Chinascope – Page 1119

Falun Gong Lawsuit against Jiang Zemin Appears on Baidu

Chinascope has been informed that on Baidu, the heavily censored Internet search engine, users can find extensive information about Falun Gong practitioners’ lawsuits against Jiang Zemin. When searching regarding the Spanish National Court’s indictment of Jiang Zemin and other CCP officials for persecuting Falun Gong, internet surfers used the search terms "the lawsuit against Jiang in Spain" (西班牙诉江); Baidu returned 450,000 results. When searching for “the lawsuit against Jiang in Argentina" (阿根廷诉江), a lawsuit which resulted in an arrest warrant for Jiang Zemin sent through INTERPOL by an Argentine judge, Baidu returned 179,000 results. In an initial scan of the articles, many were found to have quotes directly from Falun Gong practitioners.

With an extremely tightly controlled media, Baidu’s loosening up of information on lawsuits against Jiang is very likely to have complicated political maneuvering behind it.

Source: Reader’s feedback. September 3, 2010

Briefings | | September 3, 2010 | Government/Politics

China Requires a Real ID for Cell Phone Purchases

On September 1, China launched a "real-name cell phone number" system. If anyone purchases any mobile phone, he must register his ID card information. Authorities say that the purpose of the new measure is to crack down on SMS spam, fraud, and pornographic mobile phone websites. However, people worry that the new measures will actually increase the risk of abuse of personal data.

Source: Asia Times, September 1, 2010

http://www.atchinese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68815:2010-09-01-09-49-

21&catid=18:2009-01-12-14-50-33&Itemid=110

Briefings | | September 3, 2010 | Information/Technology

CCP Issues National Training Plan for Non-Party Personnel

The General Office of the CCP Central Committee issued the "2010-2020 Education, Training, Reform, and Development Outline for Non-Party Personnel Representatives." This is the first special national plan for the education and training of non-Party personnel. Du Qinglin, the Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), pointed out that the "outline" reflects the Party and the government’s vision of their human development strategy, and its foresight in consolidating a patriotic united front.

In recent years, to showcase the diversity of the regime’s political spectrum, Beijing has arranged for more and more non-Communist members to enter the political arena, including government departments at all levels in central and important positions.

At the same time, the regime has strengthened its control over these people. Since 2004, the united front authorities at and above the provincial level, and other agencies, have provided over 5,600 education sessions and trained more than 220,000 people outside the Party.

Source: People’s Daily, September 2, 2010

http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/12610483.html

Briefings | | September 3, 2010 | Government/Politics

PLA Live-Fire Military Exercise in Yellow Sea

Starting on September 1, the Chinese navy’s North Sea fleet held a live-fire military exercise for four consecutive days in the Yellow Sea region, to the southeast of Qingdao City, Shandong Province. According to the Chinese military, it was an annual program of regular exercise training with a focus on naval gun fire. From September 5 onward, for a period of five days, the United States and South Korea conducted anti-submarine exercises in the Yellow Sea. The United States did not send its aircraft carriers or nuclear submarines, but only sent two Aegis destroyers. South Korea mobilized 209 submarines (1,200 tons), patrol boats, and destroyers in the joint exercise.

Source: Asia Times, September 1, 2010

http://www.atchinese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68808:2010-09-01-08-37-

06&catid=18:2009-01-12-14-50-33&Itemid=110

Briefings | | September 3, 2010 | US-China Relations

Soaring Housing Prices Responsible for Rising Food Prices

The fundamental cause for rising food prices are the soaring housing prices, according to Yin Zhongli, official from the State’s think tank, the Institute of Finance and Banking, which is under the domain of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

He suggested, “Bad weather and international markets may have touched off the food price hike but the fundamental cause is soaring house values. Even when the weather improves, inflation is unlikely to improve. Housing prices driven by inflation are emerging.” He warns that if the housing prices remain unchanged, wages may double.

“Unless the authorities provide low-income housing, the housing prices driven by inflation will persist for a long time.”

Source: Caijing, August 30, 2010
http://blog.caijing.com.cn/expert_article-151340-10445.shtml

Briefings | | September 2, 2010 | Economy/Resources

Urbanization Continues to Erode Farmland

More farmland will be lost as urbanization in China advances. The urban population, which is currently at 46.8%, will increase to 54% by 2015, to 65% by 2020, and close to 70% by 2030, according to Ma Xiaohe, Deputy Director of the State’s Academy of Macroeconomic Research under the National Development and Reform Commission.

“Given the reality of more people and less land, so many people moving into the city will certainly require a lot of land … Furthermore, due to the urbanization process, more highways have to be built, water and utilities are a great part of what is needed, and public service facilities have to be set up. This, in turn, will reduce farmland even further.”

He concluded that China is facing an unprecedented challenge in preserving farmland and preventing food shortages.

Source: Huanqiu, August 30, 2010
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2010-08/1058881.html

Briefings | | September 2, 2010 | Economy/Resources

Another Round of Training for the Party Organizing Directors

Over 430 directors of the Party’s local organization departments from throughout China are gathering in Beijing for 4 days of intensive training. Senior leaders of the Organization Department of the Party’s Central Committee are responsible for the lectures. From September through November 2009, eight such training sessions were held. “After a recess of 9 months, a new round of training began. Such a short recess is rare.” In early 2010, the Organization Department of the Central Committee issued a directive that mandates annual training for local directors.

Source: News of the Chinese Communist Party, August 30, 2010
http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/164113/12574039.html

Briefings | | September 2, 2010 | Government/Politics

Discern the Four Distinctions; Build a Solid Defense on the Thought Front

[Editor’s Note: The following report is translated from excerpts of a recent article in Qiu Shi, the official publication by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee.

The article was based on discussions of a group of theorists and scholars, whose viewpoints toe the party line. But the discussions reveal the Party’s dilemma of trying to defend and revise the Party’s belief and practice at the same time.

The article argues that the CCP is “not a one party dictatorship” but “one party leadership,” but it does not elaborate on their distinction. The discussions mirror the confusion among the CCP’s leadership; they also underline the growing yearning in China to abandon the stale Communist doctrine.] [1]

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Reports | | September 1, 2010 | Report

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.