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Foreign Students Will Have to Leave China during Summer Olympics

According to Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA), 10,000 plus foreign students will have to leave China during the Summer Olympics. Several universities in Beijing and foreign diplomats have confirmed that all foreign students will not be allowed to stay during the months of July and August, even though they may not have completed their studies. One spokesperson from Beijing University was quoted as saying that “there is no exception, as this is an order from above.” The ban also includes week-long summer classes. DAAD or the German Academic Exchange Services in Beijing also warned incoming visiting scholars. Foreign students will not be able to come back until after September 17, when the 2008 Paralympics will have finished. However, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to confirm this news.

Source: Deutsche Welle, Chinese, April 17, 2008
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3273472,00.html

Another Test for the Party’s Rule û Global Human Rights Torch Relay in China

Dr. Wang Juntao, a prominent democracy activist in the United States, warned that the current tour of the Global Human Rights Relay may lead to an unprecedented crisis for the Communist Party, surpassing the Tibetan protests. Wang stated. “According to statistics published by the Party, experts estimate every year there are about 100,000 group protests and 2.6 million petition visits by victims of government abuses in Mainland China.  They are potential participants in the China tour of the Global Human Rights Torch Relay. Their emotions can be easily ignited by the Torch. … The crisis triggered by the Human Rights Torch Relay will be the ultimate test of the ruling party.”

Source: Boxun, April 9, 2008
http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2008/04/200804090850.shtml

Wu Bangguo: No Separation of Powers in China

China will never engage in multi-party rule, the separation of powers or a bicameral legislature system, said Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress on March 19, 2008 at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress.

In discussing the difference between a Chinese socialist system and a western democratic system, Wu further stated, “The Chinese Communist Party is the core of leadership as the ruling party. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, democratic parties participate in State affairs and cooperate with the Communist Party. They are not opposition parties.” “Our National People’s Congress is the organ of State power handling State and social affairs under the Communist Party.”

Source: Qiushi, April 16, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-04/16/content_7986835.htm

Wen Jiabao Says Most Outstanding Economic Problem is Inflation

According to Xinhua, Chinese Premiere Wen Jiabao hosted a State Council Executive Meeting on current economic affairs on April 16, 2008. The meeting concluded that the most outstanding problem is the overall inflation. Other issues include low production in the agriculture sector, possible overheating of fixed asset investment, and a grim outlook for energy saving. The meeting also required that all branches of the government at all levels make sure the central government policies are effectively and thoroughly carried out from top to bottom.

Source: Xinhua, April 16, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-04/16/content_7989988.htm

Reports of Missing Grain from Local Reserves Under Investigation

The State Administration for Grain has sent a team to Anhui Province to investigate a recent story that the grain stock from local storage facilities has gone missing missing, prompting speculations of possible corruption charges. Grain reserves are stored and subsidized by the government at local storage facilities but the actual stock may have been inflated by the local officials in order to receive extra subsidized compensation. Meanwhile, recent soaring grain prices have led to illegal selling of reserve stocks for "double profits". Amid fears of the worst grain shortage in two decades, the report caused grave concerns among government officials that this practice may be widespread. The annual nationwide auditing of the grain storage by the State Administration for Grain has been underway six months earlier than the normal August/September season.

Source: Xinhua, April 15, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-04/15/content_7978862.htm

Xinhua: Who Are These International Friends of Dalai Lama?

There have always been “a few” international politicians “cheering tirelessly”, either openly or from behind-the-scenes, for the Dalai Lama with an ulterior-motive to use the issue of Tibet to “contain China,” according to a Xinhua article from April 15, 2008.  Among them, singled out by the article, were two US congress representatives, Nancy Pelosi and Thomas Lantos, and two EU Parliament members, Edward McMillan-Scott (Vice-President) and Thomas Mann (President of the Tibet Intergroup). Pelosi, a “longtime hard-line China basher”, and Lantos, the key figure of the Human Rights Caucus Group, have been “the best and the most reliable friends” of the Dalai Lama in the US Congress. Together with other senior members and a special lobby group, “International Campaign for Tibet", they have been the main force “stirring up trouble” to interfere in China’s internal affairs on Tibet. The Dalai Lama Clique also has many “high ranking friends” in the EU Parliament that have been “openly” supporting the “Tibetan Separatists” and are calling for EU leaders to boycott the Beijing Olympic which “has angered” the Chinese people. The “right wing” political forces were also mentioned by the article as supporters of the Dalai clique.

Source: Xinhua, April 15, 2008

http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2008-04/15/content_7978106.htm

Australian Chinese Organized to Support Olympic Torch and Neutralize Protesters

Boxun reports on April 14 that various Chinese organizations in Australia are being organized to circulate an urgent letter calling on Chinese in various Australian cities to help [Chinese people in] Canberra and support the April 24 Olympic Torch relay in Canberra. The report published the whole letter issued by the Australian Chinese Youth Exchange Promotion Association. The letter claims that there will be several hundred protesters composed of “Tibetan Independence” and other “anti-China” forces trying to sabotage the event. “These people rehearsed to humiliate China using the torch to light cigarettes and toilet paper, and using extinguishers to put out the Torch,” says the letter. The letter detailed the schedules for free transportation from various locations and promised to provide free meals. The report questions who pays for the free meals and free transportation.

Source: Boxun, April 14, 2008-4-15
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/intl/2008/04/200804141107.shtml

Xinhua Article Questions Pelosi: What Does Pelosi Want to Do?

On Xinhua’s website on April 14, an article, by Shen Dingli, Deputy Director of the International Affairs Institute of [Shanghai’s] Fudan University, described U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “opposing China no matter what” and questioned what she wanted to do [about China]. The article said that Pelosi started a Congressional Resolution to prohibit U.S. officials from attending the Beijing Olympics using government funds, though she has no control over the U.S. executive branch.

The article complimented President Bush, saying that Bush’s views and actions [regarding Sino-U.S. cooperation for the Olympics] are responsible. The article continued, “Pelosi even publicly called on people to make trouble at her hometown San Francisco during the Olympic Torch relay. Being ranked third to succeed President’s position and as the Speaker [of the House], Pelosi is naturally a top level leader. At such a high level position of public power, she even despises the law, supporting “Tibetan Independence” forces to challenge the Olympic Torch and interfer with the U.S. government’s protection of the Torch relay…”

Source: Xinhua, April 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-04/14/content_7970671.htm