August 2,
2014
ISSUE
No. 18
AMS Weekly Newsletter
Supporting the development of the future stewards of U.S.-China relations
Upcoming Film Festival in DC

 

Heads up for a great event coming your way in DC: the DC Chinese Film Festival from September 4-7. Tons of cool new movies will be shown across town. More details in future newsletter issues...

 

Weekly Readings
 
This week's readings focus on Hong Kong and its future relationship with Beijing. The English-language readings from a PhD student in Hong Kong focus on Beijing's recent efforts to assert control and the options it has in dealing with Hong Kong. The Chinese-language readings focus on the proper relationship between the mainland and the territory. The first piece, especially, illustrates the number of potential avenues that Beijing has to influence the course of events in Hong Kong. However, it may be that the harder Beijing tries to bring Hong Kong to heel, the more resistance may emerge.





Weibo Watch
 
Speculation that Zhou Yongkang, former security czar and Politburo Standing Committee member, has been under investigation for corruption charges have swirled around the media and the Internet since last August. This week, the central authorities formally announced that Zhou will be the subject of a graft probe. Zhou is the highest ranking CCP official to undergo investigation since the Gang of Four was tried in 1980.

Zhou's name and coy nicknames invented by Chinese netizens have been blocked on Weibo before, but search terms like "Master Kang" (康师傅) are not currently blocked. Master Kang is a popular instant noodle brand sharing a character in common with Zhou's first name. "Master Kang was clearly overconfident about the power he held," writes 刘胜军改革. "He completely forgot the limits of power." Link here.

俗语 in Xi Jinping's speeches

风风雨雨

fēng fēng yǔ yǔ

 

Translation: literally means endless wind and rain, but refers to facing many obstacles 


说明:

 This was used by Xi in his speech at the S&ED and CPE in early July. The original language below is useful for those of you who find yourselves in conversations about U.S.-China relations.

 


 原文：35年来，中美关系虽然历经风风雨雨，但总体是向前的，得到了历史性发展。两国建立了90多个政府间对话机制。双边贸易额增长了200多倍，去年达到5200多亿美元。双向投资存量已经超过1000亿美元。两国建立了41对友好省州和202对友好城市。两国人员往来每年超过400万人次。中美合作不仅造福中美两国人民，而且促进了亚太地区和世界和平、稳定、繁荣。


Documentary of the Week
 
With Zhou Yongkang's investigation officially announced, anti-corruption is once-again in the headlines with less cynicism that the "tigers" can go untouched. This week's documentary examines Hong Kong's approach to countering corruption with an eye toward lessons for the Mainland. The story of Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption could hardly be different than the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, but thinking through the comparison offers some insight into relations between the Special Administrative Region and the rest of the People's Republic.
廉署初创秘闻（一）
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