Chinascope – Page 956

Number of Chinese Telephone Users Reached 1.3 Billion

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology disclosed that, by the end of March 2012, the number of Chinese telephone consumers had reached 1.3 billion, which included 1.02 billion mobile phone users. Among the mobile phone users, there were 150 million 3G users and 40 percent of those were 3G TD users. 3G TD is the China developed 3G interface. The statistics also showed that there were 157 million Chinese broadband users and 670 million mobile Internet users. The total first quarter revenue for the telecommunications industry was 250 billion yuan, up by 10.2 percent compared to the first quarter of 2011, while the overall price was down 6.1 percent.

Source: Xinhua, April 20, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/tech/2012-04/21/c_123015720.htm

Briefings | | April 23, 2012 | Information/Technology

China’s Economic Growth Slows Down

According to the Ministry of Statistics, GDP growth in first quarter of 2012 was 8.1 percent. Since the fourth quarter of 2010, this was the 5th quarter to see a decline. The growth in the eastern region showed a larger decline, while the middle west region appeared to be stable. According to Peng Xinyun, an economist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the decline was due to a number of factors: the macro policy adjustment on real estate and fixed asset investment, currency contraction measures, as well as the economic crisis in the E.U. and the slow recovery of the U.S. economy.

Many economists believe that the GDP in the first quarter was lower than expected, but it is expected to improve in the second quarter. Premier Wen Jiabao delivered the 2012 Government Work Report, which set the target for the 2012 GDP at 7.5 percent.

Source: Xinhua, April 21, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2012-04/21/c_111821226.htm

Briefings | | April 23, 2012 | Economy/Resources

Huanqiu Commentary: Do Not Overestimate Personal Influence

On April 20, 2012, Huanqiu a daily tabloid under People’s Daily, a Communist Party paper, published a commentary titled, “Do Not Overestimate Personal Influence.” The commentary stated that there is a lesson to be learned from the Bo Xilai incident: that leaders shouldn’t overestimate their power and place themselves above the rules and the laws of the Party and the country. It also suggested that the theory that the West promotes, that there is “a power struggle between two factions,” could have the effect of making it difficult for social media to make judgments properly. Also, a small number of people might be misled.

The article said, “The Bo Xilai incident tells us that, in the current China, a leader should not overestimate his personal influence. Otherwise he might develop the urge to place himself above the rules and the laws of the Party and the country. For those who study China, if they do not understand this point, it could lead to a misperception and they will, therefore, be unable to make an accurate judgment about this country.”

The commentary further explained that no matter how much personal influence or how high the person’s position, it will not result in an exemption from punishment. “Very few of those who hold a high rank or power have obviously misunderstood this or intended to take the chance.”

The article recognized the achievements of Chongqing in the past few years and stated that it has always been viewed as a separate issue from the investigation into Bo’s case: “The achievements were inseparable from the precise directions given by the central administration and the effort made by the people of Chongqing.”

The article suggested that some people in the West tried to promote the theory that there was a “power struggle between two factions,” and some people in China even agreed with it. Other than those who have “ulterior motives,” many have overestimated the effect of personal influence on China’s politics; this theory might mislead people in judging the Bo Xilai incident.

Source: Huanqiu, April 20, 2012
http://china.huanqiu.com/hot/2012-04/2644687.html

Briefings | | April 23, 2012 | Government/Politics

Bo Xilai’s Financier, the Dalian Shide Group, May Face Bankruptcy

According to The Beijing News, the Dalian Shide Group, a Chinese private enterprise whose chairman is Xu Ming, is reportedly being investigated for economic problems. It has used up most of its stock ownership in banks as collateral for loans and has borrowed more than 6 billion yuan in funds. Meanwhile, within this coming month, the company has over 800 million yuan in payments to make on its loans; the monthly interest rates run as high as 4.5%. It is reported that the company has started preparations in anticipation of filing for bankruptcy.

Xu Ming established Shide in Dalian in 1992. In 2005, Forbes ranked Xu as China’s eighth richest man. It has been reported that Xu has close ties with Bo Xilai, the former Party Secretary of Chongqing City, Sichuan and has provided him with financial support. On March 15, 2012, the CCP leadership removed Bo from his position and he is currently under investigation. Shortly thereafter, Shide lost contact with Xu Ming, whom many believe is also under investigation or arrest in connection with Bo.

Source: The Beijing News, April 19, 2012
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/finance/2012/04/19/194671.html

Briefings | | April 20, 2012 | Economy/Resources

PLA Daily: Act Consciously in Accordance with the Big Picture of the Party’s Interests

On April 16, 2012, China’s top military paper, PLA Daily, published an editorial titled “Act Consciously in Accordance with the Big Picture of the Party’s Interests: Further Deepen the Study and Educational Activities of ‘Understanding Politics and Serving the Big Picture (the Party’s Interests),’ and Strictly Observe Discipline.” The article was republished on all of the major websites of China’s state-run media such as People’s Daily, Xinhua, Guangming, and so on. Huanqiu (Global Times) published the article under the title “The More Complicated the Situation, the More Critical the Test: Strictly Ensure the Stability of the Military.” The article emphasized that “in the new historical situation, our military faces more complicated situations, shoulders more demanding tasks, and undergoes more critical tests. [Therefore, the military] must strengthen the concept of the big picture (the Party’s interests), ensure the military’s absolute stability and central unity, and ensure the smooth transmission of military orders.

Source: PLA Daily, April 16, 2012
http://www.chinamil.com.cn/jfjbmap/content/2012-04/16/content_3130.htm
http://mil.huanqiu.com/china/2012-04/2619157.html

Briefings | | April 20, 2012 | Government/Politics

China’s Top Cop Investigated As Bo Xilai Scandal Develops

On April 19, 2012, the Associated Press quoted from overseas-based Chinese websites and political insiders that Zhou Yongkang, one of nine members of the Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, is also under heavy scrutiny and could face a reckoning as part of the recent scandal unraveling around the ousting of Bo Xilai, a Politburo member and former Party chief of Chongqing.

"Zhou, 72, is widely reported to have been the only leading official to have argued against last week’s striking decision to suspend Bo’s membership in the 25-seat Politburo – a step that effectively ended the political career of one of China’s most ambitious and high-profile politicians."

"Since then, Zhou has made tearful self-criticisms to President Hu Jintao and former leader Jiang Zemin, his political mentor, according to the U.S.-based Chinese-language dissident news site Boxun.com, which has been reporting accurately on the Bo scandal. Despite that, Zhou is now under some form of secretive investigation by the Party’s disciplinary body," it said.

Source: Associated Press, April 19, 2012
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2012/04/19/probe_of_security_boss_could_widen_china_scandal/

Briefings | | April 19, 2012 | Government/Politics

Huanqiu: The U.S. Should Do Some Soul Searching before Criticizing China

Huanqiu published a commentary on March 29, 2012, on the testimony that Don Yamamoto, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, gave before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, regarding China’s role and its influence in Africa. Yamamoto said, “China’s activities in Africa offer important opportunities for the continent, though there are major areas where our interests do not align.” The Huanqiu commentary was critical of this statement, among other things. “The biggest problem is that (China) moves the ‘cheese’ of the West (a sarcastic reference to U.S. inability to adjust to its loss of hegemony), thus violating the interests of the United States. Sino-African cooperation is in line with the interests of China and African countries. One should not ask China and Africa to reduce their cooperation for the benefit of U.S. interests. If the U.S. wants to protect its own interests, then the U.S. should first know what shame is and then have the courage to catch up by doing a better job, rather than being jealous of others and sabotaging or thwarting others.”

Sources: Huanqiu, April 16, 2012
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/roll/2012-04/2619402.html
Wikipedia: Who Moved My Cheese?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Moved_My_Cheese%3F

Briefings | | April 19, 2012 | US-China Relations

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.