Briefings – Page 194

45 NGOs Signed Open Letter Demanding Release of Zhang Zhan Who Is Jailed for Reporting on COVID Outbreak

On September 17, 45 non-governmental organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International, sent a joint letter to Xi Jinping, demanding the release of Zhang Zhan. Zhang was jailed for reporting on the COVID outbreak and has been on a hunger strike since May 2020.

Zhang reported the outbreak when it was in its early stage in Wuhan. After Wuhan was locked down on January 23, 2020, Zhang went to Wuhan and reported on how the hospital was packed with infected people and piles of bodies were in the crematorium. On December 28, 2020, after a three-hour trial, Zhang was sentenced to four-years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Zhang’s family said she has lost a significant amount of weigh. She was hospitalized in early August. Despite her rapid decline in health, Zhang was sent back to prison. Reporters Without Borders said Zhang has been mistreated while in custody and her family had been barred from visiting.

China ranks 177th out of 180 countries and regions in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index. The group says China has imprisoned the largest number of journalists in the world. At least 122 journalists are currently in prison.

The organizations that co-signed the open letter also include the Taiwan Journalists Association, the China Aid Association, Change China, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, as well as many others.

Source: Voice of America, September 17, 2021
https://www.voachinese.com/a/ngo-coalition-urges-china-to-release-covid-19-reporter-on-hunger-strike-20210917/6232546.html

Briefings | | September 21, 2021 | Government/Politics

CBN: China-US Ocean Shipping Prices Soared Five Times

China Business Network (CBN) recently reported that, while in the peak season, China-US ocean shipping prices returned to more than US$20,000/FEU (a 40-foot standard container). At the same time, shipping giants like CMA CGM announced the freezing of freight rates. The global container freight index published jointly by the Baltic Exchange and Freightos showed, as of September 12, that the shipping prices of China/Southeast Asia – West Coast of North America and China/Southeast Asia – East Coast of North America continued to rise. Both exceeded the US$20,000 mark, which reflects a 500 percent increase, year-over-year. The shipping companies may not raise their price now, yet the possibility of a downward adjustment is also unlikely. Recent sales data showed that home furnishings and home audio-visual products are very popular in the US market. This translates into the risk that shipping prices may continue to rise during the fourth quarter. The freight price freeze does not necessarily include the additional surcharges, which has become a major burden for importers and exporters.

Source: CBN, September 12, 2021
https://m.yicai.com/news/101170808.html

Briefings | | September 20, 2021 | Economy/Resources US-China Relations

Four Incidents alerted Switzerland to Chinese Infiltration; Swiss Parliament Passed Bill: “Improving Relations with Taiwan”

On September 14th, the lower house of the Swiss Parliament passed the “Improving Relations with Taiwan” bill by an overwhelming majority. The bill will require the Swiss Federal Council to submit a report on how to deepen relations with Taiwan in the economic, trade, political, scientific and cultural fields.

Yan Minru, a Taiwanese writer who has lived in Switzerland for more than three decades, told Radio Free Asia that Taiwan’s success in combating COVID, coupled with four recent China-related incidents in Switzerland, alerted Switzerland to the infiltration from China and made them realize that they should start to support Taiwan.

Those four China-related incidents are described as follows:
1. During the Hong Kong protest, Zurich University of the Arts used an art exhibit to show support for Hong Kong protesters. The Chinese embassy pressured the university, telling them not to interfere with China’s internal affairs. The university insisted they had the right to freedom of speech and it would be unconstitutional if they gave in and cancelled the exhibition. Their position was well received by the media.

2. Gerber, a Ph.D. student at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, criticized China on twitter. His professor and adviser then received threats from some Chinese students. The university asked Gerber to find another adviser. Since Gerber studied China’s environmental pollution which is a sensitive subject, Gerber was unable to find a new adviser. He had to drop out of school and wasted three years of research work.

3. About two years ago, for about a year, the Swiss German-language weekly Le Monde published articles written by a former Chinese ambassador to Switzerland on a monthly basis. The articles were full of propaganda. New Zurich Daily later exposed that the articles were published through the process of trade involving a paid advertisement with the Chinese embassy.

4. A large number of Chinese were smuggled into Switzerland. The Swiss government allowed several Chinese officials to come to Switzerland to verify the status of the refugees. The process lasted for two weeks. The Swiss government even paid for the Chinese officials’ airfare, hotel accommodations, health insurance, and gave them a US$217 daily allowance. They even let these officials use the Swiss office facilities. It caused strong public opposition.

Source: Radio Free Asia, September 15, 2021
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/hx2-09152021082637.html

Briefings | | September 20, 2021 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Former Scientist at Canada’s National Laboratory Collaborated with PLA Major General

According to the Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail, a former scientist at Canada’s National Laboratory had a close, cooperative research relationship with a Chinese PLA Major General who was praised in China for developing a COVID 19 vaccine.

While working at the Winnipeg National Laboratory in Canada, Qiu Xiangguo collaborated with Chinese PLA general Chen Wei while doing Ebola virus research. Both of them published papers on their research results in 2016 and 2020. However, there was no mention in the research process or in the paper’s publication that Chen is a military major general and a virologist. She was described as a Ph.D. from the Beijing Biotechnology Research Institute.

Three Canadian scientists involved in the study said they did not know Chen’s true identity and that Qiu did not disclose her cooperation with the Chinese scientists either.

It was later confirmed that Chen is a major general in the People’s Liberation Army and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Xi Jinping praised Chen’s team for developing China’s COVID vaccine.

The first to discover the relationship between Chen and Qiu was Canadian writer Elaine Dewar, who was conducting an investigation into the origin of COVID 19. She found a close relationship between the National Laboratory in Winnipeg and the Wuhan Laboratory in China. She then documented the relationship in her recent book, “On the Origin of the Deadliest Pandemic in 100 Years: An investigation.”

Qiu Xiangguo and her scientist husband, Cheng Keding, were expelled from the Winnipeg National Laboratory in July 2019. They were fired in January 2020, but Ottawa would not comment on the reason.

Source:
1. Radio Free Asia, September 17, 2021
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/kejiaowen/lf-09172021140553.html
2. The Globe and Mail, September 16, 2021
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-chinese-pla-general-collaborated-with-fired-scientist-at-canadas-top/

Briefings | | September 19, 2021 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China Buys Nearly a Quarter of the World’s Exported Whole Milk Powder

According to a Russian report, in 2020, China bought nearly a quarter of the total of all global exports of whole milk powder and in 2021, China has continued to expand its imports of whole milk powder.

On September 14, 2021, the Agricultural Products Export Development Center of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture released a report. According to the report, the total exports of whole milk powder in 2020 was 2.745,900 metric tons. China bought 23 percent of those exports.

From January to July 2021, China’s total whole milk powder imports increased by 34 percent from 455,000 metric tons compared to the same period last year. The total reached was 609,000 metric tons. New Zealand exported 561,000 metric tons to China during this period.

In addition, the Russian report also mentioned that, in 2020, China bought 13 percent, 9 percent, and 4 percent of global exports of skimmed milk powder, butter, and cheese. The Russian government is currently negotiating with the Chinese government on the milk powder supply. Recently, on August 7, 2021, the two sides held talks on this issue.

Source:

Liberty Times, September 16, 2021
https://ec.ltn.com.tw/article/breakingnews/3673306

Briefings | | September 19, 2021 | Economy/Resources

Xi Jinping: The Communist Party Must Firmly Lead All

On September 15, 2021, after several major government actions to control China, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Xi Jinping published a collection of the remarks he has made since 2012. The title in Qiushi magazine was, “Unswervingly Persist and Strengthen the Party’s Overall Leadership.”

Xi stated that the CCP must lead in the areas of the economy; politics; cultural, social, and ecological conditions; national defense and the military forces; the reunification [Taiwan], diplomatic work, the CCP’s party-building; and other areas of importance. Xi also said that the CCP’s leadership is the fundamental point of China’s political stability, economic development, national unity, and social stability, and there should not be even the slightest doubt about it.

Xi added further that China’s most significant national condition is the CCP’s leadership. History and the people have chosen the CCP. The CCP’s leadership is the essential feature and the advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The fundamentals of governing China are the CCP’s leadership and the Chinese socialist system.

Xi pointed out that the Communist Party of China is the ruling party. The CCP rules every aspect of China and is the supreme political leadership.

Xi said that upholding and strengthening the CCP’s leadership has a bearing on the future and destiny of the CCP and China. All undertakings are built on this foundation and rooted in this essential feature and this most significant advantage.

Source: Qiushi, September 15, 2021
http://www.qstheory.cn/dukan/qs/2021-09/15/c_1127862367.htm

Briefings | | September 19, 2021 | Government/Politics

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