BEIJING (June 10): A Chinese Public Servants’ complaint about her job in a remote area of the Gobi Desert has sparked a debate in the country over public duty and individual freedom.
The female Wuhan University literature graduate, identified only as ‘Gu’, has generated some sympathy along with fierce criticisms of her “arrogance” and “disrespect”.
Ms Gu shared her thoughts about her posting in Jiayuguan in Gansu Province on the social media platform of Wuhan University, where she had studied German literature to Master’s Degree level.
In the now-deleted post, Ms Gu complained about feeling trapped in the industrial city, dominated by iron and steel works, and worried that she had “sold her freedom and soul”.
She said she accepted the job last year despite having other offers because she was being pressured by her parents who felt it offered the best chance of job security.
Ms Gu was recruited via a program, where students are selected from elite universities to work in twin Government and Community Party roles, assigning them to grass-roots positions as part of training for cadres who will eventually go on to higher level jobs.
In the article, Ms Gu, who is from Lanzhou, also in Gansu Province, wrote that she was hoping to be assigned a position in her home city, and was surprised when she was given a position in a small city about 800 kilometres away.
She said Jiayuguan (pictured) had a harsh environment with dust and howling wind and she was required to work “endless hours of overtime”.
Her article went viral in late May, by which time she had already resigned her position.
Many criticised the graduate for being selfish, saying Public Servants should be dedicated to the country, but others expressed sympathy and said she was just expressing her personal feelings.
It also highlights a dilemma for many young Chinese people who face pressure from their families to try to secure a Government job, which is seen as offering stability and respectability.
This has only intensified in recent years as the Chinese economy faltered in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic following decades of rapid growth.
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UK Institute warns of ‘collapsing services’
LONDON (June 8): The Institute for Government (IFG) has warned that the next United Kingdom Government will have to deal with a “long and painful list of problems”, including a fragile Civil Service and public services on the brink of collapse.
In a new report, the IFG says under-performing public services, battered public finances, a strained Civil Service, and tensions within the country "will dominate and define the first years of the next Government, if not the entire Parliament".
The paper warns that, to provide a credible vision for the country, parties must set out a plan to address these “state of the State” challenges which, for the winner, will be waiting for them on their desks from day one.
Deputy Director of the IFG, Emma Norris said many of the problems would require immediate attention “almost all, from stagnant growth to a fragile Civil Service, will require serious reform over the next Parliament and beyond”.
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Mexico Mayor dies in deadly ambush
MEXICO CITY (June 4); The female Mayor of a town in Mexico has been gunned down just hours after the country marked the election of former Mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum as the nation's first woman President.
Yolanda Sánchez was ambushed by gunmen in the town centre of Cotija, where she served as Mayor since September 2021.
Local media say she was shot 19 times and died in hospital shortly after the attack. Her bodyguard was also killed in the gun battle. No arrests have been made so far.
Ms Sánchez had reported receiving death threats shortly after taking office. She was held for three days by armed men who had seized her at gunpoint during a visit to the neighbouring State of Jalisco in 2023.
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Ministry suspends Chinese miner
BANGUI (June 11): The Central African Republic’s Ministry of Mines has suspended the activities of a Chinese mining company, accusing it of cooperating with armed militias.
In a statement, the Ministry said Daqing SARL, a Chinese gold and diamond mining company, had "intelligence with armed groups, mined illegally, introduced foreign subjects into mining areas without permission, failed to pay taxes, and failed to file activity reports".
The company operated in Mingala, a town in the southern Central African Republic plagued by fighting between the country's armed forces and the Coalition of Patriots for Change, an anti-government armed group.
The country has been in conflict since 2013 when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced President François Bozize from office. Predominantly Christian militias fought back.
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Agency opposing gender violence closed
BUENOS AIRES (June 10): The Argentine Government has announced it will shut down a Government Agency dedicated to halting gender violence.
Media reports stated that the head of the Under-Secretariat for Protection Against Gender Violence, Claudia Barcia was informed in a WhatsApp message that her Agency, which oversees an emergency telephone hotline and programs assisting those at risk of gender violence, would be shut with immediate effect.
The reports stated that Ms Barcia immediately tended her resignation.
Last month, oversight of the Agency was transferred from the Human Capital Ministry to the Justice Ministry.
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Agencies told to ‘address redundant tasks’
PHNOM PENH (June 4): Cambodia’s Minister of Civil Service, Hun Many has called for a review of the structure and function of Ministries, institutions, and sub-national administrations in order to address redundant tasks and responsibilities.
Mr Many, who is also a Deputy Prime Minister, said his Ministry had established three steps towards the reform of public administration.
“First there will be major changes in the Civil Service recruitment system; second an emphasis on capacity building and achievement for institutions to increase the quality of jobs, and third the adoption of incentives to encourage success in public administration,” Mr Many said.
He said his Ministry has instructed all Agencies to review their structures and to analyse their duties and functions, to be completed by the third quarter of the year.
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Code sets out core values for bureaucrats
HONG KONG (June 8): Hong Kong’s Civil Service Bureau has issued a circular announcing a revised Civil Service Code, spelling out the constitutional roles and responsibilities of bureaucrats and the core values and standards of conduct that they should uphold.
The Code contains 12 core values, including upholding the constitutional order and national security, being people-oriented, having a passion for public service, a commitment to the rule of law, political neutrality, and professionalism, among others.
All Civil Servants and other Government employees, including Non-Civil Service contract staff, post-retirement Civil Service contract staff, and staff appointed on other non-Civil Service terms, must observe the code which takes effect immediately.
Secretary for the Civil Service, Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said the Government was committed to enhancing Civil Servants' awareness of national security and establishing a set of shared values and standards of conduct for the Civil Service.
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City plays Cupid as birth rate plunges
TOKYO (June 7): Tokyo’s city administration is launching its own dating app in an effort to counter the plunging birth rate in Japan’s capital.
A Tokyo official in charge of the app said users would be required to submit documentation proving they were legally single and must sign a letter stating they were willing to get married.
Stating one's income is common on Japanese dating apps, but the Tokyo Government app will require a tax certificate slip to prove annual salary.
"We learned that 70 per cent of people who want to get married aren't actively joining events or apps to look for a partner, so we want to give them a gentle push to find one," the official said.
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Biden names new political affairs specialist
WASHINGTON (June 6): United State President, Joe Biden has nominated Julianne Smith to serve as Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the State Department’s fourth-ranking job, and one of the most important, given the fraught state of politics worldwide.
Ms Smith is currently US Ambassador to NATO and while stay in that job while she goes through the confirmation process.
Prior to that, she was a Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State at the Department of State and has served as Director of the Asia and Geopolitics Programs at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
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