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China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs: Both North Korea and the U.S. Need to Apply the Brakes

At a press conference held on March 8 for the Fifth Plenary Session of the 12th National People’s Congress, Wan Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, answered news reporters’ questions.

A Reuters reporter asked him if China thinks a war will break out on the Korean Peninsula and asked how it could be prevented.

Wan answered, “On the one hand, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), insists on its nuclear missile development. While ignoring international objections and violating the United Nations’ resolution, it recently fired four Ballistic missiles. On the other hand, the U.S. and South Korea held super-large scale military exercises and continually increase their military pressure over the DPRK. This is like two trains that keep accelerating, with no intention of avoiding each other. Are the two sides really ready for a head-on collision? The top priority at this moment is to flash the red lights and apply the brakes.”

Wan said China’s suggestion is that North Korea stops nuclear missile activity and the U.S. and South Korea stop large-scale military exercises, and then both sides come back to the negotiating table.

Source: Xinhua, March 8, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2017lh/2017-03/08/c_129504192.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

Duowei: Five Major Problems of the People’s Congress

Wit the Fifth Plenary Session of the 12th National People’s Congress taking place in Beijing, Duowei published an article discussing the major problems of the People’s Congress.

One, what is its position or ranking in China’s political structure? Though the People’s Congress is the highest authority in the state power system, there is a “super power” above it. That is the Communist Party. The “People’s Congress is to ensure that the Communist Party’s propositions will manifest in the state via the legal process.”

Two, can it actually have the power of supervision? The Constitution specifies that Representatives of the People’s Congress can request hearings involving state officials. In reality, the Party’s Central Organization Department and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection appoint and remove officials, so the People’s Congress does not really have this power.

Three, when will it take back the power of taxation? Among the 18 types of taxes, the People’s Congress only established three. The State Council determined all of the others.

Four, how to improve representation? Officials and businessmen have taken a disproportionately higher number of seats. Representatives of the People’s Congress “do not represent people.”

Five, who can lead the reform of the People’s Congress? The head of the People’s Congress tends to be a “mild or cautious” person. “Xi Jinping has an urgent expectation for the reform at the People’s Congress. He obviously needs a much stronger and much more daring person to lead this ‘big reform.’” {Editor’s note: The current Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress is Zhang Dejiang who is in Jiang Zemin’s camp and does not always agree with Xi.}

Source: Duowei, March 4, 2017
http://china.dwnews.com/news/2017-03-04/59803615.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Duowei: China Has Made Big Progress in the Development of Laser Weapons

In a recent article, Duowei listed several laser weapons that China has developed and stated that China is at an advanced level in the development of laser weapons.

The “Silent Hunter” low altitude laser air defense system can send a laser beam, with 30 kw of power and a 4 km maximum height, to break through a 5 millimeter steel plate that is 1 km away. Its main use is to block unmanned aerial vehicle.

The “Low Altitude Guard” system can export 10 kw of power and block anything in a 2 km radius, 12 square km space.

China’s “Light Shield” system can emit laser beams to destroy low altitude planes and missiles.

The JD-3 laser active countermeasure system on the army’s 99A tank can paralyze the enemy’s sighting equipment or blind their personnel.

The small high-energy tactical laser equipment developed in 2008 can penetrate a 3 millimeter steel plate that is 30 meters away.

The “Light Electromechanical Information” magazine, that the Chinese Academy of Science published, claimed that China has five leading technologies in the laser field: laser materials, physical mechanism and imaging pattern of laser radiation materials, a one-time quick track and positioning system, high density energy reversible conversion carrier materials, and laser imaging technologies.

Source: Duowei, February 25, 2017
http://china.dwnews.com/news/2017-02-25/59802154.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Duowei: Why The World Looks to China Now?

A Duowei commentary stated that, as the Western countries are getting into more trouble, the world is looking to China for its leadership.

The article gave several reasons. First, China has become the second largest economy in the world. Second, China has made progress in improving its discourse power in the world economy. “It seems that China has sent a positive message to the world: ‘When the Western world, led by the U.S., no longer wants to uphold the banner of free trade, China will take over the banner.’” Third, China’s plans for world and regional economic development, such as its proposal of “one belt, one road” and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, are attractive.

“To China, the world has placed a huge responsibility and pressure on it; but it also gives (China) a historical opportunity. When the Western world started to have a management crisis and lost its ability to circumvent China and when globalization ran into problems and needed some big countries to provide global offerings, China got the opportunity to expedite its peaceful rise.”

Source: Duowei, February 25, 2017
http://opinion.dwnews.com/news/2017-02-25/59802160.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Chinese Scholar: The U.S. Position on Dealing with North Korea

Zhang Liangui, a professor at the Institute of Strategy Studies, Central Party School and an expert on Korea Peninsula issues, talked about the possible U.S. approaches to dealing with North Korea.

“Trump might talk to North Korea first to find out if it plans to give up nuclear weapons. If it says it ‘absolutely will not give them up,’ Trump will cut the talk and go down the showdown track. If it says ‘I will give them up,’ Trump might give it a timetable. For example, ask it to abolish nuclear weapons in two years and specify the goal for the first month, second month, third month, etc. … If North Korea misses a milestone, the U.S. can take the showdown path. In other words, the U.S. would want North Korea to comprehensively, verifiably, and irreversibly abolish nuclear weapons.”

Source: Weinxin, February 15, 2017
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzAwMDE3MjUxMw==&mid=2651799171&idx=1&sn=16cca5f6a35624acc80397188f0f011d&chksm=8116960db6611f1bf5a66ff3f6593943c845d1707abb89bd0025d140894d4c6b278412c8cceb&mpshare=1&scene=1&srcid=0215yTAdgFrwHCXEHjXhYgrX#rd

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Global Times: How to Respond When a U.S. Aircraft Carrier Enters China’s Waters in the South China Sea?

Chinese military specialist Li Jie told Global Times that China has many ways to respond if a U.S. aircraft carrier enters into the 12 nautical miles within China’s islands in South China Sea.

Li stated, “We don’t want to create trouble, but when the opponent challenges us, we should firmly counter back.”

Li said that in addition to the traditional warning, following, and driving away approaches, China now has more options. China can send an unmanned ship or drones to conduct close reconnaissance and to warn the ship, or it can use electromagnetic interference technology to interfere with the ship.

Source: Global Times, February 21, 2017
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2017-02/10170094.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Caixin: Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang Convicted of a Crime

Caixin reported that, on February 17, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, the second Chief Executive of Hong Kong after China took over, was convicted of a crime.

He faced three charges and was found guilty on  the second charge, misconduct in public office. Tsang had deliberately concealed his plans to lease a three-story penthouse from Wong Cho-bau at the same time that Wong’s company was filing several applications with the Hong Kong government, including one for a digital audio broadcasting license. Wong’s applications were approved.

On February 22, the Hong Kong court sentenced Tsang to 20 months in prison. The Judge said that the sentence should have been a 30-month prison term, but he gave Tsang a 10 month reduction because of his 40 years of public service.

Sources:
1. Caixin, February 18, 2017
http://china.caixin.com/2017-02-18/101056583.html
2. VOA, February 22, 2017
http://www.voachinese.com/a/news-ex-ce-of-hk-sentenced-to-20-month-in-jail-20170222/3734795.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics