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

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China to Develop New Types of Satellites

Guangming Daily recently reported on the release of the White Book on Chinese Space Missions, which discussed plans to develop new types of satellites over the next five years. The White Book suggested that the new satellites will focus on Earth observation, communications, and broadcasting, as well as navigation and positioning. The goal is to achieve reliable and consistent long term service capabilities. Plans include new generations of weather satellites, environment monitoring satellites, electromagnetic monitoring, experimental satellites, mobile communications satellites, and the regional subsystems of the global positioning system. Key improvements will concentrate on the areas of all weather, full spectrum, high volume, high power, and high resolution capabilities. Plans also include projects for quantum science experimental satellites and dark matter probing satellites.

Source: Guangming Daily, December 29, 2011
http://tech.gmw.cn/2011-12/29/content_3282345.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

People’s Daily: Wuhan Installed a Quarter Million Monitoring Cameras

People’s Daily recently reported on the completion of a government funded two-year project to install a quarter million monitoring cameras in Wuhan, the largest city in central China. The camera network is built on three levels. The top level monitors major transportation spots, large squares, schools, and colleges. The second level monitors main connecting roads and district-level locations. The third level monitors 225,000 “social check-points.” The whole system is divided into layers of “cells” in a “grid.” Mobile monitoring cameras are also mounted on police vehicles. There are seven different types of cameras deployed and the vast majority of them provide high definition digital video. The police operate the central control of this monitoring network.

Source: People’s Daily, December 29
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/70731/16752912.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Ministry of HR and Social Security: Wages in Arrears to Be Considered a Crime

Beijing News recently reported that, as the year end approached, the issue of whether migrant workers would receive their year-end wages on time once again became a focal issue. According to Qiu Xiaoping, Director of the Labor Relations Division of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, 2011 saw an increase in the number of arrears cases as a result of companies having financial issues. Qiu blamed the global economic downturn as the cause of the trouble some companies are suffering. Qiu also suggested that, under existing law, it costs little for companies to hold overdue wage payments because the penalty for arrears cases is low. He said the government is working on a new law to criminalize these cases and would soon provide more information on implementation details. He also called for enhanced government monitoring and labor arbitration services.

Source: Beijing News, December 26, 2011
http://epaper.bjnews.com.cn/html/2011-12/26/content_304965.htm?div=-1

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

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