Chinascope – Page 1246

Google Was Set up and Yielded Once Again

Epoch Times reported that, in an effort to justify the forced use of Internet filter software, China used faked evidence against Google and even shut down Google China for a few hours. On June 18, the host of the popular prime time show, “Focus Report,” on state-run CCTV demonstrated that a large number of pornography terms could be found in a Google search. On June 25, network traffic analysts found that a week before the CCTV program, some people had deliberately searched lots of pornography terms on Google. The daily pornography terms search rose 5950 percent, in a linear fashion as opposed to a smooth curve that would occur in normal situations. Those searches came from Beijing. Netizens also found out that the student who appeared on the "Focus Report" program accusing Google China of linking to pornography information was actually an intern for CCTV’s “Focus Report” program.

As a result, Google was forced to stop the suggestion and translation features on Google China, which had given it a competitive advantage over some other search engines operating in China. Those features also made it easy for individuals inside mainland China at least to see links that the government had blocked. There is also a report that Google China agreed to install server filtering software (the so called server version of the "Green Dam" filtering software) on its servers.

Source:
[1] Epoch Times, June 29, 2009
http://epochtimes.com/gb/9/6/29/n2572846.htm
[2] Epoch Times, July 8, 2009
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/19317/

Briefings | | July 20, 2009 | Information/Technology

Xinhua: The Beijing Police Target Gangsters

Xinhua reported that, in order to create an absolutely secure environment during the 60th anniversary celebration of the Communist Regime, on June 30, Beijing Police initiated a 60-day Operation, “Frightening Thunder.” The operation employs a large number of police in plain clothes, to target gangsters in entertainment facilities (though normally the police protect gangsters, the police operation serves the higher political purpose of protecting the security of the 60th anniversary celebration – Ed). Xinhua reported that, in 10 days, the Beijing police solved 1519 criminal cases, arrested 1095 suspects and cracked down on 51 gangster groups.

Source:
[1] Xinhua, July 1, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2009-07/01/content_11630725.htm
[2] Xinhua, July 15, 2009
http://bj.xinhuanet.com/bjpd_bjzq/2009-07/15/content_17102396.htm

Briefings | | July 20, 2009 | Government/Politics

China News Agency: The US Has Responsibility for the Situation in North Korea

Regarding internantional questions of whether China had been enforcing the economic punishment of North Korea according to UN Security Council resolution 1874, China News Agency countered that the reasons of the development of the North Korea issue up to today are comprehensive. It is completely irresponsible to pass the buck to China. According to Chinese experts’ opinions, when China tried to resolve the situation, some countries played a contrary role. “For the situation in North Korea to come to today’s point, the United States has certain responsibilities. Japan announced that North Korea is a hostile country… The Japanese media highly exaggerated the ‘North Korea threat theory.’… Since Lee Myung-Bak, President of South Korea, took office, he has taken a hard-line policy on North Korea… These factors have led to the deterioration of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.”

Source: China News Agency, June 26, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gj/gj-fxpl/news/2009/06-26/1751297.shtml

Briefings | | July 20, 2009 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Study Times: From Financial Security to National Security

Financial security is a matter of national security to China, according to Study Times. An instability in the financial system may ultimately lead to a social political crisis. “Loss of financial control means loss of control of the economy.” “By building a financial security network, we can guard against the technical attack of financial risks to China’s financial security, strengthen public confidence in China’s financial security, and safeguard our financial stability and financial security.”

Source: Study Times, July 13, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2790&nid=10103&bid=10&page=1

Briefings | | July 17, 2009 | Economy/Resources

Qiushi: Hu Jintao’s Instruction to Military on Safety and Stability

Qiushi Journal published an article by Fang Fenghui, the Commander of the Beijing Military Area Command, on studying President Hu Jintao’s instruction on using the military to maintain social stability. Some of Hu’s instructions are quoted as: “Development is the hard truth, the number one mission; stability is the hard mission, the number one responsibility. Development is achievement, maintaining stability is also achievement.” “(We) must always take it as a critical mission for the military to maintain society’s stability.” The Military should “consciously follow the big picture, to actively contribute to the steady and fast economic development and the harmonious and stable society (of the nation).”

Fang stated that in the past, the PLA has been a critical force during political turmoil and offered strong safety protection in complex situations, and thus has become the most reliable force of the Party when dealing with a crisis.

Source: Qiushi Journal, the 13th issue of 2009, published on July 1, 2009
http://www.qsjournal.com.cn/qs/20090701/GB/qs%5E506%5E0%5E19.htm

Briefings | | July 16, 2009 | Defense/Military

Central Military Committee Modifies the Sergeant System

The Central Military Committee recently published “The Revolution Plan to Deepen the Sergeant System” for the military and armed police. Out of the seven areas of reform, two are to increase the intellectual level of the soldiers. The first one is that, while keeping the total number of military staff unchanged, the number of sergeants will be increased to 900,000 and the increase will be allocated primarily for those with high-tech specialties. The fourth one is to increase the number of direct recruits from college graduates and recruit them as sergeants.

Source: Xinhua, July 13, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-07/13/content_11699069.htm

Briefings | | July 16, 2009 | Defense/Military

From the Authorities: Praise Both Mao’s Era and the Current Time

According to Xinhua, as the media increases its coverage of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Communist China, “some politically sensitive issues are surfacing.” It is a convention to separate the 60 years of the communist regime into the first 30 years (Mao Zedong’s era, with strong ideological control and poor economic development, but little corruption and social problems) versus the second 30 years (the Revolution and Opening up era, with strong economic growth but uncontrollable corruption and social problems). Xinhua stated that the authorities have informed the media that they should not use the first 30 years to belittle the second 30 years, and vice versa. Reports should use each period to justify the other one.

Also, each of the 30 years has its own theoretical basis. The Mao Zedong Thought vs. the Chinese Characteristic of Socialism (and they are in nature different from each other). According to the Party’s Central Committee’s request, reports should handle well the relationship between the two theories. The top leader has instructed that in-depth research should be done to find the connection between the two.

Source: Xinhua, July 13, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-07/13/content_11700924.htm

Briefings | | July 16, 2009 | Government/Politics

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”