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FBIS3-44767_9 | Rules for Implementing Business Tax Statute | Regulations. Article 25. The turnover of a unit which gratuitously gives immovable assets to others shall be determined in accordance with Article 15 of the rules. Article 26. The scope of partial tax exemption items stipulated in Article 6 of the Regulations is limited as follows: 1. Service provided by disabled personnel referred to in item 2 of paragraph 1 means service provided by disabled personnel themselves to the society. 2. Medical service provided by a hospital, clinic, or other medical facilities referred to in item 3 of paragraph 1 means service provided to patients in diagnosis, treatment, epidemic prevention, delivery, and family planning, as well as medicine, medical equipment, and patients' room and board related to medical services provided. 3. Schools and other educational institutions referred to in item 4 of paragraph 1 means regular schools and various kinds of schools established with the approval of people's governments at or above the prefecture and city level, or established with the approval of educational administrations of the same government level and the academic records of their students recognized by the state. 4. Machine-farming referred to in item 5 of paragraph 1 means cultivating (including tilling, planting, harvesting, threshing, and plant protection) by use of farming machines in agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry. Drainage and irrigation mean irrigation and draining services conducted in the farmland. Pest control means forecast and control of pests conducted for agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery businesses. Agricultural and animal husbandry insurance means the business of providing insurance for animals and crops raised or cultivated for farming, breeding, and animal husbandry businesses. Relevant technical training means a business related to machine- farming, drainage and irrigation, pest control, and plant protection, as well as training enabling peasants to acquire knowledge about farming and animal husbandry insurance. The scope of tax exemption for businesses concerning breeding and disease prevention for fowl, livestock, and aquatic animals includes providing medicine and medical equipment related to this service. 5. Cultural activities sponsored by memorial halls, museums, cultural halls, art museums, exhibition halls, calligraphy (painting) halls, libraries, and cultural relic protection units referred to in item 6 of Article 1 mean cultural activities sponsored by these units at their own sites, but income from these activities are taxed as cultural and sports businesses. Ticket income means income from tickets sold for the first time. Ticket income from cultural and religious activities sponsored |
FBIS3-44782_0 | `Yearender' Reports Review 1993 On International Situation | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["Yearender" by the China International Studies Center: "Review of International Situation in 1993 and Future Prospects"] [Text] The year 1993 was the second after the disintegration of the bipolar structure. Taking the whole situation into account, the international situation has tended to ease; economic factors are playing a more prominent part in international relations while a relative decline has been registered in the roles of military factors; regional conflicts in a number of "hot spots," which have been in existence for years, are achieving political solutions; and there are better prospects for bringing about world peace which has been sought for a considerable length of time. However, the world is not yet a peaceful one. Local armed conflicts have never ceased and new "hot spots" keep multiplying. The crisis in Russia is continuing. The end of the Cold War in particular, has further exposed contradictions among Western countries, which are currently plagued by deteriorating economic difficulties and a turbulent political and social situation. By contrast, Asia is rising and is enjoying an enhanced status and role in the world. The world's multipolarity trend has become more clear. International relations, as well as the internal and external strategies of major countries, are now going through comprehensive changes and readjustments. Major Western countries are still trapped in the longest economic recession since World War II. Though its economy began to recover in 1993, the United States still finds it hard to resume the vigor of the old days. Germany is still struggling in vain to extricate itself from its current difficult position. This year, the European Community saw a negative growth in its economy and Japan is still at the low ebb of an economic depression. The economic recession currently plaguing the West is both periodical and structural and cannot be separated from the present difficult situation in their military industries in the wake of the end of the Cold War. Because of the conclusion of the Cold War, contradictions among major Western countries begin to sharpen, the public are more resentful of the traditional political forces, and many long-lasting ruling political parties have stepped down, one after another. At present, all major Western countries are readjusting their policies and placing their focus on the settlement of internal problems, coupled with an effort to rejuvenate their economy and facilitate social reform; yet they are encountering numerous problems. It |
FBIS3-44782_3 | `Yearender' Reports Review 1993 On International Situation | its "new interventionism" has been subject to constant setbacks. All these have served to show its difficult position of not having the ability equal to its ambition. At present, the United States has stepped up its efforts to readjust its internal and external policies. Regional conflicts and local wars in 1993 gave rise to two trends. Breakthroughs have been made in seeking political solutions to problems in "hot spots" which have been in existence for many years. The Cambodia issue has achieved a basic solution. The peace treaty signed between Palestine and Israel marks a new beginning in seeking a peaceful solution to the Middle East issue which has lasted for nearly half a century. The day to terminate the rule of the white as well as the apartheid system in South Africa is on its way. On the other hand, however, wars are continuing in some new "hot spots" and the situation in a number of old "hot spots" is taking a turn for the worse. It is true that regional conflicts spreading in former Yugoslavia, specially in the Bosnia-Herzegovina and parts of former Soviet Union, are attributable to national, religious, and territorial factors; yet the intervention of big countries in their fight for dominant power and spheres of influence have also made the problem more complicated and more difficult to solve. The frustrated military intervention of the United States in Somalia as well as the puzzlement of large Western countries over the Bosnia-Herzegovina issue have all showed clearly that sanctions and armed interventions are not solutions to such conflicts. Both positive and negative experience in solving regional conflicts have urged relevant big countries and the United Nations to readjust their policies step by step. In future, major Western countries will take their choice when making military interventions to stop regional conflicts and the United Nations has no alternative but to act according to its capability. In 1993, Russia experienced a severe political turbulence while its economy was in crisis. The October incident put an end to the confrontation between the government and the parliament and now the country is enjoying a temporary stability. The future development of the Russian situation depends on what the government is going to do to end the current economic crisis, in which direction the new parliament intends to move, and in what way the central authorities are going to share power with local |
FBIS3-44782_8 | `Yearender' Reports Review 1993 On International Situation | tending to open up the markets of developing countries. The year 1993 has also witnessed the further growth of regional cooperative organizations among developing countries in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The Third World has made new headway in safeguarding independence, opposing power politics, and in striving to set up a new political and economic world order. At the 1993 World Human Rights Conference, developing countries in Asia stood in the forefront of a struggle against certain Western countries which use the human rights issue as a pretext for interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The "Bangkok Proclamation" adopted by Asian countries as well as the "Kuala Lumpur Human Rights Declaration" adopted by the parliaments of all ASEAN countries, have all given expression to the independent stand of developing countries on the human rights issue. Facts clearly show that in today's world, the Third World continues to present a significant force not to be ignored. In 1993, the trend of international economic regionalization enjoys a continued growth. The approval of the Maastricht Treaty shows that European integration will advance on a tortuous road; the North American Free Trade Zone will take effect in 1994; and the Asian-Pacific economic cooperation is being further strengthened. Meanwhile, the Uruguay Round of the GATT talks, which had lasted for seven years, finally reached a package agreement on 12 December. All this serves to show that although it may amplify trade protectionism and international economic competition, the trend of international economic regionalization will be restricted by the global development of the world's economy. From a long-term point of view, the multicentered development trend of the world economy will continue to grow in the future. The trials of strength and the growth and decline of the relative strength of different regions will produce a farreaching influence on the future development of the world situation. Looking forward to 1994 in prospect, the Western economy will recover slowly; Europe and its neighboring regions will continue to be troubled by turbulence; and Asia will enjoy a relatively stable situation with its economy maintaining rapid growth. Different social systems, development patterns, and cultural formations will draw on the experience of each other and measure their strength through diversified competitions. Hegemonism and power politics will continue to the major obstacles of the world's peace and development, yet the old international order will be faced with more and more challenges. |
FBIS3-44836_0 | New Policies To `Improve' Domestic Car Market | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Chang Weimin: "State Shifts Gears To Boost Motor Market"] [Text] The Chinese Government has decided new policies which aim to improve the domestic motor market. The moves range from tax shifts on retail sales of domestically-made cars to new tariffs on imports. A policy that for years has allowed foreign-funded enterprises to buy duty-free foreign cars will be withdrawn. In addition, controls on institutional car buying, initiated by the Ministry of Finance in the 1970s, have been eased. The ministry said the controls have been lifted to help saloon car makers. The new tariffs are already effective, but regulations on the shifts of saloon car consumption taxes, which constitute two-thirds of the retail car price, are unavailable now. And an official from an automobile trading firm believed the moves would have a major effect but she said it was difficult to predict how situation will develop as the motor market was still in a recession that began in July. The recession, a result of the government's tight-credit policy and anti-corruption drive, is likely to continue until the second half of this year, said industry experts. A senior official with the China Trade Centre for Automobile Imports said imports of foreign-made cars and vans, would certainly be down on last year's 400,000. The official believed tough central government measures would stop the smuggling of foreign-made cars. Customs stations are now required to confiscate smuggled vehicles unconditionally instead of simply imposing fines as they did before. The Ministry of Public Security, the General Administration of Customs and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce issued a joint notice that no driving licence be given to car owners without documents from the firm where they bought the car. In 1993, 100,000 cars and vans were smuggled into the mainland. Business Weekly has learned the government approved the duty-free sale to foreign-funded firms of a third of the 15,000 cars and vans it bought last year. The cars made by the US's General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, are now the last batch of duty-free cars being sold to foreign-funded firms. In 1993, 80,000 foreign-built cars and vans were sold to foreign-funded enterprises duty-free, compared with 50,000 in 1992. This preferential policy is to be cancelled partly because some overseas-run firms profiteered by selling duty-free vehicles to domestic customers. And some foreign-funded firms were set up for no other reason |
FBIS3-44845_0 | MOFTEC Official on Expanding to Iraqi Market | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Xiao Wang] [Text] China will take on new markets this year to expand its overseas labour and engineering service, a senior official said last week. The Middle East, a magnet damaged by the Gulf War, is especially promising, said Chen Yongcai, director general of the international co-operation department at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation. "We're well prepared to enter the Iraqi market once the United Nations' sanctions are called off," he said. There is a strong likelihood the UN will lift economic sanctions against Iraq within the year, analysts say. China has had a number of projects in Iraq, some have had to be postponed because of the sanctions. And in certain cases, Iraq still owes China money. "We're closely following what is happening with Iraq," Chen said, but he declined to give details. China has already regained its presence in Kuwait, which is emerging from the scars of the Gulf War. Chen said China's labour and engineering contracts where were back at pre-Gulf War levels. "We've won bids from Kuwait to build larger petrochemical projects," he said. Other big potential markets include South Korea, Japan, Sudan, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Chen believed China would get $7.5 billion worth of overseas labour and engineering contracts this year, 25 percent more than 1993. Business turnover would grow 12.5 percent to $4.5 billion. And altogether 190,000 workers would be overseas by the end of the year, 30,000 more than 1993. Chen said China would also seek higher-level labour and engineering contracts this year, including aircraft maintenance and project consultancy and design. In the past, Chinese workers have been engaged mostly in infrastructure on construction projects. Chen said China was also considering accepting payment in the form of oil or oil products from Middle East countries. China had rejected such payment in the past, causing the loss of many contracts, Chen added. He estimated the value of 1993's overseas labour and engineering contracts at $6 billion, 10 percent lower than 1992. But he said actual business turnover would hit $4 billion, up 31 percent. Chen attributed the slide in contract value partly to Sino- British disputes over Hong Kong. |
FBIS3-44860_3 | Li Peng, Chen Junsheng Discuss Flood Prevention | of supplementary funds. Chen Junsheng emphatically said: It is necessary for departments concerned to further strengthen leadership in the work of harnessing the Huai He and the Tai Hu, clarify their responsibilities, and carry out their duties. All relevant provinces and cities in the Huai He and the Tai Hu valleys should closely cooperate with each other and be united in harnessing the floods. They must follow the basic principle of taking the whole situation into consideration, be cooperative, and sharing burdens in their future efforts of harnessing the Huai He and the Tai Hu. Thanks to the efforts of the past several years in building water conservancy projects for harnessing the Huai He and the Tai Hu, these projects will be put into operation one after another. All localities must attach great importance to the management of these projects so as to generate maximum results. Equal attention should be paid to project construction, management, and flood prevention. During the construction period, it is possible for floods to occur each year. Therefore, we should not relax efforts in all flood-prevention tasks. Effective measures should be made to repair the projects damaged by floods. We should be resolute in doing a good job in dredging river courses. We should guarantee that projects already accomplished are put into service on time so as to ensure safe flood seasons. At the meeting, Minister Niu Maosheng of water resources talked about this year's goal of harnessing the Huai He and the Tai Hu. He said: It is imperative to launch a compressive drive to harness the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Huai He's main tributaries. We should open the passage of the middle reaches of the Huai He with all speed. All-out construction of the new river course for the Huaihong should begin so as to ensure its all-line completion in 1995. More efforts should be made in building projects for diverging river water to the east and the south, with a goal of accomplishing the first phase project in 1995. We should still focus the work of harnessing the Tai Hu on projects designed to diverge water of the Taipu He, the Wangyu He, and the Hangjia He to the south and ensure that these projects will be accomplished in 1995. Continued efforts should be made to build the dikes surrounding the Tai Hu and flood-prevention projects in east Shao Xi |
FBIS3-44870_0 | Hong Kong Daily On Dissidents Starting Businesses Reportedly Watched by Secret Police | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Amy Yip] [Text] China's dissidents-turned-businessmen are facing close surveillance by secret police while they catch up with the tide of running profit-making ventures. And state-linked businesses have been ordered to sever ties with dissidents, Chinese sources told The Standard yesterday. Dissidents believe the authorities feared that greater economic capabilities would enable them to expand political activities. A dissident whose business was affected by police actions complained: "It is more difficult for us to run a business, not only because of the austerity measures, but also the disturbance created by the secret police." Sources said that Jia Chunwang, head of the Ministry of State Security, recently asked Song Jian, chairman of the State Science and Technology Commission, to keep the commission's subordinate enterprises away from the dissident businesses. A dissident, who was jailed for almost a year after the 1989 Tiananmen Square military crackdown, had signed a contract with an enterprise under the commission on the exploration of a land development. Under the Security Ministry's intervention, the plan was frustrated and his company plunged into difficulties. A press conference planned by the dissident about his business plan was barred a few months ago as the police stopped a Beijing hotel from renting a room to him to hold the function. Released veteran dissident Wang Xizhe, who opened a jewellery shop in Guangzhou over the weekend, was annoyed by police interference in his business. "I am a businessman, not a dissident any more. Why should my clients be questioned by the police," Wang asked. He said a Sichuan businessman who had planned to set up a joint venture with him was taken in by police for questioning. Wang was sent to Zhuhai by police last July when he was about to meet an American businessman introduced by John Kamm, an American working on China's human rights issue. Wang claimed that police action had already affected his business. |
FBIS3-44905_0 | Reports on President Clinton's Trip `Roundup' Previews Visit | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["Roundup" by staff reporter Bao Shishao (7637 0013 4801): "Clinton's First Trip to Europe"] [Text] Washington, 7 Jan (RENMIN RIBAO)--On 8 January, U.S. President Clinton will depart and begin his first trip to Europe since he has taken office in the White House. Clinton will first attend the NATO summit meeting in Brussels and will then visit Prague and meet with the leaders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland. From 12 to 15 January, he will visit Moscow and meet Russian President Yeltsin. Then he will visit Minsk and meet the leaders of Belarus. Finally, he will go to Geneva to meet Syrian President al-Asad. Europe was the focus of U.S. foreign policy for a long time. However, in the year since Clinton took office, he has mainly paid attention to domestic affairs. In the diplomatic field, in addition to attending the G-7 summit in Tokyo, meeting with Russian President Yeltsin in Canada, and attending an informal meeting with APEC leaders, Clinton has been busy coping with regional conflicts and has had no time to deal with European affairs. However, it is also a pressing matter to readjust the United States' relationship with Europe and with Russia in the new post-Cold War situation and thus maintain the United States' "leading position" in Europe and the whole world. This is the main purpose of Clinton's current visit to Europe. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the precondition for a U.S.-European alliance against the Soviet Union did not continue to exist. The dissolution of the Warsaw Pact even brought about a deep split in the longstanding security ties between the United States and Europe. Disagreements over various European security issues, especially the function and scope of NATO, increased between the two sides. On the issues of settling the conflicts in Bosnia and Somalia, the United States could not effectively influence other countries. U.S.-European conflicts over economic interests also increased, and trade friction between the two sides caused the Uruguay Round of trade talks to stagnate for a long time. In addition, as the United States attached greater importance to the Asia-Pacific region and proposed the establishment of a "New Pacific Community," this caused much speculation about a shift in the focus of U.S. foreign policy. In such circumstances, Clinton's current trip to Europe is aimed at reiterating Europe's |
FBIS3-44905_1 | Reports on President Clinton's Trip `Roundup' Previews Visit | and with Russia in the new post-Cold War situation and thus maintain the United States' "leading position" in Europe and the whole world. This is the main purpose of Clinton's current visit to Europe. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the precondition for a U.S.-European alliance against the Soviet Union did not continue to exist. The dissolution of the Warsaw Pact even brought about a deep split in the longstanding security ties between the United States and Europe. Disagreements over various European security issues, especially the function and scope of NATO, increased between the two sides. On the issues of settling the conflicts in Bosnia and Somalia, the United States could not effectively influence other countries. U.S.-European conflicts over economic interests also increased, and trade friction between the two sides caused the Uruguay Round of trade talks to stagnate for a long time. In addition, as the United States attached greater importance to the Asia-Pacific region and proposed the establishment of a "New Pacific Community," this caused much speculation about a shift in the focus of U.S. foreign policy. In such circumstances, Clinton's current trip to Europe is aimed at reiterating Europe's importance for the United States' global interests and emphasizing that the United States will continue to undertake its commitments to NATO and will continue to strengthen its cooperative relationship with Western Europe in the security field, thus maintaining the United States' domination of European affairs through NATO. The NATO summit meeting in Brussels will mainly discuss how to strengthen security cooperation with the former members of the Warsaw Pact. In consideration of their own security interests, some East European countries, which were formerly members of the Warsaw Pact, are eager to join NATO. Some NATO member countries also hold that the "security vacuum" brought about by the dissolution of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe should be filled in good time and that the East European countries should be admitted to NATO. However, Russia is opposed to the admittance of the East European nations into NATO. In view of Russia's stance, the Clinton administration holds that hasty action could endanger NATO's own interests. In addition, the victory of the Liberal Democratic Party headed by Zhirinovsky in the recent Russian parliamentary election made the United States and Europe feel that the rise of nationalist sentiment in Russia could weaken the United |
FBIS3-44908_0 | Reports on President Clinton's Trip Column Views Visit | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["Jottings" column by Chen Junfeng (7115 0193 6912): "Clinton Reassesses Europe's Attraction"] [Text] The recent development of events shows that after paying attention to Asian affairs in his first year after taking office, the U.S. President has begun to shift his eyes to Europe again. He went to Brussels on 9 January to attend the NATO summit meeting, and thus began his first scheduled trip to Europe. The climax of Clinton's European trip will be his meeting with Yeltsin between 12 and 15 January. This will be Clinton's first visit to Russia after taking office and is aimed at enhancing the prestige of the Russian president. The year 1993 was the first year of the Clinton administration. With the end of the "Cold War," the military threat of the former Soviet Union against the United States also came to an end. The global strategy of confrontation with the Soviet Union pursued by all post-war U.S. administrations lost its significance. The long arms race placed the U.S. economy in a predicament. The unemployment rate has stayed at a high level for three consecutive years and social problems have piled up. From the very beginning, the Clinton administration took the reinvigoration of the U.S. economy as its overwhelming task and is determined to adjust the country's foreign policy. In recent years, changes have also occurred in Europe's strategic position. With the disappearance of a common enemy of the United States and Europe, contradictions between the United States and Europe have gradually increased. In the economic field, with the formation of a large, unified market in Europe, conflicts of interest between the two sides of the Atlantic Ocean became more prominent. At the same time, a relatively stable situation and high-speed economic growth existed in Asia. The broad market and huge potential of Asia are very attractive to the Clinton administration, which is striving to revitalize the U.S. economy. Therefore, after taking office in the White House, different from his predecessors, the destination of Clinton's first foreign visit was East Asia. However, the end of the Cold War did not mean that Europe would have no worries and would enjoy lasting peace. Nuclear forces in such former republics of the Soviet Union as Russia and Ukraine continue to plague the Western countries. In particular, Ukraine still refuses to implement the START 1 Treaty. In order to guarantee their own |
FBIS3-44937_0 | MOFTEC Official on Expanding to Iraqi Market | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Xiao Wang] [Text] China will take on new markets this year to expand its overseas labour and engineering service, a senior official said last week. The Middle East, a magnet damaged by the Gulf War, is especially promising, said Chen Yongcai, director general of the international co-operation department at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation. "We're well prepared to enter the Iraqi market once the United Nations' sanctions are called off," he said. There is a strong likelihood the UN will lift economic sanctions against Iraq within the year, analysts say. China has had a number of projects in Iraq, some have had to be postponed because of the sanctions. And in certain cases, Iraq still owes China money. "We're closely following what is happening with Iraq," Chen said, but he declined to give details. China has already regained its presence in Kuwait, which is emerging from the scars of the Gulf War. Chen said China's labour and engineering contracts where were back at pre-Gulf War levels. "We've won bids from Kuwait to build larger petrochemical projects," he said. Other big potential markets include South Korea, Japan, Sudan, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Chen believed China would get $7.5 billion worth of overseas labour and engineering contracts this year, 25 percent more than 1993. Business turnover would grow 12.5 percent to $4.5 billion. And altogether 190,000 workers would be overseas by the end of the year, 30,000 more than 1993. Chen said China would also seek higher-level labour and engineering contracts this year, including aircraft maintenance and project consultancy and design. In the past, Chinese workers have been engaged mostly in infrastructure on construction projects. Chen said China was also considering accepting payment in the form of oil or oil products from Middle East countries. China had rejected such payment in the past, causing the loss of many contracts, Chen added. He estimated the value of 1993's overseas labour and engineering contracts at $6 billion, 10 percent lower than 1992. But he said actual business turnover would hit $4 billion, up 31 percent. Chen attributed the slide in contract value partly to Sino- British disputes over Hong Kong. |
FBIS3-44974_0 | Tibet Reportedly Jails Nuns for Organizing Rally | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Robert Barnett] [Text] The Chinese authorities in Lhasa have sentenced 12 nuns to up to seven years in jail for apparently trying to organise a pro-independence rally in June last year, sources said. The imprisoned nuns, which included a 15-year-old girl, came from Garu nunnery, five kilometres north of Lhasa. They were arrested on June 14, 1993. Some sources say that the nuns were arrested before they had managed to begin any protest or demonstration. There were no reports of rallies in or near Lhasa that day. Two of the nuns, Ngawang Dedrol, 25, from Chumda township in Medrogungkar and Phuntsog Choekyi, 22, from Kache township in Phenpo Lhundrup county, were sentenced to seven years in prison, according to unofficial sources. Ngawang Keldron, a 19-year-old nun from Meldro Gyama, has been jailed for five years. Nine other nuns from Garu received sentences of between two and four years. The date of the trial was not known, but it was believed to have taken place in the past three months. The Chinese authorities have not issued any statements. All 12 nuns have been moved to Drapchi prison in Lhasa, where the most serious offenders are held, bringing the total number of nuns imprisoned there for political offences to 49, of which 32 were believed to be nuns from Garu. It is believed that 124 monks and 35 laymen have been held in Drapchi prison for political offences. Among them was a 15-year-old girl, Gyaltsen Pelsang, who was too young to be admitted legally to a prison according to the law in China. Two other Garu nuns, Ngawang Yangkyi and Gyaltsen Tsultrim, both 22, were also tried and jailed at Drapchi. The two had been arrested after they started a brief pro- independence demonstration in the centre of Lhasa on June 4 last year. Their sentences are unknown. Within days after the arrest of the 14 nuns, a working team of communist officials was sent to the nunnery to begin a three-month political education session. There are 90 nuns remaining at Garu. |
FBIS3-44976_3 | Circular Issued on Combating Corruption | necessary to resolutely deal with those who obstruct investigation of cases. We should resolutely stop unhealthy tendencies. Continued efforts should be made to deal with problems related to illegal collection of fees, and with cases involving those who make overseas sightseeing tours at public expense. It is important to make timely announcements on cancellation of illegal fees collection. Personnel should be organized to check and ensure that illegal fees that had been canceled are not reintroduced. Leading organs responsible for management of professions and trades should do a good job in rectifying unhealthy tendencies in various professions and trades. The current stage of anticorruption struggle happens to fall during the two holidays of New Year and the Spring Festival. The General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued "A Circular on the Strict Banning of Feasting, Gift-Giving at Public Expense and Waste and Extravagances During the Period of 1994 New Year and Spring Festival" and reiterated five stipulations, which will greatly help promote the implementation of the CPC Central Committee's three areas of anticorruption work in the near future. All levels of party committees, and government, discipline inspection, and supervision organs should implement the circular by taking into consideration the reality of various localities and various departments. The results of the present stage of party- style and clean-administration building and of the anticorruption struggle will put our ability to spend a clean, joyous, and happy New Year and Spring Festival to a real test. It is necessary for discipline inspection and supervision organs to do a good job of publicizing the "circular," enhancing supervision, and checking on enforcement. Discipline must be strictly enforced on those who violate discipline, and there should be no appeasement and leniency for them. The deeds of those who seriously violate discipline and have a very bad influence should be publicized. It is necessary to closely integrate the implementation of the "circular's" five stipulations with the implementation of the CPC Central Committee's three areas of anticorruption work in the near future. We must produce marked results in this stage of the anticorruption struggle. In addition to doing a good job of the above work, all levels of party committees and government discipline inspection and supervision organs should, following the Spring Festival, organize personnel to conduct investigation, study, and work out plans for the next stage of the anticorruption work. Following the Spring Festival, the Discipline Inspection |
FBIS3-44998_0 | Articles View Impact of U.S. Textile Quota On Hong Kong, Taiwan | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["Special article" by Li Xiaozhun (2621 1321 6150)] [Text] Hong Kong, 9 Jan (ZHONGGUO TONGXUN SHE) -- The recent decision by the United States to unilaterally cut mainland China's textile quotas has aroused the great concern of manufacturers from three sides across the Taiwan Strait. If the decision goes into effect officially, it will: Cause a loss of $1.2 billion to the mainland's textile exports; affect Hong Kong, which plays an entrepot role for the mainland's trade; and will affect Taiwan businessmen who have invested in the mainland. It will also affect Taiwan's textile exports. As the mainland's traditional major export commodity, textiles occupy a decisive position in overall foreign trade. Thanks to the vigorous development of mainland China's economy, its textile exports to the U.S. market rank first among other textile exporters. According to statistics, the volume of mainland China's textile and garment exports to the United States totaled $4.7 billion in 1993, an increase of more than 100 percent over the $2.2 billion in 1988. The U.S. market absorbs a large amount of Chinese textiles, showing that there is indeed such a demand. Over the past nine months, however, the United States has failed to reach agreement with China after four rounds of talks. Eventually, the United States decided to unilaterally cut mainland China's textile export quotas by 25 to 25 percent [numbers as received] commencing 1994, under the excuse of China's "illegal textile shipments." The textile quota cut involves an export volume of $1.18 billion. If the decision goes into effect on 17 January, it will not only incur serious losses in mainland China's textile exports but will also adversely affect China's overall foreign trade and economic development in 1994. Meanwhile, the U.S. decision to unilaterally cut China's export textile quotas will also affect Hong Kong and bring losses to its entrepot trade. According to statistics, the volume of China's export commodities via Hong Kong totals $50 billion annually and textiles account for a large proportion of this total. Although the textile cut will not immediately affect Hong Kong, it will bring losses to China's textile and garment exports to the United States via Hong Kong. At the same time, it will dampen the enthusiasm of Hong Kong manufacturers for investing in the mainland. Two possible conflicts of interests may occur in Taiwan. Although the textile export quotas obtained locally by Taiwan investors |
FBIS3-45000_1 | Articles View Impact of U.S. Textile Quota Guangdong `Hurt' | by the United States to slash textile import quotas from China, according to a leading textile maker in Guangdong. Wang Shenghuai, Vice-President of Guangdong Textile Import and Export Corporation, said he hopes China and the U.S. will find a satisfying solution to this sensitive issue during the coming fourth round of talks on textile quotas scheduled from January 15 to 17. "If a solution can't be reached, we are planning to retaliate in order to make up our losses," he said. The U.S. announced last week its intention to cut quotas for China s textile imports by 25-35 percent in response to illicit transshipments of Chinese textiles bearing labels of other countries. The reduction would slash Chinese textile exports to the U.S. by almost $1.2 billion. Wang s company, a leading textile exporter to the U.S., is under great pressure if the cuts take effect on January 17. More than 20 percent of the company's exports are shipped to the U.S. The company has been doing textile business with U.S. companies for 16 years. For the past years, exports to the U.S. have been stable, with an annual average of $90 million, Wang said. Under the 25-35 percent cuts quoted by the American side, the company would lose 70 million yuan ($8 million) in profits this year. A recent study conducted on five of his factories that send the bulk of their products to the U.S. market showed more than 6,000 workers might be laid off. Businessmen from Hong Kong and Taiwan, especially those who have opened textile plants in the mainland, are now hesitating about doing further business in the area. "They are afraid of going bankrupt if the contracted goods are among the still-unannounced 88 types of products that are having their quotas reduced by the U.S.," said Wang. "The U.S. should have joined hands with the Chinese side to clamp down on illegal textile activities, rather than hurting innocent people," Wang said. "The Chinese Government has been tough and cracked down on illegal textile traders," he said. Two inspection teams from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation (Moftec) visited Wang's company last year, even though it has not been involved in any illegal trade. "It is unfair to cut our quotas," said Wang. On the other hand, Wang added: "China should learn from this not to rely on one country in its future world trade. |
FBIS3-45075_0 | Minister Addresses Educational Reform, Projects Continues Anti-Illiteracy Campaign | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, January 11 (XINHUA) -- China is to lift at least four million out of illiteracy this year, a top official has vowed. Zhu Kaixuan, minister in charge of the State Education Commission, said in a national telephone meeting on education here today that, if programs go according to this plan, China will be able to give all its grown-ups the ability to read. For several years, China has strictly and firmly rescued about four million from illiteracy annually. The illiteracy rate for the total population has dropped from 80 percent in 1949 to 16 percent today, accounting for the young and adults. "Elementary education will be the key for all national education in the coming years," Zhu said. "We will map out measures to help poor regions popularize compulsory education and revise the current examination methods on anti-illiteracy progress." About 90 percent of Chinese illiterates are rural people, with the majority being females living in poverty-stricken areas. Yet, Zhu emphasized other aspects of education, which will consolidate anti-illiteracy achievements, such as professional education, adult education and higher learning. A new mechanism will be gradually introduced on college campuses, which requires more students to pay for tuition and choose jobs by themselves, he revealed. And the Education Commission will draft more than 20 laws and regulations this year to provide more legal protection for the sector, including the law of education and the regulation for foreigners to run schools in China, the minister added. |
FBIS3-45088_4 | Li Peng Tours Three Gorges Project Site Voices `Concern' for Settlers | site, he made a special trip to visit the people who were resettled at the Zhujiawan resettlement zone located at the lower reaches of the dam site. The Three Gorges Project, being an extra-large and key water-control project, is confronted with a tough task of resettling the people. Premier Li Peng has repeatedly emphasized: "The success or failure of the Three Gorges Project depends on resettling the people." Following many years of experiments, the dam zone has gained many useful experiences in the work of resettling the people. The masses generally welcome the experiment, since then have experienced marked economic, social, and environmental benefits in various resettlement sites. Walking on a gravel road, Li Peng headed toward a temporary resettlement area. Yichang County Head Chen Hua pointed at a residential building in the distance which is undergoing construction and told the premier: "That building is for the settlers. It can accommodate 162 settlers. A total of 92 people from 26 households will move into their new houses before the Spring Festival. With much interest, Li Peng inquired into the details of the new houses for settlers. In a makeshift house, Li Peng was found sitting together and chatting with the family of settler Zhou Bin. Li Peng asked: "How many rooms did you have in your former house?" "Two," came the reply. "What is the size of the new house?" "160 square meters." Li Peng smilingly said: "It is bigger than your former house." Zhou Bin said: "That is because of the meticulous arrangements made by the party and government." Li Peng asked Zhou Bin again: "What was your original occupation? "I was a carpenter." "What have you done after moving?" "After moving here, I was recruited into the village's construction team." Li Peng said: "Carpenters play a big role in house building; they make windows and furniture." Zhou Bin spoke with pride: "I make those things." Li Peng spoke in a tone of praise: "As you have skills, you will surely lead a comfortable life!" At this, Zhou Bin smiled. Li Peng looked inside and outside the house of Zhou Bin. He said: "Your housing condition is much better than that of the house I was provided in Tangshan when I took part in post-quake relief work. I stayed in Tangshan for over three months. After bidding farewell to the Zhous, Li Peng visited another makeshift house. Viewing the |
FBIS3-45105_3 | Army Paper Views U.S. Military Strategy Change | weapons as targets for strategic nuclear weapons. Regarding policies for nuclear force development, the goal is guaranteed quality, reasonable curtailment, maintaining research and development, halting production, scrapping the Strategic Defense Initiative project, and implementing the "anti-missile defense" plan. Two, changing the conventional force into a rapid-deployment force ready to move into areas where U.S. interests are under threat, this will enable the U.S. to intervene in regional crisis and conflicts anywhere around the world. Three, maintaining the superior military quality of the U.S. Army and its advanced weapons. Funding for developing new weapons technology will continue even during ongoing military expenditure cuts, the focus being weapon systems dealing with regional conflicts. Four, building an intelligence system capable of providing prompt, accurate analysis of the military, political, economic, and cultural conditions of an area of potential conflicts. One notable feature of the Clinton Administration's military strategy is the increase in the strength of intervention in regional affairs. This forestalls any change in the international security structure that may be inimical to the United States. The Bush Administration's approach to regional conflicts was premised on the international balance of power and its use of force was often reactive. Whereas Clinton believes in limited state sovereignty,favors preemptive measures, and advocates the legitimacy and efficacy of supra-national military intervention. To prevent a global proliferation of ballistic missile technology and weapons of massive destruction, the United States will exert pressure on, and even "punish," companies and countries it believes are selling such technology. The United States is also stepping up negotiations with all concerned countries for a strict mandatory international nonproliferation treaty. Apart from continuing to stress the role of allies, the Clinton Administration has repeatedly stressed: Launching peace diplomacy, its readiness to act alone if necessary, reserving the right to "selective intervention"--with a majority of military interventions carrying a distinctivly economic color. In handling relations with allies, the United States favors equal emphasis on cooperation and competition; that is, full cooperation in solving regional conflicts and expenditure and risk sharing among allies; but competition in economic fields to force allies to open up their markets. The United States also stresses the goal of controlling regional conflicts through the United Nations; different arrangements for security in different regions; and, above all, maintaining a powerful military presence in key conflict areas, such as the Middle East, viewed as a potential model for a regional security pattern. |
FBIS3-45121_0 | Yugoslav Military Chief on Outside Interference | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Belgrade, December 29 (XINHUA) -- Momcilo Perisic [name as received], chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Armed Forces, today blamed foreign powers for the outbreak of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In an interview with the Yugoslav TANJUG News Agency and the Army newspaper, VOJSKA, Perisic accused foreign powers of pursuing a policy of instigation of war in Bosnia, which was to a large extent successful in spreading the war. Most of the European countries had supported the separatist forces in the former Yugoslavia and provided them with military assistance, the chief of the general staff said, adding that the world's biggest firearm salesmen and war Mafia had a hand in the Balkan war. Perisic stressed that the superpowers, in seeking their strategic interests in the Balkans, had used their trump card of military force. Even the U.N. force had become a tool in their pursuit of these interests, he added. The Yugoslav military chief warned that the civil war in Bosnia, once spreading to the whole region, would run beyond control and threaten the security of those countries which had helped splitting the former Yugoslavia. |
FBIS3-45143_0 | Hebei To Build Power Plant in Inner Mongolia | Language: Mandarin Article Type:BFN [Text] There is hope of easing the power shortage situation of the northern power grid which has disrupted our province's economic development. The agreement on building Zhenglan power plant with joint invesments from our province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was concluded in principle in Shijiazhuang on 11 January. Zhenglan power plant will be built within the territory of Zhenglan Banner in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The designed capacity is 2.4 million kilowatts and the total investment is more than 1 billion yuan renminbi. Upon completion, most of the generated energy will be transmitted to the northern power grid of Hebei. Our province's Chengde, Tangshan, Qinhuangdao and Lanfang will be benefited. Guo Shichang, vice provincial governor, and Lin Yongsan, vice chairman of the regional government, attended the signing ceremony on 11 January. |
FBIS3-45152_5 | Paper `Yearender' Lauds `Fine Traditions' How Can Our Armed Forces Always Be Invincible in Times of Peace? One Thing in the Basic Experience Is: Maintaining the Fine Traditions. New Times, New Tasks--Only by Integrating the Fine Traditions With the Spirit of the Times Can They Add Radiance to One Another and Shine With Dazzling Splendor. Fine Traditions Are Not Genetic Factors and Are Not Automatically Inherited. The Valuable Thing Regarding Traditions Lies in "Passing On." | topic of discussion among the people, and some officers and soldiers had some doubts about the value of life, the education of fine traditions showed its unique might. The education on the outlook on life and the sense of value has been conducted throughout the Army in a lively and down-to-earth manner. Being faced with the achievements of revolutionary martyrs, the officers and solders have gradually tended to acquire a balance between individual interests and the interests of the revolution, conscientiously engaged in hard work, become willing to make contribution and sacrifice, and energetically made contributions to the modernization of our Armed Forces. The third indication is: The fulfillment of various tasks centering around military training has been enhanced and fighting capacity has markedly increased. The aim of the education on traditions is to increase the fighting capacity. All units of the Armed Forces have made efforts to enable the education on traditions to permeate various tasks centering around military training and to foster in the Armed Forces the revolutionary spirit of bearing hardships, doing hard work, fearing no difficulties, and a willingness to shed blood and make sacrifices. One all-powerful unit after another has left its barracks to temper itself in the vast open country, high mountains, thick forests, blue skies, boundless oceans, deserts, and snowy plains. Fine Traditions Are Not Genetic Factors and Are Not Automatically Inherited. The Valuable Thing Regarding Traditions Lies in "Passing On." The number of old comrades who have participated in war has become smaller and smaller. How can the fine traditions of our Armed Forces be passed on and carried forward from generation to generation? A comrade with much foresight made this wonderful remark: Fine traditions are not genetic factors in nature and are not automatically inherited. The valuable thing regarding traditions lies in "passing on." "Passing on" has become a figurative term in carrying forward fine traditions throughout the Army. Earnestly practice what one preaches -- "passing on." Answering the call of the Central Military Commission leadership, large numbers of old comrades who are still working or who have retired have come to give lectures on, and pass on, the traditions to young officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces. This is the most convincing education on traditions and is also the most effective way to pass on experience, give help, and set an example. This is a kind of gratifying natural |
FBIS3-45163_0 | Vatican May Forge Diplomatic Ties With PRC Vatican Official Confirms Plans | Language: English Article Type:BFN [From the "News" program] [Text] The Vatican will establish formal diplomatic ties with the PRC but will maintain its current ties with Taiwan, a high- ranking Vatican official has said. The official's statement was reported on semi-official radio in Taiwan, but neither the official's name or rank was given. A reporter asked the Reverend (Hsu Ying-fa), the secretary general of the Catholic Bishop's Office in the ROC [Republic of China], to comment on the report. (Hsu) said: The Vatican has plans to establish formal ties with the People's Republic, but the Vatican Parliament has also promised the Bishop's Office in Taiwan that it would not cut its ties with any country, including Taiwan. (Hsu's) office was not surprised when it heard of the news. (Hsu) said the ROC Government should not worry too much about the Vatican's decision. However, it was possible that the Vatican would assign an ambassador to Mainland China and a representative to Taiwan for future contact. |
FBIS3-45164_0 | Vatican May Forge Diplomatic Ties With PRC Taiwan Minister on Establishing Ties | Language: English Article Type:BFN [From the "News" program] [Text] Minister without Portfolio Chiu Hung-tao said Tuesday [11 January] it is up to Peking [Beijing] whether the Vatican will maintain diplomatic ties with Taipei after establishing such relations with mainland China. Chiu was responding to reports that the Vatican will establish formal diplomatic relations with the mainland, but will not sever existing relations with Taiwan. Chiu claimed that the problem of dual recognition for the ROC and the PRC will have to be determined largely by Peking's attitude. He said that if the PRC approves of the scheme, there will be no reason why other countries should cut their diplomatic ties with the ROC. Some people are worried that this could encourage other countries with formal ties with Taiwan to recognize the mainland and down- grade their envoys here. Chiu said that perhaps more countries which previously did not recognize Taiwan would decide to follow the Vatican's example in setting up an official office here without breaking ties with the mainland. |
FBIS3-45166_0 | Economic Minister Promotes `Southern Strategy' | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Y.C. Tsai] [Text] Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) -- The government is promoting the "Southern Strategy" to cut Taiwan's investment risk in Mainland China, Economic Affairs Minister P.K. Chiang said Thursday [13 January]. The strategy encourages Taiwan manufacturers to invest more in Vietnam and member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which groups Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei. Chiang made the remark in a nationwide radio program aired by the Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC) in the morning. Although the new investment drive is a "win-win" policy for both Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries, the government will respect whatever decisions domestic investors make, he noted. The minister, however, cited active participation in the new investment strategy as the best policy, saying traders should follow business benefits. Under the "Southern Strategy," which is also touted as the "Guidelines for the Strengthening of Trade Ties With Southeast Asia," the government will take the initiative to deal with various governments to help promote the interests of Taiwan investors, he elaborated. If Taiwan investors don't go to Southeast Asia now, their counterparts in other countries such as Japan, South Korea, and the United States will, he warned. In the initial stage, he added, the strategy will target Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The three countries boast rich natural resources and an abundant labor force, he said, suggesting that Taiwan investors invest in agriculture, forestry, fishery, petrochemicals, and labor-intensive industries. Moreover, he revealed, the government is also pondering cooperation with Indonesia on aerospace industry development. The aerospace development package is still in the planning stages, he added. Chiang stressed that the "Southern Strategy" will produce reciprocal benefits, saying increased Taiwan investments will help boost the economies and upgrade the living standards in the Southeast Asian countries, whose peoples in turn will have more purchasing power to buy Taiwan-made products. |
FBIS3-45214_0 | Fujian Southeast TV Station Begins Operating | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [By reporter Lin Siding (2651 2448 1353)] [Text] Fuzhou, 1 Jan (XINHUA]--The Southeast Television Station officially starts broadcasting in Fuzhou today. Zhan Jincan, director of the Southeast Television Broadcasting Station, said at A news briefing here today that at present, the creation and content of the programs of the station are based on the conditions of Fujian and are geared to the whole country including Taiwan and to Southeast Asia. Efforts are made to produce programs with a distinct flavor of the times and strong local characteristics. The main content of the programs include: True and timely important reports on Fujian and Southeast Asia, southeast news, southeast records of actual events, common cross-strait happiness, southeast scenery, film and video tapes, live southeast broadcasts, comprehensive theatrical programs with rich local color for viewers on both sides of the strait and abroad, and looking at the sea tonight. The Southeast Television Broadcasting Station was set up in July 1993 with the approval of the Ministry of Radio, Film, and Television. Since it started broadcasting on a trial basis three months ago, it has been universally welcomed by viewers at home and abroad. According to reports, the television broadcasting station plans to transmit its programs via satellite to viewers at home and abroad at an appropriate time this year. |
FBIS3-45247_0 | New Process for Using Ore Tailings Developed | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Shenyang, January 11 (XINHUA) -- Chinese scientists have developed a new technological process for dressing tailings of ferrous metal ores, which is said to be internationally advanced. The process has passed state appraisal and been patented. Experts noted that the technological process will play an important role in saving and more effectively utilizing mineral resources. The new process was developed by the Benxi Iron and Steel Company's Waitoushan iron ore mine in northeast China's Liaoning Province. After years of efforts, scientists at the mine developed a magnetic plant and a technological process including milling and concentrating, which is of low cost and without pollution. By using the equipment and the technological process, iron and steel works can recover low-content magnetic iron ore powder from the slurry of tailings. With trial use of the new equipment and technological process, Benxi Iron and Steel Company has recovered over 30,000 tons of iron ore concentrates with the grade rate reaching as high as 65 percent, making 1.5 million yuan profits. Most of the ferrous metal ores in China are low grade ones. During the process of the usual magnetic dressing, about seven percent of the iron ore concentrates is cast away with the tailings. At present, China has over 30 large magnetic dressing plants, which cast away over 54 million tons of tailings slurry. If the newly-developed technological process is adopted by all the large magnetic dressing plants throughout the country, a total of 1.3 million tons of iron ore concentrates will be recovered, thus earning more than 200 million yuan a year. |
FBIS3-45249_0 | Development of Zhejiang's Technology Markets Noted | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Hangzhou, January 14 (XINHUA) -- Years of effort to develop technology markets have successfully speeded up the commercialization of new- and high-technology in east China's Zhejiang Province. Official statistics show that from 1992 to the end of 1993 more than 27,000 technological contracts had been signed, with a total business volume of over 800 million yuan (about 91.95 million U.S. dollars)-worth. Through these markets, the latest research findings have been spread all over the country and have been applied to production, resulting in a remarkable increase in profits. For instance, a computer designing system for silk spinning traded on the technology market has already brought more than 700 million yuan (about 80.5 million U.S. dollars) in increased profits to those firms which have applied it to production. A centrifugal ventilator invented by researchers at Zhejiang university has been applied in over 20 cities throughout the country and has created more than one billion yuan (about 115 million U.S. dollars) in profit. Local officials said that they are developing the technology market "in a bid to commercialize and spread new- and high- technology nationwide". This is also the best way to optimize the uneven allocation of technological forces, which has hindered the development of both scientific technology and the economy as a whole, they said. Meanwhile, the province has held a number of training classes in the operation of technology markets and technological contracts. Administration offices have been established in the meantime, in an effort to control the markets and remove trade barriers. With the improvement of the markets and policies, the province has witnessed a boom in science and technology development and has made remarkable progress in applying research findings to production. According to officials from the provincial technology market coordination and direction office, many items of high-technology have been sold to foreign businesses. |
FBIS3-45252_2 | Qian Qichen To Be Deputy Head of Taiwan Group | Taiwan. Referring to the development of cross-strait economic relations and trade, the central leader said: Judging from current developments, as some big projects invested by Taiwanese businessmen are not coordinated with the planning and deployment of the central authorities and the relevant departments in charge do not have effective coordination mechanisms and corresponding policies, making the approval procedures rather complicated and time-consuming, there are still difficulties for Taiwanese businessmen to come to invest in the mainland. These are also problems to be resolved. The following are decisions made by a recent joint meeting of various central departments concerned, which was presided over by the high-level central leader: 1. A national conference on economic work relating to Taiwan will be held this coming spring to work out special documents on some special subjects, the substantive contents of which have been discussed many times. 2. It is proposed that a coordination group for economic relations and trade with Taiwan is established under the State Council. 3. To adopt "preferential and special policies on special issues" toward Taiwanese businessmen. In comparison with the existing policies on foreign investment, more preferential treatment will be given to Taiwanese investors. In some spheres the policies can be further relaxed, and there will be no restrictions on some projects regarding their distribution and planning. 4. To work out laws to protect Taiwanese investors. 5. To agree in principle to the establishment of Taiwan-funded banks; to satisfy as far as possible the needs of Taiwan-funded enterprises for funds in terms of the renminbi. 6. To make positive efforts to promote cross-strait cooperation in the fields of science and technology and agriculture and encourage Taiwanese businessmen to invest in mainland agricultural production. For example, when they have invested in establishment of farms to produce grain, the issuance of export licenses will be taken into consideration. 7. On the issue of export of labor to Taiwan, a unified policy will be worked out by the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office and the matter will be taken care by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation [MOFTEC] in a unified way. The ARATS [Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait] will be authorized to consult and sign contracts with the other side, and concrete affairs will be handled by qualified labor companies. MOFTEC [Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation] will not handle concrete affairs concerning labor exports to Taiwan. |
FBIS3-45265_0 | Fujian Southeast TV Station Begins Operating | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [By reporter Lin Siding (2651 2448 1353)] [Text] Fuzhou, 1 Jan (XINHUA]--The Southeast Television Station officially starts broadcasting in Fuzhou today. Zhan Jincan, director of the Southeast Television Broadcasting Station, said at A news briefing here today that at present, the creation and content of the programs of the station are based on the conditions of Fujian and are geared to the whole country including Taiwan and to Southeast Asia. Efforts are made to produce programs with a distinct flavor of the times and strong local characteristics. The main content of the programs include: True and timely important reports on Fujian and Southeast Asia, southeast news, southeast records of actual events, common cross-strait happiness, southeast scenery, film and video tapes, live southeast broadcasts, comprehensive theatrical programs with rich local color for viewers on both sides of the strait and abroad, and looking at the sea tonight. The Southeast Television Broadcasting Station was set up in July 1993 with the approval of the Ministry of Radio, Film, and Television. Since it started broadcasting on a trial basis three months ago, it has been universally welcomed by viewers at home and abroad. According to reports, the television broadcasting station plans to transmit its programs via satellite to viewers at home and abroad at an appropriate time this year. |
FBIS3-45274_0 | Tiananmen Dissident Zhou Duo Returns to Shenzhen | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Hong Kong, Jan 14 (AFP)--Zhou Duo, a major figure in the 1989 democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, has quietly returned to China after more than a year abroad, human rights sources said Friday. Zhou, 45, an economist, crossed into the neighboring city of Shenzhen -- apparently without hindrance -- on Wednesday after spending six days with friends in Hong Kong, the sources said. He was expected to proceed to Beijing. Zhou had been abroad for 14 months, travelling through Europe, including Russia, and the United States. Much of his time was spent at Harvard University, where he "voraciously" read Chinese books banned or otherwise unavailable in the People's Republic, one of the sources said. Zhou was among four dissidents -- another was Taiwan pop singer Hou Dejian -- who staged a hunger strike just before the Chinese army shot its way into Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. He was subsequently jailed for 10 months without charge, then detained for another 18 days on the first anniversary of the massacre. Another Tiananmen veteran, labor activist Han Dongfang, remains stranded in Hong Kong -- despite repeated attempts to go home -- after being expelled from China in August following a year in the United States. |
FBIS3-45291_0 | Beijing Holds CPC Plenary Session | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [By Yan Liqiang (0917 0500 1730): "Emancipate the Mind, Seize the Opportunity To Accelerate Reform and Opening Up, Expedite Economic Development, and Strive To Achieve A Fairly Comfortable Standard of Living Three Years Ahead of Schedule"] [Text] The Third Plenary Session of the Seventh Beijing Municipal CPC Committee was held on 29 December. Attending the session were Chen Xitong, Li Qiyan, Zhang Jianmin, Wang Daming, Li Zhijian, Chen Guangwen, and 47 members and 10 alternate members of the municipal party committee. Attending as observers were members and alternate members of the party Central Committee and members of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, who were from Beijing; vice chairmen of the municipal committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; vice mayors and advisers to the municipal government; secretary and deputy secretaries of the municipal discipline inspection commission; deputy secretary general of the municipal party committee; major responsible persons of the various departments, committees, and offices of the municipal party committee; and secretaries of district and county party committees. Chen Xitong, secretary of the municipal party committee, presided over the session. That morning, Comrade Li Qiyan gave a report to give opinions on implementation of the guidelines of the national economic work conference and on initial arrangements for Beijing's 1994 reform and development. The report said: Since the beginning of this year, the people throughout the municipality have conscientiously studied Comrade Deng Xiaoping's theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhered to the party's basic line, and, proceeding from Beijing's reality, have further emancipated the mind, adopted new ideas and large-scale measures to accelerate reform and opening up in all sectors, and developed the economy in a sustained, rapid, and healthy manner. Comprehensive fulfillment of the target of "making this year's work surpass last year's" as defined by the municipal party committee and people's congress early this year has become a certainty, and a good foundation has been laid for next year's reform and development. Some major manifestations follow: 1) The economy has developed in a rapid, healthy, and orderly manner in the process of accelerating the transition to the market economy. 2) Urban construction has been expedited, and eye-catching changes have taken place in urban and rural areas. 3) Science and technology, education, and other social undertakings have developed comprehensively. 4) Urban and rural people's living standards have been promoted to new heights. 5) New breakthroughs |
FBIS3-45304_1 | U.S., Sino Textile Talks Underway in Beijing KYODO Reports Accord | could have gravely effected all levels of bilateral relations. "This agreement does provide over the life of three years, an overall reduction from what the 1993 agreement had been of approximately 700 million dollars," chief U.S. textile negotiator Jennifer Hillman told KYODO NEWS SERVICE after the signing of the agreement. This represents, "a 13 percent reduction over the time of the agreement from what the levels had been in 1993," she said. "The agreement is the product of the joint effort made by both sides, both sides have started from the principles of consultation and equality," Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) Wu Yi said before the signing ceremony. According to U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor, China exported 7.3 billion dollars of textiles to the U.S. in 1993 and was in jeopardy of facing 25-35 percent reductions in import quotas if the agreement was not reached. Such reductions, which would have cost China up to 1.2 billion dollars, were the result of alleged illegal textile transshipments to the U.S. which circumvented 1993's existing quota by some 2 billion dollars, Kantor said. "Overall we reached an agreement that did include the language we had been seeking regarding what action we could take when we find repeated instances of transshipment," Hillman said. "The language would permit us to make a deduction of up to three times the actual amount of goods shipped. If China is a repeat offender in terms of transshipment, we felt that it was very important to have strong measures to address the problem of transshipment," she said. According to the present agreement, if in 1994 the U.S. can prove China is guilty of illegal transshipments worth 2 billion dollars, which the U.S. alleges took place in 1993, then they could effectively reduce China's import quota by up to 6 billion dollars. A high-level MOFTEC official who participated in the talks felt there was "too much pressure" in the talks, saying, "the Chinese-side gave in too much." The agreement, however, bodes well for the upcoming visit Wednesday of U.S. Secretary of Treasury Lloyd Bentsen to Beijing, the highest level visit by a U.S. official since the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen prodemocracy demonstrations, which soured relations between the two countries. In June, China also faces the loss of its most-favored-nation (MFN) trade status, with the U.S. demanding "significant overall progress" in human rights, before it can renew MFN. |
FBIS3-45306_2 | U.S., Sino Textile Talks Underway in Beijing Official Comments | Americans agreed: 1) Not to imposed the quota reductions from 25 to 35 percent demanded earlier; and 2) not to apply the anti-corruption random clauses [fan wu bi di sui yi xing tiao kuan 0646 5294 1705 4104 7151 1942 1840 2742 2949], which allow the U.S. authorities to send special fact-finding missions to China to investigate enterprises suspected of violating the agreement. The official added: Apart from the foregoing, the two sides also made corresponding concessions on a number of important issues. The concrete contents of the agreement and of the concessions will not be published until later. He continued: The key problem of the current negotiation concerned the investigation of and cracking down on illegal transshipments. Illegal transshipment refers to the practice of some illegal businessmen, who transshipped textiles to the United States by taking advantage of the balance quota of third countries to avoid quota controls exercised by importing and exporting countries. Such illegal transshipments only helped those "intermediaries" and illegal businessmen to make a windfall but damaged the interests of both countries. He further pointed out: The illegal transshipment jeopardized the normal order of textile trade between the two countries and also led to chaos in the market. Therefore measures must be taken to ban and crack down on the illegal activities. As exporters in China, importers in the United States, and middlemen in third countries were involved in the illegal transshipment, which made the situation very complicated, the two countries must join force to effectively stamp out the illegal activities. The two countries have common positions, interests, and objectives on this matter. Regarding China's measures against illegal transshipment, the official said: The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation has formulated many laws and regulations and begun to investigate relevant illegal activities in light of the information collected by itself and supplied by the Americans. In the last two years, China's relevant departments have taken action against 17 enterprises and a foreign office in China. China will reduce the quota of enterprises found guilty, revoke their right of export, ban them from serving as middlemen, and even withdraw their licenses. In the meantime, China will take legal action against those people engaged in the illegal activities. In the future, China will try to enforce relevant laws in a more effective way and intensify cooperation with the United States including exchange of information and joint investigations. |
FBIS3-45307_0 | Article Says U.S., Beijing on `Equal Footing' | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["Special article" by Kuan Wen-liang (7070 2429 0081): "Pragmatic U.S. Diplomacy and Its Relations With China"] [Text] In the past several months, Sino-U.S. relations have attracted people's attention again. Both sides disagreed with each other on the textile trade issue; U.S. officials brought up an old case, saying that the Chinese side had made "little improvement" on the human rights issue, which may affect the extension of most-favored-nation [MFN] status in June; and Secretary of State Christopher will meet PRC Foreign Minister Qian Qichen in Paris in late January to discuss bilateral relations. What is the development trend for Sino-U.S. relations this year? As the Clinton administration has reshuffled its leading group in foreign affairs and laid down its diplomatic foci, how will Sino-U.S. relations be affected? Clinton To Strengthen His Diplomatic Work The Clinton administration, on the whole, did not have a good showing in its diplomatic work in 1993. It suffered a series of setbacks in Somalia and Haiti; the White House appeared to be very passive faced with the chaotic political situation in Russia; and it was criticized by the domestic media for its indecision on the Bosnian issue.... The first to announce his resignation was Defense Secretary Aspin, who is going to be succeeded by Inman. Then, Talbott, who is a good friend of the president and former director of the Washington office of TIME magazine, succeeded Walton as deputy secretary of state, thus becoming the No. 2 figure in the State Department. These personnel changes show that Clinton is going to strengthen his diplomatic work in 1994. Clinton wants to straighten out the chaotic state of diplomatic work over the past year, hence, the diplomatic foci listed by the State Department are in the following order: Economic work and trade, the Middle East, Russia, nuclear proliferation, and the concept of democratic politics. Such a list is much more concrete than the three diplomatic principles (economic security, military security, and democratic security) set forth a year ago, which were ambiguous and contradictory in their implementation. Now, the Clinton administration's diplomatic policies are worked out in accordance with the medium to short-term interests of the United States, which, on the whole, conform to the traditional pattern of U.S. diplomatic strategy. People have noticed that democracy comes last in the list of diplomatic foci. Last year, U.S. diplomacy was in a state of confusion. |
FBIS3-45344_1 | Official Details Economic `Southern Strategy' | Article Type:BFN [By Sofia Wu] [Text] Taipei, Jan. 15 (CNA) -- The Ministry of Economic Affairs has drafted a three-year plan to promote trade and economic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, Vice Economic Affairs Minister Sheu Ke-sheng said Saturday [15 January]. "The plan is part of the government's much-publicized `southern strategy' to strengthen economic ties with Southeast Asia," Sheu explained. "It is devised to provide more assistance to Taiwan entrepreneurs in their business and investment activities in the region," Sheu noted. "By doing this we hope our manufacturers will divert some of their investment from Mainland China to Southeast Asian nations and thus help reduce Taiwan's growing economic dependence on the mainland," Sheu said. Under the plan, Sheu said, the government will seek to eliminate investment barriers and expand bilateral trade and technological cooperation with ASEAN member states and Indochinese countries. In the initial stages, the plan will target Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, he explained. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, while Indochinese countries include Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Sheu said government research units will intensify study of economic activities, investment climate and trade regulations in Southeast Asian nations, and delegations will be organized to visit the region to collect first-hand information. The economics ministry will help local manufacturers find suitable sites to accommodate production facilities and distribution centers in Southeast Asian countries, Sheu noted. The ministry will also make good use of the international economic cooperation and development fund to boost economic relations with Southeast Asian countries. In addition, the ministry will hold regular trade consultations with its Southeast Asian counterparts to resolve bilateral trade issues and work out possible cooperative projects. Over the next three years, Sheu said, the government will invite influential Southeast Asian finance officials, bankers and business leaders to visit Taiwan. "The move aims to help Taiwan businessmen with interests in Southeast Asia get loans to finance their operations there," Sheu noted. The government will also ask Southeast Asian countries to simplify visa procedures for Taiwan businessmen and set up a "Taipei desk" in their government investment offices to offer information and counseling services for Taiwan investors. Sheu said the plan will be sent to the Executive Yuan for deliberation and approval. A special committee formed by high-ranking officials from related government agencies will meet every three months to check the plan's progress, he added. |
FBIS3-45385_3 | CPC Responds to Hijackings With `Violence' The New Measures Stress "Taking Emergency Measures on the Scene" | country would be conducted in November; takeoffs and landings would be immediately suspended in those airports operating against rules and regulations. Safety examination work would be implemented by an institution of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. To Stop Hijacking With Violence The new measures have authorized security men to "take emergency measures according to the actual conditions at the scene"; does this spell that violence can be taken against hijackers in flight? In the course of hijacking, the aforesaid Qi Daquan demanded that the crew leader open the door to the pilot's compartment; when his demand was rejected, Qi Daquan kicked and banged on the door with all his might; simply his bulging pockets, which the crew members believed containing bombs, halted the crew from taking "emergency measures"; otherwise, a disaster might take place any minute should a fight take place on an airborne craft. According to some classified materials from the Civil Aviation Administration and public security departments, several attempted hijackings have occurred since implementation of the new measures; the hijackers did not succeed simply because security men on the aircraft had resolutely resorted to violence. Some materials which the authorities did not publish are as follows: On the morning of 17 November, a passenger on a Guiyang-bound plane that took off from Guangzhou pulled a knife from one of his boots 15 minutes after takeoff and burst into the pilot's compartment, but was tripped by a security man on the plane and subdued. The hijacker was a staffer from Zunyi City Materials Administration and a demobilized ex-serviceman who was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for hoodlum behavior in early 1989. On the morning of 22 November, a Beijing-bound passenger plane that took off from Shanghai was over the sky above Nanjing when a passenger passed a note to the stewardess demanding that the plane head for ROK, saying that he carried a powerful bomb. When the security man took the hijacker to negotiate with the captain, he attacked the hijacker when the latter was not on guard and rendered him unconscious; then an emergency landing was conducted. The hijacker was an individual householder from Wenzhou. On 26 November, a Guangzhou-bound passenger plane from Changzhou received an anonymous telephone call saying that an explosion would take place on the plane upon its arrival in Guangzhou and that the explosives were placed inside a milk powder can. When the relevant |
FBIS3-45456_2 | `News Analysis' on Sino-Franco Relations | in Sino-Franco relations was made possible due to various factors. First, tense Sino-Franco relations do not conform to France's long-term interests. Sino-Franco economic and trade cooperation is mainly in the nuclear power industry, transportation, energy industry, and other technical projects. According to statistics provided by the French side, as of this date, the amount in contracts that the French side has lost totals 6 billion francs. Some people have estimated that if Sino-Franco relations continued to deteriorate, its losses would reach 30 billion francs. French business circles have suffered seriously, and therefore their call to improve Sino-Franco relations had been the loudest. The East Asia region currently is the most economically vigorous region in the world. In particular, since it adopted the policy of reform and opening up, China's economy has grown rapidly and in a sustained manner, drawing worldwide attention. Asia's prosperity and the West's economic recession have formed a sharp contrast. Currently, Western countries, including the United States, have set their eyes on Asia and are attempting to seek markets there. Among EC member states, Germany has led the way. In the first half of 1993 alone, Germany doubled the amount of the sophisticated technological goods that it exported to China. The tense Sino- Franco political relations have directly affected France's exports of technological goods to China. Second, China's international status has kept on increasing. Both China and France are permanent members of the UN Security Council, and both of them possess nuclear weapons; therefore, in the current turbulent and unstable international situation, the two countries must hold consultations more often and have closer cooperation to make contributions to maintaining world peace and stability. The Sino-U.S. summit meeting in Seattle in November was both a shock and a push to France. France, which has always embraced an independent foreign policy, felt that it needed to coordinate with China on such major international issues as banning nuclear testing and arms control. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Franco diplomatic relations. In 1964, because of the personal concern of General de Gaulle, Chairman Mao Zedong, and Premier Zhou Enlai, China and France established diplomatic ties, making France the first major Western country to establish diplomatic relations with PRC and winning wide international praise. The achievements of the development of Sino-Franco relations over the last 30 years were hard-won. Cooperation between the two countries has a solid |
FBIS3-45491_0 | Plans To End Threat of U.S. Sanctions Set Forth | Language: English Article Type:BFN ["Special to THE CHINA POST" by Christopher Bodeen] [Text] Extended measures aimed at removing the Republic of China's name from a list of countries threatened with sanctions by the United States over intellectual property rights (IPR) were issued yesterday by officials meeting at the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Government bodies involved in the IPR issue were requested to draft explanatory notes detailing their responses and efforts thus far for presentation to U.S. officials and private bodies as the government here seeks to consolidate gains from recent legislation. The ROC [Republic of China] last April was first placed on a "priority watch list" of 16 nations ordered to step up measures against IPR violations or face retaliation under the United States Trade Representative's package of sanctions known as Super 301. Taiwan and Thailand were the only nations retained on the list when it was revised last August. On January 3, the USTR's office requested reports from those two nations prior to a further reassessment. The officials, representing the MOEA [Ministry of Economic Affairs], the Ministry of Justice, The Legislative Yuan, and Ministry of the Interior met yesterday for the 14th session of the inter-ministerial task force on IPR. The task force meets about every two months on issues regarding enforcement of international copyright law. Concrete progress on IPR issues was reviewed, including full passage by the legislature of the Cable Television Law last November and the finalization of amendments to the Intellectual Property law in December, which combined to significantly strengthen enforcement of international statutes. Still before the legislature is a bill on recordings which will further clarify regulations on the production, purchase and rental and audio and video tapes. Other measures include the planned establishment of a special intellectual property rights bureau under the MOEA. The MOEA last night said present efforts of the inter-ministerial group were focused in the categories of legislation, prosecution under the law, and spot checks on shops and entertainment establishments and strengthening customs enforcement. Those measures have been aided by cooperation with the U.S. government and private groups including the International Anti-counterfeiting Coalition, Inc. |
FBIS3-45511_2 | Foreign Economic, Trade Ministry Issues Circulars On Accountants Abroad III. Supervision, Examination, and Leadership Over Accounting Work | professional accounting personnel who have worked as accounting personnel in economic (commercial) counseling offices and are competent can be exempted from taking the exam. The Financial Accounting Department will sponsor irregular training courses on the financial accounting operations of economic (commercial) counseling offices. Those who can obtain the completion certificate from the training course are also exempt from taking the exam when sent abroad. II. Tasks of Accounting Personnel 1. Observe, publicize, and implement relevant policies, decrees and orders, stipulations, and financial and economic disciplines of the state. 2. In accordance with the stipulations of the financial accounting system concerning foreign economic aid, manage the funds and properties of foreign economic aid programs; take charge of the settlement of local costs and contract purchase price of projects under the economic aid contracted responsibility system; and keep, work out, and submit accounts of economic activities already incurred in a timely fashion. 3. In line with the stipulations of the financial accounting system of Chinese embassies (consulates), manage the diplomatic funds and properties of economic (commercial) counseling offices; and keep, work out, and submit accounts of economic activities already incurred in a timely fashion. 4. Supervise and check the financial revenue and expenditure of projects under the economic aid contracted responsibility system and find out and reflect problems to higher levels in a timely manner. 5. Acquire knowledge about the overseas-based financial accounting operations in representative offices, contracted projects, labor cooperations, and joint ventures of various international economic and technical cooperative companies; provide them with relevant information about the country in which they function; relay and supervise the implementation of relevant internal documents and systems; and give assistance to work in this aspect. 6. Conduct frequent investigations into and studies of the financial accounting system, foreign exchange management, taxation rules, operation of banking institutions, and financial markets in the resident country, and send investigation and research data back to the relevant departments at home without delay. 7. Take good care of accounting records. An accounting archive should be set up in line with relevant stipulations to classify, codify, and bind accounting vouchers, books, and various fiscal statements; specify the period for safe custody; and assign special people to take charge of records management. 8. Do a good job in the handover of accounts. Before their departure from economic (commercial) counseling offices due to job transfer, accounting personnel should go through handing over |
FBIS3-45522_0 | Unemployment Benefits to 1.2 Million Since 1986 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, January 13 (CNS)--Since the establishment of an insurance system for unemployed people in 1986, China has distributed relief funds to 1.2 million such people, most of whom have now found jobs, an official of the Ministry of Labour said at a national work meeting of the People's Insurance Company of China held here today. According to statistics by the Ministry of Labour, the number of unemployed receiving unemployment relief between January and October last year were more than 700,000, more than the total for the previous seven years after the establishment of the unemployment insurance system. The official of the Ministry of Labour said that the reason for this increase in numbers last year was due to the widening of the range of people receiving such relief and the increasing number of people leaving their former employment. Up until now, 70.4 million workers from 470,000 state-owned entities have taken part in the unemployment insurance scheme as have also workers in collectively owned enterprises in some places. According to the scheme on reform of social insurance worked out by relevant departments, unemployment insurance will gradually cover all kinds of labourers in cities and towns in the country. At present, the unemployment insurance funds and the insurance mechanism for the unemployed must be brought into full utilization and the activities of job-training, job-introduction and the issuance of relief for production must be carried out in an active way. The basic rights and interests of workers must be guaranteed in the process of reform. |
FBIS3-45530_4 | Academics Air Views on Economic Development | defended the tendency to place undue emphasis on speed by quoting the statement, believing they could strive for a high growth rate at any cost. This was not what Comrade Deng Xiaoping meant. While speaking about the economic growth rate, Comrade Deng Xiaoping usually stressed the need to improve economic efficiency. For instance, he once said, "To develop China's economy, we should try hard to bring about a period of particularly rapid development every few years. Naturally we should not encourage an unrealistically high growth rate. Instead, we should get down to earth to work and should be particular about efficiency. We should strive for a steady and coordinated development of the economy." This reveals that Comrade Xiaoping regards efficiency as a precondition for high-speed development. Where the relationship between stability and development is concerned, stability is relative, development is absolute and is the last word. However, this does not mean that we can afford to ignore stability and coordination. There would be no smooth economic development if the economic structure were out of balance and there were drastic economic fluctuations. [Wu] To build socialism, we must first liberate and develop the productive forces. If the cake is very small, how can we achieve common prosperity. Poverty is not socialism, nor is slow development. Development is the last word. The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee set the party's basic line for the new period. I believe that the decision to focus on economic development, to uphold the four cardinal principles, and to persist in reform and opening up to the outside world all share the purpose of developing the economy. It is safe to say that "development as the last word" constitutes the core of the party's basic line. Comrade Deng Xiaoping, in fact, stated a very profound principle in the common language used by Chinese people. However, the statement does not mean we can go ahead at the fastest speed possible irrespective of actual conditions because we cannot achieve economic development in one or two years. Comrade Deng Xiaoping approached the problem from the high plane of a certain historical period. To develop the economy, we should not only increase the gross amount and the growth rate but also elevate the quality of the national economy to a new level in the following stage. Otherwise, we will not be able to catch up with others if |
FBIS3-45561_0 | Article Reviews Trade with ASEAN Countries | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["Yearend special article" by ZHONGGUO XINWEN SHE correspondent Zhao Haiyan (6392 3189 3601)] [Text] Beijing, 24 Dec (ZHONGGUO XINWEN SHE)--Relations between China and ASEAN countries this year have moved ahead on all fronts; in particular, bilateral economic cooperation and trade have been upgraded so rapidly and developed so steadily that they have become a mainstay cooperation between the two sides. Analysts summed up cooperation between China and ASEAN this year as follows: One, steady growth in trade and investment volume. Data shows that trade and investment volume between China and ASEAN this year continued to grow at a rate of 30 percent. Trade between Singapore and China alone hit $4 billion. ASEAN countries such as Singapore and Malaysia now rank as China's most important trading partners. Investment by ASEAN businessmen in China topped $2 billion, while China has undertaken engineering projects, developed labor cooperation, and opened 100 joint ventures in ASEAN countries. Two, cooperation has become wider in scope and deeper. Against the background of extensive cooperation, regional cooperation is becoming a trend. Economic cooperation and trade between China and ASEAN countries extended to entertainment, retail, manufacturing, petroleum, chemical, metallurgical industries and financial business. Cooperation has been strengthened in wholesale land development and infrastructural projects. Banks from ASEAN countries closely followed their businessmen into China and injected vitality into bilateral economic cooperation and trade. Linglong [3781 3891] Incorporation of Malaysia, which made its entry into China only this October, has expressed interest in the development of China's coal-powered electric plants and highways. Apart from an industrial garden in Suzhou, Singapore has participated in the wholesale land development in Yintan City, Jiangxi Province. The Philippines are also involved for the first time in wholesale land development in Shishi City, Fujian Province. Cooperation centering on the "Lancang Jiang-Mekong River Economic Circle" between Yunnan of China and South East Asian countries, such as Thailand, is in full swing, prompting regional cooperation between China and ASEAN countries. More wishes for cooperation have been witnessed between Thailand and Sichuan, the Philippines and Indonesia and Fujian, and Singapore and Jiangsu and Shandong. Three, the appearance of joint-investments, a new form of investment. This year, economic cooperation and trade between China and ASEAN countries changed from the "isolated duels and solo fighting" pattern, into joint investment. There are Thai-Singapore joint-venture investments in South East Asia and south China; Indonesia and other countries play |
FBIS3-45573_0 | Foreign Ministry Holds Weekly News Briefing On Relations With Vatican, Russia | Language: English Article Type:BFN [From the "Current Affairs" program] [Excerpts] China says it wants a positive response from Britain before negotiations on the Hong Kong airport can resume. The Foreign Ministry spokesman made the statement Thursday [20 January] in Beijing during his weekly press conference. Our reporter Li Weiquan brings us up to date. [Begin Li recording] [passage omitted] On other matters, Wu Jianmin responded to foreign media report which alleges that China and Vatican have reached a compromise on diplomatic relations. The report further states that China would allow room to maintain informal ties with Taiwan. The spokesman said: These news stories are unfounded. Wu Jianmin also confirmed the upcoming visit to Beijing by Russian Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev later this month, but the date has yet to be settled. Wu Jianmin declared: China and Russia have very good relations, with cooperation in all areas growing steadily. During Kozyrev's visit, the two countries will talk about issues of mutual concern. For China Radio International, I am Li Weiquan. [end recording] |
FBIS3-45580_0 | U.S. Treasury Secretary Bentsen Continues Visit Makes Statement on `Prison Exports' | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, Jan. 20 KYODO -- China has agreed to cooperate with the United States on alleged "prison exports" in an apparent appeasement to U.S. demands for improvement on human rights issues. The Thursday [20 January] announcement, made by visiting U.S. Secretary of Treasury Lloyd Bentsen, comes four months before the U.S. must decide whether China has made enough progress in human rights to warrant a renewal of their most favored nation (MFN) trading status. "Our governments have agreed on measures to ensure more effective prevention of the export of goods made with prison labor," Bentsen told an audience of Chinese social scientists. "China has also agreed to permit inspections of five prisons alleged to be producing goods for exports." |
FBIS3-45586_0 | `Text' of Statement Issued | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, 21 Jan (XINHUA) -- The eighth session of the Sino-U.S. Joint Economic Committee took place in Beijing today. The meeting issued a joint statement here today. The full text follows: 1. At the invitation of Chinese Finance Minister Liu Zhongli, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bentsen paid an official visit to China January 19-22, 1994. During his visit, Secretary Bentsen and Minister Liu co- chaired the eighth session of the Sino-U.S. Joint Economic Committee which met on January 21, 1994. Secretary Bentsen also met with President Jiang Zemin, Premier Li Peng, and Vice-Premier Zhu Rongji. The Joint Economic Committee [JEC], in its new formulation, is designed to provide an integrated framework for addressing economic issues of mutual interest between the United States and the People's Republic of China. 2. In a cordial and frank discussion, the two ministers agreed that the committee would meet annually, alternating between the United States and China. The discussions under this framework are aimed at promoting three shared objectives: -- Continued growth in trade and investment ties which have vast potential for benefiting both economies; -- China's successful implementation of market oriented economic reform and integration into the world economy; and -- Improvement of the legal and regulatory system so as to increase transparency and promote deeper economic ties. 3. To advance the dialogue on particular issues of immediate interest, secretary Bentsen and minister Liu agreed to establish initial working groups at the sub-cabinet level in three important areas: -- Monetary and banking issues -- Exchange system reform -- Investment and economic cooperation The ministers agreed that the working groups should meet at six month intervals, or as necessary, in order to report progress to the annual meetings of the JEC. The co-chairs agreed to designate officials to coordinate the technical assistance being provided under the auspices of the working groups. 4. On behalf of President Clinton, Secretary Bentsen stated that the United States supports a strong, stable, prosperous, and modernizing China. Moreover, the United States commends China's recent decisions to move forward with market-oriented reforms of its monetary and banking system, tax system, and foreign exchange system. The secretary offered to intensify the program of technical support for reform, drawing on the expertise of U.S. Government agencies: -- The Treasury Department, including: The Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Customs Service, the office of the Comptroller of the Currency, -- The Securities |
FBIS3-45626_3 | `Commentary' Attacks Patten on Press Freedom Exerting Pressure on the Media With the Theory of "Self-Examination" | the media of their sufferings. This kind of unaccountable "attention" has caused uneasiness even among the media, which has seldom taken a critical attitude toward the British Hong Kong Government. According to a commentary carried by a Hong Kong newspaper, Chris Patten "often tells the British press that everyone in journalism circles in Hong Kong exercises self- discipline, and all the media have carried out self-examination and have automatically knelt down to Beijing." If one reads British newspapers, one can often come across this kind of article. After reading such articles, readers who have no idea about the situation may believe that journalists in Hong Kong keep their mouths shut and are out of the game. Such an image does great harm to journalism in Hong Kong. This side stubbornly wants the media to admit to exercising "self-censorship" and the other side has already taken corresponding action. This is good coordination indeed. Recently, the so-called "Publishers Association," whose membership mainly consists of foreigners and which does not have much influence on journalism circles, issued a "Code of Conduct for Publishers" to some media organizations and asked them to jointly sign the code. It is said that one of the main contents of the code is to set up a "Publishers' Code of Conduct Committee," similar to the "press council," which would be in charge of criticizing, guiding, and assessing the contents of publications in Hong Kong. Keen observers have pointed out that, outwardly, the committee does not have the legal right of censorship, but in reality, the influence of public opinion on journalism circles is used to exert pressure. It is known through hearsay that a certain female member of the Legislative Council is promoting this work from behind the scenes. I remember that someone made a proposal to establish a press council in the past, but his proposal met with strong opposition among the majority of journalists. At present, the abnormal move by this organization, which is against the will of the majority of journalists, is echoing the governor's "self-censorship" theory in such a way that it has raised doubts. This is clearly a measure to restrict the press. Why should the label of "defending the freedom of the press" be stuck to it! According to reports, this move has been positively responded to by an "enthusiastic" media organization which is favored by the governor. Recently, the organization published |
FBIS3-45640_3 | Qiao Shi on Legal System for Market Economy | is necessary to bear in mind the overall situation of safeguarding the fundamental interests of the state and its people, and to avoid undue emphasis on local interests and powers. Third, we must proceed from the reality in China and boldly study and draw on the experience of other countries. Fourth, we must improve the legislation of local people's congresses and promptly formulate local laws and regulations concerning the market economy. Fifth, experts should play a more important role in lawmaking. Comrade Deng Xiaoping said long ago that we must have more experts specializing in various fields to take part in making laws. This idea is important. From now on, whenever any department wants to draft a law, it must seek the support of experts in related fields to do the job. When we do so, not only can we pool the views of all quarters, broaden our vision with collective wisdom, and accelerate the legislative process, but we can also speed up the process of training legislative, judicial, and law enforcement personnel. Sixth, while speeding up the legislative process, we must also pay attention to improving the quality of laws. When a law is being made, we must thoroughly study the legal principles and repeatedly assess the feasibility of their application. While the articles are being drafted, every effort must be made to make them clear, specific, and applicable. We must also pay attention to the compatibility between laws and draw up supporting regulations. After laws have been enacted, some laws need guidelines for implementation, and others must be interpreted. Meanwhile, the inspection and supervision over the implementation of those laws must be intensified so that they can effectively safeguard and promote the development of our socialist market economy. Qiao Shi pointed out: Drawing up laws concerning the socialist market economy is something new for us. While we must consider China's actual situation when we draw up laws and regulations, we must also broadly study and borrow other countries' legislative experiences and learn about those that are useful to China. All the laws must be conducive to developing the economy and safeguarding China's stability and unity. While we must consider China's actual situation when we make a law, this does not mean that we can ignore foreign experiences. We must dare to assimilate that in foreign laws which is good and useful to us. We should also learn from |
FBIS3-45688_0 | Editorial on Bentsen Visit, GATT Return Bid | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [Editorial: "The United States Firmly Supports China's Return to GATT"] [Text] U.S. Secretary of Treasury Lloyd Bentsen's China visit has made inspiring achievements and vigorously promoted bilateral trade and economic cooperation. With the issuance of a joint statement by the Sino-U.S. Joint Economic Committee yesterday, a new framework for closer trade and economic contacts between the two countries was set up. This was a successful attempt to handle matters concerning the economic interests of both countries in the spirit of "seeking common ground while reserving differences." The joint statement pointed out: The financial ministers of both countries agree that the Sino-U.S. Joint Economic Committee will meet every year in the two countries by rotation. Meetings of the committee have been suspended for seven years. Now with the establishment of a new cooperative mechanism under which the committee will meet once a year, cooperation between the two countries in the industrial, agricultural, scientific and technological, financial, and trade fields will surely be vigorously promoted. China is now going all out to promote market-oriented economic reform and trying to dovetail its economy into the world economy. This is not only a good thing for China but also a good thing for the world. The United States clearly expressed its stand of "firmly supporting China to restore its position as a signatory state to GATT." If China's position as a signatory state to GATT is restored, all countries will be able to open up commodity, financial, and service markets in China, and Western countries, which are striving hard for economic prosperity, will be greatly benefited. That is why the United States is firmly supporting restoration of China's position as a signatory state to GATT. More than that, Lloyd Bentsen gave the following message to China on behalf of President Clinton: "The United States supports a stable, prosperous, and modernized China." The United States has not only spoken favorably of China's policy decisions on reform of its monetary and financial, tax, and foreign exchange systems, but also expressed willingness to provide technological aid for these reforms. To help China carry out reform of its monetary system, the United States is willing to provide China with professional knowledge and practical experience. For this reason, Chairman Greenspan of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board will also visit China later this year. The United States always carries out macroeconomic regulation and control, regulates the |
FBIS3-45689_0 | `New Stage' Seen in Sino-U.S. Trade Ties | Language: English Article Type:BFN ["Sino-U.S. Trade Ties Head for New Stage"] [Text] Beijing, January 22 (XINHUA) -- China and the United States last week reached a new textile agreement and reactivated the joint economic committee after a suspension of six years. The two events mark a major step toward a new stage of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, observers here said. Despite frequent frictions in Sino-U.S. trade and economic ties, their cooperation in the field has been developing at a encouraging pace in recent years. China's customs statistics show that the trade volume between the two countries reached 27.65 billion U.S. dollars in 1993, registering an increase of more than 10 billion U.S. dollars over the previous year. Last year, both countries saw a great increase in their exports to each other. The U.S. export of machinery and electronic products, airplanes, and complete sets of equipment to China rose more rapidly. The United States has maintained its status of China's third largest trade partner and China has also become a major trade partner of the United States. China is the purchaser of one fifth of the U.S. total export of wheat and one sixth of its exported phosphate fertilizer. Besides, as a major buyer of the U.S. airplanes, China has bought more than 200 Boeing airplanes with a total value of over 10 billion U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, China has approved about 8,000 U.S.-funded projects with a total contractual investment of 10.8 billion U.S. dollars, and the United States has become one of the largest foreign investors in China. An outstanding feature for last year's U.S. investment in China is that more and more transnational corporations have showed great enthusiasm in investing in China. Up to now, many of the 500 U.S. leading firms have launched large-sized joint ventures with China. The Clinton administration has made the revitalization of the economy and the enhancement of the competitiveness of the U.S. products as one of its major tasks, while China, with a sustained high-growth of economy, is formulating and implementing its overall economic development program. Therefore, trade between China and the U.S. are strongly complementary in many ways and the two may enjoy each other's huge potential markets, thus increasing the competitiveness of their products through cooperation. Moreover, China imports a large number of products from the U.S. every year, such as wheat, aircraft, fertilizer, paper, machines and electronics. |
FBIS3-45690_2 | Column Views Sino-U.S. Relations China Pays Attention to Abnormal Moves Taken by the United States | top priority. It showed that Clinton wanted to change the past practice of dealing with foreign relations which treated human rights in China as the top priority and which neglected economic issues related to U.S. national interests and national security. U.S. political circles described the revised policy towards China as a "policy of contacts," which implies: On the one hand, with the Clinton-Jiang Summit as the beginning, the United States will have more and more contacts with China. In particular, the two "forbidden zones" of mutual visits between senior leaders and of military contacts set up by the United States have been abolished, thus implying that the atmosphere of Sino-U.S. relations will be improved. On the other hand, if the United States mainly resorted to the practice of "facilitating changes by exerting pressure" on China in the past several years, it will, more often than not in the future, try to influence China and ask China to change its existing systems and policies through contacts and cooperation. However, Chinese experts in U.S. affairs pointed out: It is true that the Clinton administration treats the reinvigoration of the domestic economy as the top priority and the consideration of economic interests has a greater share in its foreign policy, but U.S. diplomacy in the post-Cold War era still considers the pursuit of economic interests, defense of national security, and promotion of "democracy and human rights" as three interrelated and complementary goals. Compared with other powers, U.S. diplomacy has strong ideological colors. The House of Representatives sticks to the principle that human rights diplomacy can never be abolished, otherwise the United States will lose its spiritual leadership in the world and friction will arise in economic cooperation. Hence, although a thawing of Sino-U.S. relations after the Seattle Summit is expected, substantive issues have not yet been resolved and China should make a sober estimate of the difficulties in Sino-U.S. relations. The source said: Chinese experts on U.S. affairs and Chinese leaders hold that senior U.S. Government officials (for example, President Clinton and Secretary of State Christopher) are not as farsighted as former U.S. President Richard Nixon and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The unremitting efforts and courageous policy decisions made by Nixon and Kissinger for the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China are still a much-told tale. For this reason, they established friendship with China and become friends |
FBIS3-45696_3 | Article Views Changes in U.S. Intelligence Work | their influence on a stable international situation which includes the economies of "allies" and "potential enemies," and track economic activities and unusual financial relations and commercial transactions. Second, track trends in international science and technology, particularly advanced technological trends, such as the development and application of supercomputers and the development of semiconductors and information technology, and judge the impact these developments could have on U.S. security. Third, strengthen economic monitoring work. In the intelligence sphere, the United States discovered that many countries, including its allies, had shifted the focus of their attention from politics to the economy, taken North America as their target, and had vigorously collected U.S. economic and commercial information. According to the U.S. media, the CIA holds that the country must guard against more than 20 countries which are involved in gathering "industrial information" from U.S. companies. More attention was given to this matter after Clinton assumed office. At his approval by Congress earlier this year, CIA Director R. James Woolsey said that the gathering of economic information is "the hottest topic in current intelligence policy" and that the Clinton administration will carry out "comprehensive research" on the matter. In the coming year, the Clinton administration will adopt a series of measures to ensure the gathering of economic information and anti-espionage work. Statistics show that the proportion of spending on gathering information in the former Soviet Union dropped from 58 percent in the 1980's to under 20 percent, while spending on the economic and other fields continues to rise, amounting to two- thirds. By the end of 1993, Woolsey stressed that the CIA had already played an "essential role" in hitting at foreign intelligence agencies, which were trying to gather industrial information in U.S. companies through bribery. He also disclosed that the CIA's anti-espionage work saved the country billions of dollars in losses each year. In order to adapt to the above changes, the U.S. administration also correspondingly readjusted its management and coordination of all kinds of intelligence work, as well as the intelligence analysis mechanism. For example, the Defense Department assigned special personnel to help exercise management over planning and budgets for the nation's intelligence agencies in order to eliminate malpractices by different departments in formulating variant policies for intelligence work and outlays during the Cold War. The administration also made the CIA's "National Intelligence Committee," which is responsible for evaluating information, independent, allowing it to |
FBIS3-45725_0 | Continuing Reportage on Hong Kong Airport Project Warning on `Grave Consequences' | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["Special dispatch": "Chen Zuoer Warns That if British Hong Kong Authorities Continue To Act Arbitrarily, Consequences Will Be Very Serious"] [Text] Beijing, 19 Jan (TA KUNG PAO)--Chen Zuoer, director of the First Department of the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, indicated today that the present messy state of the construction of Hong Kong's airport is really worrying. He warned that the consequences will be grave if the Hong Kong Government continues to act in violation of the principle of consultation set out in the Memorandum of Understanding on Hong Kong's airport and acts arbitrarily on relevant issues. At a ceremony with the principal executives of the Hong Kong airline, Dragonair, who are stationed in Beijing, Chen Zuoer responded to the Hong Kong Government's request to the Legislative Council to allocate a total HK$1.67 billion [Hong Kong dollars] to the Provisional Airport Authority, noting that the issue of Hong Kong's new airport should be dealt with in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding on Hong Kong's airport. The construction of Hong Kong's airport could have started smoothly following the signing of Memorandum of Understanding by the two heads of governments in September 1991. "It really makes people worry now that the issue has gotten into such a mess. This is the last thing we wish to see." He also pointed out that a very important principle had been set out in the Memorandum of Understanding that all issues which straddle 1997 and which require the government of the future special administrative region to acknowledge and shoulder responsibility for should be solved through consultations between China and Britain. He warned the British Hong Kong Government that "its continued arbitrary acts in violation of the Memorandum of Understanding will have very grave consequences." |
FBIS3-45741_0 | Dissident May Be Repatriated From Taiwan | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Lawrence Chung] [Text] Taipei, Jan 24 (AFP) -- A pro-democracy Chinese dissident who fled China after the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, now facing repatriation to the mainland, called on Beijing Monday to stop persecuting his relatives and friends. "Because of my involvement in the pro-democracy campaign almost five years ago, I was branded a rebel, and my relatives and friends were spied on and purged," Yin Chin, a former journalist, said. "I sincerely hope that China can spare my old mother, my wife, my daughter and my friends," he added. Yin, 36, previously a reporter for the Taiyuan Daily News in China's Shanxi province, and bureau chief of the Shanxi Economic Daily, sneaked into Taiwan in July 1993. He was put into a detention home for five months before being transferred to a small hostel run by the Free China Relief Association, a group dealing with asylum-seekers from China, and is now waiting for a foreign government to give him political asylum. The dissident could be repatriated if no foreign government agrees to take him before the end of this year. Yin told AFP he had been persecuted since June 4, 1989, when hundreds of Chinese dissidents were violently crushed by the Chinese military in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. "I was arrested shortly after the incident and put behind bars for three years. After I was released, nobody dared to hire me for work. In the end I became a street vendor," Yin said. Yin was arrested in September, 1989 for making speeches critical of the Chinese government, including attacking the lack of press freedom and democracy in China, and joining public protests. He was released in 1992. "I couldn't find any job. I was seriously beaten in jail by the wardens and my (right) leg was broken," he said, adding that friends later helped him escape to Hong Kong in late 1992 to apply for political asylum. But the Hong Kong government refused to give him amnesty, and sent him back to China, he said, calling the action "inhuman." He said his experience was a typical of hundreds of smaller figures in the short-lived pro-democracy movement in China. "Many of these people had been turned down by foreign governments when they asked for political asylum. A number of them hid in the border area of Burma and Thailand, fleeing communist pursuit and avoiding arrest by |
FBIS3-45749_0 | Li Lanqing Visits Beijing Development Zone | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, January 20 (XINHUA) -- Vice-Premier Li Lanqing said recently that industrialization of new and high technology will not only produce better economic results and social efficiency at present, but also lay a solid foundation for economic development in the future. In his recent visit to the Beijing New Technology Development and Experiment Zone, he said that the zone is a far-sighted project. He added that, in the initial stage of its development, the zone has made remarkable progress. He said that in the past four decades, a great number of technological achievements turned out in the educational and scientific fields have failed to find practical application. He said that the industrialization of high technology is one of the effective ways for turning technology into production force. He said that the experiment zone should enhance the training of personnel in the sectors of international trade, finance, law and accounting. He noted that the talents in the above sectors are now badly needed for the establishment of a socialist market economic structure in the country. He urged the Chinese inventors to timely apply for patent rights at home and abroad so as to strengthen their competitive strength in making use of scientific and technological achievements. Located in the Zhongguancun district, the experiment zone was China's first new and high technology development park. Over the past five years, 112 high-technology enterprises in the zone have achieved an annual income exceeding 10 million yuan each. Last year, the total income of the zone exceeded more than 10 billion yuan. |
FBIS3-45817_0 | Gold Industry Welcomes Overseas Investors | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, January 21 (XINHUA) -- China has once again demonstrated its resolution of developing domestic gold industry by using overseas funds and technologies. The China National Gold Corporation (CNGC), the only specialized gold industry company in the country, has set up a special group to coordinate experimental work of importing overseas funds and technologies. Cui Lan, chairman of the board of the CNGC, disclosed that so far a dozen companies from the U.S., Canada, Australia and South Africa have contacted them, showing interest in investing in China's gold mines. He said that, besides opening the gold industry to overseas investment, China is now putting equal efforts into introducing advanced technologies for prospecting, mining, dressing and smelting, as well as models for running gold mines and means of collecting funds. Cui pointed out that the rumor that China bans overseas investors from its gold industry is false. He explained that China's gold industry has made great strides since the government adopted the reform and opening-up policy in the late 1970s. The country's gold production capability has been raised five times since then. Altogether there are 28 enterprises directly subordinate to the company, which also has nine joint ventures or share-holding companies. So as to help China's gold industry move into the world market, the company has established four overseas branches. As a group company monopolizing the country's gold industry, the CNGC has a large business scope covering prospecting, engineering design, construction of gold-related enterprises, consultancy, dressing, processing and sales of gold, and importing materials, machinery and technologies. Cui foresaw that in the near future the CNGC will develop into a trans-regional group investment company. |
FBIS3-45838_0 | Fujian Cracks Down on `Bogus Armed Policemen' | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [Text] Fuzhou, 12 Jan (ZHONGGUO XINWEN SHE)--The Fujian Armed Police Headquarters is carrying out activities to crack down on "bogus armed policemen" across Fujian Province and has found over 20 "bogus armed policemen" and four bogus armed police driving licenses. Since last year, some lawbreakers in Fujian society have disguised themselves as armed police officers and policemen and, under the pretense of performing official duties, have blackmailed restaurants and dance halls to extort money from them, detained people under the pretense of checking identity cards, or have manufactured fake armed police driving licenses to carry out criminal activities, thus damaging the image of the armed police among the people. According to reports, the Fujian Provincial Armed Police Headquarters has set up special organs to crack down on bogus armed policemen. It has also sent armed police inspector teams to the streets to arrest people who wear armed police uniforms without collar insignias, confiscate their uniforms, and severely punish those who carry out illegal activities under the disguise of policemen. In September last year, as two young men in armed policemen's uniforms wearing caps with a large peak, but without police insignia, were buying fruit at a stall in front of Fuzhou Railway Station, they accused the owner of the stall of blocking the way and demanded fines. Three armed policemen on patrol approached, exposed the fraud on the spot, arrested the two young men, and took them to the police station. Hong Shaohu, head of the Fujian Armed Police Headquarters, said that work to crack down on bogus armed policemen would continue for a long time to come. |
FBIS3-45857_0 | Hubei City Approved To Open to World | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Yichang, January 21 (XINHUA) -- Yichang city, in central China's Hubei Province, has been approved by the central government to be the latest open city along the Chang Jiang river. The approval entitles the city to all the preferential policies granted to coastal open cities. The decision is the most recent major step by the central government to speed up the construction of the Three Gorges Project on the middle reaches of the Chang Jiang river, as well as to accelerate economic development in the region. Yichang administers seven counties, three districts and a state- owned farm, and has a total population of more than 3.9 million. The city is well endowed with water resources. In addition to the Chang Jiang and Qing Jiang Rivers there are other 99 smaller rivers. The city's exploitable water power is estimated at 30 million kw. Yichang is the location of three major water projects and hydroelectric plants under construction, with installed capacity of 2.71 million kw for the Gezhouba water control project, 1.2 million kw for the Geheyan hydropower plant and 18.2 million kw for the Three Gorges Project, the largest in the country. The city also has many tourist attractions, including the picturesque landscape in the Three Gorges area and relics of ancient battlefields of the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). |
FBIS3-45862_1 | Daily: Future of U.S.-Russian Ties `Uncertain' | handling international affairs. It had to seek Russia's cooperation on the issues of establishing a new security structure in Europe and settling the problem of nuclear proliferation. On the other hand, Russia tried to work through this summit to strengthen its economic cooperation with the United States and to emphasize that power status was on an equal footing with the United States so as to "regain its external prestige." Russia's economic reform was still the key item on this summit's agenda. As indicated by the results of Russia's parliamentary elections last December, the Russian people had exhausted the limit of their tolerance for the pain caused by reform and the opposition in the new parliament would strongly criticize any radical reform policies implemented by the authorities. The question of whether Russia would drastically change its economic policy in the face of this pressure was a U.S. concern. During the talks, President Yeltsin guaranteed that Russia would not slow the pace of market economic reform. Meanwhile, he did not overtly ask for direct aid from the United States but rather urged the United States to open its market to Russia, abolish trade restrictions left over from the Cold War period, and engage in economic and trade cooperation on an equal footing. President Clinton reaffirmed the U.S. firm support for Russia's "democratic market changes" and the fulfillment of the promise of granting aid to Russia that was made during the Vancouver Summit and afterwards. The United States agreed to reduce tariffs on over 4,000 Russian commodities. In addition, the two countries also reached an agreement on a $12 billion purchase of Russian uranium fuel. In the future, Russia will orient its economic policy toward society to a greater extent and will try to utilize every means to alleviate the pain of reform. People have noticed that the United States showed its understanding and support for this practice and declared that it would help Russia in this area, without making any new promises. As a measure to "establish relations of mutual trust," the two presidents agreed that both sides would change the posture of targeting their strategic nuclear weapons on the other party by this May. The press considered that this decision signified the formal consent of the two nuclear powers to relax the state of alert which threatened to trigger off conflicts at any moment over the past few decades and that |
FBIS3-45866_0 | Commentary Assesses Beijing's World Position | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["LIAOWANG Forum" by staff commentator: "1993: China Secures an Advantageous Foothold in the Present World"] [Text] The year 1993 was of special significance to China. I make this statement on the basis of two major events: 1) Asia's economy has grown rapidly. While trying their best to preserve their existing relative interests, Western countries have shifted their attention to the Asia-Pacific region. 2) The sanctions against China by the West have fallen through. China's important position in the world has been further established. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact indicated the withering away of a political and economic bloc and the disappearance of one of the two poles. It represented an "earthquake of a global scale." Immediately after the incidents, almost all countries, including developed and developing countries, reassessed their own strengths and the world situation to discover their positions on this celestial body. While repeatedly bringing pressure to bear on China in an attempt to topple socialist China and to create a "domino effect," the developed countries made greater efforts to start an economic war on a global scale to establish themselves as economic powers in the 21st century, a war which means a keen competition of the overall strengths of the countries involved. Under the new situation, China met the challenge calmly and outmaneuvered the rivals wisely. The development in 1993 proved China's policy decisions and measures were entirely correct. China arrived at a correct understanding of itself. A few years ago some people said that China, the United States, and the Soviet Union constituted a big triangle. The statement sounds reasonable from the political point of view. However, since China has a long way to go to adequately liberate and develop its productive forces and it still ranks behind many countries in terms of economic strength, the triangular relationship cannot be interpreted as a situation of tripartite economic confrontation. According to Comrade Deng Xiaoping's strategic idea, China will not reach the economic level of moderately developed countries until the middle of the 21st century. Even at that time, China's per-capita GNP level will still lag behind. Therefore, in handling the relationship between internal and foreign affairs, China puts emphasis on the former. Namely, China will initially try to succeed in internal affairs by focusing on economic development. China's foreign policy will naturally serve this central task. This does not |
FBIS3-45871_0 | Exchange Views on Issues | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [Text] Paris, Jan 24 (XINHUA) -- Chinese Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen and U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher met at the Chinese Embassy here today with the two sides exchanging views on bilateral relations, disarmament, the prevention of proliferation of weapons, human rights, and other issues of common concern. After the meeting, Qian Qichen and Christopher told reporters that the meeting was "positive" and "constructive." At the talks, the two foreign ministers said that although the international situation has changed dramatically, they believed China and the United States are important and influential countries in the world. They still have many common interests and bear significant responsibilities in a broad field, including safeguarding international peace and security. The two sides agreed that the economies of the two countries have their own merits and advantages and that there are great potential and broad prospects in bilateral economic and trade cooperation. It is in the fundamental interest of the two nations to expand economic, trade, scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation. The two sides believed that Chinese President Jiang Zemin's meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton in Seattle last November marked a good beginning for Sino-U.S. relations. Since then, thanks to the common efforts of both sides, exchanges of visits by important officials of the two countries had increased and bilateral economic and trade cooperation had been reinforced. Six U.S. congressional delegations have visited China since the beginning of this year. These visits are conducive to the promotion of mutual understanding and meet the interests of both sides. The two sides also believed that the Paris meeting is of great immediate significance for maintaining the momentum of improved Sino-U.S. relations. The two sides agreed that Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Huaqiu will hold official talks with U.S. Under Secretary of State Davis on 26 January in Washington; that U.S. Under Secretary of State Tarnoff will visit China in the near future for continued political consultation. Moreover, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Shattuck will soon make a visit to China. Qian Qichen handed to Christopher a letter from President Jiang Zemin to President Clinton. Qian Qichen reiterated an invitation for Christopher to visit China, to which Christopher expressed appreciation, noting that he was looking forward to visiting China at an appropriate time. Present at today's meeting were Vice Foreign Minister Liu Huaqiu and U.S. Assistant Secretaries of |
FBIS3-45872_0 | Qian Calls Talks `Positive' | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Paris, January 24 (XINHUA) -- Chinese Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen and U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher met here today with the two sides exchanging views on bilateral relations, disarmament, the prevention of proliferation of weapons, human rights and other issues of common concern. After his meeting with Christopher at the Chinese Embassy in Paris, Qian told reporters that the meeting was "positive" and "constructive". The two foreign ministers said that although the global situation has changed dramatically, they believed China and the United States are important and influential countries in the world. They still have many common interests and bear significant responsibilities in a broad field, including safeguarding international peace and security. The two sides agreed that the economies of the two countries have their own merits and advantages and that there is great potential in bilateral economic and trade cooperation. They said that Chinese President Jiang Zemin's meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton in Seattle last November marked a good beginning for Sino-U.S. relations. Since then, exchanges of visits by important officials of the two countries had increased and bilateral economic and trade cooperation reinforced. These visits are conducive to the promotion of mutual understanding and meet the interests of both sides, they added. Qian arrived here on Saturday [22 January] at the invitation of the French Government for an official and goodwill visit. |
FBIS3-45885_0 | Plans To Release `Prominent Dissidents' `Confirmed' | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Hopes rose last night that leading mainland dissident Wang Juntao might be one of three political prisoners China yesterday pledged to release "in the next few days". Hong Kong-based human rights lobbyist John Kamm, speaking in Beijing yesterday, said mainland officials had confirmed their intention of freeing at least three prominent dissidents before Lunar New Year. "I have received confirmation from the Public Security Bureau and another ministry that three prominent dissidents will be released in approximately 10 days," Mr Kamm said. The authorities had declined to name the detainees involved, saying only that the legal process was underway and that the families would be informed in due course. "It's possible that the Chinese are holding back on the names so that they can be announced in Paris," he said, referring to tomorrw's talks in the French capital between Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen and U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher. There has been widespread speculation that Wang, a leading figure in the 1989 pro-democracy movement, might be released. However, his relatives said yesterday they had received no notification from the authorities. Wang, regarded by Beijing as a key organiser or "black hand" behind the demonstration in 1989, was sentenced to 13 years in jail in 1992. Other leading candidates to go free could include 41-year-old "black hand" Chen Ziming, also sentenced to 13 years imprisonment in 1992, and Bao Tong, the 59-year-old former right-hand man of disgraced Communist Party General Secretary Zhao Ziyang. Bao was jailed for seven years in 1992 for "inciting counter- revolutionary activities" and "divulging state secrets" in the run- up to the Tiananment crackdown. According to Mr Kamm, the authorities said they had also completed a preliminary response to a list of 235 political prisoners submitted by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights John Shattuck. Of the 235 names, the authorities said they had been unable to locate 100, while confirming that 40 others had been sentenced and were currently in jail, Mr Kamm said. About 30 more had been released, while another 30 were under investigation. While Beijing has in the past chosen to release prisoners around Lunar New Year, which falls on February 10 this year, any announcement over the next week could have important repercussions for U.S. renewal of China's Most Favoured Nation (MFN) trading status. Washington has made renewal of MFN status conditional on |
FBIS3-45894_4 | CPC Seminar Views U.S., Japan as Leading Archenemies Twenty-three Departments Participated in a Symposium on Developments in the International Situation Many Central Leaders and Senior Statesmen Attended the Meeting Over 60 Percent of Participants Regarded Japan as China's Archenemy A Quarter of the Participants Still Consider the United States as China's Major Rival About 10 Percent of Participants Believe That Russia Is Going To Be China's Most Dangerous Enemy "Rebuild a Friendly Cooperative Relationship Between China and Russia" Reflecting the CPC's Feeling of Isolation in the International Community | Japan will surely challenge China politically and militarily. By that time, the United States will change its policy from utilizing, inciting, and manipulating Japan to follow its strategy to supporting Japan's policy and strategy toward China. Under the present situation where the Soviet Union has disintegrated and Russia faces an unclear future in its political and economic reform, Japan's military development, which was previously aimed at preventing Soviet aggression, will take China as the target. Based on its economic as well as scientific and technological strength, which are constantly growing, Japan will engage in arms expansion and become the world's largest military power by the year 2020. Japan will rank first in the world in per capita military expenditure, 25 times higher than China. However, regarding Japan as China's archenemy in 2020 was not the only view expressed at the symposium. A Quarter of the Participants Still Consider the United States as China's Major Rival A quarter of the participants still consider U.S. hegemonism and power politics as China's greatest rival in 2020. In addition to continuously subverting and interfering in China's internal affairs through the means of ideological propaganda, the United States can also make use of Japan and South Korea to present military challenges to China. The United States is still the world's only military power, the leader of the western alliance, and the biggest backstage boss of political interests. Besides Japan and the United States, some people also keep an "imaginary enemy" in their mind. About 10 Percent of Participants Believe That Russia Is Going To Be China's Most Dangerous Enemy During the symposium, less than 10 percent of the participants held the view that Russia will become China's most dangerous enemy by the year 2020. They based this view on the adjoining territories of China and Russia, where a vast part of Chinese territory is inhabited by minority nationalities, on territorial disputes between the two countries, on Russia's long desire for China's territories, and on ideological differences between the two countries. When discussing China's relations with foreign countries, the issue of China forging an alliance with other countries was also brought out into the open. With a view to coping with China's present and future enemies, some people raised the idea of playing the Russia card. "Rebuild a Friendly Cooperative Relationship Between China and Russia" It was noted by many participants in the symposium that, judging |
FBIS3-45897_1 | Further on Possible Release of Wang Juntao | of any planned releases. Sources in the capital said yesterday that Wang, who had previously been confined to a well-guarded room, could now walk freely around the hospital. Moreover, his rights to visits by family members were now on a par with ordinary patients there. "Food and medical supplies for Wang have generally improved, and the relative freedom of movement recently granted him could be a sign of his impending release," an informed source said in Beijing. The source said that when Wang, who was sentenced to 13 years in 1992 was transferred to the hospital, it was clear he would not be returning to prison. "It is not too big a step from letting Wang serve out the rest of his jail term in a hospital to granting him medical bail on humanitarian grounds," he said. Another candidate for medical bail is Bao Tong, once the principal secretary of the ousted party chief, Zhao Ziyang. Bao, 59, was given a seven-year sentence in 1992 for "counter- revolutionary instigation and propaganda". But since he was detained in May 1989, Bao has already served more than half of his term, which is a ground for magnanimity in the Chinese penal system. Dissident sources said the third candidate for early release might be the student leader, Liu Gang, or the Reverend Pei Zhongxun. Liu, who is serving the last two years of a six-year sentence at a prison in Liaoning province, was a prominent student leader in the 1989 democracy movement. Human rights organisations say Liu, 32, has been tortured in prison. Like Wang, Liu's name has appeared in most lists given by foreign governments to Beijing for consideration for early release. Pei an ethnic-Korean evangelical minister, was arrested in 1985 and given a 15-year term in a Shanghai prison for allegedly "spying for Taiwan". Sources in Shanghai said since he was in his mid-70s, the authorities might grant him medical bail. Western diplomats said of the three, the release of Wang, alleged to be a key organiser of the 1989 demonstrations, would have the most impact on both the American administration and Congress. In his Seattle "summit" with President Jiang Zemin last November, President Bill Clinton mentioned Wang when they discussed human rights. Meanwhile, Mr Kamm said in Hong Kong yesterday the Chinese authorities had told him earlier this month "a few tens" of dissidents were under investigation or awaiting trial. |
FBIS3-45909_3 | `Commentary' Attacks Patten on Press Freedom Exerting Pressure on the Media With the Theory of "Self-Examination" | the media of their sufferings. This kind of unaccountable "attention" has caused uneasiness even among the media, which has seldom taken a critical attitude toward the British Hong Kong Government. According to a commentary carried by a Hong Kong newspaper, Chris Patten "often tells the British press that everyone in journalism circles in Hong Kong exercises self- discipline, and all the media have carried out self-examination and have automatically knelt down to Beijing." If one reads British newspapers, one can often come across this kind of article. After reading such articles, readers who have no idea about the situation may believe that journalists in Hong Kong keep their mouths shut and are out of the game. Such an image does great harm to journalism in Hong Kong. This side stubbornly wants the media to admit to exercising "self-censorship" and the other side has already taken corresponding action. This is good coordination indeed. Recently, the so-called "Publishers Association," whose membership mainly consists of foreigners and which does not have much influence on journalism circles, issued a "Code of Conduct for Publishers" to some media organizations and asked them to jointly sign the code. It is said that one of the main contents of the code is to set up a "Publishers' Code of Conduct Committee," similar to the "press council," which would be in charge of criticizing, guiding, and assessing the contents of publications in Hong Kong. Keen observers have pointed out that, outwardly, the committee does not have the legal right of censorship, but in reality, the influence of public opinion on journalism circles is used to exert pressure. It is known through hearsay that a certain female member of the Legislative Council is promoting this work from behind the scenes. I remember that someone made a proposal to establish a press council in the past, but his proposal met with strong opposition among the majority of journalists. At present, the abnormal move by this organization, which is against the will of the majority of journalists, is echoing the governor's "self-censorship" theory in such a way that it has raised doubts. This is clearly a measure to restrict the press. Why should the label of "defending the freedom of the press" be stuck to it! According to reports, this move has been positively responded to by an "enthusiastic" media organization which is favored by the governor. Recently, the organization published |
FBIS3-45919_1 | Airplane Hijacker Sentenced to Life Imprisonment | 13 January 1994, the Nanjing City Intermediate People's Court, in accordance with the relevant law, sentenced Sun Xianlu to life imprisonment and deprived him of political rights for life on the charge of air hijacking. After the sentence was pronounced, Sun Xianlu did not appeal, nor did the procuratorial organ lodged any protest within the time prescribed by law. The verdict became legally effective on 25 January. Liu Jiachen pointed out: A criminal who hijacks an airplane with violence, coercion, or other methods is extremely dangerous to the society, seriously disrupts normal air travel order, causes great economic losses to the state, seriously jeopardizes the safety of passengers' lives and property, and yields very bad social effects. All countries and regions regard such an act as a serious crime and impose severe punishment for it. Relevant international conventions have been recognized by more and more countries and regions. This means that air hijackers, particularly those criminals who hijack civil airplanes, will be punished by law no matter where they escape to. According to relevant reports, Huang Shugang and Liu Baocai, criminals who hijacked an airliner to Taiwan on 6 April 1993, have been sentenced to 10-year imprisonment by Taiwan region's judicial organ and they will not be allowed to stay in Taiwan after serving the term. At the same time, a common understanding of the cross- strait hijackers repatriation issue was reached between our country's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation in later part of December 1993. The two sides came to a consensus that hijacking by violence, coercion, or other methods is a serious crime and hijackers should be severely punished, and that in principle, all hijackers will be sent back to where they came from. Liu Jiachen emphasized: Hijackers of aircraft have always been a target to which severe blows will be dealt according to China's Criminal Law. In particular, according to the "Decision on Punishing Hijackers of Aircraft" adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on 28 December 1992, hijackers must be severely punished, or sentenced to death if they cause severe injury or death to other people or heavy damages to aircraft, or their crime is extraordinarily serious. Liu Jiachen said that the people's judicial organ will certainly impose harsh punishment on any desperadoes and hijackers who dare to defy the law and make a reckless move. |
FBIS3-45922_1 | Column Views Major Goals of Reform in 1994 | to maintain world peace for a fairly long time to come. According to this conclusion, Deng corrected Mao Zedong's opinion of the 1960's that another world war was inevitable and could even break out suddenly, and put forward a new thesis that peace and development were the two main themes of the contemporary world. Deng Xiaoping also adopted the national administrative guideline of focusing efforts on economic construction on the basis of this conclusion. In Deng's eyes, a peaceful international environment did not come easily. The opportunity must not be let slip, otherwise, it may not come again. So China must grasp the opportunity and accelerate its development. Some experts on international affairs in Beijing also agreed that for China, whose per capita GNP is many times smaller than the developed nations, it is indeed necessary to make good use of the current peaceful environment to quicken economic development. They pointed out that after the end of the Cold War, in the global sphere, the U.S.-Soviet rivalry for world hegemony as a factor causing the outbreak of a world war no longer exists, the world situation is going to ease, and the occurrence of a major war has become quite impossible. However, in the regional sphere, the degree of turbulence has been aggravated. According to a statistical report published by the World Priority Office [shi jie you xian shi wu suo 0013 3954 0327 0341 0057 0523 2076] on 9 November 1993, 29 wars broke out in the world in 1992, more than 6 million people were killed in wars, and total global military expenditure exceeded $600 million. This indicates that the issue of peace has not been resolved. Moreover, regional unrest in Europe remains, and an unprecedented arms race is occurring in the Asia- Pacific region. The world is not as stable as some people expected. On the contrary, the situation has become more complicated. In such circumstances, if China fails to grasp the favorable opportunity to quicken its development, it will certainly regret it in the future, because such historic opportunities are rare. According to sources, Deng Xiaoping's idea of "grasping the opportunity to accelerate development" has profound content. A nation's rise or decline is contingent on its comprehensive national strength (mainly its economic strength). Many developing countries and regions have maintained sustained economic development over 20 to 30 years. This made Deng Xiaoping realize that "development is |
FBIS3-45925_1 | Peng Peiyun Urges `Strict' Population Growth Policy | close attention should be paid to the following aspects in dealing with national family planning: -- what is most important is to redouble efforts to keep the birth rate down, which still remains high in some areas in the country. The development of family planning is uneven across the country and outdated beliefs regarding birth still exist among sectors of the Chinese population, Peng said. In addition, new problems concerning the birth control may also occur in the course of establishing a socialist market economy. As a result, China's family planning will take long-term and hard work and should not be neglected at any time. -- forceful measures should be taken to provide for better births and better education, in a bid to improve the quality of the population, Peng urged. Of the more than 50 million disabled in the country, more than 10 million were born with deformities, and there are now 4.17 million disabled children under 14 with birth defects, accounting for more than half of all disabled children, Peng said. Of every one thousand newborns, 13 suffer from birth defects. Also, over 400 million people are living in iodine-deficient areas, which could cause the birth of hundreds of thousands of mentally retarded children by the year 2000 if the problem was not solved. She added that there are also 180 million illiterates or semi- literates in the country presently. -- efforts should be made to promote the establishment of pensions and life insurance. Peng warned that China is also facing the problem of aging due to a decline in the birth rate and a rise in average life expectancy of the population. -- equality between men and women should also be advocated and measures taken to protect women's rights and interests and lift their social status. Peng added that this is crucial because females have fallen behind males in China's current sex proportion. -- last but not least, Peng said, urbanization must also be advanced in a planned way. She added that the surplus rural labor force should be encouraged to flow in an orderly manner between regions and to transfer to job vacancies in non-farm sectors, as the country's urbanization has been quickened since the policy of reform and opening was instituted in the late 1970s. Peng concluded that this is also an important issue that has close bearing on China's economic development and social stability. |
FBIS3-45949_1 | Iran Rules Out U.S. Attack Before 1996 | (XINHUA) -- Iran today ruled out the possibility reported by the Western press that the United States will carry out military strike against the country before 1996. Mahmoud Vaezi [name as received], deputy foreign minister for Euro-American affairs, said in an exclusive interview with XINHUA, "We believe that this action will not happen because the United States knows us better than other countries." He said that Iran is not a small country like Libya, but it is a big nation with an internal unity and abundant resources. He noted that the so-called U.S. war against Iran is merely a psychological war by writers in Western countries. "You can't hear this from any officials." However, since the beginning of last year, the Western media have occasionally reported that the United States and Israel would launch a war against Iran before 1996 and they would strike Iran's nuclear facilities and military bases. According to reports, there are certain Pentagon plans to start a war against Islamic Iran. Some Pentagon analysts believe that a military confrontation between Iran and the United States will be inevitable at some stage. When asked about the Iranian Government's response to the possible U.S. military strike on Iran, the deputy foreign minister said, "Our government, our Army and our people are ready for any kind of actions." Relations between Iran and the United States have been strained for 14 years since 1979 when the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was seized by Moslems students. Vaezi noted that the United States has kept a hostile attitude toward Iran. "We should not have normal relations with them unless they change their attitude and give us money back." "This is a prerequisite for normalization of relations between Iran and the United States," he added. Meanwhile, Iranian leader Ayatollah 'Ali Khamene'i late last year explicitly ruled out the possibility of negotiations between Iran and the United States and renewed his support for the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy. Khamene'i also described those Iranians who advocate talks with Washington as "naive, coward and ignorant," saying they are unfamiliar with political issues and unaware of the dangers such negotiations will entail. U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher said in Brussels last month that Washington still considered Iran an "outlaw nation" involved in terrorism. "And we think that strong action should be taken to deny them dual-use technology as well as other steps," he added. |
FBIS3-45979_0 | Taipei Asks To Be Dropped From U.S. `Watch List' | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [Text] The Ministry of Economic Affairs on 13 January assessed our country's 1993 achievements in protecting intellectual property rights and found that progress was made both in legislative and administrative measures. Minister of Economic Affairs P.K. Chiang said that he would offer explanations, write U.S. Trade Representative Kantor, and ask the United States to drop Taiwan from the Section 301 "priority watch list" during this year's review. It is time again for the United States to carry out a review of the Section 301 clause of the Omnibus Trade Act. Every April, the United States publishes a blacklist of the countries which violate intellectual property rights. During an urgent situation last year, our country rapidly adopted the eight reserved clauses of the ROC- U.S. agreement on the protection of intellectual property rights but was still included on the "priority watch list." The Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday held a interministerial coordination meeting on the protection of intellectual property rights and assessed our achievements last year in this regard. In 1993, our country adopted a cable television law, a trademark law, and a patent law; fulfilled its commitments to the "memorandum of understanding" (MOU) signed with the United States, and implemented measures to prevent the export of counterfeit goods. P.K. Chiang said: "This year, our country will not suffer as much reprisal pressure as last year." He will write Kantor and ask the United States to remove Taiwan from the reprisal list. Vice Economic Affairs Minister Li Shu-chiu pointed out after the meeting: Our country's measures to protect intellectual property rights were quite effective last year. We should continue, however, the unfinished legislative work this year in honoring the MOU. We have promised to adopt the video recording law by January of this year, but the draft law will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation together with the radio and television law. The integrated circuit layout protection law is another bill which will be submitted to the Executive Yuan for deliberation. It has been decided that the industrial design law will not be separately enacted and will be incorporated into the patent law as an article on new design patents. The business secrets law is being studied by the Commercial Department [of the Ministry of Economic Affairs]. |
FBIS3-46023_2 | Commentary Views NATO Strategy on Eastern Europe, Russia | carry out its obligations in Europe. Clinton pledged before the leaders of the 15 member countries that his administration would be different from that of his predecessor and that he "will support European efforts to promote its own security and interests." The United States wants to exercise leadership over NATO, but is unwilling to get too involved in European conflicts; it can openly allow Europe to "play a greater role," with its European allies taking a greater responsibility for defense. Another cause in which the United States finds the assistance of its European allies indispensable is if it wants to "merge" East European countries with the West; everyone knows that some East European countries have long expressed the hope to join NATO. Viewing actual conditions, Western Europe also has aspirations to strengthen security, but its unity on defense remains quite fragile. On the security issue, Europe will have to continue to rely on the United States. The strongest voice for U.S. assistance to resolve the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina came from France, which has always advocated independent defense; this serves as a very good example. The prerequisites for expanding NATO and realizing European security are U.S.-European solidarity and cooperation. However, viewing the present situation, the United States needs to handle well its relations with Russia. Some people believe that the most significant symbol of President Clinton's European trip was the U.S.-Russian summit. Those observers who show concern for NATO, whether in favor or not of NATO pushing eastward, "consider Moscow with anxiety." Those who are in favor of this worry that they will be labeled as "opposing" Moscow, and those who oppose it are not without misgivings about "isolating" Moscow. It was by no means accidental that the United States did not dare to present a list of countries included in a plan to push NATO eastward. Clinton had to go to Prague to remove some of the leading contenders misgivings; more importantly, he had to go to Moscow personally to weigh the pros and cons of the issue. Two points of major U.S. concern are, namely, first, whether or not Russia's political stability and economic reform are on the right track; and second, what is really in Yeltsin's mind about the expansion of NATO, and whether or not Russia insists on possessing a "particular position" and "leadership" in security arrangements involving Eastern Europe and within the CIS. In Moscow, Clinton |
FBIS3-46024_3 | Article Previews 1994 World Situation | year, the U.S., European, and Japanese Governments will still be plagued by their domestic problems, and may adopt more protectionist measures under domestic pressure. In the political and security fields, in January, U.S. President Clinton will promote his "New Atlantic Doctrine" during his visit to Europe. The United States will try to maintain its domination over European political and security affairs and try to make NATO carry out adjustments and reforms according to its wishes. This will inevitably arouse vigilance and resentment among some West European countries. NATO's reorganization will become the main subject of the U.S.-European dispute. The U.S.-Japanese contradictions will become more prominent in the course of establishing the Asia-Pacific multilateral security mechanism. A noteworthy fact is that the United States, Europe, and Japan are all stressing the implementation of their new Asia-Pacific policy in an attempt to expand their own influence in the Asia-Pacific region and to raise their status in the West. That is, they are trying to boost their influence in Europe and America through first boosting their influence in Asia. Improving the Cooperative Mechanisms in Each's Own Region Will Remain the Task of Primary Importance of the Three Major Economic Circles of Europe, the United States, and Japan. Improving and developing their internal cooperation mechanisms, and properly handling the contradictions and problems inside their own regions will be the most pressing and also the most important task for regional economic circles in 1994. Before this task is successfully fulfilled, it is hard to carry out large-scale and intense inter-regional economic frictions and struggles. Although the Maastricht Treaty has come into force, it is hard to say whether the second-phase goal of the European Economic and Currency Union will be smoothly achieved. There remain serious differences between various EC countries on the economic policies. The struggle between unionism and the idea of safeguarding national sovereignty will become more profound and more intense in the process of integration. The general economic recession will make it hard for most EC members to meet the third-phase requirements of the economic and currency union on time. The North American Free Trade Agreement is also facing the fact that a distinct gap exists between the economies of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, so it is hard to unify the specific standards. In addition, many domestic factors in the United States and Mexico are also constraining the union from extending |
FBIS3-46024_4 | Article Previews 1994 World Situation | United States, and Japan. Improving and developing their internal cooperation mechanisms, and properly handling the contradictions and problems inside their own regions will be the most pressing and also the most important task for regional economic circles in 1994. Before this task is successfully fulfilled, it is hard to carry out large-scale and intense inter-regional economic frictions and struggles. Although the Maastricht Treaty has come into force, it is hard to say whether the second-phase goal of the European Economic and Currency Union will be smoothly achieved. There remain serious differences between various EC countries on the economic policies. The struggle between unionism and the idea of safeguarding national sovereignty will become more profound and more intense in the process of integration. The general economic recession will make it hard for most EC members to meet the third-phase requirements of the economic and currency union on time. The North American Free Trade Agreement is also facing the fact that a distinct gap exists between the economies of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, so it is hard to unify the specific standards. In addition, many domestic factors in the United States and Mexico are also constraining the union from extending into Latin American. It is also hard to advance economic cooperation in the Pan-Asia-Pacific region at a faster pace because of the unevenness of economic development, the differences in social systems, and the existence of complex contradictions inside this region and also because the organizational structure of regional economic cooperation is rather loose. Russia will remain the world's largest unstable factor, and the political struggle in Russia will continue. Although Russia's new constitution has been passed and the new parliament has been elected, the Russian political situation will remain uncertain and the political struggle inside the ruling clique of Russia may become more intense. At present, various political factions are involved in another round of trial of strength around the cabinet appointments and the chairmanship of the two parliamentary chambers. In the first half of this year, the debate on whether to hold a presidential election will arise again. The tendency toward autonomy and self-determination in the 88 federal entities will make it hard to compromise with the national authorities. More importantly, the Russian economy is far from moving onto a path of normal development. It is even harder for the new parliament and the new cabinet to reach a |
FBIS3-46025_3 | XINHUA Praises Uruguay Round Agreement | countries and developing countries, will benefit to varying degrees. Of course, countries with more developed commodity economies and greater exports will benefit more. For this reason, developed countries will benefit much more than developing countries. According to calculations by several international organizations, after the agreement is completely carried out in 2005, the benefits obtained by all countries will range from $230 billion to $270 billion, and the actual benefits may even be much higher than these figures. According to an estimate by U.S. President Clinton, the United States alone will obtain benefits ranging from $100 billion to $200 billion and create several hundred thousand jobs. The indirect impact of the agreement will not be felt until after it is carried out, and it is too early to estimate what will happen now. For the developed countries, the advantages from the agreement are evident, while to the vast number of developing countries, there could be more disadvantages than advantages. However, some developing countries which are achieving industrialization will benefit more from the agreement. First, these countries will be able to freely export their industrial products to developed countries. Next, these countries, with a good investment environment in which the production costs are much lower than in developed countries, will attract a great deal of investment from major transnational companies. The major disadvantages are as follows: First, although the agreement permits the poorest developing nations with no industrial foundation to adopt measures to protect their national industries, it is in fact not easy for them to do so. This is because if they adopt high tariffs, their people will be unable to afford to imported industrial goods; and if they adopt low tariffs, their national industries will be strangled. Second, the agreement has not solved the problem of high tariffs for textile goods, leather products, tropical products, and primary products, while these products are major export products of many developing countries. In particular, textile goods will continue to be subject to the control of the 1974 agreement on various fiber products in the next 10 years. The 1974 agreement is very unfavorable to developing countries because it sets quotas and high tariffs for imported textile goods. Third, when service trades such as banking and telecommunications enter developing countries, they could cause unexpected consequences. Many international organizations have calculated the advantages and disadvantages of the agreement of the Uruguay Round of talks to |
FBIS3-46041_0 | Government Rejects Possible Beijing Visit by Pope | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, Jan 26 (AFP)--The Chinese Government said Wednesday there was no possibility Pope John Paul II could visit Beijing so long as the Vatican persisted in refusing to recognise China and supported underground church movements. "The Vatican must sever its so-called diplomatic relations with Taiwan, recognize (that) the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China and Taiwan is part of Chinese territory," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. Beijing requires all countries with whom it has diplomatic relations to recognize it as the sole government of all China. It views Taiwan, the island to which defeated nationalist forces retreated after the civil war, as an outlaw province. The Holy See "must also stop interfering in China's internal affairs, including its religious affairs," the spokesman said, referring to unofficial Chinese congregations gathering for worship. "This is (a) matter of principle which should be solved in the first place in Sino-Vatican relations," he said. The pope expressed hopes on Monday to visit China. It was the second time in less than a year that he has voiced such an ambition. He said he did not want to forego a chance to build relations with Beijing and the state-sanctioned church, which is dependent on the communist party. But he added that much needed to be done ahead of establishing full diplomatic relations. After the Chinese communists came to power in 1949, Beijing and the Vatican severed ties and the Holy See recognized Taiwan. The Chinese government has created an official church but many among the country's Catholic population remain loyal to the pope, gathering in groups in a so-called "church of silence" supported by the Vatican. |
FBIS3-46045_0 | RENMIN RIBAO Views Legacy of British Colonial Rule | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [Article by Hua Wen (5478 2429): "Inglorious Record--Various Kinds of Trouble Britain Left Behind in Its Former Colonies"] [Text] Britain used to have the largest colonial empire in the world. By the end of World War II, the struggle of Asian and African peoples for national independence was spreading like a storm, and Britain was compelled to withdraw from its former colonies. However, in the course of its withdrawal, Britain took great care to use various inglorious means and tricks; it sowed discord between different races, religious sects, tribes, and other political forces to spark contradictions and conflicts, thus implementing "divide and rule"; or forced the implementation of mergers in the form of a "federal state," namely, "merge and rule"; or went all out to prop up a pro-British government. In a nutshell, it attempted to continue to maintain British vested interests and maximise political influence. "Divide and rule" was one of Britain's usual notorious methods, and India served as the most typical example. In 1943, Britain set forth a policy of "divide and rule," and advocated the division of India into three governing regions, namely, separating India into a Hindu region, a Muslim region, and a region of various princely states and feudatories. Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last British viceroy of India, dished up his "divide and rule" plan in June 1946, which partitioned India into three--two dominions, India and Pakistan, and various princely states and feudatories. At the same time, it was stipulated that the princely states and feudatories had the right to decide on their own to join any of the two dominions, with the aim of using the princes of the Indian princely states and feudatories as a force to counter the Indian nationalist movement; and second, it sowed discord in relations between Muslims and the Hindus, and this eventually led to the partition of India and Pakistan. Indian and Pakistani historians indicated this by hitting the nail on the head, saying that the aim of the partition of India and Pakistan plotted meticulously by Britain was to make these two countries weak and make things difficult for them to stand on their own feet. Of course, history did not develop in the way the British colonialists hoped for. On the Palestine issue, Britain first encouraged the Arabs of the Ottoman Empire to resist Turkish rule; later, they hoisted the banner of |
FBIS3-46045_2 | RENMIN RIBAO Views Legacy of British Colonial Rule | supporting the Zionist movement, roping in the Jews to elbow out the Arabs at one point, then taking advantage of the Arabs to oppose the Jews at another. In Cyprus, to split the anti-British struggle of the local people, Britain encouraged Turkish Cypriots to confront the EOKA, the anti-British Greek Cypriot organization. Later, Britain led Greece and Turkey into Cyprus' internal conflict; consequently, the sovereignty of this island state fell apart. Furthermore, this resulted in complicated contradictions and conflicts between Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus, and between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, while turning the Cyprus issue into an international hot spot. Sometimes, Britain pushed the strategy of "merge and rule" in some regions through forcing together "federations" by force. A typical example was the "Central African Federation," which Britain patched up. In 1953, the British Government merged British Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland and formed a so-called "Federation of Central Africa." This was out of British political and economic considerations. Economically, Northern Rhodesia abounded in copper, Southern Rhodesia had skilled Caucasian technicians, and Nyasaland possessed a huge cheap labor force. Welding those three factors into an economic federation was conducive to Britain's maintenance of its economic interests in this region. Politically, the Caucasian immigrants in Southern Rhodesia were powerful and controlled the local government; with the organization of the "federation," the influence of the Caucasians of Southern Rhodesia would extend to all of British Central Africa, thus suppressing newly rising black nationalism in Africa. Nevertheless, the "Central African Federation" went bankrupt in 1963 because of the strong opposition of its black African inhabitants. In addition, another important policy target of Britain in the course of its withdrawal from its colonies was to prop up pro-British forces, and it transferred power to pro-British governments. National independence and liberation movements with a strong momentum broke out in British colonies in south, and Southeast Asia in the early post-war years. India at that time was like "a loaded ship on fire in the ocean." Britain was compelled to make the decision to withdraw quickly from India, while transferring political power into the so-called "hands of Indian who have a sense of responsibility" to prevent catastrophe for Britain. It was precisely in this way that Britain realized a "peaceful transfer of political power" in India, while a whole range of organizations of old colonial rule were retained, while India and Pakistan remained members |
FBIS3-46069_0 | New Hydropower Station Begins Operation in Hainan | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Haikou, January 19 (XINHUA) -- The first generating unit of the Daguangba Hydropower Station was put into operation a few days ago in the western part of south China's Hainan Province. As one of the key national projects of the Eighth Five-Year Program (1991-1995), the project invited bidding for design in the country for the first time. Some new technologies have been utilized in its construction. The dam of the station is 5,842 meters long, now the longest in China. Another three generating units, each with a generating capacity of 60,000 kw, will be installed. After its completion in 1995, the station is expected to produce 520 million kwh every year. It will also irrigate an area of 67,000 hectares of the island province. Work started in 1990 and the project used world bank loans of 67 million U.S. dollars in addition to Chinese investment. |
FBIS3-46104_0 | Beijing Hospitals Begin Initiative for Handicapped Orphans | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, January 18 (XINHUA) -- Four-year-old Xu Lihua and seven-year-old Zhai Xiaolong would have lived in miserable disability for their whole lives were it not for a large-scale initiative for handicapped orphans launched by Beijing hospitals. Now, they have returned to the Beijing Children's Welfare Institute, where they have lived since they were deserted by their parents, completely recovered from congenital glaucoma and ear deformity. They are starting a bright new life. The two children are among handicapped orphans from the institute who were selected to receive free medical treatment, a charity move by the city's public health bureau. The Beijing Children's Welfare Institute is the country's largest, housing more than 600 homeless children, 90 percent of whom are handicapped. Many children in the institute are confined to bed all year round, due to illnesses ranging from heart disease to congenital handicaps. Half of them have been in urgent need for medical treatment. Although staff try their best to take care of these children, it is impossible for the institute to raise the huge amount of money needed. Last August, two deputies to the Beijing People's Congress revealed the problem in a report to the city's public health bureau. Zhu Zonghan, head of the bureau, went to the institute himself for an inspection. He then made the decision to arrange operations for the children. Two months later, the bureau organized experts from five hospitals to examine 40 children. Thirty-two of them were selected for operations. On December 3, the municipal public health bureau called on all hospitals in Beijing to offer free treatment to save the handicapped orphans. The proposal won wide support. Twenty-six hospitals committed themselves to perform operations, while many other hospitals provided assistance in technology, equipment and funds. A hospital volunteered to accept five hare-lipped children, and promised to look for foster parents for them. The Beijing children's hospital promised to take all the child patients the other hospitals could not. On January 12, all the 32 children suffering from severe problems, such as large-scale scalds, hydrocrania, heart deformities or harelip, were sent to the 26 hospitals for the best of treatment. Various enterprises gave money to help in saving the children. A Beijing-Taiwan joint venture handed over 20,000 yuan (2,100 U.S. dollars). Many organisations, such as the city's association for the handicapped, the department of civil administration and the women's federation |
FBIS3-46117_0 | Heilongjiang Reports 1993 Power Production Results | Language: Mandarin Article Type:BFN [Summary] In 1993 Heilongjiang Province enjoyed again the news of victory in its power production. Its annual power output reached 37.15 billion kwh and showed a 7.4 percent increase over 1992. Its annual volume of power supplies reached 30.85 billion kwh and showed a 4.1 percent increase over 1992. The per capita productivity on the province's power industrial front reached more than 74,900 yuan in the year and showed a 15 percent increase over 1992, topping the previous peak. By vigorously promoting sales and bringing the cost and spending under strict control, the province's power industrial front showed a decrease in varying degrees in the standard coal consumption and the rate of electricity losses over 1992. The front saved more than 137,000 metric tons of standard coal and 24 million kwh of electricity in the year. Meanwhile, the province invested 1.95 billion yuan in the capital construction projects of power production, which showed a 31.6 percent increase over 1992. The volume of electricity turned out by the newly built generator sets reached 220 kilovolts in the year. The transmission lines newly established in the year were 22 km. The capacity of transformer substations newly built in the year reached (?50,000) kilovolt amperes. The province's power industrial front also scored marked achievements in bringing in foreign capital for the construction projects. |
FBIS3-46135_0 | XINHUA Views Cross-Strait Hijackings Commentary Urges `Punishment' | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN ["Commentary" by unidentified XINHUA commentator: "Criminal Hijackers of Aircraft Must Be Sternly Punished"] [Text] Beijing, 25 Jan (XINHUA) -- Sun Xianlu, a criminal who used violence to hijack a plane, was sentenced to life in prison and was stripped of his political rights for life. He deserves such a punishment. For a while, some criminals have resorted to using violence and terrorist acts to hijack Chinese civilian passenger aircraft to Taiwan, thus seriously endangering aircraft passengers' lives and property, jeopardizing flight safety, and creating abominable influences on both sides of the Taiwan Strait as well as throughout the world. Hijacking civilian aircraft is a terrorist act that seriously threatens people's lives and safety. This kind of act is in violation of Chinese law, and all countries and regions throughout the world consider it a serious crime and impose stern punishments on plane hijackers. International conventions in this regard contain stipulations for dealing with plane hijackings; all countries and regions of the world have the obligation to crack down on aircraft hijackings. Why have aircraft hijackings occurred so frequently across the Taiwan Strait? By recalling the few aircraft hijackings over the last few years, any person with a sense of justice and without political prejudice can see that the reason why plane hijackings have occurred so frequently is simply because of the Taiwan authorities' connivance with and giving unprincipled protection to hijackers. It is simply the Taiwan authorities' giving unprincipled protection to aircraft hijackers that has finally resulted in abominable consequences, and these abominable consequences have not only brought suffering to some mainland people but have also brought misfortune to some Taiwan compatriots. On 2 October 1992, Jiang Xiaofeng attempted to hijack a plane to Taiwan. This resulted in a disaster that killed 128 people, including 30 Taiwan compatriots; that injured 53 people, and that destroyed three planes. Zhuo Changren and his partners, who hijacked a plane to Korea in May 1983 and who were later received by Taiwan, joined the black society in Taiwan and kidnapped and killed a man, thus posing a danger to the people in Taiwan. This incident also proves that aircraft hijackings have also brought misfortune to Taiwan compatriots. As for the issue of how mainland hijackers of aircraft are treated, although the Taiwan authorities have changed their attitude of considering plane hijackers to be "anticommunist heroes" and have sentenced the criminals |
FBIS3-46136_3 | XINHUA Views Cross-Strait Hijackings Article Criticizes Hijackers | Taiwan authorities did not produce for mainland civil aviation a tragedy of plane crashes and human casualties, these did indeed "set up" an extremely dangerous "time bomb." To the mainland's criminal elements, the Taiwan authorities' actions are like their sending them this "message: "If you hijack a plane to Taiwan, all you have to do is to `sit' in prison for several years and then you may be allowed to `settle' on the island." This "time bomb" finally exploded on 2 October 1990. On that day, the criminal Jiang Xiaofeng, when he realized that the captain, far from following his "hijacking order," had landed the plane at Guangzhou's Baiyun airport, in a rage beat the captain, caused the hijacked plane to collide with two other planes parked on the runway, and created a great tragedy in which 128 people were killed, 53 people were injured, and the three planes were completely destroyed. Not only mainland people and the mainland civil aviation company were victims of this hijacking tragedy; 30 Taiwan compatriots also perished in that incident. Compatriots on both sides of the strait were greatly shocked! This incident caused an uproar among the international public. The Kind of People Hijackers Are In 1990, Taiwan's relevant authority, yielding to the pressure of public opinion, announced that Taiwan would not welcome hijackers and anyone hijacking a plane to Taiwan would be promptly repatriated. Hence, the sky across the Strait was quiet for a while. However, the Taiwan authority did not keep its words. Following the hijacking on 4 April 1993, Taiwan, instead of promptly repatriating the hijackers, emphasized the "judicial jurisdiction" and "kept" the criminals in Taibei. Thereafter, the cross-strait sky has not been so quiet. Although the Taiwan authority failed to keep the promise, people began to notice some "improvement" in Taiwan's handling of hijackers. Did the series of hijackers from the mainland really have a sweet taste of their "fruits" in Taibei? A review of hijackers' criminal records in the mainland and their "comic" show in Taibei would set people roaring with laughter. Take hijackers Huang Shugang and Liu Baocai for instance. It has been verified by our Public Security Ministry that criminal Huang is the culprit of a major graft case involving over 200,000 yuan. When he was brought to the court in Taibei, he had the audacity to beg the police to remove his handcuffs during public appearance. |
FBIS3-46145_0 | Official Discusses Increasing Consumer Protection | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Shenyang, January 25 (XINHUA) -- The Chinese people have become increasingly more consumer-conscious and learned to protect their rights by resorting to legal instruments. A case in point involves two young women who won a law suit last year for illegal body search by a shopping center which suspected them of shop-lifting. According to Cao Xiaoqi, deputy secretary-general of the China Consumers Association, with the support of governments at all levels, a consumer protection network now covers the whole country, embracing about 40,000 organizations. Meanwhile, the country's first consumer law came into force at the beginning of this year, which stipulates that a consumer may claim for compensation doubling the amount of the goods bought if the goods were found to be false or not up to standards. Now more and more consumers are learning to fight encroachments on their rights, such as short weight, defective or shoddy goods, and poor service, Cao said. He said that since the association was established in 1984 such organizations have spread all over the urban and rural areas. In addition, some far-sighted companies have also set up their own consumer-protection units so as to earn a good reputation. So far, China's industrial and commercial units have set up 25,000 stations to deal with consumers' feedback on their products. Meanwhile, consumers associations closely co-operate with the news media. As a result, a number of enterprises, which have severely damaged consumers' interests while refusing to pay for losses, have been exposed to the public. In line with the nationwide campaign to stamp out shoddy and false goods, the associations make spot checks on a wide range of goods, covering electrical appliances and food, Cao said. During the past nine years the country's consumers associations have handled 1.6 million complaints from consumers, over 95 percent of which have been settled with nearly 600 million (about 67 million U.S. dollars) in compensation for consumers. Offenders have been fined a total of 40 million yuan (about 4.5 million U.S. dollars). |
FBIS3-46149_0 | Official Cites Negligence For Last Year's Fires | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, January 25 (XINHUA) -- China today reported the outbreak of more than 38,000 fires in 1993, in which 2,467 people were killed and 5,977 injured. According to Liu Shipu, director of the Fire-Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, direct losses of the fires in 1993 amounted to 1.12 billion yuan, the heaviest since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Liu attributed the frequent outbreaks of the fires to the increase of sub-standard construction projects and of enterprises dealing with combustibles, management chaos in the fire prevention sector in some departments, poor quality of certain employees, as well as insufficient fire-fighting equipment. He said another major factor was that some enterprises and localities raced for economic profits, at the expense of fire- prevention. A breakdown of the fire figures shows that 57 percent of the 206 large-scale fires broke out in the booming coastal areas and 10 percent in foreign-funded ventures. Liu called on governments at all levels to implement strictly the laws and regulations regarding fire-prevention. He also urged that more funds should be put into the revamping of fire-control equipment and infrastructure. In 1993, 36 Chinese fire-fighters lost their lives and more than 2,000 were injured on duty. |
FBIS3-46170_0 | Article Views U.S. Dilemma on MFN Issue, Human Rights | Language: Chinese Article Type:BFN [By staff correspondent Liu Liping (0491 4539 1627)] [Text] Washington, 24 Jan (ZHONGGUO XINWEN SHE)--Early in the year, THE NEW YORK TIMES chose to interview J. Stapleton Roy, U.S. ambassador to the PRC, on the China issue, sparking off media interest in keeping track of the White House's actions on ending China's most-favored-nation [MFN] status five months from now. Stapleton told THE NEW YORK TIMES that the last 15 years of reform had been the best period China had ever had in the 150 years since the Opium Wars. Deng Xiaoping's reforms have made notable progress in China's march toward a society of greater freedom and democracy, noting that the United States should take China's economic and social reforms into account when approaching the China problem. The basic theme of U.S. China policy can be very largely seen from the role played by China's economic reforms in the MFN issue -- the touchstone for Sino-U.S. relations. Sources close to the U.S. Government say that the White House is feeling pressure on this issue from China's enormous economic reforms. Experts explained that the pressure from China's economy comes in fact from demands within the American economy. A foreign policy report by Secretary of State Christopher toward the end of last year already hinted that the Clinton administration was making economic growth a top priority in its foreign policy. At a session of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Christopher described economic security as the top factor in U.S. foreign policy, explaining: "National security after the Cold War will depend on a powerful economy which will function much the same as a powerful military force." Moreover, he stated: "For American businessmen, there is no place as dynamic as the Asia-Pacific region in terms of economic growth and export trade opportunities. The region has an intimate interest for U.S. commerce and employment. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that the volume of U.S.-China trade in 1993 topped $35 billion. Wang Tianming, a ministerial-rank attache at the PRC Embassy in the United States, revealed that in the next seven months, China would import 210 key technological projects involving 23 industries. Reports from Beijing say imports over the next seven years will amount to $700 billion. A commentary by Representative Glickman in THE WASHINGTON TIMES represents, to a different extent, the current outlook of the U.S. business sector on China. The commentary |
FBIS3-46195_0 | `Roundup' Views Reform of Medical System | Language: English Article Type:BFN ["Roundup" by Li Wei: "China Speeds Up Reform of Medical Care System"] [Text] Beijing, January 27 (XINHUA) -- China will speed up its reform of the medical care system this year. The reform will focus on the more than 40-year-old free health service and the labor insurance medical care system. Informed sources said that the aim of the reform is to let the government, enterprises and individuals all rationally share part of the medical expenses. They disclosed that the changes will include establishing a medical insurance fund for medical expenses of serious diseases and setting up individual medical care accounts which will pool the money from part of the raised salaries of workers. The reform, which will be tested in some key cities across the country, will not lower the health care levels of urban dwellers, said an official from the National Center of Medical Insurance (NCMI). Started in 1952, the free medical service system covered almost all the urban citizens working in government institutions, some disabled armymen and all the university students in China. Medical expenses of the 29 million people covered by the system were borne by the governments at different levels. The labor insurance medical care system, started in 1951, covered the staff and workers of state-owned enterprises and their close relatives. More than 144 million people in China were covered by the system and their medical expenses were paid by their enterprises. The free and the labor insurance medical care system has played an important role in protecting public health, promoting economic development and maintaining social stability in China during the past four decades, said Liu Xiufeng, vice-director of the NCMI. However, Liu said, the disadvantages of the system are also obvious: The excessive use of expensive medicines, and the indiscriminate waste of money. Statistics showed that in the latter half of the 1980s, the annual growth rate of medical expenditure in China in the free medical care sector was greater than the growth rate of the national financial income. The free and the labor insurance medical system has made the government and enterprises undertake too much, while individuals basically did not pay any medical expenses. "Such a system goes beyond China's present social and economic development levels," said Liu. In March, 1989, four cities -- Siping in Jilin Province, Dandong in Liaoning Province, Huangshi in Hubei Province and Zhuzhou in Hunan |
FBIS3-46196_0 | Survey: Quarter of Married Women Have Had Abortion | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, Jan 27 (AFP)--A quarter of all married women in China have had at least one abortion, according to poll results published Thursday in Beijing Youth News. The urban abortion rate is higher than that of the countryside, the poll by the All China Women's Federation said. In Shanghai, 41 percent of the women have had abortions at least once. In Beijing, close to 35 percent had had them, and there is a growing trend for non-married women to abort, the newspaper said. Not all of the poll results were published. The strict control over the birth rate in China since the beginning of the 1980s, limiting the number of births to 14 million per year, has led to a strong surge in abortions, sometimes late in the pregnancy. Official family planning permits only one child per urban couple but, in general, two for rural parents. Of the women questioned, 88 percent said that abortion had greater consequences on a woman's health than on her reputation, but at least two-thirds said they would not like their colleagues and friends to know they had had an abortion. |
FBIS3-46244_0 | Reports on Chinese Academy of Sciences Activities 1993 Research Achievements Reported | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Beijing, January 25 (XINHUA) -- The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) netted 46 national academic prizes and many international prizes for research results in 1993, a CAS spokesman said today. He said the country's most authoritative academic body and comprehensive Natural Sciences Research Center made remarkable progress last year in basic and applied sciences, technology exploration and research for the public good. CAS was honored with National Natural Science Awards for 20 research results, National Awards for Scientific and Technological Progress for 21 results and National Invention Awards for the other five, the spokesman told the press. CAS also won widespread international acclaim, he said. Internationally recognized research results include the Liquid Crystal Biomembrane Theory, which won "an outstanding achievement award in physics" in 1993, and an independently-developed 2.16 meter telescope for observing space. Other projects embraced computer control, laser processing and automation of industrial production in some fields. And some new drugs, species and living substances were produced in genetic and cytological projects, he added. The highest academic body also produced some influential reports last year on environmental protection, effective use of China's human resources and the role of overall government control as the country converts to a market economy, the spokesman said. |
FBIS3-46249_1 | Article Views Environment Protection Successes 2. Our Country Still Faces Grim Environmental Protection Prospects At a Time of Rapid Economic Development 3. The Entire Country Was Buffeted by the Environmental Protection Wave in 1993 | high residue. The agricultural department began experimenting on pollution-free production and made new progress in afforestation on plains and along coastal regions. In particular, the shelter-forest project in the northeast-north-northwest region is known as "the world's best ecological project." -- Success has been achieved in preventing industrial pollution. A large number of industrial pollution control facilities built in our country in the 1980's have successively yielded results, raising the rate of disposal of three wastes [waste gas, waste water, and industrial residue], as well as the up-to-standard rate, remarkably. -- China's urban environmental situation has improved remarkably. As a result of the comprehensive efforts to improve the environment, the environmental quality of many cities has become better to varying degrees. Despite large increases in the urban population and energy consumption, urban atmospheric conditions have basically not worsened and the amount of some pollutants in the atmosphere have even decreased, thanks to various urban air pollution control measures. China's environmental protection has unique features, which have attracted the attention of the Third World. 2. Our Country Still Faces Grim Environmental Protection Prospects At a Time of Rapid Economic Development According to relevant departments, our country should soberly assess its current status of environment protection, despite its tremendous achievements in preventing and controlling industrial pollution. In the past year, some newly-launched projects, especially "wholly or partly foreign-owned" construction projects in development zones, continued to develop new pollution sources because they failed to strictly implement relevant state regulations mandating environmental impact assessments, and the "simultaneous construction of projects and facilities to control three wastes." Pollution in village and town enterprises worsened with each passing day, and the general level of industrial pollution increased. In 1992, 36.6 billion metric tons of waste water was released across the country, up nine percent from 1991; this figure does not cover village and town enterprises. The amount of waste water released last year was significantly higher than that discharged in the preceding year. Although the water quality in the main course of the Chang Jiang is good, pollution is quite serious near the river banks in sections that run through the major cities of Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai. Only 41 percent of the 38,000-km stretches of the seven major rivers and inland rivers subject to water quality tests measure up to first- and second-class water quality standards, whereas 48 percent indicate fairly serious pollution. Surface water |
FBIS3-46253_1 | Editorial Criticizes Lu Ping's `Personal Attacks' | the credentials of Michael Sze Chocheung. Mr Lu insinuated that the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs was not a representative of Hong Kong people: He was too much of a dedicated follower of Chris Patten. Such attacks may be a sign of Mr Lu's own difficulties in Beijing. To his credit he pushed for the Sino-British talks -- against the advice of Zhou Nan, his rival at XINHUA (the New China News Agency). But he is now having to appear tougher than Mr Zhou. China's criticism of those who speak out (like its invitations to others to appear before the Preliminary Working Committee to explain themselves) work to undermine the administration's loyalty to the Governor. Mr Lu's barbs can hardly fail to increase the pressure on Hong Kong civil servants and add to their sense of unease about the future. Taken to its logical extreme, his argument is that the 30 per cent or so of the population who have supported Mr Patten in opinion polls over the past year have no right to be considered Hong Kong people. For the bulk of the population that is absurd. But at the top of the civil service, where public explanation of, and vocal support for, official [as published] are part of the job in our executive-led system of government, the menace of a post-1997 witch hunt is unmistakeable. Mr Sze's case, like that of Sir Hamish -- and of Anson Chan Fang On-sang when she came under attack, as Secretary for Economic Services, for her defence of the airport -- is a strong argument against Hong Kong-style executive-led government; it is an argument in favour of putting elected politicians or appointed Executive Councillors in charge of policy branches. Career civil servants are supposed to be neutral, back-room workers. But under the system invented by Britain, and preserved by China under the Basic Law, they have to play a role similar to that of cabinet ministers in defending policies for which they are not politically responsible and with which they may privately disagree. Politicians elected or appointed, are in the job by choice and should be ready to face the consequences. Civil Servants have no choice. Mr Lu and his Government are in large part responsible for the quandary in which civil servants find themselves. They are under attack, unfairly, for working within a system which Beijing has endorsed and insists must continue. |
FBIS3-46281_8 | Official on Agricultural Development Program | protect the interests of the farmers, and measures taken to ensure the peasants will benefit from state policies to the full. Again, laws and regulations and a mechanism for protecting the peasants' interests should be set up. Five, poor areas should be further helped to shake off poverty and to boost economic development. The state has set about making a plan, under which 80 million poor people will shake off poverty within seven years beginning 1994. 4. We must make concentrated efforts to promote agricultural education and scientific and technological progress so as to elevate the overall quality of agriculture and rural economic development to a new level. We must mainly rely upon increasing per-unit output to hit the target for agricultural growth for the 1990's, raising the per-mu yields of grain and cotton by 50 and 12 km respectively within 10 years, which nears the growth rate in the 1980's. To achieve this, we must promote scientific and technological progress and improve conditions for agricultural production. In the next few years, while continuing to promote basic agricultural scientific research, we must vigorously spread the use of scientific research achievements which have proved remarkably effective in raising per- unit yield and quality of agricultural products. First, we should select, cultivate, and spread improved strains of crops, timber, animals, poultry, and aquatic products. The plan for using strains related to grain and cotton production nationwide should be updated once or twice in the 1990's and the good strains of animals, poultry, aquatic products, sugar-yielding bearing crops, timber, and fruits should be spread to a wider area than they are now. Second, appropriate agricultural technology should be vigorously popularized. The growing industry should focus on spreading such technologies as extensive model cultivation [guang mo shi hua zhai pei 1639 2875 1709 0553 2707 1014], dry agriculture [han zhuo nong ye 2487 0155 6593 2814], plastic film sheeting, soil conservation cultivation [bao hu di zhai pei 0202 6233 0966 2707 1014], and forecast and comprehensive prevention and elimination of damage done by plant diseases, pests, rats, and weeds. The breeding industry should focus on popularizing such technologies as optimized rearing of animals and poultry; mixed feed; plant stem ammonification; efficient breeding in fresh and sea water; resources proliferation [zi yuan zeng zhi 6327 3293 1073 2994]; and prevention, control, and elimination of epidemic diseases. Efforts should also be made to spread the advanced |
FBIS3-46285_0 | Taipei Reportedly 1993 Top Investor in Vietnam | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Danielle Yang] [Text] Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) -- Taiwan was the top investor in Vietnam in 1993 with investment reaching US$430 million, the Economics Ministry's Industrial Development and Investment Center (IDIC) said Thursday [27 January]. In addition to Taiwan investment, a number of Southeast Asian nations poured money into Vietnam last year, including Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, who invested US$346 million, US$209 million and US$131 million respectively, the IDIC statistics showed. From 1988 to November, 1993, Taiwan's accumulated investment in Vietnam hit US$1.275 billion with Taiwan Sugar Corp. and Chinese Petroleum Corp. as leading investors. Hong Kong ranked second in accumulated investment, with US$1.064 billion during the period. South Korea came in third with US$473 million, followed by Australia's US$415 million and Japan's US$414 million. In recent years, foreign capital has continuously poured into Vietnam due to its cheap labor and the legislation of an investment law in 1987 as well as the free market reform policy adopted by the Vietnamese Government at the end of the 1980s. The market reform policy, although coming later than similar policies in other Southeast Asian countries, still fueled an outstanding average economic growth of 7.1 percent over the past three years. Total approved foreign investment in Vietnam in 1991 reached US$1.146 billion, and the figure jumped to US$2.863 billion in 1993, the statistics showed. Although Taiwan topped other investors in 1993, its US$430 million was a decline of 17.8 percent from 1992, the IDIC statistics showed. Taiwan manufacturers focused their investments in the hotel, tourism, service, petroleum and natural gas industries. |
FBIS3-46286_0 | Investment Guarantee Pact Discussed With Thailand | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By Y.C. Tsai] [Text] Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) -- Officials from Taiwan and Thailand Thursday [27 January] opened a series of meetings on an investment guarantee agreement between the two countries. Ch'en Yung-hsiang, deputy director-general of the Industrial Development and Investment Center, is representing Taiwan at the negotiations. He said the talks would continue into Friday. The Thai delegation is led by Chaiyong Satjipanon [as received], deputy director of the Economic Affairs Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The 10-member Thai group includes Nopporn Ratchawej, deputy director of the Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei, Lek Boonsriroj [as received], chief of the Commercial Division of the Thai Office, and officials from the Ministries of Agriculture, Industry, Finance, and Transportation. Chaiyong expressed hope that the ongoing talks can reach a final agreement. Taiwan and Thailand exchanged a draft proposal on the investment guarantee pact last February. Signing of the agreement will certainly boost Taiwan investment in Thailand, he noted. Among the six member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, only Thailand and Brunei have not signed the investment guarantee pact with Taiwan. The other four members are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Statistics show that Taiwan is the third largest foreign investor in Thailand with 1,098 investment projects, totaling US$4.5 billion, as of the end of 1993. |
FBIS3-46291_6 | CPC Theorist Gong Yuzhi Compares Mao, Deng | think he is. There will be people who are unsatisfied with him, just as there are people who are not satisfied with me. But, on the whole, he is relatively attentive to the overall interests, relatively honest and kind, relatively impartial when handling problems, and he is very strict with himself if he makes a mistake. [Gao] Mao Zedong also made many positive comments on other leaders but there are not many who got such a high appraisal from him. What do you think are the common points between Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. [Gong] I think comparing and studying these two great men is very meaningful but one cannot do it with only a few words. As far as common points are concerned, I think the most significant lies in "seeking truth from facts." It is, first of all, due to this common point in their ideological approaches that they became the cores of the two generations of the central leadership collectives, led the two revolutions, achieved the two leaps in the integration of Marxism with China's reality, and founded two great theories: Mao Zedong Thought and the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. [Gao] This common point is very important and needs an extensive analysis. What about other common points? [Gong] As strategists, a big common point with Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping is their attention to rural areas and the peasants. That is, proceeding from solving rural and peasant-related issues to solving the problems in China's revolution and reform. The revolutionary path of "rural areas encircling the cities" initiated by Mao Zedong was a new path, different from the revolutionary path followed in the Russian Revolution, namely, centering on cities. To establish revolutionary bases in rural areas was determined by China's national conditions and was a revolutionary path with Chinese characteristics. Strategically, and as far as the choice of breakthrough point for the reform is concerned, Deng Xiaoping also set his eye on rural areas when leading China's reform. First, the breakthrough in, and popularization of, the peasants' contract responsibility system with remuneration linked to output and the new force of township and town enterprises suddenly coming to the fore afterward, catalyzed the preparation and development of the market economy. In my opinion, grasping the issue of rural areas and the peasants in China's revolutionary strategy and reform strategy means taking hold of China's characteristics. Mao |
FBIS3-46303_0 | U.S. Links Aid to Russia, Belarus to Reform | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Washington, January 27 (XINHUA) -- Concerned with the personnel changes in the Russian and Belarusian Governments, the United States said it would link economic aid to the two countries' progress in reforms. Washington has shown concern in recent weeks following the departure of two prominent officials from the Russian Government, and the removal of Stanislav Shushkevich as chairman of the Belarusian parliament. State Department Spokesman Michael D. McCurry said Shushkevich's ouster "deprives Belarus of a leadership that has made a remarkable contribution to peace and stability in Europe and to the development of U.S.-Belarus relations." The personnel changes in Russia and Belarus happened just weeks after President Bill Clinton's visit to the area. "We continually reassess the policy in terms of changing events, but I think the overall policy, which has been to support the reformists, to support democraticization, is the right policy," said White House Spokeswoman Dee Dee Myers. "We need to wait and see what their policies are before we make judgments about whether they've reversed course," Myers said. While economic aid in other areas is tied to progress of the reforms, the fund promised for nuclear weapons removal in Belarus will go ahead, Myers said. |
FBIS3-46308_7 | Report Examines Sino-U.S. Textile Accord | prevention and crackdown. Three national conferences were convened in early 1991 and in early and late 1993 to specifically thrash out related matters. On the organizational side, in July 1992, China set up a group to investigate illegal textile transshipment problems. With participation by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, the General Administration of Customs, the State Administration for the Inspection of Import and Export Commodities, and with Shi Guangsheng, vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, as chairman, the group led a nationwide campaign against illegal textile transshipments. Nationwide on-the-spot investigations were conducted in September 1992 and May, July, and August 1993 to identify problems and plug loopholes. In late June 1992, in a bid to strengthen cooperation with U.S. Customs for joint action, China submitted to the United States a proposed draft of "the Sino-U.S. Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Prevention of Illegal Textile Transshipment (Draft]." China also instituted investigations of enterprises suspected of involvement in illegal transshipment activities and, once confirmed with conclusive evidence, took stern measures against them, including punishing those who were responsible and exposing their activities. So far, China has punished 14 China-based enterprises dealing with export and production, terminated trade ties with three foreign enterprises, and closed down a foreign enterprise's office in China. It should be pointed out that, after all, Chinese enterprises engaged in this sort of illegal activities are extremely few in number. Of the 69 illegal textile transshipment cases the United States handed over to China between April 1990 and 16 January 1994 for full investigation, only five out of the 47 investigated cases were confirmed, the rest lacked full or sufficient evidence. Vice Minister Shi Guangsheng, leader of the Chinese negotiating team, emphatically pointed out: This handful of enterprises, which sought their own benefits at the expense of national interests, have upset the normal Sino-U.S. trade order; their illegal acts must be resolutely and sternly dealt with. From now on, enterprises involved in illegal transshipment will face quota reductions -- for serious cases -- withdrawal of operating rights, and -- for those held directly responsible -- legal consequences. He further urged governments of various localities and departments in charge of foreign trade to attach greater importance to this issue and do their part in protecting national interests. He said that areas found to be involved in illegal transshipments will face punishment |
FBIS3-46319_0 | Possible Wang Juntao Release on Parole Reported | Language: Japanese Article Type:BFN [By reporter Toshiaki Arai] [Text] Beijing, 18 Jan -- Chinese judicial authorities plan to release on parole Wang Juntao (aged 36), a Chinese democratic activist who is currently serving a prison term for involvement in the 1989 Tiananmen incident, as early as before the Spring Festival (10 February, or Chinese New Year), according to a well-informed local source. Wang, who has formerly served as deputy director of the Beijing Institute of Social and Economic Sciences, is to be released so he can receive medical treatment, the source said. During the U.S.-PRC summit meeting in Seattle last November, U.S. President Bill Clinton expressly cited Wang's name and asked Chinese President Jiang Zemin to have Wang released. In view of the approaching expiration of the most-favored-nation (MFN) status for China next June, it is believed China plans to release Wang as a gesture toward the United States for requesting renewal of the status. On renewal of the status, the Clinton administration has maintained it an imperative condition that improvements be made in China's human rights issue. U.S. Secretary of Treasury Lloyd Bentsen plans to address Chinese leaders to reiterate U.S. position on this issue during his planned visit to Beijing on 19 January. Moreover, U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher plans to ask Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen during a foreign ministerial meeting in Paris on 24 January that improvements be made on the human rights issue. China has already expressed its willingness to accept inspections of its prisons by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Recently, it also dropped charges against two Tibetan political prisoners and released them. The United States, however, has asserted these actions are insufficient. |
FBIS3-46320_1 | Wei Jingsheng Interviewed on Democratic Movement | I wear false teeth. At first, they did not even take me to a doctor when I had pain in my heart. I was allowed to see a doctor at long last and found out that I had heart trouble. Immediately after that, they transferred me to a prison in the highland of Qinghai Province. I think they wanted see me die in the prison. They began to treat me a little better about 1985, when Hu Yaobang (former CPC general secretary) improved treatment of political prisoners. Fortunately, my body was able to adjust the life in the highland. Otherwise, I would not have come back alive. Not many people come back alive from the highland prison. There is a saying in China: criminals may not be afraid of the death sentence, but they are afraid of a 15-year imprisonment. [Shimizu] Were you able to find out information on the Tianammen Square incident of 4 June 1989? [Wei] I partially knew about it because RENMIN RIBAO was reporting the truth for a while (before the incident). It was a big chance for China. But, since the government and the students handled the incident badly, only the most reactionary forces benefited from it. Because of this, freedom of the press and much of the political reform movement receded to the level of the time of the Great Cultural Revolution. [Shimizu] Do the security police still interfere with your activities? [Wei] The security police gave me warnings for several reasons, one of which was that I contacted foreign correspondents within three months of my release. I received an official warning for the article I wrote for THE NEW YORK TIMES last November. [Shimizu] The United States is changing its attitude toward the human rights issue. [Wei] It is not wise to do that. I understand the need to do business. However, I hope the United States will continue to maintain its responsible attitude toward the democratic movement and human rights conditions in China. [Shimizu] What do you expect of the Japanese Government? [Wei] Lately, the Chinese people think that the Japanese Government supported the most reactionary government of China. Japan supported China because of the traditional strategy that the more China lags behind Japan in the economic field, the safer Japan would become. However, China is lagging behind Japan so much in the economic field that major disorder in China will not |
FBIS3-46321_0 | Source: Jiang Zemin Solidifying Military Base | Language: Japanese Article Type:BFN [By reporter Masaru Soma] [Text] Hong Kong, 30 Dec -- On 30 December it was learned that the CPC Central Military Commission [CMC] recently met in Beijing and decided to remove a top military officer who had previously been promoted in recognition of his contribution in the June 1989 crackdown on the Tiananmen uprising. A Chinese source in Hong Kong revealed this. During the meeting, the CMC also revised the "Military Guideline," the rules setting forth the role of the military in pursuing reform and open-door policy. This is the first time in five years that the guideline has been revised. It may be said that all this shows that Jiang Zemin, CPC general secretary and concurrent CMC chairman, is trying to solidify his position within the military. According to reports by China's XINHUA NEWS AGENCY, the Chinese Air Force's eighth meeting of party delegates was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 24 December. That meeting was attended by Jiang Zemin; Liu Huaqing, CMC vice chairman and member of the party Political Bureau Standing Committee; Zhang Zhen, CMC vice chairman; Defense Minister Chi Haotian; Zhang Wannian, chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army [PLA]; Yu Yongbo, PLA General Political Department director; Fu Quanyou, Political Department director of the PLA General Logistic Department; and many other top military officials. It appears that the CMC meeting was held around that time. According to the Chinese source, the man removed during the CMC meeting was Zhang Gong, a political commissar in the Chengdu Military Region, who had served as the spokesman for the martial law force at the time of the Tiananmen incident. In May of 1990, following the Tiananmen incident, Zhang's contribution was recognized and he was promoted, in one big sweep, from the position of director of the Beijing Military Region's Political Department to the political commissar of the Beijing Military Region. But in December 1992, he was transferred, in a de- facto demotion, to the position of political commissar of the Chengdu Military Region, and as a result of the recent CMC action, he was even removed from that position. The Chinese source insisted: "The personnel action strongly smacks of purging targeted at Zhang who, as the spokesman of the martial law troops, was a symbolic figure at the time of the Tiananmen incident." The source said that |
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