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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

Study Times: The BRICs’ Impact on the World

Study Times published an article entitled “How to See the BRICs Leaders’ First Official Summit” regarding the BRICs first official summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia on July 16. The article stated that the "Four (BRICs) countries’ economic development models were unique. There was tremendous potential in the economic and trade cooperation (between them)." The article stated that the “BRICs” summit among China, India, Pakistan and Russia was a practical action for the four countries to seek a breakthrough in the direction according to the current international market pattern. The four countries’ cooperation would help the whole world get rid of the international market, which was controlled firmly by the United states and other Western developed countries and get out of the “US Dollar Hegemony Era,” whose representative was the United States. 

Source: Study Times, June 22, 2009 
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=0&id=2728&bid=2

Water Shortage Threatens China

Floods, draught and severe water pollution will be the three constraints for China, Study Times observes. “China’s water resources total 2.8 trillion cubic meters, ranking No. 6 in the world, but the per capita water resource is only 2,200 cubic meters, about 30% of the world average.” “The water shortage amounts to 40 billion cubic meters. Nearly two-thirds of the cities suffer from insufficient water resources. On average drought disasters hit 2.3 million mu of agriculture land [1 mu = 0.165 acre] every year.” The article concludes that China is highly eco-environmentally vulnerable.

Source: Study Times, June 22, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=0&id=2727&bid=1

U.S.- Indian Policy Targets China

The International Herald Leader under Xinhua reported, when commenting on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s announcement of a “US-India 3.0” relationship, that government think tanks have published that the U.S. is improving its relationship with India in order to contain China, .

The article of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences states, “The China factor is very obvious” in the 2005 ‘New Framework in the India-U.S. Defense Relationship’ between the United States and India. “Both countries feel an inexplicable but obvious insecurity toward the growth of China.” The article cites U.S. media on China’s building a nuclear submarine in Sanya, Hainan, Indian and western media on China’s involvement in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port, and on Chinese naval ships escorting merchant ships in the Indian Ocean earlier this year.

Source: International Herald Leader, June 22, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-06/22/content_11580302.htm

China Warns against US Protectionism

Xinhua observed that the United States is increasing trade friction with its recent WTO case against China over its export restrictions on raw materials. It is the first case during the Obama administration and the European Union is joining the United States in the action, noted Xinhua.
 
"As the two largest trading nations, it is normal to have trade friction. However, a series of trade frictions will damage bilateral trade relations." "Although a trade war would be a lose-lose for all, still, China should not allow the United States continue to discriminate against Chinese products."

Source: Xinhua, June 25, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2009-06/25/content_11596474.htm

Ming Pao: China’s Tax and Spending Dilemma

Hong Kong based Ming Pao reported on June 28 that the latest Chinese statistics showed the government has less income from tax but is spending more. The government’s official response is to reduce spending on car purchases, receptions, officials’ visits (tours) of other countries, and construction of government buildings. However, given the massive corruption in China, it is impossible to control the government’s spending. The other option is to increase taxes, but that also presents big challenges, as the government promised the public that it would reduce the tax burden to stimulate the economy’s growth. Therefore, the government is trapped.

Source: Ming Pao, June 28, 2009
http://specials.mingpao.com/cfm/News.cfm?SpecialsID=20&News=8a449547606c739b9a24c44c2ebb40919b1dd5c4a23f11a0a804595d2eb7