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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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Huanqiu: Extreme Political Resistance Has No Future in China

On August 14, 2013, Huanqiu published a commentary on overseas dissidents entitled, “The Overseas Democracy Movement Must Swallow the Bitter Pill of Marginalization.” The commentary stated, “Recently, a number of overseas democracy activists have been connecting with one another on the Internet, bragging about returning home one day next year to make trouble, or about congregating outside of and ‘besieging’ the Chinese government’s overseas establishments around the world. Names forgotten by or unknown to the Chinese people flash like a meteor across the media.” 

Huanqiu said that only about 200 people make up the overseas democracy movement. Engaging in political activities has become their means of survival. The commentary stated repeatedly that democracy activists have been marginalized. “They need to ‘make something happen’ and, at the minimum, generate some noise in the field of public opinion.” “Their experience shows extreme political resistance has no future in China.” 
Source: Huanqiu, August 14, 2013 
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/opinion_world/2013-08/4239302.html
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Russian Media Say Chinese Military Will Be the Strongest in the World in 20 Years

Huanqiu (Global Times) published a report from a Russian media Military Messenger’s publication about China’s military power and development. It said, “Over the past decade, the Chinese army has gone through a complete makeover and confidently advanced to be in the top three of the world’s most powerful armies. It may even be too conservative to say that the Chinese army ranks third.” 

The article stated, “While keeping the quantity of its military equipment almost unchanged, the Chinese PLA has updated the quality of its equipment by leaps and bounds. The production capacity of Chinese military enterprises is very large. There are three countries in the world whose military enterprises currently have the ability to manufacture almost all types of weapons and equipment, not only to meet domestic demand, but also for export. China is one of them.” 
The article admitted that the Chinese army is technologically backward in some particular areas, but the large quantities enable it to compensate. The numerous military enterprises can ensure an uninterrupted weapon supply in times of war. In addition, Chinese military enterprises in all areas do not have the issue of overreliance on foreign countries for spare parts and technical help. 
The article concluded that, if nothing unexpected happens, in 15 to 20 years the Chinese PLA will be the world’s most powerful army in all respects. 

Source: Huanqiu, August 14, 2013 
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2013-08/4240291.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Hurun Wealth Report 2013 Released

On August 14, the Hurun Research Institute, together with GroupM Knowledge, released the GroupM Knowledge-Hurun Wealth Report 2013. The 40-page research report analyses China’s wealthy people broken down according to their regional distribution across China, as well as their investments, consumption preferences, and how they use the media.

The number of millionaires (defined as individuals with a personal wealth of CNY 10 million, equivalent to US$1.6 million and GBP 1 million) grew by three percent in 2012 to 1.05 million, while the number of the super-rich (defined as individuals with a personal wealth of CNY 100 million, equivalent to US$16 million and GBP 10 million) reached 64,500, up two percent from the previous year. The growth, the slowest in five years, has decelerated for the second consecutive year.

Beijing remains in first place with an increase of 5,000 to 184,000 millionaires, and with an increase of 200 to 10,700 super rich. Guangdong ranks second with 172,000 millionaires and 9,600 super rich. Shanghai follows with 147,000 millionaires and 8,500 super rich.

A quarter of the millionaires say they are very confident about China’s economy in the coming two years, a decline of three percent from the previous year. The confidence level of the year before was 54 percent. Sixty-six percent of the millionaires say they are fairly confident – a two percentage point increase from a year earlier, while nine percent of millionaires say they are not confident – a two percentage point increase from a year earlier. This is the highest number in last three years.

Source: Xinhua, August 15, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-08/15/c_125174202.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Xinhua: Chinese Netizens Must Adhere to Seven Essential Guidelines

Xinhua published a commentary suggesting that Internet users should comply with certain standards. On August 10, People’s Daily had reported that a group of well-known Internet bloggers proposed that, when they blog online, they should adhere to seven essential guidelines. 

The Xinhua commentary stated that in addition to the group referred to in the article, all Internet users should follow suit. The first guideline is the law and regulations, the second is the socialist system, third is the national interest, forth is citizen’s legitimate interests, the fifth is the social order, the sixth is morality, and lastly, the accuracy of information. The commentary recommended that the authorities should make rules based on these seven essential guidelines. 
Source: Xinhua, August 14, 2013 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2013-08/14/c_116945101.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

“Multiple Provinces Foresee Revenue Shortages; Next Year Will Be the Most Difficult Year”

On August 7, 2013, National Business Daily published an article titled, “Multiple Provinces Foresee Revenue Shortages; Next Year Will Be the Most Difficult Year.” Recently, several local governments held their 2013 first half-year financial work conferences. Local governments found that their revenue growth has decreased to varying degrees, especially in the Mid-West provinces. It is now time for local governments to pay back their debts. According to the National Audit Office of the People’s Republic of China, about 53 percent of local governments’ debts will be due by the end of 2013. Once their debts are due, local governments will have to take out new loans to pay back the old ones. 

Source: National Business Daily, August 7, 2013
http://www.nbd.com.cn/articles/2013-08-07/764217.html
http://epaper.nbd.com.cn/shtml/mrjjxw/20130807/153301.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

People’s Daily: In China, the Popular Constitutionalism Concept is a Psychological Weapon

On August 7, 2013, People’s Daily Overseas Edition published an article titled, “Using So-called Constitutionalism in China Is Like Climbing Trees to Catch Fish.” The article asserted, “Constitutionalism, which is currently very popular in China, is essentially an informational and psychological weapon, similar to the ‘democratic Socialist’ theory that collapsed the Soviet Union." According to the article, the “socialist constitutionalism” theory is even more perplexing than liberal constitutionalism because it’s most crucial and core contents are the “provisions to guarantee citizens’ fundamental rights.” Further, “socialist constitutionalism” advocates elimination of the class struggle theory and gives no space for the provision of the “people’s democratic dictatorship.”  

According to the article, to implement China’s Socialist Constitution well, it is very critical to build the Chinese Communist Party well.  “As long as the Chinese Communist Party is built into a party that truly serves the people, the Socialist Constitution and the laws that guarantee the people’s fundamental interests can be thoroughly implemented and realized. Using so-called constitutionalism is like climbing trees to catch fish.”

Source: People’s Daily Overseas Edition, August 7, 2013
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2013-08/07/content_1279445.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Qiushi Criticizes the U.S. Human Rights Values: American Values Cause Corruption in China

On August, 7,  2013, Qiushi, a journal of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article titled, “An Interpretation of United States Human Rights Concepts and Practices.” The article asserted, “In its social practices, absolute human rights in the United States do not exist.” For example, protesters are requested to submit an application for a permit to demonstrate; all employees of the federal government must take an oath of loyalty to the government. Besides, the fact that 40 million poor people in the U.S. do not have the right of free expression demonstrates that “the American human rights practices do not represent any universal values.” However, the United States takes advantage of human rights issues to attack socialist countries, especially China, and many developing countries in order to obtain political, economic, and security interests.

According to the article, “The major cause of the rampant corruption in China is the invasion of American style self-centered values. American values have successfully invaded Chinese Communist Party members’ ideological and spiritual system, broken down their faith (in Communism) and thus induced their corrupt deeds.” The article concludes that China must strongly fight back against the human rights evolution conducted by the Unites States by “educating” the Chinese people with Communist and Socialist ideals and values and tightening control over the media and the Internet, as well as literary and art works.

Source: Qiushi, August 7, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2013/201315/201308/t20130807_257140.htm  

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China News: Never Allow External Forces in the South China Sea Talks

China News recently reported that Wang Yi, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced at a press conference that China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to begin discussions on the South China Sea Code of Conduct. In addition to emphasizing the point of eliminating “external interference,” Wang expressed the belief that four principles are required: (1) All parties must establish a reasonable expectation of how soon an agreement can be reached; (2) All parties should work hard on the widest common ground for an agreement that will fall within most countries’ comfort zones; (3) The process of the talks should eliminate interference; (4) The talks should take a step-by-step approach for continuous improvements under the framework established in the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea.
Source: China News, August 5, 2013
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2013/08-05/5125577.shtml
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend