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China Publishing Group’s Development Strategy: Stock Listing and “Going Abroad”

China Publishing Group (CPG) held its annual meeting on January 28 and 29. The Deputy Director of the Press and Publication Administration Sun Shoushan praised CPG’s 2009 achievements. Sun put in print CPG’s future direction: being listed on the stock exchange and realizing assets and sales over 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion).

Sun outlined CPG’s development strategies: 1. Uphold the (Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s)) flag and not get diverted achieving the correct public opinion and publishing standards. 2. Strengthen itself financially to achieve the needed stock reform and listings. 3. Actively participate in public cultural service to gain public support; 4. Make great progress in the national effort of “going abroad” to promote Chinese culture and improve China’s cultural “soft power.” 5. Develop talent.

Ed: Founded in 2002, CPG is under the leadership of the CCP’s Propaganda Department and the administration of the Press and Publication Administration.

Source: Xinhua, February 1, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2010-02/01/content_12911663.htm

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

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

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

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

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

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 

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