Chinascope – Page 715

Huanqiu: Corruption Is Very Serious in the Army

On December 23, 2014, the military section of Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an article titled, “Corruption Is Very Serious in the Army; Some Corrupt Officials Still Have Not Stopped Being Corrupt.” Corruption includes using the ability to trade in power, money, and sex. Some cases have involved huge amounts of money.

“Some stubborn, deeply hidden corrupt officials have attempted to muddle along.” They have not been discovered. Some even turn a deaf ear to the anti-corruption movement. They have not concluded their corrupt acts; nor do they stop their bribery. The problems are very shocking. “(We) must punish them. Let the corrupt officials really pay a heavy price.”

Source: Huanqiu, December 23, 2014
http://mil.huanqiu.com/china/2014-12/5278619.html

Briefings | | December 24, 2014 | Government/Politics

China News: China Firmly Opposes Obama Selling Frigates to Taiwan

China News recently reported that U.S. President Obama just signed a bill to sell Taiwan four “Perry Class” frigates. These are the USS Taylor, USS Carr, USS Gary and USS Elrod. It is expected that the two parties will complete the transaction next year. The U.S. Congress started pushing this bill toward the end of 2013. It took 13 months to go through the legislative process. The Senate passed the bill on December 4 and the House passed it on December 10. Before the Congress passed the bill, the Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it clear that the United States is once again breaking its promise and that China strongly opposes this bill. He also called for a complete stop to pushing this bill through and recommended that the President should not sign it. The Chinese government expressed the belief that this bill will “hurt the relationship” between the United States and China.

Source: China News, December 19, 2014

http://www.chinanews.com/tw/2014/12-19/6892829.shtml

Briefings | | December 23, 2014 | US-China Relations

Reporters Without Borders: China Has the Largest Number of Jailed Reporters

BBC Chinese recently reported that the Reporters Without Borders Organization, headquartered in Paris, just released its 2014 summary of global statistics on reporters subjected to violence. According to this latest summary, in 2014, 178 professional reporters were jailed worldwide. Among these reporters, Mainland China jailed 29, which represents a 17 percent share. That is the worst in the world. Also, out of all “citizen journalists” (non-professionals) jailed globally, the Mainland China government jailed 78. Combining the professional and non-professional jailed reporters, Mainland China has a share of around 30 percent, the highest among all nations. The Reporters Without Borders summary especially mentioned well-known Chinese reporter Gao Yu, who is facing a possible 15-year term, which is on top of the seven years she has already served. The summary also mentioned that 1,864 reporters have been attacked or threatened globally. Mainland China attacked or threatened 84 of those, thus ranking it number five (Ukraine, Venezuela and Turkey are the top three nations).

Source: BBC Chinese, December 16, 2014

http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/world/2014/12/141216_journalists_prisoned

Briefings | | December 23, 2014 | Government/Politics

The U.S. Plan to Tax Imported Chinese Steel

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) confirmed that carbon and alloy steel imported from China unfairly damaged the U.S. domestic steel industry. It will therefore tax these imports with anti-dumping and countervailing duties. The ITC vote was the final step in the process of approving these punishments. The Chinese steel exporters include three steel manufacturers (Benxi Steel, Rizhao Steel, and Hualing Xiangtan Steel) and an international trade company (Jiangsu Shagang). The ITC ruling was based on complaints filed by ArcelorMittal (USA), Charter Steel, Evraz Pueblo, Gerdau Ameristeel, Keystone Consolidated Industries, and Nucor.

Source: Sina, December 16, 2014

http://finance.sina.com.cn/chanjing/cyxw/20141216/185121091096.shtml

Briefings | | December 23, 2014 | US-China Relations

China’s New-generation Cloud Computing Operating System

According to an article in People’s Daily a new-generation cloud computing operating system, Cloudview 1.8, was recently launched in Beijing. Industry experts indicate that the system is the leader in cloud computing products that comply with the highest national standards. Its launch marks an important step forward in autonomous controllability.

Dawning Information Industry Co., Ltd, (中科曙光”), a state enterprise, developed the system. According to the CEO of Dawning, Cloudview 1.8 has gone through several different versions of technological upgrades in computing, storage, and networking. It can better meet the demand for the infrastructure management of cloud computing while upgrading multi-tenant management, project resource management, and service process management. It has achieved strategic integration of IT infrastructure management and business operation and has fully realized autonomous controllability.

Source: People’s Daily, December 21, 2014

http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2014-12/22/nw.D110000renmrb_20141222_3-09.htm

Briefings | | December 22, 2014 | Information/Technology

Xi Jinping: Will not change one country, two systems for Hong Kong and Macau

Xi Jinping spoke at the ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of Macau’s return to China. He told the audience that China’s confidence and resolve to continue the practice of “one country, two systems” will not waiver.

Xi said that “one country, two systems” is China’s fundamental State policy. “We must adhere to the one-China principle and we must respect the differences between the two systems. … At no time should we focus only on one side to the neglect of the other. … This is the only way that leads to sound and steady progress." He added that any other way would be "a misguided approach from the beginning." It would be like "putting one’s left foot into the right shoe."

"No matter what difficulties or challenges we may encounter, our confidence and resolve to uphold the principle of ‘one country, two systems’ will not waiver. Our confidence and resolve to advance the practice of ‘one country, two systems’ will not waiver!”

Source: Xinhua, December 20. 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-12/20/c_1113717267.htm

Briefings | | December 22, 2014 | Government/Politics

In 2014, over 150 Senior Executives at State-owned Enterprises Faced Corruption Charges

According to Legal Daily, from January 1 to December 15, 2014, a total of over 150 senior executives from State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) have been investigated for or charged with conducting criminal activities. This represents a sharp increase compared to less than 100 in previous years.

January and February of 2014 each saw two fallen executives, the lowest number for the year. The numbers in June, August, and September hit the peak at 22, 39, and 22 respectively. The hardest hit were those SOEs that the central government owns, such as China Resources Group and Sinopec. The energy and financial sectors each had a total of 11 senior executives under investigation, including Postal Savings Bank of China, Beijing Rural Commercial Bank, the Bank of Inner Mongolia, and China Guangfa Bank. According to a state survey, 90 percent of the officials who fled overseas are from State-owned companies or financial companies.

Source: Legal Daily reprinted by Xinhua, December 20, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-12/20/c_1113717267.htm

Briefings | | December 22, 2014 | Government/Politics

China Cancer Map Shows the Geographic Distribution of Cancer Cases

Life Times, which is under People’s Daily, published a “China Cancer Map” showing the geographic distribution of the cancer cases in China.

Including all cities in China, the forms of cancer with the highest occurrences are thyroid cancer and breast cancer. Lung cancer ranks the highest in the three provinces in northeast China and Yunnan provinces. Jiangsu Province has the highest number of cases of gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and liver cancer.

The map shows that liver cancer cases occur mostly in the coastal provinces of Zhejiang, Guangxi, and Jiangsu, while the provinces of Liaoning, Shandong, Gansu, Jiangsu, and Fujian tend to have more colorectal cancer cases. Gynecological cancer cases appear to be concentrated in Inner Mongolia, and the provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi.

Sources: Life Times reprinted by Huanqiu, December 17, 2014

http://mt.huanqiu.com/Html/ahtml/china/2014-12-17/5251565.html

Briefings | | December 19, 2014 | Economy/Resources

Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.