Tibetan Music Videos: “Hold on to the Ancestral Land”

High Peaks Pure Earth runs a series of music videos from Tibet, about one per week. This is the most recent one. Every post comes with some background information.

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Related

» Federation of Literary and Art, April 15, 2012

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Outline of National Tourism and Leisure (2013 – 2020)

Main Link: » 国务院：2020年将落实带薪休假 探索学生春秋假, Febr 18, 2013

Links within blockquotes added during translation.

Red Tourism: Don’t be a Maybe (click picture for source).

Enorth (Tianjin) / China News Service (CNS), Febr. 18, 2013 —

To all the Provincial, Autonomous Regions’, and Municipal People’s Governments, to all the Ministries and Commissions of the State Council, and to all Agencies directly under the State Council:
The “Outline of National Tourism and Leisure (2013 – 2020)” has been approved by the State Council and is now printed and distributed to you. Please implement them and carry them out conscientiously.

State Council General Office, February 2, 2013

CNS quotes the China National Tourism Administration‘s (国家旅游局) website with (apparently) the full outline.

The gist, according to CNS:

The outline says that by 2020, the paid annual leave system will have been basically implemented, with substantial increases in the comsumption levels of urban and rural residents.

The outline is meant to meet the continuously growing demands by the people and the masses on holiday and leasure, to promote the healthy development of the tourism industry, to promote the construction of a socialist-with-Chinese-characteristics citizen tourism and leasure system, and in accordance with the Opinions of the State Council on accelerating the development of Tourism (国务院关于加快发展旅游业的意见), document no. 41, 2009.

Besides technical considerations (or ahead of them), the document refers to the Deng Xiaoping Theory, Three Represents (Jiang Zemin), and Scientific Development (Hu Jintao) as its guiding ideologies. Hence, attention is paid to keeping entrance to public museums, memorial halls and patriotism education bases (爱国主义教育示范基地, example here) free of charge. Issues of cheating tour guides etc. are also addressed.

Patriotic enough? The “Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet” (click picture for source).

The authorities are advised to bring “labor unions”, the Communist Youth League of China, the All China Women’s Federation and other mass organizations and trades into play.

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Related

» Linking Cultural Industries to National Economy, Jan 14, 2012

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Stock Taking: Old Cadres and active Dangwais

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1. Visiting

Xinhua — February 7, 19:49 local time.

On the eve of Spring Festival, party and state leaders have themselves separately visited or assigned comrades to visit Jiang Zemin (江泽民), Li Peng (李鹏), Wan Li (万里), Qiao Shi (乔石), Zhu Rongji (朱镕基), Li Ruihuan (李瑞环), Song Ping (宋平), Wei Jianxing (尉健行), Li Lanqing (李岚清), Zeng Qinghong (曾庆红), Wu Guanzheng (吴官正), Li Changchun (李长春), Luo Gan (罗干), He Guoqiang (贺国强), Zhou Yongkang (周永康) and Zhang Jinfu (张劲夫), Zheng Tianxiang (郑天翔), Liu Fuzhi (刘复之), Tian Jiyun (田纪云), Chi Haotian (迟浩田), Zhang Wannian (张万年), Jiang Chunyun (姜春云), Qian Qichen (钱其琛), Wang Lequan (王乐泉), Liu Qi (刘淇), Wu Yi (吴仪), Cao Gangchuan (曹刚川), Zeng Peiyan (曾培炎), Wang Hanbin (王汉斌), Zhang Zhen (张震), He Yong (何勇), Ni Zhifu (倪志福), Wang Bingqian (王丙乾), Zou Jiahua (邹家华), Wang Guangying (王光英), Bu He (布赫), Tiemu’er Dawamaiti (铁木尔·达瓦买提), Peng Peiyun (彭珮云), Zhou Guangzhao (周光召), Cao Zhi (曹志), Li Tieying (李铁映), Simayi Aimaiti (司马义·艾买提), He Luli (何鲁丽), Ding Shisun (丁石孙), Cheng Siwei (成思危), Xu Jialu (许嘉璐), Jiang Zhenghua (蒋正华), Gu Xiulian (顾秀莲), Re Di (热地), Sheng Huaren (盛华仁), Tang Jiaxuan (唐家璇), Xiao Yang (肖扬), Han Zhubin (韩杼滨), Jia Chunwang (贾春旺), Ye Xuanping (叶选平), Yang Rudai (杨汝岱), Ren Jianxin (任建新), Song Jian (宋健), Qian Zhengying (钱正英), Sun Fuling (孙孚凌), Wan Guoquan (万国权), Hu Qili (胡启立), Chen Jinhua (陈锦华), Zhao Nanqi (赵南起), Mao Zhiyong (毛致用), Wang Wenyuan (王文元), Wang Zhongyu (王忠禹), Li Guixian (李贵鲜), Zhang Siqing (张思卿), Luo Haocai (罗豪才), Zhang Kehui (张克辉), Hao Jianxiu (郝建秀), Xu Kuangdi (徐匡迪), Zhang Huaixi (张怀西), Li Meng (李蒙), Deng Liqun (邓力群) and other comrades, offered their sincere [cordial] holiday greetings, sincerely wish the old comrades a happy Spring Festival, health, and a long life.

新华网北京２月７日电 春节前夕，党和国家领导人分别看望或委托有关方面负责同志看望了江泽民、李鹏、万里、乔石、朱镕基、李瑞环、宋平、尉健行、李岚清、曾庆红、吴官正、李长春、罗干、贺国强、周永康和张劲夫、郑天翔、刘复之、田纪云、迟浩田、张万年、姜春云、钱其琛、王乐泉、刘淇、吴仪、曹刚川、曾培炎、王汉斌、张震、何勇、倪志福、王丙乾、邹家华、王光英、布赫、铁木尔·达瓦买提、彭珮云、周光召、曹志、李铁映、司马义·艾买提、何鲁丽、丁石孙、成思危、许嘉璐、蒋正华、顾秀莲、热地、盛华仁、唐家璇、肖扬、韩杼滨、贾春旺、叶选平、杨汝岱、任建新、宋健、钱正英、孙孚凌、万国权、胡启立、陈锦华、赵南起、毛致用、王文元、王忠禹、李贵鲜、张思卿、罗豪才、张克辉、郝建秀、徐匡迪、张怀西、李蒙、邓力群等老同志，向老同志们致以亲切的节日问候，衷心祝愿老同志们新春愉快、健康长寿。

Pronunciation problems? Speak after Kang Hui! (click picture for news recording.)

The old comrades expressed their thanks and their hope that the entire party, the entire state, and all nationalities would be closely united around Comrade Xi Jinping as the secretary general of the central committee of the CCP, that they would hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, that they would liberate their thinking, unswergingly stay on the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics by [carrying on with] reform and opening up, by chohesion cohesion of forces to overcome difficulties, all under the guidance of the Deng Xiaoping Theories, the important ideology [or thought] of the “Three Represents”, and the concept of scientific development, to achieve the tasks issued by the party’s 18th national congress, to comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society.

老同志们对此表示感谢，希望全党全国各族人民紧密团结在以习近平同志为总书记的党中央周围，高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，以邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观为指导，解放思想，改革开放，凝聚力量，攻坚克难，坚定不移沿着中国特色社会主义道路前进，为实现党的十八大提出的各项任务、全面建成小康社会而奋斗。

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2. Regrets Only

Xinhua — February 2, February 8, reporter Zhang Shuo.

On February 6, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Yu Zhengsheng and others gathered at Zhongnanhai with non-party members  to celebrate Spring Festival together. On the eve of the traditional Spring Festival holidays of the Chinese people, CCP central committee secretary general and central military commission chairman Xi Jinping invited people from all democratic parties’ central committees, old and new leaders from the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and personalities without party membership to gather at Zhongnanhai on Wednesday afternoon to welcome Spring Festival together. On behalf of the central committee of the CCP, he expressed sincere greetings and holiday wishes to all democratic parties, the Federation of Industry and Commerce and to personalities without party membership, and to the broad membership of the United Front.

2月6日，习近平、李克强、俞正声等在中南海同党外人士欢聚一堂，共迎新春。

[.....]

本报北京２月７日电 （记者张烁）在中国人民的传统节日春节即将到来之际，中共中央总书记、中共中央军委主席习近平２月６日下午在中南海邀请各民主党派中央、全国工商联新老领 导人和无党派人士代表欢聚一堂，共迎新春。他代表中共中央，向各民主党派、工商联和无党派人士，向统一战线广大成员，致以诚挚的问候和新春的祝福。

CCP politburo standing committee member and deputy chief state councillor Li Keqiang, politburo standing committee member Yu Zhengsheng, CCP politburo member and General Office of the Communist Party of China director Li Zhanshu attended.

中共中央政治局常委、国务院副总理李克强，中共中央政治局常委俞正声，中共中央政治局委员、中央办公厅主任栗战书出席。

Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang central committee chairman Wan Exiang, China Democratic League central committee chairman Zhang Baowen, China Democratic National Construction Association central committee chairman Chen Changzhi, China Association for Promoting Democracy central committee chairman Yan Juanqi, Chinese Peasants’ and Workers’ Democratic Party central committee chairman Chen Zhu, and China Zhi Gong Party central committee chairman Wan Gang, Jiusan Society central committee chairman Han Qide, Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League central committee chairman Lin Wenyi, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce chairman Wang Qinmin, non-party-membership personalities’ representative Lin Yifu and others followed the invitation.

民革中央主席万鄂湘、民盟中央主席张宝文、民建中央主席陈昌智、民进中央主席严隽琪、农工党中央主席陈竺、致公党中央主席万钢、九三学社中央主席韩启德、台盟中央主席林文漪、全国工商联主席王钦敏、无党派人士代表林毅夫等应邀出席。

Yan Junqi spoke for the democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and for the personalities without party membership. She said that the year that had just passed had been a journey with important meaning, the CCP’s 18th national congress had clearly stated the general basis of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the general layout, and the general tasks. [...]

严隽琪代表各民主党派、全国工商联和无党派人士致辞。她表示，刚刚过去的一年在我国发展征程上具有极其重要的意义，中共十八大明确了中国特色社会主义的总依据、总布局、总任务。 [.....]

[...]

Xi Jinping pointed out that democratic supervision needed to be strengthened further. The CCP needed to accomodate sharp criticism and accept valid criticism  (有则改之、无则加勉). People without CCP membership should have the courage to speak the truth, including bitter truths, Authentically reflect the aspirations of the masses, and speak their minds without reservation. He hoped that the comrades would actively build on counsel and criticism, as this would help us to investigate problems, analyse problems, solve problems, and help us to overcome work shortcomings. All CCP levels needed to take the initiative to accept and sincerely welcome the supervision from democratic parties and non-party-membership personalities, practically improve their work styles, continuously improve their working levels.

[Following emphasis (bold characters) by Xinhua/source]

习近平指出，要继续加强民主监督。对中国共产党而言，要容得下尖锐批评，做到有则改之、无则加勉；对党外人士而言，要敢于讲真话，敢于讲逆耳之言，真实反映群众心声，做到知无不言、言无不尽。希望同志们积极建诤言、作批评，帮助我们查找问题、分析问题、解决问题，帮助我们克服工作中的不足。中共各级党委要主动接受、真心欢迎民主党派和无党派人士监督，切实改进工作作风，不断提高工作水平。

People in charge at all democratic parties’ central committees, the All China ———– and departments responsible attended the activity.

各民主党派中央、全国工商联有关负责人及中央有关部门负责人参加活动。 ____________

Related

» Learning Chinese with the CCP, Jan 31, 2011
» Unbelievable Justice, Sept 12, 2009

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Shortwave Log, Northern Germany, September/October 2012

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Radio Station Profiles: RTM Mali

Radiodiffusion Télévision du Mali, according to information on its QSL cards almost three decades ago, carried transmissions in French, English, Arabic and national vernacular languages during the 1980s on about five frequencies – two in the 60-m tropical band, and three from the 49- to the 31-m-band. The broadcasts I used to listen to in Europe back then were usually in French. These days, 5995 kHz in the 49-m band seems to work best in Germany, if recent video uploads on youtube are something to go by. The frequency 5995 kHz (49 m) shown there on youtube was also active during the 1980s, but at the time, the frequency was probably hardly audible, as European broadcasters, too, were rather active on shortwave. The tropical band was my medium to listen to Africa during the 1980s.

RTM Mali, QSL 1986

African domestic stations on shortwave – most of those audible in central and northern Europe came in most clearly in the 60-meter band – differed from each other in terms of formats at the time. Some were mostly boring official announcements and news, on other stations, there were also messages from and between listeners read out, and some stations also broadcasted pretty lively music. If I remember it right, RTM Mali devoted more time to regional music than most African domestic stations I listened to.

Private radio stations appear to be on air in Mali, too. According to Wikipedia, the law has allowed for privately-run stations since 1994. These days, Mali shortwave transmitters also relay broadcasts by China Radio International (CRI). The China Television Economic and Technical Cooperation Company, a state-owned company founded in 1991 for Chinese broadcasting projects abroad, provided Mali with shortwave broadcasting equipment, apparently in 2001, or somewhat earlier, “to help Mali develop a foundation for broadcasting”, and for CRI

to broadcast to Africa in Mandarin, Cantonese, English, French, Swahili, Hausa, and other languages, to let African listeners hear the voice from China more clearly and conveniently, to broaden Chinese influence in Africa, to promote Sino-African friendship and the development of broadcasting in African nations, their public welfare, national education and other important effects.

中广国际总公司 [in full: 中国广播电视国际经济技术合作总公司] 为马里提供并租用当地短波广播设备转播中国国际广播电台对非洲地区广播节 目的卡伊、莫普堤、卡蒂、塞古、锡卡索等地广播发射台工程项目的完成，既为马里国家广播事业的发展奠定了坚实基础，也实现了我国对非洲地区用普通话、广东 话、英语、法语、斯瓦希里语、豪萨语等多种语言在当地广播的目标，让非洲听众更加清晰、更加便捷地收听到来自中国的声音，为扩大我国在非洲地区的影响、促 进中非友谊以及发展非洲国家的广播电视事业、国家公益事业、促进国民教育事业等发挥了重要作用。

The China Television Economic and Technical Cooperation Company seems to work under the auspices of the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) and is located in Beijing’s Chaoyang district.

Obviously, during the 1980s, there weren’t too many ways to be familiar with musical genres and their protagonists. Local broadcasters could give you a taste of regional music, but as their target audience was familiar with the musicians anyway, there was no need for the announcers to explain the music they played. Things have changed with the internet, and you can get all kinds of background information now, as a recent blogpost by KT illustrates – it includes a number of samples/videos »

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Recent Logs

International Telecommunication Union letter codes used in the table underneath:
AIA – Anguilla; CUB – Cuba; EGY – Egypt; RUS – Russia; TIB – Tibet; TWN – Taiwan.

Languages (“L.”):
C – Chinese; E – English; G – German; S – Spanish.

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kHz	Station	Ctry	L.	Day	Time GMT	S	I	O
7240	CNR	TIB	C	Sep 2	22:42	4	5	3
7240	PBS Tibet	TIB	C	Sep 2	22:59	4	5	3
6090	Caribbean Beacon	AIA	E	Sep 20	01:28	4	4	4
5025	R. Rebelde	CUB	S	Sep 20	01:29	4	4	4
11560	R. Cairo 1)	EGY	G	Sep 22	19:00	4	5	4
15700	Vo Russia	RUS	G	Oct 2	09:00	5	5	5
9955	RTI Taipei 2)	TWN	G	Oct 3	17:00	4	4	4

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No impressive list for September and October, as I was much busier in recent weeks, than in August (see “Related” at the bottom of this post), and spent only little time in front of the radio.
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Notes

¹⁾ While modulation was much better on that day than what listeners had previously been used to, readability of the broadcast was still less than O=4. Modulation is still not up to the standards. To give you an idea, here is a short recording from the September 22 broadcast in German.

²⁾ Direct live broadcast from Taiwan on shortwave. Occasionally morse interferences, and growing (unid.) interference from five kHz further down during the last third of the broadcast.

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Related

» Previous Logs, Sep 2, 2012
» A State Secret in North Korea, Aug 1, 2012

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In Other News: Cremations, Self-Immolations, and the Sacredness of Life

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1) Xinhua/Enorth (Tianjin), October 13, 2012 —

An official from Beijing’s Development and Reform Commission said that within five years, Beijing would continuously improve the level of civil administration and of infrastructure for the people’s livelihood, with a number of comprehensive projects with major long-term development effects. The projects reportedly include community areas for the elderly, the third municipal ophanage [or children welfare institution], and relocation and rebuilding of Babaoshan cremation facilities. The cemetery itself would remain unaffected, and the project was only about the cremation facilities.

The cremation facilities were to be relocated to Mentougou District (门头沟区), while the former location would be turned into a scenic spot for cultural activities, such as for studies of revolutionary traditions.

The main objectives of the relocation are said to be urban-environment improvement, economical use of land and to address the need of moving municipal functions further to the outskirts.

Mentougou is one of Beijing’s two southwesternmost districts, north of Hebei Province’s Dongling Mountain scenic area. According to a Chinese tourism website, it is an area of revolutionary tourism (red tourism), rural tourism and mountain scenery.

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2) Tianjin Daily/Enorth, October 13, 2012 —

The Tianjin Museum of Fine Arts (天津美术馆) opened a China Tibetan Thangka show on October 13. Municipal People’s Congress chairman Xiao Huaiyuan (肖怀远), other members of the People’s Congress, Municpal Organization Department director Yin Deming (尹德明), Municipal Propaganda director Cheng Qisheng (成其圣) and members of the public attended. The exhibition is scheduled to end on October 21.

Tianjin Daily (天津日报):

The exhibition showcases the nation’s and Tibetan Autonomous Region’s proud^*) successes in the work of protecting, passing on, and promoting outstanding cultural heritage, raising the brand value of traditional pieces of art, and promoting cultural exchange between Tianjin and Tibetan culture, deepening the [Tianjin] citizens’ understanding of Tibetan culture, promoting national unity, which is all highly significant.
此次展览对于展示国家和西藏自治区对保护、传承和弘扬优秀传统文化遗产工作取得的骄人成就，普及和推广藏族唐卡艺术、提升传统文化艺术品牌价值，推进天津与西藏的文化交流、加深市民对藏域文化的了解、增进民族团结，都具有十分重要的意义。

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3) International news, October 13/14, 2012 —

According to the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and Free Tibet Groups, Tamdin Dorjee, reportedly the grandfather of the grandfather of the seventh Gungthang Rinpoche, has burned to death in northwest China after setting himself on fire near a monastery in China’s Gansu province. In other sources, Dorjee’s name is also spelled Tamding Dojee. The 52-year-old reportedly burned himself to death in Hezuo City (合作市), on Saturday afternoon. According to the BBC‘s Mandarin website, the report wasn’t independently confirmed by Saturday afternoon (GMT).

In one of this blog’s Bozhu interviews, British-Tibetan blogger Dechen Pemba noted that self-immolations had provoked strong reactions from non-Tibetans and Tibetans alike. She recommended two blog posts, one explaining why its author would not dare order Tibetans living in Ngaba or anywhere else in Tibet to stop burning themselves, or to stop protesting, or to stop fighting for what they want. Another blogger had asked people on the verge of burning themselves to death to stop killing themselves.

According to the Christian Science Monitor, the Dalai Lama opposes self-immolation as a violation on the sacredness of life.

If that is so, most of the Chinese public won’t know. Even when it came to the Wenchuan earthquake of 2008, the “Dalai” showed no sympathy, but cold and detached gloating instead – according to “China Tibet Net” (中国西藏网), that is, and according to regional websites like Enorth (Tianjin) which republished the article.

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Note

^*) Originally referred to being arrogant to others. Now it describes something one is proud of.

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Related

» The CCP sighs with Emotion, July 17, 2011
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Lhasa, Revelling in the CCP’s Favor

The following are indirect quotes from a speech held by Lhasa party secretary Qi Zhala (齐扎拉), on October 1.

On October 1 at ten a.m., cadres and masses from all nationalities and walks of life in Lhasa gathered at Potala Palace Square for the flag-raising ceremony, sang the national anthem, and together celebrated the 63rd anniversary of the People’s Republic of China’s foundation.

1日上午10时，拉萨市各族各界干部群众在布达拉宫广场举行升国旗、唱国歌仪式，共同庆祝中华人民共和国成立63周年。

“On the eve of the victorious holding of the Party’s 18th National Congress which is happily awaited by the entire country, as Tibetan masses of different nationalities and from all walks of life solemnly hold the “flag-raising, national-anthem singing” ceremony, we are fully enthusiastically and together celebrate the great motherland’s 63th birthday, said Lhasa party secretary Qi Zhala.

“在全国喜迎党的十八大胜利召开之际，西藏各族各界群众在布达拉宫广场隆重举行“升国旗、唱国歌”仪式，我们满怀热情共庆伟大祖国63华诞。” 拉萨市委书记齐扎拉在仪式上说。

He said that for more than sixty years, all Tibetan nationalities had revelled in the favor of the Party’s nationalities policies, as they went along the correct path of ethnic regional autonomy, creating a human miracle which surpassed a thousand previous years, within just sixty years, and a flourishing socialist new Tibet stood lofty and firm at the summit of the world. During the past sixty years, Lhasa’s economic development changed rapidly and continuously, the cause of culture thrived, socialist construction comprehensively progressed, people’s lives had greatly improved, biology and environment continuously strengthened, ethnic unity solidified, the social situation and harmony were stable, and these great successes could not be separated from the Party’s correct leadership and the great support by the nationalities from the entire country.

他说，60多年来，西藏各族人民沐浴着党的民族政策的阳光雨露，沿着民族区域自治的正确道路，创造了短短六十年跨越上千年的人间奇迹，一个欣欣向荣的社会主义新西藏巍然屹立在世界之巅。60多年来，拉萨市经济发展日新月异，政治文明开天辟地，文化事业蓬勃兴旺，社会建设全面进步，人民生活大幅提升，生态环境不断加强，民族团结更加巩固，社会局势和谐稳定，这些伟大成就的取得都与党的正确领导和全国各族人民的大力支持分不开。

Qi Zhala said that Lhasa would continue to fully play its role as the [Tibetan autonomous Region's] capital city, vigorously implementing the five big strategies of building of an environmentally-friendly city, a city of cultural prosperity, industrially strong and peaceful livelihood of the people, and with stable law. It would unitedly take the cadres and masses of all the city’s nationalities along, promote leapfrogging development and lasting peace, and present outstanding achievements as a gift to the Party’s 18th National Congress.

齐扎拉说，拉萨市将继续充分发挥首府城市首位度作用，大力实施环境立市、文化兴市、产业强市、民生安市、法制稳市的五大战略，团结带领全市各族干部群众，奋力推进跨越式发展和长治久安，以优异的成绩向党的十八大献礼。

Leaders of the Tibetan Autonomous Region’s party commission, government, People’s Congress and Political Consultative Conference, the Tibetan military region, People’s Procurate, Tibetan military police central forces and Lhasa leaders as well as cadres and employees of units directly under the leadership of the autonomous region or Lhasa City, adolescent students, representatives of the masses, i. e. more than one-thousand people combined, attended the flag-raising ceremony.

参加升国旗仪式的还有西藏自治区党委、政府、人大和政协的主要领导，西藏军区、区人民检察院、武警西藏总队及拉萨市领导和区直、市直单位的干部职工、青少年学生、群众代表共千余人。

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Related

» News, PBS Tibet, October 2, 2012
» 齐扎拉简历, 中国经济网, June 14, 2012
» Golden Vase of Unity, Dec 26, 2011
» Unable to meet, Tashi Dhondup
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Recommended Links: Tibet, Senkakus, and Revolutionary Opera

Woeser posted her observations about a propaganda film apparently produced by CCTV, and available in Chinese and English on YouTube. High Peaks Pure Earth translated Woeser’s blogpost, which had previously been broadcast on Radio Free Asia (RFA):

How CCTV’s Propaganda Film Depicts the Tibetan Self-Immolators.

Another East-Western beauty contest has been going on there on the Peking Duck. The threads are often very helpful for me to reflect on my own views – as a German, my country’s past is similar to Japan’s. The difference is that the whole world seems to believe that in Germany, we have done “a much better job” at addressing the crimes of the past. That’s certainly true when it comes to history books, but few people seem to remember then U.S. president Ronald Reagan‘s visit to the Bitburg Cemetary, where members of the SS are buried, along with Wehrmacht soldiers – at the insistence of then German chancellor Helmut Kohl. I’m not going explain my views here; they can be found there, among many others.

But there’s one thing I’d like to note here. Too many people like to make fun of – frequently rather brainless, I agree – Chinese protesters, or about fenqings who show up there in the threads. I suspect that to make fun of them serves at least two purposes: to laugh away worries about a possible war, and to feel morally superior.

If “we” – the West, or the Western alliances – were “superior”, our governments would send a clear message to Beijing, even if only behind the scenes. If the CCP leaders intend to use our countries and their people – i. e. us – as bugaboos to increase “social cohesion” at home, we can’t look at China as a friendly country. If the CCP – a totalitarian regime, after all – discretionarily uses economic means to “punish” Japan, no other country’s companies should be allowed to profit from gaps provided by such boycotts and sanctions.

I’m not suggesting that no business should be done with China. But when we do business with a state-capitalist country, we’ll need a state-capitalist approach ourselves – unless we want to allow a totalitarian regime to play one country off against the other. As long as we allow this to happen, we have no reason to make fun of useful Chinese idiots.

Last but not least, the DPRK Sea of Blood Opera Troupe is or (probably) was on tour in China. If you are a revolutionary-opera connoisseur, and intend not to miss their next time in China (or elsewhere in the world), feed your anticipation with this review on Sino-NK. It starts with Act II, and contains links to two previous instalments of the review.

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Related

» Good Ganbu’s Friday Nights, Nov 29, 2009

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Shortwave Log, Northern Germany, August 2012

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Voice of Korea

The Voice of Korea (VoK), previously known as Radio Pyongyang, is the international broadcasting service of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. When I listened to the station in the 1980s, you got the national anthem at the beginning, and following that, some frequency announcements and the news. Since then, two not-so-collective leaderships, i. e. Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, have died, and all VoK programs begin with the national anthem, a song for Kim Il-sung, and another for Kim Jong-il (both military marches). But there’s still space for the news, readings from the works of Kim Il-sung, and a mixture of military marches and folk music (the latter of which is occasionally quite nice, but more frequently kitsch, sometimes with apparent Swiss characteristics).

Radio Pyongyang – renamed Voice of Korea since -, QSL card, 1989.

There is currently no interference on 13760 kHz at 13:00 GMT (click here, or picture above, for a digital recording), but the Chinese program, although more silently than the scheduled English program, can be heard in the background, too. It is probably on the same feeder between the studios and the shortwave transmitters.

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Recent Logs

Thanks to long vacations, it’s a pretty big list for August.

International Telecommunication Union letter codes used in the table underneath:
AFS – South Africa; AIA – Anguilla; ARG – Argentina; ASC – Ascension Island; CHN – China; CLN – Sri Lanka; CUB – Cuba; IND – India; IRN – Iran; ISR – Israel; KRE – North Korea; MNG – Mongolia; PAK – Pakistan; RRW – Rwanda; RUS – Russia; SYR – Syria; THA – Thailand; TIB – Tibet; UAE – United Arab Emirates.

Languages (“L.”):
C – Chinese; E – English; Fa – Farsi; G – German; H – Hebrew; K – Korean; Pa – Pashto; Th – Thai; R – Russian; T – Tibetan.

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kHz	Station	Ctry	L.	Day	Time GMT	S	I	O
5960	PBS Xinjiang	CHN	C	Aug 2	23:00	3	4	3
7240	PBS Tibet	TIB	C	Aug 2	23:13	3	4	3
9330	Radio Damascus	SYR	G	Aug 3	18:00	2	3	2
15700	Voice of Russia	RUS	G	Aug 4	09:30	4	5	4
9430	China Radio International	CHN	C	Aug 4	14:21	4	5	4
6000	RHC Habana	CUB	E	Aug 5	03:00	3	3	3
6090	Caribbean Beacon	AIA	E	Aug 8	00:41	4	5	3
11540	VoA Radio Deewa	CLN	Pa	Aug 8	01:36	3	5	3
15850	Galei Zahal	ISR	H	Aug 8	02:55	3	5	2
6973	Galei Zahal	ISR	H	Aug 8	03:05	3	3	3
13850	KOL Israel	ISR	Fa	Aug 8	13:59	4	4	4
15760	KOL Israel	ISR	Fa	Aug 8	14:35	4	4	4
4920	Tibetan Radio1)	TIB	T	Aug 8	21:58	4	4	4
4800	CNR	CHN	C	Aug 8	22:28	3	4	3
15235	Channel Africa	AFS	E	Aug 9	17:00	3	4	3
11290	Royal Air Force Volmet2)	ASC	E	Aug 9	19:18	4	4	4
9490	Deutsche Welle Kigali	RRW	E	Aug 9	20:27	4	4	4
12010	Voice of Russia	RUS	G	Aug 11	15:55	4	3	3
9855	Radio Australia	UAE	E	Aug 12	23:20	3	4	3
17895	All India Radio	IND	E	Aug 13	10:00	3	4	3
15180	Vo Korea	KRE	E	Aug 14	10:00	3	4	3
17820	Radio Thailand	THA	Th	Aug 14	10:31	4	5	4
15275	Radio Pakistan3)	PAK	E	Aug 14	11:00	?	?	?
9805	CNR	CHN	C	Aug 14	23:00	4	5	4
11710	CNR	CHN	C	Aug 14	23:05	4	5	4
9325	Vo Korea	KRE	K	Aug 15	20:01	4	5	4
15345	RAE Buenos Aires	ARG	G	Aug 15	20:55	4	3	3
9680	Radio Thailand4)	THA	G	Aug 20	20:00	4	4	5
21590	IRIB Tehran 5)	IRN	E	Aug 21	10:28	4	5	3
12085	Vo Mongolia	MGL	C	Aug 23	10:00	2	4	2
9330	Radio Damascus 6)	SYR	R	Aug 23	17:24	3	5	3

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Notes

¹⁾ SIO 444 on parallel frequency 4905 kHz
²⁾ probably Ascension Island
³⁾ SIO = 3, but modulation as bad as usual.
⁴⁾ Interference from 9675 kHz, probably Radio Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Turkish-language program.
⁵⁾ SIO 454 on parallel frequency 21640 kHz
⁶⁾ Modulation as bad as usual, but the better reception than later in the evening (as usual in August).

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Related

» Previous Logs, August 2, 2012

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