Beijing has undergone great difficulty recently in the arena of morality as the Bo Xilai and Chen Guangcheng cases have publicly exposed both corruption and human rights violations. On May 11, 2012, Xinhua republished a Beijing Daily article, stating, “China’s development needs a ‘patriotic faction.’” It said that currently in China, patriotism has been criticized and ridiculed. China must form a common understanding at a high level that patriotism is a core value that all Chinese must defend.

The article expressed criticism because “some people are obsessed with ‘universal values’ and with being ‘world citizens,’ but they forget that, in the first place, they are Chinese. These people have sold their souls, forgotten their ancestors, and served as servants of the West.” “While these people are usually very corrupt inside, they promote moral standards. … On the Internet, they post many anti-China statements and cover it up with a high moral appeal. Some even use the format of cursing and spreading rumors, creating a very bad influence on others. … It has been proven that those who betray their country and sell out their country have no morals at all.”

Source: Xinhua, May 11, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-05/11/c_111928971_2.htm

Both Xinhua and People’s Daily reported that, on May 13, 2012, Zhou Yongkang attended the opening ceremony of the “Xinjiang Electricity Delivery” project at Bayinguoleng Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Zhou is a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and the head of the Political and Legal Committee. He is widely reported to have been closely connected with Bo Xilai.

The “Xinjiang Electricity Delivery” project starts from Hami, Xinjiang and ends at Zhengzhou City, Henan Province. When completed, it will deliver ten million kilowatts of electricity to Central China.

Source: Xinhua, May 13 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-05/13/c_123121768.htm
People’s Daily Online, May 14, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1024/17875535.html

China’s State Council Information Office recently held a press conference on non-governmental organizations (NGOs, also called social organizations in China). Li Liguo, China’s Minister of Civil Affairs, who spoke at the press conference, stated that, when NGOS register directly with the government to obtain legal status, the authorities treat them all equally. “Social organizations under the categories of politics and human rights are treated equally for the purpose of registration. They are then reviewed in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations in terms of the preconditions for their establishment, the need for their establishment, the mission for their activities, and their impact on economic and social development.” Currently, as a prerequisite, before a social organization can register with the government, it must find a governmental body to oversee its activities. According to Li, in the second half of last year in some cities, public social organizations started to register directly with the government without having a governmental body to oversee them.

Source: Xinhua, May 8, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-05/08/c_123091679.htm

Huanqiu published a commentary on the Qatar Television (the Al Jazeera TV Channel) shut down of the Beijing office for its English channel. Recently the Chinese authorities did not extend the visa for its correspondent, a Chinese American female, or allow a replacement. The Huanqiu reporter learned from foreign correspondents in Beijing that this Chinese American correspondent held “radical political views.” “The denial of her visa extension sent a signal to foreign correspondents in Beijing that those who have been stationed in Beijing for a long time should be able to understand. … If a foreign correspondent cannot manage to stay in China, we can only guess that she has probably gone too far. … We know that Chinese officials are increasingly active in their cooperation with foreign media. It is the foreign media that should take a more objective and balanced manner when dealing with China.” Finally the commentary suggested that the Qatar correspondent should reflect on what she has done in China.

(Editor’s note: According to the New York Times, it is surmised that Melissa Chan, the correspondent for Al-Jazeera, angered the Chinese by publishing a documentary on re-education through labor camps).

Sources: Huanqiu, May 9, 2012
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2012-05/2703047.html
New York Times, China Expels Al Jazeera Channel
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/world/asia/china-expels-al-jazeera-english-language-channel.html
Al-Jazeera, Slavery: A 21st Centry Evil"
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/slaverya21stcenturyevil/2011/10/2011101091153782814.html