Chinascope – Page 1045

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

World Conference on Titanium Held in China

For the first time, China hosted the 12th World Conference on Titanium, which took place from June 19 to June 24, 2011. According to Xinhua, “Since 2000, China’s titanium industry has developed rapidly with an average annual growth exceeding 30%. While China’s output of the strategic metal used to be about a 3% share of the world output, in 2008, Chinese titanium alloy output jumped to No. 1, accounting for 30% of the world output. Presently, China is the largest producer and consumer of titanium, with production having reached 54,661 metric tons.”

“However, the industry now shows an imbalance between supply and demand, and investment in titanium alloy is over-heated. Industry analysts indicate that, at present, China has the capacity to produce an annual output of 100,000 metric tons, exceeding the output of all other countries combined, and far exceeding Chinese domestic demand.”

Source: Xinhua, June 21, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-06/21/c_121562534.htm

Briefings | | June 23, 2011 | Economy/Resources

Returned Overseas Chinese Organized to Show Support for the Party

To celebrate its 90th anniversary, the Communist Party organized various activities for overseas Chinese who returned to settle in China. On June 19, 2011, close to 2,500 attended the “Overseas Chinese Support the Party with Their Hearts” event at a Beijing stadium where the attendees sang pro-Party songs. People from 15 organizations formed groups to sing together. “The song ‘There would be no new China without the Communist Party’ opened the entire performance. People sang an array of select songs together to pay tribute to the Chinese Communist Party’s 90 years of struggle and great achievements.” Earlier, organizations of overseas Chinese from Vietnam, Laos, and Korea held various activities to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Party, with pro-Party songs and music.

Source: Guangming Daily, June 21, 2011
http://politics.gmw.cn/2011-06/21/content_2117690.htm

Briefings | | June 23, 2011 | Government/Politics

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

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 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 a country, we would rather not have it.”

Source: China Review News, June 22, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1017/3/6/6/101736673.html?coluid=1&kindid=0&docid=101736673&mdate=0622001856

Briefings | | June 23, 2011 | US-China Relations

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

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.”