July 25:
China has tightened Internet controls for the Olympic Games by ordering Chinese websites to censor sensitive content, Interfax reports. The Chinese government had promised to give greater freedom to its media in the run-up to the Olympics. Though many foreign websites have been unblocked, Chinese-language sites have come under greater scrutiny with several Chinese departments overseeing the effort. Earlier this month, some online communities, including bbs.hangzhou.com.cn, youcha.net and actcn.net, posted announcements saying that any "unhealthy" comments that could harm the Olympics would be blocked, and offenders’ IP addresses will be given to the Public Security Bureau.
Shahe99.com, a Guangzhou-based online community, announced on July 3rd that it will not permit the discussion of political news during the Olympics. Sohoxiaobao.com, a popular blog site, announced on July 18th that it was temporarily shut down because bloggers posted sensitive articles in their blogs. "We hope bloggers will avoid sensitive topics so as to protect Sohoxiaobao, especially during the Olympics," the company said in an announcement.
July 26:
During a meeting between the management of the China National Nuclear Corporation and a Russian delegation lead by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, the Chinese side confirmed its interest in purchasing a fast neutron reactor from Russia, a Russian source close to negotiations has told the Interfax News Agency. "It is not the first time that China brings up this issue," the source said. "The parties have still not reached an agreement because the Chinese partners have offered too low a price," he said. The talks took place in Beijing at the first session of the Russian-Chinese energy cooperation consultations.
July 28:
China's first large-scale off-grid wind power project located on a 24,000-square kilometer sandbank is due to begin trial tests next year, three years earlier than previously planned, an official told the Interfax News Agency. Rather than feed into the national power grid, the power generated by the project will be channeled directly to local industrial consumers mostly in the seawater desalination and metal smelting sectors. The project is the first of seven such wind farms China is building near its coastal areas; the projects due to come online by 2010 with a combined installed capacity of 1,500 megawatts.
July 29:
Taiwan’s defense ministry will continue to push for the sale of a defensive arms deal Washington proffered in 2001. The package – which includes diesel submarines, anti-tank missiles, Apache helicopters, Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile batteries, diesel-powered submarines, P3C anti-submarine aircraft and sea-launched Harpoon missiles – is being held up by the Bush administration, Taipei’s China Post reports. Admiral Timothy Keating, commander of the U.S. Pacific command, said the U.S. has temporarily frozen arms sales to the self-governing island for two main reasons: the recent thaw in cross-strait relations and the sales’ potential negative implications for U.S.-China relations. Taiwan’s Beijing-leaning news outlet Ta Kung Pao pointed out inconsistencies in U.S. policy: “The second reason given by Keating is in violation of President Reagan's second guarantee to Taiwan; [i.e.] the United States will not consult with China in advance regarding arms sales to Taiwan,” said an editorial in the Hong Kong-based newspaper.
July 30:
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Thai Special Forces 5th Corps have completed 20 days of joint anti-terrorism training exercises in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The "Strike-2008" joint training was significant in that it was the first time the People's Liberation Army has sent soldiers to train on a foreign military base, the official People’s Daily reports. Chinese and Thai troops trained together for the first time last July, when they carried out "Strike-2007" in Conghua District, Guangdong Province.