Chinascope – Page 1097

CRN: US Interference in the Korean Peninsula

China Review News (CRN) recently republished an article on the situation in the Korean Peninsula. The article complained that the U.S. and its allies ignored China’s call for resuming the Six Party Talks. At the same time, the U.S. is ramping up its military exercises. In the author’s opinion, the U.S. ultimately does not want to see a chaotic situation in the region. However, complete stability is not the U.S. goal. The author suggests that the U.S. wants to create and maintain a “less than stable situation,” so the U.S. can play the role of an “offshore balancer.” Thus, the U.S. can justify keeping a presence in the region. The article also referred to the situation in the South China Sea as part of the same strategy.

Source:China Review News, December 7, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1015/3/0/3/101530355.html?coluid=148&kindid=0&docid=101530355&mdate=1207001032

Briefings | | December 21, 2010 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Government to Vigorously Support Domestic Documentary Movies

Xinhua recently reported that the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) decided to vigorously support, promote, and protect China-made documentary movies. Jin Delong, Deputy Chief Editor of SARFT, observed on December 7, 2010, that imported documentaries significantly stifle domestic products. Jin suggested that this area is considered an important element in the national soft-power development strategy. The government should set a better “market stage” for domestic products. Jin announced that SARFT is releasing regulations to “improve the government administration of this marketplace” and to set a cap for the number of imported documentary movies. Meanwhile, the ratio of “domestic vs. imported” programs for television broadcasting is now set to be no lower than 7:3.

Source: Xinhua, December 8, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/08/c_12858844.htm

Briefings | | December 21, 2010 | Government/Politics

Xinhua: Over One Million Took the Civil Service Exam

Xinhua reported that, on December 5, more than one million people in 46 cities all over China took the Civil Service Exam to compete for 16 thousand government jobs. This is the largest exam ever organized for government jobs. The number of people taking the exam grew from 120 thousand in 2004 to 1.41 million this month.

In the eyes of many Chinese, a government position means a relatively stable and easy work environment. However, the competition is intense; for some popular positions there are 900 applicants for each position. Although the State Bureau of Civil Service announced several times that no remedial classes would be offered, remedial courses have nevertheless become a RMB 4.2 billion business. Cheating is a big problem. 409 people were caught last year. Radio monitoring devices were used this year in Beijing to battle cheating technologies.

Source: Xinhua, December 5, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-12/05/c_12848918.htm

Briefings | | December 21, 2010 | Government/Politics

Huanqiu Editorial: Today’s Oslo Seems Like the Headquarters for an Evil Cult

[Editor’s Note: In an angry editorial, Huanqiu, an official publication of the Communist Party Central Committee, attacked the Nobel Committee and Western media for awarding Liu Xiaobo the Nobel Peace Prize.

The article likens the ceremony in Oslo to an evil cult ritual and accuses the Committee of “altering the spirit of peace” and “replacing it with Western Fundamentalist ideas.” It claims that “1.3 billion Chinese people resent the Peace Prize nomination.”

The editorial drew many emotional comments that echoed its rhetoric. One reader wrote: “The ‘Nobel Peace Prize’ is a joke to fool people. A guy who invented dynamite to kill fellow human beings, and who made a fortune, created it. He (Nobel) just wanted to gain fame before his death. … The best way to handle this is to end all relations with Norway and a few other buffoon countries, except for official diplomacy, especially trade. (We should) stop importing their goods, refuse to sell them anything, and call for Chinese not to visit their countries for sightseeing and shopping.” [1]

The following is a translation of excerpts from the editorial.] [2]

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Reports | | December 20, 2010 | Report

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation Expands Its Empire around the World

On December 16, 2010, China Review News discussed a report from Radio France Internationale (RFI) titled “China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation Expands Its Empire around the World.”

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp), the biggest oil company in Asia, has purchased the American-owned Argentine subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corporation for $2.45 billion U.S. So far this year, China has spent $38.8 billion U.S. on mergers and acquisitions in the petrochemical energy business around the world, more than it has ever spent before on M & A in its history. “With the undisguised ambition of conquering the world, Sinopec Corp, together with two other Chinese oil companies, will form a golden triangle to establish a new network for the world’s oil distribution.”

Source: China Review News, December 16, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1015/3/9/4/101539497.html?coluid=59&kindid=0&docid=101539497&mdate=1216095427

Briefings | | December 20, 2010 | Economy/Resources

PLA Major General Peng Guangqian: Be Ready to Deal with any New Troubles that the U.S. Creates

According to China Review News on December 17, 2010, Major General Peng Guangqian of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a Deputy Secretary-General of China’s National Security Policy Committee at the China Association of Policy Science, recently visited the headquarters of China Review News in Hong Kong.

Peng said that the U. S. is more and more of a “troublemaker” than a “peacemaker” in the Asia Pacific area. He believes that China must be vigilant and ready to deal with any new troubles the U.S. creates. “In recent years, because of the global financial crisis, the U. S. has suffered serious setbacks in its economy, its moral image, and its values." Peng said that "because it is worried about its hegemony, the U.S. has increased its involvement in the East so it can hold back China’s development."

Source: China Review News, December 17, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1015/3/8/8/101538847.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=101538847&mdate=1217013326

Briefings | | December 20, 2010 | US-China Relations

CASS Blue Book: China’s Society Faced Five Big Challenges in 2010

On December 15, 2010, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) issued its blue book on society. The book pointed out that, while China’s economy is developing rapidly, it also faces challenges and social issues. The problems are particularly striking in the areas of income distribution, labor relations, and prices for goods and housing. The book summarized the five major issues and challenges for China’s social development in 2010. They were: 1) The economy is entering a new phase; the development model needs to be transformed. 2) Conflicts in labor relations have become evident; a new generation of farm workers has become the focus of attention. 3) Reform in the distribution of income has met heavy resistance; be aware of the “trap of middle-income nations.” 4) “Land urbanization” has become hot again; be aware of damaging farmers’ interests. 5) The semi-urbanization problem is very serious; villages are shrinking in some areas.

Source: China News Agency, December 16, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2010/12-16/2724961.shtml

Briefings | | December 17, 2010 | Economy/Resources

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.”