Chinascope – Page 1085

Party Development in Rural Areas

China continues its campaign to develop the Chinese Communist Party organizations down to the grassroots level of society. According to Xinhua on February 11, 2011, each and every village in Guizhou Province has built a venue of at least 90 square meters for holding village-level Chinese Communist Party activities.

People’s Daily Online reported on February 10, 2011, that Guangxi Province has conducted more than 441,000 training classes for rural Party members in the past 5 years. On average, each Party member has attended 13 training sessions on political theory plus one or two sessions on practical techniques. The on-going Party member trainings further strengthen the majority of rural Party members’ belief in the CCP and “constantly enhance the creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness of the Party organizations in rural areas.”

Sources: Xinhua, February 11, 2011 and People’s Daily Online, February 10, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2011-02/11/c_121065055.htm
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/14562/1a3888563.html

Briefings | | February 14, 2011 | Government/Politics

Xinhua Blames U.S. and the West for Sudan Separation

Xinhua published an article on February 12, 2011, stating that southern Sudan’s independence is a tragedy. The article blamed the United States for being hostile to Sudan for a long time, making a big fuss over the genocide in Darfur, and issuing an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President al-Bashir. The article suggested that it was suspicious that the leader of South Sudan, John Garang, who was a firm supporter of Sudan’s unification, was killed in a plane crash. “Looking back, the West determined the road of separation that Sudan took. South Sudan, after its independence, will probably embrace the West like Kosovo has done. The northern government of Sudan will have more difficulties in contending with the United States.”

Source: Xinhua, February 12, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-02/12/c_121069952.htm

Briefings | | February 14, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Foreign Ministry and Official Media on Events in Egypt

On February 10, 2011, China expressed its support for the Mubarak government’s efforts to “maintain social stability and restore order” through a statement by its Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu, “China understands and supports Egypt’s efforts to maintain social stability and restore normal order, and holds that Egypt should decide its own affairs independently, without intervention from the outside.” On February 12, 2011, after President Hosni Mubarak stepped down, Ma commented, “I hope the latest developments will help Egypt restore national stability and the normal order.” Official media in China only briefly reported the events in Egypt.

Source: China News, February 10, 2011 & Xinhua, February 12, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2011/02-10/2834006.shtml
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2011-02/12/c_121070763.htm

Briefings | | February 14, 2011 | Geo-Strategic Trend

The CCP’s Management of Religions during the 11th Five-Year Plan

[Editor’s Note: People’s Daily published an article by the State Administration for Religious Affairs that reviews the CCP’s policies and decisions in the area of managing religion during the period of the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010). It stated that the “The Central Committee (of the Chinese Communist Party [CCP]) pointed out … having the right understanding and handling of affairs relating to religion … is critical to the development and long-term stability of the Party and the nation. The CCP’s achievements during the period included starting to use the “Regulations on Religious Affairs” as the main vehicle to regulate and manage religious groups, directing religious practitioners to adjust their religious beliefs to conform to socialist theory, developing new religious leaders, using religious groups around the world to promote the CCP’s religious ideology, and taking control of issues regarding international religious affairs. The following are highlights of the report.] [1]

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Reports | | February 12, 2011 | Report

Huanqiu Reports on China’s Widening Income Disparity

According to the Statistics Bureau’s data released last year, the salary level of those in China’s financial securities industry was six times that of the average salary for other professions. Among all professions, the highest salary was 11 times more than the lowest one. The most recent statistics released by the Salary Institute of Human Resources and the Social Security Ministry show that the difference has now widened to 15 times. Based on the current data, the income disparity among different professions in China is the greatest in the world.

Source: Huanqiu (Global Times), February, 10, 2011
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2011-02/1485203.html

Briefings | | February 11, 2011 | Economy/Resources

China Rearranges the Navy’s Top Leadership, Promoting New Officers with Knowledge of Weaponry

People’s Daily reported on February 10, 2011, that the Chinese Navy recently underwent a series of personnel changes. A major characteristic of the changes was that many newly promoted officers have had experience in weaponry or have been leaders in naval institutions. The move reflects the strategic thinking of having a scientifically developed navy. This rearrangement of naval leadership involves more that 10 vice admirals and rear admirals. They are from naval headquarters and all fleets, naval bases, and institutions. The positions of Navy Chief of Staff, South Sea Fleet Commander, and East Sea Fleet Commander have all changed.

Source: People’s Daily, February, 10, 2011
http://military.people.com.cn/GB/42969/58519/13881992.html

Briefings | | February 11, 2011 | Defense/Military

Xinhua on the U.S. National Military Strategy Report

On February 8, 2011, the U.S. Department of Defense published the National Military Strategy of United States of America 2011. Xinhua published several articles discussing the book. One review stated that in its military strategy, the U.S. will focus on Internet wars and on the Asia-Pacific region. Regarding an Internet war, the article gave the following summary: In developing the future armed forces, the new strategy stresses the “threat of an Internet war,” and for the first time lists “coping with the threat of an Internet war” as a separate military strategy. (1)

Another article was titled, “The U.S. National Military Strategy Report Is Meant to Target China.” The article said, “The report didn’t overtly mention China, but China’s influence is obvious in the text.” “Even when it’s not talking about Asia, the main focus is not too far away from China’s military expansion.” The article relied heavily on foreign media reports to make its point. (2)

Sources: Xinhua, February 10, 2011
(1) http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-02/10/c_121059545.htm
(2) http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-02/10/c_121062092.htm

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

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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