Chinascope – Page 1186

On the Eve of the World Media Summit, Beijing Boasts Its 30-year Media Expansion

On October 7, the eve of the World Media Summit held in Beijing, a Xihua report gave statistics on China’s expansion of media outlets since 1978, the year that marked the start of the “reform” era.

Currently, there are 257 radio stations and 277 TV stations nationwide. In 2008, the country published 9,549 periodicals and 1,943 newspapers. The report quoted from the World Association of Newspapers statistics that China’s newspaper market remains the world’s largest, with a daily circulation of 107 million. The official China Internet Network Information Center released that, by the end of July 2009, the population of Internet users exceeded 300 million. By June 3, China was leading the world in number of Internet users, users of broadband, and in the number of country domain name registrations.

Source: Xinhua, October 7, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/misc/2009-10/07/content_12192136.htm

Briefings | | October 9, 2009 | Information/Technology

State Expenditures on Retired Top Party Leaders Staggering

According to the release of the Central Organization Department of the Party, as of July 2005, there were 117 retired Communist leaders at the central level and 5,537 retired provincial leaders. For central level retirees, the State provided 6.3 million yuan to 27.25 million yuan per person per year. For provincial retirees, the State spent between 700,000 yuan to 6 million yuan per person per year. The annual budget for standing members of the Politburo exceeds 50 million yuan per person per year.

Source: Secret China, October 7, 2009
http://www.secretchina.com/news/313908.html

Briefings | | October 9, 2009 | Government/Politics

People’s Daily: From Socialism with Chinese Characteristics to Marxism

Upholding Chinese-style socialist theory means genuinely adhering to Marxism, said a People’s Daily editorial commenting on the October 1 National Day. “Through 60 years of development, progress and brilliant achievements, the Chinese people have come to deeply understand that only socialism can save China and only reform and opening up can develop China, socialism and Marxism; in contemporary China, adhering to the socialist road with Chinese characteristics is truly upholding socialism; and adhering to Chinese-style socialist theory is truly upholding Marxism.”

Source: Xinhua, October 7, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-10/07/content_12188853.htm

Briefings | | October 9, 2009 | Government/Politics

Explaining the Reason for the Military Parade

Open Magazine, a Hong Kong based publication, commented on China’s National Day Military Parade, “The military parade does not represent military training. It’s used to brag about ones military power and meant to demonstrate the power of the nation’s number one man. It also reminds the people that the rulers control a large force capable of crushing any internal turmoil.”

Radio Free Asia quoted expert opinions, which agree that China’s show of force is to intimidate its own people. “The weapons are at least ten or twenty years behind the Western countries. Therefore, the target is not Western nations, but the citizens of China, its own people. The intent is to show that the CCP has still a strong hold on the country’s resources despite so many troubles in Xingjian, Tibet, and so on. Internal affairs are what is of the most concern to the CCP. The intent is to maintain and uphold the communist regime.”

Sources:
1. Open Magazine, October 2009 issue
http://www.open.com.hk/0910p26.html
2. Radio Free Asia, October 4, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/yue-10042009150810.html

Briefings | | October 8, 2009 | Government/Politics

Yang Jiechi: Wen Jiabao’s Visit to North Korea Makes Progress on Denuclearization

Premier Wen Jiabao visited North Korea from October 4 to 6. Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi who accompanied Wen to North Korea commented that Wen’s visit brought two great results: 1. It deepened the traditional friendship between China and North Korea. 2. The visit resulted in active progress on pushing for Korean Peninsula Denuclearization. North Korea expressed that denuclearization was the will of its former head Kim Il-sung. It wishes to change the US-Korea relationship from a hostile to a peaceful relationship. It is willing to return to the Six Party Talks, depending on its negotiations with the US.

Source: People’s Daily, October 6, 2009
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1024/10155693.html

Briefings | | October 8, 2009 | Geo-Strategic Trend

International Herald: Stop Lecturing China on Democracy

The International Herald, a publication under the domain of Xinhua, the Chinese Communist regimes’ mouthpiece, published a commentary concerning the democracy issue, at the symposium, "China and the World – Perceptions and Realities," in Frankfurt on September 12. The Chinese delegation left the event because two Chinese dissidents addressed the symposium. They only returned after the organizer apologized.

The International Herald accused Western countries of using “democracy” and “human rights” issues to criticize and slander China. “Digging out the ‘dark side’ of China becomes the preferred approach for some Western politicians to please the public….Democracy sounds good in concept. However, history has proved over and over again that imposing Western democracy on other countries is often frustrating, and could be catastrophic.”

The International Herald quoted words by Mei Zhaorong, former Chinese ambassador to Germany, "We did not come here for a lesson in democracy. Those times are over."

Source: International Herald, September 21, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-09/21/content_12087947.htm

Briefings | | October 8, 2009 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Apple Daily: At the Celebration Jiang Zemin Showed He Is Still Powerful

Secret China republished an article from Apple Daily stating that, at the 60th anniversary celebration of the communist regime, Jiang Zemin, who retired from the top leadership position many years ago and holds no official title, showed he still has great power. It might indicate that there are two power centers in China.

Jiang came right after Hu Jintao when the top leaders came to Tiananmen tower, ahead of all the other eight current Politburo Standing Committee members. The CCTV’s direct broadcast showed Jiang 22 times, fewer than Hu, but much more than any other Politburo members. Xinhua’s report published a picture of Hu alone, then two pictures of Hu and Jiang together inspecting the parade.

Source: Secret China, October 5, 2009
http://www.secretchina.com/news/313651.html

Briefings | | October 7, 2009 | Government/Politics

RFI: China Blocked Tens of Thousands of Web Sites

The Chinese government has blocked tens of thousands of web sites that mainly host personal videos, as well as site access means that foreign reporters widely use when they bypass the Chinese government’s technical control. According to Reporters Without Borders (RWB), this has been a nightmare for a lot of Chinese netizens, because Facebook and Twitter are both blocked – along with a large number of blogs. The authorities conducted a comprehensive security control operation, which included security checks on around 4500 reporters from 108 countries.

Source: Radio France International, September 30, 2009
http://www.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/117/article_16471.asp

Briefings | | October 7, 2009 | Information/Technology

Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.

CCP, Master of Hostage Diplomacy