May 5:
In the second half of this year, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will use two months for a continuous series of live-forces exercises designated "Kuayue 2009" with the participation of four PLA military regions and the Air Force. The four Military Regions participating in the exercises will mobilize 50,000 troops and 60,000 vehicles, weapons and equipment. The Zhongguo Xinwen She reports that the exercises are intended “to promote military training, boost units' ability to conduct combat operations, implement the army’s new Outline for Training, and test the overall effectiveness of bases.”
May 6:
Xi Jinping, China’ Vice President, greeted to more than 1,000 students on the campus of Beijing’s Capital Normal University; even joyfully hugging one and reportedly receiving a warm applause from others. Members of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, are also inspecting universities across the country to assess the “ideological conditions of university students.” According to the Zhongguo Tongxun She the delegations’ will review student’s living conditions and their “mentality and attitude” and were “helping resolve the realistic difficulties currently faced by the students in their life.” The Central Organization Department, Ministry of Education, and other organs have jointly issued the "Opinions on Establishing a Long-Lasting Mechanism for Selection and Appointment of University Graduates as Village Officials." The document states the salaries and future career of university graduate-turned village officials, stressing that "measures should be taken to ensure that [they] are willing to go down to and stay at the grassroots level."
May 7:
China views Vietnam’s $1.8 billion purchase of 6 kilo class submarines from Russia as a direct provocation. “Tension in the South Sea has escalated since the beginning of this year. Some Southeast Asian countries are trying to occupy some of China's island reefs in the South Sea either through legislation or strengthening their armament. If Vietnam takes military measures to confront China on the South Sea issue, this will be unfavorable to Vietnam,” the Zhongguo Tongxun She (ZTS) reports. Vietnam’s is also building 10 Molniya class missile boats with Russian technology, buying 2 Gepard 3.9-class frigates, and has spent $3.8 billion on 17 Russian Su-27 and 4 Su-30 fighter planes with “the capability of air-to-sea combat covering most of Nansha [Spratly] waters.” ZTS was critical of Washington’s role: “After the "9/11" attack, the United States began to try to win over Southeast Asian countries' militaries under the pretext of assisting global antiterrorism war. If China and Vietnam clash in the South Sea, this is something a certain third party would be glad to see. Hopefully, China and Vietnam will not fall into the trap set by a third party.” Moscow also came under fire: “Russia is trying to gain strategic benefit by stepping up arms sales to Southeast Asian countries. Its arms sales to Vietnam possibly have special significance for Russia, because returning to Cam Ranh Bay has been a goal long cherished by Russia.”
May 8:
Beijing dissident Li Jinping has staged a demonstration on Tiananmen Square holding a banner and shouting "Long live Chairman Hu, Right the Wrong for Mr Zhao Ziyang!" Zhao, the now deceased former chairman of the Communist Party of China, was forced to step down after he opposed hardliners’ decision to crackdown in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. Only seconds Li’s arrival, two to three men rushed towards Li, took down his banner, and took him to a waiting police vehicle, as posted on youtube. Li himself was once part of Beijing public security personnel, but was forced out in 2001 because of his political views, Hong Kong’s Apple Daily reports.
May 10:
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has said he is prepared to talk politics with China if reelected to a second term in 2012. In an interview with Singapore’s Chinese-language Lianhe Zaobao published Saturday, Ma also said he would not rule out political talks with Beijing if a need for emergency negotiations occurred. In the interview Ma said he aimed to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Singapore next November. Although Taiwan is a member, China has always opposed the attendance of the self-governing island’s president. He emphasized that Taiwan wanted to become an ASEAN partner in the same fashion as China, Japan and South Korea. Ma denied there was a timetable to sign an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China, but repeated his stance that an agreement was necessary or Taiwan might become marginalized as ASEAN cuttrade tariffs with China, Japan and South Korea beginning next year.