

Scholar: Lack of Social Integrity Attributed to Government’s Lack of Credibility

During an interview with Outlook Weekly, Zhou Xiaozheng, a professor at the Institute of Law and sociology, China’s People’s University, discussed the government’s credibility. Zhou said that China’s current lack of social integrity is primarily due to problems with the government’s integrity. According to Outlook, the integrity crisis has become the most urgent social issue in China. Zhou believes that there are serious problems of varying degrees with the integrity of the government, businesses and individuals, the most serious being the government’s integrity. “If the government is not truthful, it will be difficult for businesses to maintain their integrity, not to mention personal honesty.”

Source: Outlook Weekly, July 25, 2011
http://www.lwgcw.com/NewsShow.aspx?newsId=22249

Party Official Advocates Promotion of Red Culture

Huanqiu reported on some comments made by Liu Yunshan, the Propaganda Minister and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party after visiting the Red Army memorial at Zunyi and the propaganda and cultural units in Guiyang. Liu expressed that he advocated the promotion of red culture. 

“We have blazed a path for the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. We are ushering in a golden period of cultural development. We must fully understand the status and role of culture, profoundly grasp cultural characteristics and patterns, institutionalize innovative mechanisms, and strengthen policy support in order to powerfully guarantee the promotion of the development and prosperity of socialist culture.” Liu emphasized that it is necessary to use historical cultural resources, red cultural resources, folk cultural resources and ecological cultural resources wisely.

Source: Huanqiu, July 25, 2011
http://china.huanqiu.com/hot/2011-07/1846044.html

Outlook Weekly: South China Sea Dispute Will Likely be a Long-Term Problem

According to an article in Outlook Weekly written by Li Zheng of the Institute of American Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, China faces at least three important challenges in the South China Sea dispute. “The first important test is how to handle neighboring small countries. In reference to the South China Sea issue, Vietnam has the most intense conflict with China, followed by the Philippines and Malaysia. … The second test is how China will comply with international law and fulfill its international obligations. … The third important test is how China will co-exist with the United States in Southeast Asia and engage in healthy strategic competition. … The United States has intervened in the South China Sea dispute, directly targeting the ASEAN, not China. Therefore, there is no direct conflict with the United States, but there are competing interests.

“If China can successfully deal with these challenges, the South China Sea will become a powerful example of China’s peaceful rise. However, if it is the opposite, China will spend a lot of national power on the South China Sea dispute, eroding China’s international reputation and enhancing anti-Chinese sentiment in the neighboring countries. The dispute could become a ‘long-term problem,’ or even a ‘power trap.

Source: Outlook Weekly, July 26, 2011
http://www.lwgcw.com/NewsShow.aspx?newsId=22294

China’s Central Propaganda Department Restricts News on Deadly Train Crash

Reuters reported on July 25, 2011, that China’s Central Propaganda Department told media that "the major theme of the Wenzhou bullet train news from now on will be ‘in the face of great tragedy, there is great love.’” Reuters has confirmed the truth of this directive. The Propaganda Department further stressed, “Do not investigate the cause of the accident,” and reminded journalists that “the word from the authorities is all-prevailing.”

On the same day, China Digital Times listed the comprehensive directives that China’s Central Propaganda Department issued, including, “Do not report on a frequent basis; report more touching stories instead, such as blood donations and free taxi services; do not investigate the cause of the accident; do not reflect or comment; do not question; do not elaborate; do not associate. No re-posting on micro-blogs will be allowed!”

Voice of America also reported about China’s Central Propaganda Department’s restrictions on train crash news reports, based on Reuters’ news article.

Source:
Reuters, July 25, 2011
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/25/us-china-train-censorship-idUSTRE76O1IG20110725
China Digital Times, July 25, 2011
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2011/07/directives-from-the-ministry-of-truth-wenzhou-high-speed-train-crash/
Voice of America, July 25, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110725-China-Tries-to-Silence-Report-on-Train-Crash-126135038.html