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Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

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Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

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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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Extended Drought Affects Millions

A severe drought, which began in the fall of 2009, has plagued most of Southwest China and part of South China, affecting 11.88 million people, 800 million livestock, and 11.2 million acres of farmland, says the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFDH). 

On February 24, the SFDH initiated a Level II Drought Emergency Response by injecting 750 million Yuan (109.8 million U.S. dollar) into drought response and deploying 8.9 million people to help. 
Source: People’s Daily, February 26, 2010 
http://env.people.com.cn/GB/11032720.html
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

National People’s Congress Passes National Defense Mobilization Act

On February 26, 2010, the thirteenth meeting of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress passed the National Defense Mobilization Act. The Act provides for national defense mobilization leadership structure, reserve personnel enlistment, strategic materials deployment, and war disaster prevention and relief. According to the legislation, the National Defense Mobilization Act should link up with the Emergency Contingency plan in terms of command, man power, information, and logistics. 

In case of war, the NPC Standing Committee determines nationwide or partial mobilization; the President proclaims the mobilization order; and the State Council and CCP’s Central Military Commission jointly lead the mobilization work. 
Source: China News Service, February 26, 2010 
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2010/02-26/2141293.shtml
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

CCP Implementing Quality Assurance Certification in Grass-Roots Party Branches

Ninyang County in Shandong Province has in place a quality assurance certification process for its party branches. As of end of 2009, 983 of the 1,486 party branches in the county received AAA certifications. Certification covers five areas: organizational structure, institutionalization of implementing party directives and duties, membership build-up and records keeping. The process includes self-inspection, application for certification, review by higher party organizations and final scoring. The total score is 1,000. 800 or above is certified AAA, 750 to 800 AA, and 700 to 750 A. No certification is given for any below 700.

Source: Xinhua, February 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-02/19/content_13006832.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

State Media Report on Overseas Chinese Reaction to Obama-Dalai Lama Meeting

State media have extensively reported overseas Chinese opposition to Obama’s February 18 meeting with the Dalai Lama. Xinhua, People’s Daily and China News Service reported that leaders in the overseas Chinese communities protested, via media interviews, forums, rallies and letters, against Obama, in unison with the China’s official stance on the Dalai Lama meeting. Such actions as reported (in answering the call of the Communist Party to stay with the Party line) have raised concerns that they may further widen the gap between Chinese communities and the mainstream in their respective countries, aggravating an image crisis.

Source: Boxun, February 20, 2010
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/intl/2010/02/201002200128.shtml

China News Service, February 19, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/hr/news/2010/02-19/2125838.shtml
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: Meeting with Dalai Lama is the Result of the U.S. Cold War Mentality

Obama’s reforms did not change his Feb 18 meeting with Dalai Lama, a Xinua article commented. Since President Bush’s first meeting with the Dalai Lama in 1991, three U.S. presidents had met with the Dalai Lama eleven times before the February 18 meeting. Why hasn’t Obama reformed this practice, asked the article. “It is based on the U.S. cold war mentality and one of the many cards in the pursuit of the US strategic interests.” The article states that it is high time for the U.S. to adopt a new way of thinking in handling the bilateral relationship.

Source: Xinhua, February 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2010-02/19/content_13005223.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

MII Publishing Website Registration Information Validation Work Plan

The Ministry of Industry and Information (MII) has issued a directive to all local communications administration offices in China to accelerate efforts to fortify website registration information. The plan claims that companies and individuals may register websites. 

Any individual, who is a future website owner, has to provide an original copy of his identification card, or his household register, military officer card, Taiwan compatriot travel certificate, or foreign passport as an alternative. The individual owner will also be photographed and his photo kept on record.

MII claimed the goal is to control the online pornography industry. VOA reported that human rights activists see it as political tightening to restrict website owners from criticizing the government.

Sources:

1. China News Service, February 23, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/it/it-itxw/news/2010/02-23/2132878.shtml
2. Voice of America, February 24, 2010
http://www1.voanews.com/chinese/news/china/CHINATIGHTENSINTERNETCONTROL-20100224-85190912.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Denies the Hacker Attack on Google Originated from China

After the New York Times reported that the hacker attack on Google could be traced back to the IP addresses of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Lanxiang Vocational School, China denied such accusations.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University, a top engineering university in China whose computer students recently won the International Collegiate Programming Contest, responded that the university would not now support and has not in the past supported hacker activities. It suggested that some international hackers might have stolen their IPs to use in the attack.

Officials from the Lanxiang Vocational School, with ties to the Chinese military, said “(The report was) too imaginative.”

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Qin Gang, strongly denied the accusation and said it was irresponsible and must have resulted from some hidden agenda.

Source: Hong Kong Wenweipo, February 23, 2010
http://trans.wenweipo.com/gb/news.wenweipo.com/2010/02/23/IN1002230070.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China Will Continue Its Loose Monetary Policy

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held a meeting to review the State Council’s “Report On the Work of the Government.” 

The report outlined the economic direction for 2010, which calls for continuing to implement the proactive fiscal policy and moderate, loose monetary policy in an effort to maintain the continuity and stability of the government policies. 

On one hand, the government should keep up enough policy efforts to consolidate the good momentum of economic recovery, but on the other hand, it should also speed up the adjustment of the economic structure and promote the transition mode of economic development.

Source: Xinhua, February 22, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-02/22/content_13026203.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics