Chinascope – Page 1038

Hanban’s Deputy Director on Confucius Institutes

A two-day joint conference of the Confucius Institutes concluded in Buenos Aires on June 23, 2011. Wang Yongli, the deputy director of Hanban, the Chinese National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, told Xinhua that the Confucius Institute is a non-profit educational institution, and that the Chinese government has actively supported the launch and development of Confucius Institutes around the world. In the course of operation, Hanban has seen enormous intangible benefits.

By the end of 2010, Hanban had launched 323 Confucius Institutes and 369 Confucius Classrooms, with over 300,000 registered students. Hanban has also sent more than 3,000 teachers abroad.

Source: Xinhua, June 25, 2011.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-06/25/c_121583277.htm

Briefings | | June 28, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

First Privately Owned Party School Formed in Shanghai

The Ossen Group, a private company in Shanghai with a core business in steel and real estate, formed its own Party school, the first in the private business sector. The Ossen Party School consists of the school principal, an administrator, and a guidance counselor and will organize trainings for the Party members within the Ossen group.

According to the Party secretary of the Ossen Group, the group has established CCP branch offices in each subsidiary company, conducted training and education on Party guidelines and core values, and regularized CCP activities in the group so as to attract the younger generation to embrace the Party. Now 90 percent of the company’s leadership personnel are CCP members. In recent years, it has recruited over 150 new Party members.

Source: People Daily Online, June 21, 2011
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/14958981.html

Briefings | | June 27, 2011 | Government/Politics

Taiwan Lifts Ban on Individual Tourist Visits from Mainland

Taiwan announced that, effective June 22, 2011, it will issue tourist visas for individual Mainland tourists to visit Taiwan. According to the immigration office, it will only require two working days to finish processing the visa application. The visa will allow tourists to stay in Taiwan for 15 days. The Taiwanese government is placing high hopes on the economic benefits. Since opening the door to Mainland’s group tours in July 2008, it has reaped $US3.8 billion in income in foreign exchange. At the same time, the concern for national security remains. Some of the sites such as military bases, national laboratories, and bio-technology research sites will remain off limits to individual tourists.

Source: BBC, June 22, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2011/06/110622_free_visiting_tw_james.shtml

Briefings | | June 27, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Cyber Army Shows its True Face, Secrets of U.S., Japan, and Korea’s Cyber Armies Revealed

[Editor’s Note: In May, the news that China has set up a special “Online Blue Army” drew widespread attention from the international media. The following Beijing Evening News article gives a more detailed account of the force, and the thoughts behind building the army. Below is the full translation of the article.] [1]

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Reports | | June 25, 2011 | Report

Top Military Officials Re-Stress Party’s Control of the Army

Xu Caihou, a Politburo member and vice chairman of Central Military Committee (CMC), recently toured the military institutions in China’s southeast provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui. Navy Commander Wu Shenli and Air Force Commander Xu Qiliang accompanied him. In his speech, Xu stressed that all military institutions must follow the Party’s strategic ideas and intensify their ideological work. Xu emphasized that “the quality of political thought is the core and soul of one’s personal quality. … [One] must firmly solidify the political foundation of holding the [Communist] banner, listening to the Party, and fulfilling [one’s] responsibility. … [One] must strictly follow the political discipline, … enhance Internet control, and prevent the spread of wrong political views.” [1]

Separately, during his recent visit to Yunnan Province, Guo Boxiong, also a Politburo member and the CMC’s vice chairman, stressed that the military must always uphold the Party’s absolute leadership. [2]

Sources: PLA Daily, June 23, 2011
[1] http://chn.chinamil.com.cn/xwpdxw/2011-06/23/content_4455428.htm
[2] http://chn.chinamil.com.cn/xwpdxw/2011-06/23/content_4455430.htm

Briefings | | June 24, 2011 | Defense/Military

Ex-German Chancellor Schr÷der Wishes to Listen to Red Songs

According to a Chongqing Daily report republished by Xinhua, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, while attending a forum in Chongqing, expressed a strong interest in the activities of “sing-read-speak-spread,” a musical campaign to mark this year’s 90th anniversary of the Communist Party’s birth. Schröder told the reporter that he would very much like to listen to Chongqing’s “red” song [Note: the revolutionary song of the Chinese Communist Party] if he gets a chance next time. The report said, “Schröder believes that ‘sing-read-speak-spread’ is a very creative idea. It allows people to understand history and tradition more clearly. … Schröder expressed that there are many civilian chorus and art groups in Germany’s many cities. [He said] ‘I hope the German art groups will communicate with Chongqing’s Red Song Group to promote cultural prosperity together.”

Source: Xinhua, June 20, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-06/20/c_121555597_2.htm

Briefings | | June 24, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

The Founding of a Party in China Showing in 10 North American Cities

The Beginning of the Great Revival, known as The Founding of a Party in China, a movie that glorifies the Chinese Communist Party during the historic period from the 1911 Revolution to 1921, when the first CCP National Congress was held, is now being shown in cities in North America. The movie features more than 100 Chinese actors and actresses such as Andy Lau and John Woo. It is part of the celebration of the CCP’s 90th anniversary. A premiere of the movie was shown in Los Angeles on June 20, then in New York and San Francisco on June 21 and 22, respectively. Starting on June 24, it will be shown in 30 theaters in 10 North American cities, including Washington, D.C., Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, and Hawaii.

Source: website of People’s Daily, June 22, 2011
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/57507/14968391.html

Briefings | | June 24, 2011 | US-China Relations

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

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.