Press Interpreter

10/12/06 -- Q: State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan visited the United States yesterday. What was the purpose of this visit? What important officials accompanied him on the visit?

A: State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan acted as Chairman Hu Jintao’s special representative yesterday afternoon opening Beijing’s engaging in making visits to the U.S. and Russia. His important responsibility for this visit was to exchange opinions with the U.S. and Russia regarding current situation on the Korean Peninsula. Important people accompanying him included Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, Deputy Chief of Mission He Yafei, and some other high level State Department officials.

10/04/06 -- Tehran -- According an Iranian National Television Station report, the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued an order yesterday requiring related agencies to open the gates of Iran’s nuclear facilities, allowing foreign tourists to visit.

01/18/05 -- I am rarely amused by the jokes or video clips that friends email me, but not long ago I could not help but smile at a clip of a Swedish commercial I received. In the commercial a young father is strolling through a supermarket with his son. Suddenly the child is attracted by some chocolate on a store shelf. Tugging on his father's sleeve, he says, "Dad, can I have some chocolate?" "Not now! It's almost dinnertime." Hearing this, the little fellow wrinkles his eyebrows. "But I want some! I want some!" His yawping grows louder and louder. He lies down on the ground crying and making a scene. The crowd of onlookers grows. The young father is completely embarrassed. He looks as if he wishes he could find a crevice to hide in. The camera turns away and the following message appears: "Please use condoms."

12/10/05 -- Based on information from both inside and outside the country, we have reason to believe with certainty that on December 6, 2005 the government in Shanwei, Guangdong Province, dispatched armed police to suppress the rights of villagers in Dongzhou who were legally protesting. The police proceeded to open fire on the villagers, resulting in death and injury of many present. This is the first large-scale occurrence since the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre of the Chinese government authorizing the use of arms against civilians. There are many photographs circulating on the internet showing the relatives of those who died in front of armed police, kneeling and burning incense—pleading to be allowed to claim the dead bodies. Below is an excerpt from an article published on December 7th by the Lutou News Agency.

12/08/05 -- Mr. Liu, a villager of Dongzhou (Guangdong province) told this station that there are still villagers missing two evenings after the bloody conflict there. They have not returned and neighbors fear the worst. He said, “It’s already been several days and they haven’t returned. At around 9:00 in the evening, I heard that a villager had been shot, and that his brother ran out to find him, but up until now neither have returned. He has a wife and an eleven year-old child at home.�

12/09/05 -- Goldman Sachs released a report yesterday on China's luxury goods market. It stated that excluding private aircraft and yachts, China's purchase of luxury goods reached 6 billion USD, bringing its share in the global luxury goods market to 12%, but only about 2% of this amount comes from domestic purchases, with Chinese tourists' purchases abroad comprising about 10%. Goldman Sachs predicts that by 2015, China will be first in world consumption of luxury goods.

11/20/05 -- On November 20th in Beijing, China Foreign Affairs Bureau, News Department Head, Kong Quan, held an advance conference with foreign and Chinese media regarding President Bush’s visit to China. He indicated that this visit from President Bush occurred against the background of full-scale developments in Sino-American relations and that the visit yielded important successes.

10/26/05 -- For many years, urban residents have had to purchase "mortgage insurance" along with their mortgages. Yesterday, the Jiangsu Provincial Industrial and Commerical Bank announced that accepted mortgaged items for personal loans could now be chosen, meaning that previously compulsory "mortgage insurance" was no longer required for personal loans. Due to the phasing out of that type of insurance by insurance companies, home loan insurance will soon become a thing of the past.

08/13/05 -- The Third Annual World Chinese-Language Media Forum will meet between September 21-30 of this year in Hubei Province's Wuhan. The conference's theme this year is "Globalization's 'China Fever' in Overseas Chinese Media" and estimates that more than 300 representatives of over 200 foreign media organizations will participate. Communist Party Channel* officials will also attend, delivering a presentation on current Taiwan Strait relations.

08/11/05 -- Whether or not the three major Arms Procurement Bill items will pass the legislature tests whether Taiwan has the self-defense capability for arms discussions, or if the two opposition parties' are still in decline. After the "Chen-Song meeting," because both produced feelings of suspicious "sincerity," both Chen Shuibian and Song Chuyu merely wanted to look forward to the arms procurement bill. Moreover, Mayor Ma, who previously criticized China's "Anti-Secession Law," and the nativist poser Wang Jinping, cannot fumble around and create an army over night but should bravely straighten their backs and cooperate in helping the Arms Procurement Bill pass.

05/16/05 -- Since the beginning of May, wave after wave of parents have come to enroll their students in prominent private schools. At the same time, a national debate has been launched since a report in the Jiaodian Fangtan pointed out that certain schools requiring high tuitions are in violation of the Mandatory Education law. The debate concerning the legality of such schools has once again arisen in Guangzhou.

A common citizen sent a letter to this newspaper yesterday expressing heartfelt words*

04/22/05 -- Jiefang Daily Editorial Office: I am a common citizen living on Loushanguan road, and a loyal reader of your newspaper. I am writing today because I wish to tell you editors a few heartfelt words.

04/06/05 -- Central News Agency**, Hong Kong: Anti-Japanese protests have sprung up in many cities across China. The disturbance in the street has already become a diplomatic issue between the two countries and will be further complicated by the upcoming anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Incident [on June 4]. The Hong Kong news agency, Mingpao, reported that Beijing was unsettled by the emotional tide of anti-Japanese sentiment that is sweeping China. The authorities fear that if they lose control of this movement, then the protestors could use the mass demonstrations as a platform to oppose the government and address other serious social problems.

04/10/05--Mingpao News Special Report: A fire of anti-Japanese sentiment was ignited yesterday in Beijing. Several tens of thousands of residents walked twenty kilometers in six hours as part of a mass demonstration that ended at the Japanese embassy. The demonstrators were protesting the changes in Japanese history books and the Japanese occupation of the Diaoyu Islands. They called for a boycott of Japanese goods and demanded a complete end to Japan’s ambition of becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The angry mob burnt and tore Japanese flags, and threw rocks, water bottles and eggs at the Japanese embassy, shattering the glass of the reception room. Up until the evening the crowd had not yet dispersed entirely.

They claim this will strike fear into criminals; expert in Shenzhen calls it regional discrimination

03/31/05 -- Several days ago, the police in Longgang, Shenzhen, hung large banners across Yifeng Road in their precinct. The banners read, "Resolutely strike at the Henanese racketeering gang" and "500 yuan reward for anyone who informs on or breaks a case against the Henanese racketeering gang." This action touched off a minor debate within society. Some people wondered whether this method of attacking criminals showed regional discrimination, but the police said that this action would have a deterrent effect against criminals.

03/24/05 -- Recently my article regarding the new ambiguity doctrine regarding Taiwan's status and the Anti-Secession Law received comments from legislator Lin Zhuoshui, from which I have benefited greatly. Our differences actually are not that deep, but I would still like to further clarify a few points.

03/15/05 -- Article I. In order to oppose and mitigate the divisive influence of the "Taiwanese Independence Movement**;" in order to promote stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait region; in order to protect the nation's rights and the integrity of its territory; in order to secure the welfare of the Chinese people, we establish this law in accordance with the constitution.