On January 27, 2013, smog was widespread over 1 million square kilometers in the mid eastern area of China. For the first time, China’s Central Meteorological Station issued a smog alert (blue level), which is separate from a fog alert. Visibility on some sections of road in Beijing was under 500 meters. The air quality across Beijing was in a state of “serious pollution.”
Source: Reprint from Beijing News by China Gate, January 28, 2013
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2013/01/28/2203120.html
On Sunday, January 27, 2013, China successfully carried out a land-based mid-course missile interception test within its territory. It is the second such test that China has successfully launched within its territory since January 2010. According to an official from the Information Bureau of China’s Ministry of National Defense, "The test reached the preset goal," but it "was defensive in nature and targeted no other country." Coincidentally, on Saturday, the United States successfully conducted a test flight of a missile interceptor rocket.
“The public in the West noticed that China and the U.S. conducted similar tests on the same day (if the time zone disparity is considered) and viewed China’s test as displaying its strength to the United States.” According to the article, the Japanese media said that, by conducting an anti-missile interceptor test at this time, China wants to restrain the U.S. in the Diaoyu Islands dispute. “A Chinese military expert said in an interview that such a test, “was the result of pressure from the United States.”
Source: Reprint from Apple Daily by China Gate, January 28, 2013
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2013/01/28/2203279.html
On January 28, 2013, infeng.com published an article titled “North Korea’s Heartless Treatment of China: To Detonate Over-sized Atomic Bomb on the Border of North East China.”
On January 22, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2087 condemning North Korea’s long-range rocket launch last December as a violation of an existing ban against nuclear and missile activity. In response, North Korea announced plans for a third nuclear test and continued its rocket launches. North Korea may detonate an oversized atomic bomb, an “enhanced atomic bomb” that is equivalent to a small hydrogen bomb. The Chinese people are afraid that North Korea will detonate this extra large atomic bomb on the border of North East China in a densely populated area.
The article concluded, “China has made national sacrifices for Korea three times and provided huge assistance to North Korea for a long period of time. It is definitely unwise and heartless for North Korea to treat China in such a way.”
Source: infeng.com, January 28, 2013
http://news.ifeng.com/opinion/zhuanlan/xuelitai/detail_2013_01/28/21668791_0.shtml
Departments of the local government detained Chen Qingxia, a resident of Yichun City in Heilongjiang Province, in an abandoned mortuary for 3 years because she persisted in petitioning the higher level government. After her story was exposed on January 24, 2013, people throughout society discussed it.
Recently, Guangzhou local government officials announced their support for calls for government officials to make a public disclosure of their personal assets. Fan Songqing, a Guangzhou Committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference introduced a bill that would require public disclosure of personal assets. Fan was followed by Guangzhou Mayor Chen Jianhua, who announced at a press conference that, if financial disclosure is required, he will take the lead to disclose his personal assets.
Sources:
Xinhua, January 22, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2013-01/22/c_124265245.htm
Xinhua, January 21, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2013-01/21/c_124255691.htm
People’s Daily, January 24, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/0124/c14562-20316254.html