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Hunan Releases Draft of Emergency Response Plan

The Hunan provincial government released a draft of its emergency response plan. It is touted as the first in China. The plan includes details on how to deal with natural disasters, accidents, and social unrest. It provides the authority needed to requisition supplies from private citizens if they are needed for emergencies. The draft plan does not provide details on how, in case of requisition, private citizens will be compensated. The draft plan divides the response into four levels: normal, larger, major, and highest emergency responses. Responsibility for implementation of the first three levels is with the county, municipal, and provincial governments. The State Council holds responsibility for the highest response level.

Source: Xinhua, October 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2010-10/19/c_12674507.htm

Hong Kong Civil Servants Receive Training in Chinese National Affairs

Denise Yue, the Secretary for Civil Service (SCS) of the Hong Kong government, stated that in 2011 about 5,800 civil servants will receive training in Chinese national affairs, an increase from 2,700 in 2010.

Modules on national affairs will be added to the training for new civil servants. Additional spaces will be available for mid-level managers to study national affairs at Zhongshan University in Guangzhou and Shenzhen Graduate School of Beijing University in Shenzhen. These managers may also be sent to Mainland China for training purposes. The SCS of the China National School of Administration will establish a dedicated new program at that school to cover National Affairs, specifically for heads of departments.

Source: Xinhua, October 18, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-10/18/c_12673322.htm

Seven Institutions Designated for Training Party Officials

In 2010, over 2,000 senior officials from 15 Party departments and government ministries will complete the annual mandatory 40 credit hour training at the National School of Administration, the Party School of the Chinese Communist Party, located in Beijing University, Qinghua University, Renmin University, and Beijing Normal University.
 

Earlier, a quarter of the special topic classes were cancelled due to lack of students and 76% of the students dropped out during the lectures. As of October, the National School of Administration had held 6 special topic classes and 8 lectures with 642 senior officials attending.

Source: Guangming Daily, October 19, 2010
http://news.gmw.cn/2010-10/19/content_1319398.htm

Red Flag Manuscript: On Exporting the U.S. Democratic System

[Editor’s Note: Red Flag Manuscript is another publication, in addition to Qiushi Journal, of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. In a recent article “On Exporting the U.S. Democracy System,” the author, who works at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, World Economics and Politics Research Institute, says, “The essence of the exportation of democracy is to create a world like the U.S., according to its own look, and to make it permanent.” “Almost all current major international issues, in particular international conflicts and friction, are related to the U.S. exporting its democratic system. To grasp this topic is to grasp the core of the current international issues.” “From a long-term strategic view, the ultimate targets of the exportation of U.S. democracy are Russia and China.” Below is a translation of excerpts from the article.] [1]

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Official Report from the CCP’s Fifth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee

Xinhua published an Official Report from the CCP’s Fifth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee, which was held from October 15 to 18 in Beijing. The conference members listened to and discussed the CCP’s work report presented by Hu Jintao. The conference passed the twelfth five-year plan for the national economy and social development.

The Report stressed that “in current China, (we should) stick to the essential requirement that ‘development is of overriding importance.’” It listed many economic development strategies. It stressed the importance of developing culture and increasing China’s cultural soft power. It also stressed that the CCP’s leadership is the fundamental guarantee for future development.

Xi Jinping was elected to the position of Vice Chairman of the CCP’s Central Military Commission. [Ed: This is widely viewed as a step in preparation for Xi’s taking over the CCP’s top leadership position in 2012 when Hu Jintao’s term is over.]

Source: Xinhua, October 18, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-10/18/c_12673082.htm

China’s Twelfth Five-Year Plan Focuses on Seven New Industries

China News Service reported that the newly passed Twelfth Five-Year Plan delineated seven new industries for investment: new energy, new energy for automobiles, saving energy and protecting the environment, next generation IT (focusing on the Internet, cloud computing, and GIS), bio-technology, high-end equipment manufacturing (e.g. aerospace, ocean engineering, and satellites), and new materials.

Source: China News Service, October 18, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/stock/2010/10-18/2595370.shtml

China Starts R&D on Super High-Speed Train

On October 19, Xinhua reported that China has started research and development on a super high-speed train that can exceed 500 km (310 miles) per hour. China has become the largest country with such a high-speed train capability and scale. At the end of September, China had two high-speed railroads under construction. One will cover 7,055 km and another over 10,000 km. On September 28, 2010, during a test run on the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railroad, “Harmony” CRH308A, China’s own high-speed train, set a world record of 416.6 km per hour.

Source: Xinhua, October 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-10/19/c_12674953.htm

China News Service: New Record High for the Wealthiest in China

The Hurun Report recently published its 2010 list of the wealthiest individuals in China. The average wealth of the top 1,000 increased 26% from last year. The most rapid increases were in the medical, IT, retail, and apparel industries. The number of billionaires reached 1,363 this year, and 97 reached the 10-billion level. Ten years ago, those numbers were 24 and 1, respectively. Also, most of the wealthiest women in the world are from China. Out of the top 20 self-made female billionaires in the world, 11 are from China.

The Hurun Institute publishes the report. It is a "leading luxury publishing and events group," comprising a magazine and an active events business targeted at China’s high net worth individuals. It was established in 1999 by Rupert Hoogewerf. The Wall Street Journal (US Edition Jan 2008) commented that “people often aren’t considered truly rich until anointed by the Hurun Report.”

Source: China News Service, October 12, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/cj/2010/10-12/2580858.shtml