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

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

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

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

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Study Times: Network-Centric Warfare Will Dominate Future Battlegrounds

Study Times, the CCP Central Party School’s newspaper, recently published an article stressing the importance of Network-Centric Warfare (NCW). It claimed that the U.S. DOD is undertaking plans to enhance the NCW capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces, which includes the plan to establish an NCW Command Headquarters.

The article stated that the fact that NCW changes competition spaces and basic rules is no longer a theoretical argument. It actually was realized under certain conditions and produced encouraging results. Change is unavoidable, and the article suggested applying a new mindset to military reforms.

Source: Study Times, June 8, 2009.
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=1&id=2704&nid=9819&bid=7&page=1

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

CCP Publicity Department: Media – Don’t Criticize the Green Internet Filtering Software

Radio France International reported that, on June 10, the Publicity Department of the CCP sent a notice to all media and propaganda management organizations requesting that media should not criticize the forced-pre-installation of Green Dam, an Internet filtering software, which has received widespread negative publicity both domestically and internationally. Though it claims to protect youth from accessing indecent content, a study at the University of Michigan found that this software performs text filtering, with a majority of its blacklisted words being about Falun Gong and quitting the communist party.

The Publicity Department’s notice states, “According to instructions from the Central Committee’s top leader,” no media should publish statements that question or criticize the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s decision to pre-install the Green Dam Internet filter software. The Publicity Department suggested, “(Media) can have experts and parents give statements, focusing people’s concern on openly supporting the ministry’s action to protect growing youth.” Also, the Publicity Department requested that all media strengthen the management of their websites and “immediately block and remove” any words of criticism from their public forums.

Source:
[1] Radio France International, June 11, 2009
http://www.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/114/article_14265.asp
[2] Computer Science and Engineering Division of the University of Michigan
http://www.cse.umich.edu/~jhalderm/pub/gd/

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China Held National Anti-Terrorism Exercises

In the run-up to its 60th anniversary celebration on October 1, China been holding national anti-terrorism exercises, “Great Wall 6,” in the regions surrounding Beijing, to test their ability to face terrorist attacks. The first one was held in Huhehaote, Inner Mogolia Autonomous Region on the afternoon of June 9.

The areas the exercise tested include the effectiveness of handling “nuclear bomb” attacks as well as multiple sites and chemical factory attacks. Shanxi and Hebei Provinces were picked as the next sites and the exercises are said to have ended in mid-June.

[Editor’s note]: A search through Google suggested that this news posting carried by the official news sources including Xinhua, Sohu, China News, People’s Daily were deleted after they were posted. However, as of June 14, 11:30 EST, a few city level websites, such as the Tengzhou City webpage still carried this posting.

Source: The Tengzhou City Website, June 12, 2009
http://news.tz0632.com/html/5/10/10018/1.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Server Administrators Ordered to Turn in Server Password

Boxun received a news tip from its unidentified Chinese sources that China has ordered server administration companies to turn in the server login and password information so that a “computer specialist can login in to clean up the server.” Violators could face a fine as penalty as per the 5th clause of Article 21 within Order 33 issued by the Ministry of Public Security, which says that the police can impose a fine of not more than 5000 RMB against the responsible personnel and a fine of not more than 15,000 RMB against the company, close the network and equipment for up to six months, or if necessary, suggest to have the business license of the organization canceled and its network registration canceled, if “(the server host does) not inspect the content of information released on behalf of someone else or not register the unit or individual on whose behalf the information was released.” 

Source:
[1] Boxun, June 12, 2009
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2009/06/200906122129.shtml
[2] Ministry of Public Security, China, December 30, 1997
http://www.mps.gov.cn/n16/n1282/n3493/n3823/n442104/452202.html

Briefings | | |   Grapevine

Computers in China to Have Pre-Installed Internet Filtering Software

On May 19, 2009, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued a notice regarding the pre-installation of Internet filtering software. The notice said that, in order to control the low and vulgar contents on the Internet and to protect minors from exposure to the harmful "bad information," all computers manufactured or sold in China after July 1 should have "Green Dam-Youth Escort" software pre-installed. The software provides functions to block sexual content, filter websites deemed improper, control Internet browsing time, and record the web site visiting history.

According to Computer Science and Engineering Division of The University of Michigan’s research, "Green Dam scans text entry fields in various applications for blocked words, including obscenities and politically sensitive phrases (for example, references to Falun Gong). Blacklisted terms are contained in three files…" The researchers "also found what appears to be a word list for a more sophisticated sentence processing algorithm in the unencrypted file FalunWord.lib," which is dominated by Falun Gong related terms and sentences.

Many newspaper and Netizens expressed their angst with MIIT’s forceful imposition of more Internet control. China News Services’ survey on June 11 showed that only 20% of the people supported MIIT’s position. MIIT declared that "(the Green Dam-Youth Escort) software will not monitor user’s Internet behavior, nor was it to collect any user information."

Source:
[1] Miit.gov.cn, June 9, 2009
http://www.miit.gov.cn/n11293472/n11293832/n11293952/12398220.html
[2] Nanfang Daily, June 9, 2009
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/nfjx/200906090005.asp
[3] China News, June 11, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/it/it-itxw/news/2009/06-11/1729900.shtml
[4] The Computer Science and Engineering Division of the University of Michigan
"Ananlysis of the Green Dam Censorware System"
http://www.cse.umich.edu/~jhalderm/pub/gd/

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Chinese Academy of Sciences Releases Technological Roadmap for Next 50 Years

On June 10, the Chinese Academy of Sciences released a strategic research report entitled “Innovation 2050: Scientific Revolution and Future of China.” A technological roadmap for the next 50 years, the report covers 18 key areas including energy, population health, space, the ocean, information, national, and public security.

Over 300 experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences spent more than a year to develop the report, which clearly defines the focal point for future technology development and lists 22 strategic technology issues which will affect the modernization of China. The roadmap is divided into three phases which will be revised every five years.

Source: Xinhua, June 10, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-06/10/content_11521348.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Outlook Weekly: Reflections on the Korean Peninsula

Outlook Weekly, in the 23rd issue of 2009, published an article by Zhu Kechuan, a researcher in Xinhua Research Center for World Affairs, regarding the current situation of the Korean Peninsula. It criticized the U.S., Japan, and South Korea’s approach to North Korea. Zhu argued that right now, the U.S. is falling into the mire of financial crisis and is also facing the hard-to-clean mess of Iraq and Afghanistan. "The U.S. government should think about that; it is not an easy thing to use hegemonism to ‘fix’ another country no matter how big or small and how rich or poor that country is." Zhu also stated, "Japan should also be clear: You can’t cheat the world to wash off the historical responsibility for Korea or take this opportunity to break through the constraint of ‘Peace Constitution’…South Korea should reflect too: What benefits do the government and people get from its changing the policy of national reconciliation since last year?"

Though China is always a strong backer of North Korea, the article also criticized North Korea: "What is the best way to achieve the dream of a ‘strong big country?’ Using ‘super-tough’ to respond to other countries’ ‘tough’ will get North Korea nowhere. Nuclear weapons can indeed scare people, but they still failed to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union."

Source: Outlook Weekly, 23 rd issue of 2009
http://lw.xinhuanet.com/htm/content_4768.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China to Raise Export Tax Rebates for the Seventh Time Since August 2008

The Chinese Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation announced that, effective June 1, 2009 export tax rebates will be raised for processed farm products, machinery, shoes, glassware, iron and steel products, covering more than 2,600 items. It is the seventh time since August 2008 that China has raised export tax rebates to shore up its exports.

Source: The Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China, June 8, 2009
http://big5.gov.cn/gate/big5/www.gov.cn/jrzg/2009-06/08/content_1334929.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources