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China’s 5th Generation Successors to Face Challenges and Tests in 2008

“To Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, the year 2008 is a year that is full of challenges and tests. It will determine their future as the 5th generation successors to the party. ” reported Oriental Daily, a Hong Kong based newspaper. Both Xi and Li are newly elected members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party. As the Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission, Xi is being pressed to handle the recent protest in Tibet as well as threats of boycotting the Olympics from the West. He is also tasked with managing Hong Kong and Macau affairs. Li, on the other hand, heads China’s economic development where the stock and real estate markets, as well as consumer confidence and agriculture, fall on his plate.

Source: Boxun, April 22, 2008
http://peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2008/04/200804221336.shtml

Asian Times: Is Wu Bangguo Replacing Li Peng as the Representative of Conservative Faction?

Asian Times reports that Wu Bangguo, Chairman of National People’s Congress, published an article in Qiushi magazine, a top publication of the Chinese Communist Party, with a hard-line stance. Wu states in the article that China will never follow the political system of Western countries, will never have multiples party to take turns for power, and will never adopt the “separation of powers” and parliamentary system. Wu’s article sets a tone that is in sharp contrast to the direction of executive system reform.

Source: Asian Times (Chinese), April 21, 2008.
http://www.atchinese.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48998&Itemid=110

China Loses Over 600 Billion Yuan (US$85.7 Billion) in Overseas Gambling Each Year

The most recent issue of Jiuding magazine (Macao) revealed that over 600 billion yuan (US$85.7 billion) goes overseas from China in casino, Internet, and underground gambling each year. The amount is 15 times that of the whole country’s welfare and sports lotteries in 2003. The number was quoted from data released by the Chinese Public Security Ministry. The article was widely posted on many Chinese websites including state media Xinhua and China News Agency.

Source: Xinhua, April 21, 2008 http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2008-04/21/content_8018693.htm

About 10% of Xinhua Daily Postings are about the U.S. û Half of Them Negative

From April 1 through April 7, 2008, the State Xinhua News Agency posted 516 articles pertaining to the United States on its website www.xinhuanet.com.cn. 243 of them were negative, 187 were neutral, and 86 were positive. Negative reports covered topics such as U.S. troops in Iraq, economic recession and unemployment, CNN and U.S. media’s reporting on Tibet, U.S. presidential candidates, the "China Threat" theory, and arms sales to Taiwan. Examples of positive articles were Chinese obtaining permanent residency status, U.S. research on re-growing teeth, and an increase of U.S. investment in China. The total number of articles posted on xinhuanet.com.cn during these 7 days was 5,314.
 
Source: Chinascope

Top Power Companies Post Huge Losses

For the first time, four out of five of the largest power companies are suffering from huge losses due to an increase in the price of coal, said Xinhua. The four are state-owned Datang Corporation, China Power Investment Corporation, Huadian Corporation and Guodian Corporation. All these power companies are state-owned.

According to official statistics released in April 2008, of the 4,773 power companies in China, 1,990 (41.69%) were in the red in the Jan-Feb period, which was 6.35 % higher than last year. The losses reached 13.79 billion yuan in the Jan-Feb period, a 218% increase over the same period last year.

In February 2008, Guandong Yudian Group Co., a Chinese power cmpany, purchased 7.5% stakes in Australia’s Whitehaven Coal Ltd (WHC) to ensure a consistent supply of coal.

Source:
Xinhua, April 8, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2008-04/08/content_7938753.htm
China News, April 20, 2008
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/cj/kong/news/2008/04-21/1226298.shtml

Xinhua Calls for Patriotism with Enthusiasm but Rationality

Xinhua posted a key message on its front page titled: “Take the Core Interests of the Country as the Top Priority; Express Patriotism with Enthusiasm but Rationality.” It published a series commentaries calling for rationality when expressing patriotism with titles such as “The best way to show patriotism is to focus on your own work” , “Patriotism with rationality is more powerful”, “College students and teachers: work and study hard; Express your patriotism with Rationality”, and “Do not Fall in the trap set up by the anti-China forces.”

Source: Xinhua, April 21, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-04/19/content_8006485.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-04/21/content_8019579.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-04/20/content_8016838.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/comments/2008-04/20/content_8011534.htm

Overseas Chinese Stage Rallies to Protest Western Media Coverage

A number of rallies were staged by overseas Chinese in various locations including Paris, Berlin, London, Manchester, Los Angeles, and Atlanta to show support for the Beijing Olympics and protest against percieved biases in Western media coverage of Tibet. More protests will take place in the coming week in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City against negative coverage by CNN of the Tibetan crackdown by Chinese authorities. In Australia, over 10,000 Chinese people are expected to go to the capital Canberra to safeguard the torch relay which is scheduled to arrive on April 24.

Source: The Beijing News, April 20, 2008
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/guonei/2008/04-20/011@072623.htm

“Emergency Response” Included in PLA New Training Guideline

The People’s Libration Army has added a section on “emergency response” to its newly updated “Military Training Guidelines.” The Guidelines were modified to meet the increased demand in the informational age, said Xinhua. The handbook will be distributed to the PLA in the first part of July with intensive study sessions scheduled for the second part of July. The guidelines will become effective January 2009.

Source: Xinhua, April 16, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-04/16/content_7989234.htm