Chinascope – Page 1045

Politburo Study Session on Social Management

On May 30, the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo, a group of 25 of the most senior cadres, held a study session on “strengthening and innovating social management.” The meeting, over which Hu Jintao presided, emphasized that “strengthening and innovating social management matters for consolidating the ruling status of the Party and is important for the nation’s long term stability and for people’s livelihoods.” “China is now in an important period of strategic opportunities, and also in a period with prominent social conflicts. The task of social management is heavier and more arduous.” “(We need) to firmly grasp the general requirements of maximally stimulating social vitality, maximally increasing harmonious factors, and maximally reducing disharmonious factors.”

The structure of social management was reiterated at the meeting. It views the CCP committees as the leadership, with the government taking responsibility, and the communities and the public participating and coordinating.

Source: Xinhua, May 30, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-05/30/c_121475082.htm

Briefings | | June 1, 2011 | Government/Politics

China Admits Cyber Warfare Unit

At a press briefing on May 25, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Senior Colonel Geng Yansheng acknowledged the existence of a professional cyber warfare unit at Guangzhou Military Region, also known as the “Online Blue Army.” “China’s network protection is comparatively weak. Enhancing IT capacity and strengthening network security protection are important components of military training for an army,” said Geng, who did not respond to a question on whether the goal of the unit is to attack other countries.

Source: China Review news, May 26, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1017/0/5/7/101705788.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=101705788&mdate=0526085650

Briefings | | June 1, 2011 | Defense/Military

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China Opposes Words and Deeds against the One-China Principle

On May 24, 2011, Xinhua reported that Jiang Yu, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented on an opinion expressed by Richard Bush, the former Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of the American Institute in Taiwan. Mr. Bush asserted that no one can deny the fact that the Republic of China has existed continuously since 1912. Jiang said that there is only one China in the world, that Taiwan is part of China, and that China strongly opposes that some people in the U.S. completely ignore the facts and employ words and deeds that are against the One-China Principle.

Source: Xinhua, May 25, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-05/25/c_121453563.htm

Briefings | | May 31, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China Hopes to Become a Net Capital Exporter

A Chinese Ministry of Commerce official told Xinhua that the country’s overseas investments have been growing at a high speed. “If the world economy continues to improve, in three or four years, Chinese enterprises’ annual foreign direct investment is expected to exceed US$100 billion, an amount commensurate with the current annual absorption of foreign capital. This brings the hope that China will soon become a net capital exporter.”

In 2010, China invested US$59 billion in 122 countries and regions. According to a UN report, last year saw China become the third largest investor in Latin America. Despite the high growth of outbound investment, risks are increasing. Some governments have prevented China from investing in some industries, with the belief that Beijing’s support of certain large companies results in unfair competition.

Source: Xinhua, May 17, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-05/17/c_13878558.htm

Briefings | | May 31, 2011 | Economy/Resources

People’s Daily: China Marine Surveillance Increases Use of Hi-Tech Equipment

People’s Daily recently reported on the newly published 2010 China Marine Law Enforcement Bulletin. Information from the Bulletin indicated that, in 2010, China Marine Surveillance sent out 188 marine missions, which traversed a total of 211,428 nautical miles, as well as 523 air flights, which covered 538,480 kilometers. The missions monitored 1,303 foreign vessels, 214 flights and 43 other objects. China Marine Surveillance owns 9 airplanes and more than 280 vessels. In order to increase its capacity, the agency is implementing the use of more and more hi-tech equipment, such as a new 3000-ton level surveillance ship that came with on-board helicopters, the latest satellite devices, and cutting edge engines. The agency is also building a platform with real time integration of space, air, sea, and coastal communications. The system currently supports real time audio and video communications across multiple command channels.

Source: People’s Daily, May 23, 2011
http://scitech.people.com.cn/GB/14705786.html

Briefings | | May 31, 2011 | Defense/Military

Retired Military General: In the Future China Will Surely Have Overseas Bases

In response to Western media’s reactions to the news that Pakistan asked China to help build the Gwadar port, Xu Guangyu, a retired military major general, wrote an article in Global Times “In the future China will surely have overseas bases.” The author argued, “There is no need for much ado about nothing, even if it is true; let alone that China has denied the news.” Xu continued, “[China’s] growing national power and an ever interconnected world do not allow us to avoid exchanges with the outside. It is inevitable to contact and cooperate with other countries on issues of the economy, culture, and security. Since ancient times, the vast ocean has been an irreplaceable platform for such exchanges. Any country, as long as it has a coastline of over a kilometer, will try to build ports and a fleet, exchange voyages and share ports with friendly countries.” “Today, if such a big China peacefully assists Pakistan or other countries to build ports or even naval bases, it will be a breakthrough for China’s normal overseas condition of ‘two zeros’ (no ports, no bases). This is progress. For China, as a big country with the responsibility for regional and world peace and development, such breakthroughs should become quite normal. Are you ready (to accept it)?”

Source: People’s Daily website, May 26, 2011
http://military.people.com.cn/GB/42969/58519/14742139.html

Briefings | | May 27, 2011 | Defense/Military

VOA: China’s First Military Game Uses the U.S. as the Imaginary Enemy

According to a Voice of America report, Nanjing Military Region and Wuxi Giant Network Science and Technology Corporation developed China’s first military game, which is called “mission of honor.” The introductory video shows Chinese soldiers firing at the imaginary “enemy” using obvious images of American soldiers. Then they shoot down an American military “Apache” helicopter. The article points out that using games translated from foreign languages “is not good for the military’s educational training; it may misguide the soldiers” because the contents, values, and military ideals are quite different from (China’s). PLA Daily says, “’mission of honor’ is completely our own intellectual property. It has filled a blank in China’s military games. The improved version of the software will be distributed to the army for application.”

Source: Voice of America, May 20, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110520-Chinese-Army-Video-Game-122359839.html

Briefings | | May 27, 2011 | US-China Relations

China’s Mobile Phone Accounts Surpass 900 Million

On May 24, 2011, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China issued a release indicating that, from January to April, the net increase in China’s mobile phone accounts was 41.386 million, bringing the total number of mobile phone accounts to 900.389 million. Among them, 3G accounts increased by 20.521 million, reaching 67.572 million.

Source: Xinhua, May 24, 2011.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-05/24/c _121452959.htm

Briefings | | May 27, 2011 | Information/Technology

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.