The State Bureau for Letters and Calls (SBLC), the government agency to receive and handle Chinese citizen’s petitions and appeals, has recently decided to intensively train city and county-level bureau chiefs. The first session was held from May 10 to 16 in Beijing. SBLC plans to train 600 officials in 2010.
Nobel Economics Laureate Gives Lecture to Chinese Officials
Robert Mundell, professor of economics at Columbia University and the recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 1999, gave a lecture at the Chinese Academy of Governance (CAG) in Beijing. CAG, subordinate to the State Council, is a government agency for training officials and Chinese Communist Party cadres. The lecture was about the global financial crisis, reform of the international monetary system, and China’s role in the global economy.
Comprehensive Cooperation With Arab Countries, Wen Jiabao
At the fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao spoke for a strategic cooperation relationship with Arab countries featuring “comprehensive cooperation and joint development.”
Research on Chinese Young Netizens Published
Xinhua Recently reported on the results of research conducted by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) on young Chinese Netizens. The research shows that 50.7% of Chinese Netizens are people below 25 years of age. This section represents around 200 million individuals. It was discovered that 3G based mobile devices are the number one tool for the young Netizens to get on to the Internet. In 2009, 74% of the young Netizens used their cellphones to surf the Internet. That’s an increase of 73.5% from the previous year. Cellphone Internet access is especially popular in rural areas where computers are not widely available. The importance of “Internet bars,” as a place to get online, is on the decline. Usage decreased from 57.5% to 49.4%. The bars are more popular in rural areas.
Source: Xinhua, May 11, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/internet/2010-05/11/content_13479226.htm
CASS: Five Tasks for Culture Industry Adjustments
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) recently published the Culture Blue Book, which discusses tasks in the structural adjustments to the culture industry. The Blue Book suggests: (1) Adjust product structure, which should serve the need of both consumers and producers; (2) adjust enterprise organizational structure, which should encourage competition; (3) adjust ownership structure, which should introduce more diversity; (4) adjust technical structure, which pushes multi-layer technologies such as integrating networks of 3G mobile multimedia, the Internet, and traditional broadcasting networks; (5) adjust the regional distribution structure, which balances resources on a national level.
Source: Renmin, May 7, 2010
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/11539196.html
CRN Editorial: US Starting Space Arms Race
China Review News (CRN) recently published an editorial commenting on the recent U.S. experimental launch of the X-37B orbit aircraft. The editorial admits that the technology demonstrated seems very advanced and promising – it should have a bright future. However, the author believes the new high end space technology is solely geared towards a “revolutionary military change,” which is a negative. The new space aircraft further breaks the current world security balance. The editorial predicted that this will trigger a new round in the arms race in the extended space field. The author also concluded that there is “no doubt” that this space aircraft is essentially targeting China. It is proof of a U.S. strategy switch from “nuclear deterrence” to a “non-nuclear deterrence.”
Source: China Review News, April 30, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1013/0/0/1/101300127.html?coluid=136&kindid=4710&docid=101300127&mdate=0430001351
China’s Religious Practitioners Negating US Commission on International Religious Freedom
The People’s Daily published an article quoting Chinese religious leaders negating the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s “2010 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom,” published on April 29. The religious freedom report criticized China’s policy on religion and stated that China’s ban of Falun Gong is religious persecution.
Source: People’s Daily, May 8, 2010
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2010-05/08/content_511155.htm
VOA: China’s New State Secret Law Detrimental to Health of Reporters
On April 29, The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress enacted a new People’s Republic of China law concerning guarding "State Secrets." The law will be in effect beginning October 1, 2010.
Source: VOA, May 6, 2010
http://www1.voanews.com/chinese/news/-20100506-CHINA-NEW-STATE-SECRETS-LAW-LEAVES-JOURNALISTS-EXPOSED-92961114.html