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Chinese Foreign Ministry Issues Lengthy Article Attacking National Endowment for Democracy

A 10,000-word article on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website criticized the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for its ties to the CIA, for subverting the legitimate governments of other countries and cultivating pro-U.S. puppet forces under the guise of promoting democracy. The article, published days before the 2022 China-Europe Human Rights Symposium on May 10, is seen as a wave of Chinese offensives aimed at setting the agenda for the discourse.

“A List of Facts about the American National Endowment for Democracy” stated that the NED has been involved in staging several color revolutions around the world for more than 30 years, including the Orange Revolution in Ukraine in 2004 and the Arab Spring in 2010.

The article also accused NED of colluding with local political groups, interfering in the political agenda of other countries, meddling in Hong Kong elections and interfering in China’s internal affairs.

The article points out that the NED, through its subordinate National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), contacted and provided financial support to Hong Kong opposition political groups and organizations. In 2014, it even instructed and funded the Hong Kong opposition, radical youth groups to plan the movement of Occupy Central with Love and Peace (OCLP).

The article also says that NED invests huge amounts of money every year to carry out anti-China projects in an attempt to incite Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibetan independence and it is the main source of funding for many Xinjiang independence groups, providing about 1.24 million (US$, about S$1.72 million) to various “Xinjiang independence” forces in 2020 alone.

The article pointed out that from 2003 to the present, NED was behind the scenes in organizing, planning, directing and channeling funds in many large-scale street movements in Hong Kong, such as the OCLP and anti-extradition law demonstrations. In the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition law movement, NED was accused of moving from behind the scenes to the front, directly engaging with the key people in the anti-China rebellion in Hong Kong, granting subsidies and conducting training to those involved in the riots, a figure around $640,000 that year.

Other accusations include claims that the NED has been generating false information, hyping anti-government rhetoric, funding activities and academic programs, and engaging in ideological infiltration.

The article also mentions Taiwan, where NED President Damon Wilson led a delegation to visit Taiwan and held a press conference to announce that he will cooperate with the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy to hold the Global Congress of the World Movement for Democracy in Taipei in October 2022, backing up the forces of Taiwan independence under the guise of democracy.

Source: Chinese Foreign Ministry, May 7, 2022
https://www.mfa.gov.cn/zyxw/202205/t20220507_10683088.shtml

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China’s Social Media Platform Mandated to Display Region of User IP

In October of last year, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) released a draft copy of the “Internet User Account Information Management Regulations.” The draft copy specified that social media platforms should prominently display the region of the IP address of the user. Domestic users would show the province (or city) of the IP address and foreign users would display the country where the IP address belongs.

According to media in China, Weibo, WeChat, Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), Kuaishou, Xiaohongshu, Toutiao, and Zhihu have recently enabled this mandatory function to display the province or the country where the user’s IP is located. The user cannot turn off function.

More than a majority of Chinese netizens think that the mandatory display of IP region targets overseas users. Many criticized the move as an infringement on privacy and fear that it may fuel conflicts between users from different regions. Others expressed support, saying it could effectively block foreign forces.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 29, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202204290361.aspx

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Communist Youth League: State Pays High Attention to “Lying Flat”

The term “lying flat” became trendy in 2021. It refers to a lifestyle that calls for “not buying a house, not buying a car, not getting married, not having a baby, not consuming,” and “maintaining a minimum standard of living. It means refusing to become a machine for others to make money and a slave to be exploited.” “Lying flat” reflects the reality of over competition in Chinese society to such an extent that many young people no longer believe that hard work results in a better life. Right after this movement gained in popularity, the state media published articles criticizing ithis view. Since 2021, the term “lying flat” has become popular among young Chinese people. Recently, the chief administrative body of the central government State Council released a white paper on “China’s Youth in a New Era” and held a press conference.

He Junke, the first secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League (CYL), said, “The state attaches great importance to the deep-rooted problems reflected in the ‘lying flat’ movement. The pressure of work, study and of life that the young generation faces are serious and realistic.” The Communist Youth League is a Chinese communist organization for young people between the ages of 14 and 28.

He also quoted Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, who said, “Happiness comes out of struggle, and struggle itself is a kind of happiness.”

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 21, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202204210223.aspx

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Chair of European Union Chamber of Commerce in China: China’s Leadership Is Prisoner of Its Own Narrative

Joerg Wuttke, the President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, when talking to the media, recently stated, “They (China’s leadership) are prisoners of their own narrative … China was the first to get into the pandemic and it is the last to get out. In the meantime, they’ve been telling the whole world that they’re the best.”

Wuttke said the above words on April 27, 2022, during an in-depth interview with NZZ Mediengruppe, the German media The Market NZZ. “All over China, entrepreneurs look to Shanghai and have to deal with the scenario that the same thing could happen in their city. So, until further notice, they hit the pause button and froze almost all investment plans.”

“The stimulus measures (in China) are like a band-aid for an amputation. The People’s Bank of China pumps some liquidity into the system, money flows into infrastructure projects and state-owned enterprises receive support. However, that doesn’t get private companies and foreign corporations to invest again.” Wuttke predicted that China’s GDP growth will be below 4 percent this year.

On behalf of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Wuttke sent a letter to Hu Chunhua, the  Vice Premier of China, requesting a change in the official dynamic Zero-Covid policy, but he received no formal response.

He pointed out, “The president (Xi Jinping) has maneuvered himself into two dead ends at once. He can’t change his Covid policy, and he can’t change anything about his friendship with Vladimir Putin.”

“All signs indicate that the politicians do not want to solve the problem, but only to limit it. I don’t see any vaccination campaign, no information campaign, no imports of mRNA vaccines, and I don’t see the population being told that society can live with it. So I have to assume that Zero Covid will result in locking down this city and then that city on a monthly basis, at least until the Party Congress.”

“Perhaps there will be a rethink when the domestic economy hits rock bottom.  Perhaps they will realize in Beijing that they need foreign companies after all. Perhaps they will then open their doors wider again. However today, of course, we are not there yet.”

Source: The Market NZZ, April 27, 2022
https://themarkeZt.ch/Cinterview/chinas-leadership-is-prisoner-of-its-own-narrative-ld.6545

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Mandates Code of Conduct for TV Dramas Cast and Crew

China’s regulation of the entertainment industry is extending to the production crews of TV dramas and web dramas. The China Federation of Radio and Television Association (CFRTA), and China Netcasting Service Association (CNSA), two government-controlled organizations that oversee the countries radio, television, and webcasting industry, released a draft version of the “Production and Operation Guidelines for TV Series and Web Series Production Crews.” The document, published on April 25, requires the TV production units to establish a “professional ethics assessment system for actors and actresses.”

The crew has been told to  follow the requirements of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) strictly, and ensure the “correct ideological orientation” of the theme of the dramas. The regulation covers the management of costumes, makeup, props, and scenes, to prevent the improper use of costumes, and errors in images, sounds, and contents.

The document requires that the production crew resist “unreasonably high remuneration,” and strictly regulate the compensation contracts of television dramas. Cast members must “practice core socialist values, promote the spirit of patriotism, and resist all acts that undermine national honor, religious beliefs and national unity.”

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 26, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202204260271.aspx

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Blocks Lyrics of its own National Anthem

The lockdown of the city of Shanghai has given rise to a great deal of public discontent. Many people are using social media to express their frustration due to the shortage of supplies and the dysfunction of Chinese government. The popular microblogging platform Weibo has blocked several trending topics related to this issue over the past few days, including even the first line of China’s national anthem,  March of the Voluntary Army, which reads “Rise up, people who do not want to be slaves.”

It is not the first time Beijing have blocked content from the national anthem. The death of Dr. Li Wenliang, the “whistle blower” at the beginning of the Wuhan outbreak in 2020, triggered outrage among netizens against the authorities. At the time, the same anthem lyrics were blocked for “containing radical current affairs or ideology.”

Western observers and journalists are caught between laughter and tears over the Chinese censors’ move.

Tim Culpan,a Bloomberg journalist tweeted, “Patriotism in China is a tricky balance.”
Henry Gao, a professor from Singapore Management University asked, “So when will the whole national anthem be censored?”
While Financial Times reporter Eli Meixler thought it “Unreal,” American economist Chris Balding commented, “Revolutions always eat their creators.”

Source: Voice of America, April 18, 2022
https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-on-twitter-national-anthem-cencored-20220418/6534587.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Report: China Concerned about Rising Household Debt

According to a February report that a Chinese research institute published, the country’s household debt ratio, which measures debt as a share of income, has climbed from less than 5 percent in 2000 to 62.2 percent at the end of last year, surpassing both Germany and neighboring Japan.

The report, that scholars at the government think tank, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, co-authored, points out that, “A sudden increase in household indebtedness will affect the stability of the fiscal system. High household debt largely triggered the global financial turmoil in 2008. In China, the risk of household debt is closely related to the real estate market, to the growth of income and to the growth and distribution of wealth.”

The authors also pointed to the very difficult problem for some households that do not have cash on hand to spend. Low-income workers, the self-employed and migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to the impact of the epidemic. The unstable income of these groups may lead to greater pressure on overall household debt.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 19, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202204190215.aspx

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Emerging Drug Crisis in Shanghai due to COVID-19 Lockdown

In addition to the difficulty of buying groceries during the Shanghai lockdown, people are facing a major problem in obtaining medication. According to the mainland Chinese media Caixin.com, after Shanghai was locked down for many days, the demand for medicine in the sealed zone increased. Patients who cannot  get their medicine in a timely manner are facing a drug crisis.

Wu Jinglei, director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, said that, for medications for common and chronic diseases, the community volunteers would help pick up the medication on the patients behalf from the local community health service centers. However, many people are still not able to get their medication.

According to the government’s arrangement, patients would submit their medication information and health insurance cards to the community committee, which is China’s grassroots level government body in urban areas. The community committee would then aggregate the information and go to the hospital for drug dispensing. However, many of the steps may encounter difficulties and render the process unsuccessful. The difficulties include the quota restriction for the community committee, lack of local couriers for delivery, the unavailability of medication at the hospital, and the long waiting time for dispensing.

Weibo, the Chinese microblogging platform, is flooded with Shanghainese seeking help. One poster’s family member was diagnosed with tuberculosis in December 2021 and was once hospitalized. However, because of the epidemic control, he was unable to go out to refill the prescriptions and was refused help from the local community committee. Another netizen said that an elderly family member has years of coronary heart disease. As the medication is not available from nearby pharmacies, the community committee tried and failed to get the drugs.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 12, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202204120170.aspx

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources