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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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Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

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The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.

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Zhou Yongkang: Lawyers in China Must Follow the Correct Political Path

On December 28, 2011, Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and head of the Central Political and Legislative Committee, met with the members of the Eighth Council of the All-China Lawyers Association (ACLA) in Beijing. In his speech, Zhou called on ACLA council members to unite and lead the country’s over 200,000 lawyers by "insisting on a correct political orientation.” The lawyers “should firmly maintain a correct political direction and play a bigger role in the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. [They] should always adhere to the Party’s leadership, adhere to the socialist road with Chinese characteristics, arm themselves with the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, firmly establish the concept of the socialist rule of law, link their pursuit of personal values with the cause of the Party and the people, link their future with the future of the Party and the people, and unswervingly become legal workers for socialism with Chinese characteristics.” Meanwhile, Zhou stressed that Party committees and governments at different levels must strengthen and improve their leadership over the work that lawyers do.

Source: People’s Daily, December 28, 2011
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1024/16745186.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Legal Daily: The Characteristics of 2011 Corruption Cases

A reporter from Legal Daily did an analysis of corruption cases that occurred during 2011, which was on December 28. A prominent feature of the analysis was the high level of the officials involved in corruption. Officials at the ministerial and provincial levels who were prosecuted and sentenced during 2011 included: Zhang Jingli, the Deputy Director of the Food and Drug Administration; Xu Zongheng, the Mayor of Shenzhen City (Guangdong Province);  Li Tangtang, the Vice Chairman of the NingXia Hui Autonomous Region; and Zhang Chunjiang, the Vice President of China Mobile Communications Corporation. According to Professor Lin Zhe of the CCP Central Committee Party School, the main characteristics of the corruption cases since 2006 were that the level of corrupt officials was very high; the amount of money involved was astronomical; and officials were often involved in group corruption. The year 2011 involved a few new characteristics, including: 1) Corruption at state-owned enterprises was prominent; 2) The type of corruption officials were involved in became more unique, meaning the corruption became more specialized and insidious; 3) Corruption involved ant-like characteristics, meaning those at the bottom in terms of their level of power used their limited power continuously, day in and day out, to go after money; 4) “Photo-gate” type scandals involving government officials occurred frequently.

Source: Legal Daily, December 28, 2011
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/content/2011-12/28/content_3245984.htm?node=20738

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xinhua: China’s First Oil Contract with Afghanistan

Xinhua cited a report from the Russian Izvestia that China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) won a contract with the Afghanistan government for the development of oil blocks in the Amu Darya basin. The CNPC contract will also include construction of oil refineries in northern Afghanistan. Other bidders include companies from the United States, Britain, Australia, and Pakistan. According to the terms of the contract, CNPC will turn 70% of its profits over to Afghanistan. Xinhua reported that, according to a Russian political scientist, Kabul is seeking countries that it can rely on after the withdrawal of NATO troops. “Afghanistan does not want to give its wealth to the NATO countries which made a lot of promises, but have not done anything for the economic development of Afghanistan.” Xinhua reported that the Russian political scientist stated that India and China have filled the void.

Source: Xinhua, December 28, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-12/29/c_122503690.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Beidou Enables PLA to Get Rid of Dependence on U.S. GPS

According to China News Service, on December 27, China’s second generation of the Beidou satellite navigation system became operational with coverage of China and its neighboring regions. The Beidou system, currently operating as a free trial, offers positioning accuracy to within 25 m (82 ft). Plans include improving accuracy to within 10 m (33ft) next year, at which time six more satellites will be put into orbit and the system will offer services to customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The global system should be finished by 2020 and consist of 35 satellites.

The report said the Beidou system has a very significant military value. With its completion, the PLA will rid itself of its reliance on the U.S. GPS (Global Positioning System). China’s military strength will be greatly enhanced. The report claims that Beidou even outperforms the GPS in certain military functions. For example, Beidou’s short message capability allows the “group call” function that enables accurate commands and coordination. The military commanders can use the Beidou system to control the position of troops at any time and pass relevant orders.

Jin Yinan, a director at China’s National Defense University, said that letting the Beidou system be put into use as early as possible will play a huge role in enhancing national security. It is more significant than manned space flight and the Chang’e lunar exploration program.

Source: China News Service, December 28, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/hb/2011/12-28/3564478.shtml

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

PLA Undergoing Restructuring û Four New Departments Established

Legal Evening News reported that, within a period of one month, the People’s Liberation Army established four new departments. According to the military experts that Legal Evening News interviewed, the move is indicative of further military reform and transformation. On November 22, the PLA established the Strategic Planning Department; on December 12, it established the Research Center for Non-war Military Operations under the Academy of Military Sciences; on December 20, the Research Center for National Policy under the Academy of Military Sciences; and on December 21, the Military Training Department under the PLA’s General Staff Department.

With respect to the two above-mentioned research centers that are under the Academy of Military Sciences, the one on Non-war Military Operations will provide decision-making advisories to the Party’s military leaders, engage in fundamental research on non-war military operations, and establish the related theoretical system. The one for National Policy will participate in the draft of national white papers and prepare annual strategic assessments of the national security environment.

In July 2011, the largest military academy reform in recent years took place when 27 military institutes were consolidated into 14.

Source: Legal Evening News reprinted by Xinhua, December 23, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-12/23/c_122471008.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Ding Yuanhong: The U.S. Should Stop Badmouthing the Euro

Ding Yuanhong, the former Chinese ambassador to the E.U., published an opinion article in Jiefang (PLA) Daily, which  Xinhua recently republished, asking the U.S. to stop badmouthing the Euro. The article hinted that the U.S. is plotting to destroy the Euro so that it can further solidify the dominance of the U.S. dollar.

The article said, “Since the European debt crisis started, the involvement and interference of the U.S. has been very obvious. The U.S.’s active involvement with its financial tools, the three big debt rating facilities adding fuel to the fire, and the media spreading and playing up the problems have further aggravated the crisis. The American company Goldman Sachs which is partially responsible for the Greek debt problem came to the front to disseminate the view that it is inevitable that the Euro will collapse within five years. Each time the E.U. Summit discussed how to handle the E.U. debt crisis, the three American debt rating agencies Standard and Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody were unusually active, downgrading the credit ratings of the related E.U countries, in order to shake market confidence in the Euro. Even former Greek Prime Minister Papandreou’s sudden announcement, just before the G20 Summit, that he would call for a referendum on the E.U. bailout program, was rumored to have happened after his U.S. visit. As a matter of fact, every person with clear eyes can see that the actions the U.S. has taken were intended to destroy the Euro and eliminate the Euro’s challenge and threat to the U.S. dollar’s dominant position.”

Source: Xinhua, December 23, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-12/23/c_122470547.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Issues Anti-Corruption Report

On December 23, 2011, People’s Daily Online published an article titled, “In China the Corruption of Individual Officials Is Spreading; Now Whole Groups of Officials Are Colluding in Corruption.” This was the conclusion of "China’s Anti-Corruption Report No.1," issued by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. According to the report, the means of corruption are more hidden, with many new guises; corrupt officials seek short-term illegal gains such as enjoying the pleasures of consumption, as well as long term ones, such as possessing capital. Corruption can be financial, or involve resources or contracts. The scope of corruption runs from the gamut from the economic, political, and judicial fields to the social, cultural, and educational, and even overseas.

Source: People’s Daily Online, December 23, 2011
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/99014/16697289.html

Briefings | | |   Grapevine

China’s Party School Proposes Legalizing Heavy Punishments for Participants in Group Protests

On December 27, 2011, Qiushi Theory, a political theory periodical of the Chinese Communist Party Central Party School and the CCP Central Committee, reprinted an article from 2010 on how to deal with group protests in China. The article was first published in a journal of the CCP Sichuan Provincial Party School and Sichuan Provincial Cadre Education College called Theory and Reform. According to the article, group protests have recently been increasing rapidly in China. Although most “mass incidents” in China are just demands for self-interest rather than “anti-society,” they may “intensify existing social conflicts and cause chaos in the whole socio-economic system.” After an analysis of the costs (risks) and benefits of a “mass incident” to the organizers and participants, the article’s author proposed legalizing heavy punishments for the individual organizers and participants so that the high risk will discourage anyone from joining a protest. Meanwhile, the government must control the media and “correctly guide” the media so as to prevent more people from joining in.

Source: Qiushi Theory, December 27, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/zz/yjzy/201112/t20111227_132035.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability