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Briefings - 1337. page

2008 Defense Budget Saw 17.6 Percent Increase From Prior Year

During the press conference at the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress held on March 4, Jiang Enzhu, spokesperson of the conference disclosed that China’s defense budget for 2008 is 417 billion yuan (US$57.2 billion), a 17.6 percent increase from last year including currency impact. The increases are mainly to cover spending in army benefits, food and fuel consumption, administrative and training costs as well as equipment and weapon.

Source: China Review News, March 4, 2008
http://cn.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1005/8/3/1/100583185.html?coluid=4&kindid=18&docid=100583185&mdate=0304143540

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

People’s Daily: Party Leadership is the Key for Realizing Socialist Democracy

This commentary article praised the speech given by General Secretary Hu Jintao regarding the path of the political reform in the Second Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China as "the intellectual foundation and political guarantee" for the two congressional conferences currently being held in Beijing. "Developing a socialist political system with Chinese characteristics is the correct path for achieving socialist democracy", the article cited the view emphasized by Hu. The perseverance of the Party’s leadership is the fundamental guarantee that the people are the masters of the country and that the country is ruled by law. In the end, the article states that China shall learn from the positive results of other forms of political culture, but shall never model the political system of the west, nor shall China abandon the essence of the country’s current political system.

Source: People’s Daily, March 2, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2008-03/02/content_7698743.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: U.S. Report On China’s Military Power Continues “China Threat”

In response to the Annual Report on China’s Military Report of U.S. Defense Department, Xinhua states, "The Annual Report on China’s Military Power submitted by the Pentagon to the Congress, as one of the series of military assessment reports, again criticizes that China’s lack of transparency in military and security matters may lead to misunderstandings and miscalculations, therefore posing a threat to regional stability.”  Xinhua cites a Washington Post’s article on differences between U.S. Defense Department and U.S. intelligence officials.

Source: Xinhua, March 4, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-03/04/content_7713318.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Xinhua: Transparency of Chinese Military Increases

China’s military transparency has been increased according to a Hong Kong newspaper, says Xinhua on March 3, 2008. The Hong Kong newspaper article cited the statistics in the December 2007 "World Military Yearbook 2007" published by the PLA Publishing House December 2007.

Xinhua comments, “Some so-called international military experts have focused their attention on China’s military spending, accusing China of military affairs being not transparent with ulterior motives. The releasing of ‘World Military Yearbook 2007’ greatly increases the transparency of China’s military power, and effectively refutes the senseless accusation of these ‘experts.’”

Source: Xinhua, March 3, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-03/03/content_7709045.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

CAAC Strengthens Olympic Background Check

The Epoch Times reports that General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC)’s public security department issued a “Notice on Reporting the Administrative Work of Purifying the Internal and Airport’s Controlled Area Pass.” The “Notice” demands to have a background check on those people with airline crew boarding pass and airport controlled area pass. The scope of the check includes the involved person, spouse, parents, parents-in-law, and children above 18 years old, investigating whether these people have criminal records, their behavior during “Cultural Revolution,” actions during “6.4” (1989 student-led democratic movement), whether or not practicing “Falun Gong,” and whether or not having overseas connections.

Source：The Epoch Times, March 4, 2008
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/8/3/4/n2031337.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhuanet: What Does Iran Nuclear Crisis Tell Us?

Xinhuanet posted an analytical article entitled “What Does Iran Nuclear Crisis Tell Us” today in its “International Observation” section. On top of the article, the website highlighted a quotation by former U.S. president Reagan: “Peace relies on our power and strength, not opponent’s kindness.” The article breaks into three parts under the subheadings of “Iran’s toughness and U.S.’s concession;” “peace and development requires strong military power even more;” “Navy, especially aircraft carrier, is irreplaceable.”

Source：Xihuanet， March 4, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-03/04/content_7714169.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Foreign Journalist Detained. China’s Pledge For Free Reporting Questioned.

In the afternoon of February 27, Mark Maginier, the Beijing bureau chief with the Los Angeles Times, and his translator were taken away by the personnel from the public security bureau. At the time, Mark was speaking with the petitioners living in the Shou Bao village of Da Xing district of Beijing, a newly established petitioners’ village. Mark told Radio Free Asia that he was taken away for over an hour and was questioned who he was speaking with and what kind of report he will write about.

Mark’s arrest raised concerns over Beijing’s promise. On December 1, 2006, China promised that the foreign reporters, whether assigned permanently or visiting for the Olympics, will be allowed to travel most of the country freely and report without interference by local police or propaganda officials from Jan. 1, 2007, until Oct. 17, 2008.

Source: Radio Free Asia, February 27, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/02/27/press/

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

First Sandstorm in 2008 Hit Beijing

Beijing Meteorological Bureau reported that sandstorm appeared in south of Ganshu and west of Mongolia on February 29 and traveled south to Beijing with the cold air on March 1. The nearby regions of Beijing including west of Mongolia, Shanxi, and north of Hebei were reportedly remain under the sandstorm condition as of the first day of March. Estimated population affected will reach 110 million. Beijing recorded 15 sandstorms in the spring of 2007. More sand storms are expected in 2008.

Source: China News, March 2 and 4, 2008 http://www.chinanews.com.cn/tp/shfq/news/2008/03-02/1179107.shtml http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2008/03-04/1180550.shtml

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology