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Mandatory Collection of Male DNA Data in China

Many local governments in China are planning or have started collecting citizen DNA data. Following Xinjiang, Ningbo in Zhejiang province, and Anqing in Anhui province, the police in Guilin city of Guangxi province recently issued a notice to local residents that they would collect male DNA samples. In the week of September 20, a police branch in Guilin issued a “Notice on Collecting DNA Information from Male Family Blood Samples” to the residents. The purpose was “to complete the basic information task of public security, comprehensively improve the control and management of the population, and improve the capability to serve the people.” Between September 20 and December 31, the local police will visit the residential areas and collect blood samples from male residents. At least one male in every household has to have his blood sample collected.

The police already started collecting human biological data, such as DNA and iris data, from residents in Xinjiang as early as 2017. The media reported that, in a village in Jiangxi Province, police officers also visited door to door to collect male blood samples from every family, one from adults and one from children. The villagers are required to fill out the “DNA Database Personnel Information Form.”

The Chinese police have reportedly stored about 100 million DNA samples from the population and the figure keeps growing. Petitioners, people who seek justice and want to travel to Beijing to have their issues addressed, will be forced to undergo blood tests once they are taken to the police station. When this happened in the past, they only found out later that the police were extracting DNA data from their blood. Arrested dissidents or activists in recent years have also experienced forced blood tests. However, the Chinese government has never explicitly announced the actual purpose of establishing a DNA database in a compulsory or semi-mandatory manner.

Source: Radio Free Asia, September 26, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-09262019071516.htmls

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Canadian Media: Former Canadian Politician Sides with Beijing to Blame Hong Kong Protesters

A Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail, reported that Michael Chan (陈国治) has repeatedly aligned himself with the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) view to blame Hong Kong Protesters. Chan was a former Canadian MPP and Ontario cabinet minister. He served between 2007 and 2018 and was in charge of the province’s immigration and international trade.

Chinanews, a Chinese state-backed news site, recently interviewed Chan. He condemned Hong Kong protesters, claimed there is foreign force behind them, and applauded the Hong Kong police “for showing restraint during the crisis.”

“I have been thinking, why are these young people so radical, so passionate [and] committed to do these things? Also, why are there so many people?”

Chan said another party instigated and brainwashed the protesters. “If there were no deeply hidden organization in this, or deeply hidden push from the outside, there would be no way that such large-scale turmoil could happen in Hong Kong in just a few months.”

Chan also said the violence in the movement in Hong Kong has been severe and if there were similar unrest in Western countries, the police would have “already fired bullets toward the crowds.”

While protesters have accused Hong Kong police of an excessive use of force, Chan stated, “It is just the opposite.” He said the restraint and courage of the Hong Kong police should be praised.

This was not the first time Chan publicly supported China’s stand on the Hong Kong issue. Last month, Chan spoke at a rally in Markham, Ontario, expressing support for the Hong Kong police, the government, and Beijing.

Some Chinese Canadians said Chan’s remarks sound like the Chinese regime’s propaganda. “It’s very clear that he is not using Canadian values nor is he using the universal values of Western democracies in making all these comments. Rather, he abides by the values of the Chinese Communist Party. That is troublesome.”

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) worried that Chan might have been under Beijing’s influence in the past.

In 2010, a senior CSIS official met Ontario’s premier Dalton McGuinty to formally caution him about Chan’s conduct and the risk of foreign influence. McGuinty dismissed the concerns as baseless and kept Chan in the cabinet. The next Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne also dismissed the concerns.

Sources:
1. Chinanews, September 1, 2019
http://www.chinanews.com/ga/2019/09-01/8943837.shtml
2. The Globe and Mail, September 15, 2019
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-former-ontario-minister-sides-with-beijing-pins-hong-kong-protests-on/

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Before and During the National Day Celebration, What One Can and Cannot Do

At the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese Communist regime, it is expected that the celebration events will be on the largest scale in decades. Beijing is already on full alert. In recent years, the security measures have rarely been seen to be this high.

Over the past few weeks, the authorities have ordered some residents in Beijing to move out. Several rounds of dress rehearsals also led to massive road closures. Supermarkets and restaurants along the military parade route have had to close.

However, the series of celebration events are open only to invited people. For those living in the city’s center, celebration means more restrictions.

The past several rehearsals sealed off regions in the city’s center where restaurants and supermarkets could not open. During the rehearsals, multiple stops on subway Line 1, a straight east-west line underneath Chang’an Avenue, were closed. Along Chang’an Avenue, where the military parade is to be held, the windows of the high-rise buildings are required to put on reflective strips or curtains. Residential neighborhoods in the area are blocked, with special personnel standing guard at check points. Local residents need to use ID cards to enter and leave the area. During the dress rehearsals, residents were required to pull down the curtains on their windows.

To secure the airspace, the government also banned flying kites, drones, and pigeons in the city center. The Chinese authorities have also implemented radio equipment controls, forbidding the use of wireless local area network (WLAN) outdoor stations, walkie-talkies, and wireless microphones.

To ensure enough sunshine for the celebration, the regime ordered some coal-fired power plants and construction sites in Beijing and surrounding areas in Tianjin city and Hebei province to suspend operations.

Between September 24th and October 3rd, mail deliveries in the city’s center are not allowed. All deliveries into Beijing will undergo strict examination. Passengers taking trains and high-speed rails into Beijing will be subject to multiple safety checks. Inbound vehicles are no exception.

Source: BBC Chinese, September 26, 2019
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-49823665

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

President of Burundi: China’s Hydropower Aid Project to Raise the Level of Bilateral Relations

On September 20, at the opening ceremony for the launch of Ruzibazi hydropower station project located in Burundi’s Rumonge province  the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, said that the project will expand the cooperation between Burundi and China and enhance the level of bilateral relations.

The hydropower station project is China’s largest aid project in Burundi. It was Sinohydro Bureau 14 Co. Ltd. that undertook the project.  It will be a hydropower station, with an installed capacity of 15 megawatts, over the Ruzibazi River, about 43 km south of Bujumbura, the economic capital of Burundi.

In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, Burundi’s Energy Minister, Come Manirakiza, said that the Ruzibazi hydropower station will constitute a large proportion of capacity of the country’s total installed power stations and is very important for the future development of Burundi.

According to Li Changlin, the Chinese ambassador to Burundi, in addition to the hydropower project, China has also implemented a number of aid projects in agriculture, education, and public health.

Source: Xinhua, September 21, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2019-09/21/c_1125022509.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Times: Huawei Will “Optimize” Its Workforce

Major Taiwanese newspaper China Times recently reported that, according to Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, to ensure competitiveness, Huawei must refresh ten percent of its upper management every year. The goal is to replace all the “lazy people” on the management team in three to five years. Also, according to leaked internal news, Huawei is planning to lay off around 6,000 people by the end of September, under the name of workforce optimization. Multiple Huawei employees confirmed that they themselves were asked to leave the company by the end of September. Some internal sources also said that new college graduates hired by Huawei with less than one and a half years of service time would be fired directly. Every day, the company’s internal employees’ forum is full of negative discussions. Huawei declined to make an official comment. Founder Ren Zhengfei suggested that, those who may be laid off can make themselves useful. For example, they can join new product development “death squads” for a final chance.

Source: China Times, September 17, 2019
https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20190917004240-260410?chdtv

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

RFA: Macao Installs Skynet System; Over 1,600 Facial Recognition Cameras to Be Installed by 2020

Macao has been installing the “Skynet” system in its public areas. The version being installed has a facial recognition function. About half of the total 1,620 cameras have been installed and the installation of the remaining cameras will be completed next year. Even though Macau’s Security chief claims that the Skynet system has a strict supervision mechanism, if there is an illegal act in the course of the operation, the law will punish the perpetrator. People are still concerned, however, that the government surveillance systems tend to be tools used to suppress dissidents’ voices and to violate the people’s freedom and their privacy. An article that Radio Free Asia published questioned whether the Macao of today’s world will become the Hong Kong of tomorrow.

According to the information from the Macau Police Headquarters, the local “Skynet” project is divided into four phases. The first to third phases were put into use in 2018. They involved 820 cameras. The locations include the areas around the entry and exit to customs, major roads, transportation hubs, tourist attractions, important facilities, and black spots in a number of districts. The final phase will be completed in the first quarter of 2020. It will be set up in a remote location that has security issues. The four phases will include a total of 1,620 cameras.

Source: Radio Free Asia, September 20, 2019
http://https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/Macau-surveillance-09202019110839.html?encoding=simplified

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: President Xi Had Phone Conversation with King of Saudi Arabia

Xinhua recently reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. Saudi Arabia is China’s “comprehensive strategic partner” and a key partner of the One Belt One Road Initiative. Saudi Arabia firmly supported China’s “One China” policy on the issue of Taiwan. King Salman provided more information on the recent attack against Saudi Arabia’s oil refineries. Xi Jinping strongly condemned this attack and the damage it caused to the region and the international energy market. Xi called for a fair investigation and asked all parties to remain calm to avoid an escalation of the crisis.

Source: Xinhua, September 20, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/leaders/2019-09/20/c_1125021138.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

DW Chinese: Global Times Chief Hu Xijin Complained about the Great Firewall

Deutsche Welle Chinese Edition recently reported that Global Times (Huanqiu) Editor in Chief Hu Xijin just posted a complaint on social media Weibo that it has been really hard to get onto the “foreign Internet.” Hu and the Global Times are strong defenders of the Communist Party’s propaganda policies and Internet access control policies. However, they were often given privileges to get outside the Great Firewall to speak for the Party. Hu has been actively posting pro-Mainland messages on twitter for over a year now. It appears he just lost his access to the outside Internet world. China is currently in preparing for the celebration of the Communist government’s 70th anniversary. Internet access controls have been tightened up. Within two hours, Hu’s complaint on Weibo was quickly deleted. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently pointed out that the Chinese internet needs to be “safe and controllable.” China has also been cracking down on VPN providers recently. Hu Xijin also defended the Great Firewall himself when he had an interview with Hong Kong TVB, saying controlling access to outside networks is necessary.

Source: DW Chinese, September 18, 2019
https://bit.ly/2ksBcoB

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology Social Stability