On June 11, Wang Xiaolu, the Vice Director of the National Economic Research Institute of the China Reform Foundation, released a report about "grey income," the income that is never officially reported. He found that the urban population has "4.4 trillion Yuan (0.55 trillion $US) of grey income that is not accounted for in China’s national statistics."
A Communist Party Directive on Media Controls
In November 2006, the propaganda department of a county Communist Party Committee affirmed that news reporting is a matter of politics. "Media is the mouthpiece of the Party." The Party should carefully guide public opinion by following "the principle of ‘enhancing positive publicity, blocking negative reports, and handling sensitive reports with caution." The directive calls for implementation of a mechanism of censorship so that "no person shall collect and publish news reports on problems and hot issues without the approval of the County Committee’s Propaganda Department." Topics banned from news reporting include disparity of income, lawsuits against the Party and the authorities, embezzlement and anything that will "bring instability to our society." News reporting of international events must be consistent with that of the central government. Violators will be publicly reprimanded.
Chinese Police’ “Hidden Front” – How They Suppress Faith Based Groups
The annual report from the Hangzhou City Public Security Bureau shows that the suppression of faith-based groups has gone underground – it has become the "hidden front." The Chinese police waste no time on enforcement. Internet censorship and control of social unrest continue to be the focus of Chinese law enforcement.
Communist Party School on the Important Issues of Building a Harmonious Society
Marxism remains the "guiding ideology" and "fundamental principle" for Chinese Communist Party and "the soul of social ideologies." In March 2007, a professor from the Party School of the Communist Party of China published a paper entitled "Important Issues for Future In-depth Studies on Building a Harmonious Socialist Society." Hu Jintao set forth the goal of a harmonious society at the Party’s Sixth Plenary Session held in October 2006.
China’s Government Think Tanks on Taiwan Politics
Xiamen Star issued a "2006 Taiwan Report" authored by a group of experts and scholars from Mainland China and Taiwan. Those from Mainland China allege that Taiwan has entered a new period of political turmoil, color revolution is taking place in Taiwan and public opinion will decide who is the winner in Taiwan election.
How Chinese Journalists Tiptoe around Censored Topics
Hong Kong’s Apple Daily recently commented on the Chinese government’s information control and how Chinese journalists tiptoe when reporting on "taboo" topics such as Falun Gong in Hong Kong and the June 4 (the anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre) candlelight vigil in Victoria Park, Hong Kong.
Chinese Transfer Billions from Savings and Borrow Billions to Buy Stock
Chinese households have been pouring billions of RMB in savings into the stock market. In May 2007 alone, they transferred more than 278.4 billion RMB ($37 billion) from household savings accounts to stock trading accounts. As a result, Chinese banks are facing their biggest challenge since 1949.
China Establishes Measures For Young Pioneers Counselors
On June 26, 2007, China Youth Daily reported that the Central Committee, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Personnel, and the National Working Committee on Children, had executed and implemented the Young Pioneers Counselors Administration Measures (hereinafter referred to as "Measure"). [1] The Measure provides guidelines and support in building a team of Young Pioneer Counselors.