“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 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

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

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