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Eight-Episode TV Documentary Series: Preparing For Danger In Times Of Safety, Episode One

{Editor’s Note: In June 2006, Beijing released an eight-episode TV documentary series: Preparing For Danger In Times Of Safety – Historic Lessons Learned from the Demise of Soviet Communism. It was a research project conducted by the government think tank, the Chinese Academy of Social Science. Afterwards, the Chinese Communist Party instructed party members across the nation to watch the series and launch serious discussions. The script of the prelude of the documentary quotes Hu Jintao’s words, “There are multiple factors contributing to the disintegration of the Soviet Union, a very important one being Khrushchev throwing away Stalin’s knife and Gorbachev’s open betrayal of Marxism-Leninism.” The full text of the narratives has been translated. What follows is the first episode.}

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Ministry of Defense: US Actions Severely Interfered With Sino-US Military Relationship

According to Xinhua, Major General Qian Lihua, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of Defense of China commented on the upcoming US visit of General Xu Caihou, the Deputy Chairman of the Party Central Military Committee. Qian specifically pointed out that in the past several years the actions of the US have created severe interference to and have had a negative impact on the military relationship between the two countries. These actions of the US included substantially increasing the military relationship with Taiwan, advancing weapon sales to Taiwan, the US Congress’ restriction of the Sino-US military exchange into twelve areas in the “2000 National Defense Authorization Act,” the questioning by the US of China’s military strategic intention and development, and the frequent activities of US airplanes and ships in the air and water space that China claimed as its own economic zone.

Sources: Xinhua, October 23, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-10/23/content_12310337.htm

International Herald Leader: Russia’s Dilemma – Supplying Natural Gas to China

The International Herald Leader reported that Russia is facing a dilemma on supplying natural gas to China. On October 13, 2009. China and Russia signed a framework agreement for the building of two natural gas pipelines from Russia’s gas fields in the Far East to China. However, for the two countires to reach an agreeable price will be a challenge. China suggested $100-120 USD per thousand cubic meters, but Russia’s lowest price is $250-270 USD. Russia is afraid that asking for too high a price may drive China to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Russia is also concerned regarding whether it will depend too heavily on China financially and will become just a “natural resource provider” to China.

Source: International Herald Leader, October 15, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-10/15/content_12237118.htm

Wen Jiabao: Establish East Asia Foreign-Exchange Reserve Pool By Year’s End

Global Times reported that on October 24, 2009, Premier Wen Jiabao attended the 12th ASEAN Plus Three summit, or "10+3" summit (10 ASEAN member countries plus China, Japan, and South Korea). Wen Jiabao suggested establishing a regional foreign-exchange reserve pool by the end of this year and also speeding up the independent regional economic monitoring organization, and the Asian bond market. China is willing to provide $200 million for the regional credit guarantee and investment funds. Wen also promoted the expansion of regional trade and investment among the 10+3 countries and expressed that China is willing to take the lead in advancing 10+3 economic and trade cooperation.

Source: Global Times, October 24, 2009
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2009-10/612343.html

People’s Liberation Army Will Build 10,000-Ton Destroyers

On October 13, 2009, Sichuan News Network published an article about the international concerns caused by the PLA Navy’s plan to build 10,000-ton destroyers. The displacement of the new destroyers will be over 10,000 tons and they will be equipped with a variety of anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft missiles. The main focus of building the new destroyers will be on the development of mobility, stealth and oceangoing combat capability. They will be able to provide protection for all future Chinese aircraft carriers.

The United States is increasingly concerned that China is building aircraft carriers. However, the real threat to the U.S. is the anti-ship missiles that China is developing. These missiles are based on the existing medium-range missiles, with the goal to attack U.S. aircraft carriers.

Source: Sichuan News Network, October 13, 2009
http://china.newssc.org/system/2009/10/13/012368458.shtml

China News Net Report on “Vanguard û 2009A” Military Maneuver

According to China News Net, on October 20, 2009, a joint fire military maneuver of ground and air forces called "Vanguard – 2009A" will be carried out on a tactical training base in the Jinan Military Command. Over 150 foreign military students from more than 70 countries and some military observers from the United Kingdom, Israel, Turkey, and other countries, will be on site watching. Hu Xiubin, the chief director of the exercise and an army Major General for the Jinan Military Region, said that the characteristics highlighted in this maneuver will be “Joint Operations” and “Precise Operations” in combat, which reflect the ideas of joint operations and winnings using the conditions of information technologies.

Eleven military branches from both the army and air forces, armed with over 50 kinds of equipment, will participate in the military maneuver.

Source: China News Net, October 20, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/10-20/1921318.shtml

“Vanguard û 2009A” Military Maneuver û PLA Explores Precise Operations in Combat

Xinhua reported on October 21 that "Vanguard – 2009A," a joint fire military maneuver of ground and air forces, entered the combat deployment phase on October 21, 2009. Hu Xiubin, the chief director of the exercise and an army Major General from the Jinan Military Region, introduced precise operations in combat.

  1. Precise Reconnaissance: Obtain complete intelligence information using the means of satellite reconnaissance, aerial photography, unmanned aerial vehicles, battlefield television and close-up observation on the ground.
  2. Precise Command: Quantify and calculate groupings of combat forces, actions of teams, consumption of ammunition, amount of damage and injuries.
  3. Precise Strike: Use precision-guided weapons, and ammunition.
  4. Precise Assessment: Use technological means to do combat calculations and simulations.
  5. Precise Support: Make scientific predictions on ammunition consumption, fuel supplements, transportation needs, casualties and equipment damage.

Source: Xinhua, October 21, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-10/21/content_12290433.htm

Chinese Language Newspapers Facing Tough Times

From October 16 to 17, over 200 representatives from Chinese language newspapers in 12 countries and regions held their 42th annual meeting in Chongqing, Sichuan Province to discuss the challenges facing them due to the expansion of electronic newspapers. Zhou Xisheng, Deputy Director of Xinhua urged them to "adapt to changes in the world media and develop Chinese newspapers hand in hand." He stated that the traditional newspapers cannot step back, but to adapt to the what young people like, and strive to transfer the contents of the newspapers to electronic versions. Currently Mainland China publishes 1,943 newspapers with a daily circulation exceeding 100 million copies. However since 2003, the number of newspaper has declined by 10% as a result of the expansion of electronic newspapers.

Source: People’s Daily, October 19, 2009
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2009-10/19/content_363421.htm