Sina Top 10 (ordered according to reposting ranking)

1. (China News Weekly–100275) Nine sentences that hurt your parents.

1. I’ve got you. When will you stop repeating yourself?
2. Anything else? If not, bye.
3. You won’t understand anyway, so stop asking.
4. Told you that it not your business. Look what a mess you’ve made.
5. You are always saying the same old stuff.
6. Told you not to clean up my room. Now I can’t find my stuff.
7. I know what to eat. I can help myself.
8. Told you not to eat the leftovers. You just won’t listen to me.
9. I know what I’m doing. I don’t need your help. Stay away.

2. (Breaking News–53884) [People's Daily: public opinion on the internet half reflects people's will] People’s Daily posted a review article on the front page today about the internet blast over the role of China’s Red Cross in Lushan disaster relief. According to statistics, China Red Cross collected 566 million yuan, over 53% of the total donation. The review said that although China’s Red Cross was under a credibility crunch, the people seemed to be forgiving. Between the internet blast and real public will is a considerable gap. For further details go to: http://t.cn/zTN0Z0U 4.30.

3. (Rui Chenggang–44861) An ocean is formed as the rivers flow downwards; a person makes himself a king by keeping a low-profile. Saints do not care about fame; broad-minded people are inclusive. Eagles stand like they’re asleep; tigers walk like they’re weak. Wealth and splendor shall not be exposed. The talented shall hide their genius. One shall not be complacent or arrogant for his talents or social status. When travelling on a narrow path, you should leave some room for others; when having delicious food, you should save some for others. Good health is your biggest advantage, a contented mind can make you most happy, inner peace can make you most kind, sincerity is your best friend and an easygoing temper is your best fortune. Share with you these interesting Chinese proverbs and hope you all a happy Labor Day. 5.1

4. (Breaking News–40005) Two Girls Killed with Poisoned Yogurt over Kindergarten Rivalry in Hebei province. Two kindergartens in Hebei Pinshan County appeared to have friction because of student competition. One kindergartener injected rat position to a bottle of yogurt and had it placed with notebooks on the road to the girls kindergarten on the morning of Apr. 24^th. The girls died after consuming the yogurt. Further information: http://t.cn/zTOReMX 5.2

5. (Breaking News–33685) Are the 80 million Red Cross donations missing? Over 100 artists donated their art works for charity auction after the Wenchuan Earthquake five years ago. Altogether, 84.72 million yuan were collected. However, the artists who have donated art works all claimed they had no idea where the donations were used. China’s Red Cross responded earlier that they did receive 84.72 million yuan of donation. The money was not used immediately because the project supported by the donors was not included in the rebuilding plan. After the deliberation of the executive committee of China’s Red Cross Society, they have invested the money to a community-based project called Bo’ai Community. http://t.cn/zT9ZlT2 4.28

6. (Rui Chenggang–30822) 1. You shouldn’t blame your child in public. Children also have dignity. 2. You shouldn’t blame your child when he has already felt guilty for himself. 3. You shouldn’t blame your child before he goes to bed. 4. You shouldn’t blame you child during meals. 5. You should not blame your child when he is happy. 6. You shouldn’t blame your child when he is crying. 7. You shouldn’t blame your child when he is ill. It’s true for children, true for adults. (adapted) 5.1

7. (Yao Chen–26660) In our youth’s memory, people were much more honest than now. Boarding an early morning train, there was nobody on the dark street but the chimney smoke from the little soymilk shop. In the past, one day seemed to be longer than now. Cars, horses and mail all came more slowly. You can only spend your life to love one back then. The locks were more delicate at that time. When you locked it on, others would easily understand. – Mu Xin The Slow Past 4.28

8. (Zhang Lifan–26585) What China is short of is not money but clean governance. Legislative council member Mao Mengjing mentioned Hong Kong’s donation to Sichuan during the council meeting. The school donated by Hong Kong collapsed in the earthquake and people found the wall of the school was filled with foam rubber. How can this be explained to the Hong Kong citizens who donated for Wenchuan after the earthquake? Their donation amounted to 23 billion! http://t.cn/zT0DSFf 5.2

9. (Lawyer Yuan Yulai–24807) What a Shame! The Nation was Deceived. Zhang Aihua, the official who kneeled down on the dining table begging for pardon was dismissed from the position as the chairman of the administrative commission of Binjiang Industrial Park. However, Zhang is also a member of the medical development zone’s party working committee, chairman of the administrative commission of the development zone, chairman of the administrative commission of the export processing zone and chairman of the administrative commission of Binjiang industrial park. Among all these positions, the first three are director level and the one that was dismissed is vice-director level. (Guang Ming) http://t.cn/zT96Eh8 4.29

10. (Focus of the mind–23823) Chinese people have a common misunderstanding. They think being strong means beating or exceeding others. They have grown up with such a concept embedded in their minds. However, the real criterion for power is not the number of people that you’ve defeated but that you’ve helped [others]. When you can help others, you have both virtue and ability the most necessary qualities of real power. Master Xing Yun 5.2

Tencent Weibo Top 10 (According to the number of viewers)

1. (Cui Yongyuan-Talk It As It Is—-1.89 million) I’m at an exhibition of Ma Haifang’s paintings in Rong Bao Zhai. The paintings are interesting and full of charm.

2. (Mao Yushi—1.82 million) Maoist supporters kept calling my home number to harass me from midnight to 2am, claiming that they will launch an attack against me. In the past, they have spread rumors about me; calling to harass me, some even came to my office or my house to threaten me. If your claims were truly righteous, you wouldn’t need vile means as these. The future of China relies on law and order and harmony, not beating people up, ruining and robbing their properties. I do hope you can consider what I said. I respect your right to speak freely of your minds, but I do object to the vile means you people used.

3. (Li Kaifu—1.37 million) [Learn to use the first hour of daily work] People have strongest self-control and will in the morning, so one should make good use of the first hour of work every morning, you can consider using this hour to: 1) deal with the most important or the toughest problems; 2) evaluate the priorities, and decide on today’s tasks; 3) handle the most demanding assignment; 4) arrive at company earlier, and adjust your mood for a day’s work; 5) take a deep breath and calm down, reflect on the difficult tasks; 6) don’t be distracted by trivia or entertainment.

4. (Li Kaifu—1.36 million) Such a pity for this accomplished girl. Harvard Weibo Association: Zhu Ling translated “Like Barley Bending” when she was a student of Huiwen high school. Her translation was more elegant and neater than the translation done by Guo Moruo. It is graceful and succinct as the poems in the Book of Songs. So we can understand why China has no talent like Steve Jobs, geniuses of this level are poisoned to death even before they rise into prominence.

5. (Li Kaifu—1.32 million) [You can buy a castle in New York State with 6 million RMB!] Built in 1894, the castle is located in Amsterdam, New York State. Its housing area is approximately 4,000 square meters (including an indoor gym of 900 square meters). About 2.5 million was spent on its refurbishment in recent years, and the castle won an award in antique refurbishment. It’s priced only for 6 million RMB! (To view the original English article, please see:)

6. (Zhang Yiwu—1.31 million) People always think of themselves as smart when they are young. They learn to trick others; they think they can take advantage of others forever. They also learn to do their work in a slipshod manner: they think that nothing needs to be taken seriously, as long as they find some connections and pay visits to important people, there is nothing they can’t achieve. These are hallucinations. These can’t last. The others will see through these tricks, and what needs to be done still needs to be done. Once the others see through these tricks, no one will trust you anymore. Besides, things can get complicated. If people hate you they might take revenge, and you will suffer from the things that you didn’t take good care of. As in an old saying, “it’s better that things are not easily achieved, and fame is not easily gained.”

7. (Li Kaifu—1.29 million) [The almighty Weibo] Last week I re-tweeted a Weibo from a netizen who got to know a pretty girl from the comments to one of my Weibo. As a result I realized that many people are beginning to look for such romantic encounters in the comments! I took a screenshot of it. Hey, gentleman, please mind your morals! Don’t say bad things about me.

8. (Luo Chongmin—1.27 million) #Education of life, lifestyle and survival# If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn; if children live with hostility, they learn to hate; if children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive; If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves; if children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy; If children live with jealousy, they learn to scheme against each other; if children live with humiliation, they learn to feel guilty.

9. (Yu Hua—1.18 million) Three friends came to visit me in Hangzhou. They are all working in the financial industry. We visited the Xixi wetland park in the rain and told our past stories on the oar boat. I told them a story of my childhood, when I wanted to see the movie but couldn’t afford the ticket, so I had to crawl over the fence of the cinema. I was so afraid of getting caught, so I would dash into the restroom, and walk back to the cinema hall calmly and find an empty seat, pretending that I just went out to use the restroom during the movie. They say this process is called money laundering.

10. (Luo Chongmin—1.17 million) In the evening of April 26^th, 10 urban management officers of Mianyang, Sichuan treated an old female vegetable vendor with violence during law enforcement, even a couple who tried to stop their brutality was beat and injured. Their violence sparked a riot, with several hundreds of angry spectators surrounding the officers up and hitting them. Several officers were injured, and the situation was not under control until special police arrived. Police and urban management officers threatened the injured people when they were in hospital. The officers’ brutality caused a confrontation from the ordinary people, it is true that “where there’s oppression, there is resistance!” @Ji Lianhai

What is the Boao Forum for Asia? In 1998, the presidents and prime ministers of the Philippines, Australia and Japan put forward the idea of creating an Asian forum similar to the World Economic Forum held each year in Davos, Switzerland. Even though Asian countries were participating in many international conferences and organizations, they felt that Asia as a whole lacked a platform to discuss Asian issues. They wanted to enhance cooperation and exchanges between Asian countries as well as between Asia and other parts of the world. Focused on economics, this platform was to serve as the first truly Asian-led forum highlighting Asian perspectives. The forum was formally inaugurated in the city of Bo’ao under Chinese leadership in February 2001.

Global Aim: At the end of the first BFA in 2001, the People’s Daily stated that the BFA aimed to ¡°boost cooperation in economic and social affairs among Asian countries.¡± Since its creation, the economic platform has focused on setting up mechanisms¡ªbased on the comparative strengths of each of the region¡¯s countries¡ªto boost economic growth in the region using its own resources. The overall goal was to promote economic integration in the region and to offer suggestions for joint development in Asia. The 2010 Charter states that the Boao Forum shall “provide a high-level venue for dialogue between leaders from government, private enterprise, academia and other legal associations to discuss, exchange and develop ideas in the scope of economic, social, environmental and related issues.”

A Chinese Perspective: Although the Forum was designed mainly as a platform to discuss economic issues, it has also contributed to the development of China’s full-fledged multi-level diplomacy. The interaction of people with different viewpoints from diverse backgrounds and nationalities has helped deepen the mutual understanding and communications between China and the other nations. Furthermore, during the last BFA, China¡¯s new leadership promised to continue strengthening this dialogue, so it looks as if BFA will continue to play an active role in promoting China’s economic growth as well as its diplomatic interactions with other Asian countries in the years to come.

Results of the 2013 Forum: Xi Jinping, China¡¯s new President, made a speech on Sunday, April 7, and outlined several needs he sees emerging in the coming decade: the need to adapt in an ever changing world, to engage in a common search for peace and security, to boost cooperation as an effective vehicle for enhancing common development, and the need to respect the right of countries to independently choose their own social system and path of development. Each of these points is reflected in the theme of this year’s forum: ¡°Asia Seeking Development for All: Restructuring, Responsibility, and Cooperation¡±. “Restructuring” can be interpreted at two levels. Domestically, it refers to China’s reforms and the opening-up process of the past three decades, as well as the government¡¯s plans to continue to pursue these reforms over the next decade. Internationally, it also refers to promoting global governance reforms. As President Xi stated in his inauguration speech: “the global governance mechanisms call for improvement.”

“Responsibility” can be understood as China’s determination to share the fruits of its own development and to serve as a model for other emerging economies, as well as to see the establishment of an Asian community. “Cooperation” refers to economic cooperation within the region and with the Global South. Xi stated that “we should enhance South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue, promote balanced development of the developing and developed countries, and consolidate the foundations for sustaining stable growth of the global economy.” Xi also emphasized that Asian cooperation was open to countries within the region as well to countries from other regions. The 2013 BFA consisted of a series of closed-door meetings, open sessions, round-tables, press conferences, lunch and dinner talks, and a myriad of other meetings covering a wide range of topics, including global governance reform, corporate social responsibility and social enterprise in Asia. Zambian President Sata talked about Africa and the rise of an ancient continent. There were also discussions on Asian relations with Latin America and the U.S., consumption, European competitiveness, China’s reform agenda and a new role and path for Asia.

Has the forum’s focus evolved over the years? This year¡¯s forum had a slightly different focus than in previous years. China has increasingly switched the forum¡¯s focus from being exclusively Asia-centered to being a broader platform for cooperation between the emerging economies. The BFA also seems to be moving away from an exclusively regional economic forum and platform for companies to come together, and towards a more diplomatic platform for bilateral and multilateral exchanges. In a reference to the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle, Xi pointed out that in its first cycle, the BFA had become a major forum with growing global influence, and that now as it entered its second cycle, Xi hoped the BFA ¡°would scale to even greater heights.”

Is the BFA becoming a Forum for Chinese Diplomacy? Xi’s presence helped turn this year¡¯s Boao Forum into a high-profile event. The attendance of presidents and prime ministers from Peru, Mexico, Algeria and Zambia broadened the Forum¡¯s scope to include Africa and Latin America and reinforced this year¡¯s newly sought political objectives. It is worth noting that ten of the twelve heads of state and country representatives in attendance came from commodity-exporting countries with close trading ties to China (Brunei, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Peru, Zambia, Mexico, Cambodia, Australia, Algeria and Mongolia). China has a commodity-intensive economy.

Is this what Xi really means when he calls for greater cooperation based on mutual comparative advantages: closer collaboration with countries rich in natural resources? In his speech, Xi reaffirmed China¡¯s goal¡ªwhich was set during the 18th National Congress in November 2012¡ªof doubling its GDP and per capita income for urban and rural residents by 2020 (based on 2010 figures), and of realizing the ¡°Chinese dream¡± of a modern socialist country by the mid-21st century. He went on to elaborate on the China goal of “building a comprehensively well-off society by the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (2021) and constructing a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, and harmonious modern socialist country by the 100th anniversary of the founding of the New China (2049). This is how we will achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

It seems that China’s vision of the international system’s structure changed significantly after 2008. From a Chinese perspective, 2008 symbolizes two major successes for China: the success of the hosting the Olympics and the successful weathering of the global financial crisis. This seems to have been a turning point where China stopped viewing the U.S. model as the only way forward. It now aspires to pursue its own development model, and its ambition of serving as a model for other developing countries has increased significantly. Seen from this perspective, China is slowly trying to shift the world order in favor of a more balanced North-South representation, while promoting cooperation amongst the members of the Global South. It is offering its own development system as an example for other emerging economies to follow. China is seeking to play a more prominent role in the Global South.

Is China deliberately trying to reshape the world order to guarantee a more prominent position for itself as it promotes a more representative system for the emerging economies? Why didn¡¯t the Boao Forum attract more media coverage? In conclusion, there are two plausible explanations for the lack of media coverage on the Boao Forum. The forum might not have been as newsworthy as the impressive guest list seems to suggest. On the other hand, poor coverage by the Western media may simply reflect China¡¯s lack of public relation skills and its failure to publicize the event. Yet this could have further implications: despite recent attempts to assert its position as a key global power, it could mean that China still has only limited capacity to shape world affairs and to have an impact on the global agenda. Another explanation is more complicated and troublesome. Since its re-integration into world affairs in the mid-20th century, China has systematically rejected any Western-led initiatives and regional mechanisms. This attitude does not seem to be deliberately confrontational, but simply reflects the Chinese perception that all Western initiatives are imposed on China unilaterally and therefore cannot be legitimate. Similarly, the Western world does not seem to lend much credit (or media coverage) to any Chinese-led initiatives.

This mutual “rejection” has obstructed in-depth communications between China and the West in general. This lack of communication lies at the heart of the mistrust and misunderstandings that currently undermine US and China relations in particular. In this case, it would clearly be to China’s advantage to let the Forum¡¯s original architects (Japan, Australia and the Philippines) play a more prominent role to ensure that the BFA remains a truly regional initiative and not solely a diplomatic platform for China to boost its own position and influence throughout the region and the world.

Top Tweets from Sina (Ranked According to Number of Retweets)

1. (Zuo Ye Ben 53,567) Last night, I suddenly thought of my classmates from my last year of college. The six of us had all fought and despised one another, and our way of making up was playing Counterstrike however lost had to apologize. The night before we went our separate ways, [we] drank more than 20 bottles of beer in the dorm. The next day, no one said anything; whoever woke up would leave quietly. I closed my eyes and heard them leave one by one. Finally, I tidied up a bit, locked the door, and the moment that I walked down the stairs my tears suddenly fell.

2. (Top News from Sina  43,499) Two Construction Workers Nap on the Ground, Media Says the China Dream is Sometimes Just One Bed Around one o’clock yesterday afternoon, in front of a store in Zhengzhou city that was currently undergoing renovation, two construction workers, who had probably just came from laboring at the construction site, were laying on the steps and taking a nap. They were covered with mud; they had strands of grey hair and were not even wearing socks. They didn’t care about the coldness of the pavement or the cars that went past them. The media says, sometimes the China Dream is merely a small bed.

3. (Si Xiang Ju Ji 38,375) Do not have too much hope for [going to] college. Forty percent of our college curriculum is brainwashing, 30% of the professors knowledge is outdated, the remaining 30% is valuable, but the professors method of teaching is not necessary scientific. [I] concur with what Yu Minhong had said: why go to college? Make some friends, be in some relationships, randomly read some books, and conveniently let yourself grow in height and strength; the moment you step out of college, nothing will have anything to do with college. Written for the lost kids.

4. (Caijing Web 31,153) CCTV: Beijing Private Reception, Each Meal is 6,000 Yuan (970 USD); Authorities Still Dine during the Two Sessions [of China National Advisory Body and Legislature]. At a high-end courtyard-style clubhouse located in Beierhuan (in Beijing), a meal can cost as much as 6,000 yuan per person. The waiter said that they host a lot of officials, and business remained the same during the two sessions of China national advisory body and legislature with continuous [visits] from director-level authorities. The eight-point regulations[1] didn’t really have any effect on the business. On the night of their unannounced visit, there were numerous luxury cars parked in the courtyard, and two private rooms were filled with public officials dining.

5. (Yuan Yulai Lawyer 29,550) 21^st century: 49% stake in the # ancient city of Phoenix # that has caused an uproar has already been sold by the country government to a traveling agency. Today, people entering the ancient city of Phoenix must purchase entrance tickets, not just when visiting the tourist area. Because of this, what the government is selling is not only the right to operate attractions, but the entire ancient city. What a scary sign, the government has actually started to sell cities. What will be up for sale next?

6. (Zuo Yeben 29,525) Oftentimes I would click on the profile of strangers and silently read through all of their tweets [on Weibo], all of the details of their everyday life and love/hate affairs, like quietly finishing a movie. They always thought that no one read their weibo, but actually they didn’t know that there is always someone who will quietly read through each of their tweet but will never leave a comment.

7. (Yuan Yulai Lawyer 29,270) #Phoenix Town# A netizen analysis: When the emperor with braids came, my house was my house; when the big-headed Yuan [Shi-kai] came, my house was still my house; when the Republic of China was founded, my house remained as my house; even when the Japs came, they didn’t even dare to say that my house had belonged to their emperor; you [government officials of Phoenix Town] came, and you said my house is yours, and [you are] squatting in front of the door collecting an entrance fee! Who the hell are you?!

8. (Top News from Sina  28,605) Reanalyzing the News – Thallium Poisoning of Tsinghua Student Zhu Ling Fudan University reports, a graduate student was suspected to have been poisoned by his roommate and was in critical condition after hospital admission. In 1994, Zhu Ling, a chemistry major from Tsinghua University class of 1992, displayed symptoms of thallium poisoning, causing her to be paralyzed, 100% disabled, and mentally challenged. The parents of Zhu Ling thought that this was because [Zhu] roommate had poisoned her with thallium; the case has remained unsolved for more than 10 years.

9. (Si Xiang Ju Ji 25,567) Thirty years of news broadcast can be summarized in 20 sentences! Please see here.

10. (Zuo Ye Ben  25,148) The last dorm room of my student career was Room 604, what about you?

1. (Han Han 20,751,000) I always wanted to be a professional motorcyclist. The limitations of equipment cannot stop my pursuit of pressure bending.

2. (Li Kaifu 2,920,000) Qi Weijiang texted: ao Yuan, please help me post a tweet: Tang Hui received a phone call saying that one of her friends, Liu Chunrong, went inside of the courtroom and said to the bystanders ur Yongzhou City is too corrupt and was arrested. His wife was asked to deliver things [to him]. [He is] now at the police station in Yongzhou Qili. Lawyer Xu and I are planning to stop by and ask about the situation after dinner.

Devastating Earthquake Hits Southwest China

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit southwest China¡¯s Sichuan Province on April 20. While the epicenter of this earthquake was in Ya¡¯an city, strong tremors were felt in Sichuan¡¯s capital city of Chengdu. The quake was also felt in neighboring provinces of Guizhou, Gansu, Shaanxi and Yunnan. Multiple aftershocks also took place with the strongest reaching 5.1 magnitude on the Richter scale.

More than 200 people are dead or missing after the earthquake with an additional 11,800 injured. First estimates suggest that 100,000 people lost their homes because of this natural disaster. 18,000 soldiers had been dispatched in an effort to clear blocked roads, restore communications and assist rescue teams.

China¡¯s foreign ministry announced that foreign rescue teams and relief aid is not needed.

(Xinhua, April 20, the Guardian, April 21; Xinhua, April 25)

Death Toll from H7N9 Bird Flu Continues to Rise

As of April 24, the number of deaths in China that was caused by the new strain of the bird flu, H7N9, has increased to 22. In addition, Taiwan authorities have confirmed a case of infection with H7N9 strain in the island, the first reported case outside of China.

Overall, cases of H7N9 infection have been confirmed in six provinces in China: Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, and Beijing. Approximately 40% of confirmed patients were at least 65 years old. Moreover, 73% of patients were men and 84% resided in urban areas. Health officials suspect that most d the patients had become sick through contact with infected but healthy looking animals from live poultry markets, which house pigeons, geese, quail and wild birds.

To date the mortality rate is 21%. Chinese health officials warn that since many infected patients remain critically ill, the death toll from the H7N9 bird flu is likely to rise.

(BCC, CNN April 10; Reuters, Xinhua April 11; L.A. Times April 24)

French President Hollande Visit to China

French President Hollande arrived in Beijing on April 25 for a two-day visit that will be remembered as that of the first head of state from a major Western nation to visit China since China’s leadership transition in March. The visit also marks a first step in preparing the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries next year.

Accompanied by a political and business delegation of nearly 100 people, Hollande hopes this visit will pave the way for stronger bilateral exchanges and boost mutual political trust. Under pressure to narrow its trade deficit with China, the visit aims at rebalancing trade and investment relations with Beijing, and at boosting exports to China, with hopes that deals can be reached over the sale of aircraft and nuclear power.

On Thursday, April 25, China signed a deal with the plane-maker Airbus to by 60 French Airbus civilian aircrafts. Airbus aircrafts account for 49% of all over 100-passenger civilian aircrafts in China.

(Global Times, China Daily, Reuters, France 24, April 25)

Summaries by Lukasz Bednarz, Xueying Luo, Camille McConaughey, and Julie Wu, China Program interns at the Carter Center.

Tang garnered widespread media attention over the years and earned herself the title of ¡°Appeal Mom¡± as a mother relentlessly appealing court decisions and demanding justice for her daughter. Her most recent court hearing has again resonated with netizens in China, and a picture of Tang crying outside the courtroom has gone viral on Weibo.[1]

Story of the ¡°Appeal Mom¡±

Tang began her story and quest for justice almost seven years ago in October 2006, when her then 11-year-old daughter, Lele (pseudonym), disappeared. Lele was kidnapped by human traffickers, and was raped and forced into prostitution at a local brothel before she was finally discovered and rescued three months later.

At first, the local police department was reluctant to establish a case for Lele and dismissed it as ¡°just another public-order case.¡±[2] Tang suspected that the Yongzhou police department was shielding the owners of the brothel and threatened to end her life if the local authorities did not offer justice. The local police department finally placed the case on file for investigation  in January 2007.

In June 2008, the Yongzhou Intermediate People¡¯s Court issued sentences to seven defendants:¡¡death sentences to two defendants, life sentences to two others, and 15 to 16 years in jail for the other three. Tang was not satisfied with the verdict and pushed for the death penalty for all seven defendants. Moreover, she claimed that local police officers had falsified evidence to lessen the sentence for Qin Xing, the owner of the brothel[3],, and that Lele¡¯s identification of two local policemen as rapists was deliberately ignored by government investigators.

Since then, Tang continued to demand punishment for the police officers who tried to shield the offenders. In June 2012, the Hunan Provincial Higher People¡¯s Court finalized the verdict: the two abductors were sentenced to death, four others received life sentences, and one defendant was given a 15-year sentence. Upon hearing the judgment, Tang indicated that she would stop appealing and lead a peaceful life with her family.

Tang Sentenced to ¡°re-education through labor¡± camp incites Weibo justice

However, Tang¡¯s happiness and peace was short-lived. On August 2, 2012, Tang received a letter stating that she had been sentenced to 18 months of re-education through labor for having ¡°disturbed social order countless times, not repenting after penalty and continuing her vexatious acts¡­seriously disturbing the institutional and social order.¡± Eighteen months. No lawyer and no trial.

Before she was taken away Tang called her attorney, who posted the news to his Weibo, China¡¯s popular social media platform akin to Twitter. Within days, her story had reached more than 30 million Weibo users, causing a national outrage. What ensued on Weibo were downpours of public criticism and discontent as furious netizens demanded Tang be released. Ten days later, China Central Television (CCTV) announced Tang¡¯s release. Although officials did not admit to this, the people credited the overwhelming Weibo uproar and public pressure as what led to a reversal of the government¡¯s sentence.

¡°Weibo had a very big impact on my situation because our local government tried to cover up this case….But this time, people around China and even around the world found out they put me in the labor camp. And the local government couldn’t resist so many people’s power,¡± Tang Hui stated upon her release in August 2012.

By allowing the public to stay informed of current events, Weibo often presents itself as a platform for ordinary citizens to voice their problems and rally support. Tang¡¯s release from the labor camp suggests that Weibo can also work as an instrument to pressure politicians on local government officials. Before the emergence of Weibo, local people actually had limited channels to try to solve their problems.

Weibo¡¯s reaction to the latest court decision

Up until April 12, Tang¡¯s case has been reviewed by the court six times and remanded twice, and has received four different rulings. Since then, Tang has once again become the topic of discussion on Weibo.

Sina Weibo¡¯s daily Current Events Hot Searches List provides a list of top keywords of the day based on what its users are searching. On April 12, within hours after Tang¡¯s trial in the afternoon, the term ¡°Tang Hui (Appeal Mother Tang Hui from Yongzhou, Hunan, lost her lawsuit)¡± was ranked number four with 19,229 searches and rising. Its counterpart on Tencent Weibo showed that the term ¡°Tang Hui¡± was in approximately 44,400 tweets/retweets; the number nearly doubled to approximately 97,500 tweets/retweets on April 14.

Most people are sympathetic towards Tang, and they were quick to point out the flawed logic in the court¡¯s reasoning. That is, Tang¡¯s sentence to re-education through labor was once justified by the court, but her release later meant that the court was wrong in its initial ruling and should compensate Tang for its wrongful decision. The court, however, has affirmed that both of its decisions stand correctly and have refused Tang compensation.

Famous businessman and renowned Angel Investor, Xue Manzi, commented on the event on his Weibo: ¡°Today¡¯s Dou E[4], [I] cry with you!¡±

Other  netizens¡¯ responses reflected the views of the court, as one Weibo user commiserated with Tang for a different reason:

¡°¡­Tang Hui did not possess any strong evidence to prove that the two policemen were guilty. In addition, she unreasonably demanded that ¡°all seven defendants must [receive] the death penalty¡± and also disturbed the public numerous times because of this. [I can] only sympathize with how she does not understand the law.¡±

What started as sheer sympathy for Tang soon became sobering thoughts toward China¡¯s legal system, with netizens describing it as ¡°unreasonable¡± and ¡°shameless.¡± Bai Gu Lun Jin, a renowned freelance writer in China, solemnly stated on his Weibo: ¡°What Tang Hui cries for is her daughter, what my heart cries for is the law¡­¡±

In addition, netizens were surprised by the tweet from People¡¯s Daily, the top news source of the Chinese Communist Party. Commonly perceived as a nationalist voice of the Chinese government, People¡¯s Daily seemed to have taken a different stance on Weibo with regards to the decision of Tang¡¯s latest trial:

¡°Having lost the trial, [she] covered her face and wept. Today, ¡°Appeal Mother¡± Tang Hui has once again tugged the people¡¯s heartstrings. This is [an expression of] sympathy towards a mother, but more so a concern for the common justice. The allure of the China Dream is not solely dependent on the greatness of a nation, but more so on the individual¡¯s happiness and self-esteem. Mother Tang¡¯s tears should not become the sore spot of the China Dream. [We are] expecting a just trial, expecting reform, [so that] the sunshine of the rule of law will bring warmth to everyone. Peace.¡±

In response, Chinese writer and historian, Zhang Lifan retweeted People¡¯s Daily: ¡°This time, the official Weibo of People¡¯s Daily stood with the people. The extremely evil re-education through labor system does not need ¡®reform,¡¯ it should be abrogated at once.¡±

China¡¯s labor camps and moving forward

Since the court¡¯s latest decision, the people¡¯s attention has shifted to a serious reevaluation of China¡¯s re-education through labor system that lacks judicial oversight.

Under the current ¡°re-education through labor¡± system in China, petty offenders can be imprisoned for up to four years in labor camps without a judicial hearing. Different from formal prison system, these camps are often used to persecute human rights activists and intellectuals that have expressed dissent at the government.

At the time when Tang¡¯s case first reached the public, many people said that she would become the one who triggers the reform of China¡¯s re-education through labor system. Since then, the cases of Ren Jianyu[5] and others have all been discussed similarly. However, half a year has passed since Tang¡¯s last trial; re-education through labor still remains and now even Tang Hui has lost her case.

While some believe that Tang¡¯s perseverance would eventually lead her to justice, many are now left more skeptical of China¡¯s legal system by the decision on April 12. In addition, if the court had granted her compensation, then Tang would have created a precedent for former labor camp inmates to request compensation. It is dubious that the Chinese government is ready to accept the requests of former inmates plus the 190,000[6] some people that are still locked up in the 320 labor camps across China.

China Youth Daily journalist, Ye Tieqiao, highlighted the significance of Tang¡¯s case on Weibo:

¡°#Concerning the Tang Hui Case#: Observing the trial of Tang Hui¡¯s case, [my] greatest feeling was that this was a verdict for a mother with strong self-respect. [As such], the court should have made its judgment with [equal] respect, though sadly, she never received support from the court. However, although on the same battlefield, looking through Weibo, she has won respect from an even broader platform, and allowed people to witness the strength of perseverance. This, perhaps, is the greatest meaning of today¡¯s trial.  (April 12)¡±

Tang¡¯s perseverance indeed serves as an inspiration for many others; however, one cannot ignore the fact that a public outcry on Weibo will not bring about any changes to the court¡¯s decision. After all, most people on Weibo are not surprised by the decision and there seems to be a mutual understanding that simply appealing to a higher court will not render a different ruling. ¡°This isn¡¯t a country under rule of law, sister, I¡¯m sorry that you had to live in China for so many years,¡± one user commented. When in China, one has to do as the Chinese do.

Updates on Tang

On April 19, Beijing News published an article with the latest updates on Tang and Yongzhou¡¯s local government. The article stated that Tang¡¯s constant appealing over the past six years has put significant pressure on the officials at the local level, as Yongzhou has a strident petition evaluation system that directly affects the fate of local government officials. In addition, although Tang has never solicited financial assistance, a local official from Fujiaqiao, Yongzhou revealed that local officials have spent approximately ¡°millions¡± (one million yuan = 161,878 USD) to assist her financially. Therefore, they had hope that Tang would win her case as such an outcome would finally bring an end to her journey of appealing to higher courts.

Tang said that since returning home, many people have been attempting to persuade her to stop appealing, including local authorities. She said that she will follow the advice from her lawyer and that she will not appeal again after following through with the current legal procedures. Instead, she will return to her flower shop back home and lead a peaceful life.

The case seems to have finally come to a close, but not in the way that it should have ended. Tang¡¯s defeat evidence of the country¡¯s broken legal system and the failure of the government to protect its people. We may not hear from Yongzhou¡¯s ¡°Appeal Mom¡± again, but it won¡¯t be long before another Tang Hui kneels in front of the local government offices and begs for justice.[7] As for the rest of China, what good is the China Dream if achieving it cannot even guarantee justice for the people?

Top Tweets from Sina (Ranked According to Number of Retweets)

1. (Top News from Sina ¨C 139,460) ¡°Common Knowledge for H7N9 Avian Flu Prevention and Control¡± 1. Conditions of disease include typical viral pneumonia with acute onset. Early in the course of the disease, symptoms are high fever (above 38 degrees), cough and other symptoms of respiratory tract infection. Within 5-7 days of contracting the disease, [patients] will encounter breathing difficulties. 2. Thoroughly cook chicken, and do not eat half-cooked eggs. 3. The Guangdong Center for Disease Control said that Tamiflu can be used for early treatment. 4. Try not to be in contact with live birds and pigs. 5. Virus can be eliminated in 100 ¡ã C temperature in one minute. (According to public data compilation) (April 3)

2. (Si Xiang Ju Ji ¨C 57,382) An 84-year-old living alone in the United States owns a small house that is 100 years old with a market value of $180,000. A developer offered a demolition compensation of $1,000,000, but the elderly individual still did not agree to move. The developer was forced to modify the construction blueprints, with a U-shaped building that surrounded the house from three sides. Since then, the developer had taken care of the elderly. The elderly passed away a year later with this in their will: the house is bequeathed to the developer.

3. (Rui Chenggang ¨C 55,083) Tetris tells us: the mistakes we make will accumulate, the victories we gain will disappear; Plants vs. Zombies tells us: it is necessary to adjust one¡¯s state of being constantly to cope with different challenges; Angry Birds tells us: sometimes lowering one¡¯s heart can leading to  flying higher; KartRider Rush tells us: never think that there is still a lot of time left that can be wasted; Fruit Ninja tells us: fruit coexists with bombs, as do opportunities and challenges!

(Zuo Ye Ben ¨C 45,175) Those who truly love Leslie Cheung might not post on Weibo; they might not even say anything about him at this time of the year, and might even dislike others for bringing him up. Loving someone whom you will never see again is pain; [you] will hurt when thinking about it, [you] will hurt when speaking about it, and [you] will feel like dying when listening to others talking about him¡­It is not that [such feelings] are inexpressible, you understand that some words of love will break when spoken, and some love, once put in words, will be severely cruel.

5. (Zuo Ye Ben ¨C 41,817) Dear CCTV1, can [you] provide an apology or explain ¡°the slip-up with the scene¡¯s extras¡±[1] at around 8:20 tonight?  ¡­ This tweet was posted at approximately 5:40.

6. (Bai Gu Lun Jin ¨C 33,822) ¡°Please Retweet if Useful¡± If you enabled text message reminders for your bank account card, when your card has been stolen and fraudulently used, immediately withdraw 100 dollars from the nearby ATM or bank, or go to anywhere nearby that accepts credit cards and withdraw a few dollars so that you can prove that the card is in your own hands. When you report to the police, you will have evidence; such evidence is needed if you wish to file a lawsuit, as the bank will not be able to deny responsibilities. There is strength in numbers¨C pass this to a friend in need!

7. (Rui Chenggang ¨C 31,722) If you have been maliciously attacked by others, please remember that they did so out of a desire to obtain the feeling of self-importance, which often means that you are already accomplished and worthy of others¡¯ notice. Many people, when criticizing those who are better than themselves, will get some sort of satisfaction. Please see others¡¯ unfair criticisms as another form approval. No one ever kicks a dead dog¡­ ¡ªDale Carnegie

8. (Yuan Yulai Lawyer ¨C 31,430) Weibo friends from mainland, especially those in Shanghai, retweet as quickly as possible: http://ww2.sinaimg.cn/large/41693645jw1e39g047szoj.jpg

9. (Bai Gu Lun Jin ¨C 30,979) ¡°Unheard-of¡± Yangzhou television actually had weather forecast for March 32rd , God will cry when he sees this¡­

10. (Top News from Sina ¨C 29,761) ¡°Jiangsu Confirmed Four Cases of H7N9 Avian Influenza¡± Health Department of Jiangsu Province Jiangsu announced this evening that they have found four cases of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza. Up until now, China has confirmed seven cases, including two cases of death in Shanghai and one case in critical condition in Anhui.

B. Top Tweets from Tencent (Ranked According to Number of Retweets)

1. (Han Han ¨C 36,370,000) I miss this one year the most, [with] fresh air, mountains and smoke, dogs and open fields, I slept the whole summer.

2. (Han Han ¨C 28,920,000) ¡°2013 Q&A with Friends on Tencent¡± Provence (user) asked: How is this new version of [ONE][2] different from before¡­#Long Weibo# http://url.cn/Bc0In8

3. (Han Han ¨C 28,840,000) Teacher Zhao Changtian has passed away. I will always remember his virtues and good nature, and his care and guidance for those who are new to literature. As one of his hundreds of thousands of students, I often think of the ¡°Bud¡± and ¡°New Concept¡± that accompanied the time of my youth, as well as those familiar names and stories. Teacher Zhao, may you rest in peace. Good men may not have a peaceful life, but the road left untraveled by the departure of such good men will have more people to travel together [as his legacy lives on].

4. (Han Han ¨C 23,410,000) At nine o¡¯clock tomorrow morning at the Shanghai Longhua Funeral Home the funeral service for Mr. Zhao Changtian will be held. His work Bud[3] and ¡°New Concept¡±[4] once accompanied our youthful days. Friends, please bid farewell to Teacher Zhao for his final journey.

5. (Li Kaifu ¨C 5,930,000) The inside scope of Apple¡¯s letter of apology.[5]

6. (Han Han ¨C 4,350,000) There is not much to give you, but with this song (¡°There is Only You in My Heart¡±), I want to thank you for always being with me through thick and thin. I bid you goodbye today, but ask that my fire of love lives in your heart, separated [from you] but together [with you]. In remembrance of Mr. Cheung Kwok Wing[6] and every one of our loved ones who has left us.

7. (Li Kaifu ¨C 3,870,000) A child is moving a stone with his father encouraging him on the side: child, if you try your best, you can move it! Ultimately, the child could not move the stone; he told his father: I have tried my best! The father replies: you did not try your best, because I have been by your side, and you didn¡¯t even ask me for help! ¨C Trying your best is having thought of all possible solutions and having utilized all usable resources. (From the network)

8. (People¡¯s Daily ¨C 3,760,000) ¡°Shanghai and Anhui¡¯s three cases of H7N9 Avian Influenza Now World¡¯s First Human Infection¡± Shanghai and Anhui have found three people infected with the H7N9 avian flu virus. Among them, two are dead and one is in critical condition. The people infected with the H7N9 avian influenza virus have not been included in our country¡¯s statutory report of the surveillance and report system for infectious diseases. At this time, there is no vaccine for the H7N9 avian influenza virus either home or abroad. Experts have advised that [people] should wash their hands frequently. (People¡¯s Daily) 

9. (Li Kaifu ¨C 2,370,000) A colorful world in a roll of toilet paper. All things are art, thanks to those who love life and bring us so much happiness each day. (From the network)

10. (Li Kaifu ¨C 2,310,000) ¡°Education survives when what has been learnt has been forgotten.¡± This is a famous quote from psychologist and educator B.F. Skinner. What survives is essentially the ability to self-study, which is also the ability of learning through analogies and self-teaching.

Chinese Ministry of Defense Published New White Paper on National Defense

On April 16, China’s Ministry of Defense’s Information Office of the State Council published a white paper on China’s armed forces entitled “The Diversified Employment of China’s Armed Forces.” The last such paper to have been published was in 2011. This paper was released after Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent visit to Beijing.

The national defense paper is composed of five major sections. It assesses China’s security situation and challenges as well as the armed forces’ new missions. It describes the different components of China’s armed forces: the People’s Liberation Army, including land, air, sea, and second artillery forces, and the People’s Armed Police Forces, and militia. The paper gives information about the size and the makeup of China’s armed forces. This unprecedented move was qualified by Chinese state media as a display of greater transparency in the Chinese military. The paper then presents what China perceives as its fundamental interests and how the armed forces are set to defend China¡¯s national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. The paper goes on to describe how China’s armed forces support national economic and social development. It concludes with a presentation of how the armed forces contribute to safeguarding world peace and regional stability.

(VOA,The New York Times, BBC, Xinhua, Global Times, April 16)

China Reacts to the New York Times Pulitzer Report

The New York Times reporter, David Barboza, won the Pulitzer Prize on Monday for his report on the massive wealth of China¡¯s former Premier Wen Jiabao. China¡¯s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Tuesday that China has stated a clear position towards this issue, and they believed that David¡¯s report possesses  ¡°ulterior motives.¡±

Some Chinese Web users saw David¡¯s Pulitzer Prize as an American conspiracy to undermine Chinese leadership through news reporting. Some, on the other hand, delivered their congratulations to David and the New York Times. Others responded in genuine, saying such scandals are very common in China.

David¡¯s article came out in October last year, and it provoked anger from authorities in China. He paid the price shortly: China blocked both the English and Chinese websites of the New York Times.

(Agence France-Press (AFP), April 16; The Atlantic, April17)

Xi Jinping¡¯s Alleged Taxi Trip Proves to Be a Hoax

On April 18, a report in Hong Kong¡¯s pro-Beijing Ta Kung Pao newspaper reported that President Xi Jinping took a taxi ride in Beijing on March 1. Chinese state media spun this cab journey as an example of the leader¡¯s down to earth common touch.

The story has also attracted positive comments on Chinese social media. Netizens were impressed and inspired by Xi¡¯s easy going attitude, good manners and common sense when addressing social issues. During the 26 minute fair the taxi driver and Xi were engaged in a conversation about pollution in Beijing.

Just hours after publishing the story Chinese portals removed it. The official Chinese news agency Xinhua even took a highly unusual step of denying the story.

(The Telegraph, Reuters, South China Morning Post, April 18)

China¡¯s New Leaders Promote Frugality in Government Spending

On April 16, Chinese authorities stated that the central government will spend less on overseas visits, vehicles and receptions this year as a part of China’s overall frugality efforts. According to the Ministry of Finance, the central government plans to spend 126 million yuan (20.4 million USD) less than the 7.97 billion yuan (1.28 USD) that it spent in 2012.

The cut-down on spending reflects China¡¯s new leadership¡¯s frugality campaign, which is a part of President Xi Jinping¡¯s ¡°eight point regulation,¡± a document adopted in December 2012 by the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. This document explicitly stated requirements on how Political Bureau members should improve their work style in eight aspects, focusing on rejecting extravagance and reducing bureaucratic visits, meetings and ¡°empty talk.¡±

So far, the frugality campaign has taken a toll on China¡¯s high-end dining sector, with some business revenue plummeting by as much as 50 percent.

In 2012, the central government spent 111 million yuan (180 USD) more than its original budget on trips overseas, government vehicles, and official receptions. This year, the Ministry of Finance has vowed to strictly follow the government¡¯s requirements to cut extravagant spending.

(Global Times, April 14; China Daily, April 16, 18)

Summaries by  Lukasz Bednarz, Xueying Luo, Camille McConaughey, and Julie Wu, China Program interns at the Carter Center.

[...continued from Part 1]

5. A great dream needs to be supported by a great spirit. The China Dream embodies the national rejuvenation that is at the heart of the Chinese people and especially the unique ideals and beliefs of the Chinese nation. Behind it are thousands of years¡¯ accumulation [of dreams], hundreds of years of echoes, and hundreds of thousands of people¡¯s desires.

Five thousand years [of Chinese history] spans thousands of miles. The fact that the Chinese nation has been able to become the world’s only uninterrupted course of history and create a brilliant civilized nation is no accident. What have held together China’s 56 ethnic groups and more than 1.3 billion people through thousands of years of vicissitudes are the extraordinary struggle of our common experience, the beautiful home [we have created] through our common work, the national spirit that we have worked together to foster, and the ideals and beliefs that we jointly uphold.

Lu Xun once said that only the soul of the masses is valuable, and only when it is promoted can the Chinese people really progress. This soul is the energy of the country and nation; it concerns the success and failure of the country, and prosperity of the nation. Without an inspiring spirit, without a noble character, and without firm ambitions, a nation cannot stand on its own among other nations of the world. Realizing the China Dream requires that we not only become strong in the materialistic sense but also strong in spirit.

We can see, from ¡°Fight for our sovereignty, prosecute traitors¡±[1] to ¡°An inch of mountains and rivers, an inch of blood; 100,000 young people, 100,000 soldiers;¡±[2] from ¡°Rejuvenate China¡±[3] to ¡°We are all Wenchuan people,¡±[4] each slogan of the era extolled the nationalism that bounded together the fate of the individual and the fate of the nation.  Agree

We can see that in the past 30 years, from the red handprints in Xiaogang Village[5] to [the construction of] one building in three days at ¡°Shenzhen speed¡±[6], from the universal investment boom brought by the stock market to the 60% GDP contributed by small and medium enterprises, the spirit of reform and innovation fueled in China, brought forth great historical changes, and established the China [that we know] today.

Because of this, Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized that realizing the China Dream requires promoting the Chinese spirit. This [is done] with nationalism at the core of the national spirit, and reform and innovation at the core of the spirit of the times. This is the unifying soul of the rejuvenation and strengthening of the nation.

6. After Beijing¡¯s successful bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics, a classic photo [7] [was circulated]. [The picture captured] two oncoming cars with young Chinese people high-fiving each other while waving the Chinese flag. Such a scene has resonated with many people and incited much reflection. A good line from this song goes, ¡°home is the smallest [unit of] a nation, and a nation [consists of] millions of homes.¡± To the 1.3 billion Chinese people, the united China Dream bears profound sentiments.

If the country is well then the people will be well, too; if the people are rich then the country will be prosperous. The fate of the country and home is the most profound summary of the long evolution of the Chinese nation¡¯s history; the nation¡¯s prosperity has always played a critical role in constructing the individual destiny. Just as commentators have stated, among disasters and glory, every Chinese dream has never been divorced from the fate of the entire nation.  Individual destiny often follows the vicissitudes of history, despite whether [one is as powerful as] the rivers and sea or [as weak as] a branch or a leaf.

New China [allowed China to] ¡°stand,¡± Reform and Opening Up [allowed China to] ¡°prosper,¡± new century [allowed China to] ¡°strengthen;¡± it is the power and prosperity of the nation that allowed its people to have firm independence. The thriving of the China Dream enabled individual dreams to have a vast space [of imagination in which to develop]. To eat your fill and dress warmly, to plunge into the business field, to have a car and a house¡­the increasingly rich individual dream illustrates that [only when] the country is good and the nation is good, can the people be good. In the process of realizing national rejuvenation, only when [one] trusts the nation¡¯s dream with his or her individual dream, will [these] dreams have the possibility of becoming a reality.

Each individual must have the freedom to develop in order for everyone¡¯s development to be possible; the realization of individual dreams is an important prerequisite for the realization of the national dream. In this sense, everyone¡¯s efforts and struggles constitute parts of the China Dream. Comrade Mao Zedong once said, ¡°The world is ours, work requires everyone [that everyone contribute].¡± When faced with contradictory ideas brought by adjusting the interests [of people from different social classes], when faced with a state of differing ideologies, [there is] a special need for the Chinese people, with common pursuits,  unified strength and a common struggle, to pursue a common goal and to enjoy the opportunity of [living] a colorful life. [In addition, there is a need for the Chinese people] to share the opportunity to enjoy a dream come true and the opportunity to develop and progress alongside the motherland and the era. With a dream, an opportunity, and struggle, all good things can be created.

Because of this, Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized that to achieve the China Dream, [we] must unify the Chinese strength. This is the strength of the unification of every ethnic group in China and the unification of the strength of the 1.3 billion people whose hearts and efforts are directed towards [a common goal].

7. Beijing’s Chang’an Avenue received its name from China¡¯s former capital (Xi¡¯an) during the prosperous Tang Dynasty. To the east is Jianguomen, to the west is Fuxingmen,[8] hence [China¡¯s] long, peaceful rule.[9] Only when a splendid civilized nation is created, will [one] thirst for the recreation of [national] glory; only a country that has experienced suffering will cherish the hard-won road.

Our nation has thousands of years of civilized glory, hundreds of years of profound suffering, and over a hundred years of endless struggle. The road to chase [our] dream is especially difficult and arduous. More than a hundred years of saving the nation from subjugation, exploring [new] routes, many aspiring individuals were left with grief and indignation by ¡°a heart to fight rebels, but no power to do so.¡±[10] They sacrificed their lives for the Revolution of 1911, and screamed ¡°save our dying nation at all costs.¡± It is the Chinese Communist Party that led the Chinese people to complete the new democratic revolution and the socialist revolution, embarked on the road of socialism, irreversibly changed the future and destiny of the nation, and ushered in the bright prospects of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

It is during these short 30 years that China truly entered the global system. It was also within these 30 years when we wrote the ¡°China Story¡± that made the world marvel. From the smoke-filled revolutionary era, to the fervent construction years, and then to the magnificent reform period, among the continuous exploration and struggles, we have the formed and developed the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Upon finding this path, we deeply understood the term ¡°hard-earned,¡± the meaning of ¡°cherish,¡± and what is meant by ¡°unswervingly.¡± Along this path, we scientifically grasped the great practice of 30 years of Reform and Opening Up, New China¡¯s 60 years of continued exploration, contemporary China¡¯s 170-some years of history and experience, and the Chinese nation¡¯s more than 5,000 years of civilization and heritage. [All of these periods] eventually established the fundamental adherence to the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

This path leading to the [Chinese] dream encompasses continuous cultural traditions and underlying current needs. Fundamentally speaking, 1.3 billion people¡¯s China Dream must be a responsible one and must contribute to human civilization, be built upon peace and civilization, and be fulfilled by self-reliance. [We] cannot walk the old path of Western modernization. In terms of energy consumption, the U.S. per capita use of petroleum is more than 22 barrels of oil; China, with a per capita use of more than 2 barrels, can only continuously reduce energy consumption to achieve development. In terms of a mobilized population, 19^th century Europe sent more than 60 million people overseas, relying on colonies to conquer new lands. China, on the other hand, has to resolve on its own land, the problem of rural population transfer. In terms of overall national strength enhancement, China never engages in arms races or exports revolution. Instead, it maintains scientific development, individual development, open development, peaceful development, cooperative development, and common development. It is in this sense that British Financial Times believes, ¡°Not only does China¡¯s dream concern the fate of the nation, [it] also concerns the fate of the world.¡±

This is the road of dreams with Chinese characteristics. Achieving the China Dream will bring opportunities for the world, not threats; achieving the China Dream will not only benefit the Chinese people but people in the world.

Because of this, Comrade Xi Jinping has emphasized that to achieve the China Dream, [we] must walk the Chinese path. Solidifying [our] confidence in the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics, confidence in [governing] theories, and confidence in the system will guide us down the path of achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

8. A country¡¯s dream can be summarized as ideals and beliefs, but merely having the yearning is not nearly enough. Whether it is the post-war rapid development in some countries, or the reconstruction of the world map by ¡°BRICS¡±, all were completed one step at a time. Seizing the favorable opportunities of development, building better institutional mechanisms, courageously getting rid of one¡¯s own maladies, confidently confronting risks and challenges¡ªthis is a long-term process of accumulation as well as a process of continuous struggle. A beautiful blueprint can stimulate [one¡¯s] fighting spirit, lofty aspiration can inspire others, but to turn dreams into reality, the key is hard work.

Today, from [accusations of facing a] ¡°total collapse¡± to having ¡°false prosperity,¡± there are still people who bad-mouth China. This statement, while sensational, also warns that our road of pursing [our] dream is definitely not set to be smooth sailing. Troubles from emerging powers, confusion from pair economic and social transformation, anxiety from the people¡¯s yearning of fairness and justice … Someone once said that today’s China cannot play tennis in that it cannot wait for the ball to fall to the ground and then hit it back, [it] needs to take the initiative to volley, otherwise it will lose the game. ¡°The lack of one basketful of earth spoils the entire effort to build a mighty mountain,”[11] the closer [we are] to the target, the greater the resistance and hardships. When we are most confident is also when we are most likely to be complacent; when the situation is most promising is also when we are most likely to be disappointed. In order to make a dream come true, the most important thing is to firmly grasp the opportunity, and work hard to hold up the China Dream.

At the beginning of the Reform and Opening Up, U.S. Time magazine named Deng Xiaoping the ¡°Man of the Year¡± [in 1985], with a cover story titled ¡°China¡¯s Visionary.¡± The reason why the world is still reverent towards ¡°the visionary¡± after more than 30 years is precisely because we relied on hard work to push a country that was on the brink of the national economic collapse onto the track of healthy development. [It is also because we] relied on hard work to change the fate of a quarter of the world¡¯s population, to allow the country to prosper, the nation to revitalize, and the people¡¯s dream of happiness to become increasingly closer. Comrade Deng Xiaoping once said, [if we] do not work, there is not the slightest [manifestation] of Marxism, [which emphasizes that all wealth and commodities are products of human labor]. By the same token, [if we] do not work, all ideas and dreams will be nothing but an illusory dream.

Empty talk harms the country; hard work leads the nation to prosperity. Looking back at history, when faced with humiliation from foreign powers, the China Dream did not shatter; when faced with poverty during the founding of the New China, the China Dream did not shatter; when faced with setbacks during the journey of struggles, the China Dream did not shatter. The reason why the Chinese nation was able to usher in the dawn of revival after thousands of turns and twists was thanks to generations after generations of painstaking efforts. [The goal is] to have built a comprehensively well-off society by the 100^th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party and to have constructed a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, and harmonious modern socialist country by the 100^th anniversary of the founding of the New China. It is on this basis that we achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This is our party¡¯s new target for the established ¡°three-step¡± strategy.[12] Today, China is at the critical point of realizing its dream, the primary stage of socialism¡¯s basic national conditions. When faced with post-development challenges and numerous obstacles on the road ahead, [it] needs 1.3 billion ¡°doers¡± persistently working hard. Only when everyone utilizes the spirit and momentum of hard work, does his or her own part well, can the China Dream be beautiful enough and solid enough.

9. In 1933, modern China¡¯s influential comprehensive magazine The Eastern Miscellany incited a nation-wide ¡°dream calling¡± event and sought for the answers to these two questions: What is the future of China in your dream? What are some of your own dreams? However, in an era where the country had lost its dignity and its people had to endure humiliation, who dares to speak of dreams? Only 160  answers[13] were received after the event.

What makes one overcome with emotion is that over the past two years, one of our television stations also held a ¡°dream calling¡± event [which attracted] a massive number of participants. Rich individual dreams, lively discussions and responses contrast greatly with the same event more than 70 years ago. Two instances of ¡°dream callings¡± and two settings, one can see that the  world has changed.

Walking past a yesterday filled with suffering, crossing a present that is bound with difficulties and setbacks, and moving toward a tomorrow that is abundant with hope, the China Dream has gained an unprecedented, broad space. [With] 1.3 billion people together in struggle, a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and beautiful China is at the foot of every one of us.

Boao Forum for Asia Takes Place in China

The 12^th annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) took place in Boao, a coastal town in China’s Hainan province from April 6 to 8. This regional forum, created in 2001, aims at being both a comprehensive regional economic forum (serving as a platform for enterprises seeking collaborations) and a diplomatic platform for bilateral and multilateral exchanges. This year, the forum focused on ¡°Asia Seeking Development for All: Restructuring, Responsibility, and Cooperation.¡±

The two-day event was attended by China’s President Xi Jinping as well as seven other presidents, three prime ministers, key economic and political figures such as Bill Gates and Christine Lagarde, as well as 2,000 enterprise representatives and 400 journalists. The event was covered extensively by Chinese media, but was not picked up by Western media.

China’s new President Xi Jinping made a speech on Sunday April 7, in which he spoke about the need to adapt to an ever changing world, the need for a common search for peace and security, the need to boost cooperation as an effective vehicle for enhancing common development, and the need to respect the right of a country to independently choose its own social system and development path. He equally reaffirmed the goal China set for itself during the 18^th National Congress in November 2012 of doubling China’s GDP and per capita income for urban and rural residents (doubling the 2010 figures) by 2020, and that of realizing the Chinese dream of a modern socialist country by the mid-21^st century.

Over 50 panel discussions aimed at promoting regional economic integration discussed issues such as development in Africa and in Latin America as well as European competitiveness, and global governance reform.

(Global Times, April 1; Xinhua, April 5; South China Morning Post, Times of Zambia, April 7; People Daily, China Daily, April 8)

Xi Visits the Chinese South China Sea Fleet

On April 9 the Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the People¡¯s Liberation Army Navy troops stationed in Sanya in the southern island province of Hainan. Xi, who holds the positions of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) Central Committee General Secretary and the chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected navy troops and 11 new-type naval warships of five categories which represent China¡¯s South China Sea Fleet. He also saw a number of other vessels including the Yueyang, Hengshui and Yulin. On board the Jinggangshan warship Xi learned about its weaponry, staff training and the everyday lives of the crewmembers. The Jinggangshan is the first Chinese naval vessel to be manned by female personnel. Twenty ethnic Uygur female crew members serve on this ship. During this visit Xi urged the navy to strengthen itself to endure hardships and encouraged navy personnel to crate grassroots CPC organizations within the Navy structures.

(China Daily, Xinhua April 11)

China Extremely Concerned About Japan-Taiwan Fishery Agreement

Japan has agreed to give Taiwanese fishing rights in waters off the Senkaku Islands, or the Diaoyu Islands as they are known in China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed ¡°extreme concerns¡± over the deal signed on April 10.

The agreement allows trawlers from Taiwan to fish within 19km (12 miles) of the disputed islands. The islands offer rich fishing grounds and are thought to contain oil deposits. China and Taiwan both claim the island chain that is currently controlled by Japan. The islands have caused frequent diplomatic tensions between China and Japan. Many analysts believe that Japan¡¯s compromise to share the rich resources with Taiwan could be seen as a way to protect Taiwan from forming a united front with China in the dispute.

China has expressed opposition to this agreement and expected Tokyo to ¡°earnestly stick to its commitments on the one-China policy.¡± China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, and insists that nations cannot have official relations with both China and Taiwan. It will be a serious issue if the pact to allow fishing rights  labels Taiwan as a ¡°country.¡±

(Associated Press, BBC News, Bloomberg News, China Daily, April 10)

Despite Rising Death Toll from H7N9 Bird Flu, Chinese Government Demonstrates Greater Transparency

On April 11, the number of deaths in China that were caused by the new strain of the bird flu, H7N9, has increased to ten. All 38 cases identified thus far have been found in eastern China.

In an effort to contain the spread of the virus, more than 100,000 live birds have been killed in the past week at live-poultry markets across Shanghai. In addition, ten people have been detained over the spread of false information about H7N9.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission has monitored the close contacts of infected patients and reported no abnormalities. Although the source of the infection is still unknown, there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission.

The World Health Organization¡¯s representative in China, Michael O¡¯Leary, commended the Chinese authorities for their transparency in sharing information about the outbreak. Unlike in 2003, when officials were accused of covering up the SARS outbreak, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang are paying great attention to the prevention and control of the virus. Moreover, case updates from China Central Television (CCTV) and state-run news agency Xinhua, as well as active social media discussions on prevention, reflect greater transparency from the Chinese government.

(BCC, CNN April 10; Reuters, Xinhua April 11)

Summaries by  Lukasz Bednarz, Xueying Luo, Camille McConaughey, and Julie Wu, China Program interns at the Carter Center.

Why didn¡¯t the government report the deaths the first time?

Director of the Shanghai Disease Control and Prevention Center, Wu Fan, said that because H7N9 is a new virus, it takes time to test and identify. The two cases were tested through clinical observation and medical treatment to rule out the identified viruses, such as SARS. They then started laboratory tests and diagnoses for unknown viruses. After the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention sequenced and compared the viral genome, and isolated the virus, the new virus was diagnosed and confirmed to be H7N9. It was quite an accomplishment to identify a new virus in less than 20 days.

To date, Shanghai has not received any report on pneumonia cases caused by unknown reasons, according to Wu. People that were in close contact with the two victims, including their families and hospital staffs, stayed home for medical observations for two weeks, but have since been released from observation as no similar symptoms and incidences were detected.

It is uncertain whether the H7N9 virus can be transmitted between birds and humans.

Wu added that currently the amount of H7N9 bird flu cases is limited, and therefore not enough for us to determine if the virus can be contracted by humans or the virus has genetically mutated and recombined into a human flu virus. There is no sign of bird-to-livestock transmission for now.

According to the requirements introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai has taken a citywide compulsory vaccination against the highly infectious bird flu virus (mainly H5N1), said Yin Ou, the deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Agriculture. After the H7N9 bird flu were confirmed, Shanghai Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center tested all of the poultry in the city, and found no bird flu cases.

Yin added that they also tested 34 samples of the thousands of pig carcasses that recently were dumped into the Huangpu River by farmers. No bird flu viruses were found in the tested pig carcasses.

Xu Wei, spokesman for the Shanghai government, said that Shanghai¡¯s Municipal Commission of Commerce and Administration for Industry and Commerce have strengthened their efforts in overseeing the market. The Shanghai Food and Drug Administration also will organize special examinations to focus more on the purchase and sale of livestock and poultry products of catering service companies. For now, the chicken and pork on the market is safe to consume.

Currently, there is no vaccine against H7N9 bird flu.

Experts said that for now it is urgent to obtain a clear understanding of H7N9 virus: What on earth is it? Where is it from? Is it contagious among humans?  ¡°Only when we have answers to these questions can we develop a vaccine for it,¡± said Wu.

Based on the analysis of drug use on existing cases, early antibiotic treatment was not effective, because only antivirus medication and symptomatic treatment can be used, Wu added. Shanghai officials have reminded each medical institute to use anti-flu virus medication for cases that are highly suspected to be a bird flu infection or confirmed as an infection by laboratory tests.

The original version of this article appeared on the website of People¡¯s Daily on April 3, 2013.

[Translated by Xueying Luo]