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China and Australia’s First Strategic Dialog

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith started their first round of bilateral strategic dialogue in Canberra on Tuesday. Yang expressed satisfaction toward Australia government’s one-china policy and opposition to Taiwan’s referendum on UN membership. Both Ministers agreed to strengthen high level communications, enhance mutual political trust, explore common interests, continue exchanges in culture and education, and deepen bilateral cooperation. Yang also met with Australia’s Prime Minster Kevin Rudd. The strategic dialogue mechanism between the two countries was set up when Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Australia in September 2007.

Source: Xinhua, February 5, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-02/05/content_7572994.htm

Shandong’s Key CCP Official Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

On February 5, 2008, the Intermediate People’s Court of Xiamen City, Fujian Province sentenced Du Shecheng, former Deputy Secretary of Shandong Province’s CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Committee and Secretary of Qingdao City’s CCP Committee, was sentenced to life sentence with the charge of bribery, deprived of lifetime political rights, and confiscated personal assets. The courts found that while in the office of Vice Governor of Shandong Province, Mayor and CCP Secretary of Qingdao City, Du accepted briberies as high as 6.26 million RMB (0.88 million USD) from individuals and organizations.

Source: Procuratorial Daily, February 5, 2008
http://www.jcrb.com/200802/ca677369.htm

China’s State Media Rebukes U.S. NGOs and Private Foundations (part two)

On December 26, 2007, Xinhua News Agency published an article titled “An Investigation of Fake Think Tanks in the United States.” The article listed four U.S. think tanks, calling them “non-governmental organizations funded by the government,” employing “soft daggers” through “financing, supporting, planning subversive tactics, etc. against the targeted nations.” The following is part two of the translation of the entire article. [1]
Financial Tycoon Assisting Government—Open Society Institute

Unlike NED, which was set up by the U.S. government, the Open Society Institute (OSI) was founded by George Soros, an American financial speculator. OSI and the Soros Foundation are one and the same organization under two different names, both headquartered in New York. In addition, Soros also established the Open Society Initiative for West Africa and the Open Society Initiative for South Africa.

Although not directly under the U.S. government, the objectives of OSI and the Soros Foundation to promote democracy and subvert foreign governments “coincide” with those of the U.S. government. It often acts in coordination with government agencies.

At present, the Soros Foundation has branches in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa, all under different names. The activities of the Soros Foundation have extended to over 60 countries and regions. Its modus operandi is that OSI initiates a project that is then implemented by branches of the Soros Foundation. The annual expenditures of the two organizations amount to $500 million and $400 million, respectively.

OSI and the Soros Foundation declare that they are “committed to building and maintaining an open society infrastructure and public facilities.” But critics point out that the “open society” is nothing but a brand name. Provision of aid and alleviation of poverty are but window dressings. The true intention of Soros is to export U.S. ideology and values to those countries deemed not sufficiently democratic and to make a “democratic wave;” thus, change of governments would pave the way for his own financial speculation. According to his theory, a “closed” society lacks in financial investment opportunities, and only by opening it up can he make a fortune.

Classical Cases

Soros was born in Eastern Europe. After rising to affluence and power in the United States, he has in mind at all times to transform his hometown. His foundation started to set foot in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) soon after the disintegration of the former Soviet Union.
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In 1990, the Foundation established an International Renaissance Foundation in Ukraine and aggressively pursued “democratic infiltration.” As of 2004, it made a total investment of $82 million. In addition to establishing the headquarters in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, the International Renaissance Foundation has opened 24 branches. It entered into Moldova in 1992 to promote Western values. In 1993, it chose Kyrgyzstan, considered in the West to be “Central Asia’s island of democracy,” and provided key support to the country’s independent media, targeting public health, culture, education, and other fields as the points of breakthroughs and rapid expansion. In 1994, it ventured into Georgia and maintains an official presence in Caucasus. In 1995, the Soros Foundation’s reach found its way into Kazakhstan in Central Asia, to be used as a bridgehead into Central Asia. It broke into Uzbekistan in 1996. In view of the strategic position of the Caucasus, the Soros Foundation included Azerbaijan and Armenia in its global network in 1997.

In Russia, there are about 10 so-called research institutions as well as Soros Foundation branches. The activities of OSI and the Soros Foundations in the CIS countries aim at promoting U.S. values of democracy and freedom and to help establish a pro-U.S. government.

At the end of 2004, an “orange revolution” broke out in Ukraine. Members of Congress of the United States disclosed that the Ukraine OSI under the Soros Foundation played an important role in the launch of Ukraine’s revolution. Yushchenko, who later became the prime minister, was a board member of the Ukraine OSI. In 2005, a “yellow revolution” broke out in Kyrgyzstan. Actually, the Kyrgyzstan OSI under the Soros Foundation had long been working on “democracy.”

Endnotes:
[1] Xinhua News Agency, December 26, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/globe/2007-12/26/content_7315955.htm

China and Japan Have a Close-Door Meeting on the Dumpling Poisoning Incident

China and Japan’s officials of quality inspection and commerce had a closed-door meeting on February 5 in Beijing to discuss the Japanese food poisoning incident by pesticide-tainted dumplings imported from China. Both sides expressed to closely cooperate in the investigation. They will go to the food processing company in Hebei together for further investigation.

Source: Xinhuanet.com, February 5, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-02/05/content_7571883.htm

Xinhua Headline: WillAmerican Democracy Be Able to Spread to the Whole World?

In today’s world news section, Xinhua runs a headline of "Will ‘American Democracy’ Be Able to Spread to the Whole World?" followed by a group of articles. The articles emphasize that the world is against hegemony, China has its own version of democracy, and that developing countries cannot simply import democracy.

Source: Xinhua, February 5, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-02/05/content_7570006.htm

Government Anticipates January CPI Reaching New Highs.

Vice Chairman of National Development and Reform Commission, Zhang Guobao, stated during an interview on January 30, 2008 that he does not rule out the January CPI reaching new highs. He stated that short-term adverse weather accelerates food price increase and inflation is expected to remain at a high level this year.

Source: Xinhua, February 3, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2008-02/03/content_7556791.htm

Which Comes First: Fiscal Income or Personal Income?

Fiscal revenue of the government and per capita net income of farmers are part of criteria in the performance appraisal of officials, according to Xinhua’s publication, Banyuetan.

The publication continues that some local officials are eager to launch projects that tend to generate high fiscal income at the cost of high pollution, low employment rate and low-income growth of local residents.

Banyuetan (Bi-Weekly Discussion) is a magazine published by Xinhua on behalf of the Publicity Department, Central Committee of The Communist Party of China.

Source: Xinhua, February 3, 2008.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-02/03/content_7559847.htm