Chinascope – Page 946

China Develops Strategies to Prevent Government Officials from Fleeing Overseas

On May 23, 2012, the Chinese Disciplinary Committee held its 3rd joint meeting discussing “how to prevent government officials who are in violation of law and discipline from fleeing overseas.” A participant observed that the current situation is rather complicated and the task is huge. The committee issued a directive that government officials be strictly prevented from fleeing overseas. It mandated specific actions including: enhancing the control and administration of certificates and documents for overseas travel; promptly learning the real time situation of both the private overseas travel by government officials and the emigration of their spouses and children; listing officials, along with their spouses and children who have already emigrated overseas, as major targets; striving to establish a very tight and efficient network to prevent them from fleeing.

Source: People’s Daily, May 24, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/17975851.html

Briefings | | May 31, 2012 | Government/Politics

Ninety Percent of CCP Central Committee Members Have Family Members Overseas

Issue 321 of Dongxiang, a Hong Kong magazine, reported the results of a survey that the Central Committee of the Communist Party recently conducted. The survey revealed that, as of the end of March 2012, 187 (91 percent) of the 204 members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party had family members living or working overseas or maintaining citizenship in other countries. The survey included the members’ sons and daughters, grandchildren, and siblings. For the 167 alternate Committee members, 142 (85 percent) had relatives who had emigrated overseas. 113 (88 percent) of 127 members of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China had relatives who had emigrated overseas.

Sources: Oriental Daily, May 28, 2012
http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20120528/00178_012.html
Dongxiang Magazine, Issue 321 of May 2012
http://www.chengmingmag.com/t321/t321toc/t321toc.html

Briefings | | May 31, 2012 | Government/Politics

Beijing’s New Provision: No More Than Two Flies in a Public Restroom

On May 22, 2012, Xinhua reprinted an article originally from Beijing Evening News reporting that the Beijing Metropolitan government issued new provisions on public restrooms. According to the new provisions, public restrooms in parks, supermarkets, railroad stations, airports, train stations, and other public places may not be closed before the close of business hours in those places. The number of flies allowed in a public restroom may not exceed two. A toilet blockage must be fixed within 12 hours.

Source: Xinhua, May 22, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2012-05/22/c_112014885.htm

Briefings | | May 30, 2012 | Grapevine

Beijing News: SAC Issues Guide on Investing Private Capital in State-Owned Companies

Beijing News recently reported that the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SAC) issued a document on an executive regulation detailing the guidelines for implementing the State Council’s orders that had first been released in 2010, encouraging private sector investment. One important guideline is to allow the private sector to invest in state-owned companies not only through a cash investment, but also a transfer of intellectual property, land, or other physical assets. The new guidelines also allow buying stock shares, company bonds or debts, and renting as means of participating in the re-organization process of state-owned companies. One of the primary goals of the new guidelines is to eliminate “discrimination against private investors.”

Source: Beijing News, May 26, 2012
http://epaper.bjnews.com.cn/html/2012-05/26/content_341239.htm?div=-1

Briefings | | May 29, 2012 | Economy/Resources

Xinhua: Chinese State Council Released 2011 U.S. Human Rights Records

On May 25, Xinhua reported that the State Council Information Office had just released a report called "The 2011 U.S. Human Rights Records." This report was in response to the U.S. State Department’s 2011 World Human Rights Report released one day earlier. The Chinese “Records” report accused the U.S. report of distorting the actual human rights situation in China. It suggested that the handling of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement proved that the authorities in the U.S. heavily violate (its citizens’) freedom to demonstrate and their freedom of speech. It further claimed that the United States government applies strong control and filtering of news media as well as the Internet. The “Records” also stated that U.S. citizens suffer from a high crime rate due to poor gun control and they also suffer a high unemployment rate coupled with poor unemployment benefits. The “Records” suggested that the U.S has violated the sovereignty of many other countries and the human rights in those countries. It concluded that the U.S. does not “qualify” to be the “world judge” and should stop using a double standard.

Source: Xinhua, May 25
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-05/25/c_112038431.htm

Briefings | | May 29, 2012 | US-China Relations

BBC: Chinese Yuan Will Soon Be Exchangeable with Japanese Yen

On May 26, BBC Chinese reported on news received from major Japanese media on the same day that the Chinese government and the Japanese government plan to reach an agreement in June, which will be implemented soon thereafter, to make the two countries’ currencies directly exchangeable. This will be the first time the Chinese yuan (RMB) will be directly exchangeable with another foreign currency without a “middleman” currency such as the U.S. Dollar. The agreement originated at the leadership summit the two countries had last December. Actual negotiations started this February. The Tokyo and the Shanghai foreign exchange markets are preparing for the operational mechanism, which has a delivery target of this June. This move is widely considered as a symbolic action for the Chinese yuan to “de-link” from the U.S Dollar. Currently Great Britain and Singapore are both in talks with the Chinese government to cut similar deals.

Source: BBC Chinese, May 26, 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/business/2012/05/120526_japanese_chinese_yuan.shtml

Briefings | | May 29, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

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.