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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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Severe Air Pollution in Northern China

On September 18, 2013, six cities and regions in the northern part of China signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environmental Protection to control and prevent air pollution. The six cities and regions are Beijing, Tianjin, the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, and Shandong, as well as the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region – regions that are suffering from severe air pollution. 

“In recent years, frequent occurrences of fog and haze have become a shadow in hearts of the people of Beijing, Tianjin, and the surrounding areas. Data show that in August of this year, only 34.6 percent of the days in the month met the safety quality standard, while 65.4 percent did not meet the standard and 2.7 percent were in severe pollution.” 
Source: Xinhua, September 18. 2013 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-09/19/c_117428247.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Beijing Denounces British Officials as “Interfering in Hong Kong’s Internal Affairs”

Hugo Swire, a Minister of State for the Foreign Office of the UK, published an article on Saturday, September 14 in the South China Morning Post indicating that he supports Hong Kong’s universal suffrage and that "Britain stands ready to support in any way we can." The article resulted in an array of counterattacks from China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Tuesday that China will never allow any external forces to interfere in the internal affairs of Hong Kong and damage Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. "We have the determination and ability to defend our national security." As early as Monday, Hong Lei had already accused Swire of making "irresponsible remarks" and expressed strong dissatisfaction. Global Times, a newspaper owned by the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Daily, accused the British of "impure motives."

On Tuesday Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao published a long article titled "British Espionage Activities in Hong Kong," referring to British intelligence officers’ "blatant" actions in Hong Kong. The article said, "Ever since the reunification, the UK intelligence agency’s activities in Hong Kong not only have not dwindled down, they continue to strengthen. The ‘operation center’ is currently located inside the British Consulate-General on 1 Supreme Court Rd. Admiralty." The author also questioned the reason behind the fact that the Consulate-General building was designed by the same person that designed the MI6 headquarters building in London.

The article said that British intelligence agencies are very focused on buying and getting key personnel to defect. "To achieve their target, they have followed some key figures for a long time, as long as several years or even more than a decade." The article also claimed that Britain has detailed material on senior Hong Kong officials under British authorities. "With such information, they exerted long-term control over a group of senior officials during the transition. Once it is necessary, they will then use the media in Hong Kong to issue negative news to attack their targets. Former Secretary for Development Mak Chai-kwong was alleged to have fraudulently claimed a housing allowance for five years starting in 1985. All the evidence was from the allegations of civil servants’ information decades ago. Who else has such capabilities other than the British authorities?"

In addition, another pro-Beijing newspaper in Hong Kong, Wen Wei Po, also published an article saying that, ever since the turnover of the sovereignty of Hong Kong 16 years ago, "a large number of MI6 spies have returned to Hong Kong, infiltrating into political parties, organizations, the judicial system, trade associations, the media, and vital government bodies, so as to snatch the right to govern Hong Kong."

Source: BBC Chinese, September 17, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/09/130917_china_reax_uk.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s State-Media Reports on the Shooting Incident at the U.S. Navy Yard

Below is a media report from Wenhui Bao commenting on the recent shooting at the U.S. naval yard. 

“The U.S. Navy can be called the world’s most powerful army. Attacking Iraq, intervening in Libya, killing Bin Laden, the U.S. Navy is always the vanguard; so much so that, whenever there is a military conflict going on, the U.S. President’s first reaction is ‘where are our aircraft carriers?’ 
“However, with such a strong army, its headquarters looked ‘defenseless" and was ‘broken through’ by what seems now to be three individuals. People cannot help but ask, "What is it that caused the U.S. army’s ‘Achilles’ heel?’" 
“After the Cold War, the United States suddenly ‘lost’ its opponent, thus turning to look for ‘trouble’ all over the world. The former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya have all become the victims of the U.S.’s foreign military operations, but what benefit did the United States get? In fact, the U.S. domestic environment has become increasingly insecure. The Boston bombing this past April, the shooting at Fort Hood in 2009, and the heart breaking ‘9/11’ incident, all gave warnings to the Americans that ‘suppressing violence with violence’ will not yield security.
“However, the United States was unable to learn its lessons. Just this month, President Obama still claiming he would militarily strike Syria, only had to give up for the time being due to domestic opposition, allies’ ‘betrayal’ and pressure from his old rival Russia. 
“From yesterday’s failed attempt to use force to strike Syria to today’s shooting at the Naval Sea Systems Command, will these incidents make America’s rulers more clear minded?” 
Source: Wenhui Bao and Xinhua, September 18, 2013 
http://wenhui.news365.com.cn/ewenhui/whb/html/2013-09/17/content_52.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-09/17/c_125399412.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Government Think Tank: China’s Diplomacy for the China Dream

Qu Xing, President of the China Institute of International Studies, stated that China should not maintain stability at the cost of its sovereign rights and China’s safeguarding its rights should not put China and its neighbor into conflicts. Qu made these remarks during an interview with the state media, the International Herald Leader. 

According to Qu, the core of the “China Dream” has two “one hundred year” goals: to build China into a well-to-do society by the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party and to build China into a modern socialist country by the 100th anniversary of the new China. 
To make the China Dream a reality, China should first, handle well its relationship with major powers, particularly with the United States, mainly through bilateral cooperation; second, handle well the relationship with China’s neighboring countries through safeguarding sovereign rights and maintaining stability; third, proactively develop multilateral diplomacy through participation in U.N. affairs and in the G20 group; fourth, handle well the relationship with emerging countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America; fifth, make special efforts in public diplomacy; and lastly, strengthen the protection of overseas Chinese and businesses. When asked about the balance between safeguarding sovereign rights and maintaining stability, Qu stated that maintaining stability should not be at the cost of sovereign rights, and that safeguarding sovereign rights should not put China and its neighboring countries into conflicts. 
Source: International Herald Leader, September 16, 2013 
http://ihl.cankaoxiaoxi.com/2013/0916/272722.shtml
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Qiushi Cheers for Internet Control: Excessive Criticism Is Contrary to Reality

On September 16, 2013, Qiushi Theory, a periodical on political theory run by the Chinese Communist Party Central Party School and the CCP Central Committee, cheered because China’s Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procurator issued a joint Internet control guideline. According to the guideline, those who spread “defamatory” information on the Internet face up to three years in prison if their posts are viewed 5,000 times or are forwarded 500 times.

“Currently, the Chinese government’s performance is highly acclaimed around the world. This is a fact that even the public opinion in the West has difficulty denying. Excessive criticism against the government is contrary to reality.”

Source: Qiushi, September 16, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2013/201318/201309/t20130912_270563.htm  

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

People’s Daily Urges Law Enforcement against Well-Known Bloggers

On September 3, 2013, People’s Daily published an article titled, "The “Big V” Label Is Not a Shield to Cover Illegal Activity.” According to the article, the “Big Vs,” no matter how many charitable projects they have completed or how many fans they have, do not have the privilege of avoiding legal punishment for their wrong doings. The article called on the “Big Vs” to hold to the legal bottom line and promote “positive energy” to "move the progress of society forward."

[Editor’s note: A “Big V” means a well-known blogger who has more than 500,000 followers. The “V” at the end of a blogger’s name signifies that his profile has been “verified” as genuine and his post therefore commands more trust.]

Source: People’s Daily, September 3, 2013

http://opinion.people.com.cn/n/2013/0903/c1003-22781702.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

People’s Daily Calls for Extinguishing the Fire of Rumors on the Internet

On August 29, 2013, People’s Daily published an article calling for the “fire” of rumors on the Internet to be extinguished. The article referred to the frequent users of the Internet who have recently been imprisoned as "the mice running on the streets that everyone wants to whack with a stick. According to the article, those who spread “rumors” frequently on the Internet create chaos in the name of “anti-corruption,” “fairness,” and “freedom.”

"What they talk about is sanctimonious, but what they do is dirty and shameful."

Source: People’s Daily, August 29, 2013
http://opinion.people.com.cn/n/2013/0829/c1003-22728992.html
 

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Former SAC Director: State-Owned Companies Failed Due to Government Intervention

China.com recently reported that Li Rongrong, former director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SAC), spoke at the World Economic Forum on the issues that Chinese state-owned companies face. Li suggested that the key cause of the Chinese state-owned companies’ failures is that there are too many government interventions. He also expressed the belief that the biggest crisis these companies suffer is a trust crisis, which is reflected in the areas of poor quality control, untruthful advertising, and an unwillingness to serve the customers. Li called for providing full freedom to the state-owned companies to compete in the global market and to learn the lessons they need to learn.
Source: China.com, September 11, 2013
http://finance.china.com.cn/news/special/2013dws/20130911/1805761.shtml
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources