July 20,
2015

ISSUE
No. 51

AMS Weekly Newsletter
Supporting the development of the future stewards of U.S.-China relations
找工作吗?
This week we highlight two fantastic job opportunities for China policy hands. Check them out at the end of this newsletter. Make sure to mention AMS in your applications!

Weekly Readings

Evaluating Chinese policy accomplishments may be one of the toughest challenges, because, while policy is announced with great fanfare, the execution often goes unremarked. For all the fanfare and public symbolism Xi Jinping has been able to generate, his ability to execute may not correspond, as one Taiwanese analysis suggests. Two articles on Internet policy also offer contradicting views of how well policy has been executed. Clearly, some goals, lik e true name registration, have not achieved universal coverage.


Finally, thank you to Anna J., who noticed that we left out the economic track outcomes from the S&ED in our last newsletter. The impressive list can be found here:
Social Media Watch

Sina has subdued much of the Weibo discussion about the crackdown on rights defense (维权) lawyers since mass detentions began last week. The filtering is not across the board, though. "Rights defense lawyer" (维权律师) is blocked from search results, but not "rights defense" and "lawyer" as separate search terms. 
Users continue to post about the detentions. The media account "Breaking News" (@头条新闻) elicited hundreds of comments about the "inside plot" of the "ri
ghts defense clique," both in favor and against the Ministry of Public Security's sweep, though distinguishing users who genuinely support the crackdown from "fifty cent party" (五毛党) users is impossible. Read the comment thread here:   http://weibo.com/1618051664/CqLa4At9L

俗语 in Xi Jinping's  Speeches

 

束手无策
shù shǒu wú cè 

Meaning: to have one's hands tied and be at a loss of what to do

 

Xi Jinping gave a speech on July 19 in Changchun on the topic of the economic situation in the Northeast. Clearly all is not well there, and this speech stressed that revitalization of the Northeast is critical; in the face of hardship and challenges one cannot sit with one's hands tied at a loss of what to do.

 

Original: 

习近平强调,事物发展总是与各种矛盾相伴相生。目前东北地区发展遇到新的困难和挑战,这其中有全国"三期叠加"等共性方面的原因,也有东北地区产业结构、体制机制等个性方面的原因。有矛盾有风险本身并不可怕,关键要有化解矛盾和排除风险的决心和办法,不能在困难和挑战面前束手无策、无所作为。千难万难,只要重视就不难;大路小路,只有行动才有出路。要深入研究在注重质量和效益前提下保持经济稳定增长的举措和办法,多从内因着眼、着手、着力,找准症结就有的放矢、对症下药。

Source:http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2015-07/19/c_1115970683.htm


Documentary of the Week

Last week, former Politburo member Wan Li passed away. He served at the highest levels of government, including as vice premier, a member of the secretariet, and president of the National People's Congress. Wan was one of the party's more liberal members, helping spread the household responsibility system and curtail the anti-spiritual pollution campaign. During the turmoil of Spring 1989, Wan visited the United States and was diverted to Shanghai on his r eturn to keep him out of the martial law deliberations. This week's video covers Wan Li's career in Anhui province under Zhao Ziyang in the late 1970s and early 1980s as Reform and Opening became the policy of the land.
Jobs of the Week

Two GREAT job opportunities:

The Conference Board, Beijing
This is a great position that will place you at the heart of policy analysis in Beijing. The Conference Board does excellent work and you would be joining a very strong team.

The Brookings Institution, Washington D.C.
Details are on the website and applicants should be native English speakers. This is a fascinating position for the right person...

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