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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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CCP, Master of Hostage Diplomacy

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Reactions on Disconnecting Cell Phones with Inappropriate Text Messages

Recently cell phone carriers started disconnecting cell phones in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangdong. The disconnected phones were believed by the service provider to be sending “inappropriate” text messages, which had sex related content. The reactions from the public were mixed. Some believed it was a good idea, but people’s privacy should be protected as well. Some believed the focus should not be on the end users but the ones who originally produced these messages and made a profit from them.

The current system monitors all users’ text messages, filters out the ones in question, and then it cuts the user’s service connection and alarms law enforcement.

Source: Xinhua, January 21, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/internet/2010-01/21/content_12849824.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

HKEx Chief: HK Financial Industry Should Actively Participate in RMB Internationalization

Hong Kong Exchange (HKEx) Chief Executive Li Xiaojia recently commented that Hong Kong should seize the opportunity to participate in the internationalization of the RMB in the next ten years. He believes this will provide Hong Kong a big chance for development. It will enhance Hong Kong’s status of an international financial center. Li believes HKEx should take 3 steps: (1) Establish a basic infrastructure such as a settlement system; (2) Offer RMB-based financial products at the right time; (3) Improve the service level and risk management. Li believes the RMB has already started to be a regional settlement currency, and it will be an investment currency. In the end it will become an international reserve currency.

Source: Xinhua, January 25, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2010-01/25/content_12873554.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Foreign Affairs Ministry: Claims to Okinotori Reef Violate International Laws

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently reiterated the position that Japan’s claim to jurisdiction over large areas of waters based on Okinotori Reef violate The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Article 121 Section 3. It was reported that the Japanese government is about to submit to Congress a new law which protects the exclusive economic zone based at the location of Okinotori Reef. The Chinese government believes that the area of Okinotori Reef, with a rising tide, is less than 10 square meters, which “obviously” cannot sustain any human residence.

Source: Xinhua, January 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2010-01/19/content_12838459.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Beijing Birth Control Commission: News on Possibility of Allowing Birth of Second Child Unfounded

On January 25, 2010, two Xinhua reporters interviewed the chief of the Beijing Municipal Population and Birth Control Commission regarding a news report on the possibility of allowing the birth of a second child in a family. The Birth Control Commission chief said that the news was unfounded. The journalist responsible for reporting the news has made an apology.

Source: Xinhua, January 25, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-01/25/content_12872311.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

People’s Daily: 88.85 Million Yuan Allocated to Poor Party Members û An Important Stability Measure

According to People’s Daily, in a report on January 24, 2010, the CCP Central Organization Department had recently decided to allocate 66.95 million yuan from collected CCP membership fees to sustain the poor as well as the old CCP members without pensions. Last year, the CCP Central Organization Department allocated 21.9 million yuan from membership fees to express sympathy to Party members in the 18 provinces that had serious natural disasters and also to repair the damaged Party member educational facilities in the same areas.

The CCP Central Organization Department stressed that letting the Party members feel the real concern and warmth of the Party is an important measure to effectively maintain stability.

Source: People’s Daily, January 24, 2010
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/10830427.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Adhere to the Position as a Developing Country and Remain Clear-Headed on China’s Responsibility

According to Xinhua on January 25, 2010, the first session of a series of seminars on the “Prediction of the 2010 International Situation” was held by Xinhua’s “Discussion of the World” Program in Beijing. More than 10 well-known experts and scholars gathered together, predicting international situations for 2010 and positioning China in the world.

In terms of China’s position in the world, the participants agreed that "the Westerners have switched from ‘Killing with a Stick’ to ‘Killing with Flattery’ following the international financial crisis. They have kept praising China, from ‘China’s Responsibility’ to ‘Sina-US Two Nations’, pushing China to the center of the world." However, “China must remain clear-headed, adhering to a strategic position as a developing country, safeguarding the interests of developing countries and striving to strengthen ourselves.”

Source: Xinhua, January 25, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2010-01/25/content_12870883.htm 

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua Commentary Faults U.S. for Internet Freedom Double Standard

Among an array of negative Chinese official media responses to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s speech on Internet freedom, one Xinhua article blames the U.S. for applying a “double standard.” 

The January 22 commentary titled “Don’t Practice a Double Standard on ‘Internet Freedom’” accused the U.S. government of censoring the free flow of information. It gave examples including the “Patriot Act,” U.S. national security agencies monitoring and cracking down on Internet terrorist information, and U.S.-based software to filter child pornography information. 
In June 2009, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates ordered the creation of a new military cyber command that will coordinate the Pentagon’s efforts to defend its networks and conduct cyberwarfare. The initiative is used by the article to declare the U.S. as the “base camp” for Internet hackers. 
Source: Xinhua, January 23, 2010 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2010-01/23/content_12861105.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Don’t Let U.S. Health Care Reform Plague China

“When you borrow 1,000 yuan from a bank, the bank is your boss; when you borrow 100 billion yuan from a bank, you are the boss of the bank. This is the ‘horrific’ financial balance between the U.S. and China,” commented a People’s Daily opinion on January 6, 2010. 

“China, the largest foreign debt holder of the U.S., has been accumulating U.S. Treasury bonds in recent years.” “At the critical moment of health care reform, the U.S. will certainly ask China to continue purchasing U.S. debts.” “As a matter of fact, the domestic struggle of U.S. health care reform has impacted China’s interests. Last summer, Obama won support from labor unions at the cost of Chinese businesses by imposing a tariff on tire imports. We have enough reason to believe that, in the future, Washington will sacrifice China on issues of trade, climate change, human rights, and arms sales to Taiwan.”
Source: People’s Daily, January 6, 2010
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/10714233.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations