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Xinhua: Cyber Warfare Is Comparable to a Nuclear Strike

The military section of Xinhua published an article discussing the importance of cyber warfare in the future battlefield among countries. A partial translation follows: 

“Cyber warfare is a devastatingly destructive form of combat. It is related to the country’s safety and its survival. The enormous power of cyber warfare is similar to that of a nuclear strike. It can bring the entire network to a standstill, delivering a heavy blow to the central nervous system of the entire society.” 

“Military experts point out that cyberspace has risen to a level parallel to the sea, land, air, and space; it has become the ‘fifth field.’ The ability to control cyberspace has become an important part of a nation’s military power. Analysts have pointed out that, in the future, the ‘fifth field’ will become each country’s main battlefield.” 

“According to a knowledgeable expert, cyber warfare is like ‘Pandora’s box.’ One should treat a cyber war with the same vigilance as a nuclear war.” 

“Since 1991 when the U.S. used cyber warfare successfully in the Gulf War, the U.S. has never cooled down its enthusiasm for cyber warfare. From the time when the U.S. military developed the ‘Schutte’ system in order to achieve a high degree of integration of electronic warfare, cyber warfare, direct destruction, and many other means of attack, to the use of the ‘Stuxnet’ virus to sabotage Iran’s nuclear research program, the U.S. has held a ‘Cyber Storm’ exercise every two years, in order to test the U.S.’s network security and emergency response capabilities and to establish the world’s first ‘Network Warfare Command." The U.S. is moving farther and farther along on the road of cyber warfare preparations.” 
Source: Xinhua, December 9, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2014-12/09/c_127288009.htm

People’s Daily Article Hints Death Penalty for Zhou Yongkang

On December 10, People’s Daily carried an article titled, "What Zhou Yongkang Did Is No Different from a ‘Traitor.’" The article mentioned a few names in the history of the Chinese Communist Party: two early leaders in the 1930’s during the civil war with the Nationalist Party and three high ranking military officials after 1949. All of the five ended in the death penalty. The Nationalists killed the early leaders; the three later officials received death sentences.
The article contrasts with a 2013 Xinhua article, months after Bo Xilai was ousted, "Chen Yun was against the death penalty for Jiang Qing: the inner Party struggle should not have bloodshed." This article hinted that there would be no death penalty for Bo. The December 10 People’s Daily article is widely regarded as hinting that Zhou will receive a "death sentence."
Source: People’s Daily reprinted on china.com.cn, December 10, 2014
http://www.china.com.cn/news/2014-12/10/content_34284242.htm

Over 40 Percent of Listed Companies Are Found to Have Environmental Violations.

On December 9, the Beijing based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) and two other environmental organizations published a report that listed the publicly traded companies in China that had environmental violations. 

According to the IPE report, as of December 5, 2014, 1069 listed companies, which is over 40 percent of all listed companies, were in violation of environmental standards. For example, over 200 companies had instances of noncompliance with emission standards. 
The IPE statistics showed that the largest companies that pollute the environment are power plants, cement companies, non-ferrous metal smelting plants, steel mills, and chemical manufacturers. They account for between 83 to 93 percent of pollutant emissions. Of the 36 listed steel mills, 34 were in violation of environmental standards. Further, the 63 power plants, which account for 80 percent of the listed power plants, have been cited  for violations of environmental regulations a total of 738 times
Source: Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, December 9, 2014 http://www.ipe.org.cn/about/notice_de_1.aspx?id=11832

Young Chinese Scholars on Sino-U.S. Relations

The International Strategy Institute of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Party School held its Second Young Scholar Forum in Beijing on December 6. Two hot topics were the U.S. strategy of rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific and the new type of Sino-U.S. major country relationship. People’s Daily reported the scholars’ views on these topics:

 

"Observing Obama’s actions in the past couple of years, the U.S.’strategy of returning to the Asia-Pacific’ is a true strategic adjustment. It increases the U.S. presence in Asia."

"The U.S.’ rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific strategy presents four challenges to China. It impacts the status of the security around China; it impacts the Sino-U.S. military security relationship; it impacts China’s regional influence; and it impacts China’s anti-terrorism situation."

"In its strategy of rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific, the U.S. also exports its ideology. In the battle of the ideology field, we can see that the U.S. wants to broadcast its ideology to the world. … The battle in the ideology field, though, does not use gun powder; it is more brutal."

"As for future U.S.’ China policy, the key issue is whether the U.S. is willing to give up some of its interests to China." 


"In the past, when the U.S. raised the ‘China threat’ issue, China would rebut it immediately. However, no matter how China rebutted, it was using another’s system of terminology. Now China has introduced the concept of a ‘new type of major country relationship’ and led the U.S. to change. This is a major achievement."

Source: People’s Daily Online, December 9, 2014
http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/1209/c1002-26174514.html

CCP Hackers Attacked the Epoch Times before the Announcement of Zhou Yongkang’s Arrest

From December 1 to December 6 or 7, 2014, Chinese Communist Party hackers attacked the Epoch Times website. On December 6, 2014, the CCP announced that it would expel the former domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang from the Party and arrest him on criminal charges. At critical times in the past, the CCP hackers have launched similar attacks. An Epoch Times article on December 10, 2014, made a list recording these past attacks. The list started in March of 2012, after the Epoch Times reported on the Wang Lijun incident. 

After Wang Lijun sought refuge in the US Consulate in Chengdu on February 6, 2012, the Epoch Times accurately predicted the fall of Bo Xilai and Zhou Yongkang.

Source: Epoch Times, December 10, 2014
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/14/12/10/n4314994.htm

Huanqiu: How Large Should China’s Nuclear Arsenal Be in Order to Protect Its National Security?

On November 29, 2014, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an article titled, “How Large Should china’s Nuclear Arsenal Be in Order to Protect Its National Security?” According to Huanqiu, this is a question that concerns Chinese netizens because other countries tend to speculate about ‘the quality and quantity’ of China’s nuclear weapons. On November 19, 2014, the U.S. Congresses’ US-China Economic and Security Review Commission stated in its 2014 Annual Congressional Report, “In 2013, the Pentagon estimated that Beijing’s nuclear arsenal was comprised of roughly 50 to 75 nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could reach the U.S. Within the next 15 years, China will likely have an arsenal of over 100 ICBMs.”

In an interview, a Chinese national security expert, who did not want to release his name, told the Huanqiu reporter, “To ensure its national security in the future, China should not have a smaller nuclear arsenal or should have a little larger nuclear arsenal than the countries that have a medium size nuclear arsenal (for example, Britain, France and Russia).”

Sources: Huanqiu, November 29, 2014
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2014-11/5221131.html

A Showdown and a Face-off

By Dr. Shizhong Chen

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Many who have been holding their breath over the intense showdown in Hong Kong probably missed a leisure moment of entertainment in Beijing.

They should not, for the event in Beijing gave clues to discern the forces that are trying to direct the outcome of the Umbrella Movement.
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Xinhua: Politburo Meeting Sent Important Economic Signals

Xinhua recently reported that the Chinese Communist Party Politburo met on December 5 to discuss focal economic development plans for 2015. The meeting sent significant signals on next year’s roadmap: China must face “the new norm” of economic development focusing more on quality and profitability; the economy must cut a new balance between growth and structural adjustments; strategic new industries and the services industry should become the two new economic engines; the agricultural development model should improve and modernize; regional economic developments should be more balanced across the country; special attention should be given to unemployment and to helping the poor; economic reforms now must to go deeper; international trade should reach a stable balance.
Source: Xinhua, December 5, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-12/05/c_1113541805.htm