Comments by Jin Canrong of People's University on DPRK crisis

"China's approach towards the Korean peninsula is fundamentally different from that of the US – the six-party talks are not a way to solve the problem but to control the crisis."
He sees Beijing's long-term goal as helping North Korea transform from an ideology-driven country to a normal member of the international community and from a political system focused on the military to one focused on the economy – much like the path that China has taken over the past 30 years.

http://m.ft.com/cms/s/0/948da54c-1374-11e0-a367-00144feabdc0.html

U.S. to Send Another Nuke-Powered Aircraft Carrier to NE Asia

"China's official Xinhua news agency said the new addition could raise tensions in the region, with the Chinese military already calling it the biggest threat to China and North Korea in six decades."

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/12/27/2010122701080.html

China Re-Thinking DPRK Policy?

"As evidence of the policy shift, officials pointed to recent remarks by China's foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, in which he urged the North and South 'to carry out dialogue and contact.'  Previously, Beijing's response had been to propose an emergency meeting of the six-party group that negotiates with North Korea over its nuclear program, a step the United States opposed as rewarding the North's aggression."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/24/world/asia/24diplo.html?src=mv

US downplaying DPRK threat of imminent "sacred war" with use of nuclear weaponry

@markmackinnon: More saber-rattling on the peninsula - North Korea says "getting fully prepared to launch sacred war of justice": http://tinyurl.com/2c65npe

Comment by me: This does not look at all good. If China supports DPRK militarily this could go from bad to about as bad as it can get!

Continuing Prospect of Resumption of Korean War

@markmackinnon: South Korea prepares to hold another massive military drill, vows to "punish the enemy" if North strikes again: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/new-south-korean-drills-near-land-border-keep-tensions-high/article1846703/

Comment by me: Current ROK assertiveness appears to be at least partially  a proxy for deteriorating faith in China's willingness to play a constructive role in global affairs

South Korea detains Chinese fishermen

@chinahearsay: South Korea detains Chinese fishermen | FT http://is.gd/j3yYR

This cannot be good.

Close to Resumption of Korean War?

Korean War could resume in a matter of hours. US troops in ROK could be drawn in quickly.

Later: RT @markmackinnon ... without UN action, Seoul has to go ahead or lose credibility at home and in the region. Expect North will also keep promise to retaliate

Later: @markmackinnon: It would seem South Korea's controversial drill is now over. No North Korean response. Did Seoul just win a terrifying game of chicken?

Monday morning: NYT "North Korea Says It Will Not Retaliate After South’s Drills" http://me.lt/4C0x0


My interview with Lynn Desjardins on the English Service of Radio Canada International on Korean strategic instability broadcast on December 20 can be heard at: http://www.rcinet.ca/english/column/the-link-s-top-stories/16-28_2010-12-20-korean-tensions-ease-as-north-korea-backs-down/


This is an excellent  analysis of the situation: http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/korea/articles/20101221.aspx

How to Stop the Next Korean War - By Andrei Lankov | Foreign Policy

For the first time in decades, a real war on the Korean Peninsula is possible.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/12/16/how_to_stop_the_next_korean_war?page=0,1

South Korea's patience with North running out

@markmackinnon: Dangerous times - After years of turning other cheek, South Koreans now want to punch back at North: http://tinyurl.com/22vtjtn

Vatican in new clash with China over church - Yahoo! News

"The persistent desire to control the most intimate area of citizens' lives, namely their conscience, and to interfere in the internal life of the Catholic church does no credit to China," the Vatican said.
"On the contrary, it seems to be a sign of fear and weakness rather than of strength," the Vatican said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101217/ap_on_re_eu/eu_vatican_china

North Korea vows to strike if South holds planned live-fire drill

Situation continues to intensify.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-vows-to-strike-if-south-holds-planned-live-fire-drill/article1841741/?service=mobile

Resolution of Human Rights Subcommittee on Liu Xiaobo

Resolution of Human Rights Subcommittee on Liu Xiaobo

http://m.facebook.com/notes/irwin-cotler/cotlers-resolution-on-nobel-laureate-liu-xiaobo-passes-unanimously/491280479280?fbb=r9847f2f4

timesofmalta.com - HIS IDEA OF FREEDOM

His Excellency the Chinese Ambassador to Norway was given space in The Times to react to the award of the Nobel Prize
http://www.timesofmalta.com/blogs/view/20101212/andrew-borg-cardona/his-idea-of-freedom

The Nobel Peace Prize 2010 - Presentation Speech

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2010/presentation-speech.html

Nobel chief derides China's credibility gap

Mr Jagland compared China's anger at the award to the outcry over peace prizes awarded to other dissidents of their times, including South African archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/nobel-chief-derides-chinas-credibility-gap-20101210-18sxr.html

Review & Outlook: Pyongyang's Accomplice - WSJ.com

Editorial in the Wall Street Journal: "Mr. Obama is due to treat Mr. Hu to a state visit in Washington early next year. We suggest the President cancel the invitation until Beijing ceases to be Pyongyang's accomplice."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704594804575648473842565004.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

WikiLeaks: China's Politburo a cabal of business empires - Telegraph

Very revealing cable:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8184216/WikiLeaks-Chinas-Politburo-a-cabal-of-business-empires.html

Wikileak: Rudd conversation with Clinton about China

Highly recommend reading this.

@cburton001: Wikileak: Rudd conversation with Clinton about China http://bit.ly/fpNXOm

Václav Havel and Desmond Tutu on China and Liu Xiaobo's Peace Prize

@melissakchan: Václav Havel and Desmond Tutu on China and Liu Xiaobo's Peace Prize: http://is.gd/idCxz

China remains passive as Korean standoff escalates | McClatchy

Although the North and South have long traded threats, tensions on the Korean Peninsula now are at the highest levels in decades.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency Friday reported that North Korea had added 100 multiple-launch rockets to its arsenal of some 5,200 capable of hitting the South Korean capital. The agency also reported that South Korea planned to soon begin live fire artillery exercises near five islands in the Yellow Sea, including Yeonpyeong.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/12/03/104714/china-remains-passive-as-korean.html

Comment: China's political paralysis as the situation deteriorates is very worrying.

My interview on Radio Canada International Mandarin Service about North Korea

朝鲜炮击韩国延平岛之后造成朝鲜半岛局势紧张。美国和韩国在延平岛南部水域的联合军事演习也持续了四天。各方都希望中国能在朝鲜半岛的问题上发挥积极的作用。但中国究竟能对朝鲜产生怎样的影响呢？安迪采访了布鲁克大学政治系教授查尔斯・伯顿先生

http://www.rcinet.ca/chinois/chronique/International-report/11-04_2010-12-02-/

China blocks U.N. push for North Korea condemnation

Very disappointing.

http://us.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B00A520101201?ca=rdt

U.S. and South Korea Balk at Talks With North

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/world/asia/01seoul.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

Comment:  Evidently China's credibility with regard to responsible participation in resolution of the DPRK crisis is fading fast.  Hopefully this will inspire a positive re-think of strategy by the powers that be in the PRC.

My Op-Ed in Vancouver Sun

China will steadfastly support North Korea
http://www.vancouversun.com/mobile/story.html?id=3903884
Same thing appeared in Calgary Herald November 30: http://www.calgaryherald.com/mobile/story.html?id=3903884

Wikileaks on DPRK Advanced Missile Sales to Iran

@markmackinnon: Diplomatic cables obtained by Wikileaks show US believes North Korea sold advanced long-range missiles to Iran: http://nyti.ms/f6ayN9

"The missiles could for the first time give Iran the capacity to strike at capitals in Western Europe or at Moscow, and American officials warned that their advanced propulsion could speed Iran's development of intercontinental ballistic missiles."

Tweet from @markmackinnon on Emergency 6 Party Talks

@markmackinnon: RT Vpedrosa RT @YonhapNews: (URGENT) S. Korean president made clear to Chinese official resumption of six-way talks "not timely."

China Calls for Emergency Meeting of Six Party Talks

"The United States has hoped that China would use its leverage over North Korea to restrain it from any further attacks, but so far China has not rebuked the North's leaders, at least in public. And when China did finally make a strong public statement late last week on the attack — the one warning against military actions in its economic zone — it directed its pique at the United States for the naval exercises."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/world/asia/29korea.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

My Op-Ed in Toronto Star: North Korea can always count on China

"So long as China is under the leadership of the Chinese Communist party, its support for North Korea will remain unconditional.
Regardless of how much the current Chinese leadership is humiliated by the appalling behaviour of their comrades in Pyongyang, the DPRK leadership knows there is nothing they can do that will not be backed by the PRC. So Western governments, Japan and South Korea should plan their response to the DPRK accordingly."

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/897728--north-korea-can-always-count-on-china

Tensions rising between China and U.S. over North Korea

"In a statement from its Foreign Ministry, China warned against 'any military acts in our exclusive economic zone without permission,' the state-run Xinhua news agency reported Friday. But virtually all the waters to the west of the Korean Peninsula, where the United States said the exercises would take place, lie within that zone, and American naval traffic is far from uncommon there.
Adding yet more tension to the situation, the North's state-run media also warned that the maneuvers could push the Korean Peninsula closer to 'the brink of war.'
The West has hoped that China would use its leverage as the North's traditional ally to press it to refrain from further attacks, but the Chinese statement on Friday failed even to criticize the North for its shelling on Tuesday of a garrison island that is also home to about 1,350 civilians, mainly fishermen."

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2010/11/27/world/asia/27korea.xml

RCI Interview with me and Erich Weingartner and David Dewitt on DPRK

Lynn Desjardins' report "Mounting Tensions on Korean Peninsula Worry" broadcast on Radio Canada International on November 23:

http://www.rcinet.ca/radio/index.php?language=en&type=chronicle&media=audio&id=1230

B.R. Myers: North Korea Will Never Play Nice - NYTimes.com

I am quite taken with this observation: "In fact, as both its adversaries and supporters should realize, the North can never play nice. Just as our own economy-first governments must ensure growth to stay in power, a military-first regime must deliver a steady stream of victories or lose all reason to exist."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/25/opinion/25myers.html

Global Action for Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo December 5 14h00 at OISE

Global Action for Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo 全球聲援劉曉波行動 
Sunday December 5, 2010  十二月五日 星期日
OISE Auditorium
252 Bloor Street West, Toronto
Public Forum (2 pm) 國英語論壇(下午二時) 
From Nobel Peace Prize to Human Rights and Democracy in China從劉曉波得獎看中國民主化的未來

Charles Burton (Brock University)
Andy Buxton (Amnesty International)
Charlie Foran (PEN Canada)
Liu Shaofu (Federation for a Democratic China)
Protest March (4 pm) 遊行(下午四時)


Presented by

Canada-Hong Kong Link, Federation for a Democratic China and Toronto Association for Democracy in China港加聯 * 民主中國陣線 * 多倫多支持中國民運會  主辦

Co-sponsored by

Amnesty International and PEN Canada國際特赦 * 加拿大筆會 協辦

Chorus Niagara Hallelujah Chorus at Food Court, Seaway Mall, Welland

Chinese Foreign Minister Postpones Visit to ROK

@melissakchan: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is delaying his previously planned trip to SKorea, according to SK gov.

Huang Hua first Ambassador of PRC to Canada has Died aged 97

"Huang helped lay the foundation of China's modern foreign policy, meeting secretly with U.S. National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger and helping draft the announcement of President Richard Nixon's groundbreaking visit to the country in 1972.

As foreign minister from 1976-1985, Huang oversaw the formation of diplomatic ties with Washington in 1979 and accompanied paramount leader Deng Xiaoping on his tour of the United States that year."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101124/ap_on_re_as/as_china_obit_huang

NYT: U.S. to Send Aircraft Carrier to Pressure China

The exercise will include sending the aircraft carrier George Washington and a number of accompanying ships into the region, both to deter further attacks by the North and to signal to China that unless it reins in its unruly ally it will see an even larger American presence in the vicinity.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/world/asia/24nkorea.xml

S. Korea may strike N. Korea's missile base: President Lee

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2010/11/23/0200000000AEN20101123013200315.HTML

Tel.: +1-905-228-2323
FAX: +1-209-231-4087
MSN, Yahoo, Google: cburton001; Skype: cburton002
Hushmail: Burton
http://spartan.ac.brocku.ca/~cburton

Summary of Wu Yuren Case Favourable on Cdn Embassy Response

RT @KPinChina: Froogville: Update on Wu Yuren http://t.co/zrbI2sk

Comment: Rachael Bedlington has represented the Embassy on this matter.

Implications of DPRK Uranium Enrichment Facility

DPRK's claim of a uranium enrichment facility could win concessions in nuclear talks and bolster prestige of Kim Jong Il's heir.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101121/ap_on_re_as/koreas_nuclear

Jason Kenney Promotes Civic Literacy


"Immigration Minister Jason Kenney warned a conference of historians and educators that unless we do a better job of teaching history and common values, we risk social unrest in the future.
Kenney said there is a need for both native-born Canadians and newcomers to have a solid understanding of Canada's past including our political system, and how Canada's culture of rights and responsibilities developed."

http://m.torontosun.com/16204626.1?fullscreen#news

China Successfully Pressuring Nations to Boycott Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee said that it may not now hold the ceremony for awarding the peace prize in response to the fact that China has pressured countries not to attend and prevented Mr Liu, 54, or any members of his family from travelling to Norway to accept the award.  If that happens, it will be the first time the award has not been given out since 1936, when the Nazis banned journalist Carl von Ossietzky – a pacifist – from leaving Germany.  'As of this morning, 36 ambassadors had accepted our invitation, 16 had not replied and six had said "no",' Nobel Institute director Geir Lundestad said."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8144943/Russia-joins-China-in-boycotting-Nobel-peace-prize.html

Inside the Wenyuhe Courthouse - Wu Yuren's Trial, Nov 17th, 9:30 to 1:30 pm

"I was relieved to see Rachael from the Canadian Embassy waiting for me at first point of contact and gave me a hug (despite applying early like me to visit the court, her request that morning in person to attend the trial was denied)."

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=175584892452869&id=128366287208330

Wu Yuren Trial Update 16NOV10

@markmackinnon: Trial of Chinese dissident artist Wu Yuren adjourned. No verdict today. Unclear what next stage is.

Request from Zhao Lianhai's spouse for support from other parents of children with melamine-associated kidney stones

RT @zhaolianhai: 大家好：我是赵连海的爱人李雪梅，赵连海因结石宝宝维权一事以寻衅滋事的罪名被判刑两年零六个月，我希望所有结石宝宝家长为了孩子勇敢的站出来，和我一起去大兴法院找李秀芹法官交谈，为赵连海伸冤，还他自由。

Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on the release of Aung San Suu Kyi

"I am pleased that Aung San Suu Kyi has finally been released from house arrest in Burma.  She is an unwavering champion of peace, democracy and respect for human rights in Burma, despite being held in detention for 15 of the past 21 years. 

Neither her trial nor appeal process were conducted in line with international standards.  She was not granted due process and should never have been detained."

http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=3&featureId=6&pageId=49&id=3784

Cameron Urges China to Take More Responsible Approach

He said: "As China's star rises again in the world, so does its stake in a stable and ordered world in which trade flows freely."

http://m.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/10/david-cameron-china-world-visit?cat=world&type=article

Standing up to Beijing

"In Canada, and especially within the ranks of the federal Liberals, overlooking Beijing's sins has come to be seen as a mark of "sophistication." If our politicians are too forthright with their criticism, the argument goes, they will reduce Canada's opportunities for trade and investment. That is a cynical approach that we reject: Commercial engagement must be matched with frank talk on human rights and foreign policy."

http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/Standing Beijing/3810650/story.html

Canadian deal with China worth billions

The pact would allow Chinese insurers, with $106-billion in capital at their disposal, to invest in Canadian capital markets. Analysts say it reflects the behind-the-scenes work by government officials to improve trade and investment ties with the burgeoning Asian economy.

Read more: http://www.financialpost.com/news/Deal+with+China+worth+billions/3809487/story.html#ixzz14z2s4zDz

Cameron Risks Spat With Chinese by Wearing Poppy During Visit - Bloomberg

Hmmm. Poppy = Opium = humiliation of 1842 Treaty of Nanking

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-09/cameron-risks-spat-with-chinese-by-wearing-poppy-during-visit-to-beijing.html

Obama Supports U.N. Seat for India - NYTimes.com

By endorsing India for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, President Obama on Monday signaled the United States' intention to create a deeper partnership of the world's two largest democracies that would expand commercial ties and check the influence of an increasingly assertive China.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/09/world/asia/09prexy.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a1

David Cameron leads largest trade delegation to China in 200 years

"Although China is the world's second largest economy with an enviable 10pc economic growth rate, its trade with Britain remains disappointingly small, with UK exports China totalling just £7.7bn in 2009.
Mr Cable said that Britain was determined improve on the lacklustre figures, capitalising further on business opportunities thrown up by China's massive program of urbanisation and infrastructure investment as well its growing consumer and services sectors."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8116651/David-Cameron-leads-largest-trade-delegation-to-China-in-200-years.html

British PM Visit Marred By Nobel Clash

David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, pictured, who is about to start a visit to China, has been told that raising the matter of Mr. Liu would "have consequences." British officials said Mr. Liu's imprisonment would "not go by default." Cui Tiankai, one of China's most senior diplomats, warned, "The choice before some European countries and others is clear and simple: do they want to be part of the political game to challenge China's judicial system or do they want to develop a true friendly relationship with the Chinese government and people? If they make the wrong choice, they will have to bear the consequences.

http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/China+diplomacy/3787242/story.html#ixzz14cSmgGRW

Ai Weiwei Under House Arrest

@markmackinnon: Chinese artist/dissident Ai Weiwei, who helped design main stadium for 2008 Olympics, said under house arrest in Beijing.

Story about this in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/06/world/asia/06china.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

China trade: The 'Dalai Lama Effect' - CNN.com

Beijing, China (CNN) -- Countries whose top leadership meet with the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, lose on average 8.1 percent in exports to China in the two years following the meeting, according to a recent study.
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/11/04/dalai.lama.trade.china/index.html

Full text of the article can be found at: http://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/document/download/24062d6f430a7c77ab7b1a54407ac843.pdf/113_Fuchs.pdf&rct=j&sa=U&ei=GLPSTILSHYP98AbK4bj5Dw&ved=0CBoQFjAB&sig2=m5QS_4f9gYifZlZM4O1v3Q&q=Paying+a+Visit:+The+Dalai+Lama+Effect+on+International+Trade&usg=AFQjCNG3DaVCy1RRj1Xehp29bzQ7_rtaUQ

UN chief raises human rights in China speech

"Clearly, China is on the rise. Its transformation has been profound. Its influence is increasingly global. Its power is real... with this remarkable progress comes great expectations and great responsibilities," Ban said.
"As we move forward, we recognise that achieving the shared goals of human rights around the world is more than an aspiration, it is a foundation of peace and harmony in our modern world," he said.
"So too is respect for freedom of expression and the protection of its defenders," added the UN chief, according to a copy of his remarks released by the world body.
Ban said he was confident that China's current and future leaders would play a role in helping the UN confront "myriad challenges" by showing "full commitment to the common values that unite us" including human rights.
"The values embedded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are timeless and shared yet unrealised in far too much of the globe," he said.
"We must continue to work together to make those rights real in people's lives."

UN chief raises human rights in China speech - Yahoo! News

Karen Patterson Informed of Court date for Wu Yuren

@KPinChina --- Wu Yuren: Court date for Wu set: November 17, 2010, at 9:30 am, Wenyuhe Criminal Courthouse (5th and 6th ring roads, east) @aiww, @wentommy

Evidently Mr. Wu plans to plead innocent and maintain he is being framed by the Chinese police.

Tibetan Activist Woeser Taken into Custody by Lhasa City Public Security Bureau

@markmackinnon Mark MacKinnon/马凯 RT @ishaantharoor: outspoken tibetan activist woeser prob been arrested. here's a msg she wrote before disappearing http://bit.ly/arM1bv

Joseph Nye: Don't fear the rise of China

"The fact that China is not likely to become a peer competitor to the United States on a global basis does not mean that the dangers of conflict in Asia can be completely ruled out. But given the global challenges such as financial stability, cybersecurity, and climate change that both China and the United States will face, they have much to gain from working together."

Don't fear the rise of China - CNN.com

Canada, China seal panda deal

The deal was finalized on Friday during a meeting between Prentice, China's State Forestry Administrator Jia Zhibang -- who's responsible for panda negotiations -- and Canadian Ambassador David Mulroney, among other officials.

"I will pick out a couple of nice pandas for Canada," Jia told Prentice at the end of the meeting, according to the Calgary MP.

Canada, China seal panda deal

Comment:
Charles Burton: We have been trying to get pandas since the Trudeau era. The pair of beavers that Trudeau took on his first visit to China as PM only got us a pair of some sort of Chinese elk in return if my memory serves. The last beaver died in the Beijing Zoo in 1991 when I was head of the Cultural Section at the Embassy
Charles Burton: p.s. After I sent in my obituary of the last beaver to Ottawa a number of people with cottages urged that we arrange for their beavers to be sent to Beijing as replacements!
Charles Burton: Their conditions at the Beijing Zoo were not good. I regarded them as a consular case

NYT: China's Fast Rise Leads Neighbour to Join Forces

"HANOI, Vietnam - China's military expansion and assertive trade policies have set off jitters across Asia, prompting many of its neighbors to rekindle old alliances and cultivate new ones to better defend their interests against the rising superpower.

A whirl of deal-making and diplomacy, from Tokyo to New Delhi, is giving the United States an opportunity to reassert itself in a region where its eclipse by China has been viewed as inevitable.

President Obama's trip to the region this week, his most extensive as president, will take him to the area's big democracies, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan, skirting authoritarian China. Those countries and other neighbors have taken steps, though with varying degrees of candor, to blunt China's assertiveness in the region."

NYT: China's Fast Rise Leads Neighb

Minister Cannon Announces Policy to Limit Engagement with North Korea and Adoption of Special Economic Measures

"Canada urges North Korea to seek a path that will lead to lasting peace and decreased tensions on the Korean Peninsula and to major improvements in the lives of North Korean citizens, said Minister Cannon. Canada is a vigorous defender of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law around the world."

Minister Cannon Announces Policy to Limit Engagement with North Korea and Adoption of Special Economic Measures

Canada to announce tougher sanctions against N. Korea - CTV News

The Canadian Press

Date: Wednesday Oct. 27, 2010 1:21 PM ET

OTTAWA — Canada is poised to announce further sanctions against North Korea.

The Canadian Press has learned that Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon is planning to outline the new measures Thursday.

A government official said Cannon is also expected to downgrade Canada's already limited diplomatic relations with the rogue nuclear state.

Canada to announce tougher sanctions against N. Korea - CTV News

Board of Rights and Democracy trying to save face

The board Tuesday concludes a two-day meeting at which the major point of business is study of a forensic audit commissioned last February by interim president Jacques Gauthier, who is also vice-chairman of the board. The audit, initially expected to take three weeks, was not submitted until August and has cost $253,000, Mr. Latulippe said. In a February news release, Mr. Gauthier said he had no “direct evidence of any individual impropriety” but felt that certain transactions and contracts “require the attention of forensic auditors.”

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Rights+group+tripled+fees+paid+consultants+after+cutback/3724523/story.html#ixzz13TZV2nPl

NYT: Huawei Technologies Seeks Access to U.S. Telecoms Market

"Some in Congress and the national security establishment fear that Huawei's close ties to the Chinese military might allow China to tamper with American communications gear.
Last week, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, and three other members of Congress wrote a letter to Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, raising the specter that an equipment sale might permit the Chinese government to manipulate parts of the communications network, making it possible to disrupt or intercept phone calls and Internet messages.
Anticipating these hurdles, Huawei has hired a remarkable array of Washington lobbyists, lawyers, consultants and public relations firms to help it win business in the United States. It has also helped create Amerilink Telecom, an American distributor of Huawei products whose high-powered board includes former Representative Richard A. Gephardt, the former World Bank president James D. Wolfensohn and the one-time chief executive of Nortel Networks, William A. Owens.
Amerilink executives say they are primarily interested in helping Huawei overcome objections that its entry into the American market could jeopardize national security."

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/technology/26telecom.xml

15 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Call on World Leaders to Urge Chinese President Hu Jintao to Release Nobel Peace Prize Laurate Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia

15 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Call on World Leaders to Urge Chinese President Hu Jintao to Release Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia

"Freedom Now was retained by Liu Xiaobo's wife, Liu Xia, to represent Liu Xiaobo as his pro bono international legal counsel. The team of international legal counsel and human rights specialists includes Freedom Now, NYU Law Professor Jerome A. Cohen, Canadian Member of Parliament and former Minister of Justice and Attorney General Irwin Cotler, Former Canadian Member of Parliament and Secretary of State, Asia Pacific David Kilgour, and former Freedom Now client and Founder and President of Initiatives for China Dr. Yang Jianli."

http://www.freedom-now.org/news/15-nobel-peace-prize-laureates-call-on-world-leaders-to-urge-chinese-president-hu-jintao-to-release-nobel-peace-prize-laurate-liu-xiaobo-and-his-wife-liu-xia/

Magnificent Chinese arch recently erected in Ottawa Chinatown

Pressing China, U.S. Lines Up Allies on Issues Like Currency - NYTimes.com

"WASHINGTON: The Obama administration, facing a vexed relationship with China on exchange rates, trade and security issues, is stiffening its approach toward Beijing, seeking allies to confront a newly assertive power that officials now say has little intention of working with the United States.

In a shift from its assiduous one-on-one courtship of Beijing, the administration is trying to line up coalitions among China's next-door neighbors and far-flung trading partners to present Chinese leaders with a unified front on thorny issues like the currency and their country's territorial claims in the South China Sea."

Pressing China, U.S. Lines Up Allies on Issues Like Currency - NYTimes.com

Canada Will Be `Relentless' in Pressuring China on Yuan After G-20 Meeting - Bloomberg

Carney said Canada will do all it can to maintain pressure on China and other G-20 countries to implement the policies that nations agreed will help the global recovery, including the adoption of market-determined exchange rates.

“We all agree that we want to move to strong, sustainable, balanced growth,” Carney, 45, said, adding that implementing the framework will be a long process. “You can’t just have one meeting, and you force somebody to do something.”

“Implementation is the whole game here,” Carney said. The best strategy is “being relentless and making sure it continues to move forward.”

Canada Will Be `Relentless' in Pressuring China on Yuan After G-20 Meeting - Bloomberg

Gordon Chang Speaking at Brock University on October 28

Thursday October 28 at 3PM Gordon Chang, author of The Coming Collapse of China (Random House 2001), speaking at Brock University in TH 325

North Korea expert to speak at Brock

Posted by sam on Oct 26th, 2010 and filed under Briefs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Gordon Chang

A respected political writer and expert in nuclear proliferation and North Korea will speak at Brock this week.

Gordon Chang, author of Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes on the World, will speak at TH 325 on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 3 p.m. Chang’s book focuses on nuclear proliferation in general and the North Korean crisis in particular. He is also the author of The Coming Collapse of China.

Chang is a columnist at forbes.com. His writings on China and North Korea have appeared in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, among others. He has given briefings at the National Intelligence Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, the State Department and the Pentagon, as well as numerous industry and investor groups.

His appearance is part of the Department of Political Science Speaker Series. Everyone is welcome.

 

http://www.brocku.ca/brock-news/?p=5921&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+TheBrockNews+(The+Brock+News)

Canada raises Nobel dissident Liu's case with China

" Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon raised the case of jailed Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo with his Chinese counterpart during talks in Beijing today, his office said."

fullstory

My Op-Ed in the Toronto Star: The Dalai Lama’s elusive dream

"China even attempts to debase the greatness of Tibetan tradition to folkloric elements of happy dancing and singing in accented Mandarin by ersatz nomadic Tibetan herdsmen, who celebrate the mountain grassland scenery. The deep spirituality that is the most important characteristic of the magnificent Tibetan civilization is nowhere to be found. Instead, China invests in Tibet's material development in the vain hope that young Tibetans will abandon their backward” culture and language, and seek modernity through identification with China's Han-led rise to power.

But it appears this policy is having the opposite effect. As Tibetans become more prosperous, their yearning for affirmation of their Tibetan identity only becomes stronger. Beijing, meanwhile, responds with violence to all expressions of Tibetan nationalism, and desecrates by burning all "llegal" Tibetan flags and portraits of the Dalai Lama that the Chinese police and military can set their hands on. So the mutual anger continues to mount."

The Dalai Lama’s elusive dream - thestar.com

This was also published in the Montreal Gazette under the title "China seeks to silence the Dalai Lama's moderate voice" on October 22:  http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/China+seeks+silence+Dalai+Lama+moderate+voice/3713838/story.html

Co-broadcasting by Radio Canada International and Beijing Radio for 40th Anniversary of Relations

I was featured in two interviews as described below The web page for my interviews can be see at: http://am774.rbc.cn/netfm/english_service/zt/canada40/cf/201010/t20101009_622422.htm
They also posted some other photos taken here at Brock at:http://am774.rbc.cn/netfm/english_service/zt/canada40/report/201010/t20101009_622410.htm
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Li Zhao <Li.Zhao@radio-canada.ca>
Date: Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 1:33 PM
Subject: Co-broadcasting by Radio Canada International and Beijing Radio
Hello, The first co-broadcasting by Radio Canada International and Beijing Radio were aired on October 13 & 14. Please find attached the link for the show. You can see the video of the two days broadcasting on the page.http://am774.rbc.cn/netfm/english_service/zt/canada40/index.htm The page has 100,000 clicks per day. Beijing Radio broadcasted the special programs on 3 frequence: AM 828, FM 100.6 (News Channel) and AM 774 (Radio 774). The audience is around 3 millions.
Li Zhao
Producer
The Chinese Section
Radio Canada International

BBC News - US inquiry into China rare earth shipments

@markmackinnon: US launching inquiry into report China blocking shipments of rare earth metals

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11581288

China tries to dodge Darfur bullets report: envoys

@markmackinnon: China tried to suppress UN report showing Chinese-made bullets were used to attack Darfur peacekeepers: http://reut.rs/aANv5l (via @NiuB)

Full text of Communique of the Fifth Plenum of the 17th CPC Central Committee

BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Following is Xinhua's translation of the full text of the Communique of the Fifth Plenum of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which was passed on Oct. 18.  Printable version available at: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcfd6fxz_3663d9gk6sfg

Communique of the Fifth Plenum of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

(October 18, 2010)

The Fifth Plenum of the 17th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing from October 15 to 18, 2010.

Present at the plenum were 202 members and 163 alternate members of the CPC Central Committee. Members of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials of relevant departments attended the meeting as non-voting delegates. Some delegates to the 17th CPC National Congress, including a few from the grass roots and a few experts and scholars, also attended the meeting as non-voting delegates.

The plenum was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered an important speech at the plenum.

The plenum listened to and discussed the working report delivered by Hu Jintao, who was entrusted by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and adopted the "CPC Central Committee's Proposal for Formulating the 12th Five-Year Program for China's Economic and Social Development (2011-2015)". Wen Jiabao made an explanatory speech on the draft proposal to the plenum.

The plenum fully recognized the work of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since the Fourth Plenum of the 17th CPC Central Committee. The plenum unanimously agreed that the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, faced with the fallout of the international financial crisis and sweeping changes in international and domestic landscapes, has thoroughly implemented the guidelines of the 17th CPC National Congress and the First, Second, Third and Fourth plenums of the 17th CPC Central Committee, held high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and followed the guidance of the Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of the "Three Represents," and comprehensively implemented the Scientific Outlook on Development. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has united and led the whole Party, military and Chinese people of all ethnic groups to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, effectively implement the stimulus package to counter repercussions of the international financial crisis, improve macro-regulation in a targeted manner, consolidate achievements in fighting the international financial crisis, accelerate the transformation of the economic growth mode, maintain stable and relatively rapid economic development. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has united and led the whole Party, military and Chinese people of all ethnic groups to make efforts to ensure and improve people's livelihoods, effectively cope with severe natural disasters such as the Yushu earthquake in Qinghai province and the Zhouqu mudslide in Gansu province, successfully accomplish the campaign of learning in-depth the Scientific Outlook on Development by all Party members and successfully host the Shanghai World Expo. The plenum agreed that remarkable progress had been made in various works and programs of the Party and the nation.

The plenum held that the 12th Five-Year Plan period is a crucial stage for building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and a time of difficult issues for deepening the reform and opening-up process while accelerating the transformation of the nation's economic development pattern. Properly setting the 12th Five-Year Plan on the basis of an in-depth and accurate grasp of the changes and characteristics of domestic and international situations is of great significance to further seizing and effectively utilizing our country's important period of strategic opportunities, promoting steady and relatively rapid long-term economic development, winning new victories in building a moderately prosperous society and pushing forward the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The plenum spoke highly of our country's great achievements in economic and social development during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, holding that the CPC had unified and led the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, firmly focused on development, the top priority of the Party in governing and rejuvenating the country, carried out the Party's theories and guidelines, principles and policies, implemented proper and forceful macroeconomic regulation, given full play to the political advantages of China's socialist system, brought into full play the fundamental role of market in allocating resources, thus bringing fresh and historic changes to the nation. After striving for five years, our country has achieved fast development of social productivity, drastic enhancement of overall national strength, remarkable improvement of living standards, and a marked rise in international status and influence, and also made major progress in the socialist economic, political, cultural, social and conservation culture development, as well as Party building, thus having composed a new epic recounting the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The achievements of the five years are hard won, the experience accumulated is precious and the spiritual fortune created will last long.

The plenum made an in-depth analysis of the domestic and international environment for China's economic and social development during the coming period, and put stress on the fact resulting from a comprehensive assessment of international and domestic situations that China is still in an important period of strategic opportunities during which there is a great deal China can achieve, and it is faced with both precious historic opportunities and plenty of foreseeable and unforeseeable risks and challenges. We should strengthen the awareness of opportunities and potential risks, properly master the law of development, actively adjust to the changes of environment, effectively solve various problems, and strive to push forward our country's reform and opening-up process and socialist modernization drive.


The plenum pointed out that the formulating of the 12th Five-Year Plan must hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, adjust to the new changes of domestic and international situations, comply with the people's new expectations of living better lives, take scientific development as the theme, employ the expedited transformation of the economic development pattern as the main line, deepen the reform and the opening-up process, safeguard and improve the people's livelihoods, consolidate and expand the fruits reaped from coping with the international financial crisis, and promote steady and relatively fast long-term economic development and social harmony and stability, so as to lay a decisive foundation for building a moderately prosperous society.

The plenum stressed that in contemporary China, the adherence to development as a task of overriding importance means sticking to scientific development, laying more stress on the "people first" principle, paying more attention to comprehensive, sustainable development and overall planning and coordination, and putting more emphasis on securing and improving people's livelihood to promote social equality and justice. Acceleration of the transformation of the economic development pattern marks a profound reform in both economic and social sectors and must proceed throughout every realm and all the course of economic and social development. Economic strategic restructuring should be a major task of the transformation of economic development mode. The promotion of scientific and technological progress and innovation should be taken as an important support to the transformation, while ensuring and improving people's livelihood should be the very aim and fundamental end of the move. The building of a resource-saving and environment-friendly society should be a focal point in the transformation of the economic development mode. It is imperative to take reform and opening-up as a powerful driving force for speeding up the transformation, and score more comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable growth to seek sound and fast economic and social development.

After comprehensive considerations of future development trends and conditions, the plenum proposed the following as the major targets for economic and social development in the next five years: to maintain stable and relatively fast economic growth; to achieve major development in economic restructuring; to universally raise people's incomes at a relatively fast pace; to remarkably enhance social construction; to continuously deepen reform and opening-up; to achieve substantial progress in transforming the economic development pattern; to remarkably strengthen the country's comprehensive national power, international competitiveness and capability in shielding against risks; to make notable progress in meeting people's living and cultural demands; and to further consolidate the foundation for the making of a better-off society in an all-round way.

Participants at the plenum stressed adherence to the policy of boosting domestic demand, maintaining stable and relatively fast economic development, and strengthening and improving macro-control measures. The plenum called for the establishment of a long-term mechanism to expand consumption, the optimization of investment structures, and quickened pace of the building of a new growth pattern that is jointly driven by consumption, investment and exports. Efforts should be made to push forward rural modernization, accelerate the construction of new socialist rural area, maintain coordinated development in rural and urban regions, promote the development of modern agriculture, improve public services and infrastructure construction in rural areas, and seek new ways to increase farmers' incomes. The rural development system will also be improved to build contented homes for farmers. The plenum underscored the establishment of a modern industrial system and enhancement of the core competitiveness of industries by transforming and upgrading the manufacturing sector, developing strategic emerging industries, and accelerating the growth of the service sector. It is stressed that the construction of the modern energy industry and the building of a comprehensive transport system should be boosted, while raising the level of informatization and encouraging the marine economy. Balanced development between regions should be maintained and urbanization should be pushed forward in a positive and sound manner. The master strategy of regional development and the strategy of main functional regions will be implemented, and the urbanization pattern will be improved with enhanced urban management. Poverty alleviation work that targets old revolutionary base areas, ethnic regions, border areas and poverty-stricken areas will be strengthened. Great importance should be attached to building a regional development pattern that enables regions to make their advantages complementary with main functions clearly defined, enables more efficient spatial use of the land, and achieves a harmonious relation between humans and nature. It is urged that the building of a resource-saving and environment-friendly society should be accelerated, and the ecological conservation culture should be promoted. More work should be done to proactively combat global climate change, increase environment protection, develop the recycling economy, improve resource conservation and management, speed up the construction of the ecological protection system and that of disaster prevention and reduction, and enhance the ability of maintaining sustainable development. The plenum urged further enforcement of the strategy of rejuvenating the nation through science and education and through the cultivation of talented personnel to build an innovative country. The plenum called for upgrading China's scientific innovation ability, improving the innovation system and accelerating educational reform and development, which encourages talent and lays a solid foundation in terms of science and technology and human resources for the transformation of economic development pattern and achieving the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way.

The plenum called for ensuring and improving people's livelihoods by gradually perfecting the fundamental public service system that should be working in line with China's overall situation, relatively comprehensive, covering urban and rural areas, and sustainable; by enhancing the government's capacity for safeguarding people's livelihoods; and by promoting equal fundamental public services. Efforts should also be made to reinforce social construction and establish and improve a fundamental public service system, to promote employment and harmonious labor relations, to reasonably adjust income distribution, to increase the ratio of people's incomes to the national income and the ratio of workers' incomes in the primary distribution of national income, to perfect the social security system that covers urban and rural residents, to accelerate the reform and development of the healthcare sector, to do a good job in population management, to enhance and innovate in social management, to properly handle contradictions among the people, and to take concrete measures to secure social harmony and stability.

The plenum pointed out that culture is the spirit and soul of a nation, and is the power to propel development of a country and the revitalization of a nation. Efforts should be made to help the culture sector prosper, to boost the country's soft power in cultural fields, to consistently advance the development of the socialist culture, and to improve the Chinese people's civil education. The plenum also called for efforts to promote cultural innovation, to deepen the reform of the cultural system, and to boost cultural undertakings and the cultural industry. Efforts should also be made to satisfy the people's ever-growing demand for cultural products, to basically build up a public service system of culture, to make the culture industry one of the pillar industries for the national economy, to give full play to the role of culture in guiding, educating people and promoting development, to build a spiritual home for the Chinese nation, and to boost cohesion and creativity of the nation.

The plenum emphasized that reform is a powerful driving force for accelerating the transformation of the economic development mode, and reform in every realm must be pushed forward in an all-round way with greater resolve and courage. Great impetus should be given to economic system reform, while vigorous yet steady efforts should be made to promote political restructuring. Work should be done to accelerate reform in cultural and social systems to make sure the superstructure adapts to development and changes in economy and to provide a strong guarantee for scientific development. The fundamental economic system should be stuck to and improved; administrative system reform should be promoted; reforms of fiscal and taxation systems should be accelerated; financial system reform should be deepened; reform in resource products pricing and market should be advanced; and reform in social program system should be quickened. A mutually-beneficial strategy of opening-up should be pursued and more efforts should be made to further open up to the outside world, optimize the foreign trade structure, improve the quality of foreign investment utilization and accelerate the pace in implementing the "going global" strategy. It is necessary to actively participate in global economic governance and regional cooperation, to push forward development, deepen reform and promote innovation by opening up, and to vigorously create new advantages for participating in global economic cooperation and competition.

The plenum stressed that the leadership by the Party is the fundamental guarantee for achieving the goals of economic and social development during the 12th Five-Year Plan period. Work in improving the CPC's ruling capacity and maintaining the Party's advanced nature must be strengthened to promote the Party's competence in leading the country's economic and social development. Party committees at all levels should accurately understand the trends of development, scientifically make development blueprint, diligently innovate in the pattern of development, promote the overall and balanced planning and coordination of development, and effectively boost the quality of development. All Party members should unswervingly practise the theory of the Party, follow the line of the Party and implement the Party's principles and policies, and firmly cherish the idea of scientific development. Concrete efforts should be made to intensify the building of the Party at grassroots organizations, to deepen the campaign of contending for excellence, and to lead the general public to boost the sound and fast development of the economy and society. Officials at all levels must adhere to the fundamental tenet of serving the people with heart and soul, follow the Party's mass line, always keep a flesh-and-blood relationship with the people, foster a proper view of political achievements, and work hard to make real achievements that can stand the tests of practice, the people and history. It is necessary to intensify efforts to combat corruption and promote clean government, and to energetically carry forward the glorious traditions and exemplary work styles of the Party so as to create a good Party conduct, which will help unite the Party members and win the support of the people to form a great force for advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The plenum asserted that the organic unity of adherence to leadership by the Party, ensuring that the people are masters of the country and governing the country according to law must be upheld, while developing socialist democracy, accelerating the building of a socialist country under the rule of law, and consolidating and expanding the ever increasingly inclusive patriotic united front. The building of a modern national defense system and modern armed forces must be strengthened with the abilities to conduct diverse military missions with a focus on the ability to win regional wars under information-based conditions. To maintain long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao, the principles of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," "Macao People governing Macao," a high degree of autonomy and administration of the two regions in strict adherence to basic laws of the special administrative regions must be unswervingly implemented. In advancing the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the cause of national reunification, the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations must be firmly pursued, cross-Strait economic cooperation deepened, and cross-Strait exchanges among all circles of life expanded. Hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, adhere to peaceful foreign policy of independence, pursue peaceful development, actively participate in international cooperation, safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and accelerate the building of a harmonious world that enjoys long-lasting peace and common prosperity together with other countries in the world.

The plenum comprehensively analyzed the current situation and tasks and stressed that through the joint efforts of the whole Party and the people, the national economy continues to move in the right direction expected from the macroeconomic control, new achievements have been made in all kinds of undertakings, and overall social stability has been maintained. The whole Party should improve awarenesses of the Party, the tenets and governance, and the overall situation and responsibility, grasp opportunities and avoid losing them, concentrate on construction and whole-heartedly seek development, promote a sense of principle, systemization, foresight and creativity in the work, promote the spirit of real practice and solid work, attach the greatest importance to the responsibilities entrusted by the Party and the people, closely rely on the broad masses of the people to conquer all obstacles and difficulties on the way forward with the ever-stronger unity of the Party and the people, deal with work in reform, development and stability well with steady effort to strive to realize this year's goals of economic and social development.

The plenum stressed that the country was hit by a wave of serious natural disasters from the beginning of this year, which have caused grave damage to the lives of people in the disaster-hit areas. With joint efforts of various departments and localities,remarkable progress has been made in the relief and rescue processes. At present, the country still faces arduous tasks of helping the resettlement of affected residents and rebuilding the disaster-hit areas. Relevant departments of the central government and all levels of the CPC units and government offices in the disaster-hit areas should pay high attention to these tasks. They should scientifically plan, increase input in, meticulously organize, and seriously carry out recovery efforts. They should tend to the affected people' s basic living needs, speed up drafting and implementation of reconstruction plans, help bring the local economy, especially agricultural production, back on track, help the affected people rebuild homes, and facilitate social and economic development. During the reconstruction, they must continuously combine improvements with reductions in damage, balance disaster prevention and reduction efforts, tackle problems at root and at surface, and join government and social efforts. Programs to address the weaknesses of water resources projects should be started as soon as possible. Efforts should also be sped up to establish risk assessment systems, monitoring networks, and disaster prevention and emergency response systems in disaster-prone areas, in a bid to strengthen the country' s comprehensive ability to head off and deal with natural disasters.

The plenum agreed that the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) be augmented to include Xi Jinping as a vice-chairman.

The plenum also decided, in line with the Party's constitution, to appoint Yan Rongzhu, an alternate member of the CPC Central Committee, to fill a vacancy and become a member of the CPC Central Committee.

The plenum examined and approved a report of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on the issue of Kang Rixin. It decided to expel Kang from the CPC Central Committee, and also endorsed a decision, made by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Dec. 29, 2009, to strip Kang of his CPC membership.

The plenum called on all CPC members and peoples of all ethnic groups to closely unite around the Party's Central Committee, led by Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, to earnestly learn and implement the spirit of the plenum, emancipate their minds, seek truth from facts, keep pace with the times, blaze new trails in a pioneering spirit, and unite as one to strive to achieve the goals of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) on national economic and social development.

Liu Xiaobo's spouse says Ding Zilin and Jiang Peikun have vanished

RT @liuxia64 Ding Zilin and Jiang Peikun, two teachers (from the Tiananmen Mothers movement), have also disappeared. Please pay attention.

Full Text of Letter From Party Elders Calling For Free Speech

This is from http://cmp.hku.hk/2010/10/13/8035/.  The translation is by @cmphku

On October 11, 23 Chinese Communist Party elders known for their pro-reform positions, including Mao Zedong’s former secretary Li Rui (李锐) and former People’s Daily editor-in-chief Hu Jiwei (胡绩伟), submitted an open letter to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress^[1], formally China’s highest state body, calling for an end to restrictions on expression in China.

The letter urges the Communist Party to abolish censorship and realize citizens’ right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Seizing on the opportunity afforded by the awarding of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) with the Nobel Peace Prize last week, the letter refers explicitly to prior statements on reform and free speech made by both President Hu Jintao (胡锦涛) and Premier Wen Jiabao (温家宝). [CORRECTION: It is premature to conclude that this letter has any connection whatsoever to Liu Xiaobo's Nobel Prize. The letter is dated October 1, one week before the announcement from the Nobel Committee.]

Enforce Article 35 of China’s Constitution, Abolish Censorship and Realize Citizens’ Right to Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Press: A Letter to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress

Written by Li Rui (李锐), Hu Jiwei (胡绩伟) and others
Dated: October 11, 2010

Dear members of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress:

Article 35 of China’s Constitution^[2] as adopted in 1982 clearly states that: “Citizens of the People’s Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration.” For 28 years this article has stood unrealized, having been negated by detailed rules and regulations for “implementation.” This false democracy of formal avowal and concrete denial has become a scandalous mark on the history of world democracy.

On February 26, 2003, at a meeting of democratic consultation between the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and democratic parties [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_the_People's_Republic_of_China], not long after President Hu Jintao (胡锦涛) assumed office, he stated clearly: “The removal of restrictions on the press, and the opening up of public opinion positions, is a mainstream view and demand held by society; it is natural, and should be resolved through the legislative process. If the Communist Party does not reform itself, if it does not transform, it will lose its vitality and move toward natural and inevitable extinction.”

On October 3, America’s Cable News Network (CNN) aired an interview with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao^[3] (温家宝) by anchor Fareed Zakaria. Responding to the journalist’s questions, Wen Jiabao said: “Freedom of speech is indispensable for any nation; China’s Constitution endows the people with freedom of speech; The demands of the people for democracy cannot be resisted.”

In accord with China’s Constitution, and in the spirit of the remarks made by President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, we hereupon represent the following concerning the materialization of the constitutional rights to freedom of speech and of the press:

Concerning the Current State of Freedom of Speech and Press in Our Country

We have for 61 years “served as master” in the name of the citizens of the People’s Republic of China. But the freedom of speech and of the press we now enjoy is inferior even to that of Hong Kong before its return to Chinese sovereignty, to that entrusted to the residents of a colony.

Before the handover, Hong Kong was a British colony, governed by those appointed by the Queen’s government. But the freedom of speech and freedom of the press given to residents of Hong Kong by the British authorities there was not empty, appearing only on paper. It was enacted and realized.

When our country was founded in 1949, our people cried that they had been liberated, that they were not their own masters. Mao Zedong said that, “From this moment, the people of China have stood.” But even today, 61 years after the founding of our nation, after 30 years of opening and reform, we have not yet attained freedom of speech and freedom of the press to the degree enjoyed by the people of Hong Kong under colonial rule. Even now, many books discussion political and current affairs must be published in Hong Kong. This is not something that dates from the [territory's] return, but is merely an old tactic familiar under colonial rule. The “master” status of the people of China’s mainland is so inferior. For our nation to advertise itself as having “socialist democracy” with Chinese characteristics is such an embarrassment.

Not only the average citizen, but even the most senior leaders of the Communist Party have no freedom of speech or press. Recently, Li Rui met with the following circumstance. Not long ago, the Collected Works in in Memory of Zhou Xiaozhou were published, and in it was originally to be included an essay commemorating Zhou Xiaozhou that Li Rui had written for the People’s Daily in 1981. Zhou Xiaozhou’s wife phoned Li Rui to explain the situation: “Beijing has sent out a notice. Li Rui’s writings cannot be published.” What incredible folly it is that an old piece of writing from a Party newspaper cannot be included in a volume of collected works! Li Rui said: “What kind of country is this?! I want to cry it out: the press must be free! Such strangling of the people’s freedom of expression is entirely illegal!”

It’s not even just high-level leaders — even the Premier of our country does not have freedom of speech or of the press! On August 21, 2010, Premier Wen Jiabao gave a speech in Shenzhen called, “Only By Pushing Ahead With Reforms Can Our Nation Have Bright Prospects.” He said, “We must not only to push economic reforms, but must also to promote political reforms. Without the protection afforded by political reforms, the gains we have made from economic reforms will be lost, and our goal of modernization cannot be realized.” Xinhua News Agency’s official news release on August 21, “Building a Beautiful Future for the Special Economic Zone,” omitted the content in Wen Jiabao’s speech dealing with political reform.

On September 22, 2010, (U.S. local time) Premier Wen Jiabao held a dialogue in New York with American Chinese media and media from Hong Kong and Macao, and again he emphasized the importance of “political system reforms.” Wen said: “Concerning political reforms, I have said previously that if economic reforms are without the protection to be gained by political reforms, then we cannot be entirely successful, and even perhaps the gains of our progress so far will be lost.” Shortly after, Wen Jiabao addressed the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, giving a speech called, “Recognizing a True China,” in which he spoke again about political reform. Late on September 23 (Beijing time), these events were reported on China Central Television’s Xinwen Lianbo and in an official news release from Xinhua News Agency. They reported only Wen Jiabao’s remarks on the circumstances facing overseas Chinese, and on the importance of overseas Chinese media. His mentions of political reform were all removed.

For these matters, if we endeavor to find those responsible, we are utterly incapable of putting our finger on a specific person. This is an invisible black hands. For their own reasons, they violate our constitution, often ordering by telephone that the works of such and such a person cannot be published, or that such and such an event cannot be reported in the media. The officials who make the call do not leave their names, and the secrecy of the agents is protected, but you must heed their phone instructions. These invisible black hands are our Central Propaganda Department. Right now the Central Propaganda Department is placed above the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and above the State Council. We would ask, what right does the Central Propaganda Department have to muzzle the speech of the Premier? What right does it have to rob the people of our nation of their right to know what the Premier has said?

Our core demand is that the system of censorship be dismantled in favor of a system of legal responsibility (追惩制).

The rights to freedom of speech and the press guaranteed in Article 35 of our Constitution are turned into mere adornments for the walls by means of concrete implementation rules such as the “Ordinance on Publishing Control” (出版管理条例). These implementation rules are, broadly speaking, a system of censorship and approvals. There are countless numbers of commandments and taboos restricting freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The creation of a press law and the abolishment of the censorship system has already become an urgent task before us.

We recommend that the National People’s Congress work immediately toward the creation of a Press Law, and that the “Ordinance on Publishing Control” and all of the local restrictions on news and publishing be annulled. Institutionally speaking, the realization of freedom of speech and freedom of the press as guaranteed in the Constitution means making media independent of the Party and government organs that presently control them, thereby transforming “Party mouthpieces” into “public instruments.” Therefore, the foundation of the creation of a Press Law must be the enacting of a system of [post facto] legal responsibility (追惩制) [determined according to fair laws]. We cannot again strengthen the censorship system in the name of “strengthening the leadership of the Party.” The so-called censorship system is the system by which prior to publication one must receive the approval of Party organs, allowing for publication only after approval and designating all unapproved published materials as illegal. The so-called system of legal responsibility means that published materials need not pass through approval by Party or government organs, but may be published as soon as the editor-in-chief deems fit. If there are unfavorable outcomes or disputes following publication, the government would be able to intervene and determine according to the law whether there are cases of wrongdoing. In countries around the world, the development of rule of law in news and publishing has followed this path, making a transition from systems of censorship to systems of legal responsibility. There is little doubt that systems of legal responsibility mark progress over systems of censorship, and this is greatly in the favor of the development of the humanities and natural sciences, and in promoting social harmony and historical progress. England did away with censorship in 1695. France abolished its censorship system in 1881, and the publication of newspapers and periodicals thereafter required only a simple declaration, which was signed by the representatives of the publication and mailed to the office of the procurator of the republic. Our present system of censorship leaves news and book publishing in our country 315 years behind England and 129 years behind France.

Our specific demands are as follows:

1. Abolish sponsoring institutions of [Chinese] media [NOTE: This is the controlling organization that exercises Party control over the media], allowing publishing institutions to independently operate; Truly implement a system in which directors and editors in chief are responsible for their publication units.

2. Respect journalists, and make them strong (尊重记者，树立记者). Journalists should be the “uncrowned kings.” The reporting of mass incidents and exposing of official corruption are noble missions on behalf of the people, and this work should be protected and supported. Immediately put a stop to the unconstitutional behavior of various local governments and police in arresting journalists. Look into the circumstances behind the case of [writer] Xie Chaoping (谢朝平). Liang Fengmin (梁凤民), the party secretary of Weinan city [involved in the Xie Chaoping case] must face party discipline as a warning to others.

3. Abolish restrictions on extra-territorial supervision by public opinion [watchdog journalism] by media, ensuring the right of journalists to carry out reporting freely throughout the country.

4. The internet is an important discussion platform for information in our society and the voice of citizens’ views. Aside from information that truly concerns our national secrets and speech that violates a citizen’s right to privacy, internet regulatory bodies must not arbitrarily delete online posts and online comments. Online spies must be abolished, the “Fifty-cent Party” must be abolished, and restrictions on “tunneling/[anti-censorship]” technologies must be abolished.

5. There are no more taboos concerning our Party’s history. Chinese citizens have a right to know the errors of the ruling party.

6. Southern Weekly and Yanhuang Chunqiu should be permitted to restructure as privately operated pilot programs [in independent media]. The privatization of newspapers and periodicals is the [natural] direction of political reforms. History teaches us: when rulers and deliberators are highly unified, when the government and the media are both surnamed “Party,” and when [the Party] sings for its own pleasure, it is difficult to connect with the will of the people and attain true leadership. From the time of the Great Leap Forward to the time of the Cultural Revolution, newspapers, magazines, television and radio in the mainland have never truly reflected the will of the people. Party and government leaders have been insensible to dissenting voices, so they have had difficulty in recognizing and correcting wholesale errors. For a ruling party and government to use the tax monies of the people to run media that sing their own praises, this is something not permitted in democratic nations.

7. Permit the free circulation within the mainland of books and periodicals from the already returned territories of Hong Kong and Macao. Our country has joined the World Trade Organization, and economically we have already integrated with the world — attempting to remain closed culturally goes against the course already plotted for opening and reform. Hong Kong and Macao offer advanced culture right at our nation’s door, and the books and periodicals of Hong Kong and Macao are welcomed and trusted by the people.

8. Transform the functions of various propaganda organs, so that they are transformed from [agencies] setting down so many “taboos” to [agencies] protecting the accuracy, timeliness and unimpeded flow [of information]; from [agencies] that assist corrupt officials in suppressing and controlling stories that reveal the truth to [agencies] that support the media in monitoring Party and government organs; from [agencies] that close publications, fire editors and arrest journalists to [agencies] that oppose power and protect media and journalists. Our propaganda organs have a horrid reputation within the Party and in society. They must work for good in order to regain their reputations. At the appropriate time, we can consider renaming these propaganda organs to suit global trends.

We pressingly represent ourselves, hoping for your utmost attention.

October 1, 2010

Sponsors (23 people):

Li Rui (李锐)– former standing vice minister of the Organization Department of the CCP Central Committee, member of the 12th Central Committee of the CCP
Hu Jiwei (胡绩伟) — former director of People’s Daily, standing committee member to the 7th National People’s Congress, director of the Federation of Chinese Communication Institutes.
Jiang Ping 江 平– former head of the China University of Political Science and Law, tenured professor, standing committee member to the 7th National People’s Congress, deputy director of the Executive Law Committee of the NPC
Li Pu (李普) — former deputy director of Xinhua News Agency
Zhou Shaoming (周绍明) — former deputy director of the Political Department of the Guangzhou Military Area Command
Zhong Peizhang (锺沛璋) — Former head of the News Office of the Central Propaganda Department
Wang Yongcheng (王永成) — Professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University
Zhang Zhongpei (张忠培) — Research at the Imperial Palace Museum, chairman of the China Archaeological Society
Du Guang (杜光) — former professor at the Central Party School
Guo Daojun (郭道晖) — former editor-in-chief of China Legal Science
Xiao Mo 萧 默 — former head of the Architecture Research Center of the Chinese National Academy of Arts
Zhuang Puming (庄浦明) — former deputy director of People’s Press
Hu Fuchen (胡甫臣) — former director and editor-in-chief at China Worker’s Publishing House
Zhang Ding (张定) — former director of the China Social Sciences Press at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Yu You (于友) — former editor-in-chief of China Daily
Ouyang Jin (欧阳劲) — former editor-in-chief of Hong Kong’s Pacific Magazine (太平洋杂志)
Yu Haocheng (于浩成) — former director of Masses Publishing House
Zhang Qing (张清) — former director of China Cinema Publishing House
Yu Yueting (俞月亭) — former director of Fujian Television, veteran journalist
Sha Yexin (沙叶新) — former head of the Shanghai People’s Art and Drama Academy, now an independent writer of the Hui ethnic minority
Sun Xupei (孙旭培) — former director of the News Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Xin Ziling (辛子陵) — former director of the editorial desk at China National Defense University
Tie Liu (铁流) — editor-in-chief of Wangshi Weihen (往事微痕) magazine (Scars of the Past).
Legal Counsel：
Song Yue (宋岳) — Chinese citizen, practicing lawyer in the State of New York, U.S.

———

执行宪法第35条，废除预审制，兑现公民的言论出版自由！
――致全国人民代表大会常务委员会的公开信
李锐 胡绩伟 等 10月11日,2010
全国人民代表大会常务委员会：
中华人民共和国1982年宪法第35条载明：“中华人民共和国公民有言论、出版、集会、结社、游行、示威的自由。”这一条文28年不兑现，被党政机关制定的“执行”细则所否定。这种原则承认具体否定的假民主，成为世界民主史上的丑闻。
2003年2月26日，胡锦涛主席上任不久，在中共中央政治局常委與民主黨派人士舉行的民主協商會上，明确地說：
新闻解禁、开放人民舆论阵地，是社会的主流意见和诉求，是正常的，要以立法形式解决。共产党自身不改革，不改造，就会失去生命力，走向自然消亡。
2010年10月3日美国有线电视台CNN播出了访谈节目主持人法瑞德?扎卡利亚对中国总理温家宝的专访。温家宝回答记者提问时说：
言论自由对任何国家都不可或缺；中国宪法赋予民众享有言论自由；人民对民主自由的诉求不可抗拒。
根据宪法和胡锦涛主席、温家宝总理讲话精神，我们仅就兑现言论出版自由之宪法权利方面陈情如下：
关于我国言论出版自由的现状
我堂堂中华人民共和国公民名义上“当家做主”61年，但我们享有的言论出版自由竟不如回归祖国前的香港，即不如殖民地居民。
回归前的香港是英国殖民地，女王政府任命总督管理这个地方，但港英当局给香港居民言论出版自由，不是空头的，纸面上的，是落实的，兑现的。
1949年建国，人民欢呼解放了，当家做主了，毛泽东宣布“中国人民从此站起来了。”但直到今天，建国61年，搞了30年改革开放，我们还没有得到香港人殖民地时代就有的言论出版自由。现在有些参政议政的书籍，要拿到香港出版，这不是回归祖国的福荫，是沿袭殖民时代的旧法。大陆人民的“当家作主”地位实在太窝囊。国家宣称的有中国特色的“社会主义民主”实在太尴尬。
岂止普通公民，连共产党的高级干部都没有言论出版自由。最近李锐遇到一件事情：不久前《周小舟纪念文集》出版，原来收进了李锐1981年在《人民日报》发表的纪念周小舟的一篇文章，但出版的书中没有。周小舟夫人打电话向李锐解释：“北京通知，不能用李锐的文章。”连1981年发表在党报上的旧作也不让收进文集，真是荒唐至极！李锐说：“这算什么样的国家？！我大声疾呼：新闻必须自由！扼杀公民的言论自由是完全违法的！”
岂止高级干部，连国家总理都没有言论出版自由！2010年8月21日温家宝总理在深圳发表题为《只有坚持改革开放，国家才有光明前途》的讲话。谈到“不仅要推进经济体制改革，还要推进政治体制改革。没有政治体制改革的保障，经济体制改革的成果就会得而复失，现代化建设的目标就不可能实现。”新华社21日通稿《开创经济特区的美好明天》，把温家宝讲话中政治体制改革的内容删掉了。
2010年9月22日（美国当地时间）温家宝总理在纽约与美国华文媒体和港澳媒体负责人进行座谈，再次强调了“政治体制改革”的重要性。温说：“关于政治体制改革，我曾经讲过，经济体制改革如果没有政治体制改革的保障，也不会彻底取得成功，甚至已经取得的成果还会得而复失。”温家宝随后在纽约联合国总部出席第65届联合国大会一般性辩论发表题为《认识一个真实的中国》的讲话，其中也谈及了政治体制改革。9月23日（北京时间）晚间，中央电视台《新闻联播》以及新华社通稿报导这些活动时，只报导了温家宝谈及海外华人的处境、海外华文媒体的作用等内容，提及政治体制改革的讲话，都被过滤掉了。
这些事情，如果追究责任，绝对查不到具体人，这是一只看不见的黑手。他们自知理亏违宪，通常以电话通知某人的作品不能发表、某事不能见诸媒体。打电话的官员不留姓名，叮嘱执行者为其保密，但必须执行他的电话指示。这只看不见的黑手就是中宣部。现在是中宣部凌驾于党中央之上，凌驾于国务院之上。试问中宣部有什么权力封锁总理的声音？有什么权力剥夺全国人民对总理讲话的知情权？
我们的核心要求是取消审批制，改行追惩制
把宪法第35条言论出版自由变成可望而不可及的墙上画饼，是经过《出版管理条例》等具体执行细则来完成的。这些执行细则，槪而言之就是深文周纳的审批制。有数不清的清规戒律限制言论出版自由。制定新闻出版法，废除审批制，已成为当务之急。
建议全国人大立即着手制定新闻出版法，废除《出版管理条例》和地方当局管制新闻出版的那些条条框框。落实宪法第35条给予公民言论出版自由，从体制上看就是从党政机关直接控制到媒体相对独立，从“党的喉舌”转变为“社会公器”。因此，新闻出版法的立法基础必须是实行追惩制，而不能再以“加强党的领导”的名义强化审批制。所谓审批制，就是出版物在出版以前须经党政机关的审查，批准了你才能出版，不批准出了就是非法出版物。所谓追惩制，就是出版物不必向党政机关报批，总编辑通过了就开印，出版发行完全自由。出版后如有不良后果和纠纷，政府再介入，根据法律判断是非对错。世界各国新闻出版法制的发展，走的是由审批制向追惩制过渡的道路。无疑，追惩制比起审批制是一个历史性进步，对推动人文科学和自然科学的发展，推动社会和谐历史进步起了伟大的作用。英国早在1695年即废除了预防检查制。1881年法国废除了预防检查制，报纸、刊物出版前的手续仅仅需要一份简单的声明，由报刊领导人签署，邮寄共和国检察院即可。我国目前实行的书报审查制度，比英国落后315年，比法国落后129年。
我们的具体要求
一、取消媒体的主管单位，由主办单位独立负责；真正落实出版单位的社长、总编辑负责制。
二、尊重记者，树立记者 “无冕之王”的社会地位。记者报道群体性事件，揭发官员贪污腐败，是为民请命的神圣事业，应受到保护和支持。立即制止某些地方政府和公安机关随意抓捕记者的违宪行为。追究谢朝平案的幕后操纵者，渭南市委书记梁凤民必须下台，以申党纪，以儆效尤。
三、取消限制媒体跨省进行舆论监察的禁令，保障中国记者在全中国领土上采访报道的权利。
四、互联网是社会信息和公民意见的重要交流平台，除确实涉及国家机密的信息和侵犯公民隐私的言论之外，网络管理部门不能随意删除网帖和跟帖，取消网特，取消“五毛党”，取消对“翻墙”的技术限制。
五、党史无禁区，中国公民有权知道执政党的罪错。
六、允许《南方周末》和《炎黄春秋》改制为民营报刊作为探路试点。报刊民营化是政治改革的方向。历史的教训是：施政者与评议者高度一体化，政府和媒体都姓“党”，自己搭台唱戏，自己鼓掌喝彩，是很难和民意沟通实现正确领导的。从大跃进到文化大革命，大陆所有的报刊杂志、广播电视，从来没有反映过真实的民意。党和国家领导人耳边听不到不同的声音，就既难发现、更难纠正正在发生的全局性的错误。执政党和政府拿纳税人的钱办媒体为自己歌功颂德，这在民主国家是不允许的。
七、允许已经回归中国的香港、澳门的书籍报刊在大陆公开发行。我国加入了WTO，在经济上已经融入世界，企图在文化上闭关锁国，是违背改革开放的既定方针的。港澳文化是送上国门的先进文化，观之于港澳报刊书籍备受群众欢迎而益信。
八、转变各级宣传部门职能，由制定多少个“不准”，转变为保障信息准确、及时、畅通；由帮助贪官污吏压制封锁批评揭露的稿件，转变为支持媒体对党政机关发挥监督作用；由封报刊、撤总编、抓记者，转变为对抗强权，保护媒体和记者。宣传部门在党内、在社会上名声很臭，要做几件好事恢复名誉。在适当的时机，可以考虑宣传部更名，以符合世界潮流。
迫切陈情，敬希亮察。
2010年10月1日

发起人（23人）：
李 锐（前中央组织部常务副部长，中共十二届中央委员，十二、十三届中顾委委员。)
胡绩伟（前《人民日报》社长、总编辑，第六、七届全国人大常委，全国新闻学会联合会会长）
江 平（原政法大学校长、终身教授，七届人大常委、人大法律委员会副主任）
李 普（原新华社副社长）
周绍明（原广州军区政治部副主任）
锺沛璋（原中宣部新闻局局长）
王永成(上海交通大学教授，欧洲科学、艺术与人文研究院通讯院士)
张忠培（故宫博物院研究员，原院长，中国考古学会理事长）
杜 光（原中共中央党校教授）
郭道晖 (原《中国法学》杂志社总编辑)
萧 默（原中国艺术研究院建筑艺术研究所所长）
庄浦明（原人民出版社副社长）
胡甫臣 (原中国工人出版社社长兼总编辑)
张 定（原中国社会科学院社会科学出版社社长）
于 友（原《中国日报》社总编辑）
欧阳劲 (香港《太平洋杂志》总编辑)
于浩成 (原群众出版社社长)
张 清（原中国电影出版社社长）
俞月亭 (原福建电视台台长、高级记者)
沙叶新 (前上海人民艺术剧院院长，现为回族独立作家)
孙旭培（原社会科学院新闻研究所所长）
辛子陵（原国防大学当代中国编辑室主任）
铁 流（民刊《往事微痕》总编辑）
法律顾问：
宋 岳（中国籍公民，美国纽约州执业律师）

References

1. ^{^} Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (en.wikipedia.org)
2. ^{^} China’s Constitution (english.peopledaily.com.cn)
3. ^{^} Cable News Network (CNN) aired an interview with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao(articles.cnn.com)