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All posts by Hongqi Li

Wang Yi Said any Issues between China and the U.S. Can Be Discussed, including Taiwan

China Review News Agency published a “Quick Commentary” in which it stated that, on the 7th, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a video exchange with a delegation from the US-China Business Council’s Board of Directors. He put forth five suggestions on promoting the healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations, including opening up dialogues at all levels and strengthening communication. He expressed that any question can be raised at the negotiation table, including strategic, overall, and long-term issues. Discussions could also start on specific issues to seek breakthroughs and solutions.

He pointed out that the new US government will come to power on the 20th of next month. Therefore, this is an opportunity for China and the United States to reverse or ease the tense relations from the past three years. In addition to Wang Yi, Cui Tiankai, the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, and Fu Ying, the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, also recently sent out messages to promote talks, calling for the promotion of Sino-US relations to be put back on track.

Wang Yi pointed out that any issue between China and the United States can be brought to the table for discussion. His attitude seemed quite proactive and open, showing that the Chinese side is confident and determined. He pointed out that any issue could be discussed, including Taiwan and that, in recent years, the Trump administration has frequently played the “Taiwan card.” As part of the U.S. policy to contain China and decouple from China, the Taiwan Strait is most likely to become a tipping point for China and the United States, and communication and control are urgently needed.

Many people expect that the new US government will not easily let go of the “Taiwan card,” but they do not rule out the gradual adjustment of policies under pressure from China. In the past, between 2005 and 2008, in the late Bush administration, China and the United States once formed a situation of joint control and containment of “Taiwan independence.” Now, China has more strength and determination to crack down on any external intervention and crack down on the separatist activities of those who favor “Taiwan independence.”

China’s side has taken the initiative to send out messages and appeals to promote talks, and it is also preparing for the opening of dialogues at all levels between China and the United States. Biden’s victory did bring a turning point for returning Sino-US relations to the right track and a resumption of dialogue between the two sides can be expected. Enhancing communication will make it possible for both sides to manage differences and to expand the convergence of interests effectively, which will be beneficial to the stability of the situation across the Taiwan Strait. [Editor’s note: This report, which was on a number of major Chinese media websites on Dec. 8, 2020, shows how confident Wang Yi is on Biden’s victory and on the Biden administration’s cooperation. This report can be no longer be found online but has been archived.

Source: http://news.stnn.cc/hk_taiwan/2020/1208/810846.shtml

The Communist Regime Started Enforcing Stringent Restrictions on Online Contents

On March 1, 2020, China started to implement officially the “Regulations on the Ecological Governance of Internet Information Content” (“Regulation”) that the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) issued on December 15, 2019. The Regulation has 8 chapters and 42 articles.

Radio France International published an article commenting that the Regulation was intended to monitor closely and fundamentally eliminate information detrimental to the authorities. It tried to control the information creation and publishing chain, including “creation, copying, and publishing.” It also bound the Information producer, the network information service platform, and the information consumer together to make them mutually monitor each other.

The strict regulation encouraged online information producers to produce, copy, and distribute contents that promote Xi Jinping Thoughts, publicize the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) s policies, promote socialist values, and help increase the international influence of CCP culture. To a certain extent, it tried to make the content producers undertake the work of promoting the CCP’s policies and propaganda.

Information inconsistent with the party’s guidelines and policies will be controlled, removed, and even “sanctioned according to the law.” For example, Article Six states: Producers of network content may not create, copy, or publish illegal information containing content that “endangers national security, leaks state secrets, subverts state power, undermines national unity,” “damages national honor and interests,’ “vilifies heroes,” or “spreads rumors.”

[Editor’s note: The Regulation was possibly a response to Xi Jinping’s instructions given on September 16, 2019, during National Cyber Security Awareness Week. Xi emphasized the importance of security and control and called for enhancing people’s happiness and security in cyberspace.]

Sources:
1. CAC website, September 16, 2019
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2019-09/16/c_1570162524717095.htm
2. CAC website, December 20, 2019
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2019-12/20/c_1578375159509309.htm
3. Radio France International, March 1, 2020
http://www.rfi.fr/cn/中国/20200301-中国最严厉网络审查标准出台-明天只剩下好消息了

Xinhua: On Sep 18, 2019, Wuhan Held an Emergency Response Drill for Novel Coronavirus

Xinhua reported that, on September 18, 2019, in preparation for the upcoming Military World Games, Wuhan held a drill about the novel coronavirus infection.

The Emergency Response Exercise, jointly organized by Wuhan Customs and the Executive Committee of Military World Games, was held at the Tianhe Airport in Wuhan. It simulated two situations: an arrival of baggage was found to have excessive nuclear radiation and a passenger was found to be infected with the novel coronavirus. The coronavirus drill included multiple steps, such as epidemiological investigations, medical inspections, setting up a temporary test area, quarantine and testing, patient transfer, and sanitary treatments. Continue reading

Why Are PLA Special Forces in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong’s Oriental Daily reported on November 16, 2019, that the special forces of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have shown up in Hong Kong. Among the PLA soldiers stationed in Hong Kong who went to the street to clean up road blocks, quite a few wore shirts with Chinese characters of “Special Warfare Eighth Company (特战八连)” and “Snow Maple Battalion (雪枫特战营)” emblazoned on them.

The PLA West War Region established the “Snow Maple” unit in 2000, as the PLA’s first anti-terrorist special warfare force. The unit is called the “Sirius Commando,” with the “Special Warfare Eighth Company” as its core. {1}

People have been questioning whether the PLA special forces are connected to the over 200 “unexplained deaths” of Hong Kong youths since Hong Kong started the Anti-Extradition movement in June. {2}

On November 13th, Hong Kong Security Secretary Li Jiachao stated that, based on preliminary statistics, from June to September this year, there were 256 suicide cases in Hong Kong, an increase of 34 cases from the same period of last year; and 2,537 cases of dead bodies, an increase of 311 cases over the same period of last year. {3}

A Chinese person using the name “Yin Hui” (which might be a fake name to hide his identity) said that he was a police Captain in a city in China and escaped out from China about half year ago. After studying the pictures of the “floating corpses of protesters” in Hong Kong, he concluded that the PLA special forces used a special killing technique called Dim Mak. {4}

Mr. Yin came to an online commentary “Lu & Jiang Review” program as a special guest multiple times to talk about Hong Kong. {5} {6} {7} {8}

On November 15, Mr. Yin revealed, in on an online program, that he received information that the CCP transported 30 high-tech sniper rifles and 5,000 shock exposure bombs {to HK}. He believed those sniper rifles must be for the PLA special forces to use since HK police do not know how to use them.

On November 19, Mr. Yin and hosts Mr. Lu and Mr. Jiang discussed multiple reasons why the CCP sent those PLA special forces to Hong Kong:

1. To crack down on the democracy movement in Hong Kong.

2. To deal with any emerging private or hidden forces of rebellion.

3. To deal with any potential foreign (e.g., CIA) agents.

4. To monitor and control HK Government officers and police. Another PLA special force, the “Snow Leopard,” is stationed in Guangzhou, very close to Hong Kong. The CCP leaders may suspect a potential relationship exists between the “Snow Leopard” commanders and the HK officers and police. Therefore, they sent the “Snow Maple” unit, which has had experience in cracking down on riots in Xinjiang and destroying East Turkestan, so their soldiers were used to killing and would have less sympathy for the Hong Kong people.

They also concluded that the PLA special forces showing up on the streets had the purpose of warning the Western special forces and the Hong Kong government, and to threaten the Hong Kong protesters. {8}

Sources:
1. Oriental Daily, November 16, 2019
https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20191116/bkn-20191116203901914-1116_00822_001.html
2. Epoch Times, November 17, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/11/17/n11660720.htm
3. Hong Kong 01, November 13, 2019
https://www.hk01.com/社會新聞/397687/本港今年6月至9月256宗自殺-2537宗屍體發現等個案
4. Chinascope, November 14, 2019

CCP Special Forces Used Dim Mak Technique to Kill Hong Kong Protesters


5. YouTube, November 7, 2019

6. YouTube, November 8, 2019

7. YouTube, November 15, 2019

8. YouTube, November 19, 2019

Chinese State Media: For Police to Fire at Protesters Is both “Reasonable and Legal”

In response to the Hong Kong police shooting the demonstrators at close range on November 11, the Chinese official media posted articles condemning the demonstrators and stressing that for the Hong Kong police to shoot was both reasonable and legal and followed the international standard.

People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, commented on November 12 that, when facing demonstrators’ violent criminal actions, attempts to grab guns out of the policemen’s hands, and the acts that might pose a danger to public safety, “police officers have no choice but to fire their guns, which is reasonable and legitimate.”

The comment claimed that (the authorities) should not let the demonstrator’s arrogance develop into a habit, and should “manage” (take actions) to stop the riots and the violence. It supported what the “bold head sheriff” Liu Zeji (from Hong Kong) stated on his Weibo on November 12, “Don’t think the policemen will never fire their guns. (Firing them) is the international standard.”

The CCP’s Political and Legal Affairs Committee also claimed through its WeChat account “Chang’an Sword,” that shooting is the international standard. “When a mob attacks a policeman and tries to take his gun, if (the police officer) does not fire, what was the use of the gun and what was the use of there being a policeman?”

The Global Times published a commentary to encourage the Hong Kong police: “You are fighting on the front line, but you are not alone. You are not only behind the Hong Kong people who love Hong Kong, but also the people of the whole country. There are national armed police forces and troops stationed in Hong Kong . . .  the mobs can’t turn the sky.”

Sources: Lianhe Zaobao, November 13, 2019
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/special/report/politic/hkpol/story20191113-1004812?cx_testId=45&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=3#cxrecs_s

Global Times Chief Editor: China’s Armed Police and the PLA Can Support Hong Kong Police Any Time

On November 11th, Hu Xinjin, the Editor-in-chief of Global Times posted on his Weibo that he “absolutely supports the Hong Kong policeman in shooting down the mob that besieged him” and claimed that China’s armed police and the People’s Liberation Army can enter Hong Kong anytime to reinforce the Hong Kong police.

He called Hong Kong protesters “mobs,” and he described that incident as follows: “The policeman faced several thugs; he faced the threat of his gun being stolen and the threat of being beaten. He apparently warned the black masked mob that intended to steal his gun that they should not approach him, but they ignored his warning. The police officer fired back at these thugs on the scene and sent a clear signal to other mobs in Hong Kong. Their besieging the police would bear certain legal risks including being killed on the spot.”

Hu said that some Hong Kong and Western media focused on the policeman’s shooting and played down the mob’s crimes and how this type of report is disgusting.

He also said that he “wants to tell the police in Hong Kong not to be afraid of anything but to defend the rule of law in Hong Kong resolutely and in accordance with the law. You are fighting on the front line, but you are not alone. Behind you, there are not only the broad masses of Hong Kong people and the people of the whole country who love Hong Kong, but also the armed police forces of the country and the PLA troops stationed in Hong Kong. When necessary, they can enter Hong Kong any minute to directly reinforce you in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law. The mob can’t turn the sky upside down, nor can the Western forces. Hong Kong’s sky and earth do not belong to them.”

Source: Weibo, November 11, 2019
https://www.weibo.com/1989660417/IfHrWu6h0?type=comment