Chinascope – Page 864

China’s Economy May Decline in the Fourth Quarter

Economic Information, a publication under Xinhua, published an article about the economic trends in 2013 by Li Zuojun, who is from the Resources and Environment Policy Institute at the State Council’s Development Research Center. Li predicted that, after the weak growth in the first three quarters, China would face a probable economic decline.

According to Li, some growth was the result of the following: the residual effect of the 2012 economic rebound, an increase of investors’ confidence as a result of the installation of new leadership, the new urbanization strategy, and the improvement of the international environment where the economic recovery of the United States, the stabilization of Europe, and the improvement of Japanese economy stimulated China’s exports.

The probable decline in the fourth quarter of 2012 will be caused by two factors. One, in May of last year, China adopted policies and measures aimed toward steady growth. Policies of this nature tend to bring growth for about one year. After October 2012, China’s economy rebounded. This will last no more than one year at the maximum. Two, there may be new macro adjustment policies implemented in the second or third quarters to contain the rebound of Gross Domestic Product, the Consumer Price Index, and the housing market. The economy will slide as a result.

Source: Economic Information, April 18, 2013
http://www.jjckb.cn/opinion/2013-04/18/content_440102.htm

Briefings | | May 8, 2013 | Information/Technology

BBC Chinese: EU Planning Punitive Tariffs against Chinese Photovoltaic Products

BBC Chinese recently reported that the European Union is preparing to impose punitive tariffs on photovoltaic products imported from China that are worth billions of dollars. It is widely expected that these trade protections will anger China. The EU is trying to protect key European vendors such as the German company SolarWorld. The Chinese government has already said that China will not remain quiet and have no reaction. The output of Chinese photovoltaic products quadrupled between 2009 and 2011. Products made in China currently occupy 80 percent of the EU market. The EU market is half the size of the global market, which is worth $77 billion. The EU Trade Commission is getting ready to implement the anti-dumping measures; it claims there is sufficient evidence to support this action.

Source: BBC Chinese, May 3, 2013

http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/world_outlook/2013/05/130503_eu_china_solar.shtml

Briefings | | May 7, 2013 | Economy/Resources

RFA: Canada Attacked at UN Human Rights Forum

Radio Free Asia (RFA) recently reported that, at the United Nations Human Rights Forum, China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia attacked Canada’s human rights situation. North Korea expressed its “deep concern” about Canada’s continued violation of freedom of speech, torture, and racism. Iran accused the Canadian government of trafficking in children, of depriving children of their right to food, and of discriminating against Muslim, Arabic and African communities. The Chinese delegation was offended by Canada’s “widespread racism.” The Russian representative said that he was surprised by the violence that the Canadian police demonstrated. The Cuban government insisted that Canada suffers from serious xenophobia and racism. The Geneva-headquartered independent organization, UN Watch, described the UN Human Rights Forum as becoming a “wonder scene” of “hypocrisy and farce.” The Canadian government has already allowed the entry of three UN inspectors to check on Canada’s human rights record.

Source: Radio Free Asia, May 2, 2013

http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/to-05022013140905.html

Briefings | | May 7, 2013 | Government/Politics

BBC Chinese: Party Is Split Internally over Media Report on Labor Camp Torture Cases

BBC Chinese carried an analysis of the recent media reports about the disclosure of the incidents of torture at Masajia Labor Camp. The article suggested that there was an internal split among the party leadership about the labor camp system and about Falun Gong issues and that the differences among the leadership will cause this forbidden topic to become known to the outside world.

According to the analysis, after Len’s Magazine‘s breakthrough in reporting on this sensitive subject, a few media and reporters openly challenged the notice banning the topic. The analysis stated, “All of those facts suggest that the views among the party’s senior leadership are split about both the labor camp system and about Falun Gong issues.” “Even though the article did not mention Falun Gong, a sensitive topic in China, many media, including Associated Press and the South China Morning Post, have noticed that the details about the torture revealed in the article were identical to the claims that Falun Gong adherents made 10 years ago.” The article concluded that torture cases have existed in China for at least a dozen years, but China’s media system has covered them up.

Len’s Magazine published the article “Stepping Out of Masanjia” on April 6. On April 9, the Central Propaganda Department issued a notice to quash the article. However China Woman Daily and Legal Daily continued to cover the topic including interviews of the main characters. On April 19, Liaoning Province made an official statement claiming that “distorted facts were found in ‘Stepping Out of Masanjia.’" Xinhua and Legal Daily followed up with the same type of articles. Yuan Ling, the author of “Stepping Out of Masanjia” issued a statement on his micro blog in Sina stating the article was written on a factual basis and requested an apology. Guangming Daily published a commentary calling for the application of legal measures to dig out the truth. It also noted that the article by Xinhua did not have an author. In Hong Kong on April 27, Du Bing, an independent filmmaker released a documentary movie called, Above the Ghosts’ Heads: The Women of Masanjia Labor Camp. Du told Apple Daily that the truth of the torture should be made known to people around the world.

Source: BBC Chinese, May 2, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/05/130502_ana_liaoning_masanjia.shtml

Briefings | | May 6, 2013 | Government/Politics

Qiushi Theory Analysis of US Diplomacy on Human Rights

On May 19, the US State Department issued the “Global Human Rights Report for 2012.” Then on May 19, Qiushi published an analytical article on the subject. The article stated that, while the US adopted “Human Rights” as a key agenda item in its foreign policy, its real intention is to act as the global police to promote its own value system around the world. According to the article, “This shows that the U.S.’s obvious intention is to maintain its world dominance and utilize power politics in order to benefit its own interests.” The article observed that the U.S. uses a double standard. While it often interferes with the domestic matters of other countries, the U.S. itself violates human rights in many ways. The article also mentioned that the US has always tried all kinds of means to create trouble for China on human rights issues even though both countries have completely different political systems and ideology.

Source: Qiushi Theory, May 2, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/zs/201304/t20130426_226409.htm

Briefings | | May 6, 2013 | US-China Relations

North Sea Fleet Organizes Recruits to Take Oath at the Site of the 1894 Sino-Japanese Naval Battle

The military training base of the North Sea Fleet stationed at Liugong island organized the recruits to take an oath at the site of the 1894 Sino-Japanese War memorial. The activity was part of the military political education to follow the instructions of the 18th Party Congress and President Xi Jinping’s requirement of “showing allegiance to the Party and being able to win the war.” They used the national disgrace of the loss of the 1894 naval battle as a way to educate, alert and motivate the soldiers. “Never forget the shame of 1894 and work hard to win [wars]." That way, we “can deliver more and better sailors for our naval vessels.”

Source: Xinhua, May 2, 2013

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2013-05/02/c_124654931.htm

Briefings | | May 3, 2013 | Defense/Military

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

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