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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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Close to 1,000,000 Chinese Tourists Visited Japan in November

Xinhua quoted Japan Kyodo News and reported that 923,000 Chinese tourists visited Japan in November. The figure represented an increase of 35% compared to last November. November was the first month to show an increase since Japan’s earthquake. The main reason was believed to be that the Japanese government loosened the requirements for visa applications. Another factor was that the boat crash incident at Diaoyu island in November 2010 caused a decline in the number of tourists from China in that month.

Source: Xinhua, December 17, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2011-12/17/c_122438951.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

It is too Early to Speak Unfavorably of the U.S. Decline

Xinhua carried an article, originally from Jiefang Daily, which was written by Liu Baolai, the former Chinese Ambassador to the Middle East and Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The title was, “It Is Too Early to Speak Unfavorably of the U.S. Decline.” The article analyzed the strategies that the U.S. has used in adjusting in its foreign and domestic policies. It concluded that the U.S. still holds the world’s number one position and no other country can replace it.

The article summarized the strategic changes in U.S. foreign policy in the following three areas: 1) The shift in focus from anti-terrorism to the economy: the U.S. concern over the economy has replaced its concern over terrorism. One example is that the topic discussed during Obama’s recent Asia Pacific trip was not terrorism, but rather it was the economy. 2) The shift in strategy towards the East and forging the “America Pacific Century”: the U.S. withdrew from Iraq and Afghanistan while speeding up its pace in moving towards the Asia Pacific region in order to regain its dominance in the area. 3) The adjustment in Middle-East policy: the U.S. started to openly support the reforms in the Middle East with the intention of letting those countries smoothly transition towards democracy by following the U.S.’s direction.

According to the article, the U.S. government has focused domestically on reducing the rate of unemployment, on increasing investment in high tech and new weapons development in areas such as clean energy and the pharmaceutical field, and on preserving military power by maintaining the military budget despite the skyrocketing national debt it faces.

The article summarized, “It can therefore be concluded that the high status of the U.S. in the world will remain stable in the predictable future and no other country can replace it.” .

Source: Xinhua, December 14, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-12/14/c_122418506.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua: China to Pursue Development While Maintaining Stability

For the Communist Party, the key word for the Chinese economy in 2012 appears to be “stability.” A Xinhua commentary echoed the theme of stability that was the focus of the recent Central Committee Working Meeting on the Economy. “Stability is the foundation of progress and has four key elements: maintaining the stability of macro-economic policy, the steady development of the economy, the stability of the general price level, and overall social stability.” Specifically, the commentary added, prudent monetary policy is expected and the steady development of the economy will hinge on the expansion of domestic demand, i.e., consumer demand.

Source: Xinhua, December 14, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-12/14/c_111244198.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Xinhua: U.S. Overplayed Its Claim that China Has Launched an Internet Cold War

Xinhua republished a People’s Daily report that discussed how the U.S. media accuse China’s hackers of attacking the websites of the U.S. government and U.S. companies and stealing confidential information. The U.S. regards this as an “Internet cold war.”

According to Xinhua a Chinese scholar, Meng Wei, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, “The U.S. understands the importance of the Internet to national security very well; it regards the Internet as a new strategic space. Out of consideration for its national interests, the U.S. hopes to control others via its first mover advantage on the Internet. At the same time, the U.S. has also increased its defensive mentality and even takes other countries as hypothetical enemies in order to control its administrative power over the Internet. The U.S. is highly dependent on the Internet, but the government pays little attention to prevention or to the administration of Intent security. Accusing other countries of posing Internet threats can also shift the public’s attention and transfer the responsibility to others.”

Source: Xinhua, December 16, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-12/16/c_111248112.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Review News: What was Mrs. Clinton Busy Doing in Asia?

China Review News published a commentary stating that all of the activities of U.S. Secretary of State Clinton in Asia in 2011 had the purpose of, in summary, building an environment hostile to China. Throughout 2011, Mrs. Clinton set foot in numerous Asian countries, some even twice. The U.S. had joint military exercises with countries neighboring China in the West Pacific and South China Sea. “[The U.S.] even sent its aircraft carriers to the Yellow River to show off its military, obviously an action against China.” “During the second half of the year, her visits to India, the Philippines and Burma were viewed as having a strong meaning for China, even as solidifying hostility against China. … She encouraged India to participate in containing China, provided military support to the Philippines to create chaos in the South China Sea, and dug holes in the foundation of the China-Burma relationship.”

Source: Chinese Review News, December 14, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/3/7/4/101937486.html?coluid=7&kindid=0&docid=101937486&mdate=1214001243

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Government Scholar: Persist in the Leadership and Ruling Status of the Chinese Communist Party

Zhou Nongbin, the former Deputy Chief Editor of Guangming Daily and a research fellow at the Marxist Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, published an article defending the need for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s leadership and ruling status. Zhou argued that China’s socialist system determines that it can only be ruled by the Communist Party, just like the capitalist system can only be controlled by capitalists. The author also dismissed the multiple-party system and said that the Communist Party will not allow capitalists to compete for the ruling position. Finally, the author clarified that the multi-party cooperation led by the CCP and the political consultation system is different from the multiple-party system. China will never adopt (multiple parties) or allow any parties other than the CCP to take the leading position.

Source: Qiushi Theory, December 9, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/dj/201112/t20111209_128957.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China to Further Support Expansion of Confucius Institutes

On December 12, 2011, China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing held the opening ceremony for the sixth annual global conference of Confucius Institutes. Li Changchun, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, attended the conference. Liu Yandong, State Councilor and president of the Confucius Institute Headquarters council, gave a speech calling for “supporting the development of Confucius Institutes to further promote cultural exchanges.”

The ceremony featured an “I Sing Beijing” concert performed by foreign vocalists. The music included pieces from classic operas such as Madam Butterfly, as well as from revolutionary operas that forged and culminated in the Cultural Revolution, such as Red Guards on Honghu Lake and Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy.

The first conference was in 2006. More than 2,000 university presidents and representatives of Confucius Institutes from 105 countries in the world attended the 2011 conference.

Source: Xinhua, December 13, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-12/13/c_122412214.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Number of Chinese Students Studying Abroad Increases Sharply

According to a China Education Online report released on December 13, 2011, the number of Chinese students studying aboard will exceed 300,000 and may reach 330,000 by the end of 2011. It will be the 4th year for the annual growth rate to exceed 20%. The report said that, since 1978, there were two quantum leaps in the number. One was in 2002 and the other, which has continued unabated, was in 2008. For example, the number of 284,700 students studying overseas in 2010 was double the number in 2007. The most popular country of destination is the United States. In 2010 over 45% of students studying abroad went to the U.S. Other top choices include Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore. The report attributed the growth to the fact that Western countries have been encouraging the enrollment of international students since the 2008 financial crisis began. The report stated that the U.S. Embassy in China granted over 85% of student visa applications. It was also noted that students leaving China tend to be younger in age. While 62% surveyed would like to attend colleges abroad for bachelor’s degrees, 22% wanted to attend high schools.

Source: China Education Online, December 14, 2011
http://gaokao.eol.cn/2011luntan_11216/20111214/t20111214_718923.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations