Dec. 15,
2015

ISSUE
No. 65

AMS Weekly Newsletter
Supporting the development of the future stewards of U.S.-China relations
Happy Holidays!
This will  probably  be our last newsletter for 2015, as people settle into vacation mode. We have big plans for the new year including a brand new website and some exciting new products and programs. Stay tuned! 
Holiday Reading and Gifting

This week's reading suggestions are our ideas for holiday reading or gifting from this year's 丰收 of China books. We also suggest a couple of spy thrillers by veteran BBC journalist Adam Brookes* for their excellent China motifs and reminders that China's relevant history did not begin in 2012, 1989, or even 1979.






For fun:

(*full disclosure: Adam Brookes is the spouse of one of our board members)
俗语 in Xi Jinping's  Speeches
 

补钙壮骨
bǔ gài zhuàng gǔ

Meaning: strengthen the bones with  calcium 

This is not a 成语, but is all we could find this week in Xi's speeches. Xi gave a speech to the Party Schools where he described their role as "providing the calcium to strengthen the bones" of Party officials.

Original:  党校承担着为领导干部补钙壮骨、立根固本的重要任务,必须坚持党校姓党这个党校工作根本原则,更加重视干部教育培训工作,切实做好新形势下党校工作。

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2015-12/12/c_1117441107.htm
Documentary of the Week

Following up on last issue's readings, this week's video is a news broadcast on the reforms announced at the Central Military Commission work conference on military reform. As one long-time observer noted, these reforms could be the most significant changes to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) since the 1950s. The far-ranging nature of the reforms coupled with the fact that a stray PLA Daily article appeared suggesting some reforms endanger social stability makes  this a subject to watch even if the PLA is not part of your day job.

Job of the Week

Our good friends at the 100K Strong Foundation are looking for a Spring Research Assistant. Great colleagues and interesting work! Details in the link above.
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