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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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Study Times: News Media Are Not Only the Mouthpiece of the Party

According to Study Times, news media are not only the mouthpiece of the Party but also the Party’s eyes and ears. If what media present are all good news, the CCP Central Committee will be deaf and blind.

For a long time, the opaque information has “taught” the people that the news from the government controlled media has no credibility. In many places, "maintaining social stability" equals "Maintaining stability in newspapers (or on the TV screen)." With the development and popularity of the Internet, SMS and other new communication technologies, the limits of this self-deceiving way of covering up can be seen.

Open and transparent public information can not fundamentally solve any problems, but can discover and diagnose the problems. It can also ease people’s discontent.

Source: Study Times, November 2, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=0&id=3028&bid=12

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Reform Forthcoming for Non-commissioned Officers

Towards the end of the year, Chinese military forces will implement a new system for over 800,000 non-commissioned officers. This is another major policy reform for non-commissioned officers following the 1999 reform. According to the General Staff Department of the People’s Liberation Army, the reform is based on four considerations: retention of officers for information warfare, institutionalization of lessons learned, solutions for current conflicts and problems brought by various changes, and adjustments necessary to meet the needs for reform of the country and its military forces.
 
Source: China News Service, November 4, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/11-04/1946769.shtml

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Study Times: The U.S. Should Show More Respect for China’s Interests

According to Study Times, if the United States truly intends to engage in constructive cooperation with China, it should care about China’s core interests “such as economic development, arms sales to Taiwan, Tibetan issues, and China’s disputes over territorial waters with its neighboring countries.” The US should not ask China to make a promise on environmental controls that exceeds its capability. “No matter what excuses the U.S. uses or what the volume of the sale is, China views arms sales to Taiwan as an interference with China’s sovereignty and disrespectful of Chinese feelings. The same holds with the issue of Tibet, which goes beyond human rights. And even from the human rights angle, the U.S. has no just reason to interfere….”

Source: Study Times, November 2, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=3017&nid=11024&bid=2&page=1

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: Potential Obstacles in Sino-US Military Exchanges

According to Xinhua, during the meeting with US Defense Secretary Gates, Vice Chairman Xu of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party highlighted four obstacles facing the two countries: arms sales to Taiwan, activities of U.S. warships and planes in the Chinese economic offshore zone, legal barriers, and strategic trust in China.

Xinhua concluded with quotes from a Chinese military expert, “Generally, there was no breakthrough in military exchanges to speak of. In the past, whenever the United States needed China to cooperate with its overall strategy, it would make some moves to ease up. Otherwise, they would stir up trouble in Sino-US relations.”

Source: Xinhua, November 2, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-11/02/content_12371404.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

A Celebration under Bayonets

The 60th anniversary of the CCP’s Rule finally passed. The $44 million celebration on Tiananmen Square on October 1 was a grand parade of thousands of troops along with 30 blocks of weapons, including jets, tanks, and missile-toting trucks. The communist leaders and the state media boasted of the prosperous and glorious era that China is in and the bright prospect of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

However, one “disharmonious” tone throughout the entire preparation and actual celebration was the extremely tight security control in Beijing. The Ministry of Public Security set up a “security moat” in neighboring provinces, including Hebei, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi and Shandong provinces, and the Tianjin municipality, telling police to keep “all unstable factors” out of Beijing. More than 100,000 participated, but, except for top Communist leaders and 30,000 carefully selected guests, there was no live audience. Beijing residents had to stay at home and watch the parade on TV like the rest of the country. For the safety of the celebration, many areas of the Capital were blocked and businesses were closed. Staff and residents could not even open their windows; supermarkets could not sell sharp knives and all participants had to sign secrecy agreements prohibiting them from talking to journalists, taking photos, or sending text messages.

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Analyses | | |   Opinion

Air Force Commander on Space Development

During an interview with a Xinhua reporter, Xu Qiliang, China’s Air Force Commander, claimed that the arms race and arms development have taken on a new challenge, as it now includes control of space. Xu stated that whoever controls space will control the ground, ocean, and the electromagnetic field, achieving a strategic advantage. The Air Force should keep on track of the overall goal, including building IT capabilities and being ahead in information warfare. The impetus should continue on strategic requirements, covering air and space and focusing both on offense and defense. The thrust must include improvement of reconnaissance capabilities and early detection, warning, air strikes, defense against air strikes, and strategic delivery capabilities. Military capabilities must face continued refinement and the military must realize the transition from mechanization to information as early as possible.

Source: Xinhua, November 1, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-11/01/content_12364603.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Xinhua Bookstore Opened in London

The International Herald Leader, a newspaper under Xinhua, reported that on October 20, 2009, the Xinhua Bookstore opened its first European store in London. At present, there are three Xinhua Bookstores and one on-line store in the United States. The goal of the Xinhua Bookstore is to use the world’s languages, e.g. English, Germany, French, Japanese, Korean, and so on, to tell the desired stories about China.

The article also discussed the differences between the Confucius Institute and the Xinhua Bookstore, both of which are increasing their presence overseas.  It is important to note that the Confucius Institute is directly under the Chinese government’s funding while the Xinhua Bookstore is a business operation (Ed: under a State-Owned Enterprise though).

Source: International Herald Leader, October 30, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-10/30/content_12360037.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Ministry of IIT: New Industries for Industrial Equipment Development

Zhang Xiangmu, Director of the Department of Industry Equipment, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology outlined five areas where China has to develop its equipment production industry further, Xinhua reported. The five areas are regulation, technology improvement, self-sufficiency in technology and equipment, the thrust into mergers and acquisitions, and new industry development. At present the targets for establishing new industries are energy-savings and new energy sources for automobiles, oceanic engineering equipment, general aircraft and regional aircraft, high-speed rail system equipment, and high-performance ship sectors.

Source: Xinhua, October 27, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2009-10/27/content_12342093.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology