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Resuming Production: By February 26, One Third of Small or Mid-Sized Companies Resumed Work

Zhang Kejian, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Information Technology, stated that 32.8 percent or a little under one third, of small or mid-sized companies in China had resumed production.

The ratio was 43.1 percent for the manufacturing industry and more than 40 percent for the industries engaged in information transmission, software, and information technology services.

Zhang also said that the resuming production ratio for the small or mid-size companies has been increasing by 1 percent every day and the ratios for seven provinces is above 40 percent.

Related postings on Chinascope:

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Hot Topics | | |   Social Stability

Local Government: Some People Stuck in Wuhan Became Homeless

China Times Weekly (CTW), a Taiwan media, reported that some people (especially migrant workers from the farmlands) who were stranded in Wuhan became homeless after the Wuhan lockdown.

They did not have the money to pay for a hotel, so they stayed in the train station tunnel, under bridges, or next to trash bins. They went to hospitals or office buildings to search for the leftover food that was thrown out as trash. The local government stated that they would provide services to those who were stuck in Wuhan and faced difficulties in living, but the supply was insufficient. After their information was reported, some volunteers brought food and face masks to them.

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Hot Topics | | |   Social Stability

Mongolia President Visited China and Was Quarantined after Returning Home

The President of Mongolia, Khaltmaa Battulga visited Beijing and met Xi Jinping on February 27, 2020. Battulga is the first foreign head to visit China after the coronavirus outbreak in China in January. Battulga, along with his Foreign Minister Tsogtbaatar Damdin and delegation met Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang. Battulga donated 30,000 sheep to China.

Right after the delegation returned to Mongolia on February 28, the whole group was quarantined as a measure to prevent coronavirus infection.

Source: Apple Daily, February 28, 2020
https://tw.appledaily.com/international/20200228/RARYOD2TG4NY6QNOWR3SMUK5EE/

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Social Stability

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Team Reported Ten Weaknesses in China’s Handling the Coronavirus

Chen Guoqiang, Dean of the Medical School, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, led the school’s medical team in publishing, “Reflections on the Novel Coronavirus Infection” in the magazine Scientia Sinica Vitae. The article listed the following problems and shortcomings in China’s handling of the coronavirus:

  1. Didn’t report the national major public health epidemic promptly to the public; lacked plan to prevent and control the coronavirus at the early stage.
  2. The public health and disease prevention and control system does not match the need to support the scale of economic development
  3. The emergency response mechanism cannot respond to life-threatening, major public health emergencies
  4. Scientific and technological innovation is disconnected from solving clinical problems, lacks channel for data sharing, transformation, and utilization, and lacks laboratory with relative safety level
  5. Insufficient medical supplies and strategic reserves to respond to major public health emergency
  6. Some officials do not have specialized skills and the capability to make decisions
  7. There is a large deficiency in responding to the public’s sentiments regarding public health emergencies and in directing public opinion
  8. Need to improve the response mechanism on studying and responding to the “secondary disaster” after epidemic outbreak
  9. The ecological civilization concept is missing and wildlife market supervision is weak
  10. The general public’s civilized quality and scientific knowledge need to be improved urgently.

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Hot Topics | | |   Social Stability

PLA Aircraft Flew Near Taiwan on February 28

On Friday afternoon, February 28, a number of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft flew over the sea southwest of Taiwan, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said.

An unspecified number of Chinese H-6 bombers flew over the region before entering the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines. Soon after entering the Bashi Channel, the bombers returned to an unspecified base through the same route, the ministry said.

Since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) won re-election in January 2020, China has carried out an increasing number of drills near Taiwan .

On Feb 9 and Feb 10, China also dispatched Chinese J-11 fighters, KJ-500 early warning and control aircraft, and H-6 bombers on flight missions near Taiwan, the ministry said.

On Feb 10, several Chinese aircraft briefly crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s airspace, but retreated to the western side of the line after Taiwan military dispatched F-16s and other military aircraft to meet them and issue radio warnings, the ministry said.

On Feb 12, the U.S. dispatched two B-52 Stratofortress bombers flying off Taiwan’s east coast, while an MJ-130J Commando II multi-mission combat transport plane flew over the Taiwan Strait.

On Feb 16, the U.S. sent the USS Chancellorsville south through the Taiwan Strait.

Source: Taipei Times, March 1, 2020
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2020/03/01/2003731871

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

PLA Ordered 1.4 Million Bullet Proof Vests

Apple Daily, a media based in Hong Kong, reported that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) opened a bid for suppliers to provide 1.4 million bullet proof vests, including 930,000 general vests and 467,000 vests with enhanced functions. The price may be up to 13.4 billion yuan (US $1.92 billion).

Currently the PLA army has 13 armies, with 850,000 soldiers. This order, being the largest bullet proof vest order, will give an average of 1.65 bullet proof vests per person.

Some analysts thinks this was the PLA’s deterrence to Taiwan.

Also, China revealed its second 075-class amphibious assault ship at the Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai. This type of ship is designed for “military actions against Taiwan.”

Source: Apple Daily, February 26, 2020
https://tw.appledaily.com/international/20200226/2RLO6JRQWZ2JZWNI2WXZKAZPXU/

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Threatened Czech Republic That Its Companies Will Be Punished if Czech Senate Speaker Visits Taiwan

On January 10, China’s Embassy in the Czech Republic, sent a letter to the Czech President’s Office, stating that, if the Czech Senate Speaker Jaroslav Kubera visited Taiwan, Czech companies operating in mainland China, such as Volkswagen subsidiary Skoda Auto or lender Home Credit Group, would be punished.

Kubera died unexpectedly on Jan. 20, before his trip took place.

The letter stated, “Czech companies whose representatives visit Taiwan with Chairman Kubera will not be welcome in China or with the Chinese people.”

“Czech companies who have economic interests in China will have to pay for Chairman Kubera’s visit to Taiwan. China is the largest foreign market for many Czech companies like Skoda Auto, Home Credit Group, Klaviry Petrof and others.”

The Czech president’s spokesman confirmed the letter had been received but did not comment on its contents.

Source: Reuters, February 19, 2020
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-czech-taiwan/china-threatened-to-harm-czech-companies-over-taiwan-visit-letter-idUSKBN20D0G3

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Carrie Lam Plans to Use Coronavirus Containment to Boost the Establishments’ Position in Upcoming Election

Apple Daily reported that it obtained a copy of a report that Hong Kong Executive Carrie Lam sent to Beijing. In the report, Lam mentioned that the coronavirus containment could be used to create a favorable environment for the establishment in the upcoming Legislative Council election in September.

The report said:

From the election politics, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) hopes to obtain citizens’ recognition and support by using the effective control of the epidemic in order to create a favorable environment for the establishment. Therefore, we are requesting the Central government to continue to assist the Hong Kong SAR to solve two urgent issues:

1. Allow specified mask and protective equipment manufacturers to continue to deliver supplies to Hong Kong and provide machinery and raw materials to Hong Kong manufacturers who set up local mask production lines.

2. Allow the SAR government to discuss with the Hubei Provincial / Wuhan Municipal government to arrange for Hong Kong people stranded in the local area to return to Hong Kong in batches.

If the Central government can support the completion of these two works, the Hong Kong SAR could retain its administrative reputation and also let the Hong Kong people feel the central government’s care under the ‘one country, two systems’ structure. (We) believe it will be a rare opportunity to change the situation before the Legislative Election in September.

Hong Kong’s Establishment (pro-Beijing group) suffered a big loss in the District Council elections last year because the SAR government took a hardline position against the Hong Kong protests and refused to respond to the public’s demands.

Source: Apple Daily, February 23, 2020
https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20200223/AUBAU7W7CNESCJQTRZAS5MN7RY/

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Social Stability