Culture is a Low-Carbon Industry: the 17th Central Committee’s “Cultural Decision”, Implemented on the Ground in Shijiazhuang

The latest leg of my translation of the CCP central committee’s “cultural decision” document, plus more links concerning that document, can be found here.

The following is a translation of an article by Shijiazhuang Daily (石家庄日报), published online on Friday. The article isn’t part of the actual document, but is meant to describe the document’s implementation “on the ground” in Shijiazhuang.

Shijiazhuang is the capital of Hebei Province.

Main Link: http://www.sjzdaily.com.cn/main/2011-12/02/content_1443135.htm

By this newspaper’s reporter, Yue Jinhong (岳金宏). The other day, in order to carry out and implement the spirit of the 17th Central Committee’s Sixth Plenary Session, the provincial 8th Party Congress and the 9th City Party Congress and to promote the provincial capital’s great cultural development and great bloom, member of the city’s municipal committee’s standing committee and propaganda bureau director Sun Wanyong (孙万勇) came to the Animated-Cartoon-Building project¹⁾ in  Gaocheng City‘s Qiaodong District, for on-site inspection and exploration.
日前，为贯彻落实党的十七届六中全会、省第八次党代会和市第九次党代会精神，推进省会文化大发展大繁荣，市委常委、宣传部长孙万勇就我市文化产业发展、文化项目建设等情况到藁城市、桥东区、动漫大厦项目现场等地进行了实地调研。

At the building, Sun examined the progress on-site and listened to reports about the project’s development. Sun Wanyong granted affirmation to the planning, orientation and progress and pointed out the major tasks in the work on the building’s outside design, the childrens’ theme restaurant design, the deepening of the career experience hall’s rearrangements, etc..
在石家庄市动漫大厦暨中国动漫衍生产品集散交易中心项目现场，孙万勇实地查看了施工现场，听取了项目进展情况汇报。孙万勇对大厦的整体项目立项、定位及工作进展予以肯定，指出下一步要重点做好大厦的外立面设计、策划动漫主题儿童餐厅、深入修改职业体验馆等工作。

In Gaocheng City, Sun Wanyong successively visited the Tuntou Palace Lantern village²⁾, and Hebei Renowned Musical Instruments Co., Ltd. (formerly China Drumbeat Factory). In a discussion that followed, he gave the existing foundations of Gaocheng City’s cultural industry rather high ratings. He demanded that Gaocheng City should conscientiously explore the ways of transformation from a big to a strong city of civilization, to continue to increase the engagement in the cultural causes, to actively guide the development of lantern, musical instrument etc. trades’ healthy development, to continue to write the great chapter of the cultural industry’s development, to adminstrate the cultural cause for the people and the masses well, and to be good pioneers at the entire city’s cultural construction.
在藁城市，孙万勇先后深入屯头宫灯专业村、河北名华乐器有限公司（原中华鼓乐厂）进行实地调研。在随后举行的座谈会上，孙万勇对藁城市已经拥有的文化产业基础给予较高评价。他要求藁城市认真研究怎样实现从文化大市到文化强市的转变，继续加大对文化事业的投入力度，积极引导宫灯产业和鼓乐厂等文化产业健康发展，继续做好文化产业这篇大文章，多为人民群众办好文化事业，在文化建设上当好全市排头兵。

On November 30, in Qiaodong District, Sun Wanyong successively inspected the History and Culture Gallery at Minsheng Road, Letai Center, Zhongshan Warring States Cultural and Artistic Research Institute and other locations, and listened to reports from Shijiazhuang Space Animation City, Splendid International City and other projects, as well as a general report about Qiaodong’s general cultural construction. After listening, he pointed out that Qiaodong had always attached importance and priority to cultural construction, had incorporated cultural construction in its economic and social plans, and had marched to the forefront within the city. In its future work, Qiaodong District should play its cards in the areas of history and culture, originality, and in the cultural market well, brightly put the goal of a strong cultural district forward, make use of the good existing foundations, master the construction of its projects, achieve great breakthroughs, achieve great development and bloom for the entire city, and contribute to Shijiazhuang’s well-being.
11月30日，孙万勇到桥东区调研文化建设情况，先后察看了民生路历史文化长廊、勒泰中心、中山战国文化艺术研究院等地，听取了太空动漫城、锦绣国际城等项目以及桥东区文化建设总体情况汇报。孙万勇在听取情况后指出，桥东区历来重视文化建设工作，将文化建设摆上了重要位置，纳入了经济社会整体规划，在市里走在了前列。在今后的工作中，桥东区要打好历史文化牌、打好文化创意牌、打好文化市场牌，鲜明地提出建设文化强区这一目标，利用好现在的基础，抓好项目建设，争取有大的突破，为全市实现文化大发展大繁荣、建设幸福石家庄做贡献。

At the end of his exploration, Sun Wanyong emphasized that the 17th Central Committee’s Sixth Plenary Session had called for the great development and bloom of culture, and marked a new stage in our country’s cultural construction. Culture is an industry low in resource consumption, with no great negative impacts on the environment, a typical case of a low-carbon, green economy. To carry out and implement the spirit of the 17th Central Committee’s Sixth Plenary Session, our city has already made it clear that by 2015, the cultural industry’s development shall become a pillar of [Shijiazhuang’s] national economy. The entire city’s propaganda and cultural systems must establish a strong political conscience, an awareness of the overall situation, a sense of responsibility and opportunity, a high degree of cultural consciousness and cultural self-confidence, closely connect to our city’s reality, by high standards and vigorous measures plan and promote cultural reform’s development, continuously strengthen cultural development’s overall strength and competitiveness, and make efforts to initiate the new situation of our provincial capital’s cultural reform and development.
调研结束后，孙万勇强调，党的十七届六中全会吹响了文化大发展大繁荣的号角，标志着我国文化建设进入了一个新的发展阶段。文化产业资源消耗低、环境污染少、科技含量高，是典型的低碳经济、绿色经济。为贯彻落实党的十七届六中全会精神，我市已明确提出，至2015年要把文化产业发展成为国民经济支柱性产业。全市宣传文化系统要树立强烈的政治意识、大局意识、责任意识和机遇意识，树立高度的文化自觉和文化自信，紧密结合我市实际，以更高的标准、更有力的措施谋划和推动文化改革发展，不断增强文化发展的整体实力和竞争力，努力开创省会文化改革发展的新局面。

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Notes

¹⁾ Shijiazhuang is trying to build itself into a cartoon harbor of the vast country (i. e. China), China Radio International (CRI) reported in August 2009. Some pictures and English remarks were made available by Hebei’s provincial government in 2010 and in 2011 respectively. The Animated-Cartoon Building is scheduled to become – or to include – a place for exhibiting and trading cartoons, and according to a schedule published by Hebei News Net in October this year, that place will be ready for business early in 2012.

²⁾ Tuntou Palace Lantern Village is described in a China Radio International article / broadcast of 2008 here.

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Related

» Cartoons: Lord Yegong Loves the Dragon, June 16, 2010
» Obituary: Hua Junwu, 1915 – 2010, June 14, 2010

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Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Decision Concerning Deepening Cultural Structural Reform

One day after I had posted the sixth installment of my “Decision” translation (see headline of this post), a complete (as far as I can see) translation went online at China Copyright and Media, a blog run by a sworn translator of the Chinese language at the Courts of Hasselt and Leuven  (the Netherlands).

I’m feeling no temptation to continue my own series of translation (there would have been another quarter of the document to be translated here), but I think it has been a good training, as far as the nomenclature is concerned – to lighten things up, I translated some older cultural.-soft-power documents along the way, and knowing the way the CCP refers to these issues has been useful.

You may either enjoy comparing the two translations now, and make me aware of contradictions between them, or you may simply use the translation there as a source of information. I’m not going to compare all of my translation to date with Rogier Creemers‘, (the China Copyright and Media blogger), but I’ll probably do so when making use of certain paragraphs of the central committee document in new contexts.

My (incomplete) translation series, from October to February:

1 –	“Culture” Document published »
2 –	Part 2 »
3 –	Part 3 »
4 –	Part 4 »
5 –	Part 5 »
6 –	Correct Guidance of Public Opinion »
7 –	Beautiful Melodies »
8 –	Online Guidance of Public Opinion »
9 –	Arranging the Classical Records »
10 –	Linking Cultural Industries to Nat. Economy »
11 –	Go Global, and no Porn »

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No Time to Lose: the CCP’s Cultural Design

First of all, this isn’t really news. It’s what Chinese party and state chairman Hu Jintao (胡锦涛) told the 17th central committee’s sixth plenary session – not a recently-written piece for QiuShi (求是), a paper for CCP theory, as one might believe when getting started with this article by The Telegraph. Hu only set the tune for, or summarized a series of ideological work which has been going on on all levels in China for more than two months now, ever since the end of the central committee’s sixth plenary session. But the alarmist fashion chosen by the Telegraph has reverberated through the press, anyway:

President Hu Jintao has said China must strengthen its cultural production to defend against the West’s assault on the country’s culture and ideology, according to an essay in a Communist Party policy magazine published this week,

the New York Times‘s Edward Wong suggested on January 3. Yes, sure he did – months ago. But Hu’s address was only a summary of a very big document which in turn doesn’t suggest that this is a new major policy initiative announced in October which would continue well into 2012 only. Given that there are people on their way out of power in the incumbent politbureau and the central committee, and people on their way into power as well, this initiative is likely to live for the better part of the coming decade.

But then, who reads central committee documents. Boring, huh?

The Central Committee meeting in October established the ideological foundation for a tightening of the cultural sphere that is only now beginning to unfold,

the NY Times proceeds. Tell that to your colleagues of the Chinese press, or any party cell member in any bigger Chinese organization who has been inundated with the central committee document and its implementation for some eight weeks, Mr. Wong. Some of them actually notified the public of their ideological work, on their company websites.

There seems to be a notworthy aspect in Hu’s speech though which doesn’t appear in the first half of the central committee’s document (haven’t finished translation of its second half yet):

At the same time [that we develop our cultural industries and gain international advantage thereby], we must see with utmost clarity that hostile international forces are currently stepping up the implementation of Westernization in China, attempting to do so via in a variety of strategies; their long-term focus is on infiltration [渗透/shentou] in the ideological and cultural fields. We should thoroughly understand the seriousness and complexity of this ideological struggle, remaining vigilant (lit. “always keep the bell ringing“), ever alert, and taking effective measures to prevent and respond to [the challenge of cultural infiltration]

同时，我们必须清醒地看到，国际敌对势力正在加紧对我国实施西化、分化战略图谋，思想文化领域是他们进行长期渗透的重点领域。我们要深刻认识意识形态领域斗争的严重性和复杂性，警钟长鸣、警惕长存，采取有力措施加以防范和应对.  –

translated by Adam Cathcart.

With this westernization aspect, the QiuShi publication doesn’t only insist on continued ideological struggles on all levels, but it also aims for further mobilization. If you are a local party cell member who has so far read this document as yet another boring piece from the central committee’s paper mill (most potential foreign readers appear to have done so anyway), you must now understand that this is a matter of life and death for the Chinese nation. The implications of your passive attitude should be clear enough.

When Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao et al relinquish much or most of their power – probably later this year when Hu steps down as party chairman -, Hu will have left a mark on the CCP’s long-term policies. In the end, everything is “cultural”, under the CCP’s rule.

Hu Jintao hasn’t changed his mind for the past quarter of a century, as Adam pointed out two and a half years ago. The CCP isn’t going to change its mind for another ten years. The central committee’s cultural decision is a collective  agreement, between outgoing and incoming dictators.

Xi Jinping sharing Chinese know-how with Angela Merkel - click picture for more details about this meeting

Cultural development [in our country] has undergone profound changes, and achieved great successes, but all in all, cultural development hasn’t quite kept up with economic and social development and with the growing spiritual and cultural demands of the people, and the problems which shackle the organizational mechanisms of cultural productivity haven’t been fundamentally solved. As a  factor in  guiding style, the people’s education, social services, and the promotion of development, culture hasn’t been brought into full play yet. Our country’s comprehensive cultural strength [or power – 我国文化整体实力] and international influence don’t match our international position yet, and a global culture and global opinion marked by “a strong West, and a weak China” hasn’t been fundamentally reversed.

[…..] 文化领域正在发生广泛而深刻的变革，文化发展取得了巨大成就，但总体而言，文化发展同经济社会发展和人民日益增长的精神文化需求还不完全适应，束缚文化生产力发展的体制机制问题尚未根本解决，文化在引领风尚、教育人民、服务社会、推动发展等方面的作用还没有得到充分发挥，我国文化整体实力和国际影响力与我国国际地位还不相称，“西强我弱”的国际文化和舆论格局尚未根本扭转。

That’s the nice thing about the cultural document. It spells out homework for the coming ten years – and arguably far beyond.

And the nicest thing of all: the whole crackdown cultural development will need to start at home, right away. There’s no time to lose.

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Related

» Big Daddy’s Latest Workings, Oct 16, 2009
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17th CC 6th Plenary Session: “Reinforcing and Updating Party’s Guidance on Cultural Activities”

A one-liner from Xinhua news agency is quoted by Huanqiu Shibao:

The Party’s 17th Central Committee’s sixth plenary session has passed the CCP’s Resolution Concerning the Deepening of Cultural Reform and the Promotion of the Development of Socialist Culture and several other Issues.

To go somewhat more into detail, Huanqiu, in another report, quotes a Japanese online article, published by Sankei Shimbun:

Huanqiu Web’s Zhao Wenjie. According to a report by Japan’s “Sankei Shimbun” on October 18, the Chinese Communist Party’s 17th Central Committee’s sixth plenary session with cultural reform as its main topic ended on October 18. According to the communique, China will, by cartoon movies, films, and other methods,  invigorate China’s soft power, and thus strengthen expectations for its international competitiveness and influence.

环球网记者赵文杰报道，据日本《产经新闻》10月18日报道，以文化体制改革为主要议题的中国共产党第十七届中央委员会第六次全体会议于18日闭幕。根据全会公报上的信息，中国表达出通过动画片、电影等手段振兴文化提高中国的软实力，并以此强化国际竞争力和影响力的期望。

“Sankei Shimbun” comments that measured by GDP, China as an economic entity is second only to America, and that China’s “hard power” had increased rapidly in recent years. But within the international community, speculation about a “China threat” had continued. Therefore, China had understood that it was necessary to strengthen the country’s culture and propagation capabilities, to enhance its international image.

《产经新闻》评论说，作为GDP仅次于美国的世界第二大经济体，中国的“硬实力”近年来快速提高。但在国际社会上，“中国威胁论”却不断被炒作。因此，中国明白，有必要加强本国文化的对外传播能力，从而提升自己的国际形象。

The report also notes that the session also decided to open the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party will be held during the second half of 2012.

报道还注意到，本次会议还决定在2012年下半年召开中国共产党的第十八次党代表大会。

In its first paragraph, Sankei Shimbun also seems to refer to domestic ideological tightening, and the internet – maybe a Japanese-speaking reader can help to translate this paragraph:

Update, October 26, 2011: Changmi has provided an English translation:

The 6th Plenary Session of the 17th CC, which emphasized “reform of cultural systems,” concluded on the 18th, according to an official communique. The policy is to boost China’s “soft power” through promotion of cultural elements like animation and movies and thus raise China’s global competitiveness and influence, while tightening ideological discipline domestically as the internet-using population continues to increase. [end of update]

「文化体制改革」を主要議題にした中国共産党の第１７期中央委員会第６回総会（６中総会）が１８日閉幕し、コミュニケを発表。アニメや映画など文化振興で中国の「ソフトパワー」を高め、国際的な競争力と影響力強化を図る一方で、インターネット人口が増加する中、国内の思想引き締めを強める方針だ。

The Chinese government’s (i. e. the CCP’s) official website (in English), on Tuesday, quoted the central committee’s decision or statement as follows:

The country will work to improve Chinese citizens’ sense of identity and confidence in Chinese culture, according to a statement issued after the session.

Culture is emerging as an important part of the country’s comprehensive competitiveness in today’s world, the statement said.

China is facing a difficult task in protecting “cultural security” and feeling the urgency of enhancing its soft power and the international influence of its own culture, the statement said.

[…]

The statement noted that, as a major form of support for national unity and a source of creativity, China’s cultural industry will play a more critical part in the country’s economic and social development.

The country should not only provide its people with an ample material life, but also a healthy and rich cultural life, the statement said.

The statement said the government will devote more resources to boosting public cultural services and speed up the reform of the cultural industry.

According to Asahi Shimbun (not to be confused with Sankei Shimbun, see above),

The statement also called for tighter control of information. It called for the need to “step up and improve actions toward the media and public opinions” and to “develop a more healthy Internet culture.” To do so, “the party’s guidance on cultural activities should be reinforced and updated,” the statement said.

Zambia’s The Citizen is full of quotation marks and quotes former SCMP China editor Willy Wo-Lap Lam as saying that

The reform of the cultural system has to do with ensuring that the media, publications, movies, Internet, et cetera serve the party’s goal of galvanising patriotic and nationalistic sentiments. […] This will mean even tighter control over people’s freedom of expression, especially on the Internet.

The author is Goh Chai Hin, a China correspondent who apparently works for several different news agencies. Zambia itself is an example of lacking Chinese influence. In September,

Michael Sata, a 74-year-old veteran politician who had whipped up not-so-subtle anti-Chinese sentiment (China runs several big mines in Zambia), handily won the presidency […],

the New York Times reported last month.

Last year, Chinese managers opened fire on protesters at a huge coal mine in southern Zambia, and though the Zambian government initially indicated that the Chinese managers would be punished, the charges were quietly dropped. The shootings outraged many Zambians who resent China’s enormous economic influence over their country, where most people live on less than $5 a day, and the episode seemed to feed straight into Mr. Sata’s political campaign.

No doubt: China will expand its propagation capabilities (see Huanqiu Shibao’s quotes from Sankei Shimbun above) in Africa, too.

If China Radio International‘s (CRI) existing service for Western countries is anything to go by, broadcasts for Zambia will discuss matters like these:

“Among all the courses you’ve taken in school, which one was your favorite?” Or: “Do you usually sleep well?”

Using an icebreaker should be the best way to make stubborn miners talk.  Ask questions first, shoot later.

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Related

» 17th CC 6th Plenary Session, October 15, 2011
» More Budget Cuts for BBC Foreign Coverage, Shortwave Central, Oct 10, 2011
» Quote: Makuwerere Bwititi, January 15, 2010
» Go, tell it from Global Local Sticks TV, Oct 22, 2009
» Three Eight Hundreds, April 19, 2009

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Weekend Links: O2O Business in China

Warning: JR is trying to explain the economy to himself. His word pool and previous knowledge about this topic are shaky, and the following may or may not make sense – you’ll have only have yourselves to blame if you base your homework (or investment decisions) on this post.

Going “Brick-and-Mortar”

Let’s get industrial. O2O is about [people] buying things online, but collecting them from a shop on their side of the computer or smartphone – or having the stuff delivered to their doorstep. But China’s woefully inefficient logistics network .. acts as a brake on e-commerce growth, the Economist wrote in August, and that leads to online retailers seeking “brick-and-mortar” outlets to increase the points of delivery and to make their goods more accessible for their online customers.

Dalian Wanda Group’s (万达集团) and Suning Commerce Group (苏宁云商) are a recent example in the news. Wanda’s property development section (the company’s other major trades would be culture and tourism)  provides department stores or plazas all over the country, and Suning Commerce Group is a retailer with reportedly more than 1600 stores across mainland China, Hong Kong, and Japan. The two have signed a cooperation agreement: Suning will open stores at Wanda Plazas throughout the country, Reuters wrote on September 6.

National Soft Power, too

China News Service (CNS) explained, on September 7:

Suning coming into play is a direct result of an upgrade at Wanda. Wang Jianlin has long indicated that the answer would be revealed on this day.

其实，细心的人早就能发现这次合作的蛛丝马迹。它与万达正在进行的业态升级紧密关联。甚至可以说，苏宁的入局，正是万达进行业态升级的直接成果。王健林一直引而不发，直到这一天揭晓答案。

The adjustments had been watched by many skeptical observers for about half a year, without Wang Jianlin providing much of a response during all the time, according to CNS. But as for Wanda’s department stores, or plazas, CNS has reassuring news:

Are Wanda’s stores really as bad as comments from outside suggest? Not at all. One one occasion, in an internal meeting, Wang Jianlin revealed that nearly half of the Wanda stores were incurring losses, but that the other half of them were profitable. He was in a position to cut the outlets that were incurring heavy losses, optimize the portfolio, and then have a attractive story to tell to the Hong Kong capital markets, with a beautiful financial report.

万达百货真的有外界评说的那么糟糕吗？并不是。王健林曾经在一次内部会上透露，万达百货有近一半是亏损的，但还有另一半是盈利的。他完全可以砍掉亏损严重的门店，优化资产组合，用亮丽的财报去给香港资本市场讲一个动听的故事。

The CNS article also points out that Wanda became involved in the culture industry in 2012.

Compared with real estate business, the contribution the culture segment could make to [the Wanda group’s] revenues and profits was very low, but it perfectly fitted into the strategic requirements of the national advancement of soft power, and its synergy effects with real estate, tourism, and other trades was obvious. As big onlooking companies  from the real estate began to recognize [Wanda’s approach], they scrambled to emulate it.

2012年，万达发力文化产业。跟地产比起来，文化产业能够贡献的收入和利润份额在当时非常之低，但是却紧密契合了国家提升软实力的战略需求，与地产、旅游等行业的协同效应非常明显。以至于在后来，许多大型地产企业都看明白了，开始争相效仿。

CNS also refers to the acquisistion of AMC Theatres (AMC Cinemas), and Infront Sports and Media, and offers an explanation as to why such acquisitions would make sense, and concludes:

There are many more such examples. Every draw in this game of chess was made not from a spur of the moment, but as a move taken after careful consideration, serving the transformation plan for the entire Wanda group. This is also true for the adjustments of the stores, and the introduction of Suning.

这样的例子还有很多。万达的每一步棋子都不是临时起意，都是深思熟虑之后的谨慎之举，并为整个集团公司的转型大计服务。调整百货，引入苏宁，也是如此。

The message provided by CCTV’s website for the foreign audience is equally heartwarming:

The Wanda Group, headed by Asia’s richest man Wang Jianlin, seems unstoppable.

Complementary illustration …

The Financial Times, in an online article published on August 6, isn’t quite that enthusiastic – although, it should be said, their misgivings aren’t about the Wanda-Suning romance which was only made public in September, but about the O2O industry in general. Rising labor costs could hamper the business model, and it is not entirely clear what lasting new business models will emerge.

That said, if O2O is really a lifestyle, as suggested by Chinaskinny, the question might come up, sooner or later, if and how costs play a role in that customer “hobby”, and if the promises it makes to the supplier side are sustainable, For sure, the example of the nail specialists who can make so much more per hour, if based on O2O, is all over the internet, as observed by the FT.

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Related

» Baidu Q3 forecast, TechCrunch, July 27, 2015
» Traditional Industries, new Bones, April 17, 2015
» Central Committee Cultural Decision, Oct 28, 2011

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Chinese Press Review: Lushan Mourning, Maritime Disputes, Border Disputes, and CPBS Emergency Broadcasts

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1. Offerings to the Spirits of the Dead

On Friday, a ceremony to honor the two earthquake (military) relief workers Yang Bo (杨波) and Li Tangdong (李堂东) was conducted at a funeral parlor in Meishan, Sichuan Province, reports China News Service (中国新闻网, via Huanqiu Shibao). The two are referred to as martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the rescue efforts in Lushan, Sichuan Province, which occurred on April 20.

Yang Bo, a platoon leader (probably around the rank of a lieutenant, with the 13th Army Group) died in an accident when his military vehicle got off a road due to a bursting tire and fell off a cliff.

Li Tangdong, a corporal who drove the vehicle, also died in the crash. Li was from Wuxi County (Chongqing).

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2. Maritime Disputes with Japan

Japan has adopted a five-year blueprint for protecting maritime interests, partly in an effort to counter territorial claims by China and South Korea, reports The Asahi Shimbun (Tokyo). It suggests closer cooperation between Japan’s military and coastguard. Okinotorishima as well as other remote islands on what is defined as Japan’s borders reportedly are to play a role as port facilities according to the five-year plan plan, so as to protect interests in the nation’s exclusive economic zone. Methane hydrate, which could become a next-generation fuel, is among the undersea energy resources in the maritime regions in questions, writes Asahi Shimbun.
China’s Huanqiu Shibao quotes Japan’s Yomiuri Simbun on the same topic. According to Huanqiu (or its possibly rather loose rendition of Yomiuri’s coverage), Japan’s five-year blueprint calls for responsive strategies to Chinese vessels that enter the waters of the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands in Chinese). Rather than port facilities as described by the Asahi Shimbun, Huanqiu Shibao refers the plans for the remote islands as ones for resupply bases or depots (补给站). Okinotorishima is referred to as a “reef” (礁) while the Asahi Shimbun calls it an “island”. According to Huanqiu Shibao, the Japanese government, for wanting to protect its interests in resources, has begun to promote the protection of remote islands and the management of the legalization process [of Japan’s claims or rights].

In 2012, a research team from Tokyo University detected large quantities of rare earths beneath the seaground of Minami-Tori-shima‘s adjacent waters. It was then that the Japanese government decided to strengthen the protection of energy sources and natural resources in its exclusive economic zones.

2012年，东京大学研究小组在南鸟岛周边海底发现了大量稀土。以此为契机，日本政府决定加强在保护专属经济海域内能源资源方面的措施。

[…]

Okinotorishima reef is said to be a southern Japanese atoll in the Pacific [don’t quote me on this – I’m not sure that this is what Huanqiu really says about the place in Chinese – JR]. In recent years, the Japanese government has spent huge amounts on creating man-made corals at these reefs, thinking of these atolls as “islands”, trying to declare sovereignty on this basis, taking the opportunity to expand their “territorial” waters and the range of the “exclusive economic zones”, to make the development of nearby marine resources more convenient.

据了解，冲之鸟礁是日本南部太平洋海域的一处环礁。近年来，日本政府斥巨资用来在此礁人工养殖珊瑚，并认为该环礁为“岛”，企图以此来宣布主权，借机扩大其“领海”和“专属经济区”范围，为开发附近丰富的海洋资源提供方便。

As for the Okinotorishima reef, China believes that this is a reef, and not an island. Okinotorishima reef provides no base for human habitation, doesn’t sustain economic activity, and there is no basis to establish establish [i. e. claim] any connection between it and the continental shelf. On September 11, 2009, the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf said that a working group under the commission had commenced the handling of an application from Japan concerning the extension of the southern continental shelf into the Pacific.  China has filed objections with the UN.

有关冲之鸟礁问题，中国方面认为冲之鸟是 岩礁而不是岛屿。冲之鸟礁不能供人类居住，也无法维持经济生活，设定大陆架没有任何根据。2009年9月11日，联合国大陆架界限委员会表示，该委员会下 属的一个工作小组已经着手处理日本提出的南太平洋大陆架延伸申请。中国已向联合国正式提交反对意见。

Huanqiu Shibao’s emoticon vote suggests a strong trend of anger among the traditionally nationalist readership – the option “I’m angry” rose from 160 to 181 within about thirty minutes. Clicks for “this is ridiculuous” stayed at 14.
–

3. Sino-Indian Border Conflicts

Meantime, Huanqiu Shibao has soothing news from the South:

China News Service, April 26 [published by Huanqiu Shibao on April 27] — Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid answered questions from Indian media on April 25, concerning the confrontational incident on the Sino-Indian border, and said that the consultation mechanism on border issues had been started. He believed that this mechanism would find a solution for the issue in question, just as it had found solutions in the past.

中新网4月26日电 4月25日，印度外长库尔希德在回答印媒体关于中印边境对峙事件的提问时表示，印中双方已启动边境事务磋商机制，相信该机制能够像过去一样，为此次事件找到解决办法。

Huanqiu Shibao quotes Salman Khurshid as saying that bilateral relations grown over many years shouldn’t break down by overemphasizing small issues and were just like some acne on a face which only required some ointment.

“我期待在下个月访问中国之前，双方能够通过外交渠道结束僵局。”库尔希德说，我们不能因为某个地方发生的小问题而毁掉双方多年来为双边关系付出的投入和心血，正如不能因为脸上有一个小的痤疮就说这张脸不美，所需做的只是敷一点药膏而已。

Kurshid was looking forward to his planned visit to China next month.

Correspondingly, only eleven clicks from the readership were made to express anger, while 374 clicks express delight. Still, 46 clicks find the article (or the news) ridiculous. Both the “delight” and the “ridiculous” numbers are increasing quickly. Those readers who take the trouble to comment appear to be less conciliatory though.
–

4. Emergency Radio Frequencies (older news)

On Monday, Central People’s Broadcasting Station (中央人民廣播電台, CPBS, now also known as China National Radio, but only the English name changed in 1998) started special emergency broadcasts in the wake of the Lushan earthquake. These were the first broadcasts of this kind, according to CPBS itself. A studio was established in the hardest-hit county of Lushan, broadcasting rescue information, expert interviews, news, psychological support and consolation, and practical information. Frequencies used were 9,800 kHz and 12,000 kHz on shortwave and 92.7 MHz on VHF/FM.

The 6th plenary session of the CCP’s 17th Central Committee^*)  had issued plans for such an emergency broadcasting system, and the plans were then included in the country’s 12th five-year plan, according to CPBS.

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Note

^*) the same plenary session adopted the party’s cultural decision, in October 2011.
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Animated Movies from Shijiazhuang: Soft-Power Tools?

Main Link:
Activeley develop Domestic and Foreign High-End Cartoon Industry, “Going out” in Great Strides (积极开拓国内外高端市场动漫产业大步“走出去”)
Links within quotes and blockquotes added during translation.

China needed to build a sound, modern culture market system, the “Culture Document” (or “cultural decision”), approved by the 6th plenary session of the 17th Central Committee, stipulated in October 2011.

The focus must be on the development of books and other publications, digital audio and video products, performing arts and entertainment, television series, cartoons, animation, and [computer] games, and similar markets, for the further perfection of a comprehensive international Chinese platform on fairs and exhibitions, etc.

According to Shijiazhuang News Net (石家庄新闻网), the local cartoon industry is doing just that:

Since 2006 , under the close attention of the CCP municipal committee and the municipal government, our city’s cartoon industry has developed rapidly, and achieved notable results in satisfying the city’s needs of spiritual civilizsation, in spreading advanced culture, in enriching the masses’ lives, promoting the healthy adolescence of the young, and fostering the growth of a new economy. During the past seven years, no matter if established by locals or by companies who came to Shijiazhuang from elsewhere, they have enjoyed all the benefits of Shijiazhuang’s cartoon-industry policies, environment, and prospects. On this foundation, “cartoons made in Shijiazhuang” have gained the courage to display themselves, to develop markets, and with the advantages in branding, high-end orientation and originality, they have drawn widespread attention from industries at home and abroad.

2006年以来， 在市委、市政府的高度重视下，我市动漫产业迅速发展，在满足市民精神文化需求、传播先进文化、丰富群众生活、促进青少年健康成长、培育新的经济增长点方 面，取得了显著成效。7年来，无论是本土动漫企业还是来石创业的动漫公司，都享受到了石家庄动漫产业政策、环境、前景的利与好。 在此基础上，“石家庄原创动漫”勇于展示自我、敢于开拓市场，以品牌化、高端化、原创化的优势，引起了国内外业界的广泛关注。

By Shijiazhuang Newsnet reporter Wang Xin
本报记者王欣

As the saying goes, good wine needs no bush^*). However, this doesn’t apply in today’s increasingly competitive markets. After several years of development and carefully ripening the wine, its sweet smell attracts many investors and company founders. At the same time, cartoonists from Shijiazhuang also seize the opportunities of actively exploring domestic and foreign markets, to take Shijiazhuang cartoons to bigger arenas.

俗话说，酒香不怕巷子深。然而，在市场竞争日趋激烈的今天，好酒也怕巷子深。经过几年的发展，我市动漫产业如同一坛精心酝酿的老酒，持续散发出馨香的气 息，吸引了众多投资者、创业者前来。与此同时，石家庄动漫人也抓住机遇，积极开拓国内国外市场，把石家庄动漫推向更广阔的舞台。

The Shijiazhuang Animation Institute‘s (石家庄动漫协会), that of the beneficial support of the city government and the conducive industrial environment had all become the envy of companies elsewhere, according to Shijiazhuang Newsnet. “Publicity” (宣传) and promotion had made Shijiazhuang’s cartoon industry better known in China and abroad, making people coming to Shijiazhuang to seek cooperation. A Western Australian Film Office (西澳大利亚州政府电影融资发展局 – I’m not familiar with Australia’s film industry or the industry’s official promotional institutes) was currently seeking a cooperation partner with the Shijiazhuang Animation Institute’s assistance, according to the report. The Australians had been impressed with the originality and production levels of Shijiazhuang’s industry and had since visited four times, Shijiazhuang Newsnet quotes a member of the Shijiazhuang Animation Institute, Zhang Maolan (张茂兰).

DeepCG Animation Science and Technology gets a particular mention in the report. The general manager, Wu Yifeng (武义峰), doesn’t seem to be too specific about his company’s current prospects in Europe, but is quoted as saying that South-East Asia was the most promising market for one of his company’s works, a cartoon movie about late Han dynasty general Zhao Yun, given its richness with Chinese culture.

The cartoon’s title seems to translate Zhao Yun and the Clicking Sound of the Box (赵云与咔哒盒子).

It seems to be based on a theme previously used in a Zhao Yun movie (but not a cartoon) made in Hong Kong, in 2010.

Shijiazhuang News Net is the online platform of Shijiazhuang Daily (石家庄日报), an official CCP paper.

In a review of the 17th Central cultural decision in October 2011, David Bandurski of the China Media Project (Hong Kong) appeared to be skeptical of the impact Chinese media and culture could have under political and ideological controls.

It may be time for a first assessment of how things are going for the “cultural industry” in China – especially when it comes to its record abroad. Personally, I have no clue about cartoons, and not even a taste for them. Stuff like Zhao Yun and the Box (a sample video here) should be judged by bloggers or critics who really are into the genre.

____________

Note

^*) This isn’t an exact translation. The actual Chinese quote or proverb would be 酒香不怕巷子深 – something like the smell of wine isn’t afraid of a deep lane (or alley), meaning that good things will sell even without advertising them.

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Related

» Soft Power starts at Home, Jan 21, 2012
» A Low-Carbon Industry, Dec 2, 2011
» Shijiazhuang Cartoon School, CRI, Aug 20, 2009
» Go-Out Policy, Wikipedia, acc. 20130412
» Private investors, PD English, Aug 20, 2004

Xi Jinping Lecture: Personal Experience

Xinhua online (republished here by Enorth, Tianjin), January 5, 2013, on a speech held by Xi Jinping on Saturday. According to the article, Xi discussed his personal learning experience in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics (就坚持和发展中国特色社会主义谈了自己的学习体会).

Main Link: Unwaveringly upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Links within blockquotes added during translation – JR.

On January 5, new members and alternate members of the Central Committee held a seminar at the Party School in Beijing on the spirit of the 18th National Congress. CCP Secretary General and Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping held an important speech at the seminar’s opening ceremony. He pointed out that the choice of the road to take was related to the wax or wane of the party’s cause. The road was the life of the party. Socialism with Chinese characteristics was the dialectical unity of scientific socialist theoretical logic and Chinese social development history’s logic, rooted in the lands of China, reflecting the wishes of the Chinese people, suiting China’s and the times’ requirements for developing and progressing scientific socialism, and the only road for the achievement of a society of modest prosperity all over the country, for the accelerated promotion of socialist modernization, and to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation¹⁾.

新进中央委员会的委员、候补委员学习贯彻党的十八大精神研讨班5日在中央党校开班。中共中央总书记、中共中央军委主席习近平在开班式上发表重要讲话。他强调，道路问题是关系党的事业兴衰成败第一位的问题，道路就是党的生命。中国特色社会主义，是科学社会主义理论逻辑和中国社会发展历史逻辑的辩证统一，是根植于中国大地、反映中国人民意愿、适应中国和时代发展进步要求的科学社会主义，是全面建成小康社会、加快推进社会主义现代化、实现中华民族伟大复兴的必由之路。

The second paragraph doesn’t seem to contain anything new – except, perhaps, that Mao Zedong‘s theories aren’t mentioned. Deng Xiaoping theory and Jiang Zemin‘s “Three Represents” do get their mention. The instructions from the “State Information Office”, issued prior to the CCP’s 18th National Congress, didn’t appear to contain references to Mao Zedong either. The 17th Central Committee’s “Cultural Decision” mentions both Mao and Deng.

Huanqiu Shibao emoticon menu: no emotions. (click picture for the same Xinhua article republished on Huanqiu.)

[…] This is the 31rst year since entering socialism with Chinese characteristics as proposed by Comrade Deng Xiaoping. Primarily, Xi Jinping, from the perspectives of history and reality, discussed his own learning experience with upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. He analyzed from the six stages of socialist ideology to today’s point in the historical process, with the contents of utopian socialism, Marxism, Engels’ scientific socialist theory systems, the Lenin-led October Revolution Victory’s socialism, the Soviet form of socialist practice, our party’s exploration and practice of socialism after the establishment of New China, our party’s historical decision to carry out reform and opening up, creating and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.

[…..] 今年是邓小平同志提出建设中国特色社会主义进入31个年头了。习近平重点从历史和现实的角度，就坚持和发展中国特色社会主义谈了自己的学习体会。他从6个时间段分析了社会主义思想从提出到现在的历史过程，内容包括空想社会主义产生和发展，马克思、恩格斯创立科学社会主义理论体系，列宁领导十月革命胜利并实践社会主义，苏联模式逐步形成，新中国成立后我们党对社会主义的探索和实践，我们党作出进行改革开放的历史性决策、开创和发展中国特色社会主义。

Xi Jinping pointed out that Comrade Deng Xiaoping pioneered socialism with Chinese characteristics, answering, for the first time, the questions of China’s relative economic and cultural backwardness and how to build socialism [under these circumstances], how to solidify and develop socialism’s leading problems, by using new ideological points of view, carrying forward and developing Marxism, extending the boundaries of Marxism, and raising the scientific level of understanding socialism.

习近平指出，邓小平同志开创了中国特色社会主义，第一次比较系统地初步回答了在中国这样经济文化比较落后的国家如何建设社会主义、如何巩固和发展社会主义的一系列基本问题，用新的思想观点，继承和发展了马克思主义，开拓了马克思主义新境界，把对社会主义的认识提高到新的科学水平。

Xi Jinping emphasized that socialism with Chinese characteristics is socialism, but no other doctrine. The basic principles of sicentific socialism could not be lost – what had been lost wasn’t socialism. Which doctrine a country implemented depended crucially on which historical tasks a country had to solve. History and reality both tell us that only socialism can save China, and that only socialism with Chinese characteristics can develop China. This is the conclusion of history, and the people’s choice. With the continuous development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, our country’s socialist system will keep maturing, our country’s socialist system’s superiority [or advantage] will continuously reveal itself, and our path will become ever broader. As long as we have this trust in the road we have taken, as long as we have trust in our theories, and trust in our system, we can truly act [in accordance with Zheng Banqiao‘s words/paintings]: “Suffered from hardship, they never fright, no matter the wind in all directions beat”²⁾.

习近平强调，中国特色社会主义是社会主义而不是其他什么主义，科学社会主义基本原则不能丢，丢了就不是社会主义。一个国家实行什么样的主义，关键要看这个主义能否解决这个国家面临的历史性课题。历史和现实都告诉我们，只有社会主义才能救中国，只有中国特色社会主义才能发展中国，这是历史的结论、人民的选择。随着中国特色社会主义不断发展，我们的制度必将越来越成熟，我国社会主义制度的优越性必将进一步显现，我们的道路必将越走越宽广。我们就是要有这样的道路自信、理论自信、制度自信，真正做到“千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东西南北风”。

In the following paragraph, Xi still doesn’t mention Mao Zedong, but emphasizes a kind of unity between socialism in China before, and after the policies of reform and opening up:

Xi Jinping pointed out that our party led the people in the construction of socialism, and that there were the historical periods before and since reform and opening up. These were interrelated, but also with major differences from each other. Essentially, however, our party led the people in the implementation of socialist construction and practical exploration. They were different from each other in their ideological guidance, principles and policies, but not at all separate from each other, and definitely no opposites to each other. We must adhere to the ideological line of seeking truth in the facts, distinguish between the main current and the tributary rivers, adhere to the truth, correct mistakes, carry forward our experience, learn our lessons [“breathing them in”, 吸取教训], and on this basis make the party’s and the people’s cause advance.

习近平指出，我们党领导人民进行社会主义建设，有改革开放前和改革开放后两个历史时期，这是两个相互联系又有重大区别的时期，但本质上都是我们党领导人民进行社会主义建设的实践探索。中国特色社会主义是在改革开放历史新时期开创的，但也是在新中国已经建立起社会主义基本制度、并进行了20多年建设的基础上开创的。虽然这两个历史时期在进行社会主义建设的思想指导、方针政策、实际工作上有很大差别，但两者决不是彼此割裂的，更不是根本对立的。不能用改革开放后的历史时期否定改革开放前的历史时期，也不能用改革开放前的历史时期否定改革开放后的历史时期。要坚持实事求是的思想路线，分清主流和支流，坚持真理，修正错误，发扬经验，吸取教训，在这个基础上把党和人民事业继续推向前进。

Xi Jinping emphasized that Marxism is bound to go with the times, practice and science continuously develop, and there is nothing set in its ways. Socialism has always progressed by opening up. Adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is a great chapter. Comrade Deng Xiaoping defined [this chapter’s] basic ideas and principles, and with Comrade Jiang Zemin at the core of the party’s collective third leadership generation and Comrade Hu Jintao as the secretary general of the party’s central committee, another brilliant section had been added to the great chapter. Now, it is the task of our generation of Communists to continue to write this great chapter. Adhere to Marxism, to socialism, and make sure you have a developing point of view [or development point of view]. The more advanced our cause will be, the more developed it will be, new situations and problems will increase. We will face more and more risks and challenges, and unforeseeable matters. We must be prepared for unexpected developments, be prepared for danger in times of peace, what you know, you know, what you don’t know, you don’t know. When you know, create the conditions to do it, and if you don’t know, keep learning and studying to work it out. We cannot afford ambiguities.

习近平强调，马克思主义必定随着时代、实践和科学的发展而不断发展，不可能一成不变，社会主义从来都是在开拓中前进的。坚持和发展中国特色社会主义是一篇大文章，邓小平同志为它确定了基本思路和基本原则，以江泽民同志为核心的党的第三代中央领导集体、以胡锦涛同志为总书记的党中央在这篇大文章上都写下了精彩的篇章。现在，我们这一代共产党人的任务，就是继续把这篇大文章写下去。坚持马克思主义，坚持社会主义，一定要有发展的观点。我们的事业越前进、越发展，新情况新问题就会越多，面临的风险和挑战就会越多，面对的不可预料的事情就会越多。我们必须增强忧患意识，做到居安思危，懂就是懂，不懂就是不懂；懂了的就努力创造条件去做，不懂的就要抓紧学习研究弄懂，来不得半点含糊。

Xi Jinping pointed out that CCP members, and particularly leading cadres, must be firm believers in and loyal practitioners of the lofty ideals (远大理想) of communism and the common ideals of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We want to adhere to the faith in going the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and at the same time maintain the lofty ideals (崇高理想) of communism, resolutely implement and carry out the party’s basic road and basic guiding principles in the initial stage of socialism, and successfuly do every piece of work of the day. Revolutionary ideals reach higher than the skies. Without lofty ideals, there is no qualified communist, and abandoning practical work and empty talk about lofty ideals makes no qualified communist either. The measure of a Communist and a leading cadre is if he has lofty Communist ideals, objective standards, if he is able to serve the people with his whole heart, if he is able to stand difficulties before enjoying the achievements, if he can work hard, if he honestly does his duties, if he struggles selflessly, fights, and devotes all his energy and life. All confused and hesitant points of view, making merry while one can, all selfish behavior, all inefficiency is incompatible with this.

习近平指出，共产党员特别是党员领导干部要做共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想的坚定信仰者和忠实践行者。我们既要坚定走中国特色社会主义道路的信念，也要胸怀共产主义的崇高理想，矢志不移贯彻执行党在社会主义初级阶段的基本路线和基本纲领，做好当前每一项工作。革命理想高于天。没有远大理想，不是合格的共产党员；离开现实工作而空谈远大理想，也不是合格的共产党员。衡量一名共产党员、一名领导干部是否具有共产主义远大理想，是有客观标准的，那就要看他能否坚持全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨，能否吃苦在前、享受在后，能否勤奋工作、廉洁奉公，能否为理想而奋不顾身去拼搏、去奋斗、去献出自己的全部精力乃至生命。一切迷惘迟疑的观点，一切及时行乐的思想，一切贪图私利的行为，一切无所作为的作风，都是与此格格不入的。

Li Keqiang presided over the seminar’s opening ceremony.

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Notes

¹⁾ Great rejuvenation was the theme Tuo Zhen, propaganda chief of Guangdong’s CCP branch, reportedly inserted into Southern Weekly‘s original New Year’s article, instead of the original article’s “China dream”, which would have related to constitutionalism and to checks and balances on and within political power.

²⁾ The probable source for this quote by Xi Jinping is Zheng Banqiao (aka Zheng Xie), an offical and painter from Jiangsu, is the probable source for this quote by Xi Jinping. Wikipedia: When he was reportedly criticized for building a shelter for the poor, he resigned (Wikipedia, accessed 20130105).

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Related

» Xi endorses Deng mantra, SCMP, Jan 5, 2013
» Xi reiterates, “Global Times”, Jan 1, 2013
» Whose China Dream, Jan 5, 2013
» People with Lofty Ideas (仁人志士), Oct 31, 2010

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