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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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CRN: Expert Said Chinese Aircraft Carrier was Delayed for Two Years

China Review News (CRN) recently reported on an interview with a Chinese naval military expert regarding the hot topic of China’s first aircraft carrier. The report revealed that the first Chinese aircraft carrier, which is just a refit of the long-retired Ukrainian aircraft carrier “Varyag,” arrived in China in 2002. However the Chinese top leadership did not make up their minds on China’s aircraft carrier strategy until 2004. There was a two year delay due to the decision making process. There were reports suggesting the “Varyag” is just a training carrier, but the expert disagreed, “The first aircraft carrier is indeed a combat warship, although it is not very capable.” The expert expressed the wish that China would have at least three aircraft carriers. The report also covered various technical topics regarding an aircraft carrier. The Chinese expert used U.S. aircraft carriers to make all of his comparisons. Chen Bingde, head of Chinese Army’s General Staff Department (the PLA’s Joint Chiefs of Staff) suggested that Chinese aircraft carrier technology is 20 years behind the U.S.

Source: China Review News, June 25, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/crn-webapp/doc/docDetailCreate.jsp?coluid=4&kindid=18&docid=101744878&mdate=0625105159

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

PLA Daily: General Staff Department Optimizes Reorganization

PLA Daily (People’s Liberation Army Daily) recently reported that the Chinese Army’s General Staff Department made an important organizational change. Authorized by Chairman Hu Jintao and the Central Military Commission, the Communications Unit of the General Staff Department (GSD) has now become the Information Technology Unit. The establishment of the new unit is seen as a symbol of enhancing centralized information technology improvements. Chen Bingde, head of the GSD, (equivalent to the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff), attended the ceremony and delivered a speech. Chen suggested that the new unit is not a simple name change; it is a strategic move with global, fundamental, and comprehensive impact.

Source: PLA Daily, June 30, 2011
http://www.chinamil.com.cn/jfjbmap/content/2011-07/01/content_61382.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Review News Editorial: We Would Rather Not Have Democracy that Leads to a Country’s Decline

[Editor’s Note: An editorial from China Review News, a Hong Kong based government news agency, criticizes the U.S. efforts to promote democracy in third world countries. “The risks and costs when the third world countries rush to democratize are far greater than its potential benefits.” According to the editorial, before a country really solves the livelihood problem of its people, the priority is to develop its economy and to emphasize collective discipline and hard work. Democracy relates to individuality and promotes freedom, “which means the dispersion of political authority and deviation from the major task of economic development.” The editorial cites Iraq as an example. “[That country] is in urgent need of development, iron rule, and centralization, but the current administration is trapped in religious conflicts and unable to make any decision on major issues.” The editorial concludes, “If the price of democracy is the decay of our country, we would rather not have it.” The entire article is translated below.] [1]

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Reports | | |   Report

Kissinger Attends Chongqing Red Song Gala

On June 29, 2011, the Chongqing Municipal government held a giant “Red Song Gala” at the Olympic Sports Center in celebration of the Chinese Communist Party’s 90th anniversary. It is claimed that 100,000 people at the stadium sang simultaneously along with the main singers, turning the sports center into a sea of song. Chongqing’s CCP chief Bo Xilai, along with former U.S. Secretary of State Kissinger and other senior Party and military officials, attended the gala. The gala started by singing the song “Follow the Communist Party” and reciting “The Communist Manifesto,” followed by other “classic red songs.”

Source: Xinhua, June 30, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-06/30/c_121602838.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

People’s Daily: Why Did China Establish an Online Blue Army?

An article in People’s Daily’s overseas edition defends China’s development of an online blue army. The article said, “With today’s rapid development of information technology, we need to effectively defend our country’s network information security. To achieve that goal, an excellent online blue army is required.” 

Li Li, an expert from China’s PLA National Defense University, said that it is absolutely necessary to establish an online blue army. Compared to Western country’s online armies, China’s online blue army is still in its infancy. 
Teng Jianqun, a scholar at the China Institute of International Affairs, said, “Just like it previously established the military or the air force, it is inevitable for China to establish an online blue army. The reason is very simple. Since we are living in an information society, [we] must adapt to a new war in such an environment. China’s online blue army has an extremely important strategic significance, be it from the national level or the warfare level, or be it for economic development or social stability.

Source: People’s Daily, June 27, 2011
http://military.people.com.cn/GB/15000230.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Xinhua: U.S. Adopts Ambiguous Diplomacy in South China Sea Conflict

A June 30, 2011, Xinhua article characterizes the U.S. strategy in the conflict in the South China Sea sovereignty issue as “Ambiguous Diplomacy,” in which the U.S. government publicly portrays itself as a “neutral mediator,” while behind the scenes, it assists the smaller Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam. 

The article quoted Zhang Guoqing, a scholar of international affairs at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who said, “This kind of two-faced tactic is to maintain the ‘balance of power’ in the South China Sea, i.e., to prevent any country from taking a dominant position so that the U.S. can maximize its own interests.” Zhang said, “Currently, due to domestic economic issues, the U.S. has kept a low profile in foreign relations and the military, but it has not given up keeping its lead role around the globe. Therefore, it needs to create some conflicts now and then. Maintaining a certain level of tension can give the U.S. the initiative to become a mediator, and provide the U.S. with excuses and opportunities to return to Asia.” 
Zhang listed three U.S. motives to get involved in the South China Sea conflict for its own interests: “firstly, to disrupt the economic cooperation between China and ASEAN nations, weakening China’s influence in the region; secondly, by keeping a certain level of tension, to increase arms trade with Southeast countries and make money; lastly, to expand cooperation with relevant countries on oil and gas exploration, and keep an advantageous position in the fight for the resources in the region.”
 
Source: Xinhua, June 30, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-06/30/c_121606208.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

There is No Need to Establish New Political Parties in China

Zhang Xiansheng, spokesperson for the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party, stated on June 29, 2011, “The Communist Party and the other eight democratic parties have basically covered all of the social strata and groups in China and China’s multi-party cooperation system has a broad social base.”

According to Zhang, “Of the nine parties in China, the Communist Party primarily recruits from workers, farmers, solders, intellectuals and advanced elements of other social classes. The other eight parties have their respective focuses, attracting middle to upper classes [with backgrounds in] science and technology, education, culture, health, sports, and a portion of the new social strata.”
 
“He expressed that political parties must have a fixed range of organizational development, have a certain social basis, and must abide by the Constitution and relevant laws and regulations. The existing nine political parties in China have a relatively fixed range of organizations and development, basically covering all of China’s current social strata and groups, so there is no need to establish a new political party beyond the existing political parties.”

Source: Xinhua, June 29, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-06/29/c_121602398.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Chinese Media Asked to Write for the Party and People

Liu Binjie, Director of the General Administration of Press and Publications, the government body that oversees the media in China, said that reporters should follow the tradition of red journalists of older generations and write to record history for the Party and for the people. Liu complimented the current generation of reporters, saying they “have played an important role in guiding and building the core socialist value system, and greatly expanded the international influence of Chinese culture.” Liu emphasized that reporters should “be steadfast in ideals and faith, and be loyal to the Party’s course of journalism.” At the same time, Liu added, “Although the Party and the State protect all interview activities of news reporters, and have stressed that no organization or individual shall interfere with or obstruct the right of news agencies and reporters to interview, there are always some people and organizations who, under various pretexts, meddle with the normal activities of news organizations, and even collude with evil forces.” Liu made the remarks at the release of a book titled “China’s Red Reporters.”

Source: China News Service, June 27, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/cul/2011/06-27/3140304.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics