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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: The Plight of China’s Present Petition System

For a long time, China’s political system has had the problems of excessive power concentration, power imbalances, and lack of a power constraint according to an article published on the website of Study Times on October 12, 2009. Just as some scholars put it, “In the decades-long period of time after the founding of new China, the actual operation of China’s politics is the administrative system under the leadership of the Party.”

The communications between the Chinese people and their representatives are loose or superficial, resulting in the great amount of political information being forced into the channel of the petition.

At present the petition system is based on the “Petition Regulations,” a law promulgated by the State Council. The petition office has a low legal hierarchy, little power to control, and poor operation capacity, which means that the petition agencies only operate intermittently.

Source: Study Times, October 12, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2981&nid=10812&bid=12&page=1

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Lessons Learned from Past Military Tasks

China should establish a new national security concept in light of development and changes in the national security situation, says a Study Times article discussing lessons learned from military operations in the past 60 years. Specifically, the new concept should reflect the security concern of being a major power in the world, and to effectively defend the national interest beyond the traditional military scope, including non-military operations, crisis defusion and response, containment of war, and playing an active role in the world.

Source: Study Times, October 12, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=0&id=2976&bid=7

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Politburo Member Urges Unity under the Party’s Leadership

The Symposium in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Council (CPPCC) concluded in Beijing on October 14, 2009. Wang Gang, Politburo member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Vice-Chairman of the CPPCC spoke at the closing ceremony. Wang stressed the need to effectively bring thinking and action in line with the major plan that the CPC set for the CPPCC. He called for closely following the agenda and the interests of the CPC and State under the themes of unity and democracy.

Source: Xinhua, October 14, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/14/content_12231999.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Study Times: Three Major Changes in China’s Socialism Practice

The Party went through three transformations in its understanding of socialism, says Study Times. The first change was from building a new democratic state and society to a socialist model following the Soviet Union (1949-1956). The second shift took place in 1957 with the goal of surpassing the Soviet Union (1957-1978). The third occurred in 1979 with socialism with Chinese characteristics (1979-2009). The article states, “during the ten year catastrophe of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, the State and nation suffered from an unprecedented disaster with in its extent and damages far exceeding the purge in the Soviet Union in the 1930s.”

Source: Study Times, October 5, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2955&nid=10775&bid=3&page=1

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China’s Large Government Workforce Paid through Fiscal Appropriations

The Qiushi Journal, publication of the Communist Party of the China Central Committee organs, reported that China has a large government workforce that is paid through fiscal appropriations. It is estimated that over 40 million people are either direct government staff or members of party organizations. The aforementioned number increases by 20% annually.

Let’s take a look at Xupu County, Hunan Province. In 2007, its local tax and income was 170 million Yuan, while salary-related spending was 280 million Yuan.

Source: Qiushi Journal, September 24, 2009
http://www.qsjournal.com.cn/wz/200909/t20090924_12215.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China Unyielding in its Internet Censorship

UUCall, the self-claimed #1 provider of IP phone service in China, went suddenly dead on October 9, 2009 and has not been revived. The company’s Website was also unavailable. UUCall recorded on Baidu that it was closed down on government orders. It was directed to temporarily stop its services to allow government inspection. Insiders suggest that the government discovered that some individuals were using the IP phones to pass on Xinjiang separatist messages.

Also, Google Docs, a document sharing service provided by Google, was suspended in China recently. Most of the people use it for work-related documents. Google Docs utilizes https protocol for file transferring. China’s Great Firewall (GFW) censorship engine is unable to monitor or apply its censorship to this protocol. Therefore, China blocked Google Docs.

Sources:
1. Radio Free Asia, October 12, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/China_internet-10122009112607.html?encoding=simplified
2. Radio Free Asia, October 13, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/wangluo-10132009095407.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

International Herald Leader: China Distrusted for Its Work in Africa

The International Herald Leader, a newspaper under the auspices of Xinhua, published a commentary on October 13, 2009, debunking the Western claim that China practices “neocolonialism in Africa because of its need for natural resources.”

The article stated that the Western media portrays China as a new colonialist, a “destroyer” (using cheap made-in-China goods and workers flown from China to destroy Africa’s traditional economy), and a spreader of hatred to encourage and support ethnic group cleansing. Additionally, it accused Western companies of colluding with local rebel groups because of wanting to profiteer from natural resources and block China from entering the market. It declared that China’s presence in Africa brings economic growth to Africa, which unfortunately takes years for people to realize.

According to a report from the Ministry of Commerce, there are more than 800 Chinese companies and nearly 1 million Chinese workers in Africa. They are mainly employed in infrastructure industries, such as construction and oil extraction.

Source: International Herald Leader, October 13, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-10/13/content_12221552.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

GAPP: Foreign Investment in Net Games Banned

The Chinese General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) recently announced regulations on Internet games. All types of foreign investments are banned in this market. The ban includes indirect control or investment into domestic companies. Domestic companies importing games are also regulated. Service providers are required to submit the games to the authorities for approval first.

Source: Xinhua, October 10, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2009-10/10/content_12206841.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology