Chinascope – Page 1254

Xinhua: The Hacker Business: an Industrial Chain in China

The International Herald Leader, a newspaper under the Xinhua News Agency, posted an article stating that the hacker business is an established gray industrial chain China. The article stated, “‘Hacker’ does not necessarily mean ‘wrecker." But the ‘wrecker’ part of the hacker business has become a large-scale industrial chain with more than 200 million yuan in annual income.” The hackers’ industrial chain includes: the “thief hackers,” who steal valuable network information; the “gun sellers,” who sell hacker tools and provide after-sale technical support; the “hired network killers,” who normally use a DDOS approach to attack web sites; and hacker trainers, whose teaching covers the technology of virus and Trojan creation and network attacks. It was said that a typical hacker’ web site can bring at least two to five million yuan annually.

Source: Xinhua, June 12, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-06/12/content_11529888.htm

Briefings | | June 22, 2009 | Information/Technology

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Expert: China’s Urban Development Model Has Reached Its End

Wei Houkai, Deputy Director of the Urban Development and Environment Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stated that the traditional urban development model in China has come to its end and China needs to transition to a new era. Wei listed the following concerns in China’s development model:
1. High growth.
2. High resource consumption – production is generated based on large scale consumption of energy, land, and raw materials.
3. High discharge – the energy cost per unit and waste discharge rate is the highest in the world.
4. Over-development and lack of planning.
5. Disaccord – the gap between the coast area and inland area, and the huge (4 to 6 times) income gap between the urban and the rural areas.

Source: China News Agency, June 15, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/cj/cj-gncj/news/2009/06-15/1734339.shtml

Briefings | | June 22, 2009 | Economy/Resources

China News Agency: China’s Military Expenditures Leaping to “the World’s Second” Is Normal

Many Chinese web sites widely published a China News Agency article defending China’s military spending. The article was based on a Hong Kong Wen Wei Po article. It acknowledged that in 2008 China’s military expenditures had leaped to the world’s second. It then argued, “Internationally, ‘people with their own agenda’ will inevitably create a new wave of ‘China threats.’ However, since China’s GDP will soon surpass Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy, wasn’t it normal that its military expenditures correspondingly move to second position, too?” “In fact, right now China’s military expenditures, compared to the China’s national defense and security needs, are far from being adequate.”

Source: China News, June 15, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/hb/news/2009/06-15/1734256.shtml

Briefings | | June 22, 2009 | Defense/Military

South Korean Military Networks Attacked 95,000 Times This Year

The Global Times under Xinhua reported that a South Korean Defense Security Command release stated that military computer networks had been attacked over 95,000 times this year, a 20% increase over the same period last year. The attacks fell into the following categories: Hacking 10,450 times, spreading a virus 81,700 times, denial of service attacks 950 times, and web page tampering 1,900 times. The South Korean Defense Security Command indicated that the analysis showed that 89% of the attacks were directed at the servers and homepage of military websites and 11% were attempts to steal military intelligence, thus posing a serious threat. South Korean Yonhap News reported that most attacks originated from China and North Korea. Government defense think tanks believe that South Korea’s "Chinese hacker" speculation is a replica or another version of the "China threat theory," reflecting a "cold war mentality."

Source: Global Times, June 16, 2009
http://world.huanqiu.com/roll/2009-06/489959.html

Briefings | | June 19, 2009 | Defense/Military

Xinhua: U.S. Interferes with Tibet through Intelligence, Human Rights and Funding

Intelligence, human rights and economic aid are the three tactics that the U.S. uses to interfere with Tibetan affairs, stated the International Herald Leader under Xinhua on June 15, 2009. On June 10, the U.S. Congress passed House Resolution 2410 authorizing the Secretary of State to establish a Tibet Section within the United States Embassy in Beijing to follow political, economic, and social developments in Tibet. In response, Xinhua has since published a series of articles to express opposition.

The June 15 article cites U.S. military support for the Dalai Lama in terms of telecommunications, munitions and training of Tibetan rebels. The article accuses the U.S. Department of State of smearing China in its report, alleging the Chinese government infringes upon Tibet’s democracy and freedom by force. The economic aid that the U.S. provides has included annual direct funding of $2 million to Tibetan exiles since 2002 and another $300,000 from the CIA to the Dalai Lama’s government in exile.

Source: Xinhua, June 15, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-06/15/content_11544122.htm;
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-06/15/content_11544098.htm

Briefings | | June 19, 2009 | US-China Relations

China Launches Training Sessions for Prison and Labor Camp Wardens

Following the training session held for the chiefs of local public security bureaus, Beijing recently called for a similar training session for the wardens of prisons and labor camps as well as the party chiefs of the selected law firms.

The training session will be held at the Central Institute of Correctional Police in Baoding, Hebei Province. It will be divided into 8 sessions and will last for 65 days. According to Wu Aiying, Minister of Justice, the training will “target how to improve prison management skills as well as prevent corruption and increase the effectiveness of investigations of illegal cases.”

Source: Xinhua, June 4, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-06/04/content_11484457.htm

Briefings | | June 18, 2009 | Government/Politics

Chinese Academy of Sciences Establishes China’s Bio-Resource Strategy

Xinhua reported that on June 10 the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced China’s bio-resource technology development road map to 2050. The road map outlined six strategic paths to transform China from a bio-resource large country to a bio-resource and bio-economy super power.

1. Photosynthesis mechanism research and bio-plants’ light power utilization improvement, to achieve large scale application and commercialization of renewable bio-energy
2. Bio-energy research and energy plant production base establishment, to achieve large scale commercial application of bio-energy, reducing oil imports by 30%
3. Development and utilization of micro-organisms and related industry chains
4. Sustainable development and usage of strategic bio-resources
5. Gene sequence and gene resources research
6. Bionic material and technology research.

Source: Xinhua, June 6, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2009-06/10/content_11521711.htm

Briefings | | June 18, 2009 | Information/Technology

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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