Chinascope – Page 1069

Xinhua: Using Grid Management to Improve the Quality of Social Administration and Social Services

[Editor’s Note: A recent Xinhua article revealed a practice of social control that local authorities across the country have adopted. By dividing residential neighborhoods and commercial districts into smaller “grids,” and sending in informants and agents who are tasked with surveillance and reporting, and who have the equipment of modern information technologies, China is exerting a tighter grip over its citizens. Excerpts from the article are translated below.][1]

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Reports | | March 13, 2011 | Report

People’s Daily: China Is Not the Middle East

An opinion piece appearing in the overseas edition of People’s Daily accuses some people of having “ulterior motives” in using the Internet to instigate “street politics” in China. The article says, “Since the end of last year, some countries in the Middle East and North Africa have been in turmoil and people have suffered from catastrophes. While the world is seeking ways to resolve the Middle East problem, some people with ulterior motives, both inside and outside of China, are plotting to bring trouble to China. They disseminate their conspiracy through the Internet to instigate ‘street politics,’ for the purpose of sending China into chaos.” The article emphasizes that China is not the Middle East, and that anyone who wants to transmit the turmoil from the Middle East to China is doomed.

Source: People’s Daily, March 10, 2011
http://opinion.people.com.cn/GB/40604/14103923.html

Briefings | | March 11, 2011 | Government/Politics

Xinhua Warns about Acceleration of U.S. Military Development

“The financial crisis gives the impression that U.S. military force is slowing down or contracting,” says a Xinhua commentary on the U.S.’s launch of a second X-37B space airplane. “However, the X-37B reminds us to look at the U.S. military from another angle. Since last year, the U.S. has started many projects featuring future military technologies, such as electromagnetic artillery, the X-37B space airplane, and the X-47 unmanned stealth bomber. … A deeper analysis tells us that U.S. military development is actually accelerating under the guise of reduction and withdrawal. When the U.S. develops certain advanced weapons, it often uses the excuse that it is in response to another country’s weapon. In reality, it is mostly to cope with the rapid progress of China’s military power.” “Foreign media claim that China’s intention is not clear and is worrisome. How about the U.S.? It is very clear; its intention is to start a war! Isn’t such a clear intention even more worrisome?” The article suggests that China’s military development still has a long way to go to catch up with the U.S. and warns the Chinese people of the potential danger.

Source: Xinhua, March 11, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-03/11/c_121171401.htm

Briefings | | March 11, 2011 | US-China Relations

Red Flag Manuscript: China Cannot Replicate the U.S. Model

Red Flag Manuscript, a publication of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, published an article "China Cannot Replicate the U.S. Model." The author is the executive editor of Ifeng Weekly, a magazine run by Hong Kong based Phoenix TV. The article starts by describing the U.S. as “claiming freedom, democracy, and justice domestically, and being militaristic and hegemonic externally.” “To China, today the U.S. uses the compliment of ‘strategic partner,’ and tomorrow brandishes its fist with the label of ‘China threat.’” The article argues that concepts of American freedom and democracy do not fit in China. The author further argues that the U.S. will not trust China no matter how its political system might change. “U.S. foreign policy is guided by pragmatism. Americans will view a strong China with suspicion, whether or not it is free and democratic. In the eyes of Americans and even other Westerners, China belongs in a different category.” The article concludes that China must continue in the direction of socialism. The U.S. model is not suitable for China, nor is it for other developing countries, whereas the path China is following can be a good example for other developing countries to learn from.

Source: Red Flag Manuscript, March 7, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2011/201105/201103/t20110307_71237.htm

Briefings | | March 11, 2011 | US-China Relations

A Quarter of Chinese Residents Have No Clean Drinking Water

According to a report released by the National Development and Reform Commission, a quarter of Chinese residents have no clean drinking water, one third of the urban population breathes polluted air, and less than 20% of garbage goes through proper treatment. The report says that, "Large numbers of people are exposed to polluted air, water, and soil.” It further states, “China’s ecological environment is very fragile; forests cover only 18.21% of China’s land surface, which is less than 67% of the average for the world’s countries. China has 1.74 million square kilometers of desertified land. 90% of its natural grassland suffers from degradation.”

Source: Economic Information, March 9, 2011, reprint by People’s Daily
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1027/14096289.html

Briefings | | March 10, 2011 | Economy/Resources

China’s Investments in Libya

There are 13 Chinese state-owned companies in Libya, most of which are in the industry of infrastructure construction, including China Railway Construction Corporation, China State Construction Engineering Corporation, China Communications Construction Company, China Gezhouba (Group) Corporation, Sinohydro Corporation, and China Metallurgical Group Corporation. Other investments include 75 joint ventures and 50 projects with 36,000 personnel. China National Petroleum Corporation and Huawei are among the investors.

These companies have a substantial stake in Libya. For example, China Railway Construction Corporation has 3 construction contracts totaling US$4.2 billion with US$686 million completed. As of February, China State Construction Engineering’s construction contracts amounted to $17.6 billion, close to half of which have been finished. Recent years have seen increasingly close economic ties between China and Arab countries in the field of communications, automobile, oil, and natural gas. The total trade volume exceeded US$100 billion over the past three years.

Source: International Herald Leader, March 7, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2011-03/07/c_13764823.htm

Briefings | | March 10, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Tsinghua Professor: China Is Heading to Accelerated Social Decay

[Editor’s Note: Tsinghua University Professor Sun Liping criticizes the government’s effort to maintain stability at any cost. He believes that the biggest threat to China is not social unrest, but social decay. Professor Sun believes that the current effort to maintain stability is intended to protect China’s special interests groups. Many Chinese websites carried the article. The following are excerpts from the article.] [1]

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Reports | | March 9, 2011 | Report

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.