Chinascope – Page 1203

State Council Enhancing Consumer Spending Stimulus Policies

The Chinese State Council Executive Meeting held on December 9 came up with several policies designed to stimulating consumer spending: (1) Continuing of the policy of "Home Appliances to the Countryside"; (2) Extending the "Automobiles to the Countryside" project through the end of next year; (3) Continuing the "Home Appliances Replacement project"; (4) Increasing the subsidies to farm machinery purchases; (5) Expanding the scope of the "Energy Savers’ Project"; (6) Extending the reduction of the sales tax on cars below 1.6 liters; (7) Extending the waiver of business taxes on "individual housing transfers" from 2 years to 5 years; and (8) Deferring various insurance payments by companies with financial difficulties.

Source: Xinhua, December 9, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-12/09/content_12619143.htm

Briefings | | December 16, 2009 | Economy/Resources

Bank of China Enhancing Research on New Industries

Xiao Gang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Board Chairman of the Bank of China, recently advised that the bank is enhancing the research of strategic new industries. It will also support the development of a "low carbon economy." Xiao pointed out that the Bank of China should optimize the structure of its loans to be positively in line with the restructuring process of the economy. Its research is aimed at new financial products and service models. Mr. Gang also commented on the needed improvements in personal financial services, integrated domestic and international business, and risk management.

Source: Xinhua, December 7, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2009-12/07/content_12606158.htm

Briefings | | December 16, 2009 | Economy/Resources

China Establishing Energy Resources Committee

The Economic Observer Newspaper recently reported that the State Council is forming a committee to oversee all Chinese energy resources related management issues. The pending government body has been named the "National Energy Resources Committee." The director of this committee is likely to be a deputy prime minister or a state councilor. Members of the committee will come from the National Development & Reform Commission, National Energy Administration, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Environmental Protection and State Administration of Quality and Technical Supervision. The move comes as a result of past poor coordination of various government branches that have a say in energy policies.

Source: Economic Observer Newspaper, December 14, 2009
http://www.eeo.com.cn/Politics/beijing_news/2009/12/13/157999.shtml

Briefings | | December 16, 2009 | Government/Politics

Liu Yandong: Foreign Affairs Education Must Serve the Interests of the Party

On December 10, 2009, Liu Yandong, a member of the CCP Central Committee Political Bureau and a State Councilor, gave a speech at the 2009 National Foreign Affairs Education Conference, Xinhua reported.

Liu pointed out that the work of foreign affairs education, as part of diplomatic foreign affairs, must serve the overall interests of the Party and the country and make contributions to the building of China’s socialist and modernized education system.

The work of foreign affairs education must strengthen the communication and cooperation between Chinese schools and foreign schools, send Chinese students to study abroad, invite foreigners to study in China, recruit Chinese professionals from overseas, and promote Chinese language education internationally.

Source: Xinhua, December 10, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-12/10/content_12625217.htm

Briefings | | December 15, 2009 | Government/Politics

Wen Jiabao: Strategically, Comprehensively, and Stably Enhance China-Europe Relations

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said on November 30, 2009, that development of the current situation requires that China and Europe enhance China-EU relations strategically, comprehensively, and stably. Wen made the speech at the 12th China-EU summit in Nanjing on November 30, 2009, according to Xinhua. Wen Jiabao, Swedish Prime Minister Reinfeldt and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hosted the summit.

Source: Xinhua, November 30, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-11/30/content_12563412.htm

Briefings | | December 15, 2009 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Ta Kung Pao: China’s Spy Gate Incidents Generated by the U.S. Cold War Mentality

On November 11, 2009, Ta Kung Pao, a Hong Kong and Shenzhen based Chinese newspaper that supports the CCP, published an article about the Chinese espionage hazards to U.S. security. According to the article, the United States uses it cold war mentality to belittle China’s international achievements and damage China’s national image by using China’s “Spy Gate” incidents.

The article further points out that the “spy gate” incidents won’t damage China’s national image. The biggest obstacle to China’s rise is that the international community has not accepted China’s voice. China must increase its international power to make its voice heard since its rise needs both hard power and soft power.

Source: Ta Kung Pao, November 11, 2009
http://www.takungpao.com/news/09/11/30/LTB-1179571.htm

Briefings | | December 15, 2009 | US-China Relations

Stability Preserving Office to Intensify Internet News Control

In a recent Internet News Media Training Class held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO), Deputy Director Xia Chenghua of the Stability Preservation Office under the CCP’s Central Committee gave a speech on the Current Status of Preserving Stability and the Requirement for Internet Propaganda.

Xia listed the categories of unrest that are the main challenges to stability: corporate restructuring, housing demolition and resettlement, rural land acquisition, veterans affairs, abnormal petitions, and criminal activities. The CCP’s Central Committee order: “Treat the veterans nicely to prevent them from being used by enemy forces.” Xia vowed to send “abnormal petitioners” to labor camps and severely punish core members.

Xia asked to step up Internet news control, viewing the widespread Internet usage as a challenge. Zhai Huisheng, the Party secretary of the All China Journalists’ Association, demanded that the Internet media "adhere to the Party principles." Vice Chief of SCIO’s Internet Bureau, Peng Bo, told commercial websites to "unify their thoughts and emphasize their politics."

Source: Radio France International, December 10, 2009
http://www.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/120/article_18016.asp

Briefings | | December 14, 2009 | Information/Technology

Huanqiu Comments on German Nationality, Advocates Export of Values

A recent Huanqiu article analyzed German netizens’ responses to a Der Spiegel report about the German government’s investigation of four Chinese spy suspects. The state media believed that Der Spiegel was “inducing” the German public to criticize the Chinese government. Although readers did not react as expected, Germans may not be “tired of the media’s anti-China attitude,” added Huanqiu.

Said Zhu Yutong, Huanqiu’s reporter in Germany, “The honeymoon period when Western media praise China for favors may be gone forever.… Now China is strong; they cannot control it – at least economically. They need to find a political, moral, and psychological high ground. As long as China remains so strong that any noise cannot disturb it (China), this voice will weaken, as if they had surrendered.” “Germany is bullying the weak and fearing the strong.”

Zhu added, “China should, with the language and approaches that they understand, export its own values. It is a new challenge.”

Source: Huanqiu, December 2, 2009

http://world.huanqiu.com/roll/2009-12/648857.html

Briefings | | December 14, 2009 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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

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

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