The China National School of Administration plans to build a national training base for officials to deal with sudden or disastrous incidents. The training will most likely target the officials including those at the county level. It will last five to seven days and will use eight to ten typical cases so that the officials will have an overall understanding in handling emergency incidents.

According to the 2005 Social Blue Book, China’s mass incidents grew from 10,000 to 60,000 between 1993 and 2003, with the number of participants increasing from 730,000 to 3.07 million. In 2008, mass incidents took place in Wenan of Guizhou Province, Longnan of Ganshu Province, and Menlian of Yunnan Province. On June 25, 2009, the party secretary of Shishou city of Hubei Province was dismissed for his failure in handling a mass incident.

Source: Nanfang Daily, July 31, 2009
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/nfjx/200907310004.asp

Radio Free Asia reported that Chinese scholars had shown that the highest per capita income in mainland China was 55 times the lowest. The difference is much higher than the officially published figures. Scholars believe that corruption is the reason for such a wide gap. It is the result of an ill-conceived system, and of the "gray" income to special groups [that is, income in the form of bribes — Ed.]. The wealth gap causes widespread dissatisfaction among the members of the public and poses the biggest threat to a harmonious society and sustainable economic development.

Source: Radio Free Asia, July 28, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shouru-07282009104520.html

In the aftermath of the July 5 crackdown on Uyghur protests in Xinjiang, the State Council issued a notice calling for further development of minority culture in order to “promote national unity” and “common prosperity and development.” It claimed that “the party and the State have always attached great importance and concern to the cause of minority culture.” The notice asks that cognizant laws and regulations be put in place and that the Party’s leadership of minority cultural development be strengthened.

Source: Xinhua, July 23, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-07/23/content_11762069.htm