July 19, 2007: A Google
Earth user, checking areas believed to contain Chinese naval bases (Chinese
language message boards and chat rooms, in China and elsewhere, are good
sources of these kinds of leads), found an excellent image of the first of the
Type 094 SLBM (Ballistic Missile carrying nuclear subs) boats. In response,
China repeated warnings to its citizens that geographic and military
information about China is a state secret, and you can go to prison if found
cooperating with foreigners who are collecting this kind of information. China
monitors Internet activity inside China and, increasingly, outside China as
well (especially if it is in Chinese and deals with politics or military
matters.)
July 18, 2007: Thirty Thai Special Forces troops have come
to China to train with their Chinese counterparts. Thailand is currently run by
a military committee, which deposed the elected government last year. The Thai
generals have reached out to their fellow dictators in China.
July 16, 2007: Chinese military commanders have felt
compelled to announce new measures to assure the quality of food served to its
2.3 million troops. The rash of food safety scandals lately has caused numerous
rumors to break out in the military. There have been cases in the past of
corrupt officers substituting cheaper, but tainted, food, for the wholesome
stuff. New army regulations call for
more inspections and higher standards of hygiene in military kitchens.
July 14, 2007: China is becoming increasingly aggressive
against Falungong members outside China.
Falungong is a religious movement that demonstrated against government
restrictions, and triggered a massive government effort to destroy the
movement. This is partly because, in Chinese history, there have been many cases
where similar religious movements triggered widespread rebellion against the
government. What China is doing now is using diplomatic pressure, especially
against small and poor nations, to expel or suppress Falungong activity in
their country (usually by Chinese migrants or tourists.)
July 11, 2007: The former director of Chinas Food and Drug
Regulatory Agency was executed for corruption. The official had taken nearly a
million dollars in bribes to allow manufacture and distribution of untested new
drugs. People died as a result. China
rarely executes officials this senior. But the rule is that, if a corrupt
officials gets enough bad press for himself, and the government, he will be
punished more severely.
July 9, 2007: Now that Taiwan has overcome years of
opposition in its own parliament, and ordered a dozen more U.S. P-3C maritime patrol aircraft, Taiwanese air
force officers are in the United States to discuss details of buying 66 more
F-16 fighters and 30 AH-64 helicopter gunships.
July 2, 2007: Recent revelations of widespread corruption
in the food processing and pharmaceutical industries has led China to drop its
long time rule that only Communist Party members can be appointed to senior
government jobs. Now, the best qualified, and least likely to be corrupted,
officials are being given jobs regulating the food processing and
pharmaceutical industries. At least one of these officials is not a Party
member.
June 30, 2007: China has
set up an experimental "Peace Corps" for Africa. So far, 300
volunteers (selected from over 10,000 applicants) underwent three months of
training, and then went to Africa to teach simple, but more advances, Chinese
farming methods, as well as medical and public health procedures, and how to
speak Chinese. The volunteers get round
trip air fare, and a small monthly payment to help defray the cost of food and
lodging. Volunteers are expected to forge links with Africans, gain knowledge
of Africa, and improve China's image at a grass roots level.
June 28, 2007: There are
several hundred violent demonstrations and clashes with the police each day in
China, the result of growing anger and frustration at the corruption of
government officials. Most of the culprits are identified as members of the
Communist Party, although many joined simply to get ahead in their government
career. The unrest is increasing, and senior officials are getting nervous
about their inability to reverse the trends (unrest and corruption.)
