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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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CCP, Master of Hostage Diplomacy

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Graduate Students Doubled in Ten Years While Employment Rate Tumbled

According to Xinhua News, Chinese graduate school student enrollment continued to grow in 2012. Xinhua reported that the graduate student enrollment was 584,416 this year, which was double the size it was ten years ago. This phenomenon has temporarily eased the employment pressure for undergraduate students. However, the number of graduate students who graduated last year surpassed the number of undergraduate students, indicating that graduate student enrollment exceeded that of undergraduate students three years ago.

Another alarming phenomenon is that the employment rate for graduate students continues to decline. In the past three years, it even dropped below the rate for undergraduate students. Statistics from the Talent Pool Market in Jiangsu Province indicated that the employment rate for graduate student was 86.62 percent compared to 90.3 percent for undergraduates and 94.1 percent for vocational or associate degree students.

Some experts also raised concerns over the quality of the education for graduate school students. A survey from 2008 suggested that 15.7 percent of the college professors oversee 10 or more graduate students while close to one percent have 20 or even 30 students. Meanwhile, the average professor to graduate student ratio in the U.S. is one to only two to three students or a maximum of five to six.

Many experts say that universities and colleges should be discouraged from seeking to expand and should reduce their enrollment size so that the quality of education can be improved.

Source: Xinhua, October 21, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2012-10/21/c_123849066.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

VOA: Jiang’s Presence Surfaced again Demonstrating his Influence and Health

According to VOA, on October 13, 2012, one month before the 18th National Congress, a picture showing a meeting between the former Chinese leader, Jiang Zemin, with a leader from Shanghai Ocean University appeared on the university website. The picture was reportedly taken on October 9 when Jiang and his wife met with the university leader in Beijing. People’s Daily first carried the news on October 20; the rest of China’s major media followed.

Hong Kong China News Agency said it was Jiang’s first appearance in the past year. This seems to be contradictory to news reported by the oversea’s Chinese media on Jiang’s public appearance at an opera concert at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. The news was published at the end of September, although it was believed to be a fake news report.

According to VOA, official media reports on whether Jiang is healthy or still active have always been considered an influential factor in the Party’s internal power shifts. The postings on microblogs showed that people were suspicious about the authenticity of this piece of news. Some were puzzled as to why this news made the headlines when it was about the former leader meeting with a representative from a university.

Source: VOA, October 20, 2012
http://www.voachinese.com/content/cpc-18th-congress-jiang-zemin-20121020/1530404.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

International Herald: We Need to be Ready for the Next New President

The International Herald carried a commentary on the presidential race and the U.S. China policy for the next four years. The article concluded that the U.S. has to face the fact that China is growing stronger. Whoever wins the next presidential election, there will not be any fundamental change in China and US policy. “To a certain extent, the decisive factor in the China U.S. relationship does not simply lie with a certain party or political power. It lies with the increasing civil powers in the social and economic sectors.”

The article stated that the China topic has been the focus of the presidential debate. It is a channel for the candidates to demonstrate their charm and express what their passion has been over the past twenty years. “When Romney claims that he will crack down on China for manipulating currency, the world knows that it was simply part of an election statement. … For Obama, his Asian policy is a complete anti-China product, whether it was the measures he took to intervene in the Diaoyu islands or the South China Sea issue. The candidates have both openly demonstrated their desire to limit China’s growth.” The article also claimed that whether Obama or Romney wins, their belief will not differ much one from the other; it is to protect U.S. values and the country’s national interest.

Source: International Herald, October 17, 2012
http://ihl.cankaoxiaoxi.com/2012/1017/106206.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

What Went Wrong With US China Policy

Twenty years ago, the United States won the cold war by disintegrating the Soviet Union. Now, facing the People’s Republic of China, a regime that once looked up to the Soviet as the “Big Brother,” and whose economic and military strength still lags behind that of the United States, the United States often finds itself accommodating to instead of changing China. The fact is: the United States has grown ever weaker in promoting human rights and democracy in China, while the PRC has grown more assertive in the international arena.

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Perspectives | | |   Opinion

Social Unrest over Man’s Death

A driver died during a traffic incident sparking an incident of social unrest that pitted several thousand people against the authorities in Luzhou, Sichuan. According to Huanqiu, which reprinted the version that the local government publicized, the traffic police directed the driver to move his vehicle, which was illegally parked, but the driver refused. The driver did not feel well and, after taking some medicine, died on site. The Luzhou government “reminded the residents that they should not believe or spread any rumors.”

Xinhua later reported that, during the incident, about a thousand people gathered. Some of them were emotional and attacked police vehicles. They overturned seven vehicles and set five of them on fire. Two were entirely burned as a result. “After patient persuasion, the driver’s relatives voluntarily brought the body to the city funeral home. … During the incident, Public Security took custody of 20 people and no one was injured or died.” The local government hoped the residents would not believe or spread rumors.

[Editor’s note: According to online miniblog posts, the 57-year-old man argued with the police who then pushed and kicked him, leading to his death. This incident occurred within three weeks of the Eighteenth Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.]   

Sources:
Huanqiu, October 18, 2012
http://china.huanqiu.com/local/2012-10/3197614.html
Xinhua, October 18, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2012-10/18/c_123838416.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Beijing Police Heighten Security on the Eve of Party’s Congress

China North Industries Group Corporation donated 500 units of the Beidou Positioning system to the Beijing Public Security Bureau to be installed in the first line patrol vehicles and in telecom command vehicles. They are meant to provide technological support to the 18th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, which will be held on November 8, 2012. People’s Daily reported that the Beidou positioning systems will effectively improve the positioning capability of police vehicles in terms of reliability and security. In addition, Beidou’s texting function will serve as a reliable means of communication for all levels of command during an emergency.

Source: People’s Daily, October 19, 2012
http://society.people.com.cn/n/2012/1019/c223276-19315774.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Xinhua: Seventy Percent of Chinese Workers Take Overtime

Xinhua recently reported on a national survey on how the Chinese work force population spent its work and leisure time. The survey covered the two year period of 2011 and 2012. The results showed that 69.4 percent of the work force worked some amount of overtime. A total of 24 percent of the people surveyed worked 51 to 70 hours per week. Only 30.4 percent of the work force actually enjoyed an 8-hour work day. A 41.1 percent share of the entire sample surveyed had less than 10 hours of “leisure time” per week. 46.8 percent of the people surveyed stated that they had suffered a decline in available “leisure time.” 5.1 percent of the sample said they had “nearly no leisure time.” The weekly “leisure time” total actually declined over the past three years. Experts expressed the belief that the survey reflected that people are under significant pressure at work. The primary cause of the high pressure is the economic growth model.
Source: Xinhua, October 14, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2012-10/14/c_113361441.htm
Briefings | | |   Social Stability