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Papua New Guinea Is Mired in Chinese Debt

At the same time that Papua New Guinea (PNG) is facing record high fiscal deficits, its government’s new annual budget shows that, by 2023, it will face a 25 percent increase in its annual debt repayments to China, an amount of US$ 67 million.

The resource rich country is among the poorest ones in Oceania. In recent years, it has been caught in the midst of the US-China diplomatic wrestling. As China’s influence continues to expand, PNG has become increasingly dependent on China. The United States warned that China’s predatory economic policy is destabilizing the Indo-Pacific region. Although the PNG’s budget does not specify the total debt owed to China, Reuters reports that China is the country’s largest creditor.

According to Reuters, in Papua New Guinea’s annual budget, the amount of its debt increased by 10 percent over the previous year, reaching 42 percent of GDP and exceeding the legal cap of 35 percent. The Australian government recently announced a preferential loan of 440 million Australian dollars (US$300 million) to support the PNG’s budget and economic development.

Source: Voice of America, November 29, 2019
https://www.voachinese.com/a/Papua-New-Guinea-Faces-Cash-Crunch-As-China-Repayment-Schedule-Ramps-Up-20191129/5186205.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Economist Predicted Lower Growth. Then His Speech Was Deleted

The chief economist of China’s Essence Securities, Gao Shanwen, delivered a speech at an internal annual strategy meeting on Wednesday (November 27). Gao predicted that China’s economic slowdown will last several years and that the average annual economic growth between 2020 and 2030 will stay below five percent. Gao was even concerned about whether GDP (gross domestic product) would grow above four percent. He expressed the belief that there are two contributing factors. The first  is the impact of the trade war. The second is the stagnation of China’s economic reform as featured by the phenomenon of the “advancement of the state enterprises and the retreat of the private sector.”

Gao added that the government has used strong counter-cyclical measures to prevent the economic downturn. These have barely supported the growth rate at about six percent. However, the stimulus policies are less and less effective. With a weak domestic market, the economy of 2020 doesn’t look good. Although his speech was widely circulated on the Internet, within one day, the content had been completely deleted.

Gao is a well-known economist in China, whose remarks attracted the attention of the Chinese institutional investors and the financial media. In 2016, Gao attended the Economic Situation and Entrepreneurs Forum that Chinese Premier Li Keqiang hosted. Earlier this year, Li Keqiang stated that the target for GDP growth this year was set at 6 percent to 6.5 percent.

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 4, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/economy-12042019061940.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

To Block Falun Gong Cases, Local Justice Officials Threaten Lawyers’ Parents

On November 25, Lu Tingge, a human rights lawyer in China’s Hebei province, filed a complaint with the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Commission for Discipline Inspection of Shijiazhuan city, capital of Hebei, and the city government’s Supervisory Commission. The complaint stated that in August of 2019, two senior officials of the Justice Bureau of the Shijiazhuang City government visited Lu’s parents, carrying two barrels of cooking oil as a gift. Claiming themselves to be Lu’s superiors and colleagues, the officials threatened Lu’s parents with serious consequences if he continued representing Falun Gong cases.

Lu Tingge believes that such a visit constituted a serious infringement on his rights and those of his family and also violated the CCP’s own discipline. In the light of their suspected use of public power for private use, misappropriation of funds and property intended for poverty alleviation, and their violation of citizens’ rights, they should be subject to a serious investigation.

Lu said, “First, their attempt to restrict me from representing Falun Gong cases by itself is illegal; Second, they should have come to me if it’s about my practice, instead of harassing my family. My practice of law has nothing to do with my family. . . . Third, they actually did this in the name of poverty alleviation. This represents a suspected misappropriation of poverty alleviation funds.”

Sui Muqing, a Guangdong based human rights lawyer whose license has been suspended for representing sensitive cases, told Radio Free Asia that, in recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has cracked down severely on human rights lawyers  and the Justice Bureaus have played the role of hatchet man. Sui said that on the surface China’s judicial bureaus protect lawyers when, in fact, their role is to monitor and control lawyers and make sure the lawyers follow the Party and the government.

Lu Tingge is a well-known human rights lawyer. In early March this year, the authorities took Lu away for half a month after he proposed a constitutional amendment. He was also one of the defenders of the Beijing-based human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng, who was arrested for proposing a constitutional amendment.

Source: Radio Free Asia, November 26, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/cn-Hebei-11262019104408.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

New York University Shanghai Reportedly Teaches Pro-Government Propaganda Course

New York University Shanghai has disclosed that, since 2018, its students of Chinese citizenship have been forced to take a “civic education” course which covers the history of the Communist Party and China’s socialist path. According to the school, the course was opened at the request of the Chinese government and non-Chinese students are not required to take it.

The website of the U.S. online media VICE posted the syllabus of the course, titled “Marxism: Dissemination, Practice and Development.” It is an eight day, Chinese-speaking course running daily from 8:30 am to 5:15 pm. The course will not appear in the university’s public course catalog and the school will register students through WeChat. It includes a visit to the Longhua Martyrs’ Cemetery in Shanghai, commemorating the sacrifice of the “martyrs” in the Communist revolution. There is also a movie screening on the “development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

The school claimed that professors from NYU do not teach this course. It has been offered during the winter break and will not interfere with the students’ usual courses at NYU, nor will it affect academic freedom.

In recent years, Beijing has intensified its efforts to promote patriotic education, with an emphasis on fostering loyalty to the Communist Party among young people. In recent months, with the ongoing protests in Hong Kong, the political atmosphere of Chinese universities and colleges has become tense. It has been reported that the Chinese government has mobilized students to monitor and report “radical” political views. Some teachers have been dismissed or subjected to discipline for expressing views not in line with the Communist ideology.

Source: Radio France International, November 22, 2019
http://rfi.my/4wpE.T

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

To Prevent the Spread of Plague, Government Set up “Firewall” Exiting Inner Mongolia and Entering Beijing

China’s Caixin.com reported on November 22 that an emergency response group of the provincial government of Inner Mongolia in northern China issued a “Work Plan for a Firewall for Exiting Inner Mongolia and entering Beijing” to prevent the spread of the plague. The plan highlights three lines of defense including an early warning of an epidemic situation, investigations by medical institutions, and an inspection of outbound passengers. According to the report, the Xilinhot Airport set up a check point at the entrance, logging the body temperature of every passenger. The Xilinhot Airport is the nearest airport to Xilingol League, where the initial two pneumonic plague patients originated. A body temperature check point was also set up at the highway to Sonid Left Banner, northwest of Xilingol League. All vehicles need to be inspected, and the information of passengers’ names, phone numbers, the point of departure and their destination must be registered. In addition, vehicles carrying livestock, wildlife, or wildlife products are required to register with the agriculture, animal husbandry, or forestry police authorities.

Earlier two patients from Xilingol League of Inner Mongolia were diagnosed in Beijing as having pneumonic plague. Soon afterwards, a patient in Bordered Yellow Banner of Xilingol League was also identified as having the plague. 28 people who were in close contact with this patient are still under medical observation.

The media reported that the recent outbreak of the plague was related to official negligence. This summer, some areas in northern China began to suffer from severe rodent problems. Although there were no new people infected with the plague in Xilingol League, there have been cases of dead animals and animals detected as having a positive plague reaction. There are unconfirmed tweets disclosing that more than 300 villages in northern provinces such as Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Liaoning, and Jilin were completely blocked. Armed police  were stationed there and villagers were not allowed to enter or exit. Communications have also been cut off.

Source: Central News Agency, November 22, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201911220160.aspx

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Chinese TV Series Exported to More Than 200 Countries

Between November 11th and the 14th, the 25th Beijing TV Program Market & Exhibition, which was previously the Capital TV Program Promotion Fair, was held at the Beijing Convention Center. The Propaganda Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the Beijing Municipal Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television hosted it jointly. TV series now account for more than 70 percent of the Chinese TV programs traded internationally, far exceeding other types of TV programs. Chinese TV series have been exported to more than 200 countries and regions around the world.

In Southeast Asia, Chinese TV series still maintain a strong competitive advantage. At the same time, Chinese TV programs have already been conveyed out of Asia and into Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and African countries and regions. As of now, more than 1,600 Chinese film and television programs have been translated into 36 languages, including English, French, Russian, Arabic, and Burmese and have been broadcasted in more than 100 countries.

Source: People’s Daily, November 15, 2019
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2019-11/15/nw.D110000renmrb_20191115_5-11.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

For Spreading Propaganda for the CCP’s United Front, Swedish Christian Democrats Expel Chinese Councilor

According to recent reports from the Swedish television station (SVT) and radio station Serige Radio, the Central Committee of the Christian Democrats (KD), a Christian-democratic political party in Sweden, decided to strip the party membership of a Swedish Chinese city councilor on the grounds that this person had generated propaganda to expand the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Sweden. Lydia Liu (Chinese name Liu Fang) was a KD member and a city councilor of Nacka in east central Sweden. The Swedish media reported that internal investigations showed that Ms. Liu’s attempt to expand the influence of the CCP was carried out in a way that harmed the reputation of the Christian Democrats.

In August this year, the “Konflikt” section of Swedish Radio reported that the Ms. Liu was implementing the CCP’s United Front strategy so as to exert influence on the political parties in Sweden, prompting them to turn toward the pro-communist position. That councilor had contacts with the staff of the United Front Work Department, a CCP organization dedicated to increasing the CCP’s influence around the world. The program also revealed that she held important positions in a number of CCP related organizations and actively promoted the CCP’s “Belt and Road” project in Sweden.

Secretary General of the Christian Democrats Peter Kullgren said, “According to our party constitution, we can dismiss members who have damaged or may damage our party’s image or reputation. Based on this clause, we made a decision to expel Ms. Liu.”

Source: Epoch Times, November 13, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/11/13/n11652190.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xi Jinping’s Strong Words Signal Harsher Measures on Hong Kong

On November 14, when attending the BRICS summit meeting in Brasilia, Xi Jingping made his position clear on the current situation in Hong Kong. As Xinhua News Agency reported, Xi said that the persistent violent criminal acts in Hong Kong have seriously trampled on the rule of law and the social order, seriously undermined Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, and seriously challenged the bottom line of the principle of “one country, two systems.” Stopping the violence, ending the chaos, and restoring order are Hong Kong’s most pressing tasks at present. Xi added that he will continue to support the Chief Executive firmly, to lead the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in accordance with the law, to support the Hong Kong police firmly in their stern enforcement of the law, and to support Hong Kong’s judicial authorities firmly in punishing violent criminals. “The determination of the Chinese government to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and the interests of development is unwavering; the determination to implement the principle of ‘one country, two systems’ is unwavering; the determination to oppose any outside forces’ interference in Hong Kong affairs is unwavering.”

Hu Ping, an independent scholar living in exile in the U.S., told the BBC Chinese that Xi Jinping’s change of wording indicates that the central government’s means of dealing with the situation in Hong Kong is “clearer” and its posture “tougher.” He believes that the central government will control the situation “with more severe measures in the near future.” However, Hu believes that, at present, the central government will try its best to use the local police force to deal with street violence.

Regarding whether Beijing will dispatch the People’s Liberation Army to quash the chaos, Hu does not believe that will be the case for the time being. He said that considering that Hong Kong will hold local district council elections this month, a brutal crackdown would push the votes toward pro-democracy candidates. “Although the district council elections are low on the political hierarchy and less important, it would still throw the authorities into a defensive position.” .

Hu Ping said that Xi’s strong words also serve to warn the United States that even if the Congress passes the Hong Kong bill, its “actual effects are limited” in terms of containing China. “If the chaotic situation deteriorates to an intolerable level, the authorities may still resort to suppressive actions despite the risk of losing Hong Kong’s special customs status.”

Source: Xinhua, November 14, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2019-11/14/c_1125233663.htm
BBC Chinese, November 15, 2019
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-50430393

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics