Skip to content

All posts by NNL - 42. page

China Passed Initiative to Develop “Dual-Use for Peace and Emergency” Infrastructure

On July 14, China’s State Council Standing Committee approved a guidance opinion aimed at actively promoting “dual-use for peace and emergency” public infrastructure in 21 large and extra-large cities. Such infrastructure, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), refers to facilities that serve as tourist spots and rehabilitation centers during normal times but can be swiftly converted into quarantine and treatment centers during significant public emergencies.

On April 18, the NDRC held an on-site meeting in Pinggu District, Beijing, to promote such facilities. Many officials attended the meeting, including officials from seven government agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Health Commission, and the National Development Bank, as well as officials from 21 large and extra-large cities including Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Xi’an.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), July 14, 2023
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202307140361.aspx

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Internet Posting Calls for A4 Revolution Protest in Chengdu During the FISU World University Games

Chinese people had an “A4 Revolution” (holding a blank sheet of A4-size paper) to protest the communist regime’s inhumane lockdown for COVID control last year, which led to the authorities quickly ending the country’s zero-COVID policy.

Now, people are calling for another A4 Revolution protest in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, when it hosts the Summer FISU World University Games from July 28 to August 8. On July 11, Anna Wang, founder of Shining Light Media, LLC, headquartered in Washington, DC, retweeted a message to call people to protest Xi Jinping’s dictatorship in Chengdu on July 28.

The post listed five points of caution for the safety of all protesters:

  1. Do not disclose any personal information when reposting or communicating on Telegram Messenger, Twitter, etc.
  2. Do not contact anyone whom you met online to jointly participate in the protest. Even if you discuss a joint action online, do not share the exact time and location since the other person might be undercover police.
  3. Before participating in a flash-mob protest, delete sensitive contents from your computer and mobile phone to prevent police searches from gathering information.
  4. Bring a lot of white paper instead of only one piece. If asked about it by the police, just make up a reason. You can also give distribute the white paper to other people to use.
  5. Do not take pictures on the protest site, unless you only take pictures and do not participate in protest. Separating picture taking and protest participation is to prevent the police tracking.

The posting also emphasized that “there is no organizer for this event, it’s a completely atomized protest.” It also said that the event will take place online and offline at the same time.

The post has been widely circulated on GitHub and other social platforms.

Source: Epoch Times, July 12, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/7/12/n14033119.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Social Stability

US Circuit Court Ruled that Falun Gong Practitioners Can Sue Cisco for Supporting the CCP

On July 7, a three-panel decision from the US Ninth Circuit Court gave Falun Gong practitioners a green light to sue Cisco System, Inc. for its action in designing the Internet censorship network used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The CCP carried out its Golden Shield project (金盾工程) from 2003 to 2006 to build the Internet censorship and monitor system used against the Chinese people. The system, known colloquially as “The Great Firewall of China,” not only blocks people inside China from visiting websites that the CCP does not want people to go to, but also monitors people’s actions on the Internet. Cisco, in order to get bigger access to the Chinese market, helped the CCP to design this censorship system; China lacked the sophisticated skills needed to develop the system on its own.

At a Congressional hearing in 2008, Cisco admitted to its involvement in developing the system. Its Vice President admitted that Cisco’s internal presentation included an official statement from the Chinese government on combating hostile elements, including religious organizations. Cisco also stated in the same or related PowerPoint presentations that the CCP would carry out a crackdown campaign against Falun Gong, describing the project as a lucrative opportunity for the company.

In 2011, Falun Gong practitioners brought a lawsuit against Cisco and two of its former executives, CEO John Chambers and China Vice President Fredy Cheung, for assisting the CCP in tracking and persecuting Falun Gong practitioners.

In 2014, a local district court rejected the case.

On July 7 of this year, the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court’s decision and reinstated all claims under the Alien Tort Statute against Cisco.

Source:
1. NTDTV, July 8, 2023
https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2023/07/08/a103745483.html
2. Minghui, July 10, 2023
https://www.minghui.org/mmh/articles/2023/7/10/462850.html

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

An Arbitrage Opportunity for Trading RMB: Turning 70,000 Yuan to 120,000 Yuan

China’s recent efforts to internationalize its currency Renminbi (RMB) have backfired. Countries such as Russia, Brazil, etc. have received RMB from trading with China and then heavily sold RMB on the offshore RMB market, causing the RMB price to keep falling.

Twitter account “@AsiaFinance” recently tweeted about an arbitrage opportunity in trading RMB: First, sell a little over 70,000 yuan of RMB to buy US$10,000. Second, exchange the US$10,000 for 1.5 million Russian Ruble on the black market. Third, exchange the 1.5 million Ruble, at the official exchange rate, for 127,300 Yuan RMB. Then you have turned 70,000 yuan to over 120,000 yuan.

Source: Twitter “@AsiaFinance” account, July 7, 2023

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Wang Yi’s Comments on China’s Foreign Relations Law

China passed the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Foreign Relations” on June 28, 2023. Wang Yi, China’s number one official in charge of foreign affairs, holding the titles of Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Politburo member, Director of CCP Central Committee’s Foreign Affairs Work Committee, and State Council member, published a lengthy report on People’s Daily to praise the significance of the law.

Wang stated that the law represents Xi Jinping’s ideas on conducting foreign affairs, as well as the work of the CCP’s leadership on the matter. He also suggested that law offers a weapon for China to better fight against foreign forces.

Wang stated the following:

“(1) The enactment of the law on foreign relations is a major achievement in implementing Xi Jinping Diplomatic Thought in the form of law.”

“(2) The enactment of the law on foreign relations is an important measure to strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the CCP Central Committee on foreign affairs.”

…

“(6) The enactment of the law on foreign relations address an urgent need to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests. At present, China’s development has entered a period of the coexistence of strategic opportunities and risks and challenges, with increased uncertainties and unpredictable factors. In the face of serious challenges, we must maintain strategic determination, know and meet the difficulties, dare to fight, and be good at fighting. This includes the use of the weapon of laws and continuous enrichment and improvement of the legal “toolbox” for foreign affairs struggle, and full use of the law as a “stabilizer” for international order. The enactment of the foreign relations law, the clearly opposing of all hegemony and superpower politics, the opposing of any unilateralism, protectionism, bullying, and foreign interference, sanctions, sabotage and other acts against our country, and the clear enactment of legal provisions on countermeasures and restrictions will have preventive, warning, and deterrent effect, offering our country the legal basis to exercise anti-sanctions and anti-interference, and offering us legal means to safeguard national interests and maintain world peace.”

Source: People’s Daily, June 29, 2023
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2023/0629/c1001-40023485.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China State Media Uniformly Talked About People in Western Countries Not Having Enough Food to Eat

A Chinese netizen found that China’s state media collectively reported that people in Western countries do not have enough food. He concluded that “the official media’s intensive spreading of news that foreigners don’t have enough to eat is to tell you that hard times are coming (to you).” (Editor’s note: The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) logic is to tell Chinese people that people in other countries are in a horrible state and therefore, when hardship comes to the Chinese, they can justify or accept it since they are no worse off than those foreigners.)

The netizen gathered screenshots of several CCP controlled media around June 30:

  • Xinhua News Agency said, “One in every seven Brits didn’t have enough to eat last year;”
  • People’s Daily claimed, “Australia’s low-income families face severe cost-of-living pressure;”
  • China Daily claimed, “Homeless people in New York shelters hits record high of over 100,000;”
  • Xinmin Evening News, a media owned by Shanghai government, claimed, “One fifth of the German population is at risk of poverty;”
  • The Global Times reported, “Japanese media: Inflation soars, Japanese elderly can’t afford to eat fish.”

Source: Aboluo website, July 3, 2023
https://www.aboluowang.com/2023/0703/1922399.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Government/Politics

Fiji Renamed Taiwan Representative Office under Pressure from Beijing

The Fiji government, under pressure from Beijing’ changed the name of Taiwan’s Representative Office in its country from “The Republic of China (Taiwan)” to “Taipei.”

The previous Fiji government had a closer relationship with China. Under China’s pressure, on March 15 it renamed the Taiwan representative office to “Taipei Trade Office in Fiji.” It later signed a secret treaty with China on police exchanges, which allowed China to station a police force in this Pacific island country. A pro-democracy multi-party joint government took power earlier this year after the general election. The new government restored the Taiwan office’s original name from “Trade Mission of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Republic of Fiji.’  However, 3 months later the Fiji government reverted it back to “Taipei Trade Office in Fiji.”

Zhou Jian, China’s Ambassador to Fiji, expressed that China appreciated Fiji for following the “one China” principle. He said that he had successfully convinced the Fiji government to rename the Taiwan office.

Fiji also faced a strong backlash from China after its new Prime Minister started to consider stopping the police exchange treaty with China.

Source: Voice of America, June 22, 2023
https://www.voachinese.com/a/fiji-changes-taiwan-diplomatic-mission-name-back-to-trade-office-20230622/7148002.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend