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China May Discount J10 Fighter Plane

Eastday Website, the largest portal site in Shanghai, reported that China is likely to sell its J10 fighter plane on the international weaponry market at a discount. The Eastday report is based on a report from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Eastday Website is partially owned by state-owned enterprises. The Rajaratnam School report stated that most of China’s weapon offerings lack technical competitiveness. Its buyers are limited to a few developing countries. To expand its weaponry sales, China may offer its J10 fighter jet at a discount. J10’s performance is similar to Israel’s Lavi fighter jet or the U.S. F-16C. Pakistan and Iran are likely to be the buyers of the J10.

Source, Eastday Website, June 5, 2009
http://mil.eastday.com/m/20090605/u1a4416686.html

Qiu Shi: Globalization, Financial Crisis and International Cooperation

Qiu Shi, a magazine by CCP Central Committee, published an article on global economies by Professor Zhang Boli, a member of the Administrative Council of the CCP Central Party School. The article suggested that the solution to the global financial crisis is international cooperation. Aspects of the suggested cooperation include: establishing a healthy global economic and financial system; restraining protectionism; enhancing financial supervision and control; reforming the international currency system; and strengthening regional economic cooperation.

Source: Qiu Shi, June 1, 2009.
http://www.qsjournal.com.cn/qs/20090601/GB/qs%5E504%5E0%5E26.htm

China News: Calling for Chinese Oil Futures for the Power of Setting International Oil Price

China News, a state owned and internationally oriented Chinese news agency, recently reported on the idea of having Chinese oil futures. The Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Deputy Mayor of Shanghai delivered speeches that indicated the State Council intended to introduce crude oil, gasoline, diesel and asphalt futures at the Shanghai Futures Exchange. The Exchange has been pushing the oil futures for quite some time and the system is ready. However, the Chinese oil industry is highly centralized and the related oil companies are not willing to give up the pricing monopoly. Another major barrier is foreign exchange control, which prevents international players from participating in the commodity trade.

Source: China News, June 2, 2009.
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/cj/cj-gncj/news/2009/06-04/1719401.shtml

Deutsche Welle: CCP Structural Change – College Graduates Join the Party to Get Better Jobs

Deutsche Welle recently published a digest article based on a report by Friday Weekly – a Hong Kong based magazine. The report focused on female college graduates who are applying for Communist Party membership. The students believed that the structure of the Party is changing due to the fact that 30% – 50% of students apply for Party membership. Although the students generally find the Party’s theories very boring, they are interested in better job opportunities. The Party welcomes young idealists with outstanding academic records and leadership capabilities – though the students are often just acting to demonstrate these qualities.

Source: Deutsche Welle
http://www.deutsche-welle.de/dw/article/0,4307287,00.html

Employment Challenge for College Graduates

Xinhua republished an article from China Youth, which states that as of June 4, only 2.75 million college graduates, 45% of the total number of graduates this year, have received job offers. To ease the unemployment pressure, the government is creating basic level positions in the countryside, remote towns, and less-developed areas and encouraging the graduates to go there.

Source: Xinhua, June 5, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-06/05/content_11489469.htm

Study Times: Regionalizing RMB will Promote Asian Economies

On June 1, 2009 the Study Times wrote that China should push Reminbi regionalization starting from border trade settlements and direct investment in neighboring countries. Study Times is the journal of the School of the CCPC. The article believes that this step is the key to Asian economy. In doing so, “China should leverage the existing bilateral currency settlement agreements with Korea, Hong Kong and Malaysia to further deepen and expand RMB cooperation in the region. Moreover, China should take advantage of financial markets in Hong Kong in engaging in RMB offshore business, thus making Hong Kong the hub for distribution of RMB to neighboring countries.”

Source: Study Times, June 1, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2685&nid=9756&bid=4&page=1

Retired Military Officers Fight for Their Rights

China Human Rights Defenders reported that for the past few years, a total of 10,110 Corp or Division Rank Retired Cadres have jointly signed petition letters to the Central Military Commission, requesting that the problems of housing and other issues of unfair treatment of the 60,000 Corp or Division Rank Retired Cadres be solved. Many of them also went to Beijing to petition. Retired military cadres and soldiers have become a significant part of the defense of rights in China. Their defense of their rights takes various forms: 1. Open petition letters; 2. Demands for political reform, defending human rights, justice, a respect for life, and, in addition, requests for the same treatment as the soldiers on active duty; 3. Electing representatives for a dialog with military officials; 4. A vote allowing the deposing of current officials; 5. Direct resistance actions; and 6. Gathering petitions.

Recently, there have been demands for nationalization of the military. The Chinese Communist Party has been trying hard to suppress the demand. It also uses such methods as promotions, better benefits, or even allows military officers on active duty to be corrupt. However, it ignores the retired officers.

Source: China Human Rights Defenders, May 25, 2009
http://crd-net.org/Article/Class53/200905/20090525123046_15570.html

China Emphasizes Maintaining Stability during the Tiananmen 20 Year Anniversary

The Hong Kong China News Agency reported that all mainland media remained mute during the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre. Chinese officials promoted maintaining social stability (Editor’s Note: that translates as no protests or petitions) to keep June 4 quiet. The report listed a few examples:

At end of the May, Liu Qi, Beijing City Party Secretary went to the Beijing West Train Station to check the implementation of the “maintaining stability” work there. On June 2, Zhang Gaoli, Tianjin City Party Secretary said that maintaining stability is a top priority and challenged the Tianjin officials to  make Tianjin the “safest” area in China. On May 31 and June 1, Wang Yang, the Party Secretary of Guangdong Province visited the maintaining stability pilot center for the township’s comprehensive appeals offices and stated that stability is the number one responsibility (for the government).

Source: Hong Kong China News Agency, June 4, 2009
http://www.hkcna.hk/content/2009/0604/13817.shtml