CMP Newswire
These are regular summaries of breaking news, important commentaries and other tidbits from Chinese media, translated with background by CMP staff.
- Chinese Media: Charity Bicycles Given to State-Owned Enterpriseshttp://news.qq.com/a/20120426/000090.htm (2012-04-26) ― The China Red Cross (中国红十字), which faced scandal in June 2011 over the alleged private use of charity funds, is now under the spotlight again after media reported that a donation of more than 10,000 bicycles meant for poverty-stricken rural areas went to state-owned enterprises and retired Party cadres instead.
- State Council Announces Five-Year Plan to Admit Additional 10,000 Poor Students to Universityhttp://news.qq.com/a/20120424/000075.htm (2012-04-24) ― China’s State Council has announced that it will launch a program this year to provide direct college entrance to an additional 10,000 students over five years from a list of 680 impoverished counties across China. The government said the project will not affect the normal college entrance procedures for regions not designated as poverty-stricken.
- Appalling Conditions and Qinhai Gelatin Factory at Center of Latest Consumer Safety Scandalhttp://news.qq.com/a/20120423/001695.htm (2012-04-24) ― A report in the China Business Herald details the appalling conditions of Qinhai Gelatin, a company at the center of the ongoing scandal over the use of recycled leather and bones with high levels of chromium in the manufacture of gelatin used for medicinal capsules and also sold as a food additive. Local sources tell the newspaper that bones from restaurant garbage were also a key raw material, and the stench of the factory drove many people in the area in recent years to sell their homes and relocate.
- Lijiang Government: Officer Killed in Attack by Villagers in Yunnanhttp://news.163.com/12/0420/16/7VI0NGV30001124J.html (2012-04-20) ― According to a news report by Yunnan Online, the communication office of the Lijiang City Government in China’s southwest Yunnan province announced today that one civil police officer (民警) was killed and several others injured in a conflict with villagers in Yongsheng County (永胜县) on April 18. The report said a group of officers was “in the process of carrying out legal publicity and education” when villagers suddenly attacked them “with knives and clubs” According to authorities in Lijiang, villagers from Xiaoganqing Village (小干箐村) in Renhe Township (仁和镇) petitioned outside the Yongsheng County government offices on April 12 and voiced concern over possible geologic hazards posed by a local coal mine. The villagers reportedly asked for relocation and compensation.
- Premier Wen Jiabao Calls for Clean Governance Through Greater Transparencyhttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20120416/000021.htm (2012-04-16) ― In a piece published in the most recent edition of the official Party journal Qiushi (求是), and shared across China’s internet today, Premier Wen Jiaobao (温家宝) calls for great government transparency, “creating the conditions for the people to monitor the government.” The piece, drawn from Premier Wen’s March 26 speech on clean governance at the State Council, comes right on the heels of the official announcement last week that former Chongqing Party Secretary Bo Xilai has been removed from the Party’s Central Committee for “serious discipline violations.”
- Chongqing district police chief under investigation in Wang Lijun casehttp://china.caixin.com/2012-03-26/100372959.html (2012-03-26) ― Caixin Media reports today that Wang Pengfei (王鹏飞), the top police official in Chongqing’s Yubei District (渝北), is now under investigation for his alleged role in aiding the escape of former police chief Wang Lijun to the US Consulate in Chengdu on February 6, 2012. It is now known that Wang Lijun sought asylum during his meeting with US officials in what became one of China’s biggest political scandals in decades. The incident prompted the eventual removal of Bo Xilai as the top leader of Chongqing, an apparent end to his bid to enter the Party’s powerful Politburo Standing Committee this fall. According to Caixin, Wang Pengfei is alleged to have provided the vehicle Wang Lijun used to drive from Chongqing to Chengdu.
王鹏飞毕业于中国刑事警察学院，曾长期在辽宁省铁岭市公安系统任职，先后担任过铁岭县公安局局长、铁岭市公安局副局长、盘锦市公安局副局长，跟王立军在铁岭多年共事。
在王立军调任重庆后，他也于2010年末调重庆市公安局任职。2011年2月27日，王鹏飞由重庆市公安局调任渝北区公安分局局长；2011年8月25日，他又兼任渝北区副区长。 - Bo Xilai removed from top spot in Chongqing, replaced by Zhang Dejianghttp://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-03/15/c_111657329.htm (2012-03-15) ― In a brief official news release at around 10am Beijing time today, March 15, Xinhua News Agency reported that Bo Xilai (薄熙来) would no longer serve as the top leader in the municipality of Chonqing, and that he has been replaced by Zhang Dejiang (张德江). Zhang, who served as the top Party leader in China’s southern Guangdong province from 2022 to 2007, has been a vice-premier since 2008. Zhang Dejiang’s bio is available in Chinese at Xinhua here: http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2002-02/22/content_286080.htm
- The Beijing News: the Wuhan-Yichang high-speed rail line needs urgent inspectionhttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20120313/000016.htm (2012-03-13) ― China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday that a section of a brand new high-speed railway in Hubei province collapsed after heavy rains. However, the company operating the rail line, the Huhan Hubei Rong Railway Company Limited (沪汉蓉铁路湖北有限公司), quickly denied that there had been a collapse, saying these were “routine improvements in the process of inspection.” In an editorial in today’s Beijing News, Han Han (韩涵) — not to be confused with the race car driver and celebrity writer — questioned the railway company’s suggestion these were “routine improvements” and said national safety inspectors needed to move quickly to conduct a full and thorough inspection of the high-speed rail line connecting the cities of Wuhan and Yichang, which was due to open in May.
- Shandong official at NPC: death penalty for corruption involving over 500,000 yuan would deter dirty dealshttp://news.ifeng.com/mainland/special/2012lianghui/yulu/detail_2012_03/13/13144914_0.shtml (2012-03-13) ― At the ongoing session of the National People’s Congress yesterday, Zhao Runtian (赵润田), the top Party leader in Shandong’s Heze City, said the nagging problem of corruption in China had to be dealt with be enacting stiffer penalties under the law. Zhao said acts of corruption perpetrated by Party and government officials were at present rarely discovered, and rarely prosecuted if found. Cases that were discovered, said Zhao, were dealt with too lightly. Zhao said: “If you could face the death penalty for corruption involving 500,000 yuan or more, then no one would dare corrupt conduct. Right now corruption is dealt with quite lightly. This might be out of human consideration, but it is tantamount to tolerating this sort of behavior.”
- Southern Metropolis Daily posts navigable high-res image of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Congresshttp://nd.oeeee.com/images/ztpics/yixiangsu/list/20120306lhhc/index.html (2012-03-07) ― Guangzhou’s Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper has posted a high-resolution image of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Congress (CPPCC) in session this week, allowing internet users to scan over the scene and focus in on individual officials. All CMP readers are encouraged to try this!
- Chinese government agencies jointly issue set of regulations to reform taxi industryhttp://news.qq.com/a/20120229/000057.htm (2012-02-29) ― On February 27, three government agencies including China’s Ministry of Transport announced that they would roll out a new “taxi industry employment system” (出租汽车企业员工制) to replace the old “vehicle contract fee” (车辆承包费用) system that has for almost two decades put taxi drivers across the country under enormous economic strain. The new regulations are apparently a response to a growing number of taxi strikes in recent years. The system of “vehicle contract fees,” known as “fenqian” (份儿钱) for short, have generally required drivers to hand over a large portion of their income from passengers to licensed taxi companies, only earning money after “fenqian” targets are met. In many cases, taxi drivers have been charged tens of thousands of yuan up front by companies for the licenses enabling them to operate vehicles. The new system seeks to change the status quo, affording more wage security and rest/vacation time. It should be borne in mind, however, that reforms have been discussed for years.
- Hebei sends 15,000 cadres into the countryside for "stability preservation" ahead of October Party Congresshttp://news.163.com/12/0229/02/7RD9MRFO00014AED.html (2012-02-29) ― The Beijing News reports today that Hebei province is spending 250 million yuan (US$39.7 million) this year to send 15,000 Party and government personnel into the countryside to do “stability preservation” work (维稳工作) ahead of the 18th Party Congress to be held in October. The 15,000 “cadres” will be imbedded in 5,010 villages and tasked with ensuring “large-scale mass incidents (群体性事件) do not occur” between February 10, the date of commencement of the policy, and the October congress, an important national political event which will formalize a transition of China’s top Party leadership.
- QQ video shows scene of chemical explosion in Hebei provincehttp://v.qq.com/boke/play/9R2VYBLcbEQ.html (2012-02-28) ― According to China National Radio, an explosion today at a chemical factory in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, has killed at least 12 people and injured more than 40. By clicking on the headline above readers can view video from the scene posted to QQ.com on the afternoon of February 28.
- Economist Wu Jinglian again urges necessity of political reform in Chinahttp://news.qq.com/a/20120228/000007.htm (2012-02-28) ― In an interview published by China Economic Weekly, a spin-off publication of the CCP’s official People’s Daily, Chinese economist Wu Jinglian (吴敬琏) argues that China must pursue political reform in order to have continued economic success. In the interview, promoted to the news page at QQ.com today, Wu says: “Aside from economic reform, the urgent task is to remove interference by special interests, renewing the reform agenda — pushing forward with economic reforms through marketization (市场化的经济改革) and political reform through democratization and rule of law.”
- Explosion at chemical factory in Hebei province kills 12, injures more than 40http://news.qq.com/a/20120228/001152.htm (2012-02-28) ― According to China National Radio, an explosion today at a chemical factory in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, has killed at least 12 people and injured more than 40. The explosion occurred at around 9:20 am in a factory operated by Ke’er Chemical Company Limited (克尔化工有限公司) in Zhao County (赵县). As of 2:30 pm local authorities said the site of the explosion remained hazardous, posing difficulties for rescue crews. A special rescue team from Sinopec, one of China’s largest petroleum companies, was reportedly on the scene.
- Plans for 5A tourism destination at epicenter of 2008 Sichuan earthquake raise questionshttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20120221/000020.htm (2012-02-21) ― One of Sichuan province’s largest commercial newspapers recently reported that Wenchuan County (汶川县), the site of the 2008 earthquake in which an estimated 68,000 people died, is now applying for 5A tourism destination status for Yingxiu (映秀), the town situated at the quake’s epicenter. The lead editorial in today’s The Beijing News questions the wisdom of this move, and cautions that the attempt to refashion Yingxiu as a tourist mecca should be sensitive to the views of the local people, and not just be thrust on them. The editorial concludes: “Tourism services in the earthquake region of Wenchuan should follow a standard, but this standard cannot be a routine application of the 5A tourism standard, but must take into account the special characteristics of the quake region. If the wishes of the people of Yingxiu and the feelings of all Chinese [about the tragedy] are not considered, and tourism is pushed in a big way atop the rubble of disaster, it would be better not to do this.”
- Economist Chen Zhiwu: tax levies in China are "out of control"http://view.news.qq.com/a/20120217/000020.htm (2012-02-17) ― In a piece for China Newsweekly magazine, Chen Zhiwu (陈志武), a professor of finance at Yale University, talks about the relative advantages of political systems in China and the United States in terms of economic policy, and argues that owing to a lack of checks and balances “increases in tax levies in China are now completely out of control.” He writes: “In China’s economic environment we often see the problem of ‘over-medication’ (下药过猛). Negligence on the part of the National People’s Congress and local governments and people’s congresses necessarily create a situation of over-medication. The U.S. congress is often unable to reach compromise on this or that issue, and many Chinese suggest the U.S. senate and house are entirely powerless. But if you look at it another way, this is the way organs of power should be in a society where power is checked. They should not have the right to levy taxes however they please.”
- Guangdong official strikes reporter outside press conferencehttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20120216/000019.htm (2012-02-16) ― On February 13, Liu Weihong (刘伟宏), the chief executive of Yijing Central City Commercial Development Company, held a press conference to address concerns about the alleged unfair treatment of retail tenants at his company’s commercial development. After leaving the press conference, Liu struck a Shenzhen Commercial News reporter, Qin Xingmei (秦兴梅). Liu Weihong is also a member of the standing committee of the Guangdong People’s Political Consultative Conference (广东省政协常委).
- People’s Daily editorial urges frank assessment of political achievements ahead of leadership transitionshttp://news.qq.com/a/20120216/000153.htm (2012-02-16) ― In a front-page editorial today, the CCP’s official People’s Daily newspaper speaks out against “the creation of empty ‘bubbles’” of political point-taking among Party and government officials as they jockey for positions in leadership reshuffles this year. The editorial urges that decisions about advancement and placement of officials happen in a “scientific” manner, taking into account “real accomplishments.” The editorial reads: “Some local areas have a mania for big ‘prestige projects’, and other things are pushed aside for these; other local areas only care only about obvious achievements and don’t prioritize less obvious achievements . . . “
- Earthquake rumbles central Guangdong province, felt in Hong Konghttp://news.qq.com/a/20120216/000074.htm (2012-02-16) ― According to the China Earthquake Administration (CEA), an earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale shook the city of Heyuan in China’s southern Guangdong province at around 2:32 in the morning today. The CEA said the quake, which was 13,000 meters under the surface, could be felt in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. There were no reports of injuries.
- Economist Wu Jinglian on the significance of Deng’s "southern tour"http://view.news.qq.com/a/20120214/000024.htm (2012-02-15) ― In the most recent edition of the journal Tongzhou Gongjin (同舟共进), internationally known Chinese economist Wu Jinglian (吴敬琏) talks about the importance of Deng Xiaoping’s “southern tour” in 1992 on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. In the interview, Wu praises the spirit of the market economic reforms initiated by Deng’s “southern tour,” and warns against the view that China has now attained a new and successful economic model. Wu says: “I don’t agree with this view. China’s current economic system is a transitional economic system with elements of a market economy and many remnants of the old economic system. It has the potential to either become a market economy under rule of law through further reforms, or to become state capitalism or even crony capitalism.”
- Zhejiang Vice-Governor: Don’t Demonize Private Financinghttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20120210/000017.htm (2012-02-10) ― In an editorial published in today’s edition of Zhejiang Daily, the official Party mouthpiece of Zhejiang, the province’s vice-governor, Chen Derong (陈德荣), heaps praise on the entrepreneurial spirit of the city of Wenzhou and criticizes what he calls the “demonization” of private financing. Chen concludes his editorial by saying that Wenzhou entrepreneurs have “used their fresh blood to protect the market economy.” A number of entrepreneurs in Wenzhou were reported to have committed suicide in late 2011 as they were unable to repay huge private loans they had taken out with local financiers, often at rates of 70-90 percent. This led some in China to speak out against the practice of underground lending. Chen’s editorial today counters by praising what he calls the “Wenzhou Model”, based on a fierce entrepreneurial spirit.
- Beijing Press Office Hails Debut of "Beijing Spirit" Ad on CNN, Times Squarehttp://news.qq.com/a/20120201/000297.htm (2012-02-01) ― The external publicity office of the Beijing Municipal Government announced yesterday that a video advertisement plugging the “Beijing Spirit” (北京精神) would debut soon on CNN, on a mega screen on New York’s Times Square, and in other media. A report on the announcement began with enthusiasm: “The Beijing spirit that has been highly endorsed by residents [of Beijing] will this year go out into the world through a series of external cultural exchange events.” The core concepts of the “Beijing Spirit” campaign are: “Patriotism, innovation, tolerance and virtue” (爱国、创新、包容、厚德). Beijing authorities formally announced the four core concepts of the “Beijing Spirit” back in November 2011.
- Writer Hong Feng Attacked in Yunnan Villagehttp://news.qq.com/a/20120201/000231.htm (2012-02-01) ― Yunnan Online reports that well-known Chinese writer Hong Feng (洪峰) was seriously beaten and suffered three broken bones in an attack by villagers in Huize County on January 22, stemming from a dispute over rented land. Hong was quoted in the report as saying the attack was led by the head of the Party branch in Mawu Village (马武村) in Yunnan’s Huize County (会泽县), who was angry about land being used by Hong and his wife, Jiang Yan (蒋燕). Hong is still being treated in hospital.
- Popular blogger Han Han denies accusations he has used a ghostwriterhttp://www.china.org.cn/arts/2012-01/17/content_24429027.htm (2012-01-18) ― In recent days, popular blogger and social critic Han Han (韩寒) has been the center of controversy in China after a blogger called Mai Tian (麦田) alleged that many of Han’s writings were penned by others, including Han’s father. In a blog post earlier this week, Han Han denied the allegations, challenging his accusers to present evidence: “If anyone can prove these ghostwriting allegations, I’ll gladly award them 20 million yuan. I’ll stop all writing and transfer all copyrights for my previous works to my accusers.” In The Beijing News today, Chen Xiwo (陈希我) comes to the defense of Han Han by addressing related accusations that his image has been massaged by a team of consultants. Chen’s response: so what? Is there anything wrong with a celebrity getting help with their own packaging?
http://view.news.qq.com/a/20120118/000025.htm - Chen Fang: growth alone can’t fix social tensionshttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20120118/000027.htm (2012-01-18) ― In today’s China Youth Daily commentator Chen Fang (陈方) argues that social tensions in China cannot be resolved by spurring economic growth alone. Chen writes: “The point of economic development is to make the people more prosperous. Unfortunately, in our development model up to now, a number of local officials have placed more emphasis on the importance of development, always believing that issues of public welfare can be set to one side, that perhaps with development these public welfare issues will resolve themselves. In fact, once social tensions have gathered to a certain extent they will erupt again and again. Not only will public welfare issues be left unaddressed, but development will also be impacted.”
- Daughter of Party official in Shanxi province paid as health administrator while in collegehttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20120117/000019.htm (2012-01-17) ― Writing at The Beijing News today, lawyer Liu Changsong (刘昌松) explores the case of Yang Ye (杨烨), the daughter of the Party secretary of Shanxi’s Jingle County (静乐县), Yang Cunhu (杨存虎). Chinese media reported this week that Yang Ye has been paid more than 100,000 yuan over five years as an “administrator” for the province’s Center for Disease Control while studying full time at the Shanxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In addition to her salary and benefits, Yang’s tuition has been paid by the Center for Disease Control, media reported. Authorities in Shanxi responded to these revelations by formally issuing Yang Cunhu with a warning. In his commentary for The Beijing News, Liu Changsong argues that that Yang should be held criminally responsible for his actions, and that simple fines and warnings are not sufficient to discourage such conduct. In this case, of course, there is the further question — one Liu does not address — of what provincial-level officials were complicit.
- China announces initial public feedback on proposed school bus safety ruleshttp://news.qq.com/a/20120117/000080.htm (2012-01-17) ― The Legislative Affairs Office of China’s State Council announced yesterday that it had received 2,818 comments by e-mail and 7,030 written letters from the public concerning a proposed new national ordinance on school bus safety (校车安全条例草案). The proposed legislation was announced late last year in response to a series of tragic accidents involving school buses across the country. According to coverage by The Beijing News today, one of the strongest comments in response to the proposed legislation was that more funds go to the building of schools rather than focus on the safety of buses themselves. More schools, said many Chinese, would mean schools were closer and long bus journeys unnecessary.
- Vice-President Xi Jinping: the United States must see China’s strategic objectives "correctly"http://news.qq.com/a/20120117/000027.htm (2012-01-17) ― In a ceremony in Beijing yesterday, China commemorated the fortieth anniversary of US President Richard Nixon’s visit to China and the normalization of relations between China and the United States. At the event, China’s vice-president, Xi Jinping (习近平), the presumed successor to current president Hu Jintao, said healthy relations between the two countries required that the United States “correctly ascertain China’s strategies and development path.” It was on February 27, 1972, that China and the US issued the Shanghai Communiqué, a diplomatic document pledging both sides to work toward the normalization of relations. English coverage of this story by China Radio International is available here: http://english.cri.cn/6909/2012/01/17/2941s676510.htm
- Migrant worker writes letter to railway ministry to protest difficulty of buying tickets ahead of Chinese New Yearhttp://news.qq.com/a/20120105/000116.htm (2012-01-05) ― Chongqing Evening News, a commercial spin-off of the Party-run Chongqing Daily, reports today that a commercial newspaper in the city of Wenzhou ran an article yesterday by a migrant worker from Chongqing making an appeal to railway authorities after finding it nearly impossible to arrange rail travel ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday. In the letter, published by Wenzhou Metropolitan Daily, migrant worker Huang Qinghong (黄庆红) said he had gone four times to the railway station and sat in long lines to buy a train ticket home for the holidays, but each time failed to get a ticket. Huang was told by railway personnel that he could purchase tickets online or by phone. Huang pointed out in his letter, however, that online and telephone ticket purchases are difficult for migrant workers who face economic difficulties. The return of migrant workers from the city to the countryside is an annually recurring theme for news media ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday.
- State Administration of Work Safety Spokesman Explains New Bus Safety Rules as Web Users Fume Over Latest Crashhttp://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-12/13/c_122415649.htm (2011-12-13) ― On Tuesday, as Chinese web users chattered across social media about China’s latest bus crash, which left at least 15 schoolchildren dead on Monday, the official Xinhua News Agency ran a live online chat in which State Administration of Work Safety spokesman Huang Yi (黄毅) explained draft rules on school bus safety released over the weekend. The draft rules were introduced following a public outcry over bus safety that followed a November crash in Gansu province, in which 21 people died, 19 of them schoolchildren.
- Global Times: Durban Exposes the Naked Selfishness of the Westhttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20111212/000035.htm (2011-12-13) ― In a strongly-worded editorial today, sprinkled with humor (intended?) and innuendo, the Chinese-language Global Times newspaper criticizes “the West” for its “selfishness” during United Nations climate talks in Durban, South Africa. The editorial’s points and criticisms center on the debate at Durban (and ongoing) over whether China can and should still be regarded as a “developing nation” (More: http://bit.ly/s91PUm). One of the more amusing rhetorical devices: “In Western society there is a very common habit, which is that men and women both change their clothes at least once a day, or at least change one item of clothing. In China, very few people have this habit, because people don’t have that many clothes, and they can’t use that much water, electricity and laundry detergent, to make themselves over freshly every day.”
- Tong Dahuan on Air Pollution Numbers: The Age of Official Deception is Overhttp://blog.qq.com/qzone/622007901/1323147815.htm (2011-12-13) ― Writing on his blog at QQ.com, columnist Tong Dahuan (童大焕) takes authorities in Beijing to task for not coming clean on the city’s air pollution measures last week, as numbers from the US. Embassy in Beijing were sharply at odds with official numbers. Tong writes: “I want to say that the age of [a Confucius said] ‘pushing the people to act but keeping them ignorant of the reasons’ is gone and will never return [i.e., the old politics of the government keeping people in the dark]. And the age of official declarations going again and again against the common sense of the public will soon be ushered into the past. In the world there is ever common sense and justice, and it’s not a matter of whoever’s mouth is bigger gets to have the say about what is true. . . If official language, in the eyes of the public, always leaves nothing but rumor, who will ultimately have the last laugh?”
- Central Economic Working Conference Emphasizes "Stable Economic Growth" for 2012http://news.qq.com/a/20111213/000078.htm (2011-12-13) ― At a economic planning session in Beijing yesterday, Chinese government officials said the emphasis for economic policy in 2012 would be “stable economic growth.” In its coverage of the Central Economic Work Conference, the official People’s Daily said that “the present round of crisis-prevention measures” (一轮反危机操作) would focus on tax cuts and incentives rather than stimulus spending.
- QQ Special Page Aggregates China Coverage of Boat Skirmish with South Koreahttp://news.qq.com/zt2011/hanguohjbc/ (2011-12-13) ― In what has been the most violent skirmish so far between Chinese fisherman and South Korean coast guard, one South Korean officer was killed yesterday and a second injured in an attack by a Chinese boat captain as coast guard tried to stop the Chinese boat. More coverage in English here: http://on.wsj.com/uazMOs
QQ.com, one of China’s most popular web portals, has a special page today aggregating coverage of this story, leading with a notice from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urging South Korean authorities to treat the Chinese boat captain humanely and protect his rights. - Beijing Police Investigating Death of Street Cleaner on Beijing Film Academy Campushttp://news.qq.com/a/20111206/000077.htm (2011-12-06) ― The commercial Beijing Times newspaper reports today that Beijing police are now investigating the death of a street cleaner on the campus of the Beijing Film Academy. Media reports say the cleaner had an argument with a student at the academy over the parking of a luxury vehicle. As the student and cleaner were fighting, police say, the cleaner suddenly collapsed and was later pronounced dead. Details on the student’s identity have not yet been released, but speculation on Chinese social media is running hot, with many making unsubstantiated claims that the student is rich, well-connected, or both, and that this case is a replay of the scandal involving the son of prominent Chinese vocalist Li Shuangjiang earlier this year (http://news.linktv.org/videos/china-rich-kids-gone-wild).
- Peng Xiaoyun: Let Public Debate Become a Dress Rehearsal for Democracyhttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20111206/000026.htm (2011-12-06) ― Two opinion pieces do not make for a trend, but it is interesting to not that the Chinese-language Global Times newspaper, which has a reputation for conservatism and nationalistic saber-rattling, has recently run pieces by both Peng Xiaoyun (彭晓芸) and Guo Yukuan (郭于宽) — veteran journalists at the liberal end of China’s political spectrum. In an opinion piece in the Global Times today, Peng writes about the potential of microblogs in China as a platform allowing for greater discussion of public affairs, a necessary preparation of the public for democratic reforms. The headline of Peng’s piece at QQ.com reads: “Let Public Debate Become an Exercise for Democracy.”
- Academic Corruption: Historian Yuan Weishi Shares Chinese Ad for Paid-for Journal Publicationhttp://weibo.com/1210520227/xArwVkafK (2011-12-06) ― Writing on his Sina Microblog account yesterday, Guangzhou historian Yuan Weishi (袁伟时) shared a group e-mail he received offering him (and other academics) the opportunity to pay 24,000 yuan (US$3,785) to publish a paper in Academic Exploration (学术探索), a Yunnan-based journal launched in 1993. The e-mail reads: “Publication can be arranged for submitted manuscripts in the January 2012 issue of Academic Exploration (Peking University Chinese-language Citation Index, Nanjing University Chinese Social Citation Index/CSSCI). No page fees (版面费) are charged. Please pay a handling fee (理事费) of 24,000 yuan (receipts not issued). . . “
- Wuhan Police Seek Breakthrough in Bombing Case Through Social Mediahttp://news.qq.com/a/20111205/000083.htm (2011-12-05) ― Chinese media report today that “Peaceful Wuhan,” the official microblog of the Wuhan Public Security Bureau, made a post yesterday asking the public to provide information about a recent bomb blast in the city, offering a 100,000-yuan reward for information leading to a breakthrough. On December 1, a bomb blast next to a middle school in Wuhan killed two passersby and injured 10 other people. Wuhan police quickly responded to the case on social media, even providing surveillance video taken of the street where the blast occurred.
- Veteran Journalist Sums Up State of Chinese Media on Weibohttp://weibo.com/1224623833/xAvGm4IXb (2011-12-05) ― Writing on his microblog account at Sina Weibo today, freelance journalist Fu Guoyong (傅国涌), who writes for Southern Weekend and other publications, summed up China’s media today as follows: “A journalist asked me how I assess the media today. I said, strictly speaking, there are no relatively independent popular [or "non-governmental"] media today. While there are a large number of marketized media (市场化媒体), it is still the Party media behind them. Though we can’t really say that everyone must simply accept control by propaganda organizations, their mouthpiece function surpasses their monitoring function. There is only a Xinhua Daily (http://xh.xhby.net/newxh/html/2011-12/05/node_2.htm) tradition, only a Party mouthpiece tradition, not a L’Impartial tradition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta_Kung_Pao) or a Shen Bao (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shen_Bao) tradition.” L’Impartial (or Ta Kung Pao) and Shen Bao were celebrated independent Chinese newspapers during China’s Republican era.
- Global Times: China Has No Responsibility to Take Part in Iran’s Suppressionhttp://view.news.qq.com/a/20111205/000009.htm (2011-12-05) ― In an editorial today, the Chinese-language Global Times comments on the ongoing international controversy over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, saying that China has no responsibility to get involved without available proof that the country is developing nuclear weapons technology. The editorial says: “China resolutely opposes Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, but there must be clear evidence to prove that Iran is behaving in this way before our country can take part in sanctions over related activities. Right now there are two dangers. The first is that Iran might be secretly developing nuclear weapons; the second is that the West is seeking to undermine Iran in the name of opposing nuclear weapons. We do not believe that between these two dangers, either danger can be said to be the lesser.”
- China National Radio: China Telecom Announces it Will Cooperate With Anti-Monopoly Investigationhttp://news.qq.com/a/20111202/001302.htm (2011-12-02) ― According to a report by China National Radio, China Telecom announced on its official website today that it will “actively cooperate” with an investigation by China’s National Development Reform Commission (NDRC) into monopoly practices in the telecoms sector, which is dominated by China Telecom and China Unicom.
- Ministry of Health: New Milk Quality Standards Not Influenced by Companieshttp://news.qq.com/a/20111201/000183.htm (2011-12-01) ― China’s Ministry of Health responded in state media today to public concerns that new quality standards for the milk industry in China had been influenced by major milk producers in the country, as some experts have publicly alleged in recent days. The MOH said the new standards had been drafted by 70 experts, including 24 from various universities and government quality control agencies, and 9 representatives from milk companies (Abbot, Mead-Johnson, Danone, Sanyuan, Mengniu, Yili and Guangming). The other 37 “experts” were not specified.
- Chinese Media Cover International Aids Dayhttp://news.qq.com/a/20111130/001577.htm (2011-12-01) ― On the occasion of International Aids Day (December 1), many Chinese media have done reports or special features on HIV-Aids in China. News reports put the official number of HIV-positive Chinese at 780,000 “by end-of-year 2011.” QQ.com has created a special aggregation page today (http://news.qq.com/zt2011/2011wad/index.htm), which includes news and commentary as well as photos, video and essential information about HIV-Aids.
- Suspect Detained by Beijing Police for Issuing Threats on Social Mediahttp://report.qianlong.com/33378/2011/11/24/118@7521338.htm (2011-11-25) ― China National Radio and other media report today that Beijing police have detained a suspect alleged to have issued violent threats against another person on a domestic Twitter-like microblog site, in what appears to be the first case in China of law enforcement action taken into response to threats made on social media.
- Guangming Daily Editor-in-Chief Named New Head of China Central Televisionhttp://news.qq.com/a/20111124/001074.htm (2011-11-24) ― The official Xinhua News Agency announced in a news release this afternoon that Jiao Li (焦利), who has served as head of China’s state television broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) since May 2009, is being replaced by Hu Zhanfan (胡占凡), the current editor-in-chief of Guangming Daily newspaper. The Xinhua release said “other arrangements” were being made for Jiao Li but did not offer specifics.
- Former Editor-in-Chief of China Land Resource News Given 13-year Prison Term for Briberyhttp://news.qq.com/a/20111124/000802.htm (2011-11-24) ― The official Xinhua News Agency reports today that Liu Yunzhou (刘允洲), the former editor-in-chief of China Land Resource News (中国国土资源报) [www.clr.cn], has been sentenced to a 13-year prison term for allegedly accepting bribes relating to Zhejiang’s Hengdian New Summer Palace, a large property project.
- Prominent Social Media Users Report More Active Deletion of Postshttp://weibo.com/1336056181/xyOJliH13 (2011-11-24) ― A number of prominent social media users in China, including journalists, lawyers and academics, have reported experiencing more intense censorship of their posts on Twitter-like platforms such as Sina Weibo and QQ Weibo. In a post today called, “Please return the space to speak the truth to microblogs,” journalist Yu Shenghai (余胜海) writes: “Lately many of my microblog posts have been deleted.” Hang Zhiguo (韩志国) and Yu Jianrong (于建嵘), both prominent Beijing scholars, have also recently reported that many of their social media posts have been “harmonized,” a common Chinese slang for censorship, and that they have received official “ultimatums” (通牒) from platform managers.
- Siemens Faces Image Crisis as Chinese Campaign Against Faulty Productshttp://view.news.qq.com/zt2011/siemens/index.htm (2011-11-24) ― Earlier this week, celebrity Chinese blogger Luo Yonghao (罗永浩) launched a public campaign through Chinese social media against the German household goods manufacturer Siemens, alleging that its refrigerators sold in China are faulty and that the company has failed to respond to repeated customer concerns. In a video released online in China, Liu and others smashed Siemens brand refrigerators with sledgehammers before posing for a group photo holding up signs that read: “Gently demanding that Siemens admit to and resolve problems with its refrigerator doors.” http://v.ku6.com/show/eJw2eImY_8WW28YI.html Chinese media coverage today quotes unsubstantiated claims by Chinese blogger Wang Xiaofeng (王小峰) alleging that media have been warned by a public relations company representing Siemens that advertisements would be pulled from any media reporting on Liu Yonghao’s destruction of Siemens brand refrigerators.
- New Guangdong Regulation Allows Set-up of Social Organizations Without Parent Organization Sponsorshiphttp://news.sina.com.cn/c/2011-11-24/023323514845.shtml (2011-11-24) ― According to a report by the official Xinhua News Agency, China’s southern Guangdong province has introduced new regulations allowing social organizations (社会组织) to register directly with the Ministry of Civil Affairs without sponsorship by a so-called “competent organization” (主管单位), generally superior bodies with Party or government affiliation that serve a direct supervisory role. The new regulation is part of a recently-introduced Guangdong policy program to manage and foster the development of social organizations. The impact of the regulations in practical terms of course remains to be seen. Beijing Normal University professor Wang Zhenyao (王振耀) yesterday called the regulations “an advantageous breakthrough,” and said they would lower the threshold for the creation of social organizations in the province.
