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China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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

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Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

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Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

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Chongqing Daily: Will Bo Xilai Still Be a Comrade?

On April 12, 2012, the Chinese Communist Party website reprinted an article from the official Chongqing Daily newspaper, which reported on a Chongqing Municipal Council meeting. At the meeting, Zhang Dejiang, the Chongqing Party Secretary, who is also Vice Premier of the State Council and a member of the Party’s Politburo, urged political allegiance to Hu Jintao. The article stated, “The meeting attendees agreed that Bo’s action (his involvement in the death of Neil Heywood) seriously violated the Party’s discipline and severely damaged the image of our Party and the country. It is very shocking.” That they did not mention the word "comrade" has been viewed as an indication that disciplinary action is anticipated. A day earlier, when reporting the Party’s decision to remove Bo from the Politburo and to start an investigation, Xinhua repeatedly addressed Bo as Comrade Bo Xilai (indicating he had not yet been expelled from the Party).

Sources:
Chongqing Daily reprinted at the Communist Party website, April 12, 2012
http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/64093/64094/17632810.html
Xinhua, April 11, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2012-04/11/c_122962106.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

More on Corrupt Officials Who Have Secretly Obtained Foreign Citizenship

People’s Daily published an article revealing more information on corrupt government officials’ new tactics. The article reports that corruption remains rampant and that some corrupt officials have obtained dual nationality in secret [in case the need it]. It summarized the changes in the style, characteristics, and means of corruption that officials have been using: First is mortgaging their power for personal gain. In order to hide the evidence of corruption, some corrupt officials have carefully planned the timing of exchanging power for money, waiting for years before harvesting the fruits of their corrupt acts. Second is illegally collecting wealth indirectly through a third party such as a spouse, child, sex partner, friends, or relatives They have even designated third person to harvest the gains through engaging in business activities. Third is using a more intelligent way to counter anti-corruption. Many officials conducting illegal activities hide their bribes by using the name of a joint investment, money management under trustees, and trading stocks through agents. Fourth is using their overseas connections as their base for corruption. Some corrupt officials commit their crimes outside of China’s borders, or move the proceeds of their criminal activities overseas. Some have even used different means to secretly acquire citizenship in foreign countries.”

Source: People’s Daily, April 11, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/30178/17622484.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

PLA Daily Editorial: Strictly Observe and Maintain the Party’s Discipline

On April 10, 2012, the People’s Liberation Army’s General Political Department and the PLA’s Academy of Military Sciences jointly published an editorial in the PLA Daily. The editorial called for heightened vigilance in following the Communist Party’s orders. “The standard of conduct that Party organizations at all levels and all Party members must abide by is the discipline of the Party. It is essential to the unity of will and action within the whole Party. As the military forces of the ruling party implement the political tasks of the Party, we [the People’s Liberation Army] must be highly conscious of observing and maintaining Party discipline.” The editorial urged the upper leadership to lead by example with respect to following the Party’s orders.

The editorial appears to be part of a series of State media articles to ensure the military’s allegiance to the Party’s leadership.

Source: People’s Liberation Army Daily reprinted on the Communist Party website, April 10, 2012 http://theory.people.com.cn/GB/49150/17613793.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

People’s Daily: Corrupt Officials Secretly Obtain Foreign Citizenship

On April 11, 2012, People’s Daily published an article titled “Some of Our Corrupt Officials Have Secretly Obtained Foreign Citizenship or Dual Nationality." According to the article, some corrupt officials have transferred illicit money and goods out of China and even, through a variety of relationships, secretly obtained foreign citizenship or dual nationality.

The article applauds the anti-corruption decision and progress made by the CCP Central Committee led by “Comrade Hu Jintao as the general secretary,” and also suggested that ordinary people use the Internet to expose corrupt officials’ wrongful acts.

Source: People’s Daily, April 11, 2012
http://leaders.people.com.cn/GB/17622867.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

People’s Daily’s Commentary Supports Hu Jintao for Purging Bo Xilai

On April 11, 2012, People’s Daily published a commentary titled “Firmly Support the CCP Central Committee’s Decision.” The article praised the CCP Central Committee headed by “Comrade Hu Jintao as the general secretary” for making the “resolute decision” regarding an investigation of former Chongqing Party Secretary Bo Xilai for serious disciplinary offenses. On Tuesday April 10, Bo Xilai was removed from the CCP Politburo and his wife, Gu Kailai, is being investigated for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.

The article concluded, “We must consciously keep our thoughts in line with the CCP Central Committee and closely unite around the CCP Central Committee headed by Comrade Hu Jintao as the general secretary.”

Source: People’s Daily, April 11, 2012
http://opinion.people.com.cn/GB/17621326.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China’s Countermeasures for the U.S. Internet Strategy

On April 10, 2012, Red Flag Manuscript, a core publication of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, published an article titled “The U.S. Internet Strategy Poses a Serious Challenge to China: Our Countermeasures.” According to the article, on May 15 and July 14, 2011, the U.S. government issued two documents, the “International Strategy for Cyberspace” and the “Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace.” According to the article, these two documents pose a potential long-term threat to China’s political safety and seriously challenge China’s cultural security.

The article suggested that China use the following countermeasures to deal with the U.S. strategy: protect China’s Internet sovereignty, continue to block and to ban any “harmful information at home and abroad” that “endangers national security and disrupts social stability,” recruit and train more Internet security experts, establish an Internet Security Management System led by the CCP Central Committee, and build multiple global Chinese websites to show the world the new socialist China with Chinese characteristics, which is democratic, civilized, and open.

Source: Red Flag Manuscript, April 10, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2012/201207/201204/t20120410_150350.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: First Quarter Job Market Still Tough

Xinhua recently reported on the state of the Chinese job market during the first quarter of 2012. According to the report, general economic growth in China is slowing down. People in society are experiencing widespread worry about the job market. The spokesman for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security predicted that the market will be challenging this coming year; he stated that 25 million new jobs are needed for 2012. The primary problem in the Chinese job market is the mismatch between position requirements and the skill sets available. The first quarter figures showed that a large number of companies cannot find qualified, skilled technicians, while millions of college graduates cannot find jobs. Researchers suggested that the best immediate solution to enable the creation of new jobs would be to cut taxes for small businesses. They also suggested that the government needs to promote free secondary vocational education and to concentrate its resources on training migrant workers.

Source: Xinhua, April 7, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2012-04/07/c_111748444_2.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China News: Central Military Commission Forms Audit Leadership Team

China News recently reported that the Chinese Central Military Commission approved the establishment of the Army Audit Leadership Team, which is set to improve the Army’s administrative system. The Chief of the Army Audit Leadership Team is Liao Xilong, who also heads the Army’s General Logistics Department. Liao gave a speech at the first meeting of the Leadership Team. He emphasized that the decision [to form the team] was made directly by Central Military Commission Chairman Hu Jintao, who is also the president of the nation. The primary mission of the Leadership Team is to improve the order of the “military’s economy” and to attack corruption in the armed forces. In his speech, Liao described his near term action plan to focus on military construction work, real estate management, large scale procurement, and medical cooperation. Chief commanders, construction project managers, and high ranking administrative officers are the key people falling within the scope of the audit. Liao also made clear the requirement that the Party system would play the leading role in this mission.

Source: China News, April 6, 2012
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2012/04-06/3801219.shtml

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military