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China Battles Extreme Weather Conditions

Xinhua published a series of front page articles calling on all levels of regions and government bodies to be on guard against the extreme weather condition. In recent months, China has been hit by stormy and rainy weather in the south and extreme heat in the north. China Daily reported that as of July 5, 75 people had died, 13 were missing, and 39 million people were affected by the flooding in the south.

On Monday July 6, the China Ministry of Finance announced a 170 million yuan emergency fund for the southern regions, including 13 provinces that had suffered from the flood. The article calls on the regions to take the responsibility and cooperate with each other to ensure “winning the battle against the flood.”

Source:
[1] China Daily, July 6, 2009
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/zgzx/2009-07/06/content_8380361.htm
[2] Xinhua, July 8, 2009
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/szch/20090708/

Central Propaganda Department Censors Key Words in Internet Searches on Urumqi City Riot

On July 6, the Central Propaganda Department issued an emergency order to all major Internet sites to list "Urumqi City Riot" and its related words as sensitive information which must be filtered when conducting keyword searches online.

Fearing the further development of the Urumqi City Riot, the Central Propaganda Department specifically required all media agencies to follow and be consistent with the reporting done by Xinhua and People’s Daily. "The content should focus on the "crimes committed by East Turkistan so the Chinese people can know its true nature." the order stated.

Source: Radio Free Asia, July 7, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/internet_xinjiang-07072009113426.html?encoding=simplified

Central Party School: Five “Cancers”

The International Strategic Research Center of the CCP Central Party School recently published a research paper discussing five major serious social problems the Party now faces. The so-called five “cancers” are: the conflict between efficiency and fairness, the disproportionate development in different geographic areas, the conflict between economic development and environmental protection, the conflict between the economy and available resources, and the lack of social integrity and credibility.

The paper indicated the Reform between 1979 and 1993 was a “win-win” for all groups in society, while the one since 1994 has not been. A portion of society has been turned into “losers.” With the five “cancers,” society may enter an era of turbulence and setbacks.

Source: Secret China, July 2, 2009.
http://www.secretchina.com/news/299484.html

Xinhua: Chinese Blueprint for Space Commerce

Outlook Weekly, a magazine by Xinhua News, published an article on the expansion of the Chinese Space Technology Group. The Group currently has four bases. In addition to the Beijing Base and Chengdu Base, the Shanghai Base focuses on solar cells, composite materials and mechanical & electrical equipments. The Xi An Base focuses on space equipment manufacturing and special technologies.

Four more bases have been added to the Group. The Tianjin Base focuses on spacecraft, environmental protection, and unmanned aircraft. The Inner Mongolia Base focuses on polycrystalline silicon and space biology. The Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Base focuses on microsatellite, and mechanical & electrical equipment. The Hainan Base focuses on launching sites, conferences & exhibitions, and science education.

Source: Outlook Weekly, June 22, 2009.
http://news.sohu.com/20090622/n264683019.shtml

Xinhua: ADB Loan Intensified the Dispute between China and India

The International Herald Leader, under Xinhua News Agency, reported from Beijing and Manila that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has protested the loan that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) decided to provide to India. The Ministry criticized ADB’s involvement in a border dispute among member countries. The disputed area is between India and China, which India calls the Arunachal Pradesh and China calls the South Tibet area.

The report also criticized Indian media for declaring China was its enemy. However the report mentioned the leadership and military of India remained univolved, as the two countries are trying to improve cooperation. The ADB Board approved document is not yet final.

Source: International Herald Leader, June 22, 2009.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-06/22/content_11580169.htm

Beijing Uses Force to Crack Down on Uyghur Protesters

Nearly 10,000 ethnic Uyghur protesters gathered in front of the Urumqi City government, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on Sunday, July 5. The government responded with riot police and tanks, using machine guns to kill and injure thousands. The protest spread to Kashgar, the second-largest city in Xinjiang. The government has sent 30,000 riot police to major cities in Xinjiang.

The Chinese government reported 140 deaths and 828 injuries on July 6; on July 7, it revised the numbers to 156 dead and 1080 injured. The spokesperson of the World Uyghur Congress said the true numbers are much higher and that most victims are Uyghurs killed by gun fire. He also accused the Chinese government of attempting to distort the conflict between the ethnic Uyghurs and Beijing as a conflict between Uyghurs and the Han people.

After taking control of the city, the Chinese government opened Urumqi to foreign reporters, intending to show the Uyghur mobs and Han victims. More than 100 reporters have gone to Urumqi since July 6. An official tour backfired when journalists crossed the street to talk to Uyghurs. Beijing’s one-sided story stirred up so much animosity toward the Han people that the rioting constinued on July 7.

The originally Uyghur protest was held to express dissatisfaction with the government’s improper handling of the June 26 incident at a toy factory in Shaoguan City, Guangdong Provice. A disgruntled, unemployed worker had started a false rumor on-line that six males from Xinjiang had sexually assaulted two girls at the toy factory. Uyghur workers were accused of the raping Han workers, which led to a bloody clash between the Uyghur and Han workers, causing 79 Uyghur injuries and 2 Uyghur deaths.

Source:
[1] Epoch Times, July 7, 2009
http://epochtimes.com/gb/9/7/7/n2581460.htm
[2] BBC Chinese, July 7, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_8130000/newsid_8138000/8138098.stm
[3] Deutsche Welle, July 7, 2009
http://www.deutsche-welle.de/dw/article/0,,4462185,00.html
[4] BBC Chinese, June 27, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_8120000/newsid_8122100/8122109.stm

Global Times: U.S. Has a Different Kind of Military Parade

To justify the upcoming large-scale military parade on October 1, 2009, the 60th anniversary of the Chinese Communist regime, Global Times published the article, “U.S. Has a Different Kind of ‘Military Parade." The article argued that there are three reasons for the U.S. not have a large military parade to celebrate its national day. One, the U.S. is very concerned about the military’s involvement in domestic politics so it limits the military’s influence in domestic politics and social activities. Two, the U.S. would rather demonstrate its power via real war than a military parade. “Three, U.S. has a unique way of expressing patriotism from other nations.” Namely, “On major holidays, especially Independence Day and Pearl Harbor Day, all levels of the government, including the Federal government, State, County, City, and Town will hold military parades and the participants are retired veterans.” Besides, on all major holidays, the military will participate in the public parades. That’s the U.S.’s own kind of “military parade.” 

Source: Global Times, June 22, 2009 
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2736&nid=9920&bid=12&page=1

China Is Behind on Concepts of Governing by Law

Xinhua published an article titled “Six Concepts to Change in Order to Deepen the Construction of Governing by Law.” It lists six deficiencies in governing by law and argues that these concepts need to be changed: first, from the current approach of creating social change by non-legal means to administering by law; second, from simple pursuit of economic growth to the whole society’s development; third, from focusing on the government construction to focusing on the national economy and the people’s well-being; fourth, from simply pursuing administrative efficiency to pursuing the equality of efficiency and fairness, while putting more weight on social justice; fifth, from rigid management to service-orientated governance; and sixth, from focusing on development and utilization of natural resources to focusing on the sustainable development of society.

Source: Xinhua, Jun 25, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-06/25/content_11597222.htm