Skip to content

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

Read More ...

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

Read More ...

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

Read More ...

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

Read More ...

Beijing Lawyers Association Denies License Renewal to Rights Lawyers

A number of rights lawyers in Beijing have been denied renewed law licenses during the annual license review conducted by the Beijing Lawyers Association. The rights lawyers stated that the charter of the Beijing Lawyers Association only provides for regular reviews, not annual reviews, and that if the Beijing Lawyers Association continues acting outside its charter, the rights lawyers will move for removal of its leadership. Staff from the Beijing Lawyers Association stated that the Beijing Bureau of Justice had authorized them to conduct annual reviews.

Source: Voice of America, June 17, 2009
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2009-06-17-voa42.cfm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Beijing Denies Bloggers Aliases

Beijing News reported on June 17 that Beijing is taking several Internet control measures. All Web site owners, editors, and bloggers need to provide their real names when registering. By the end of this year, Beijing will establish a ten-thousand volunteer Internet patrol team to monitor websites. All websites with permits for publication of audio-visual programs through the Internet or other information networks will go through information review, publication management, recording, and retaining processes. The Beijing Public Security Department will develop Internet filtering software for computers at Internet Cafes, schools, and in the home.

Source: Beijing News, June 17, 2009
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/beijing/2009/06-17/008@021703.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Nanfang Weekends: Revamp China Nuclear War Strategy, Because U.S. and Russia Are “Attack First”

Nanfang Weekends published several articles arguing that China should change its strategy of using nuclear weapons. It reported that China is surrounded by “Nuclear Superpowers” and “Nuclear Small Powers.” These countries have encircled China with a total of 22,500 nuclear war heads. China’s military strategic experts have a consensus on war tactics once a nuclear war starts, but there have been many debates over China’s overall nuclear weapons strategy. China’s current position, as stated in the 2008 China Defense White Book, is “limited retaliation.” But as other nuclear superpowers keep adjusting their nuclear war strategy, for example, both the U.S. and Russia’s strategies are “attack first” now, China should reassess its strategy.

Source: Nanfang Weekends, June 17, 2009
http://www.infzm.com/content/30216
http://www.infzm.com/content/30218

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

International Herald: U.S. Didn’t Expect a Color Change in Iran

The International Herald, a newspaper under the Xinhua News Agency, published an article on June 22 stating that U.S. didn’t have much hope for a “Green Revolution” in Iran in the first place. “Was the U.S. tired of the games of changing ‘colors’ for other countries? Of course not. The U.S. has other reasons for not starting a ‘Green Revolution’ in Iran.”

First, “Washington has been fully retreating from the Middle East.” “Under the strategy of avoiding conflict and seeking peace, the U.S. would not rashly test the waters in Iran.” “Second, even if Obama wanted to change the color in Iran, he couldn’t make it happen” because “U.S. has no agents in Iran” and “of course, the empty wallet is another reason.” “Third, there is no reason for the U.S. to have confidence in Mousavi and his ‘reformists.’” “The last reason is a conspiracy theory. Actually the U.S. needs Ahmadinejad more than Mousavi … because the U.S. needs an enemy in the Middle East. Where can it find a ‘better’ enemy than Ahmadinejad?”

Source: International Herald, June 22, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-06/22/content_11580320.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Faces Frequent Leaks of Classified Information

China will increase its classified information system’s security measures, said Xia Yong, head of the National Administration for the Protection of State Secrets (NAPSS), in order to deal with “the grim situation.” The classified information system will provide technical protection to information according to the level of confidentiality of top secret, secret and confidential. The system has set forth tight security rules that must be enforced in the classified information system.

Source: Xinhua, June 22, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-06/22/content_11582833.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China’s Regime to Ensure the Absolute Security of Its National Day Celebrations

Over three thousands representatives of the national security forces met in Beijing on June 23, marking the launch of the security work for the 60th anniversary of China’s National Day on October 1, 2009. "Beijing Public Security is the main security force and has heavy responsibilities," said Wang Anshun, Director of Beijing Public Security Bureau. “We shall take security as our most important number 1 political task, the priority overrides everything else. We will do our utmost to prevent major political incidents, violent and terrorist incidents, and major mass incidents during the National Day period to ensure the absolute security of the National Day celebrations.”

June 23, 2009 was the 100-day countdown to the 60th anniversary of the the Communist regime’s takeover of China.

Source: China News, June 23, 2009 http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2009/06-23/1746182.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Nankang Protest Stopped New Tax Law

On June 15, more than 10,000 people gathered in front of City Hall of Nankang, Jiangxi Province to protest the new law increasing the tax burden on furniture sales, which is the city’s main industry. Right after the protest, under the Party Secretary of Jiangxi Proinvce’s direction, the Nankang city government issued orders to terminate all measures related to the tax law immediately. He announced the decision through radio, television, text message, and the Internet.

Epoch Times pointed out that it is very rare to see the government give in to public opinion so quickly, indicating that the government fears that hte local group event will trigger nationwide turmoil. Nevertheless, on June 22, Jiangxi-China, under the Propaganda Department, Jiangxi Province Party Committee, published an article stating that “it is the people’s voice” to “go after the organizers and planners of the event.”

Source:
[1] Epoch Times, June 17, 2009
http://epochtimes.com/gb/9/6/17/n2560477.htm
[2] Xinhua, June 16, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2009-06/16/content_11552118.htm
[3] Jiangxi-China, June 22, 2009
http://jxnews.jxcn.cn/525/2009-6-22/30108@532266.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China’s Super Think Tank To Seek Financial Independence

In an interview with the People’s Daily, Zhen Xingli, Vice Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE) revealed that CCIEE has formed a grant foundation team with the target of raising 500 million yuan by seeking financial support from corporations and enterprises. CCIEE received 5 million yuan from the Ministry of Finance as its initial funding.

Since its formation three months ago, CCIEE has provided dozens of research papers to the central administration, including topics on green recovery and expansion in exporting channels. On July 3 and 4, CCIEE will host its first "Global Think Tank Summit" in Beijing.

Source: Xinhua, June 18, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-06/18/content_11560072.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics