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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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Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

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

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More H7N9 related Deaths; Additional H7N9-positive Samples Found

Xinhua reported that, as of 7:00 p.m. Beijing time on April 10, 2013, China had a total of 33 H7N9 cases with 9 deaths and no epidemiological connection between these cases. On that same day, China’s Ministry of Agriculture said that, in lab tests, 14 more poultry samples in the three provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui in east China were discovered to have been H7N9-positive. The samples were from 2,099 samples collected in poultry farms and markets. Eleven of the 14 positive samples were found to have been taken from the 743 samples from Jiangsu Province.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Avian Flu Reference Laboratory concluded from a gene sequence analysis that that the strain of the H7N9 virus found in the 14 samples was highly congeneric with that found earlier in a pigeon on April 4.

The Ministry of Agriculture has ordered the three provinces to shut down and thoroughly disinfect the markets from which the samples were taken and to cull all live poultry.

Source: Xinhua, April 10, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-04/10/c_124564934.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2013-04/10/c_115342190.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

After Retirement, Former Top CCP Official Seeks Protection in a Taoist Temple

On April 4, 2013, the website of Voice of Taoism published a report about Wu Bangguo, an acknowledged Marxist atheist. Soon after his retirement, Wu visited a Taoist temple seeking protection and wealth from Taoist deities. Chinese Internet users ridiculed his worship of Taoist deities, calling it an "ironic scene."

Wu is a former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People’s Congress in China. He had vowed to adhere to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. Before he retired from his leadership position, he opposed any political reforms and universal values.

Source: Voice of Taoism, April 4, 2013
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2013/04/04/2321729.html
http://www.daoisms.org/plus/view.php?aid=8416

Briefings | | |   Grapevine

China’s Military Official: H7N9 Bird Flu Is a U.S. Conspiracy against China

Dai Xu, the Director of the Marine Security and Cooperation Research Institute and an Air Force Colonel in the People’s Liberation Army, asserted that the H7N9 virus is part of a U.S. conspiracy against China and Chinese authorities should simply ignore it. Dai posted his bird flu comment on Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like site, late Saturday night on April 6, 2013. Dai said, “As for the recent bird flu fad, China’s top government departments must not deal with it extensively. Otherwise, it will be just like SARS in 2003! At that time, the U.S. was fighting Iraq and feared China might take advantage of the situation, so it deployed a bio-psychological weapon against China. The country was thrown into turmoil, just as the U.S. had hoped. Now, the U.S. is trying the same old trick. China should learn a lesson from the past and respond calmly.”

An earlier version of the post was subsequently deleted, but multiple other users preserved it in screenshots. It ended on a different note: “A few may die, but that’s not even one-thousandth of the deaths from car accidents in China.”

Source: BBC Chinese and The Wall Street Journal, April 7 and April http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/04/130407_china_bird_flu_conspiracy.shtml  
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2013/04/08/new-bird-flu-is-a-u-s-conspiracy-chinese-military-official-says/

Briefings | | |   Grapevine

China Has again Become Canada’s Largest Source for Immigration

According to Radio Free Asia on April 8, 2013, China has again become Canada’s largest source for immigration. In 2012, a total of 32,990 Chinese people obtained permanent resident visas. China’s social system, social problems, and environmental disasters have filled the Chinese people with despair. That is why China has been Canada’s largest source for immigration. However, China is in the 3rd position in terms of the number of permanent residents having become Canadian citizens. 

Source: Radio Free Asia, April 8, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/to-04082013102050.html  

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Wealth of the Chinese Working-Class is Shrinking

Xinhua recently reported that the Chinese stock market suffered another slide and the Shanghai Index is over sixty percent lower than it was at its peak point. Although the Chinese GDP is the world’s number two, only behind the United States, experts suggested that the Chinese stock market is close to being the worst bear mark in the world. China’s latest CPI (Consumer Price Index) showed an increase of 3.2 percent this year, while the Chinese central bank base savings interest rate is three percent. Thus working-class wealth in the banks is suffering an effective “negative interest rate.” In the meantime, both international and domestic gold prices are dropping. The Chinese financial market currently has nothing to offer working-class people to enable them to safeguard their money. Even investments in precious artwork do not bring a positive return. Experts called for more reliable financial investment channels and products to help today’s Chinese working-class protect their wealth.
Source: Xinhua, April 7, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-04/07/c_124544849.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Xinhua: Shale Gas Revolution Was One Focal Point of the Boao Forum

Xinhua recently reported that shale gas was a hot topic at the Chinese government sponsored high profile forum – the Boao Forum. The U.S. success story of the “Shale Gas Revolution” demonstrated how the United States could rapidly get very close to energy self-sufficiency. In 2011, China surpassed the U.S. to become the world’s largest energy consumer. China is eager to “copy” the success. Multiple parties attending the Boao Forum expressed strong interest in taking this agenda further, including representatives from the U.S. State Department and Department of Energy, U.S. banks such as Merrill Lynch, U.S. energy companies, China’s central government, and both Chinese state-owned and private energy companies. However technical difficulties that are specific to China were also discussed. The United States is currently the largest controller of shale gas development related technologies. The Chinese government has already put out invitations for possible bidders for shale gas exploration rights in China.
Source: Xinhua, April 7, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-04/07/c_124544812.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

CRN: Clear Road Map Needed for Upgrading China’s Economy

China Review News (CRN) recently published a commentary discussing how to realize Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s “Upgrading of the Chinese Economy.” The commentary suggested that Li apparently acknowledged concerns about the low efficiency and the high risks associated with the current Chinese economy. The commentator referred to a large quantity of data to demonstrate the “as-is” version of the economy as well as the “to-be” version, which is based on world leaders like the United States. However, the pathway between the two ends remains uncertain. The author offered some suggestions focusing on areas like financial market reform, research and design, system integration, privatization, high-end manufacturing, and new government policies. The article called for a clearer road map for the “Upgrade.”
Source: China Review News, April 4, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1024/9/1/2/102491286.html?coluid=53&kindid=0&docid=102491286&mdate=0404080734
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Dead Fish Found in Rivers in Shanghai

People’s Daily reported that, starting at the end of March, dead fish have been found in the Si Jing Tang River in the Songjiang District of Shanghai. The number has continued to grow until, in recent days, it reached over a thousand dead fish found within one hundred meters (328 feet) of the river. It has caused concern over the safety of the drinking water in the area. The Authorities in the Songjiang district claim that the water quality remains normal and an investigation is being conducted into the cause.

Source: People’s Daily, April 7, 2013
http://society.people.com.cn/n/2013/0407/c86800-21045466.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources