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Pakistan Cuts Chinese Rail Project because of Debt Concerns

According to the Pakistan’s Railways Ministry, Islamabad has cut the budget of the biggest Chinese “Silk Road” project by US$2 billion, citing government concerns about the country’s debt levels.

The project planned to revamp the existing and outdated railway stretching 1,872 km (1,163 miles) from Karachi to the city of Peshawar. The initial price was US$8.2 billion, but concerns over the tremendous costs have led to delays.

The new Prime Minister Imran Khan appears to be more cautious about the Chinese “Belt and Road” investment. His government pressured the Chinese government to revise the project so that it will rely less on debt or allow third countries to join in the investment and operations.

On Monday, in the city of Lahore, Railway Minister Sheikh Rasheed told a news conference, “Pakistan is a poor country that cannot afford the huge burden of these loans.”

Other Asian countries including Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Maldives also complained about the debt terms of Chinese investment projects, which many people have also called a “debt trap.” In August this year, Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad cancelled a US$20 billion Chinese railway project.

Source: Voice of America Chinese, October 1, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/pakistan-china-20181001/4595230.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Professor in Exile: Chinese Universities Are under Strict Surveillance

A professor from China now living in the United States paints a very disturbing picture of the information control in Chinese universities.

Tan Song, an associate professor at Chongqing Normal University investigated the truth about the “land reform movement,” the Anti-Rightist Campaign, the Second Sino-Japanese War, and the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Because he did so, the school expelled him and the police arrested him. Another charge was that he taught about the 1989 Student Movement and the June 4th Tiananmen Massacre. In 2017, he was forced to leave China and is currently living in exile in Los Angeles.

Tan said that in Chinese colleges and universities, the “Tiananmen Square protest of 1989” is an absolutely untouchable topic. He once tried to understand how much his students knew about what happened in 1989. Not a single student knew about it. He said, “I later found out that these students, from kindergarten to elementary school, junior high school, high school, and through the university, not a single teacher ever told them about the 1989 protests. One cannot blame the teachers. Nowadays the university is very sensitive to this topic. If any teacher dares to speak the truth about the incident in the classroom, the lightest punishment is that the teacher will leave his teaching position. He will either be expelled or be sent to the police station. I know a teacher at the Sichuan Foreign Languages College. Because he taught about the June 4th incident, the police immediately took him away.”

Tan said that, in today’s Internet age, some students do not know it from the classroom but learned about the June 4th 1989 incident and the persecution that followed from the Internet. “A student received a short video from his friend about the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. He uploaded the video to the campus network and was quickly discovered. At the time of discovery, thirty-six students had already downloaded the video. Each of the thirty-six students was taken away and the police came to talk to them one by one, with a warning as the punishment. The original student who uploaded the video was taken away and no one knows his whereabouts.”

Tan added that in today’s Chinese universities, surveillance cameras are widely installed in the classrooms, and the authorities hire informants among the students. “The teacher’s every move in the classroom is monitored. Nowadays one does not need to come to the classroom to monitor the teachers. It’s just like the police monitoring traffic. When you want classroom 305, the computer will get it for you. How could the university teacher give a lecture in class? The informant’s job is to report on the teachers and students. What the teacher said in the class, the informant will report. The informant officers contact each other on a one-to-one basis and the students will not know they do so. Of course, those who work as informants will benefit in the future such as in placement and becoming a Party member. Under current circumstances, in Chinese colleges and universities, no one dares to say anything.”

Source: Radio Free Asia, September 28, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ck-09282018095416.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Minister Highlights Party’s Role in Private Enterprises

On September 11, a national conference on management of private enterprises was held in Hangzhou. Qiu Xiaoping, the Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

Qiu pointed out that, “The party and the state attach high importance to democratic corporate management. The party’s 19th National Congress and the central government have made clear arrangements for strengthening the democratic management of enterprises.” “The human resources and social security authorities at all levels should fully understand the importance and urgency of deepening the democratic management of private enterprises, building harmonious labor relations in the new epoch, . . . and conscientiously implementing the decisions and the arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council.”

Qiu emphasized that, “In order to promote the democratic management of private enterprises, one must persist in strengthening the party’s leadership.” “Only by insisting on the strong leadership of the party organization inside the enterprise can we ensure the correct political direction of the democratic management of enterprises.”

Source: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. September 13, 2018
http://www.mohrss.gov.cn/SYrlzyhshbzb/zwgk/bld/qxp/ldjh/201809/t20180913_301046.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Chinese Communist Party Revises Its Disciplinary Code; Harsh Penalties for Online Violations

On August 26, a newly revised version of the Chinese Communist Party’s Disciplinary Regulations was published.

The Regulations not only draw red-lines for political discipline of party members and cadres, but also impose stricter requirements for party members’ online activities. Serious violators will even be expelled from the party.

Article 44 of the Regulations stipulates that those whose speech or behavior are out of line with the party’s Central Committee on major principles or who cause adverse consequences are subject to a warning or a severe warning. Those with more serious circumstances will have their official positions in the party revoked or be placed on probation. Those with grave circumstances will be expelled from the Party.

Article 45 stipulates that those who, via the Internet, openly publish articles, speeches, or statements that advocate bourgeois liberalization, oppose the four basic principles, and oppose the party’s reform and opening up policy will be expelled from the party.

Article 46 stipulates that those who, via the Internet and other means, publicly publish articles, speeches or statements in violation of the four basic principles, or in a violation or a distortion of the party’s reform and opening up policy, are subject to a warning or a severe warning if the circumstances are minor, or revocation of their official positions in the party or being placed on probation if their circumstances are more serious, and being expelled from the party if the circumstances are grave.

Article 46 also stipulates that those who, via the Internet and other means, improperly discuss the Party Central Committee’s major policies and sabotage the party’s unity should be undermined. If the circumstances are light, warnings or serious warnings should be given. If the circumstances are serious, official positions in the Party will be revoked or the individual will be placed on probation. If the circumstances are grave, the individual will be expelled from the Party.

Punishment is also in order for those who slander heroes, role models, or the party’s or the government’s leaders, distort the party’s history, spread political rumors, or leak information about things that should be kept secret.

Source: Global Times, September 24, 2018
http://china.huanqiu.com/article/2018-09/13099308.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

College Student Expelled from School for “Not Loving My Country”

A freshman college student recently posted on the Internet that, “I can’t love my country in my lifetime,” and asked, “Who the f**k loves his country after attending college?” After netizens reported his words to the authorities, the Hunan City University, where the student attended, subsequently expelled him from school.

On September 22, Hunan City University issued a “Notice on Cancellation of the Admission of Freshman Wang Dong from the School of Civil Engineering,” saying that netizens reported the student for spreading comments “insulting the country.”

The Notice stated that the student posted on his Weibo account, a twitter like Chinese microblogging service, that “Patriotism is impossible. I can’t love my country in my lifetime. Who the f**k loves his country after attending college? I think you are an idiot.”

The Notice also said that in view of Wang Dong’s dissemination of “extremely wrong speeches such as insulting the country, the impact is extremely bad.” The university’s office of the president decided to cancel Wang’s qualification for admission.

In the end, the Notice declared that the university will thoroughly implement the spirit of the National Education Conference, resolutely oppose the words and deeds of “damaging the reputation of the party and the country,” fully implement the party’s education policy, earnestly strengthen ideological and political work, and adhere to the principle of cultivating people’s moral standards. Faculty members and students should deepen the education of socialist core values, “guide the faculty members and students to . . . love the party, love the country, and love the people, and work hard to foster the new generation that will shoulder the mission of national rejuvenation.”

Source: Central News Agency, September 23, 2018
http://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201809230121-1.aspx

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China-Vatican Deal a Blow to Taiwan’s Diplomacy

China and the Vatican recently made a historical breakthrough in their relations. They reached an interim agreement wherein the Holy See acknowledged the seven bishops that the Communist China appointed. Analysts said that this is a victory for Beijing and will inevitably have an impact on the relationship between the Vatican and Taiwan.

Previously, the Pope did not recognize the bishops that the Chinese government appointed. Although this interim agreement does not mention diplomatic relations, it is generally believed that this will improve the relationship between Beijing and the Holy See. Since 1951, the two countries diplomatic relations have been severed. In recent years, Taiwan has been maneuvering on an increasingly difficult diplomatic stage. The impact is obvious. At present, the Vatican is one of Taiwan’s 17 remaining countries with diplomatic ties. It is the only one in Europe.

Some believers worry that the new agreement will cause Taiwan to lose the Vatican as its most important diplomatic ally. Many experts also agree with this view.

Jonathan Sullivan, director of the China Policy Institute at the University of Nottingham, described the accord as “a strategic move on China’s part; and a naive one on the Vatican’s.”

YING Fuk Tsang, a theology professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that Beijing will inevitably use all means to seek recognition from the Holy See. He said that if China succeeds, it will be a major blow to Taiwan’s diplomacy.

Cardinal Joseph Zen, the outspoken former bishop of Hong Kong, accused Vatican officials of “selling out” ahead of Saturday’s agreement. In a blog posted shortly after the announcement he raised concern over its impact.

The cardinal wrote, “What will the (Chinese) government say to Catholics in China? ‘Obey us. The Holy See is already in agreement with us?’”

Recently underground churches in China have been raided, bulldozers have torn them down, or they were asked to hang China’s national flag. Religious materials have been confiscated and the clergy has been pressured to reveal personal information about believers to the authorities.

An underground clergyman said that they were afraid because the Sino-Vatican provisional agreement did not mention any measures of protection that would be available for them and their followers. One priest said that believers “have doubts about the government’s sincerity.”

Source: Deutsche Welle Chinese, September 23, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/35MA3

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Orders Boost in Household Consumption

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) recently issued the Blue Book on the Chinese economy, which highlighted the low consumption rate as an issue of concern. On the heels of the publication, the official media reported that Beijing has given orders to “improve the consumption system and mechanisms, and further stimulate the residents’ consumption potential.”

The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council jointly handed out the “Opinion on improving the consumption mechanisms and further stimulating the consumption potential of residents.” It states that there are prominent institutional obstacles that restrict the expansion and upgrading of household consumption.

The opinion points out that key areas of the Chinese consumer market cannot meet the diversified demand from urban and rural residents effectively. The regulation authority has not adapted to the rapid development of the new modes of consumption. The quality standard system lags behind the need for escalated consumption quality and quantity. If the credit system and the consumer rights protection mechanisms do not play effective roles, the set of consumption policies cannot effectively support the rise in the residents’ consumption power.

As the CASS Blue Book reveals, China’s domestic consumption remains weak. The real growth rate of the per capita disposable income of the national residents in the first quarter of 2018 was 6.6 percent, far below the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate. The urban and rural consumption expenditures as a percentage of disposable income hover at a low level of 63 percent.

Source: Central News Agency, September 20, 2018
http://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201809200345-1.aspx

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Beidou and the “Space Silk Road”

On Wednesday September 19, China launched two Beidou navigation satellites so as to join the network with the previously launched Beidou-3 navigation satellite. By 2020, Beidou is expected to boast of having 35 satellites covering the earth. This year alone, China has launched more than 10 Beidou satellites.

The Beidou navigation system has seen an increasing application in China. In Ningxia, farmers use it to provide navigation for unmanned agricultural machinery; in Inner Mongolia, herders in remote areas can send text messages through Beidou, and remotely control the water supply for livestock. In Beijing, 33,500 taxis and 21,000 buses have already installed Beidou chips. The Chinese government has set a goal to install Beidou chips in all new cars by 2020.

China is keen to upgrade its technological capabilities. After completing the global network by 2020, the Beidou system is expected to be a world-class navigation system and comparable to the U.S. GPS system.

Beidou was originally designed for the Chinese military to reduce its dependence on the U.S. GPS system. With the expansion of its coverage, business opportunities have also emerged.

Beidou’s ambitious expansion is coupled with China’s foreign policy. By the end of 2018, Beidou will cover the countries along the “Belt and Road,” and create a “Space Silk Road.” At present, Beidou covers 30 countries along the route, including Pakistan, Laos, and Indonesia. If these countries join the “Space Silk Road,” they could become dependent on the space services that Beijing provides, which will have more influence on their policies.

Three other satellite navigation systems are currently in place – Glonass in Russia, Galileo in Europe, and GPS in the United States. Blaine Curcio, founder of Hong Kong-based space and satellite consulting firm Orbital Gateway, said that we may see the world gradually split into “pro-China” and “pro-U.S.” camps. Those who are “pro-China” may be less likely to trust the satellite navigation services of the U.S. or the EU, and would therefore choose Beidou.

The Beidou chips have been widely deployed in Chinese made mobile phones, such as Xiaomi, Huawei and OnePlus, although Apple hasn’t incorporated Beidou in its latest iPhone which was released on September 12. Chinese official media said that this choice “does not rule out political reasons.”

Source: BBC Chinese, September 21, 2018
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-45606188

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military