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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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Xinhua Lashes Out Against the Dalai Lama and US Congressman Wolf

Xinhua again criticized the Dalai Lama for advocating “Tibetan Independence” and Congressman Wolf in a September 30 article at its official website.  Xinhua stated that teaching Tibetans science classes in Chinese Mandarin enhances Tibet heritage, not as the Dalai Lama said, destroys the ancient, unique Tibetan language.  Moreover, by advocating Tibetan Independence, the Dalai Lama mixes politics and region, and is in violation of the principle of separation of powers adopted in democratic countries, said Xinhua.  Xinhua rebutted Congressman Wolf’s Congressional testimony which stated the building of Potala Palace Square destroyed Tibetan culture, citing his August 1997 trip to Tibet.

Source: Xinhua, September 30, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-09/30/content_10134219.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China to Launch Small Space Station in 2010-2011

Tiangong 1 is a "target vehicle" of China, which is planned to be launched after Shenzhou 7 and before Shenzhou 8. According to China National Space Administration (CNSA), it will be an eight ton "space laboratory module", and it is planned that Shenzhou 8, Shenzhou 9 and Shenzhou 10 will dock with Tiangong 1 in two years (which is also its lifespan in design) after the launching of the latter to form China’s first space station.

Source: The Beijing News, September 30, 2008
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/guonei/2008/09-30/008@015548.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Business Post Closed for Reporting Bank Malpractice

On September 29, Paris based journalist rights organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned Beijing government’s three-month ban of a financial publication because of its report on poor management of assets of Changde, Hunan office of Agriculture Bank of China. The China Business Post sells 400,000 copies weekly. According to the publication’s website, the violation is “a regulation that bans the media from publishing an investigation into an event in a province other than that in which it is licensed.”

RSF called for an end of the ban and the media censorship of reports of toxic milk scandals. It also revealed authorities in July prevented an investigation into the toxic milk coming out so as not to tarnish China’s image before the Olympics.

Source: BBC Chinese, September 30, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7640000/newsid_7644000/7644028.stm
Reporters Without Borders, September 29, 2008
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28764

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Hebei’s Water Eases Shortage in Beijing

On September 28, 18.7 million cubic meters of water from two reservoirs in Hebei Province arrived in Beijing after 10 days of travel. This is part of China’s massive South-to-North Water Diversion Project which has been lasting for 5 years. By March 2009, an influx of 0.3 billion cubic meters of water will come from the neighboring province so as to provide a relief for the serious water shortage in the nation’s capital. The 300-cubic-meter per capita water consumption in Beijing is only 1/8 of the country’s average and 1/30 of world average, far below the United Nation’s standard of at least 1000 cubic meter.

Source: Voice of America, September 29, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-09-29-voa34.cfm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Fewer Uniformed Police in Beijing Events

The security measure in largest scale public events in Beijing is to inherit the “Olympic model” by replacing most uniform police force with volunteers and plainclothes guards, according to Li Runhua, head of the public security squadron of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.

“It’s inconceivable that there will be only five uniformed police in a soccer game.” As Li mentioned in 2004 Asian Cup, 5,000 police were on the spot. The cut of uniformed police is said to present a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

During the Beijing Olympic Games, police alarms hit a record low, owing to the super-conventional control. The public order may get worse in post-Olympic period.

Source: China News Services, September 30, 2008
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2008/09-30/1399300.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua Reported Successful Spacecraft Orbiting Prior to its Launch

China’s State news agency Xinhua posted on its website on September 25 a news report describing a successful launch of China’s spacecraft Shenzhou 7–before the rocket had even left the ground. The article included direct quotations from a detailed dialogue that allegedly took place between astronauts on September 27. The article was later taken down and Xinhua issued an apology on September 26 stating the September 25 posting of the article was a "technical error" by a technician.

Source:
Xinhua, September 26, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-09/26/content_10117833.htm
Epoch Times, September 27, 2008
http://epochtimes.com/gb/8/9/27/n2277314.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Official Media Denies the Existence of a Special Food Supply Center for the Central Government

The China News Agency posted a news article on its website claiming that the existence of a “Special Food Supply Center for the Central Government” is a rumor. The claim is based on an interview with a leader from the Senior Official’s Recreation Center affiliated with the State Council. The name the leader is not given. The leader says that there is no “Special Food Supply Center for the Central Government of the State Council.” The statement is in response to an article circulating on the Internet–“Speech of Director Zhu Yonglan at the Awarding Ceremony of Special Food Products for Central Government.” The leader quoted in the article also claimed that there is no such person as “Zhu Yonglan.” Internet users had posted pictures of the award ceremony and Zhu Yonglan speaking at the ceremony on the Internet (peacehall.com/forum/200809/boxun2008b/7795.shtml).

Source: China News, September 25, 2009
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2008/09-25/1394715.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Hu Jintao Emphasizes Resolutely Holding the Banner of Chinese Socialism at Politburo Group Study

Chinese Communist Party Central Politburo conducted 2008’s eighth group study for the Politburo on September 28. The agenda was focused on the study of Chinese-style socialist theoretical system. Hu Jintao chaired the study. Hu emphasized that in today’s China, continuing Chinese-style socialist theoretical system is truly following Marxism. Hu pointed out that the Party committees at all levels must use the Chinese-style socialist theoretical system to arm the Party and educate the people, take the work as a long term task and frequent event, and implement the work systematically. Central Party School professor Yan Shuhan and professor Qin Xuan also lectured in the group study.

Source: Xinhua, September 29, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-09/29/content_10133078.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics