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China’s Overcapacity in the Coal Industry

In a meeting on December 31, 2009, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced a halt to approvals of new coke, carbide, methanol, and other traditional coal chemical projects. 

China has seen an acute overcapacity in the coal industry in recent years. At the end of 2009, the newly added production capacity in the coal industry on top of 2008 is estimated at around 300 million tons. Thirty-one carbide and 25 methanol national projects are currently under construction. The overcapacity will be further intensified after they are put into operation. Coal-rich regions, one after another, have been planning coal chemical projects in recent years. The capacity of total submitted coal-to-oil conversion projects exceeds 40 million tons, coal-to-olefins is at 20 million tons, and coal-to-natural gas is 25 billion cubic meters — the equivalent of a one trillion yuan investment.
Source: People’s Daily, December 31, 2009 

http://finance.people.com.cn/GB/10685015.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

80% of Newly Elected Academicians Are Officials

A recent Xinhua report shows that among the 35 newly elected members of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 80% hold administrative positions in universities or research institutes; among the 48 new Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) members, the proportion runs as high as 85%. In China, there are few private universities and research institutes. 

In 2001, a Minister of the Railroad was elected into CAE; in 2003, a Minister of Construction and Deputy Minister of Agriculture, together with some businessmen made their way into the nation’s highest body of scientists. 
In recent years there have been calls to set up elections for Academicians for the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Many opposed the idea, however, seeing the rampant corruption in the education system. In an article, a scholar from Yunnan Province said, “A number of politicians have stolen the professorship. … How will such a high honor of Academicians not be tarnished by politicians?”
Source: Xinhua, December 17, 2009
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China-Central Asia Natural Gas Pipeline to Fulfill Beijing’s Energy Goals

China’s Hu Jintao was in Turkmenistan on Monday December 14, attending the opening ceremonial of the launch of a natural gas pipeline that runs 1,140 miles across three Central Asia nations to the Chinese border, and into the Chinese region of Xinjiang. Kazakhstan’s president Nursultan Nazarbayev, Turkmen President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov, and Uzbekistan President Islom Karimov turned the valve of the pipeline with Hu. 

"China gives the highest priority to cooperation between our neighbors and this pipeline is witness to the uninterrupted cooperation that continues to flourish between our nations," Hu said Monday. 
The pipeline is the first major export corridor for natural gas out of the region that does not pass through Russia. 
Source: China News Service, December 14, 2009 
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China Acquires a U.S. Theater

On Monday December 14, China Heaven Creation officially took over the White House Theater in Branson, Missouri, the United States. “It is the very first time that a Chinese cultural enterprise successfully bought a U.S. theater, and is a major achievement of Chinese culture ‘stepping outside,’” said Xinhua. 

China Heaven Creation (CHC), according to its website, was “founded in 1999 with the backing of China Travel Service HK Ltd and the approval of the Ministry of Culture. In 2005, CHC was selected by the Ministry of Culture as the National Model Base for the Culture Industry.” 
Source: Xinhua, December 15, 2009 
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Stability Preserving Office to Intensify Internet News Control

In a recent Internet News Media Training Class held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO), Deputy Director Xia Chenghua of the Stability Preservation Office under the CCP’s Central Committee gave a speech on the Current Status of Preserving Stability and the Requirement for Internet Propaganda. 

Xia listed the categories of unrest that are the main challenges to stability: corporate restructuring, housing demolition and resettlement, rural land acquisition, veterans affairs, abnormal petitions, and criminal activities. The CCP’s Central Committee order: “Treat the veterans nicely to prevent them from being used by enemy forces.” Xia vowed to send “abnormal petitioners” to labor camps and severely punish core members. 
Xia asked to step up Internet news control, viewing the widespread Internet usage as a challenge. Zhai Huisheng, the Party secretary of the All China Journalists’ Association, demanded that the Internet media "adhere to the Party principles." Vice Chief of SCIO’s Internet Bureau, Peng Bo, told commercial websites to "unify their thoughts and emphasize their politics."
Source: Radio France International, December 10, 2009
http://www.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/120/article_18016.asp
Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Huanqiu Comments on German Nationality, Advocates Export of Values

A recent Huanqiu article analyzed German netizens’ responses to a Der Spiegel report about the German government’s investigation of four Chinese spy suspects. The state media believed that Der Spiegel was “inducing” the German public to criticize the Chinese government. Although readers did not react as expected, Germans may not be “tired of the media’s anti-China attitude,” added Huanqiu. 

Said Zhu Yutong, Huanqiu’s reporter in Germany, “The honeymoon period when Western media praise China for favors may be gone forever.… Now China is strong; they cannot control it – at least economically. They need to find a political, moral, and psychological high ground. As long as China remains so strong that any noise cannot disturb it (China), this voice will weaken, as if they had surrendered.” “Germany is bullying the weak and fearing the strong.” 
Zhu added, “China should, with the language and approaches that they understand, export its own values. It is a new challenge.” 
Source: Huanqiu, December 2, 2009 
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party: Common Sense of the 21st Century?

In 1776, a booklet titled Common Sense fueled the growing discontent among the King’s subjects in America. Thomas Paine’s simple words, logic, and conviction gave millions of Americans a cause to fight for. A revolution began. A great nation was born.

In 2004, a book called the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party was published. The book made piercing revelations about the Chinese Communist Party’s evil nature, and predicted the Party’s demise in the near future. Millions across China have surreptitiously read the book, and passed it on to friends and family. Will this book do in China what Common Sense did for the American Revolution? Will this book change people’s outlook about the future of China and inspire them to fight for a future without Communism? This paper explores the answers.

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Analyses | | |   Opinion

A Brief Summary of Jiu-Ping (Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party)

Faced with the nearly impossible task of clarifying the CCP’s nature, its history, current practice, and future in a single book, the authors of Jiu-Ping did a fine job in striking a balance between scope and depth. Historical facts, stories and anecdotes are used to support the analysis and conclusions.

The nine chapters are divided according to the Party’s different attributes, or characteristics, rather than along socio-economic lines, or policies. Each chapter reads like a complete paper, with a foreword, main contents, a conclusion and references (in the English version). Here we only touch on the contents. The synopsis that follows can in no way capture the depth and breathe of the entire book. We therefore recommend reading the Nine Commentaries in its entirety to achieve a full understanding of all that it encompasses. [1]

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Analyses | | |   Opinion