After a Chinese reporter Zhang Danhong in Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany) was suspended due to her pro-communist comments a week ago, China’s state media Xinhua reacted strongly, emphasizing the incident. Xinhua has published a series of articles to defend her comments and attack Western media’s “press freedom.” Xinhua says that Ms. Zhang was suspended because of her “pro-China” comments; (she) incurred danger due to telling the “truth.” Xinhua makes its point by quoting a Chinese person’s reaction: “Germany’s media can not even allow such an (objective and just) person, we can see how horrible this country’s media (freedom) environment has become.”

Source: Xinhua, September 2, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-09/02/content_9753429.htm

Judges must develop political wisdom as well as legal thinking to serve justice and political interests, said Zhang Jun, Deputy Party Secretary of the Supreme People’s Court of China at a national conference for judges.“ Zhang emphasized that judges must identify themselves with Chinese style socialism politically, ideologically and emotionally.  “Interpretation and application of the law by itself will not resolve legal issues presented in cases.”

At the conference, President of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region High Court made a presentation entitled “Safeguarding National Security and Social Stability Is the Primary Political Task of the Xinjiang People’s Court.”

Source: Xinhua, August 28, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-08/28/content_9728602.htm

2007 Annual audit of the central government budget implementation shows problems in the amount of 29.379 billion yuan, said Auditor-General Liu Yi of China National Audit Office on August 27, 2008. The audit covered 368 work units under 53 central government departments. Of the 29.379-bn yuan problem funds, 98% resulted from mismanagement, while violations of law and regulations account for 2%.

Source: China National Audit Office, August 27, 2008 http://www.audit.gov.cn/n1057/n1072/n258889/1669208.html

The overseas Chinese news website Boxun quotes information from China-Aid Association that the Committee of Central Political and Legislative Affairs of the Chinese Communist Party is issuing a secret directive to the subordinate department and organizations. The directive is about plans of a nation-wide movement to crack down on the “four groups of unstable elements in the society.” The four groups are leaders of family churches of Christianity, petitioners, human rights activists, and dissidents. It is said that the information comes from senior level officials of China’s security department.

Source: Boxun, August 21, 2008
http://boxun.com/hero/200808/zyzhsh/11_1.shtml