Chinascope – Page 749

Xinhua: 84,000 Officials Subjected to Party and Administrative Discipline in Six Months

In the first half of this year, China’s disciplinary and supervision authorities disciplined 84,000 officials, an increase of more than 30 percent over the same period last year. Huang Shuxian, deputy chief of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Chinese Communist Party and Minister of Supervision, made this announcement at a recent high-level APEC Anti-Corruption seminar. In the year 2013, nationwide discipline and supervision organs accepted 1.95 million reports and 18,000 letters of inquiry, held in-person meetings with 42 billion people, prosecuted 172,000 cases, closed 172,000 cases, put 182,000 officials under Party and administrative discipline, and transferred 9,600 criminal suspects to the judicial authorities.

Source: Xinhua, August 14, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-08/14/c_1112082773.htm

Briefings | | August 14, 2014 | Government/Politics

China Review News: U.S. Forceful Intervention Complicates the Situation in the South China Sea

China Review News (CRN) published a commentary article following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s “response” to the “suggestions” that the United States made on the South China Sea issue while attending the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

The article said, “Who is meddling in the South China Sea? Of course, it is the United States. U.S. State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Fox proposed ‘three suggestions’ on the South China Sea dispute. It appears that the United States is overly ‘concerned’ with the South China Sea issue. The South China Sea dispute is a farce that the United States has both orchestrated and directed. Previously, the United States backed the Philippines and Vietnam to provoke China on the South China Sea issue. … Now that China’s determination to safeguard China’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity cannot be shaken, the United States has anxiously walked to the front from backstage and has directly intervened in the South China Sea issue.”

The article continued, “Wherever the United States intervenes, there will be no peace. Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and Ukraine – the United States has intervened in all these countries. The results? [They are:] a division of the country, never ending wars, widespread poverty, and no security. As Minister Wang Yi said, ‘Does the U.S. also want to turn this area [the South China Sea] into a mess? Looking back, the United States is really evil. For its own so-called strategic interests, the U.S. forcefully pursues its hegemonism and power politics and has messed up other countries that are prosperous and peaceful.”

"Today, the U.S. also comes to the Asia-Pacific region to intervene in the South China Sea issue, trying to make the South China Sea into a sea of war. This time, the United States seems to have miscalculated the situation."

"The U.S. forceful intervention in the South China Sea is bound to bring the region into turmoil. Neither the ‘three suggestions’ on the South China Sea that the United States made or the ‘three-step’ solution that the Philippines proposed are truly meant to solve the South China Sea issue. Instead, they intend to launch an attack on China. When the United States walks to the front stage from behind, it is not to solve the South China Sea conflict, but to stir up turmoil in the South China Sea so as to achieve its so-called Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy to contain China."

Source: China Review News, August 14, 2014

http://3g.zhgpl.com/crn-webapp/touch/detail.jsp?coluid=136&kindid=0&docid=103336617

Briefings | | August 14, 2014 | US-China Relations

People’s Daily: Obama’s Free Ride Remarks are Baseless and Ridiculous

People’s Daily issued a commentary on Obama’s remarks that China is a free rider. President Obama, in an interview with The New York Times, said that China is a global “free rider” and no one expects China do something for the world.

According to People’s Daily, Obama’s remarks came "out of nowhere" and showed the "confused logic" of the United States. The United States has made a series of mistakes in Iraq, and is “embarrassing itself” by comparing the role it played in Iraq with that of China. The United States is the "invader" and "deserter" of Iraq, while China has been a "partner" and a "builder."

People’s Daily first indicated that Chinese companies have built comprehensive petroleum production and processing facilities in Iraq and have completed telecommunication projects that provide coverage throughout Iraq. It then stated, “The ‘Free Rider’ remarks are baseless and truly ridiculous.”

[Editor’s note: From the New York Times interview Aug 8 – Obama: “They are free riders. And they have been free riders for the last 30 years and it’s worked really well for them. … I’ve joked sometimes, when my inbox starts stacking up. I said can’t we be a little bit more like China? Nobody ever seems to expect them to do anything when this stuff comes up.”]

Source: People’s Daily, August 13, 2014

http://renwu.people.com.cn/n/2014/0813/c357069-25457217.html

Briefings | | August 14, 2014 | US-China Relations

China Review News: Only a Small Number of Chinese Are Upset about Messaging Regulations

On August 9, 2014, China Review News published an article in support of the “Ten Regulations on Public Instant Messaging Services” that the Chinese central government recently issued. According to the article, there are over 300 million instant messaging users in China. According to the article, “Rumors have been circulating everywhere” in China. In a dark corner, foreigners or Chinese who are paid with foreign currencies have been fabricating shocking “authoritative announcements.” The article asserted that most Internet users welcome the “Ten Regulations on Public Instant Messaging Services.” Only a small numbers of people are upset. Those who enjoy publishing "authoritative news" behind-the-scenes can no longer get royalties because their articles cannot be published online.

Source: China Review News, August 9, 2014
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1033/3/0/1/103330106.html?coluid=59&kindid=0&docid=103330106&mdate=0809105458

Briefings | | August 13, 2014 | Information/Technology

Kwong Wah eNews: China’s Shenzhou Rocket May Have Crashed in Inner Mongolia on August 7

According to the August 10, 2014, (Sunday) edition of Kwong Wah eNews, an Internet user in Inner Mongolia disclosed in a recent microblog that a suspected Chinese rocket crashed in Inner Mongolia and burst into flames last Thursday, August 7, 2014. Chinese authorities soon cleaned up the scene and blocked the news. One Chinese military supporter said China was testing a WU-14 hypersonic missile on that day and that what crashed was the missile launching rocket. Three other sources, including Mongolia News, one witness, and one Macau military commentator all confirmed the testing of the WU-14 Ultra-High Speed Missile on August 7 and/or the crash of the rocket.

Source: Kwong Wah eNews, August 10, 2014
http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2014/08/10/61.html

Briefings | | August 13, 2014 | Defense/Military

Huanqiu Commentary on Gao Zhisheng

Huanqiu Shibao, or Global Times, a state newspaper under People’s Daily, published a commentary that denounced Gao Zhisheng as a pawn that the West uses in its political battle with China.

The commentary labeled Gao as the "Western touted ‘rights attorney’" and said that he had written three open letters to the top leaders of China, asking that China stop the "persecution" of Falun Gong.

It stated, "Gao’s wife and two children live in the U.S. The Western media has provided a large amount of support for him. [All these] make his interest in Chinese society different from the majority of attorneys."

"The West concentrates the focus of China’s human rights on a few political dissidents and heaps cynicism on China’s large-scale improvement of its citizen’s rights. Gao Zhisheng and others, in fact, have become a lever that the West uses in its political combat with China. They all know this well and have thus collaborated with [the West.]"

The article further warned Gao to stay away from politics; otherwise he will be a "target of sanctions under the law." "In any society, politics and law are very close to each other. If a person combines his individual actions together with actions that challenge national security and the fundamental political system, he is very likely, sooner or later, to cross the legal red line."

Source: Huanqiu Online, August 5, 2014
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/shanrenping/2014-08/5099388.html

Briefings | | August 12, 2014 | Government/Politics

People’s Daily: China Established Regulations for Public Instant Messaging Services

People’s Daily recently reported that the Chinese central government released new nationwide regulations on public instant messaging services. The regulations cover the management of public accounts and the content-related limitations on these accounts. One of the key requirements in the new rules is that all users must register with real names. These names must be validated by the service provider upon registration. Those public accounts opened by organizations that provide information services must go through additional reviews and must register with corresponding government administrative offices at the same time. Another important new rule is that any user account that is not opened by a government approved news agency cannot publish or republish political or “current events” types of news. Instant messaging service providers must visually mark the authorized news publishers. Service providers are also required to preserve records and proof of violations.

Source: People’s Daily, August 8, 2014

http://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0808/c172318-25426638.html

Briefings | | August 12, 2014 | Information/Technology

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

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.”