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Red Flag Manuscript: Solidify China through Propaganda

Xinhua reprinted a Red Manuscripts’ interview of Zhan Dexiong, a Xinhua researcher, on how to use propaganda to solidify China.

Zhan stated, “Revolution depends on two rods – the gun and the pen; these are the heirlooms of the Chinese Communist Party. Looking at the situation at home and abroad, although the political, economic, cultural, and public opinion means have undergone tremendous changes, reality tells us not only that we cannot throw these two rods away; we must greatly enhance them. It is not because of people’s subjective intent, but because the reality of the situation forces us to do so.”

Zhan also stated that the current situation is unfolding in China’s favor because the United States and Europe have been struggling with their respective political or economic crises and are helplessly watching China’s rise. "You could say that we now in a better position to push propaganda and ideological work toward a new height."

Zhan recommended that China get out of the box of the Western hegemony of discourse and build its own discourse community. He also suggested, “Through propaganda, we should make clear to the cadres and the masses what are the advantages of our democracy and the Achilles heel of the West.

Source: Red Flag Mnauscripts reprinted by Xinhua, July 11, 2013 http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2013-07/11/c_124994085.htm

Qiushi: Former Soviet Union Stopped Controlling the Armed Forces

Qiushi published a commentary on how the former Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) abandoned its role of leadership of its armed forces and the Soviet Union ended up disintegrating.

“At that time, the Soviet Communist Party discontinued its leadership of the armed forces. At the critical juncture, the armed forces simply stood by without taking any action. At the last moment, the Soviet Union collapsed instantly and the CPSU fell apart. What a profound lesson!”

According to the commentary, first, the former CPSU discarded Lenin’s principles and abolished the CPSU leadership of the military so that, in the end, the military did not follow the Party. Second, Gorbachev’s “reform and the new thinking” collapsed the ideological foundation of the CPSU’s leadership of the military. Consequently, the military did not have a unified resolve or will at the most critical moment. Lastly, the CPSU’s unrealistic military reform undermined military discipline and order and led to chaos among the military.

Source: Qiushi, July 10, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2013/201313/201307/t20130710_247739.htm

Drop in China’s Foreign Trade Exacerbates Fears of Economic Slowdown

On Wednesday, July 10, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) released data showing that, in June, the total value of China’s imports and exports was two trillion yuan (US$0.3 trillion), down two percent from the same month last year. The decline in exports was as high as 3.1 percent. The data was beyond analysts’ expectations. Many expected China’s exports to grow at about four percent in June. Meanwhile the imports in June also fell by a lesser amount of 0.7 percent, indicating a weakness in China’s domestic demand.

Zheng Yuesheng, an official at GAC, worries about the severe challenges that China’s foreign trade faces. He predicted more difficulties in the second half. Zheng suggested that China needs to adjust the structure of its foreign trade to protect its products in the global market.

Source: BBC Chinese, July 10, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/07/130710_china_export.shtml

China Presented a Wax Statue of Kim Jong Il to North Korea

On July 9, the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and the Great Man Wax Museum of China jointly organized a ceremony in Beijing in order to "present a wax statue of Comrade Kim Jong Il" to the Korean people. The North Korean delegation traveled to Beijing to receive Kim Jong Il’s wax statue. Zhang Murray, the president of the Great Man Wax Museum of China, delivered a speech at the ceremony. 

Source: People’s Daily, July 10, 2013 
http://world.people.com.cn/n/2013/0710/c1002-22144115.html

Scholar: Challenges to China’s Economic and Social Transformation

On July 8, 2013, Chi Fulin, President of the China Institute for Reform and Development in Hainan Province wrote a commentary for China Business News entitled, “The Challenges and Trends in China’s Economic and Social Transformation.”

Chi stated that it was his understanding that the new Chinese government has established the goal of doubling China’s per capita GDP and per capita income by 2020. “Currently, both the international environment and the China’s domestic economic and social transformation are right in the middle of complicated, profound changes. Three key elements will determine whether or not China can achieve this goal. The first is whether China can objectively handle the challenges it faces; second is whether China can seize the opportunities available to it; and third, the key is whether China is able to speed up transformation and reform.”

Chi identified three challenges to social transformation: (1) the gap between rich and poor is quite conspicuous; (2) the social structure is irrational. So far, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s middle-income groups account for about 23 percent [of the population]; and (3) as a result, social conflicts and social risks continue to increase.”

Source: China Business News reprinted by Finance (Jingrongjie), July 8, 2013
http://opinion.jrj.com.cn/2013/07/08072415493871.shtml 

China Review News: How to Avoid Indigestion of the State Council’s Financial Guidance

On July 9, 2013, China Review News published an article discussing how to ensure the actual application of “The State Council’s Guide on the Financial Support for Economic Restructuring, Transformation, and Upgrading.” According to the article, in order to avoid “indigestion" when implementing "this good policy," relevant government agencies must develop concrete operational measures and approaches for implementating the “guide.” Meanwhile, they should establish strict reward and punishment measures to ensure the implementation of the “State’s 10 Policies” (the 10 items listed in the guide).

Source: China Review News, July 9, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1026/1/9/7/102619738.html?coluid=53&kindid=0&docid=102619738&mdate=0709063526

PRC State Council Encourages More Private Capital to Enter China’s Financial Sectors

On July 5, 2013, the website of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China released a document titled, “The State Council’s Guide on Financial Support for Economic Restructuring, Transformation, and Upgrading.” The document lists ten items designed to help guide the “effective prevention and dissolution of financial risks” in China. In the ninth item of the guide, the State Council gives a green light to the establishment of private banks funded by private capital under the leadership of the China Banking Regulatory Commission. However, private banks or other private financial institutions must face their own risks.

Source:
The website of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China & Xinhua, July 5, 2013
http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2013-07/05/content_2440894.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-07/05/c_124964540.htm  

Xinhua: Five Key Points of the China-Russia Military Exercises

Xinhua recently reported that the China-Russia joint naval military exercises had five important focal points: (1) The large scale included surface ships, submarines, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and Marine Special Forces units; (2) Both sides sent flagship level warships; (3) The scope of the exercises was wide and practical. They therefore enjoyed deep mutual trust and covered joint anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, and anti-ship exercises, as well as joint civilian escort missions; (4) The operational integration level, from planning to commanding, was high; (5) They emphasized real-life combat exercises and cooperation with the air force. The China-Russia “Joint Maritime 2013 Exercises” started on July 5 in the Japanese Sea. A total of 19 warships and 8 aircraft participated in the exercises. This was the first time a Chinese Naval fleet participated in international exercises with no direct logistic support from China.
Source: Xinhua, July 5, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2013-07/05/c_116424731.htm