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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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ChinaGate: China’s World Map Uses the Same U.S. Data Resources as Google Maps

China’s State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping announced on October 21, 2010, that China officially opened its own “World Map,” which was “China’s self-developed Web Map Service Website.” However, an Internet user pointed out on his blog that the “World Map” probably uses the data from the U.S. company DigitalGlobe, which offers the same image data that Google Maps uses.

On October 24, someone from China’s State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping responded that what the so called "world map" intellectual property rights refers to is the "service software," and not the "data resources." The data resources are from a commercial satellite.

The above news was reprinted on ChinaGate. BJNews published the original news report on October 25, 2010.

Source: ChinaGate, October 25, 2010
http://news.wenxuecity.com/messages/201010/news-gb2312-1195725.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China Staged Live-Fire Drills in the South China Sea

According to People’s Daily, the Chinese Marine Corps staged live-fire drills, called “Dragon – 2010,” in the South China Sea on November 2, 2010.

A total of 1,800 military personnel took part in the drills. Also involved were attack helicopters, mine sweepers, submarine chasers, landing craft, amphibious tanks, fast attack craft, and various weapons. The focus of the drills was on the entire process of simulating landing combat.

Source: People’s Daily, November 3, 2010
http://military.people.com.cn/GB/43331/13120067.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

First European Army Holds Joint Exercise in China

Southern Metropolitan Daily reported that, between November 5 and 13, the Romanian Army and Chinese PLA will conduct a joint military exercise called “Friendship Action 2010” in Kunming City, Yunnan Province. This is the seventh joint exercise that the PLA has held with a foreign army in the last six months. It is also the first time that a European country’s armed forces have come to China for joint training with the Chinese military. The military officers that the newspaper interviewed said that China must improve its ability to take military action, due to the pressure resulting from the frequent military exercises that the U.S. holds.

Source: Southern Metropolitan Daily, November 4, 2010
http://nf.nfdaily.cn/nfdsb/content/2010-11/04/content_17298141.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China’s Cultural Counselor: Cultural Exchanges Are an Important Part of China-French Relations

A Xinhua reporter interviewed Pu Tong, the Cultural Counselor for the Chinese Embassy in France. Pu Tong said, “China and France are both big countries with a strong cultural background. The interaction of both countries started with a cultural exchange. … China-French cultural exchanges are an important part of the two countries’ relations.”

Pu expressed that culture naturally evokes curiosity, and a feeling of closeness and fascination. Therefore, cultural exchanges will play a major role at this juncture as China-French relations are reaching a new level.

Source: Xinhua, November 3, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-11/03/c_12732617.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Hu Jintao: China-French Relations Should Surpass Simple Trades and Investments

French Le Figaro and Portuguese LUSA interviewed Chinese President Hu Jintao ahead of his visit to France and Portugal. In discussing how to further advance the strategic partner relationship between China and France, Hu said that China and France have major responsibilities in international affairs: The two countries’ relations should be given a new meaning at a time when the international situation is undergoing profound and complicated changes. …What’s important is that the cooperation from both sides should go beyond the simple trade and investment relationship. They should become equal and collaborative partners, fully utilize Chinese and French cultural advantages to enhance cultural exchanges, strengthen strategic cooperation, and work together to face global challenges.

Source: People’s Daily, November 4, 2010
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1024/13126551.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Securities: Unreasonable Allocation of Revenue Contributes to Social Instability

According to a China Securities Journal article, the unreasonable allocation of revenue between the central and local governments has contributed to social instability. The central government takes the lion’s share of revenue, while smaller shares are allocated to local governments. However, local governments are responsible for expenditures on education, medical care, and retirement. When revenue falls short, two problems arise. One, local governments resort to auctioning land to augment their revenue. This has become the most popular source of income for local governments. Two, the severe lack of adequate funding for housing, education, medical care, and retirement, coupled with insufficient public facilities and services, has directly “impacted the stability and harmony of our society.” In contrast, the central government’s revenue is unusually high, “demonstrating the increase in national power.”

Source: China Securities Journal, October 28, 2010
http://cs.xinhuanet.com/xwzx/16/201010/t20101028_2644835.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Qiushi: The Financial Crisis Proves the Success of Marxism

Wang Weiguang, Executive Vice President of the China Academy of Social Sciences, published on Qiushi that the financial crisis validates socialism and Marxism. “Looking back to the 1980s and 90s, socialism was at an unprecedented low, and anti-socialist and anti-Communist Party views were widespread. Neo-liberalism then emerged and was promoted by Western capitalists all over the place. Now, 20 years later, this international financial crisis, on the one hand, gave an unprecedented blow to capitalism and led to the bankruptcy of neo-liberalism, challenging the capitalist ideology. On the other hand, socialism with Chinese characteristics succeeded in open-door reform and survived the financial risk; socialism rebounded from the bottom. This has provided a most favorable environment to develop socialism and Marxism and to strengthen the ideological work of the Party.”

Source: Qiushi, November 1, 2010
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2010/201021/201010/t20101030_54281.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: Party Conducts Intensive Training of Leaders Who Are Not Party Members

Xinhua reported that the Communist Party Central Committee’s United Front Work Department held a seven-day training on October 27 in Beijing to train provincial level leaders who are not Party members. The objective of the training was to study and implement the spirit of the 5th plenary session of the 17th National Congress of the Party. Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department, spoke at the opening. “It is the primary political responsibility of United Front members, especially leading cadres who are not Party members, to study and implement the spirit of the 5th plenary session of the 17th National Congress of the Party.” Du called upon the non-Party member leaders to “fully carry out their important mission and be clear on their dual role …”

Source: Xinhua, October 27, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-10/27/c_12708497.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics