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CRN: China Needs Confidence in Handling the South China Sea Situation

China Review News (CRN) recently published an official commentary on the “chaos” in the South China Sea. The commentary started with an analysis of the different strategies Vietnam and the Philippines have been using. In the territorial disputes that occurred in 2011, the two countries attacked China’s position, thus bringing more heat to the issue. The commentary suggested that the “behind-the-scenes shadow” of the United States was there each time the situation worsened. China’s neighbors are actively improving their military capabilities. In addition to that, threatening China with their “public opinions” has become a quick new way to create more trouble for China. The commentary called on China to have “very strong” Chinese confidence as well as to take decisive steps in response to the challenges that the regional political forces impose.

Source: China Review News, January 4, 2012
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/6/2/1/101962112.html?coluid=1&kindid=0&docid=101962112&mdate=0104000351

Head of Xinjiang: Xinjiang Military Must Safeguard National Security and Stability

Zhang Chunxian, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Party Secretary of Xinjiang and the First Secretary of the Xinjiang Military Region requested that the Xinjiang military “defend the highest national interest” and “safeguard national security, the border, ethnic group unity, and social stability.” “Facing the complicated anti-separatist struggle, the military stationed in Xinjiang must continue to develop its quick response capability, to be able to ‘ensure success when fighting against terrorists, to ensure peace when maintaining stability, to ensure effective results when handling conflicts, and to ensure safety when patrolling.’”

Source:  China Review News, January 8, 2012
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/7/0/3/101970384.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=101970384&mdate=0108120046

Interpreting Wen Jiabao’s Speech at the National Conference on Financial Work

China Review News (CRN) commented on Wen Jiabao’s recent speech on financial reform given at the National Conference on Financial Worik held in Beijng. Wen “suggested breaking the (state-owned banks’) monopoly and encouraging private money to enter the financial service field.” The speech also highlighted that the government’s work would be to “improve confidence in the stock market” in 2012.

A few points that Wen’s made in his speech:

1. “China has steadily advanced the international status of the Renminbi (RMB). China has signed a total of 1.3 trillion yuan (U.S. $200 billion) in bilateral currency swap agreements. The amount of cross-border trade in RMB has reached 2.6 trillion yuan (U.S. $400 billion).”

2. “We must acknowledge that the global financial crisis is not over yet. We must improve our sense of crisis and sense of responsibility, and prepare for adversity during times of prosperity."

3. Wen stressed that financial services should move to the real economy and stop “using money for speculation.” For the real economy, Wen wants to “effectively solve the hard-to-obtain-financing problem and the too-expensive-to-obtain-financing problem…”

4. Wen listed “guard against and mitigate the local government’s debt risk” as one of eight measures for China’s financial reform.

Sources
1. Xinhua, January 7, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2012-01/07/c_122551507.htm
2. China Review News, January 8, 2012 http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/7/0/2/101970247.html?coluid=10&kindid=253&docid=101970247&mdate=0108105700

Wen Jiabao’s Speech at the National Conference on Financial Work

Wen Jiabao attended the National Conference on Financial Work China held in Beijing on January 6 and 7, 2012, and gave a speech, which listed eight measures for China’s financial reform:

1. Provide more good-quality financial services for society’s economic development.
2. Deepen the reform of financial organizations.
3. Strengthen and improve financial oversight and prevent systematic financial risks.
4. Guard against and mitigate the local government’s debt risks.
5. Improve the development of the capital market and the insurance market.
6. Improve the financial macro-control system.
7. Expand the opening of the financial industry (to the world) and improve the capabilities to allocate financial resources and safeguard the level of protection for financial security.
8. Strengthen the development of the financial infrastructure and improve the environment for financial development.

Source: Xinhua, January 7, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2012-01/07/c_122551507.htm

White Papers the Chinese Government Published in 2011

In 1991, 20 years ago, the Chinese government published its first white paper, Human Rights in China. Since then, the government has published a total of 78 white papers. In 2011, it published nine white papers. They are:

1. China’s National Defense in 2010
2. China’s Foreign Aid
3. Sixty Years Since the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet
4. China’s Peaceful Development
5. The Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics
6. New Progress in the Development-oriented Poverty Reduction Program for Rural China
7. China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change
8. China’s Foreign Trade
9. China’s Space Activities in 2011

Source: People’s Daily, January 5, 2012
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/16800546.html

Publicity Official: A More Effective Voice for China in 2012

Wang Chen, the head of the International Communication Office of the Communist Party and the Information Office of the State Council, emphasized that the focus of China’s international communication work is “to more proactively and effectively broadcast the voice of China.” The remarks were made at the International Communication Work Conference held January 4 and 5, 2012. According to Xinhua, the conference held that, for 2012, international communication should follow the Party and should “portray a civilized, democratic, open, and progressive China to the world, and create an international public opinion environment more favorable [to China].

Source: Xinhua, January 5, 2012.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-01/05/c_111379201.htm

Government Think Tank: China Should Be Realistic about Its Relationship with the U.S.

Dai Xu, a researcher at the China Strategic Research Center, Beijing University, published an article on China-U.S. relations. Dai stated that the United States is forging ahead on three fronts and that China should be realistic about its relationship with the U.S. “In Russia, the U.S. is compressing the Russian strategic space by deploying an anti-missile system in Europe and by attempting lethal attacks in the Russian presidential election. In China, it announced its return to Asia and threw China’s neighbors into chaos. In the Islamic battlefield, it subverted and dismembered Iraq, Libya, Sudan, and Yemen, and now surrounds Syria and Iran, dragging Pakistan along.” The article quoted the remarks that Jon Huntsman made during the CBS presidential debate. Huntsman suggested that the U.S. should be reaching out to its allies and constituencies within China to take down China. The article states, “It looks like the U.S. strategists believe the U.S. can survive without China and do not show any desire to build a community of common interests with China.” The article concluded by urging that China must be realistic and rational about the environment and know its enemy well.

Source: Huanqiu reprinted by Xinhua, January 4, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2012-01/04/c_122533644.htm

Qiushi on China’s Morality

Qiushi published an article on on January 1, 2012, on moral issues in China titled, “Correctly Understand China’s Moral Status at the Current Stage of Chinese Society.” The article defended China: “China has achieved great development and progress in its overall social and moral status,” because of China’s economic growth.

However, it did mention the “moral challenges” the country faces. “Ethical issues exist mainly in some areas of the population. Firstly, the moral failure of some officials is prominent in that they seek personal interest and use their public positions, money trading, and corruption. Their behavior has a great negative impact on society. Secondly, the lack of morality in some enterprises and among businessmen is exhibited in their lack of good faith, swindling, and counterfeiting. Thirdly, the moral problem of some cultural celebrities is seen in their seeking fame, plagiarism, and sensationalizing. Lastly, the lack of civic virtue stands out in not abiding by public ethics, not offering to help when others are in danger, and returning evil for good.”

Source: Qiushi, January 1, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/zxdk/2012/201201/201112/t20111228_132528.htm