Chinascope – Page 956

VOA: Expert Said Taiwan is the Priority Target for Chinese Internet Attacks

On May 16, 2012, Voice of America reported that a forum on the topic of Internet warfare took place a week ago in the United States. Mark Stokes, Executive Director of the Project 2049 Institute, suggested in the forum that Taiwan has been the top Chinese hacking target for a long time because the Chinese government holds the island (being a part of China) as one if its “core values.” He also expressed the belief that what’s more threatening to the communists is Taiwan’s democratic system. Mark Stokes said that, although Taiwan is a nation relying on U.S. supplied military equipment, since Taiwan has a very long history of dealing with Chinese hackers, it is in a good position to provide the U.S. with useful help on how to defend against those attacks. Also at the forum, William Hagestad, a research expert on the Chinese military and its information warfare, introduced his new book, which covers the impact that Chinese information warfare has had on the West.

Source: Voice of America, May 16, 2012
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20120516-Taiwan-China-Cyber-Attacks-151689195.html

Briefings | | May 22, 2012 | Information/Technology

RFA: PLA Daily Attacks the Notion of Nationalization of the Military

Radio Free Asia (RFA) recently reported on the news that the Chinese military is undergoing some adjustments. The official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), PLA Daily, recently published a commentary by the No. 15 commentator, attacking the idea of nationalizing the Chinese military. The commentary called the whole notion a “strategic conspiracy by the hostile forces to westernize and divide China.” The commentary reemphasized the classic Communist Party policy of “the Party Commands the Gun.” However the RFA report questioned the background of picking up this nationalization topic which was typically an academic discussion. The commentary used the Soviet Union as an example of a failure that resulted from the nationalization of the Soviet military. The commentator also tried to link the anti-nationalization viewpoint to Hu Jintao’s requirements for the military, such as “maintaining discipline.” It is becoming obvious that the commentaries by the No. 15 commentator, along with many other articles published by PLA Daily in the past several months, are paying more attention to having a position that honors Hu Jintao’s leadership.

Source: Radio Free Asia, May 16, 2012
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/sd-05162012095617.html

Briefings | | May 22, 2012 | Defense/Military

Net Profits for Central Government Enterprises Continue to Decline

According to the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), the net profits for central government enterprises amounted to 253 billion yuan (US$40 billion) for the period from January to April 2012, down 13.2 percent from the same period last year. The previous report, which was for the first quarter of 2012, suggested that the central enterprises showed an end to the growth that had occurred over the last two years and showed a decline for the first time since November of 2009.

The decline was due to a number of external factors such as an increase in the prices of energy, raw materials, and agricultural products. Other external contributors included an excess of administrative layers, poor management skills, and harsh internal competition. Some experts also indicated that the “good old days” of central enterprises were due to the 4 trillion yuan (US$633 billion) from the economic stimulus plan that followed the 2008 economic crisis. It is expected that the net profits will continue to decline in the near future.

Source: China Economy, May 19, 2012
http://economy.gmw.cn/2012-05/19/content_4177619_2.htm

Briefings | | May 21, 2012 | Economy/Resources

China Objects to 2011 UK Human Rights and Democracy Report on China

Xinhua published an article containing many objections to the 2011 Human Rights and Democracy report that the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office released. The article said that the report on China was full of unwarranted accusations. At the same time, it ignored the efforts and improvements that the Chinese government and its people have made. It said that the report was politically and ideologically biased and that China and the Chinese people could not accepted it. It also stated that human rights is an internal matter and that no other country has the right to interfere. Finally, it pointed out that not only will the UK government’s action not help the cooperation between the two countries; it will also not benefit China’s human rights advancement.

Source: Xinhua, May 18, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2012-05/18/c_111978684_2.htm

Briefings | | May 21, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Issued Rebuttal to the Annual US China Military Report

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China opposes the Department of Defense annual report to the U.S. Congress titled, "Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2012." The spokesperson claimed it made irresponsible remarks and tried to “spread the China military threat theory.” “We ask the U.S. to respect the truth, change its mentality, and stop republishing this kind of report year after year.”

Source: People’s Daily, May 19, 2012
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/17932389.html

Briefings | | May 21, 2012 | US-China Relations

Insights into Political Infighting in China: Reports about Bo Xilai and Zhou Yongkong

[Editor’s Note: The political shake-up started when Wang Lijun made his way to the U.S. Consulate in Chendu in an apparent asylum attempt. Since then, Bo Xilai has been suspended from the Politburo and is being held incommunicado while he is investigated and Zhou Yongkang, one of the nine member Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), was reported as having “handed operational control of the pervasive Chinese security apparatus” over to another. [1] Their connection to Jiang Zemin, the former CCP head, has also surfaced. To help Western readers understand the complexity of the situation and the nuances inherent in the political infighting, Chinascope has collected and translated some reports about Bo, Zhou, and Jiang from Chinese media (both inside and outside of China). A major source for the Chinascope report is the Epoch Times, which, as an independent Chinese media, has done a number of in-depth reports and analyses into the issue. Many other Chinese media are, directly or indirectly, controlled by Beijing and have been unable to do so.]

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Reports | | May 20, 2012 | Report

Senior Official: Over 420,000 Officials Disciplined in 30 Years

On May 11, 2012, Cui Hairong, Deputy Director of the National Bureau of Corruption Prevention of China, delivered a speech at the Fifth International Symposium of the Hong Kong Independent Commission against Corruption. In his speech, Cui stated that during the 30 years from 1982 to 2011, as many as 420,000 Party and government officials had been disciplined for violations of Party and government rules of conduct. 462 of those disciplined were either ministers or provincial governors. Over 90 of these high ranking officials were prosecuted on corruption charges. For example, the former Vice Chairman of the People’s Congress, the former Jiangxi Governor, the former Anhui Governor, and the former Director of the State Food and Drug Administration were all executed as a consequence of their acts.

Cui further stated that, in 2011 alone, 4,843 officials were disciplined for abuse of power and corruption and 777 of those were prosecuted.

Source: National Bureau of Corruption Prevention of China, May 14, 2012
http://www.nbcp.gov.cn/article/zlk/ldjh/201205/20120500017247.shtml

Briefings | | May 18, 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