Chinascope – Page 989

Guo Boxiong: 2012 Is a Crucial Year for Military Combat Readiness.

According to a China Review News report on January 15, 2012, Guo Boxiong, the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Peoples Republic of China, recently emphasized the Party’s absolute leadership over the army. He made this point in a speech he delivered in Beijing, where he gave a New Years greeting to a group of PLA army officials, soldiers, retired senior military officials, staff, and their family members.

He said, “This year (2012) is a year of great significance in the development of our Party and country. It is also a crucial year for the modernization of the armed forces and military combat readiness. We must maintain the army’s high concentration, security and stability. Be politically firm, and mentally stable. … Adhere to the correct direction, strictly follow discipline, maintain security and stability, maintain unity, and create a good environment for a victorious opening of the Party’s 18th National Congress. … Unswervingly uphold the fundamental principle and system of the Party’s absolute leadership over the army. At any time and under any circumstances, resolutely obey the Chinese Communist Party Central Military Commission and Chairman Hu Jintao.”

Source: China Review News, January 15, 2012
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/8/0/7/101980783.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=101980783&mdate=0115160518

Briefings | | January 18, 2012 | Defense/Military

People’s Daily: It Is Impossible for China to Stop Buying Oil from Iran

On January 12, 2012, People’s Daily published an article titled “It Is Impossible for China to Stop Buying Oil from Iran.” The article lists four reasons not to participate in the U.S. initiated economic sanctions against Iran: 1) it is the U.S. decision to step up the economic sanctions against Iran, not a UN Security Council resolution; 2) tightening economic sanctions against Iran will only fuel tensions in the Gulf region; 3) participating in the economic sanctions against Iran will seriously damage China’s economic, strategic and other interests; 4) in the past, many U.S. initiated economic sanctions caused serious humanitarian disasters.

“Getting involved in sanctions against Iran would greatly undermine China’s economic, strategic, and other interests. With regard to economic interests, Iran is an important source of Chinese oil imports and an important market for Chinese consumer goods, capital, equipment exports, and overseas project contracts. Trade between the two countries reached US$29.4 billion in 2010 and jumped to US$41 billion in the first 11 months of 2011, representing a 55.8 percent increase.”

Source: People’s Daily, January 12, 2012
http://energy.people.com.cn/GB/16863152.html

Briefings | | January 18, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Qiushi Journal: Independent Media Are the Guardians of the Capitalist System

On January 6, 2012, Qiushi, a journal of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article titled “Independent Media Are the Guardians of the Capitalist System.” The article is a short commentary that intends to solicit more supportive comments from Internet users. It invites them to post their comments in a box below the article to “list examples explaining why independent media cannot really be independent and to further analyze the biggest truth behind independent media so as to lead people to discuss and understand the nature of freedom of press in the West.”

Citing the “Murdoch News Corporation scandal” and the U.S. mainstream media’s “delayed” and “negative” reports on "Occupy Wall Street," the article criticizes freedom of the press in the West as a “self-proclaimed signboard.”

Source: Qiushi Journal, January 6, 2012
http://www.qstheory.cn/llzx/201201/t20120106_133752.htm

Briefings | | January 18, 2012 | Government/Politics

Red Flag Manuscript: Watch Out for the West’s Infiltration and Sabotage in the Arena of Ideology

[Editor’s Note: Red Flag Manuscript published an article on the importance of safeguarding China’s ideology. [1] The author, Zheng Weiping, Director of the Political Department of Guangzhou Military Region, argued that “It has always been the core mission of each country and political (ruling) party to fight for the discourse power in ideology and be proactive in safeguarding the nation’s ideology.” Zheng stated that China should adhere to its Marxist ideology and socialist path and be fully alert to the West’s infiltration and attempts to overthrow the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) leadership. The following is an excerpt from the article.]

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Reports | | January 17, 2012 | Report

Tax Evasion a Must for 90% of Chinese Companies

China Youth Daily recently reported that the government’s income for the year 2011 was “amazingly good.” However, tax-paying companies were having a hard time managing. The report gave an example of a small-to-medium sized company in Beijing. The gross profit margin of the company was near 10%, but the VAT (Value-Added Tax) was 17%. Therefore the company was heading down the same road as “everybody else” – tax evasion. One of the typical methods was for companies with business relations to stop invoicing each. Professor Zhou Tianyong from the Central Party School concluded that 90% of the companies would have to go out of business if they didn’t do something like this. The report suggested that tax cuts seem to be on political leaders’ minds, but whether there will be any tax relief remains to be seen.

Source: Xinhua, January 11, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2012-01/11/c_111409775.htm

Briefings | | January 17, 2012 | Economy/Resources

Arms Race Heightened in Asia-Pacific Region

The International Herald Leader, which is under Xinhua News, recently published an article by Li Li, a special military commentator with Chinese Central Television (CCTV). Li suggested that, in the past year, military investment around the globe has increased rapidly, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Examples are India and Russia – both had military spending plans for the next decade that were on the level of US$100 billion. Another important characteristic of the trend is that significant high-tech weapon development projects started in the last year, such as the U.S. supersonic missile project. Li believed that, last year, Southeastern Asia countries reached a very high military spending level in their respective arms procurement history. The article also expressed the concern that this new development is casting a negative shadow over the region. The article ended by asking the Chinese general public to be more “sensitive” on defense issues.

Source: International Herald Leader, January 9, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2012-01/09/c_131344083.htm

Briefings | | January 17, 2012 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Government Think Tank: China Should Beef up Its Anti-Terrorism Effort

Ye Hailin, an expert at the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies under China’s Academy of Social Sciences, made some recommendations that China should use to greatly enhance its anti-terrorist forces. He suggested that China consider promulgation of an anti-terrorism law to change the current practice of applying criminal law and increase the capability of its police powers in targeted areas. Although it should not expect too much, China should also seek international cooperation. “We must understand that, since the death of bin Laden, it has been be the same old model of ‘the terrorists in my country are the freedom fighter in yours.’ … [We] should rely on those countries that are friendly, i.e., those who share common interests and aspirations with us and with whom we have built a foundation of cooperation, such as Pakistan.” Lastly, Ye recommended that the people should be prepared to build their mental capability to withstand anti-terrorist measures that will inevitably affect their livelihood.

Source: International Herald Leader, January 9, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2012-01/09/c_131344251.htm

Briefings | | January 13, 2012 | Government/Politics

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

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

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

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