Chinascope – Page 1097

Advocate Political Reform in the Right Political Direction

[Editor’s Note: Shortly after China’s 5th Plenum of the 17th Party Congress, from October 21 to November 1, the Party’s official newspaper, People’s Daily, published five high profile articles by Zheng Qingyuan. According to one Chinese blogger, the name Zheng Qingyuan is probably a pen name for the Politburo writing team, and these articles represent the consensus of the Party’s inner circle [1]. The following report is a translation of excerpts from the third Zheng Qingyuan article, which focuses on China’s political reform. The author denies that China’s political reform seriously lags behind its economic reform. According to the author, the purpose of China’s political reform is to uphold the “Party’s leadership.” China has no interest in the Western system of “multi party politics or a separation of power into three branches of government.”] [2]

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Reports | | November 20, 2010 | Report

World News Journal: U.S. Grabs the Leading Role at APEC to Unseat China as the Regional Leader

The major agenda of the 2010 APEC CEO Summit held in Japan on November 13 and 14 was to promote the formation of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). The final memorandum of the summit included the Pan-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP). TPP was not a hotly followed topic until the U.S. developed its “meticulous involvement.”

The U.S. has strategic intentions for being involved in TPP. On the one hand, the U.S. can use TPP to fulfill its plan for the “Asian Pacific free trade region” and ensure its leading position in free investment in Asian Pacific trade. On the other hand, the U.S. can further expand its goal of having a bilateral trade agreement in East Asia, thus dividing cooperative efforts in East Asia.

Qian Liwei, a scholar at the American Institute of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the World News Journal reporter, “With the U.S. returning to Asia, China’s leading regional cooperation in Asia is undoubtedly its biggest threat. Therefore, the U.S. will interfere with the progress of trade in East Asia. It’s like China is a developer while the U.S. is a destroyer. The U.S. wants Japan and some Southeast Asian countries to be on its side, forming a new regional network.”

Source: World News Journal, November 16, 2010
http://gb.cri.cn/27824/2010/11/16/5311s3056805.htm

Briefings | | November 19, 2010 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: World’s Big Mining Countries Welcome China’s Investment and Cooperation

Xinhua reported on the 2010 China Mining Congress and Expo that was held in Tianjin from November 16-18. More than 4,000 government officials, experts, and top administrative leaders of financial institutions from over 50 countries gathered at the conference. Senior government officials from the world’s big mining countries in Canada, South Africa, and Australia spoke at the opening ceremony and said that (their countries) welcome China’s investment. At the same time, they expect that their mining industries will increase communication and exchanges with China.

Source: Xinhua, November 17, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-11/17/c_12786880.htm

Briefings | | November 19, 2010 | Economy/Resources

Liu Zhenyi: China Should No Longer Increase its Holdings of the U.S. National Debt

In an article in China Securities Journal, Liu Zhenyi, President of China Investment Corp. International (Hong Kong Branch), said that China will have to continue purchasing goods in U.S. dollars, but China should no longer increase its holdings of the U.S. national debt. Liu also said that he believes the Chinese renminbi will be able to be exchanged freely within the next five years. Furthermore, since East Asian economies are becoming more confident in the renminbi, it is anticipated that the renminbi will gradually be used as the standard unit of trade among East Asian economies.

Source: China Securities Journal, November 18, 2010
http://finance.ccstock.cn/hongguanjingji/2010-11-18/A323308.html

Briefings | | November 19, 2010 | US-China Relations

Government Think Tank: Reform Takes Courage and Guts

Zhang Xiaojing, Director of Macro Studies at the China Academy of Social Sciences, urged top leaders to take drastic measures to promote reform and to change the crisis into an important opportunity for reform. Next year is the beginning of the twelfth five year plan. Zhang believes that, if the theme of the Chinese economy is transformation, these five years will be critical for that transformation. Zhang wrote that while crises and opportunities will continue, the uppermost leaders should demonstrate their courage and guts to promote reform so that the transformation will make fundamental progress.

Source: Qiushi, November 16, 2010
http://www.qstheory.cn/zz/gcysk/201011/t20101116_56744.htm

Briefings | | November 18, 2010 | Economy/Resources

Wang Zhaoguo: The Legal System Must Serve the Needs of Socialism

On November 11, 2010, at a national conference on local legislation, Wang Zhaoguo, Vice Secretary General of the National People’s Congress, spoke about the legal system in China. “What laws need to be promulgated, what laws are not needed, the specific content of the legal system–all of these must be based on the needs of socialism, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the reality of the current primary stage of socialism, and the fundamental will and long term interests of the people.”

Source: Qiushi, November 15, 2010
http://www.qstheory.cn/zywz/201011/t20101115_56548.htm

Briefings | | November 18, 2010 | Government/Politics

Outlook: The U.S. Cannot Replace China’s Role in Asia

In an article originally published in Outlook, Liu Jianfei, a professor from the Party School of the Chinese Communist Party, commented that other countries, not even the United States, can replace China’s contribution to the economies of its neighbors. There have been some negative elements among China’s neighboring countries, such as a stronger stance against China in territorial disputes, military drills targeting China, and changes in Japan’s policies towards China. However, Liu stated that China’s neighbors have not fundamentally changed. For example, the negative elements are mostly in the east, while the north, west, and south remain stable. Further, the Sino-Russian relationship has improved. Although there may be some negative changes, they are mostly partial, and not comprehensive. “There are more opportunities than challenges,” concluded Liu.

Source: China News Service, reprint from Outlook, November 15, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2010/11-15/2656080.shtml

Briefings | | November 18, 2010 | Geo-Strategic Trend

International Herald Leader: Beijing Conducting an Intensive Diplomatic Offensive

On November 12, 2010, the International Herald Leader reported that Beijing recently started a round of intensive diplomatic offensives in response to the U.S. employment of a surrounding and blocking strategy against China. Five out of the nine CCP Politburo Standing Committee Members, including Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Wu Bangguo, and Zhou Yongkang, have visited foreign countries in the past two months. Their foreign visits focused on Europe (the EU, France, Portugal, Greece, Belgium, Italy, Poland, and Turkey), Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand), and India. [Ed: On November 14, Xi Jinping also started a series of visits to Singapore, South Africa, Angola, and Botswana, but this was not mentioned in the article.]

The article stated that the U.S. has intensified its Asian diplomacy and has focused on the security issue. It labeled China a “threat creator” and has been marketing itself as “big brother” to those of China’s neighboring countries that fear China. China has countered with economic, trade, and cultural diplomacy, since “its economy and trade are China’s strength.” “Though China should not expect much strategic gain from Europe, diplomatic success in Europe can boost China’s confidence while it faces setbacks in Asia.”

Source: International Herald Leader, November 12, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2010-11/12/c_13603314.htm

Briefings | | November 17, 2010 | US-China Relations

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.