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Confirmed Death Toll Reaching 40,000 in Sichuan Earthquake

According to China’s official news agency, the confirmed death toll in Sichuan Province following the Wenchuan earthquake reached 39,577, and another 236,359 people were injured. Li Chengyun, vice governor of Sichuan Province revealed the number at a news conference.

Source: Xinhua, May20,2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/20/content_8215239.htm

Media Strategy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Prior to The Olympics Games

More than 30,000 foreign journalists are expected to enter China during the August 2008 Olympics Games.  This presents a challenge to the CCP, known for its stringent media control.  The CCP, from the central authorities to the local governments, has started to prepare for the media challenge.  Below is a translation of an article from Xinahua Net (Zhejiang Channel) ) [1].

Promote Friendliness to the Foreign Media While Enhancing Self-Capabilities

The Jianggan District Party Committee Center organized a special seminar to enhance the strategies and skills of dealing with the media for the leading cadres. On April 16, Zhang Baogui, Deputy Director of the Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, lectured at a special seminar presided over by Zheng Guilan, Member and Propaganda Chief of the Center. All attendees watched the informational film, “Beware of the Political Scheme Under The Olympic Flag (The Five Interlocking Rings).”

Zhang gave an overview of three aspects:  “The policy changes that relaxed restrictions on foreign media interviews, [the goal of] treating them with kindness, [and] dealing with them squarely and skillfully.”  He pointed out that the new policy relaxes the requirements for foreign press-correspondents to come to China, relaxes the control of foreign reporters on their interviews and relaxes the feasibility of foreign reporters to employ local Chinese citizens.  The policy also simplifies the screening procedures for foreign reporters and their equipment.  These changes of the policy, allows each local government to make full use of foreign media for our own propaganda, but also subjects us to “the trouble making" of these [reporters].  Especially during the period of the Olympics Games, more than 30,000 foreign correspondents will be coming to China.  Although these reporters are coming for the Olympics, we cannot exclude the possibility that some western hostile influences will be sneaking in and seizing the opportunity to link China’s social problems with the Olympics, to politicize the Olympics and to cause social unrest.  Local officials should be prepared to deal with these situations.

He emphasized that local authorities should implement the policy of improving media relations while recognizing that media relations is like “a marriage of cooperation between information client and the competitor.”   Second, they should also follow the news dissemination rule; namely, guarantee the authority, authenticity and effect of the information. Third, they should learn to make use of the media to direct public opinions according to information from the government.  When dealing with sudden incidents, the government should act according to "The Five Rapids" and "The Five Avoiders." "The Five Rapids" are to establish  a media control organization, to appoint a media spokesperson, to set up a local news center for foreign media  to conduct interviews, to standardize official releases to the media and to follow the information in media and the internet rapidly. "The Five Avoiders” are to avoid passive propaganda, falling into reporter’s question traps, being angered by reporters, refusing reporter’s inquiries and getting into direct conflicts with the press.
{mospagebreak}
Deputy Director Zhang’s lecture was very well received.

Participants of the seminar included the core members of the Jianggan District Committee, leaders of various units at the levels of communities, towns, news spokespersons, propaganda committee members, news liaison officers and so on.  (Source: Jianggan Government Net)

Endnote:
[1] Xinhua, April 17, 2008
http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/www.zj.xinhua.org/df/2008-04/17/content_13007931.htm

News Media Urged to Praise Party’s Image and Socialist Superiority in Earthquake Coverage

During his visit to Xinhua and CCTV on May 16, Li Changchun, member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Party praised the media for reporting on the “courageous national spirit in fighting against the earthquake in Sichuan”, showing the "vast superiority of the socialist system” as well as “the glorious image of the party for its humanity and caring about its people”.

Li said that in the upcoming critical disaster relief phase, the news media around the country should loudly promote the main theme that the entire society is united in battling the earthquake disaster with courageous spirit. "The media need to focus on reporting all major policies and rescue efforts of the central government, and those touching examples of the PLA soldiers, military police and public security officers who are heroically sacrificing in leading the rescue efforts".

Source: Xinhua, May 17, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/17/content_8192346.htm

China Assures Nuclear Base in Sichuan Safe

In a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on May 18, Ma Jian, Major General of the Air Force assured that the nuclear bases in Sichuan province were safe. Ma added that “the military base in Sichuan only suffered minor damage. More military forces have been added to guard the region.”

Source: Xinhua, May 19, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-05/19/content_8203735.htm

17 Internet “Rumormongers” Investigated and Dealt with By Chinese Police

According to Xinhua (May 15), the Chinese Ministry of Public Security said that so far there have been 17 internet "rumormongers" following the Sichuan earthquake who have been investigated and dealt with. Police found those rumormongers spreading fake information aimed to cause social instability. Public security in eleven provinces and cities including Hebei, Liaoning and Anhui have investigated more than 40 cases of rumors. So far, seventeen people have been dealt with – two were detained, two agreed to sign repentance statements and the other thirteen have been criticized and asked not to do this again.

Source: Xinhua, May 15, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/15/content_8178783.htm

Congo-China Mining Deal Questioned

A huge mining deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and China is getting extra scrutiny as critics say it does not provide enough benefits for ordinary Congolese. But the government says it is crucial to the country’s development. The $9 billion deals call for China to loan $6 billion for infrastructure development and $3 billion for helping revamp the mining sector in exchange for access to mining interests, including cobalt and copper fields. Opposition leaders from the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo say the Congolese government’s contract with China is not a good deal. Congo’s Deputy Minister of Mines Victor Kasongo says "The Western world did not have all that level of money to do that, so now we got the assistance coming from the Asian country."

Source: Voice of America, May 16, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-05-16-voa2.cfm

Internet Users: Put the Earthquake Efforts before the Olympics

Southern Weekend published at its home page excerpts of several blog postings on the Sichuan earthquake and the Olympics on May 13, 2008.  One posting is titled “With this major earthquake, forget the Olympics.” It says, “Love the Olympics. Love China. Feel free to love anything. But please love us ourselves first. And love humanity and treat humanity as part of our life.”

Another, with the title “At this moment, we need the country to mourn,” states, “For once, let’s lower our national flag for the dignity of life. For once, let’s put the dignity of life first before the Olympic torch. Show to the world by actions. [Life] is part of our national flag and of our country.”

Source: Southern Weekend, May 13, 2008
http://www.infzm.com/

Internet Bloggers Were Penalized for “Spreading Rumors” About Earthquake

The authorities have fined and reprimanded 4 persons that were found spreading rumors on the Internet about an earthquake, reported the People’s Daily Online on May 13, 2008. These 4 persons are from the cities of Dalian, Langfang, Yuncheng and Jiaozuo. The report stated that they fabricated stories that there would be a major earthquake in Beijing and that the Sichuan earthquake was the result of human errors, with the purpose to attract online visits to their blogs. “The Public Security Department hopes that the broad masses of the people will not believe rumors, or spread rumors. It will enforce the law and strictly penalize those who deliberately create and spread rumors to confuse the people with the ulterior motive to incite unrest.” reported the People’s Daily Online.

Source: People Daily Online, May 14, 2008
http://society.people.com.cn/GB/41158/7235559.html