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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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China Plans to Build Manned Space Station by 2020

 A Mobilization Conference for the Manned Space Station and Docking Mission was held on November 15. The purpose of the meeting was to prepare for the kickoff of China’s manned space station project. The project will be implemented in two phases: the space experiment lab and the manned space station.                                                         

The outline of the schedule:
2011 – Conduct the first docking test (unmanned)
2012 – Complete the docking task (either unmanned or manned)
2016 – Develop and launch 2 space experiment labs
2020 – Develop and launch the core module and the experiment module, and assemble the 60-ton manned space station in orbit.

Source: People’s Daily Online, November 16, 2010
http://scitech.people.com.cn/GB/13229414.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Xinhua: Top Beijing Officials Concerned about Inflation

According to a Xinhua report, several top Chinese officials recently expressed concern about rapid price increases due to inflation in China. On November 11, Wen Jiabao, while visiting Guangzhou for the Opening Ceremony of the Asian Games, paid a visit to a local supermarket. Wen asked the sales-persons there about prices, supplies, and the sales of fruits and vegetables. Wen told them, “The State Council is working on policies to control rapid price increases.”

On November 16, at China’s Global Debt and Capital Market conference, Zhou Xiaochuan, President of the Bank of China, said, “China is facing the risk of an inflow of capital” and “the rising prices in China need attention from all areas.”

Sources: Xinhua, November 16, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-11/16/c_12782257.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-11/16/c_12781043.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Xinhua: Mainland Tourists to Taiwan will Exceed One Million

Yang Ruizong, Beijing Branch Director of the Taiwan Strait Travel and Tourism Association, recently estimated that the total number of Mainland tourists going to Taiwan would exceed one million by November 9, 2010. He also called for improving the quality and safety of tourism. Yang suggested that the number of tourists totaled 606,174 in 2009. If business groups were included, the total travelers reached 970,000 in 2009. By November 4, 2010, the number of tourists alone had already reached 978,660. According to the statistics of the Association, the most popular tourist destinations in 2009 included Taroko National Park, Chiufen, Sun Moon Lake, Alishan National Park, and Taipei National Palace Museum. Yang suggested that Taiwan very much welcomes Mainland tourists.

Source: Xinhua, November 8, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-11/08/c_12751405.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: China Attains the Number Three Position in IMF Voting Power

On November 5, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that the IMF Executive Board approved the Far-Reaching Governance Reform Plan. Once implemented, China’s voting power will reach 6.07%. It will surpass Germany, France, and Britain, being behind only the U.S. and Japan. China’s current voting share is 3.65%. The planned reform will shift 6% of the overall shares to emerging markets. Europe will also give two seats on the Executive Board to emerging market countries to increase the representation of those countries. China suggested that this reform just reflects the reality of the world economy. The “historic agreement” was reached in October, during the G20 conference of treasury ministers and central bank governors.

Source: Xinhua, November 6, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-11/06/c_12745053.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China News Service: Chinese and Romanian Defense Ministers Met

On November 11, 2010, the Chinese Defense Minister, Liang Guanglie, met with the Romanian Defense Minister, Gabriel Oprea. Liang suggested that, despite international vicissitudes, since the two countries established diplomatic relations 61 years ago, the China-Romania relationship has never had any problems. Liang thought that relations between the two armies have developed rapidly over the past few years. Frequent contact among high ranking military officers of the two countries has been amiable. Oprea said he expects to expand and deepen the practical cooperation between the two armies in various ways.

Source: China News Service, November 11, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2010/11-11/2650497.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Zhou Yongkang Toured Beijing to Investigate Strengthened Security

On November 12, 2010, China’s Ministry of the Public Security’s website reported that, on November 9, Zhou Yongkang, the head of China’s Central Political and Legislative Committee, toured Beijing to investigate stability work being done there.

Zhou was very pleased to see strengthened security measures everywhere. Baimiao Village (for example) has implemented community-based management. It has village walls, street gates, guard pavilions, and street surveillance cameras. A 45-person security patrol team guards the village; 36 surveillance cameras with full-time staff on duty 24 hours a day monitors it. The village is also directly connected with a police station. 

“The stability of the capital is related to national stability as the whole,” Zhou said on the Beijing Municipal Forum on the afternoon after the tour.

Source: The Ministry of the Public Security of the PRC, November 12, 2010
http://www.mps.gov.cn/n16/n1237/n1342/n803680/2562872.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China Review News: China Should Purchase Strategic Materials Rather Than U.S. Debt

On November 12, 2010, China Review News published an article suggesting China use its foreign exchange reserves to purchase strategic materials instead of U.S. debt. The author explained his reasoning as follows:

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, at the end of August 2010, China’s holdings of U.S. debt amounted to $868.4 billion. If the U.S. Treasury yield declines by 20%, China will lose 180 billion U.S. dollars, an average loss of $138 per capita. However, China must find investment channels to maintain the value of its U.S. $2.45 trillion in foreign exchange reserves.

China should take the advantage of the low prices of energy resources and commodities in the global market and use its foreign exchange reserves to purchase materials for strategic reserve of resources, such as energy and mineral resources.

Source: China Review News, November, 12, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1015/0/1/5/101501543.html?coluid=148&kindid=0&docid=101501543&mdate=1112002419

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

CNS: Chinese Ambassador: RMB Exchange Rate Is Not the Cause of the US-China Trade Imbalance

On November 13, 2010, China News Service published the contents of a speech that Zhang

Yesui, China’s Ambassador to the United States, gave at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. In his speech, Zhang observed, “The trade imbalance between the U.S. and China is not caused by the under-valued exchange rate of the RMB, but by structural differences in trade and investment.” 

Zhang suggested that a comprehensive approach to easing the trade imbalance between China and the U.S. was in the works: First, China is trying to achieve economic growth through boosting domestic demand. The 12th Five-Year Plan, which is being drafted, emphasizes the continued effort to expand domestic demand. Second, the U.S. should release its restrictions on the export of high-tech products to China. Third, the U.S. should encourage Chinese businesses to invest in the U.S.

Source: China News Service, November 13, 2010　
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2010/11-13/2653942.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations