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China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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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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Hu Jintao: Accelerating Transformation of the Mode of Economic Development

From February 3 to 7, 2010, senior provincial Party leaders attended a workshop at the Party School of The Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. Hu Jintao and other members of the Standing Committee of the Politburo spoke at the workshop about how to speed up transforming the mode of economic development. He stated that the key to the transformation is to "speed up" and bring results. Wen Jiabao emphasized that only by speeding up the transformation can China better cope with predictable and unpredictable international risks, and constantly improve the international competitiveness of China’s economy. Xi Jianping highlighted the urgency of strengthening the efforts to grow the Party to ensure success in the transformation.

Source: Xinhua, February 12, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-02/12/content_12977549.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

General Zhu on U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan

The State’s Outlook Weekly magazine published interviews of Chinese military figures on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Major General Zhu Chenghu of China’s National Defense University believes that it is not surprising to see the increase in China-US friction. “One needs to see that the long-term existence of the Taiwan issue is inevitable under the broad framework of the U.S. strategy toward China. So the long-term and complex nature of the Taiwan issue needs to be understood. In the long run, the U.S. global strategy will not change much." He [Zhu] summed up the U.S. strategy: rely on two treaties (NATO and the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty), base on two continents (Asia and the Americas), control the seas, curb China and Russia, and dominate the world.”

Source: Xinhua, February 9, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-02/09/content_12958029.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Study Times: China Building Its Anti-Missile Defense System

Study Times published a long article praising China’s progress in developing its anti-missile defense system technology. It stated that Xinhua reported on January 11, 2010, that China had successfully conducted a midcourse anti-missile interception test. “Most importantly, (it showed that) China already has and is working on improving its missile early warning system.” It further stated that the successful interception test indicated that China has made significant achievements in anti-missile defense technology, including information processing, early detection and warning, interception weaponry, weapons transfer, guidance accuracy, and response speed. Prior to China, only the U.S. and Japan have done successful interception tests.

Source: Theory website, the website under Communist Party School’s publications, February 5, 2010
http://www.cntheory.com/news/XXSBRDGZ/2010/25/10251016126D252IC2GE34H0EKE506.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Six Focuses for Culture System Reform in 2010

The Ministry of Culture recently published the reform work for the culture system for 2010. There are six focuses:
1. Jumpstart the development of the cultural industry by speeding up the transformation of operating culture organizations into for-profit enterprises.
2. Expand the entertainment market to western China and to minority and less-developed areas.
3. Push legal enforcement in the cultural market and in its products.
4. Improve cultural services offered to the public.
5. Proactively promote the “going abroad” strategy to expand Chinese culture’s international influence.
6. Strengthen the management of culture system reform.

Source: Xinhua, February 15, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-02/15/content_12991742.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: For U.S. to Make Money, It Must Pay a Price

Xinhua republished a commentary from the International Herald Leader, a newspaper under People’s Daily. The commentary was titled “There Is a Price to Pay for Making Money.” It stated that the Obama administration’s $6.4 billion weapons sale to Taiwan showed a twisted understanding of the Sino-U.S. relationship. The U.S. only wants China to help it to solve its own problems and only lets China show its power when it helps the U.S.

Following this logic, the U.S. wants China to buy U.S. bonds and products but not U.S. companies; to support the U.S. on North Korea and Iran issues; to keep silent on the South China Sea and Taiwan; to separate from other “BRIC” countries; to keep distant from Europe and not seek the removal of the EU’s arms embargo on China.

How should China respond? “Doesn’t the U.S. think it’s normal to sell arms to Taiwan? OK, following normal logic, how can anyone not pay a price for doing business? Of course, this price is not necessarily written on the back of the contract.”

Source: Xinhua, February 4, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2010-02/04/content_12928592.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

The Wealthiest in China Are Rapidly Accumulating More Wealth

Global Times, under Chinese state daily news Renmin, recently republished an article by Outlook Weekly describing the loss of balance in the distribution of wealth in China. The rapid growth of the Chinese economy in recent years has created a large number of wealthy people. In 2009, the top 40 richest individuals all had over US$7 billion in net worth, while only 24 met the same standard in 2008. Research shows that the primary source of income for the wealthiest is the real estate market. The second primary source is the capital market. 19 out of the 40 richest individuals are in the real estate business. The wealthy in China accumulate wealth exceptionally quickly. This brings their method of obtaining income into question. Corruption, “grey income,” and monopolies are among the issues. The biggest problem, the article pointed out, is that the gap between the wealthiest and the average Chinese is getting larger and larger.

Source: Global Times, February 13, 2010
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2010-02/717742_2.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Three Key Technologies of the US Air Force in the Next Two Decades

Xinhua recently republished an article by Chinese Youth, which referred to a report by the US magazine Air Force Times. The article suggested that the US Air Force is focusing on three key technologies: (1) Customizable systems; (2) Mini unmanned aircraft; and (3) “Super” supersonic planes or missiles (the Boeing X-51 Project). Also mentioned in the article were the four primary imaginary enemies: China, Islamic separatists, “loser countries” and Russia. The article stated that China will have the number one GDP by 2030. Hence the order makes sense.

Source: Xinhua, January 24, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-01/24/content_12864142.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Do not Hope the US will Stop the Arms Sale to Taiwan

The International Herald Leader published an article two weeks ago discussing the recent US Arms sale to Taiwan. The article suggests that the US does not believe China will take a stronger stand this time, but the author disagrees. The article quoted Chinese Navy major general Yang Yi, sayng that he believes China will never be a world power if the US is not punished this time. Meng Xiangqing, professor from the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University, thinks it is indeed different this time because China threatened sanctions for the first time. The professor also suggested, “Ten years later, when fundamental Chinese military power catches up to the States level, that will be the time for a showdown.”

Source: International Herald Leader, February 4, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2010-02/04/content_12928585.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations