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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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Beijing’s Communist Youth League Cancelled Debate Due to its Sensitivity

The Beijing Communist Party Youth League recently cancelled a debate forum that was to be given in memory of the 100th anniversary of the “1911 Revolution,” even though students from 16 universities in Beijing and Tianjin were expected to participate. Experts suggest that the cancellation was due to the sensitivity of the topic because it touched the subject of “revolution” and also used the words “college students” and “rally.” Communist Party officials have always considered these to be unstable factors.

Hu Xingdou, a professor of economics at the Beijing Institute of Technology, said he was surprised by the cancellation of the debate but could understand the reason. “The memory of the 1911 Revolution could indeed awaken people’s awareness of revolution. College students have historically been the driving force behind China’s revolutions, including the ‘June 4th’ student movement. The government is on a high alert for them, just as it is for the Jasmine Revolution."

According to Wikipedia, the “1911 Revolution” (or Xinhai Revolution) began on October 10, 1911, with the Wuchang uprising, and ended on February 12, 1912, with the abdication of Emperor Puyi. It resulted in the fall of the Qing Dynasty and marked Sun Yat-sen as the Founding Father of the Republic of China .

Sources:
Radio Free Asia, April 13, 2011
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/tew-04132011111818.htm                                                        
Wikipedia, "The Xinhai Revolution"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1911_revolution

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua Cites Criticisms on US Annual Human Rights Report

On April 13, 2011, Xinhua published an article reporting criticism from government officials or scholars in Russia, Venezuela, and the Ukraine, rebutting the recently released State Department’s “2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.” The article pointed out, “Such criticism suggests that the U.S. has no right to interfere in other countries’ domestic affairs.” 

The sources it quoted include an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia; remarks from Ana Elisa Osorio Granado, Vice Chairman of the Latin American Parliament; and comments from Mikhail Levski, a scholar from the Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research.

Source: Xinhua, April 13, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-04/13/c_121298898.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Central Government Takes Special Action to Rectify Illegal Online Promotion

Starting in mid April, the central government is launching a two-month campaign to crack down on “illegal online promotion.” It is a joint effort by the Chinese Communist Party’s International Communication Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Industry & Commerce. The Xinhua article says “In recent years, some companies and individuals have employed illegal means to carry out online promotion activities. The government has been able to identify a number of those who are conducting illegal online promotion. … They have used improper means against competitors, fabricated facts for the purpose of extorting money, sensationalized online news to profit from the attracted public opinion, and engaged in private transactions for illegal personal interests.” The campaign aims to “regulate online communication and promotion activities.”

Source: Xinhua, April 13, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-04/13/c_121300026.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

BRICS Development Banks to Open Local-currency Credit Lines to Each Other

On April 14, 2011, the state development banks of the five BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – signed a framework credit-line agreement to open credit lines to each other in their national currencies. This represents the latest concrete step developing nations have taken to reduce their reliance on the U.S. dollar.

China Development Bank (CDB) plans to issue around CNY10 billion of yuan-denominated loans this year to other BRICS nations. Most of these loans will fund oil and gas projects. CDB is in talks with Brazilian state-owned Petrobras regarding further loans to the oil company. China and Brazil reached a $10 billion oil-for-loan deal in 2009, under which Petrobras agreed to supply crude oil to China Petrochemical Corp. for 10 years in exchange for funding from CDB. BRICS countries are moving towards mutually trading each others’ currencies, following Russia’s launch of yuan trading in Moscow at the end of 2010.

Source: Wall Street Journal, April 14, 2011
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110414-704029.html
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

People’s Daily Online: The U.S. Has a Double Standard on the Internet Freedom

A People’s Daily Online commentary criticizes the U.S. for having a double standard on Internet freedom. “On one side, U.S. demands that other countries provide unrestricted ‘Internet freedom,’ using this to exert diplomatic pressure and seek hegemony; on the other, it applies strict Internet control domestically. 
“In an emergency situation, the (U.S.) federal government has the absolute right to close down the Internet; in the name of anti-terrorism, the U.S. security authorities can eavesdrop on private phone calls, monitor personal online communication, and set up an ‘online water army’ to dilute unfavorable comments with fake information.” 
The article concludes that “It’s a violation of human rights and an act of interfering in other country’s Internet sovereignty. … The intention is clear: (everyone else) should listen to the direction of and observe U.S. orders, but (the U.S.) can occupy and attack wherever it wants, relying on the Internet to seek its own interests.”
[Ed: “online water army” is a Chinese term referring to people, usually temporarily hired, who manipulate social media by using fake online personas to influence Internet conversations.]

Source: People’s Daily online, April 11, 2011
http://opinion.people.com.cn/GB/14360841.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

People’s Daily: Use Modern Media to Enhance Our National Image

[Editor’s Note: This is one of many articles that have appeared on official media in recent years talking about how to use the new media and modern communication as a means to boost China’s image and compete with the West in attracting an audience. The article warns, “It should be noted however, that currently a number of Western developed countries are hastening their efforts to Westernize and divide our country; they are using every possible resource to compete for dominance in international discourse.” The entire article is translated below.] [1]

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Reports | | |   Report

‘China Rich List’ 2011 Released

On April 12, 2011, Hurun, known for its annual ‘China Rich List,’ released a Hurun Wealth Report 2011 in association with GroupM Knowledge, a media communication group. The report details the number of millionaires broken down by region across China. 
China has 960,000 ‘millionaires’ with personal wealth of 10 million yuan or more (US$ 1.5 million), up 85,000 individuals or 9.7% from 2009. Among them, 55% derived their wealth from their private business. 20% are property speculators, who have ridden the fast upsurge in home prices. 15% are stock market gurus, who are also the youngest with an average age of 38. The remaining 10% are high earning, salaried executives. China has 60,000 ‘super rich’ worth 100 million yuan or more (US$ 15 million), up 9.0% from last year. Beijing leads the way with 10,000 individuals followed by Guangdong with 9,000 and Shanghai with 7,800.

Source: Hurun Report, April 12, 2011
http://www.hurun.net

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Study Times on U.S. Policy in the Middle East

An article in Study Times, a Central Party School’s voice, points to the quagmire in the U.S.-Middle East relationship. “The U.S. strategy in the Middle East has a big loophole: a double standard toward the Arab countries and Israel, which will ultimately have serious consequences. U.S. Middle East strategy is critically reliant on its allies, who are exactly the regimes involved in the recent waves of protest. After the regime changes, a number of those in the U.S.’s Middle Eastern alliance have expressed dissatisfaction about the U.S. abandoning Mubarak.” “But now more and more voices in the U.S. believe that the U.S. is paying a ‘security cost’ for this alliance, because it created a strong anti-American sentiment, and thus created its own enemies.” “Arab leaders have come to understand that in times of crisis, they cannot save themselves by having good relations with the U.S. and peace agreements with Israel. The change has become more favorable to Iran’s strategic position in the region.” “There are indications that whoever has a close relationship with the U.S. will have a volatile political situation. After Mubarak stepped down, Egypt allowed Iranian naval vessels into the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, as a signal that it was distancing itself from the U.S. and Israel.”

Source: Study Times, April 11, 2011
http://www.studytimes.com.cn:9999/epaper/xxsb/html/2011/04/11/02/02_33.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend