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Caixin: Li Ka-shing Responds to Commentaries on Divesting His Interests in China

On Tuesday, Hong Kong property tycoon Li Ka-shing responded publicly to those who expressed the viewpoint that he is moving his money out of China. Li said that there was no truth to these reports. He affirmed his confidence that the central government is committed to deepening reform and openness and that the mindset during the Cultural Revolution years will not revive. 

On Sept. 12, the Liaowang Institute, which is linked to the official news agency Xinhua, published an editorial, "Don’t Let Li Ka-shing Make an Exit," which expressed great displeasure over Li’s moving his money out of China. The article reminded Li that his huge wealth, as head of the Hutchison Whampoa conglomerate, had come from his connections to powerful Chinese officials, not from a level playing field in a market economy. It went on to lecture Li that "as someone who had reaped profits, [you are] not in a position to simply walk away." 

A statement that Li’s Cheung Kong Property Holdings Limited and CK Hutchison Holdings Limited released said, "Li understands that broader freedom of expression gives a voice to everyone, regrettably, even [to those who make] false accusations." The statement continued, "We did not respond earlier as the flurry of reports came at a time when President Xi Jinping was heading to the United States for a state visit. We did not want to take the spotlight off of that." 

In response to the "withdrawal" reports, the statement said, "In the past 10 years, over 70 percent of the companies listed in Hong Kong, including Chinese mainland state-owned enterprises, have chosen to register using BVI vehicles. The reason for companies to choose this method is for greater flexibility." 

The statement denied that there was any change in Li’s relationship with China’s leadership and added, "We are confident that the central government is committed to improving governance and to continuing on a path of economic reform. We do not think the mindset during the years of the Cultural Revolution will revive. Individual viewpoints in the Chinese media are not in line with China’s overall direction. Mr. Li greatly admires President Xi’s steady leadership."

Source: Caixin, September 29, 2015
http://companies.caixin.com/2015-09-29/100859580.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

VOA: Chinese Petitioners Stopped Xi’s Motorcade Outside Department of State

On September 25, 2015, petitioners from Beijing, Shanghai, and two central provinces, Hunan and Hubei, among other regions of China, briefly stopped Xi Jinping’s motorcade when Xi and his wife were heading toward the Department of State for lunch during Xi’s state visit to Washington. 

At around 1:10 p.m., Xi’s motorcade was passing through the intersection of 18th St NW and E St NW. Several Chinese petitioners rushed toward and stopped two stretch Cadillacs. It was reported that Ms. Li Huanjun, from Beijing and Ms. Ge Lifang, from Shanghai, stopped the second Cadillac. From within, Xi looked squarely into the eyes of one of the petitioners for several seconds. The police rushed over and took the petitioners off the street and released them. Then Xi’s motorcade proceeded toward the State Department. Later, Xi sent someone from his entourage to chat with the petitioners and to take their complaint letters. 
Source: Voice of America, September 25, 2015 
http://www.voachinese.com/content/xijinping-china-human-rights-20150925/2980160.html
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

VOA: Beijing Grants New York Times’ Chris Buckley a Journalist Visa

After three long years, the New York Times correspondent Chris Buckley was granted a journalist visa prior to Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States. Buckley was pleased with the result after the long wait, and expressed his appreciation to friends, colleagues and family. 

Buckley was forced to leave China on the last day of 2012 after China’s Foreign Ministry denied his application for the renewal of his journalist visa. Overseas media widely held that China’s denial of Buckey’s visa application was related to the fact that, in 2012, the New York Times published the results of an investigation into the family wealth of former premier Wen Jiabao. The Chinese government also blocked the websites of both the Chinese and the English editions of the newspaper. 
During a joint press conference with President Obama last November, Xi Jinping at first appeared to dodge the question of Beijing’s withholding residence visas for U.S. journalists. Toward the end, he stated that the foreign media had to abide by Chinese laws. "When a car breaks down on the road," Xi went on to say, "perhaps we need to get out of the car and see where the problem lies. The Chinese say, ‘Let he who tied the bell on the tiger take it off’." 
Analysts held that granting Buckley a journalist visa would avoid the same question being raised again in the press conference to be held during Xi’s upcoming visit to Washington. 
In Beijing, days before his trip to the U.S., Xi also met with Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of News Corp. Xi assured Murdoch that China will remain open to the world’s media. During the meeting on September 18, Xi said, "[We] welcome foreign media and correspondents to cover China stories, introduce China’s development to the world, and help the world grasp the opportunities [afforded by] China’s development." 
Still, websites of the Wall Street Journal, which Murdoch owns, and of Voice of America remain blocked in China. The public has to install software applications that circumvent Beijing’s Internet censorship to visit these sites. 
Source: Voice of America, September 22, 2015 
http://www.voachinese.com/content/voa-news-beijing-chris-buckley-20150922/2973587.html
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Does China Pose a Threat to the World?

With China’s President Xi Jinping’s visit to the U.S., many Americans have been discussing whether China poses a threat to the world. They have the right to be concerned. China’s recent acts include island-building activities in the South China Sea and an Admiral’s declaration that the South China Sea “belongs to China,” widespread, non-stop cyber intrusions, a recent military parade that showcased missiles with English writing on them such as “carrier killer” and “Guam killer,” warships sailing into U.S. waters, and the arrest of over 200 human rights lawyers and activists inside China. In addition, China’s slow economy has impacted the world’s stock market, China devalued its currency, and many U.S. critics have commented on China’s stock market intervention.

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Perspectives | | |   Opinion

PLA Strategist: The U.S. Uses Its Dollar to Dominate the World

[Editor’s Note: In April, Qiao Liang, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Major-General, gave a speech at a book study forum of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Central Committee and government office. Qiao is the PLA strategist who co-authored the book, “Unrestricted War.”

In his speech, Qiao explained that he has been studying finance theories and concluded that the U.S. enforces the dollar as the global currency to preserve its hegemony over the world. The U.S. will try everything, including war, to maintain the dollar’s dominance in global trading. He also discussed China’s strategy, to rise as a super power, amid the U.S.’s containment.

The following are excerpts from his speech.] [1]

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Reports | | |   Report

Xinhua Questions U.S. Cooperation in China’s Anti-Graft Campaign

In response to the New York Times report on August 16 that the Obama administration ordered the Chinese law enforcement personnel who are in the country for the "Fox Hunt" operation to return home immediately, Xinhua News Agency published an op-ed questioning whether the U.S. is siding with the corrupt officials that Beijing is seeking. 

Xinhua cited the 1997 China-US Joint Statement which led to the establishment of a joint liaison group for law enforcement cooperation, composed of representatives of the relevant agencies from both governments. Under this mechanism, a former Bank of China manager, Yu Zhendong, involved in embezzling and money laundering nearly US$500 million was extradited from the U.S. back to China in 2004. 
Xinhua‘s op-ed added that in April 2015, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson met Chinese Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun in Beijing and they agreed to strengthen cooperation on law enforcement.
Xinhua‘s op-ed concluded, "While we do not expect the U.S.to go out of its way to help, we will not agree to any man-made barriers set up to impede anti-corruption cooperation. 
Source: xinhuanet.com, August 17, 2015 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-08/17/c_128136845.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Tear Down This Wall!

The New York Times reported on July 31 that the U.S. has decided to retaliate against China for the theft of 20 million American’s personal data from the Office of Personnel Management. One option under consideration is breaching China’s Great Firewall, the government imposed network of Internet censorship designed to control the information available to people inside China.

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Perspectives | | |   Opinion

Global Times: U.S. Cyber Retaliation Would Trigger a Tit-for-Tat Conflict

The Global Times published an editorial in response to a New York Times report that the Obama administration is planning to "retaliate against China for the theft of the personal information of more than 20 million Americans from the database of the Office of Personal Management." 

In the editorial, the Global Times highlighted one of the most innovative responses, per the New York Times, which is to find a way to breach China’s Great Firewall. It also quoted an anonymous White House official who said that Washington needs "a full range of tools to tailor a response." 
Global Times argued that hacking attacks are usually elusive and hard to trace. Those which were seemingly launched in China might actually have come from another country. Therefore, the White House must take full responsibility if it takes so-called countermeasures against China based on ill-considered and ill-founded assumptions. 
The Great Firewall is a State-sponsored Internet management system. If U.S. cyber forces launch blatant attacks against it, the consequences will be serious. Unlike sneaky hacking, these attacks will be treated as a U.S. invasion of China. 
The editorial gave further warnings that, without question, if U.S. cyber forces took the first step, their Chinese counterpart would not stand aside and do nothing. There would be a tit-for-tat cyber conflict. 
Citing the New York Times article, Global Times was quick to point out U.S. "hypocrisy": U.S. intelligence officials say that the U.S. has placed "thousands of implants in Chinese computer networks to warn of impending attacks." Thus, it seems that it is the U.S. that keeps posing threats to Chinese cyberspace. 
Sources: Global Times, August 3, 2015 
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/935302.shtml 
NY Times, August 1, 2015 
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/01/world/asia/us-decides-to-retaliate-against-chinas-hacking.html?_r=0
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations