Chinascope – Page 939

Wife of Bo Xilai Charged with Heywood Murder

On July 26, 2012, Xinhua reported that the Hefei Municipal Procuratorate (the state prosecutor’s office) in Anhui Province charged Gu Kailai, the wife of Politburo member Bo Xilai, along with a family aide named Zhang, with intentional homicide in the case of the deceased British businessman, Neil Heywood. The two were charged at the Hefei Intermediate People’s Court after “prosecutors interrogated them and spoke to their defense team.” Xinhua stated that the investigation showed that Gu and Zhang poisoned Heywood due to a business conflict between Gu and Heywood that also involved Gu’s son. Gu believed Heywood was threatening her son. "The facts of the two defendants’ crime are clear and the evidence is irrefutable and substantial. Therefore, the two defendants should be charged with intentional homicide and held accountable for their criminal liability."

Source: Xinhua, July 26, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2012-07/26/c_112544655.htm

Briefings | | July 27, 2012 | Government/Politics

Xinhua: Sansha City Is Not a Flower Trellis on Show for the Philippines and Vietnam

Huanqiu, a publication under Xinhua, published a commentary on the Philippines and Vietnam’s protests following the inaugural ceremony for Sansha City, Hainan Province. The commentary observed that Chinese media essentially ignored the two countries’ protests. The Chinese mentality, in general, is "I will enjoy going my own way no matter what you do or feel.”

The commentary stated, “[China as] a big country should act as such. There is no need to practice verbal sparring with the Philippines and Vietnam. Action is our real language. What China’s position on the South China Sea means and how the Philippines and Vietnam should deal with China in the South China Sea should all be understood from our actions, in addition to what we tell them.”

“The Philippines and Vietnam’s responses are not worthy of our real-time tracking. If they have a general knowledge of what’s going on, that is sufficient. Sansha City should seek its own development, becoming a real prefectural city, not a flower trellis that is on show for the Philippines and Vietnam."

“Regarding the friction and conflict in East Asia as well as in the world, China should also gradually change from asking others what to do to actively taking the initiative on our own. That way, we would not have much of a burden and would be much more relaxed.”

Source: Huanqiu, July 25, 2012.
http://world.huanqiu.com/observation/2012-07/2947155.html

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

Beijing Police Chief: Strike Hard against Online Political Rumors and Attacks on the Current Regime

Between the end of July and August 31, 2012, Beijing City will launch a summer Internet environment remediation campaign. According to Fu Zhenghua, the head of Beijing’s Public Security Bureau, actions involving use of the Internet to traffic prohibited goods, to manufacture and spread political rumors, and to attack the Party and government leaders as well as the current regime will be subject to a harsh crackdown.

The police force has set up Internet law enforcement accounts at 239 major Beijing based websites. Reportedly, 3,916 web related violations have been uncovered and 5,007 suspects have been arrested. Fu also emphasized that websites that regularly disseminate harmful information will be put on a “black list,” and that 110 reporting icons (phone numbers for reporting to the police) should be set up on major microblogging sites,

Source: Jinghua Daily, reprinted on Xinhua, July 26, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2012-07/26/c_123469957.htm

Briefings | | July 26, 2012 | Information/Technology

China Formally Establishes Sansha City on Yongxing Island of Xisha, Hainan Province

On July 24, 2012, an inaugural ceremony was held for the opening of Sansha City. The ceremony took place on the Island of Yongxing, one of the Xisha Islands (called the Paracel Islands in Vietnam), Hainan Province. Sansha officially became China’s 285th prefectural level city, the southernmost tip prefectural city with the least population, the least land area, and the largest total area under its jurisdiction.

Hainan Provincial Party Secretary Luo Baoming spoke at the ceremony, saying that the CPC Central Committee and State Council’s decision to establish Shansha City was to carry out the administration, development, and protection of the Xisha Islands, the Dongsha Islands (also called the Pratas Islands in Taiwan), and the Nansha Islands (also called the Spratly Islands); and strive to make Sansha City an important base for maintaining South China Sea sovereignty and resource development services.

Source: People’s Daily, July 25, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/n/2012/0725/c1001-18590367.html

Briefings | | July 26, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Huanqiu: What Has Obama Done in Asia?

Huanqiu published a commentary on Obama’s activities in Asia over the past four years. It stated that, in less than three years, the U.S. has completed the initial phase of the formulation, promotion, and implementation of transferring its strategic priority to Asia and the Pacific region. The commentary contends, however, that such a move has destabilized the region. “The Obama administration has implemented a two-faced policy of exchanges and cooperation, along with deterrence and containment.” It has carried out “frequent military moves in order to quickly restrain China. The U.S. politicians have politicized trade disputes and those pertaining to cultural exchanges. Political biases in the U.S. have entangled or destroyed potential opportunities for cooperation.” The commentary further cited examples of the U.S. activities that have had a destabilizing effect, such as “sowing discord and forming gangs” among Asian countries and increasing the U.S. military presence in Australia.

Source: Huanqiu, July 24, 2012
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2012-07/2944180.html

Briefings | | July 26, 2012 | US-China Relations

Qiushi: Beware of the Real Economy Being Virtualized

On July 20, 2012, Qiushi, a journal of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), reprinted an article from the China Jinggangshan Executive Leadership Academy Journal titled “Beware of the Real Economy Being Virtualized.” The real economy, which refers to the production and service sectors, is declining in China due to higher costs (of goods and labor), heavy taxes, overcapacity, limited investment, financing problems, and a lack of innovation.

However, the virtual economy is overly booming in China due to the huge returns from real estate, the stock market, the futures market, coal resources, antiques, art works, financial products, loan sharking, and the speculative markets for some agricultural products. Such a phenomenon poses a significant potential risk for sustainable economic development in China. In analyzing the main reasons behind the virtualization of the real economy, the article’s writer proposed some solutions for improvement.

Source: Qiushi, July 20, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/jj/xsdt/201207/t20120723_171534.htm

Briefings | | July 25, 2012 | Economy/Resources

Guangdong Security Chief: Maintain Stability by Protecting the Rights of the People

Zhu Mingguo, the Guangdong Provincial Political and Legislative Committee Secretary, recently delivered a speech at a conference of the Guangdong political and legislative system leading cadres. Zhu emphasized the protection of the people’s rights and the engagement of a full negotiation with the people in stability maintenance work. Zhu expressed his preference for maintaining stability in a harmonious way.

Source: China Review News, July 18, 2012
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1021/7/0/7/102170729.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=102170729&mdate=0718091843

Briefings | | July 25, 2012 | Government/Politics

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

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