Chinascope – Page 1041

A Million CCP Members in Anhui Swore Loyalty to the Party

On June 15, at a local Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery in Hefei, the capital city of the Anhui Province in eastern China, over 1,000 Chinese Communist Party members in provincial government agencies and military organs re-chanted their oath and swore loyalty to the Party. It is part of the campaign taking place at all levels of CCP organizations in the province, with the theme of “a million CCP members refresh the oath made when joining the Party and memorialize revolutionary martyrs.”

Source: Xinhua, June 15, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-06/15/c_121540864.htm

Briefings | | June 20, 2011 | Government/Politics

China Economic Weekly: Why Have Europeans always controlled the IMF?

China Economic Weekly carried a commentary questioning why Europeans has always controlled the IMF and whether it is a “world organization” or a “European organization.” It suggested that having members from developing countries on the management team of the IMF would be consistent with its legitimacy. The article refers to a statement made by IMF Executive Directors representing BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) in May demanding “adequate representation of emerging market and developing members in the Fund’s management.”

As to the successor to the head of the IMF, the article points to the U.S., who is the biggest stockholder of the IMF, and said that the US has been controlling IMF operations behind the scenes but with no intention to fight for the title. However, “the US is unlikely to support any candidates outside of the European countries because it does not want to go against the European countries." The article quoted a number of people, including Amado Boudou, Minister of the Economy of Argentina, and Angel Gurría of OECO, who stated that it is time to break tradition and have someone other than a European hold the position.

Source: China Economic Weekly, June 13, 2011
http://www.ceweekly.cn/html/Article/20110613397335060.html

Briefings | | June 20, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China News Service: FBI Persecutes U.S. Political Dissidents

China News Service reprinted a report from Taiwan’s Central News Agency on the FBI’s recent nationwide anti-terrorist investigation targeting prominent activists for their political views. The article said, “The targets are those who have sharply criticized U.S. Middle East and South American foreign policy. They denied any connection with terrorists. Those investigated expressed concern that U.S. government uses post-9/11 anti-terrorism as an excuse to target them because they hold different political views. Those subpoenaed include office clerks, educators, and lesbian couples with young children. A Chicago lawyer Michael Deutsch said they are ‘public non-violent activists with long, distinguished careers in public service, including teachers, union organizers, and antiwar and community leaders.’” “Several activists under investigation and their lawyers said that they believe the indictments would come any time, so they have fought back, decrying the inquiry as a threat to their First Amendment rights.”

The original English source can be traced to a Washington Post news report “Activists cry foul over FBI probe,” that was published on June 13, 2011.

Source:
China News Service, June 15, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/gj/2011/06-15/3112361.shtml
Washington Post, June 13, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/activists-cry-foul-over-fbi-probe/2011/06/09/AGPRskTH_story.html

Briefings | | June 20, 2011 | US-China Relations

Qiushi: Unswervingly Uphold the Party’s Absolute Leadership over the Army

Li Jinai, a member of the Central Military Commission and chief of the General Political Department of the PLA, published an article in the Party’s top publication Qiushi, reemphasizing the absolute leadership of the Party over the army. “The Party’s absolute control of the army is a fundamental principle of the army’s development and the eternal soul of the army.” Li slammed the voice of “nationalization of the military,” calling it an “attack on the fundamental principle and system of the Party’s absolute control of the army, with a goal of breaking the army away from the Party’s leadership, overthrowing the ruling status of the CCP, and overthrowing socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

The idea of “nationalization of the military” calls for a western style relationship between the military and political party, where the army is led by the government instead of any political party. In recent years, it has been under heavy attack by official media.

Source: Qiushi, June 16, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2011/201112/201106/t20110615_87256.htm

Briefings | | June 17, 2011 | Government/Politics

CCP’s Propaganda Eye on the Young Generation

As the CCP’s 90th anniversary approaches, books and videos glorifying the CCP’s history have been flooding bookstores. A noteworthy phenomenon is that all the products target the young generation born in the “80s” and “90s,” and are tailored to their taste. Li Zhongjie, deputy director of the Party’s History Research Centre, announced that “the website of CCP history” that recently opened on June 8 is very suitable for a young audience. The announcement signals that the CCP is following the market’s requirements to describe history from the young generation’s perspective so as to attract them to the Party. Movies and TV series of the same themes also feature popular young stars, which boosts the ratings.

Source: China News Service, June 13, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/hb/2011/06-13/3106863.shtml

Briefings | | June 17, 2011 | Government/Politics

Xinhua Comments on U.S. Shadow Internet Endeavor

A Xinhua article commented on the New York Times report that the U.S. plans to invest US$70 million to develop a "shadow" Internet system and a “communication network of mobile phones” to help the opposition in Iran, Syria, and Libya avoid Internet censorship. The article said, “The U.S. spares no effort to develop such techniques. Its purpose is nothing but to have American values infiltrate other countries. … In the past decades, the U.S. spread its values mainly through broadcasters such as ‘Voice of America,’ ‘Radio Free Europe,’ and ‘Radio Free Asia.’ With the Internet boom, the U.S. has obviously moved the main battlefield of ideology to cyberspace.”

The article called the U.S. a powerful country with, hacking technology. “Although always advocating ‘Internet freedom,’ the U.S. controls all of the 13 root servers of the world Internet. Various countries in the world have repeatedly requested that the U.S. move control over the root servers to the U.N. or other international organizations, so as to effectively ensure the freedom and security of the Internet. The U.S. has always ignored them. People cannot help asking: is it Internet freedom or the freedom to infiltrate, sabotage, and attack other countries that interests the U.S.?

Source: Xinhua, June 15, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-06/15/c_121535850.htm

Briefings | | June 17, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Health Ministry to Blacklist Reporters

On Monday, June 13, 2011, Mao Qunan, the Director of the Public Information Center of China’s Health Ministry, said at a conference themed “scientifically understanding food additives,” that media reports on food safety are increasingly worrying the public. The Ministry is establishing a media platform “to attack and contain the few media that are intentionally misleading the public by spreading wrong messages with ulterior motives.” “We will also establish a blacklist for a very few media reporters,” said Mao.

Source: Xinhua, June 15, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-06/14/c_121530771.htm

Briefings | | June 16, 2011 | Government/Politics

Shanghai Cooperation Organization is Not an Eastern NATO

The People’s Daily (overseas edition) rejected the commentaries of the New York Times and the Christian Science Monitor which suggested the possible role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a military alliance. Titled “SCO is not an Eastern NATO,” the article states, “Some countries are on guard as their attention turns to the SCO. …The remarks [of the New York Times and the Christian Science Monitor] reflect the mindset of those who are not willing to accept the fact that their ‘world police’ status is being challenged. … The SCO is not and will not develop into a military alliance, but the maintenance of regional security has been its important mission.” “The SCO military exercises target regional terrorism, and are different in nature from the recent military exercises that have been held frequently in various world regions with a color of military alliance.” “The killing of bin Laden is merely a symbolic achievement in one phase of global anti-terrorism, in addition to temporarily uplifting U.S. President Obama’s approval rating.”

Source: People’s Daily, June 15, 2011
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/14902479.html

Briefings | | June 16, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

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.