Chinascope – Page 832

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 | | August 14, 2013 | 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 | | August 14, 2013 | 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 | | August 13, 2013 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Nine Cities’ Assets Not Enough to Pay All Their Debts

Xinhua recently reported on the comments that a high ranking official of the National Audit Office made anonymously regarding local government debts. The official suggested that nine provinces’ capital cities suffered a debt level that exceeded 100 percent of their assets, which indicated a technical bankruptcy. However there has been no word from the National Audit Office on the names of these cities. Starting August 1, the Office conducted a sudden nationwide audit campaign on local governments’ debts. It has been a long term challenge for the central government to understand the size of the local governments’ debts due to the significant lack of transparency about local loans. Some professional firms identified the top 10 most likely cities based on available data: Nanjing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hefei, Kunming, Changsha, Wuhan, Haerbin, Xi’an, and Lanzhou. However the State Council Information Office stated, “China will never have the kind of bankruptcy Detroit just had.”

Source: Xinhua, August 6, 2013

http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-08/06/d_125122362.htm

Briefings | | August 13, 2013 | Economy/Resources

Shanghai High Court Cracks Down on Unlawful Behavior after High Court Judges’ Prostitution Scandal

Following the publication of information that, on August 1, a video about four Shanghai high court judges being involved in a prostitution scandal had been posted on Internet, the Shanghai Municipal Committee announced the disciplinary actions of removing them from their posts and giving them 10 days of administrative detention to start the following day.

On August 8, Cui Yadong, party secretary of Shanghai High Court held a video conference to announce the directions that Han Zhen, the Party chief of Shanghai, gave on having “zero tolerance and cracking down on any unlawful activities.” Han also stated that “the incident has caused huge damage to the Party’s image and to the legal system. It also gave both domestic and international hostile forces an opportunity to attack the Party, the government, our socialist legal system, and Party and government cadres.” Han called for an effort to “learn from the lesson and to rectify and improve future actions.”

A report stated that 6,000 staff members participated in the conference.

Source: Xinhua, August 9, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2013-08/09/c_125144873.htm

Briefings | | August 12, 2013 | Government/Politics

BBC Chinese: The Wall Street Journal’s Chinese Language Website is Down

On August 4, BBC Chinese reported that the website for the Chinese language edition of the Wall Street Journal was down and might be blocked in China. Chinese Internet users posted complaints stating that they could visit the English website but not the Chinese one. BBC Chinese said that it was not clear whether the website was down due to technical issues or the actions of the Chinese authorities.

The website of the Wall Street Journal’s Chinese website was launched in 2002. On a number of occasions in the past, the Chinese authorities blocked some of its contents. In 2010 and 2012, there were reports that the entire website had been blocked. In 2012, the English and Chinese websites for Bloomberg and the New York Times were blocked because they published information that the family members of Xi Jinping and Wen Jiabao were involved in money laundering.

Source: BBC Chinese, August 4, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/08/130804_wsj_china.shtml

Briefings | | August 12, 2013 | Government/Politics

BBC Chinese: Beijing Built US$500 Million Large Container Terminal in Colombo, Sri Lanka

BBC Chinese reported that China invested US$500 million in a large container terminal in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the first large cargo ship harbor in Sri Lanka. The official start date for the terminal to be in operation was Monday August 5. According to the report, in addition to this investment, Beijing signed an agreement in January to take over management of the Gwadar seaport. China also invested US$14 million to construct a dry port in Larcha in Nepal and in June 2012, provided financial and technology assistance to build a deep water harbor in Hambantota in southern Sri Lanka. By cutting through Sri Lanka, the route in the Indian Ocean is supposed to shorten the water time by four days. Also, historically, Sri Lanka has been considered an important stop in the maritime silk route.

Source: BBC Chinese, August 4, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/business/2013/08/130804_china_srilanka_port.shtml

Briefings | | August 12, 2013 | Geo-Strategic Trend

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.