Chinascope – Page 889

BBC: The Chief Medical Examiner Questioned the Evidence in Gu Kailai’s Murder Case

Wang Xuemei, the Chief Medical examiner with the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, published an article on a microblog in which she openly questioned the conclusion that Neil Haywood, the British businessman, died of cyanide poisoning. Wang wrote that she was deeply disappointed in the conclusion as to the cause of Neil Haywood’s death. She stated that the conclusion was seriously lacking in facts and scientific proof. Her article also implied that there were others who benefited from such a conclusion in this murder case.

Wang is the deputy director with the Technical and Information Research Center of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Chief Medical Examiner, and Vice Chairman of Chinese Medical Examiner’s Association.

Source: BBC Chinese, September 27, 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2012/09/120927_wang_xuemei_gu_kailai.shtml

Briefings | | October 1, 2012 | Government/Politics

People’s Daily: 55,500 Airline Tickets between China and Japan Cancelled

People’s Daily carried an article that the Japanese newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, had originally published, saying that the tension between China and Japan was affecting airline travel. The two major Japanese airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines Corporation, reported that, by the close of the day on September 25, 2012, 55,500 ticket reservations for the period of September to November for flights between China and Japan had been cancelled. The head of All Nippon Airways told the reporter that the airline was using smaller airplanes to deal with the cancellations and had not reduced the total number of flights. He admitted that the cancellations would have a huge impact on the airline’s business but hoped that the volume would pick up once the Japanese companies reopened their businesses in China.

Source: People’s Daily, September 27, 2012
http://japan.people.com.cn/35463/7962771.html

Briefings | | October 1, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Ten New Warnings to Officialdom Widely Circulated on the Internet

Qiushi Theory, which is the CCP’s official publication to interpret the CCP’s major policies and theories, published an article discussing how the Internet era has placed new pressure on Party officials. Many Party officials have thus become alert and are fearful of the Internet. To illustrate its point, the article quoted some new information that has been circulating widely on the Internet: “Ten New Warnings to Officialdom.”

The 10 warnings are: 1) do not talk nonsense during an interview; 2) do not smoke famous brand name cigarettes while attending a meeting; 3) do not wear expensive watches while conducting business activities; 4) do not drive a famous car when performing public service activities; 5) do not hold an umbrella during grassroots inspections; 6) do not copy famous articles when submitting something for publication; 7) do not use twitter when you are dating someone; 8) do not keep a diary about your former married life; 9) do not smile when a natural disaster occurs; 10) do not be the spokesman during emergent events.

Sources: Qiushi Theory, September 25, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2012/201218/201209/t20120925_183511.htm http://bbs.chinacourt.org/index.php?showtopic=453322

Briefings | | September 28, 2012 | Government/Politics

China Issues Three White Books Regarding the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands

On September 25, 2012, while the tension between China and Japan over the sovereignty dispute on the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands continues to escalate, Beijing’s State Council Information Office issued three White Books. They include:

The Diaoyu Islands Are China’s Permanent Territory [1]

The United States and Japan’s Private Deal over the Diaoyu Islands Is Illegal and Invalid [2]

China Will Resolutely Fight to Safeguard the Sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands [3]

Sources: Xinhua, September 25, 2012

[1] http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-09/25/c_113202983.htm

[2] http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-09/25/c_113203118.htm

[3] http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-09/25/c_113203773.htm

Briefings | | September 28, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Influence in Africa Continues

To date, China has launched 31 Confucius Institutes and five Confucius Classrooms in 26 African countries. Some have incorporated the Chinese language into a system in which students receive an academic degree or college credits.

In the past two years, China has provided 5,710 government scholarships to African countries. It plans to implement the “African Talent Project.” Over the next three years, China will train 30,000 professionals in different fields and provide 18,000 government scholarships, as well as offer job training and support.

In recent years, China has been advancing into Africa by means of the economy and culture and continues to increase its influence in the continent. Through 2011, China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for the third consecutive year. The trade volume between the two countries has reached a record $166.3 billion. As many as 2000 Chinese companies have made direct investments in Africa, totaling $14.7 billion.

Source: BBC Chinese, September 26, 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2012/09/120926_china_africa.shtml

Briefings | | September 27, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Political and Legislative Affairs Committee Calls for Maintaining Party’s Leadership

On September 23 and 24, 2012, the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee held a forum in Fuzhou in Fujian Province. Wang Lequan, Deputy Chair of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee spoke at the meeting. Wang stressed that all levels of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee should maintain the same level of understanding that the central administration has on ideology, politics, and action. He discussed the need to summarize the lessons learned over the past years on improving the political and legislative team and on further strengthening the team‘s development work in ideology, organization, behavior, and structure. Wang further emphasized that, while facing an increased workload and complicated social environment, the Political and Legislative Affairs team should sustain the test of steadiness, loyalty, justice, and integrity.

Leaders from the central agencies of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee as well as leaders from the 13 Political and Legislative Affairs Committees at the provincial and municipal levels attended the meeting.

Source: Xinhua, September 24, 2012

http://news.xinhuanet.com/2012-09/24/c_113191328.htm

Briefings | | September 27, 2012 | Government/Politics

Guangming Daily: Overseas Chinese Held Forum to Defend Diaoyu Island

The website of the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party carried an article that Guangming Daily had originally published. According to the article, on September 23, 2012, the “Cross Strait Forum on Current Affairs” (大华府两岸时事论坛) held a forum in Washington DC on “Defending the Diaoyu Islands.” Those at the forum protested strongly against the Japanese government for taking over China’s Diaoyu Islands illegally. A number of political columnists, professors, and artists spoke at the forum, calling for solidarity among the overseas Chinese to safeguard China’s sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands.

Source: The United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party, September 25, 2012 http://www.zytzb.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/tzb2010/S2012/201209/731837.html

Briefings | | September 27, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Huge Highway Liabilities Relate to Years of ‘Great Leap Forward’ Development

On September 25, 2012, People’s Daily published an article related to the nation’s highways asking, “How can highways survive with over one hundred billion yuan in highway liabilities?” The liabilities of the 19 listed highway companies amounted to 124.79 billion yuan (US$19.8 billion) for the first half-year of 2012, compared to 105.33 billion yuan (US$16.72 billion) for the same period last year.

On August 2, 2012, China’s State Council announced a plan to lift road tolls for passenger cars taking the highways during major Chinese holidays in order to promote tourism and related industries. At present, the listed highway companies are affected because they have little other income except toll revenue. They have entered into a cycle of “over charge tolls, build more highways, borrow more money, and build more highways.”

Source: People’s Daily, September 25, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2012/0925/c70731-19097317.html

Briefings | | September 26, 2012 | Economy/Resources

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

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

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