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

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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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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

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

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

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

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

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

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