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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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CASS: 80 Percent of Poor Families Did not Receive Low Income Subsidy

The China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) recently released its 2012 Social Security Green Book, reporting the results of a survey it had conducted. Close to 80 percent of the households surveyed, who were at the poverty level, did not receive a low income subsidy. The survey was conducted in five provinces. Of the 8,777 surveys returned, 23.5 percent were from households at the poverty level. The results also revealed that over 60 percent of those that received a low income subsidy were not households at the poverty level. However, close to 80% of the households that were in poverty did not receive any low income subsidy.

Source: The Beijing News reprinted by People’s Daily, February 24, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/0224/c70731-20579608.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

SARFT: TV Documentaries to be Submitted for Approval before Shooting

China’s State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) recently issued a "Notice on the implementation of the system of announcing the subject of TV documentaries." The Notice stipulated that, to further boost the market for TV documentaries and to avoid duplication of subject matter and waste resources, starting in 2013, the subject of TV documentaries must be submitted for examination and approval.

Although SARFT did not specify which types of TV documentaries fall under the above regulation, contemporary subjects that involve the corruption of senior officials or promoting multi-party democratic mechanisms are usually strictly scrutinized, in addition to the subjects of violence and pornography.

According to the new policy, 1) those productions of TV documentaries that have been prohibited under the jurisdiction of the central government, documentaries that are to be jointly produced by Chinese and foreign organizations, and imported documentaries, need to submit directly to SARFT; 2) those to be produced or imported by the military must first be submitted to the PLA’s General Political Department before final submission to SARFT; 3) those to be produced or imported under the jurisdiction of local governments must first be submitted to local radio, film, and television authorities before finally being submitted to SARFT.

Source: Radio Free Asia, February 22, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/kejiaowen/jz-02222013154735.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

People’s Daily: Do Not Easily Trust that the Americans “Snubbed” Abe

In the media reports about Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the U.S., people noticed that the U.S. was relatively low key when hosting Abe. Also, Obama didn’t make an open statement in public regarding the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands issue. Some interpreted the situation as the United States “snubbing” Abe. 

An article in People’s Daily reminded Chinese readers not to fall into such a trap so easily. The article said, “The three parties of China, Japan, and the United States have been carefully playing the diplomatic game around the Diaoyu Islands issue. … China asked the United States to be strict in maintaining a neutral stance. Relying on its  relationship with the U.S. as an ally, Japan tried to pull the United States into explicitly siding with them and backing Japan. Publicly, the U.S. claims to maintain a neutral position, but, behind the scenes, it has already chosen a side. All its words target China from the inside out. In other words, in its consideration of the strategic interests of the Diaoyu Islands issue, the United States gives more weight to its relations with Japan as an ally.” 
“… In its adjusted U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy, Japan ranks as an important ally. Compared to China, it is self-evident who is closer and who is farther away. To this, we Chinese people should be clear in our hearts and have a calm and strong mind. We should neither overreact to the closeness of the United States and Japan nor be fooled by the false illusion of ‘cold’ diplomatic gestures.” 
Finally, the article asserted that “China’s continuous growth and development is the fundamental guarantee of the final solution to the Diaoyu Islands issue. As China continues to grow, China will surely become more confident, calm and firm [in dealing with the issue]. While in the process of solving this problem, [China] still needs to calculate the pros and cons carefully and to take action with good reasoning, with advantage, and with restraint.” 
Source: People’s Daily, February 26, 2013 
http://world.people.com.cn/n/2013/0227/c57507-20610222.html
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Vice Minister of Health: China Relies on Organs from Prisoners on Death Row

On February 25, 2013, Huang Jiefu, China’s Vice Minister of Health, spoke at a conference where he stated that China is the only country that systematically uses organs from executed prisoners.

According to Beijing Youth Daily, Huang stated, “For a long time, China has relied on executed prisoners as a primary source for organ transplants. Although the law provides that prisoners on death row may ‘voluntarily donate organs,’ there are loopholes in the implementation of the law. China is the only country in the world that systematically uses the organs of executed prisoners. This is not commensurate with China’s status as a major political power and a civilized country. Because an organ donation system has not been established at the national level, the organ transplantation industry has had many problems. The international hostile forces exaggerate this matter (the use of organs from executed prisoners), and attack our country’s human rights and civilization. They react negatively to all the reports about organ transplants in China and their principle is not to accept, nor publish, nor cooperate …”

Source: Beijing Youth Daily reprinted by Legal Daily, February 26, 2013                                       http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index/content/2013-02/26/content_4223855.htm?node=20908

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Huanqiu Explains Why China Does Not Have True Friends

On February 21, 2013, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an editorial explaining why China does not have true friends. According to the article, the relationship between countries is based on “the pursuit of common interests.” Once their core interests conflict with each other, the relationship between two countries will become indifferent or they may even be hostile to each other. “Because the United States is the only super power in the world, some countries have chosen to become its allies and hold its ‘thick legs.’” The editorial observed that, as China becomes more and more powerful, those that choose to be hostile to China will gradually lose their future.

Source: Huanqiu, February 21, 2013
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-02/3661084.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Chinese Scholar: China Should Launch Media, Economic, and Military Warfare against Japan

On February 23, 2013, China Gate published a Chinese scholar’s article titled, “Give up the Fantasy about ‘Friendship’: Fight Japan on Three Fronts.” The article asserted that the Diaoyu Islands (also called the Senkaku Islands in Japan) crisis indicates that Japan has renounced its friendship with China. In order to defend China’s sovereignty and maintain regional peace, China should launch media warfare, economic warfare, and military warfare against Japan.

According to the article, Japan is a pawn of the United States. The U.S. just wants to cause the Sino-Japanese relationship to deteriorate. “What the U.S. wants most is to stop the Chinese and Japanese currency exchange so as to consolidate the U.S. dollar’s hegemony.”

Source: China Gate, February 23, 2012
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2013/02/23/2247383.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua Suggests Mandiant’s Cyberattacks Report Is Marketing Hype

On February 20, 2013, Xinhua published a commentary in response to the report, released by Virginia-based information Security Company Mandiant Corporation, on the Chinese military’s involvement in a series of cyber attacks on U.S. and foreign corporations and entities. The Xinhua commentary speculated that the purpose of Mandiant Corporation’s report was marketing hype: “Hurry up to buy our company’s security software and services; the more the better.”

Xinhua denied that there was any relationships between the Chinese military (People’s Liberation Army Unit 61398 based in a Shanghai tower) and the cyber attacks on American companies. The commentary asserted that few professional hackers openly use their own IP address to attack others. Further, Xinhua criticized the U.S. military for its previous cyber attack on Iran.

Source: Xinhua, February, 20, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-02/20/c_114741635.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: New Regulations Announced to Control the Housing Market

Xinhua recently reported that the State Council announced a new five-point regulation of the real estate market. The announcement caused a sharp drop in housing stocks and triggered the largest slide in the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 15 months. After the second half of last year, the housing market enjoyed a rebound. In January, real estate prices increased in over one hundred main Chinese cities. With this development, the new regulation was designed to apply more control to the market and cool down housing prices. The key point of the new regulation is to expand the real estate tax on high end properties in order to constrain speculation-oriented investments. Many people believe there is a high probability that the State Council will come up with more restrictions in the future.
Source Xinhua, February 22, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/house/2013-02/22/c_124374182.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources