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

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

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

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 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