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

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Chinese Ambassador to Russia on Sino-Russian Cultural Engagement

On July 31, Li Hui, the Chinese Ambassador to Russia published an article on People’s Daily about the cultural exchanges between the two countries.
"Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, China and Russia have further deepened bilateral cultural exchanges. By setting up several working mechanisms and signing a series of cooperation documents, they have promoted and ensured Sino-Russian cultural relations at the political and legal level. There have been four main achievements."
"The China-Russia Committee on Humanities Cooperation. In 2000, this organization’s predecessor, the Sino-Russian Cooperation Committee on Education, Culture, Health, and Sports (SRCCECHS), was set up under a regular meeting mechanism between the Chinese premier and Russian Prime Minister. In 2007, with ever growing cooperation, SRCCECHS was renamed the China-Russia Committee on Humanities Cooperation."
"Cooperation packages between the Ministries of Culture in both countries. In December 1992 in Beijing, the leaders of both countries signed the "Agreement of Cultural Cooperation between the Governments of the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation." This agreement became the guiding paper on the cultural exchanges between the two countries. Under this framework, the Cultural Ministries of the two countries signed 10 cultural cooperation plans. At present, the two ministries are implementing the "2014 – 2016 Cooperation Plan between the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation."
"The Reciprocal Establishment of Cultural Centers. In October 2009, the "Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Reciprocal Establishment of Cultural Centers" was signed in Beijing. The Russian Cultural Center was launched in Beijing in September 2010, and Chinese Cultural Center in Moscow opened in December 2012."
"Cultural activities as major diplomatic events. In 2006 and 2007, China and Russia held the reciprocal event, "Year of the Country." The leaders of both countries attended both the opening and closing ceremonies. Since then, China and Russia have launched large-scale cross-nation activities using the mechanism of mutual visits between the leaders of the two countries. In 2009 and 2010, both countries held reciprocal events, the "Year of Language" in 2012 and in 2013, the "Year of Tourism." 
Source: People’s Daily, July 31, 2014
http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/0808/c1002-25430950.html
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua News Agency Signs Cooperation Agreement with a Spanish Think Tank

On August 7, Xinhua News Agency and the Observatory of Chinese politics (OPCh), an affiliate of the Spanish think tank the Galician Institute of Analysis and International Documentation (IGADI), signed a friendship and cooperation agreement. Under the agreement, "the two parties will cooperate in publishing analyses of China’s political and economic policy and social hot issues that concern foreign readers, offer in-depth interpretations, and thus enable the world to improve its understanding of China." Wang Chaowen, the European chief of Xinhua and Julio Rios, the Director of OPCh, signed the cooperation agreement. The Chinese Ambassador to Spain Zhu Bangzao attended the ceremony. "The Chinese policy observation center" and its website were established in 2000, for the purpose of studying and analyzing the Chinese legal system, political trends, national defense, ethnic minorities, human rights, and foreign policy.
Source: Xinhua, August 8, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-08/08/c_1112001469.htm
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Over 70 Percent of Provinces Have Publicly Stated Support for the Decision on Zhou Yongkang

People’s Daily published a news report on its website regarding which provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions have expressed support for the central government’s decision to investigate [former politburo member] Zhou Yongkang [for his violations of "Party discipline"]. 

The report said, “Today [August 7], Beijing, Shanghai, Inner Mongolia, and the Ningxia autonomous regions publicly stated that they resolutely support the central government’s decision to investigate Zhou Yongkang. According to People’s Daily statistics, so far, 23 of the entire country’s 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities have publicly stated support for the decision.” “Among them, Shaanxi and Guizhou took the lead on July 31 and published the news on the front-page of their local Party newspapers, expressing firm support for the decision of the Central government.” 
The report listed the provinces and municipalities that have publicly expressed support for the decision. It said, “As early as the evening after July 29, when the message was sent out that Zhou Yongkang was being investigated, Beijing, Hubei, Hunan, and Yunnan immediately conveyed the spirit of the central government [among the Party leaders] in accordance with the requirements [of the central government].” 
“Shanghai, Tianjin, and Inner Mongolia held meetings on July 30. Eight days later, on August 7, Shanghai and Inner Mongolia published the news to express firm support for the central government’s decision. Tianjin published the news on its website for Northern News Online.” 
The report didn’t list the provinces or regions that have not expressed support for the decision. 

Source: People’s Daily, August 7, 2014 
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2014/0807/c1001-25424974.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Huanqiu: African Summit, Americans Learn from China While Stubbornly Refusing to Admit Mistakes

A Huanqiu opinion article made some comments on the recent African Summit held in Washington DC. 
"From August 4 to August 6, the Americans ‘learned the Chinese way’ when they attended an African Summit. This is the first obvious example of the ‘Chinazation’ of American diplomacy. Looking at Obama who sat together with nearly 50 African leaders and government representatives and discussed African-American cooperation, the Chinese people were happy. China has good things and is not afraid that the Americans will learn from it. China does not have a sense of crisis about China’s interests being compromised if Americans strengthen their cooperation with Africa."
"It is President Obama who is a bit stingy. At the Summit he emphasized that ‘we don’t look to Africa simply for its natural resources’ and that ‘we don’t simply want to extract minerals from the ground.’ The media interpreted that he was ‘silently criticizing’ China. What is more, in his exclusive interview with the Economist magazine, he said, ‘The roads (built by China) don’t just lead from the mine to the port to Shanghai.’"
"Americans should no doubt be considered ‘oldies’ in Africa. They have quite a deep influence there. China’s experience in Africa is still young, but this round of Sino-African cooperation has flung the American-African relationship far behind. Sino-African total trade in 2009 exceeded the trade with the U.S. by more than $100 billion and China has become Africa’s largest trading partner. In 2013, the figure jumped to over $200 billion, while, last year, American-African trade shrank to $60 billion from over $100 billion in 2008. It is understandable that Americans are getting worried."
"The rapid development of Sino-African cooperation verified the vitality and future of the bilateral cooperation on an equal footing and also demonstrated the huge potential of the Chinese economy. In contrast, the West’s highbrow way of ‘transformation of Africa’ has become less and less popular in Africa. This is the root cause behind the difference between Sino-African and American-African trade."
Source: People’s Daily, August 7, 2014
http://opinion.people.com.cn/n/2014/0807/c1003-25421033.html
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China’s Actions on Internet Security in 2013

A recent People’s Daily Online article listed a number of official events and actions in 2013 that dealt with Internet security in China. 
In November 2013, the third Plenary Session of 18th Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee approved "The Decision on Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reforms." The State Security Committee was established to formulate and implement national security strategies. In December 2012, the eleventh National People’s Congress Standing Committee adopted the "Decision on Strengthening Network Information Protection." The regulations were implemented in 2013. In August 2013, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued the "Notice on the Issuance of the Action Plan on the Prevention and Control of Hackers’ Underground Industry Chain." Starting in May 2013, the National Internet Information Office (NIIO) launched a nationwide campaign to strike against the behavior of "using the Internet to manufacture rumors and deliberately spread rumors." In June 2013, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) held a teleconference meeting, deploying the nationwide public security authorities to carry out six-months of intensive combat against and punishment of Internet criminal activities. In July 2013, MIIT issued "Provisions for the Protection of the Personal Information of Telecommunications and Internet Users." In September 2013, the Supreme People’s Court announced the interpretation of the laws applicable to hearing criminal cases about fabricating and deliberately spreading false terrorist information. The spokesperson for the Court said that the "interpretation" clearly stipulated that a person committing any of six situations of seriously disrupting the social order would be held criminally responsible.
Source: People’s Daily Online, August 7, 2014
http://theory.people.com.cn/n/2014/0807/c387081-25421419.html
Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Yin Zhuo: Japan’s Defense White Paper Clearly Expresses that China Is Japan’s Top Opponent

On August 5, the Japanese government approved its Defense White Paper (2014 edition). Chinese military expert Yin Zhuo, major general and director of the Navy Expert Committee on Information Technology, stated that Japan’s Defense White Paper clearly communicated to the outside world that China is Japan’s number one competitor and top opponent. If future wars explode, China will be Japan’s main combat objective. 

Yin Zhuo stated that [in the white paper] Japan openly fabricated facts. It did so for two main reasons: 
The first was to cooperate with the U.S.’s strategy of returning to the Asia-Pacific. Yin Zhuo said that the United States is now trying to contain China utilizing the safety issues in China’s surrounding regions. This is an important goal of the U.S.’s rebalancing strategy in returning to the Asia-Pacific. Japan, as a U.S. ally, is bound to cooperate vigorously with U.S. policy. Meanwhile, with China’s rapid economic development, China’s national defense has advanced as well. This has also made Japan feel threatened. 
The second is that Japan is carrying out a media warfare campaign against China. Yin Zhuo further pointed out that, by doing so, Japan is preparing for its attempt to become a political power and a permanent member of the Security Council. At the same time, it is also creating the publicity for next year’s election campaign to be a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Yin Zhuo said that on any multilateral occasion, including at the United Nations, Japan has spared no effort to attack China. Japan is attempting to bring the Sino-Japanese dispute to the entire world. Abe obviously showed this intent when he was visiting Latin America and Africa. 

Source: People’s Daily, August 6, 2014 
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2014/0806/c1011-25413439.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

RFA: Some Kind of Coup May Have Taken Place in China

On August 5, 2014, Radio Free Asia published an article titled, “Some Kind of Coup May Have Taken Place in China.” The article analyzed [what it identified as] the current abnormal situation in China, including the following. First, on-going unprecedented large scale military exercises are taking place from July to September (a portion of the exercises will continue until November). Second, a secret meeting was held at the end of July between the former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and China’s current top leader Xi Jinping in Beijing in an effort to improve Sino-Japanese relations. Third, on July 29, a public announcement was made of the investigation of the former domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang. Fourth, on July 30, the Central Discipline Inspection Commission of the Chinese Communist Party sent a large investigation team to Shanghai; the team will be stationed in Shanghai until September (the same period of time that the large scale military exercises are taking place). Fifth, Shanghai Bright Food Group Chairman Wang Zong-nan, who has a close relationship with China’s former top leader Jiang Zemin, was taken away for investigation several days ago. Sixth, a large number of civilian flights were canceled in July, especially flights between Beijing and Shanghai. Seventh, in July security checks were enhanced in subways and other transportation areas in Beijing (trash cans have to be emptied every 15 minutes). Eighth, People’s Daily published a commentary article titled, "The Takedown of the Big Tiger Zhou Yongkang Does Not Mean the Anti-Corruption Campaign Has Stopped," which was then removed from its website. Finally, China’s former top leader Jiang Zemin’s inscriptions and signatures are being removed from public places, with online photos being published as evidence of the removal.

All of the above incidents indicate that some kind of coup is taking place between Beijing and Shanghai. The article concluded that the anti-Xi forces may have started the coup but failed when Xi’s forces fought back or that the Xi Jinping group launched a coup to eliminate the Jiang Zemin’s faction.

Source: Radio Free Asia, August 5, 2014
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/pinglun/chenpokong/js-08052014120319.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

BBC Chinese: China’s Anti-Corruption û Tiger Locked in Cage; Why Worry about a Counterattack?

After Zhou Yongkang, the former standing member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee and Secretary of the Politics and Law Committee was taken down, People’s Forum magazine, which is under one of the top Chinese government official media People’s Daily, published a series of 13 anti-corruption articles one after the other, saying that anti-corruption in China is now “transitioning from surface-oriented to root-oriented.” One of the articles pointed out that corrupt officials would not sit still and wait to be killed. “To protect their own interests, they must put up a last-ditch resistance effort and even unite together to fight back jointly.” This article was reprinted widely in China and a more striking title was used for the reprinted article, “The CCP’s Anti-Corruption – Be Alert for the Big Tigers’ Joint Counterattack.”

Source: BBC Chinese, August 5, 2014
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/08/140805_corruption_tiger_fight_back.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics