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

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Guangming Daily: The Party Must Use the Magic Weapon of Struggle

On October 21, 2013, the China National Defense University Research Center published a special commentary in Guangming Daily on Xi Jinping’s remarks that “[We] are engaged in a great struggle that has many new historical features; we face unprecedented challenges and difficulties.” 

According to the Report of the 18th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, “The Party is confronting the challenges to a ruling party, the challenges of reform and opening up, the challenges of the market economy, and the challenges from the external environment, all of which are long-term, complicated, and severe. The dangers of slacking off, of a lack of capacity, of being disconnected from masses, and of corruption are expressly placed in front of the whole Party.” 
The commentary stated that these tests and dangers are the test of the century for the Party and that carrying on the struggle is the necessary way to deal with them. “Faced with the danger of the demise of the Party and the country, the Chinese Communist Party can only bring about a bright future by using the magic weapon of struggle.” 

Source: Guangming Daily, October 21, 2013 
http://news.gmw.cn/2013-10/21/content_9229354.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

The Number of Officials Punished for Bribery Has Increased 60 Percent in the Last 5 Years

According to an anti-corruption work report that the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of the People’s Republic of China released, from January 2008 to August 2013, 32 provincial-level government officials were sentenced for corruption. Half of them were sentenced to death but received a reprieve. In the past 5 years, a total of 148,931 people were convicted of corruption. The number of officials investigated and punished for the crime of bribery has increased 60 percent compared to the previous 5 years.

The National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee reviewed the anti-corruption and anti-bribery report on October 22, 2013. This was the 2nd time since 1989 that the NPC Standing Committee has listened to an anti-corruption report.

Source: China Review News, October 23, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1028/1/4/7/102814723.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=102814723&mdate=1023092425

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Chinese Newspaper Says Reports that Property Prices Will Collapse Are Not Credible

On October 21, 2013, Qilu Evening News (http://www.qlwb.com.cn/), the biggest official newspaper in Shandong Province in the People’s Republic of China, published an article commenting on reports that “Property Prices Will Collapse,” a message currently circulating on the Internet. According to this message, the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee has sent out an internal early warning that property prices in 15 cities, including Qingdao and Yantai in Shandong Province, will collapse. Most of the 15 cities are on the east coast of China.

The Qilu Evening News article challenged the credibility of the Internet message by listing a series of statistical data, including the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, which has shown a steady increase in property prices in China, particularly in Qingdao, Yantai, and on the east coast. 

Source: Qilu Evening News, October 21, 2013
http://epaper.qlwb.com.cn/qlwb/content/20131021/ArticelA15002FM.htm?jdfwkey=0quvp3

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Qiushi: Universal Values and Constitutional Democracy Would Confuse the People’s Minds

On October 16, 2013, Qiushi Theory, a periodical on political theory that the Chinese Communist Party Central Party School and the CCP Central Committee run jointly, published an article titled, “Consolidate the Common Ideological Basis that the Party and the People share in their Concerted Struggle.” The common ideological basis at the present time, according to the article, is to walk on the socialist path with Chinese characteristics toward the goal of the rejuvenation of China under the sole leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.

The article criticized several popular Western ideological trends that would “confuse the people’s minds” and “crumble the common ideological basis of the Party and the people in their concerted struggle.” The "wrong ideas" listed in the article include “universal values,” “constitutional democracy,” “historical nihilism,” “neoliberalism,” the doubts about “the economic reform and opening up to the world,” and “the socialist nature of socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

Source: Qiushi Theory, October 16, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2013/201320/201310/t20131012_278250.htm
http://www.qstheory.cn/qszq/qsllwdt/201310/t20131017_279836.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

CRN: Japan Arranged a Maritime Countries Conference

China Review News (CRN) recently reported that Japan organized a conference officially called, “Supporting Emerging Maritime Countries in Building Capacity.” The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs arranged and headed the conference. Thirteen countries attended, including key Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. CRN also published a commentary suggesting that Japan is apparently establishing a strategy against China to encircle it. Ever since Abe became the Japanese Prime Minister, Japan has been actively developing this strategy. First Japan wholeheartedly supported the U.S. strategy of its “Return to Asia.” Then the Japanese special envoy visited South Korea to repair their relationship. After that, Japan implemented a number of pro-Taiwan policies to further divide the Mainland and Taiwan. A number of strategic moves have also been implemented recently to engage ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as well as Australia and India. Significant new military spending has been added to Japan’s 2014 budget. The commentary calls Japan a “trouble-maker.”
Source: China Review News, October 20, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1027/7/3/9/102773950.html?coluid=1&kindid=0&docid=102773950&mdate=1020000050
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: European Council Authorized Investment Agreement Negotiations

Xinhua recently reported that, on October 18, the European Council officially authorized the EU Commission to start negotiations with China on an Investment Agreement. The EU Commission announced later that the negotiations are expected to start at the China-EU Leadership Summit next month. The plan is to complete the negotiations in two and a half years. The Investment Agreement focuses on the mutual protection of market access and investments. The EU Commission announcement also mentioned that the trade volume between China and the EU is substantial. The daily business volume in goods and services has reached at least 1 billion Euros (US$1.37 billion). However the bilateral investment level is still very low. The EU direct investments in China are holding at only 2.1 percent of the EU’s total international investments. Chinese investments in EU shares are less than 1 percent of the total of all foreign investments that the EU has received. Those investments received from the United States are holding at 21 percent. 
Source: Xinhua, October 18, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-10/18/c_117782393.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China News: Xi Jinping Pushes China-Australia Free Trade Agreement

China News recently reported that, on October 17 in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce. Xi suggested that more and more room for cooperation is developing in the China-Australia strategic partnership. Xi called for a breakthrough in the negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement. In addition to that, Xi also suggested active cooperation in such areas as energy resources, infrastructure development, financial services, environmental protection, and the biomedical field. At the same time, Xi indicated that he expects deeper coordination and alignment with Australia in international organizations like the United Nations, the G20, and APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation). Bryce expressed the belief that Australia is a reliable energy resource provider for China and that Australia and China share considerable mutual interests. She suggested that Australia is willing to work with China to reach an agreement in the free trade negotiations sooner rather than later.
Source: China News, October 17, 2013
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2013/10-17/5393969.shtml
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

A Clash of Values, Part V

The U.S.-Sino Relationship

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Differences Between the Governing Principles of the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) 

Previously, this series focused on the differences between the United States and China as to their foundations and theoretical underpinnings. While America’s Founding Principles grew out of a revolutionary war fought for freedom and the rights of the governed, the Communist Party fought a revolutionary war to establish its authoritarian rule. While the U.S. based its legitimacy on the consent of the governed, Mao Zedong proclaimed in Chapter Five of The Little Red Book, “Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” While the U.S. adopted a Constitution designed to limit governmental power and guarantee specific individual rights, the Communist Party designed the Chinese government to assure its supremacy over China and ensure that it was firmly ensconced in power.”

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Analyses | | |   Opinion