Chinascope – Page 828

Experts Suggest Measures to Limit the Risks Caused by Local Governments’ Debt Crises

China Review News published an article on the financial risks China faces because of the magnitude of local governments’ debts and suggested ways to deal with the issue.

According to the article, local governments’ debts surpass that of the central government. Many of them face financial deficits, while the debt risk is much higher than the estimates. Reports indicate that, by the end of 2012, local governments’ debts reached 12 trillion yuan ($US1.96 trillion), which was 23.3 percent of GDP while the central government debt was 15 percent of GDP.

Several solutions were suggested on how to ease the local government debt crisis. First, local governments should be allowed more financial rights such as the right to receive increases in their share of tax revenues. Second, local governments must control their spending. Third, local governments should improve their financial capacity in developing basic infrastructure while assisting in the development of private businesses. Finally, local governments must be transparent in their financial spending and strengthen the system of checks and balances.

Source: China Review News, August 26, 2013
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2013/08-26/5203417.shtml

Briefings | | August 26, 2013 | Economy/Resources

Standard for China’s Minimum Wage Jumped in First Half of Year

According to the Ministry of Human Resource, since the beginning of this year, China’s minimum wage standard has increased an average of 18.4 percent in 22 regions. Shanghai has the highest monthly minimum wage standard which is 1,620 yuan per month (US$265).Beijing and Xinjiang have the highest hourly wage standard at 15.2 yuan (US$2.5). It was estimated that, in the second half of this year, some businesses will face an increase in layoffs, delayed wage payments, and conflicts between the demand for wage increases from employees and employer’s inability to meet those demands.

Source: Xinhua, August 23, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-08/23/c_117058634.htm

Briefings | | August 26, 2013 | Economy/Resources

China Youth Daily: McCain Had Ulterior Motives in Remarks on the Diaoyu Islands

U.S. Republican Senator John McCain said at the press conference after his talks with Japanese Foreign Minister shore Tian Wenxiong on August 21, “The Diaoyu Islands are Japanese territory, which is the U.S. Congress and the U.S. government’s position and will be communicated to the Chinese.” Regarding China’s official boat that entered into the waters around the Diaoyu Islands several times, he said, “China violated Japan’s sovereignty.”

In response to McCain’s statement, China Youth Daily published a commentary article. The article quoted Su Hao, Director at the Center for Strategic and Conflict Management of the Foreign Affairs College, to express its point.

Su Hao said, "This should not be [considered] a slip of the tongue. It is McCain’s real personal view.” In my personal opinion, I believe that McCain’s remarks were stated after careful consideration and point to specific issues. Moreover, it not only represents his personal view, but also represents the view of the U.S. conservative forces and conservative political groups like him. To some extent, it represents a potential U.S. policy option."

Su Hao also pointed out that McCain’s talk indeed also released some information, and revealed U.S.’s potential considerations. Moreover, the timing of McCain’s speech also has a profound meaning.

Su Hao said, "While McCain is not an official government official, this is the first time that a major U.S. political figure has made such a clear and biased statement on the Diaoyu Islands issue. This is a very serious event. We must pay serious attention. To some U.S. politicians’ [who express] such erroneous views, [we] must give immediate criticism and rebuttals."

Source: China Youth Daily, and republished by people’s Daily, August 23, 2013

http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2013-08/23/nw.D110000zgqnb_20130823_1-04.htm http://military.people.com.cn/n/2013/0823/c1011-22668640.html

Briefings | | August 23, 2013 | US-China Relations

Xinhua: Bo Xilai Denies Bribery Charges

On August 22, 2013, Xinhua reported that the first day of Bo Xilai’s trial on charges of accepting bribes, embezzlement, and abuse of power began in the Shangdong Jinan Intermediate People’s Court.

“Bo Xilai appeared in court to be tried. Relevant witnesses provided testimony in court. The defendant’s family members, members of the People’s Congress, members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, media reporters, and about one hundred people from all walks of life attended the trial.”

“Under the auspices of the presiding judge, defendant Bo made statements about the allegations of bribery set forth in the indictment. He denied the allegations. … Both the prosecution and the defense had a full opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses. The court consented to all of Bo ‘s requests to speak. The defendant and his counsel fully expressed their views.”

“During the trial, defendant Bo Xilai was emotionally stable and his physical condition was normal. The courtroom and audience maintained good order.”

Source: Xinhua, August 22, 2013

http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2013-08/22/c_117057062.htm

Briefings | | August 23, 2013 | Government/Politics

Huanqiu: The Key to Governing China Is to Control its Officials

On August 21, 2013, Huanqiu published a commentary stating that to govern China, there must be a way to control the behavior of its government officials.

“While in the history of Chinese society the people’s rebellions have often resulted in a collapse, the cause of such rebellions has often been a corrupt bureaucracy or social governance errors. The internal rifts among government officials have repeatedly led to national unrest and even ‘subjugation.’”

The urgency of the problem is based on four factors: First, some government officials believe that they are above the law. To them, civil servant is a synonym for the State’s system of welfare benefits. Second, the market economy has eroded the morality based on “serving the people” and the State has not yet developed a supplemental political force to fill the gap. Third, the Internet has suddenly put an invisible power in the spotlight. It tends to magnify the improper behavior of government officials. Fourth, in China, government officials have much greater power than their counterparts in Western countries.

Source: Huanqiu, August 21, 2013

http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-08/4266707.html

Briefings | | August 23, 2013 | Government/Politics

Huanqiu: Chinese Should Protest Less and Take More Action Fighting Japan

People’s Daily’s Huanqiu (Global Times) published an article discussing how China should respond to Japanese lawmakers visits to the Yasukuni Shrine [a shrine commemorating Japan’s war dead, some of whom fought against China]. Below is an excerpt from the article:

“On the morning of August 15, again, three Japanese ministers visited the Yasukuni Shrine, in addition to 102 Japanese lawmakers’ collective visit to the ‘ghosts.’

“Japan has largely transformed the Yasukuni Shrine issue into a tool of diplomacy, using it as a balancing weight to counter China’s diplomatic power. “Facts have proven that, as long as Japan is determined to give China a hard time about the Yasukini shrine, it will be difficult for us to be the winner in this fight.

“China should be more focused on what to do. We should pull the platform in the struggle against Japan from the shrine to where it is more favorable and convenient to us, so that we will be able to accomplish what we want at a lower cost and can do what the Japanese beg us not to do.

“[For example,] the Chinese military can engage in exercises with live ammunition in the East China Sea on August 15, which is the day of Japan’s WWII surrender. This is a creative gesture. Of course, this is still not enough. We need a lot of innovative tools in order to make Japan uncomfortable.

“Chinese authorities should commit more energy to developing new tools in the struggle against Japan and less on verbal protests.”

Source: People’s Daily, August 16, 2013

http://military.people.com.cn/n/2013/0816/c1011-22585661.html

Briefings | | August 22, 2013 | Defense/Military

Xi Jinping: The Party’s Ideological Work is an Extremely Important Job

At a nationwide meeting held in Beijing on August 19 and 20, the Chinese Communist Party’s Chairman Xi Jinping gave a speech on propaganda and ideological work. Xi emphasized that economic development is the central task of the Party, while the Party’s ideological work is an extremely important job.

Xi pointed out that propaganda and ideological work are to consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field and to consolidate the common ideological foundation for the whole Party and the people of the nation. Party members and cadres should strengthen their belief in Marxism and Communism. Leading officials, especially senior officials, should systematically master the basic theory of Marxism, should honestly and thoroughly study Marxism, Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the "Three Represents" important thoughts, and the Scientific Concept of Development. All Party schools and academies, institutes of social sciences, and universities should have Marxism as a required course and become important forefronts of Marxist study, research, and propaganda. In particular, new and young cadres should do a good job in their theoretical studies and stand firm in their ideals and faith.

Xi asked for in-depth propaganda and education in socialism with Chinese characteristics so as to hold people of all ethnic groups in the nation in unity and cohesion under the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi stressed that to be a true Party member is to adhere to the correct political orientation, hold a firm political viewpoint, firmly propagandize the Party’s theories, path, guidelines and policies, propagandize the Party’s deployment of major tasks, propagandize the Party’s important analyses and judgments on the current situation, resolutely maintain a high degree of uniformity with the Central Committee, and resolutely safeguard the authority of the Central Committee. All the propaganda and ideological units and all the Party members and cadres in the propaganda and ideological fronts should be clear in their adherence to the Party’s principles.

Source: Xinhua, August 20, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-08/20/c_117021464.htm

Briefings | | August 22, 2013 | Government/Politics

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.”

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