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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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The Party’s Leadership Achieves Full Coverage over the Legal Profession in Shanghai

By the end of June 2011, the Chinese Communist Party achieved complete control of the legal profession in Shanghai. According to Sheng Leiming, President of the Shanghai Bar Association, a total of 451 Party branches (381 Independent Party branches and 70 joint Party branches) had been established, along with monitoring of all of the law firms (1090 firms) in Shanghai. In addition, there are 4 general Party branches and 1 Party committee in charge of all of the 451 branches in the law firms. As for those law firms where there are no Party members, political instructors (Party liaisons) are assigned there to monitor the work.

The Shanghai Bar Association has a complete reporting system with rules and procedures, and consults the Party on any important matter.

Source: People’s Daily, July 13, 2011
 http://sh.people.com.cn/GB/140263/15148560.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Outlook Weekly: The Need to Safeguard China’s Maritime Rights in East and South China Sea

On July 26, 2011, Professor Han Xudong of China’s National Defense University wrote an article for Outlook Weekly, a publication under Xinhua News Agency. Han said that China has the same need to safeguard the East and South China Sea’s maritime rights as it does to protect its terrestrial rights. The article describes how the United States tries to contain China through the island chain along Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, and the Philippine islands. “If China cannot take good care of the East China Sea and the South China Sea, it will be impossible to break through the containment the United States and its allies have implemented in China’s coastal areas,” said Han.

Han further pointed out that almost all major world powers are maritime powers. They all highly value maritime rights, especially the United States. He concluded, “It is necessary for China to adopt appropriate mighty means to fight back against those countries that have violated China’s maritime rights and interests.”  

Source: Outlook Weekly, July 26, 2011
http://lwgcw.net/NewsShow.aspx?newsId=22292

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Chinese Deep-sea Explorer Reaches Milestone

China’s State Oceanic Administration (SOA) announced on Tuesday, July 26, that an undersea craft named Jiaolong, which carried three crew members, reached 5,038 meters (16,591 feet) below sea level in a test dive in international waters in the northeastern Pacific. The official Xinhua news agency quoted its chief engineer, Xu Qinan, who said that it is equipped with the most advanced technology, some imported from other countries, which allows the craft to freely navigate on the seabed. 

Jiaolong, meaning mythical sea dragon in Chinese, was designed to reach a maximum depth of 7,000 meters. SOA said it is capable of reaching more than 70 percent of the planet’s seabed. The project, launched in 2002, enables China to be the fifth country, after the U.S., France, Russia, and Japan, to possess deep-sea exploration technologies.
Source: Xinhua, July 26, 2011.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-07/26/c_121722464.htm
Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Criticizes Vatican for Excommunicating Bishops

After the Vatican rejected the ordination of Chinese Bishops Rev. Lei Shiyin and Rev. Huang Bingzhang as illegitimate and excommunicated them, China’s State Administration of Religious Affairs issued a statement. It said, “The Vatican’s threats of ‘excommunication’ of the two bishops who were ordained without papal approval was unreasonable and rude; it has severely hurt the feelings of Chinese Catholics and made the members feel sad. We are greatly concerned about the matter.” 

“In the 1950’s, Chinese Catholics suffered from the Vatican’s threats of ‘excommunication,’ which was a great historic trauma for the members.” “History has proven that the Chinese Catholic Church will not be at a standstill because of threats from the Vatican," the statement said. “The majority of priests and believers will more resolutely choose the path of independently selecting and ordaining its bishops. We will also give support and encouragement as always.”
Source: Xinhua, July 25, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-07/25/c_121718324.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

CNC World Launched in U.K. and Ireland

CNC World, the English channel of CNC, or China’s official Xinhua News Network Corporation, a 24 hour global English-language news channel, was launched on July 1, 2010. 

On December 16, 2010, CNC World agreed to a deal with Eutelsat for coverage on Eurobird 1, Eutelsat W7, and Hot Bird 8 starting on January 1, 2011. CNC World was launched on the Sky satellite television platform (channel 516) in the United Kingdom and Ireland on July 21, 2011, from Eurobird 1. 
According to Xinhua, CNC World now covers all world regions except South America, and is received in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Mongolia, New Zealand, and Latvia via satellite, cable, terrestrial digital television, and IPTV.
Source: Xinhua, July 22, 2011 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-07/22/c_121709141.htm.
Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Hu Jintao: Price Stabilization Remains a Top Priority

The Communist Party Central Committee held a forum on July 21, 2001, at Zhongnanhai in Beijing, to meet with non-party figures and discuss economic issues for the second half of the year. Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao, and other members of the Politburo Standing Committee attended the forum.

Hu said that this year, domestic and international situations are complex and unsettled and that predictable and unpredictable new situations and new problems are constantly emerging. He expressed that [the Party] should continue to improve macroeconomic regulations and control, and make price stabilization the top priority of macroeconomic regulations and control. Hu also urged that work continue on agriculture, job creation, economic structural adjustment, and economic reform.

Wen reported on the economic work for the first half of the year and presented the Party’s and State Council’s concerns for the second half. Wen stressed that [the Party] should strengthen the regulation and control of the real estate market.

Source: Huanqiu, July 22, 2011
http://china.huanqiu.com/hot/2011-07/1841369.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Scholar: China’s Restraint Will not Resolve Dispute over South China Sea

On July 20, 2011, Nanfang Daily reported on comments that Zhao Kejin, an associate professor at Tsinghua University, made regarding the South China Sea issue. Zhao argued that China should make a strategic commitment to defend the South China Sea. Zhao explained Deng Xiaoping’s strategic vision established in the 1980s: "Sovereignty rests with China; set aside disputes; and engage in joint development.” Zhao stated, “’Sovereignty rests with China’ is the principle and premise; ‘setting aside disputes’ is a tactic and a method; and ‘joint development’ is the goal and the direction.”

As other countries test the waters in the South China Sea, “China’s strategic communities are divided. Some people think we should exercise restraint and continue to buy time for strategic opportunities for China’s modernization. Others hold that China should take a tough stance and do not even rule out the possibility of using force. In fact, neither of these two views grasps the fundamental issue of the South China Sea. The ultimate South China Sea dispute is whether the parties deny the consensus that ‘regardless of any disputes or whether we engage in joint development, sovereignty rests with China.’” For those who attempt to challenge China’s sovereignty over the South China Sea, “regardless of which party it is, China should take a clear stance and should not rule out any options, including the use of force and war to defend its sovereignty.”

Source: Nanfang Daily, July 20, 2011
http://nf.nfdaily.cn/nfrb/content/2011-07/20/content_26925567.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Scholar on South China Sea: China Needs More Time to Gain Strength to Drive out the United States

Huanqiu recently interviewed a Chinese scholar, the Vice President of the Institute of International Relations at China’s People’s University, who commented on the South China Sea situation. The scholar believes that the ultimate solution to the South China Sea crisis is to drive out the United States; however, China needs time to gather its strength to do that. He said that implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea would represent positive progress and might reduce the tension of the South China Sea crisis. “However, differences between China and other parties to the dispute still exist. The South China Sea dispute is so complex that a consensus by itself will not remedy the situation. A controversial political atmosphere that does not allow compromise has emerged within the countries involved in the dispute. The external factor of the U.S., which has always wanted to take the lead in Southeast Asia, should not be ignored. For China, one of the options is to drag things out. China needs more time to gather its strength so that it can ‘drive out’ the United States and other outside forces. Only then will it be possible to find the ultimate solution to the South China Sea issue.”

Source: Huanqiu, July 22, 2011
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Observation/2011-07/1839703.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations