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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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Rizhao Harbor to Invest Ten Billion Yuan in Expansion

Rizhao Harbor located in Shandong Province will invest 10.2 billion yuan to expand into an advanced large scale deep-water harbor with 200 million tons in traffic and handling capacity by 2010. Rizhao had reached a 100 million ton handling capacity as of August 24, a 16.8 percent growth from the previous year.

Rizhao holds a strategic geographic position in the nation’s economy and transportation network. It is the largest ore importing harbor, 4th largest coal exporting harbor, and the largest in-transit harbor for concrete, grain, wood, and nickel ore.

Source: Xinhua, August 26
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-08/26/content_9715117.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Hu-Wen Authorities are Planning a Large-Scale Suppression Movement

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

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Military Hotline Attracts Attention in Meeting between China and South Korea’s Top Leaders

China’s head Hu Jintao and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak are meeting in Seoull on August 25. This is the third meeting in three months between the two countries’ heads. One particular topic that has attracted attention is whether the China-South Korea military hotline will make progress in the meeting so that the hotline will be opened before year’s end. It is anticipated that the implementation of the concept that China and South Korea be strategic partners will be discussed. Therefore the expectation that the military hotline [will open] also runs high.

Source: people.com.cn, August 25, 2008
http://military.people.com.cn/BIG5/1077/52987/7725521.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Bush Family Given Royal Treatment During Olympic Visit

In general, China’s state-run media has not shied away from attacking or even demonizing President George W. Bush, but coverage changed tone in an obvious way during the Olympics.

An article “Bush Family Hands in ‘China Transcripts’ (During Olympics)” by Xinhua’s newspaper International Herald Tribune touts that “[the fact that] Sino-U.S. Relations advanced to today’s level cannot be separated from Bush Senior and Junior’s efforts.”

In appreciation of Bush’s appearance at the Olympics, Bush’s whole family was invited to dinner at yíng tái in Zhongnanhai (an ocean platform in Zhongnanhai surrounded by water on three sides, formerly a recreation area for imperial wives and concubines). The building is rarely used and only a few foreign political leaders have been invited to the place, not to mention a foreign leader’s whole family.

Source: Xinhua, August 19, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-08/19/content_9497770.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Chinese Commodity Prices Increased by 9.4% in July

People’s Bank of China announced that July’s commodity price rose 9.4 % compared to July 2007.  Agricultural produce prices increased by 6.8%.  Mineral products and thermo electricity prices went up by 18.3% and 26.7% respectively.
 
Source: Xinhua, August 20, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune//2008-08/20/content_9540203.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

No Protest Permits Issued During the Beijing Olympics

The Beijing Public Security Bureau admitted in a press interview that it has not issued protest permits to anyone since August, Xinhua reported.  Of the 77 applications, “74 were voluntarily withdrawn,” 2 had “incomplete documentation” and 1 was rejected according to the law.

Since August, the Beijing Public Security Bureau has received 77 applications (149 persons), of which 74 applications (146 persons) were from Chinese residents while 3 applications (3 persons) were from people residing outside China.   In addition, the authorities received 22 inquiries (24 persons) about matters of protest permits, 13 (14 persons) from Chinese residents and 9 (10 persons) from residents outside China.
 
According to Chinese law, one must apply for a permit before taking to the streets. 

Source: Xinhua, August 18, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-8/18/content_9469687.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Olympics: IGF Investigating Age of Chinese Gymnasts

New evidence of fraud pertaining to the age of two Chinese gymnasts has prompted an Internatioanl Gymnastic Federation (IGF) investigation into the matter, said the International Olympics Committee (IOC) on August 21, 2008.

The new evidence includes an official document prepared by the central government in February 2006, entitled “2006 Registration Table for National Gymnasts” that contains information on the age and birthplace of several hundred Chinese gymnasts.  Line 811 shows that Yang Yilin is a female, born on August 26, 1993 in Guangzhou.  Line 1040 shows that He Kexin is a female, born on January 1, 1994 in Wuhan.  A similar list for 2005 contains the same information for the two gymnasts. The two lists were found through an online search and the links have since been removed.

Source: Epoch Times, August 21, 2008
http://epochtimes.com/gb/8/8/21/n2236520p.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Applicants of Protest Permit Sentenced To One-Year Forced Labor Camp

Two elderly women who applied for a permit to protest in the newly established protest park during the Beijing Olympics have received notification of a “Decision on Education through Labor” from the Beijing Municipal government, BBC reported.

Between August 5 and August 18 Wu Dianyuan of 79 and Wang Xiuying of 77 had applied 5 times with the Beijing Public Security Bureau seeking permit to protest.  Both were detained and interrogated for 10 hours during their attempt on August 5 at Beijing’s Public Security Bureau.  The two went to Beijing’s Public Security Bureau again on August 18 and were told that since both had received the notification “Decision on Education through Labor” on August 17, they have no right to apply for a permit to protest.

Education through forced labor (laogai) is an administrative form of sentencing issued at the discretion of the government or police without a trial.

Source: BBC, August 21, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7570000/newsid_7573200/7573239.stm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability