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Li Qiang Announced China’s Leadership Training Programs for ASEAN Countries

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, speaking at the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, unveiled China’s initiatives to train future leaders for ASEAN nations.

Li stated, “Fourthly, we will work together to expand humanistic exchanges. China is willing to work with ASEAN to continue to build a solid foundation of public opinion in our relations, implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and take next year’s co-hosting of the China-ASEAN Year of Humanistic Exchanges as an opportunity to further strengthen exchanges in the areas of culture, tourism, training, and youth, so as to continue to deepen the blending of civilizations and people-to-people exchanges. In the next three years, China will build 10 “China-ASEAN Modern Craftsman Institute” in ASEAN countries, continue to carry out the “Bridge of the Future” China-ASEAN Youth Leaders Training Program, and launch the “Ten Thousand People Training and Seminar Program,” to train 10,000 talents for ASEAN countries in the fields of governance, anti-corruption, and green development.”

Source: China’s Foreign Ministry website, September 7, 2023
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/chn/gxh/tyb/gdxw/202309/t20230907_11139468.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Chinese Singer Accusing Ukraine for Killing Its Own People

Chinese singer Wang Fang blamed Ukraine for killing its own people, creating episode number two after her visit to the Mariupol Opera House in Ukraine, where she sang the Russian patriotic song “Katyusha.” The actions of Wang and the group she was with, known as the “Chinese self-media delegation,” drew strong criticism from the Ukrainian government and the international community, since Russia bombed the Opera House, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, including many children.

Upon returning to Moscow, the four people from the group held a press conference. Wang said, “When I saw that the Ukrainian Nazis were killing the children in the Donbass, a wave of anger went through me, so I decided to come to the Donbass to help the children.” Her husband, Zhou Xiaoping, an internet writer known for promoting communist and leftist ideologies, placed blame on Ukraine rather than Russia for the destruction of the theater. He also echoed Russian propaganda by asserting that Russia was protecting the local population from NATO attacks.

Source: China News Center, September 11, 2023

王芳、周小平接受俄罗斯媒体采访，声称马里乌波尔歌剧院是北约轰炸的

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Explains China’s Foreign State Immunities Act

China recently passed the Foreign State Immunities Act, and the Chinese Embassy in the United States provided an explanation from the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson regarding this legislation.

Question: The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China has recently considered and adopted the Law on Immunity of Foreign States. The Law adjusts China’s previous position of “absolute immunity” to authorize Chinese courts to accept cases in which a foreign State is the defendant. May I ask why China has made this adjustment?

Answer: …

The Law on the Immunity of China and provides exceptions to it, making it clear that Chinese courts may exercise jurisdiction over lawsuits arising from the non-sovereign acts of foreign States, such as lawsuits involving disputes over commercial activities, related personal injuries and property damages, and may, under strictly limited conditions, take coercive measures against property of a foreign State in connection with its commercial activities. This is fully consistent with international law and the practice of States.

As a responsible Power, China firmly upholds the principle of the sovereign equality of States, will protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal persons, and will respect the immunities that foreign States are entitled to under international law.

Source: Chinese Embassy at the U.S. website, September 5, 2023
http://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/lcbt/wjbfyrbt/202309/t20230905_11138002.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

People’s Daily: Worsening Homelessness Crisis in the U.S.

An article published by People’s Daily, titled “Homeless Problem in the U.S. Is Getting Worse,” talks about the deteriorating homelessness crisis in the United States. The piece cites several Western media outlets, stating that the number of homeless individuals in the U.S. has surged to 577,000, marking an 11 percent increase from the previous year and the most significant spike since 2007 when records were first maintained. This crisis is particularly pronounced in major U.S. cities, with Los Angeles witnessing a staggering 55 percent rise in homelessness since 2015. In New York, approximately one in every 80 people lacks shelter, and the number of homeless individuals in the city’s shelters has surpassed 100,000.

The article attributes this dire situation to “deeply-rooted social inequality” and the vast wealth disparity between the affluent and the impoverished in the U.S. It criticizes government policies as ineffective, emphasizing that the federal, state, and local governments are merely passing the issue around, engaging in political blame games, and implementing largely symbolic measures.

In conclusion, the article underscores that despite being the world’s most powerful developed nation, the presence of a substantial homeless population living on the streets tarnishes not only the U.S.’s human rights record but also its societal governance and governmental efficacy. It quotes Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz’s assertion that the United States has become a wealthy nation full of poor people.

Source: People’s Daily, September 9, 2023
http://world.people.com.cn/n1/2023/0909/c1002-40073771.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Chinese Think Tanker: Traditional Economic Stimulus Ineffective in China’s New Normal

Cai Fang (蔡昉), Chief Expert of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ National High-end Think Tank, delivered a speech on September 3, highlighting that China’s economy has transitioned into a new normal, rendering traditional stimulus approaches obsolete.

Cai identified three key characteristics of China’s new economic landscape from both macro and micro perspectives:

  1. A rapidly declining population and a significant decrease in its labor force.
  2. Weak consumer demand, exacerbated by demographic aging.
  3. Mounting pressures in labor market, including labor shortages and the need to align the workforce’s skills with evolving industry demands.

Cai proposed three strategic policy directions:

  1. Promote a Competitive Environment: Encourage the removal of less competitive companies to stimulate innovation and enhance productivity.
  2. Rethink Traditional Macroeconomic Stimulus: Recognize that traditional stimulus measures no longer align with today’s economic landscape. For example, previous approaches emphasized infrastructure spending, which does not address the job-seeking preferences of today’s youth, who seek opportunities in the service sector rather than construction.
  3. Advance structural Reforms: Prioritize reforms such as the overhaul of the Hukou (household registration) system to incentivize urban-bound rural residents to increase their spending in urban areas.

Source: 21st Century Business Herald,  September 3, 2023
https://www.21jingji.com/article/20230903/herald/0c1fef010ce245062614214b69e74d02.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Economy/Resources Government/Politics

“Creative” Fees and Charges Emerge in China

A recent report listed a series of “creative” charges in China, driven either by profit-seeking motives or the necessity to survive a sliding economy.

  • High School Air Conditioning (AC) Service Charges: A high school opted to outsource its AC services to a company. To recoup equipment and installation costs, the company levied a fee of 9.9 Yuan per hour for each classroom and 3.9 Yuan per hour for each dorm room when students used the AC.
  • Hotel Charging Cable Fees: Some hotels have introduced fees for using their charging cables to power mobile devices, a service that was previously complimentary.
  • Massage Chairs in Public Spaces: A train station replaced its standard chairs with massage chairs, and numerous movie theaters have installed massage chairs in its premium seating areas, offering these seats at a higher price.
  • Nap Fees at High Schools: Recognizing the post-lunch nap habit among Chinese people, a high school instituted varying fees for students who wishes to nap on a bed, mat, or desk (where students sit with their arms on the desk and rest their heads on their arms).
  • College Library Study Rooms: Several colleges have transformed library rooms into “private study rooms” and imposed charges for their use, diverging from the traditional concept of libraries as free study spaces.

Source: QQ, September 5, 2023
https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20230905A04WZB00

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China’s First Province-Level Anti-Espionage Regulations

On September 1, 2023, the Chongqing municipal government implemented a set of detailed regulations called the “Chongqing Anti- Espionage Work Regulations.” It is the first local government in China to implement such rules following publication of the central government’s revised “Counter-Espionage Law” in July.

Chongqing’s regulations contain 29 articles. The first three articles echoed the central government’s Counter-Espionage Law. Starting from the fourth article, Chongqing’s regulations emphasize the supervisory role of the municipality’s state security agency. They call for close cooperation of various governmental departments in carrying out counter-espionage work, including the department of cyberspace administration, Taiwan affairs, national defense and science and technology, development and reform, education, science and technology, ethnic and religious affairs, public security, civil affairs, natural resources planning, urban and rural construction, commerce, veterans’ affairs, foreign affairs, postal management, and culture and tourism.

Civil services and public institutions will include counter-espionage propaganda in their training programs, and the education system will include such material in its teaching content.

For individuals involved in foreign exchange or collaboration, the regulations mandate a pre-departure anti-espionage education, a program of “overseas management” while the individual is abroad, and a post-return meeting. They also require that institutions stationed overseas or institutions who send people overseas develop espionage-prevention plans.

Many foreign organizations and individuals have been cautious about engaging with China since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) pushed out the state-level “Counter-Espionage Law.” This has led to a significant reduction in foreign investment and travel to the country.

Source: Epoch Times, September 2, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/2/n14065721.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics