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HK Mirror: Chinese Military Reorganization

The HK monthly magazine Mirror reported recently that the Chinese military is planning a reorganization to divide China into four strategic regions instead of the current seven military zones. Each strategic region will be controlled by a “mini” central military committee that consists of a joint central command and the secretaries of the provincial committees of the Party in the region. The reform plan iincludes changes in some military ranks. Senior Colonel will be replaced by Brigadier General, and the number of generals will increase.

Source: HK Mirror, July 2009.
http://dailynews.sina.com/gb/chn/chnoverseamedia/cna/20090729/0316519118.html

Xinhua: China Should Have More Say on Global Pricing

Xinhua reported that the Deputy of the Development and Reform Commission, Ren Pengseng, said at the China Price Forum that China should fight for more say on the pricing of bulk commodities on the global market.

Ren claimed that the Chinese economy started recovering this year, but the recovery is not reliable and the pressure of structural adjustments is mounting up. Liquidity is ample and the level of prices tends to increase. In order to improve the price control and adjustment system, it is important to enhance monitoring and reserving mechanisms and price adjustment funds.

Source: Xinhua, July 30, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-07/30/content_11800355.htm

500 Attended Public Security Bureau Spokesperson Training Classes

From July 26 through July 30, close to 500 people attended the training class held for the spokespersons of the Public Security Bureau at the Chinese People’s Public Security University. This training was another large scale centralized training session held by the Public Security Bureau following a similar session for 3000 county level Public Security Bureau Directors and 400 city level Secretaries of the Discipline Inspection Commission.

Meng Jianzhu, Minister of Public Security, spoke at the closing ceremony of the training session. He stressed the importance for the attendees to fully understand the unprecedented challenges that threaten social stability. He said there is a need to improve the “spokesperson system." Whenever an unexpected event takes place, the spokesperson should immediately come forward and publicize first hand information.  According to Meng, the spokesperson should “always put political work as the first priority. They need to be mentally equipped with the (Party’s) theory of persistency on the socialist path with Chinese characteristics; constantly improve their own political capability, and fully understand and exercise the Party’s instructions and policies.”

Source: Legal Daily, August 1, 2009
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0801/2009-08/01/content_1131716.htm

China County-Level Officials to Train for Sudden, Mass Uprisings and Disasters

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

People’s Daily Publishes Tibetan Language Edition

On August 1, People’s Daily published its Tibetan language edition. This will be the first Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper published in a minority language, People’s Daily reported. The publishing of the Tibetan language edition is to “carry the Party’s voice to tens of thousands of Tibetan households and enhance its media influence.”  According to People’s Daily, it also has the significance to “spread the Party’s philosophy, directions, and policies… (for People’s Daily) to seize the position of being the propaganda landmark in Tibet… and take control in the media war.”

Source: People’s Daily, August 1, 2009
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/9770748.html

China’s Per Capita Income Gap: 55 Times in Difference

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

Central News Agency: The Corruption in Chinese Business World Is Forced

The Central News Agency reported that China palms corruption chaos off on multi-national corporations. In fact, Western companies had been forced to submit to the Chinese system of corruption. Peter Navarro, a professor at the School of Business at UC Irvine, said, “In China, because of corruption, multi-national corporations are in a dilemma. Corruption in China has become a part of people’s lives.” Gordon Chang, author of The Coming Collapse of China, believes that Western companies’ submission is rooted in the Chinese Communist Party. He said, “I think in China, large-scale transactions have indeed been full of corruption and the small-scale transactions have been in the same situation. Unfortunately, the Western companies have had to do that also. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) originally designed the system and hasn’t taken measures to deal with corruption."

Source: Central News Agency, July 26, 2009
http://www.cna.com.tw/SearchNews/doDetail.aspx?id=200907260169

China Negotiated with Russia in Vain on Market Closure

From July 22 to 25, Deputy Minister Gao Hucheng led a Chinese Commerce and Trade Group to visit Moscow to discuss Russia’s closure of the Moscow market that many Chinese merchants used for small commodity trades. In June, the Russian authorities claimed that the Chinese merchandise did not go properly through Russian customs, so they suddenly closed the market and confiscated over over 15 billion yuan of goods, leaving more than 60,000 Chinese merchants with nothing.

After the negotations, China and Russia reached agreement on three points: 1. Both sides will further develop the strategic partnership with each other. 2. Both sides will further develop the commerce and trade between each other. 3. Both sides will resolve the closure of the large commodity market through friendly negotiation.

Ed – The Chinese merchants imported their goods into Russia through "gray customs," using the common practice of bribing Russian customs officials. There is no material result in the agreement that would help the merchants to get back their confiscated goods.

Source: Embassy of China in Russia
http://ru.china-embassy.org/chn/sgxw/t575204.htm