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China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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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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For the First Time, Chinese Maritime Police Expel Japanese Ships from the Diaoyu Islands

On August 7, Chinese Maritime Police Surveillance Ships 2350, 1126, 2102, and 2166 expelled Japanese patrol ships from the waters of the Diaoyu Islands. This is the first time that Chinese maritime police have expelled the Japanese patrol ships since the conflict started. [1] 

Regarding Japan’s "quasi-carrier" 22DDH helicopter destroyer, "the cloud’s," launching ceremony on August 6, Chinese Military expert Li Jie stated that the Diaoyu Islands are within the coverage of China’s military missiles and that Japan’s quasi-carrier service will not have a decisive impact on the regional situation or pose any serious threat. [2] 
Sources:
[1] CRI online, August 7, 2013 
http://gb.cri.cn/42071/2013/08/07/3245s4210109.htm 
[2] People’s Daily, August 7, 2013 
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2013/0807/c1011-22476669.html
Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China’s Research Study: H7N9 May Have Passed Between People

Chinese medical personnel conducted a research study on H7N9. The British Medical Journal then published the results, which were also reported in BBC Chinese and reprinted on Netease.com. The study outlined the cases of a 60-year-old man and his 32-year-old daughter who contracted bird flu and died in March 2013.

According to the article, “Chinese medical researchers reported the first case of H7N9 avian influenza virus being transmitted between humans.” The research study said that the 60-year-old man was hospitalized a week after he visited a local poultry market. The daughter took care of the father in the hospital and fell ill six days after her last contact with her father. Both died of failure of multiple organs. 
“Tests showed that the viruses that the two carried were almost identical, which supports the conclusion that the daughter got the infection directly from her father.” “The researchers noted that, although there is no conclusive evidence that the virus has the ability to be transmitted from human to human, this is the first indication that the virus ‘may have the ability to transmit from human to human.’” 
Source: Netease.com, August 7, 2013 
http://world.163.com/13/0807/17/95MKN9G000014OQQ.html
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Qiushi: The Chinese Communist Party Must Guide the Public in Literary and Art Productions

On July 24, 2013, Qiushi, a journal of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article on how to establish a complete “guidance mechanism” to further “guide” the production of literary and art works. According to the article, “It is very common for different countries, different classes, and different political parties to use literary and art works to disseminate their values and to state their point of view and intent.” The Chinese Communist Party’s guiding ideology is Chinese style Marxism and socialist culture with Chinese characteristics.

The article proposed to adhere to value-oriented control mechanisms to guide literary and artistic productions, telling the public directly what the Party advocates and using legal regulations and government policies to control all literary and art production fields.

Source: Qiushi, July 24, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2013/201314/201307/t20130724_252620.htm  

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Huanqiu: China Is Determined to Develop as a Maritime Power

On August 2, 2013, Huanqiu, the Chinese edition of Global Times, published an editorial affirming China’s determination to develop as a maritime power. It stated that the only way for China to develop further is for it to become a maritime power. Recently, at a study session with members of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, China’s top leader Xi Jinping championed the effort to develop China into a maritime power.

“What has happened in the past two years tells us that, no matter how much we exercise restraint, some troubles will still find us.” The article listed territories that are involved in a dispute, such as with the Philippines (Huangyan Island, also called Scarborough Shoal) and with Japan (the Diaoyu Islands, also called the Senkaku Islands) as examples of the troubles. The article concluded, “To become a sea power, an indispensable specified procedure, is essential to China’s rise.”

Source: Huanqiu, August 2, 2013
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-08/4199965.html
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-07/31/c_132591246.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: Key National Banks Suffered Savings Account Money Reduction of One Trillion

Xinhua recently reported that the four largest state-owned banks had a decline of RMB one trillion (around US$163 billion) in customers’ savings accounts in the first three weeks of July alone. The speed at which these four banks approved loans also slowed significantly. These four largest banks are the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Agricultural Bank of China, the Bank of China, and China Construction Bank. Their savings account losses are (in RMB) 346 billion, 234 billion, 180 billion, and 250 billion, respectively. Experts expressed the belief that, due to the fact that customers are not putting their money into these banks, the pressure is high on the interest rate side. It will be more expensive to obtain loans. 
Source: Xinhua, July 25, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-07/25/c_125062433.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

People’s Daily: Thirty Provinces Released GDP Growth Rates Higher than the National Average

People’s Daily recently reported that all but one province (Qinghai Province) had released their official GDP growth rates for the first half of 2013. All of these 30 provinces recorded a growth rate higher than the national GDP growth rate of 7.6 percent. Most of the provinces suffered a slower rate than last year’s. Among the 30 provinces, Guangdong Province had the highest GDP level and Jiangsu Province and Shandong Province followed as the second and the third, respectively. These three provinces accounted for one third of the national GDP. The report suggested that, in addition to the possibility that numbers were forged, statistical calculation differences could have resulted in incorrect financial reports as well. Experts expressed the belief that, despite the questionable accuracy, the numbers still showed a clear slowdown in the Chinese economy; nor has there been any sign of a rebound occurring anytime soon. It is important to promote structural reform and to encourage consumer spending and private sector investments.
Source: People’s Daily, July 29, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/0729/c1001-22355973.html
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Qiushi: Internet Should Not Be a New Tool for U.S. Hegemony

Qiushi Journal, a bi-weekly magazine published by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, recently published an article commenting on “Prism Gate.” The article focused on how the United States has been maintaining a “double standard” on the matter of Internet monitoring. The author accused the United States of lecturing other countries on privacy and human rights issues while violating all these principles itself. The article quoted comments from various U.S. allies such as Britain, Germany, and France, as well as other countries like Brazil. These comments all used words like “shocking” and “unacceptable” to describe the reactions from these countries. The article suggested that the Prism project is only the tip of the iceberg. The U.S. government has at least three more projects of this kind to cover areas such as phone communications. The author also expressed the belief that the U.S. has the same mentality in the global financial market and in industrial internationalization, as well as in technology standards. The article concluded by calling for “fair international internet rules,” “respecting a country’s Internet sovereignty,” and the U.S. giving up technical control over the Internet.
Source: Qiushi Journal, August 1, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2013/201315/201307/t20130729_253893.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

National Tourism Administration Issued Notice for Chinese Tourists to Improve Their Image

In order to improve the image of the Chinese tourists who travel overseas, the National Tourism Administration requested that the tour guides and travel agencies take full responsibility for the Chinese tourists’ uncivilized manners and behavior. The administration is also considering including a requirement regarding civil behavior in the contract. The request came after the news media reported on a number instances in which Chinese tourists’ manners and behavior were uncivilized. The top five annoying mannerisms of Chinese tourists are: talking loudly in public, littering, spitting, not following orders, and damaging culture relics.

Source: Guangming Daily, August 4, 2013
http://http://politics.gmw.cn/2013-08/04/content_8499785.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability