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China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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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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RFA: Divorce, Restoration of Marriage and Buying House, a Phenomenon with Chinese Characteristics

Radio Free Asia carried an article commenting on the latest news about divorce, restoration of marriage, and buying a house, an interesting phenomenon that has been taking place in China in recent years. The article said that the Chinese media published news articles on March 20 that stated that the rate of restored marriages in China has grown in recent years. The majority were couples who had filed for divorce in 2013 because of the benefit of gain in their property taxes. According to the article, in 2014, the marriage restoration rate in Shanghai went up by 18 percent compared to 2013 and reached a record high. The article said that back in 2013, the central government introduced a set of rules in order to curb the overheated housing market. One of those was a 20 percent tax imposed on the gain from the sale of a property. The exception to the rule was where the couple owned two housing properties. If they filed for divorce, they would gain (separate) ownership of one of the properties and the 20 percent property tax on the gain would be exempt. Following the introduction of this rule, a number of major official media reported that, in large cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, people had to wait in line to file for divorce. In an interview with Radio Free Asia, a real estate lawyer in China denied that the marriage restoration rate had anything to do with the housing policy, while another person who is a U.S. resident told Radio Free Asia that this type of phenomenon may appear to be inconceivable to the people who have lived in the US for a long period of time but it is in fact a social phenomenon which resulted from the fast economic development that took place in China.

Source: Radio Free Asia, March 20, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/cyl-03202015120222.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Chinese Airports Have the Worst On-Time Departure Records

China Economic Times reported that, according to South China Morning Post, among 61 major airports in the world, all of the seven worst on-time departure performance airports are in China. Hong Qiao and Pudong Airport in Shanghai and Xiaoshan Airport in Hang Zhou are the bottom three on the list with on-time departure rates of 37.17, 37.26 and 37.74 percent respectively. Other airports that have the worst records include Baoan Airport in Shen Zhen, Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou, Chongqing Airport, and Beijing Capital International Airport. China Economic Times quoted comments from an aviation expert who stated that China is behind in airport management where airport networks are centralized in small regions. Since most airlines routes are between Beijing, Shanghai, and the Guangzhou region, any minor error in one area will affect the airline performances in other regions.

Source: China Economic Times, March 22, 2015
http://www.ce.cn/xwzx/gnsz/gdxw/201503/22/t20150322_4894111.shtml

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China Internet Information Center: US Feels a Sense of Helplessness about AIIB

China Internet Information Center published a rebuttal against an article published in the New York Times on March 20 titled, “Hostility From U.S. as China Lures Allies to New Bank.” The rebuttal said that since March 12, more European countries have signed up to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank or AIIB, putting the U.S. in a very awkward position. The rebuttal questioned why the New York Times needs to be concerned. It stated that the reason China has attracted most countries to welcome the AIIB is that China has had strong economic growth. Even countries such as the UK look to China as its savior due to its own economic crisis. “The U.S. shouldn’t make its own values the absolute truth while discounting others. This type of mentality will affect its own growth.” The article continued that China has no intention of challenging the U.S. The strong opposition from the New York Times shows that the U.S. has a sense of helplessness.

Source: China Internet Information Center, March 25, 2015
http://opinion.china.com.cn/opinion_25_125025.html

New York Times, Hostility From U.S. as China Lures Allies to New Bank, March 19, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/world/asia/hostility-from-us-as-china-lures-allies-to-new-bank.html?_r=0
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

The New U.S. Maritime Strategy Shows Its Two-Faced Nature towards China

People’s Daily Overseas Edition published an article commenting on the new U.S. maritime strategy that the Chief of Naval Operations, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard jointly issued on March 13, titled, "A Cooperative Strategy for the 21st Century Sea power: Forward, Engaged, Ready." This is the first revision of the 2007 edition of its maritime strategy in nearly eight years. 

The article said, “The new U.S. maritime strategy listed China, together with such countries as Russia, Iran, and North Korea, as its security challenges or threats. It significantly strengthened its attention to and vigilance toward China.” 
The article said that the new strategy made groundless accusations against China’s legitimate actions of safeguarding its maritime rights and interests and it slandered China for using force or for intimidating other countries while maintaining its sovereignty. The article also stated, “Although the new strategy didn’t specifically name China, the U.S. media made it clear that China is one of the target countries in its ‘all domain access’ combat operation.” 

The article further commented, “Looking at the new U.S. maritime strategy, between the lines, it is full of a Cold War mentality. First, the U.S. military continues to regard China as a potential military adversary, continues to develop combat capability against China, continues to strengthen its military deployment around China, and continues to strengthen its military alliances that were established during the Cold War with Japan, the Philippines, Australia, and other countries. [The new strategy] turns a blind eye to China’s efforts – to its restraint in recent years when dealing with maritime disputes with its neighboring countries. It continues its efforts to use these maritime disputes to contain China’s development. Second, the U.S. military’s ‘all domain access’ concept of combat operations is to develop the U.S. military’s combat capability of free access to other country’s sea shores and even inland. This is undoubtedly hegemonic and tyrannous thinking.” 
Source: People’s Daily, March 16, 2015 
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2015-03/16/content_1542885.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Qiushi: China’s Domestic Use of Soft Power

Qiushi reported that China has been innovative in transforming Western soft power into Chinese cultural soft power to achieve domestic objectives. The United States uses soft power as a means to promote hegemony. China has adopted soft power as an approach to enhance its comprehensive national power and international influence. “Domestically, [the soft power is used] to strengthen the development of socialist core values, to promote Chinese traditional culture, and to cultivate noble morals and enhance the cohesion of the Party, military and the people across the country. Internationally, [soft power is used] to disseminate China’s position and voice, to establish a good international image, to create a favorable international environment, and to promote the development of a peaceful, harmonious, and cooperative world.” 


The use of soft power domestically has more extensive strategic objectives than internationally, to “unify people’s minds and hearts” and to “advocate patriotism.” 

Source: Qiushi, March 16, 2015 
http://www.qstheory.cn/politics/2015-03/16/c_1114648345.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: Unapproved Political Activities Harm the State

Xinhua reported that analysts at official think tanks have commented on the new terms that the Supreme People’s Court has used in accusing disgraced top cadres Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai, and others of engaging in political activities "not approved" by the Communist Party. These analysts pointed out that, when compared with the common term "unapproved activities,” the objective of "political activities not approved by the Party" is more sinister and serious, and that resolute opposition [to such activities] reflects the Party’s implementation of tighter control. 

Wang Yukai, a professor at the China National School of Administration said that “political activities not approved by the Party ignore the Party’s political discipline and rules and even severely harm the State as well as the Party’s unity." Zhang Xixian from the Central Party School of the Communist Party commented that "unapproved political activities" occur when a high level Party official engages in political activities not approved by the Party, clearly in violation of the principles of the Party organization, political discipline, and political rules." "Resolutely opposing such activities and completely preventing them from happening is very necessary and urgent. It demonstrates the latest round of measures to tighten the Party’s discipline.” 
Source: Xinhua, March 19, 2015 
ttp://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2015-03/19/c_1114700939.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Qiushi: New Challenges for the Party’s Public Relations

According to an article in Qiushi, economic development has brought about new challenges for the Party in maintaining its relationship with the public. The following are some of these challenges:

The income disparity has added fuel to the public’s complaints. If not resolved, these complaints will weaken confidence and trust in the Party.

The open market economy has brought with it a laissez-faire and a multicultural ideology. This has weakened and diluted the Party’s education of the public.

The plurality in the social structure makes it difficult to lead and guide the people. For example, some domestic and overseas forces with ulterior motives have used new social organizations to compete with the Party for public support.

Economic globalization and the Internet make it easier for the West to achieve a cultural infiltration of China. News about the disintegration of some regimes and the collapse of long-term ruling parties all have had a disturbing psychological impact on the people of China. Further, some people no longer trust and follow the propaganda of the Party the way they used to.

The corruption of Party officials has also tarnished the Party’s image, breeding public hostility against Party officials.

Source: Qiushi, March 10, 2015
http://www.qstheory.cn/dukan/hqwg/2015-03/10/c_1114582921.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Supreme Court’s New Charge against Zhou and Bo

For the first time, the Supreme People’s Court has  accused disgraced top cadres Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai, and others of engaging in political activities "not approved" by the Communist Party. The claim was made in the court’s annual work report, published on Wednesday. The report said that court staff should "clearly recognize the serious damage" that Zhou, Bo, and others caused. They "trampled on the rule of law, undermined the Party’s solidarity, and engaged in political activities [not approved by the Party]."
According to Zhuang Deshui, a scholar at Beijing University, the new term of "political activities not approved by the party (非组织政治活动)" tells two things: first, these political activities are illegal; second, these activities do not conform to the formal procedural requirements of the Party. It’s like the Gang of Four, who established a small interest group to gain political power and influence over the public.
Zhang Xixian, a Central Party School professor, believes that political activities usually involve political principles and political directions. Political activities not approved by the Party should refer to political activities that are the opposite of the direction of the Party’s organizational principles, and even in violation of the Party’s policies. They exhibit anti-Party characteristics in that they betray the Party’s ideals.
Source: Beijing Youth Daily, March 19, 2015
http://epaper.ynet.com/html/2015-03/19/content_122619.htm?div=-1
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics