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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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Men’s Suicide in Tiananmen Linked to Forced Land Seizure by Government

On July 13, a man jumped off from Tiananmen Building and injured himself. Per eye witness, it happened at 4 p.m.. The man was later sent to a hospital for treatment and police investigation.

On June 28, Mr. Zhang from Changying Town, A suburb of Beijing’s Chaoyang District, set himself on fire in Tiananmen Square. The police put off the fire and arrested him. He was said to have suffered 3rd degree burn. Per source close to the case, Mr. Zhang and his family are under house arrest for security of Olympics.

Both cases are linked to injustice in forced land/housing seizure by the government.

Source: Boxun, July 24, 2008
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2008/07/200807241033.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Eastern Turkistan and Falun Gong Named As Major Threat to Beijing Olympics

In speaking with Xinhua’s International Herald Leader, Li Wei, Chairman of “Center for Counter-Terrorism Studies” of “China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR)” named five groups as the top terrorist threat to the Olympics: Eastern Turkistan, Tibetan Separates, Falun Gong, oversea’s democracy movement groups, and individuals who seek retaliations. As to threats from international terrorism groups, Li said that the scale would not be a big concern but can’t be ignored.

Li disclosed that the western countries including US, Israel, UK, France, Russia, Australia, and Greece have assisted China in its anti-terrorism effort. Ministry of Public Security claimed last month that terrorism is the major threat to the Olympics security.

Source: ChinaGo, July 4, 2008
http://news.chinago.cn/o/2008/0704/1731.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China to Impose Internet Shutdown Policy During Beijing Olympic

Chinese authorities have issued an order to impose “Internet shut down policy” on any websites that are deemed to have “information security violations” from July 25 to August 25. Subsequently, Internet hosting companies issued notices to their clients notifying them of the tightened measures. Some even gave monetary reward to those sites who chose to temporarily shutdown during Beijing Olympic.

Source: Radio Free Asia, July 23, 2008 http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/fengwang-07232008131744.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Shanghai Prominent Rights Lawyer’s House Searched

Zhen Enchong, Shanghai prominent Rights lawyer’s house was searched by five Public Security Bureau personnel from Zhabei district at 1:10pm on July 23. The bureau personnel presented the search warrant but the reason of the search was unknown. Zhen recently returned from a seven-hour-detention on July 20.

Source: The Epoch Times, July 23,2008
http://news.epochtimes.com/gb/8/7/23/n2201589.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Beijing Bond Highway Passengers Checked One-by-One

Per Hebei Province Traffic Police, starting July 20, all 26 Highway check points surrounding Beijing will check all passengers’ ID. Every passenger is required to scan his/her ID card on a card reader. Even if one passenger fails to show a valid ID, everyone on the vehicle, including car, truck and bus, will be denied passage.

Source: Xinjing Bao (New Beijing News), July 11, 2008
http://military.people.com.cn/GB/8221/72028/76059/78907/7542217.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Look, Who are Those Olympic Security Guards?

A series photos posted on Boxun showed that there are two types of security guards on Beijing streets: neighborhood security personnel and militia. Neighborhood personnel range from barbers, seniors, rest room maintenance people, workers who deliver gas tanks or guard bicycle parking lot. They make 10 yuan on a four-hour work shift. Militia consists of workers from various factories or companies who are on an eight-hour shift making 50 yuan a day.

Xinhua reported that in addition to 150,000 professional security personnel, there are 290,000 of volunteer security guards patrolling Beijing street during the Olympics – the so called “Chinese style Mass Security Strategy”.

Source:
Boxun, July 22, 2008
http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2008/07/200807221049.shtml
Xinhua, July 22, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-07/22/content_8745179.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

“Taiwan Communist Party” Officially Formed

Taiwan Communist Party announced its establishment in Town of Xinghua in Tainan County on July 20. Taiwan Ministry of Interior issued its final approval last month. Huang Laoyang was elected as the Chairman by 70 party members. He has been seeking approvals of the Taiwan administration since 1984.

Source: Taiwan United Daily News, July 21, 2008 http://www.udn.com/2008/7/21/NEWS/NATIONAL/NAT1/4434848.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Blames House Bill for Accepting Tibetan Immigrants

Beijing blames a U.S. House Bill 1077 for “interfering with China’s internal affairs”. The bill proposed an immigration act allowing 3000 Tibetans currently in exile in India and Nepal to move to the U.S..

Per China’s U.S. experts in the Social Science Academy, the so called “Tibetan Problems” can not be resolved by U.S. congressional resolutions and bills. They are China’s own problems and therefore have to be managed by China alone.

Source: Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao), July 22, 2008
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/7543142.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations