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German Foreign Minister Warns against Being Naive When Dealing with China

In a discussion on the EU’s China strategy at the EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, the German Social Democratic Party’s Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, said that, in order to defend its own interests and values, it is important for the EU to develop relations with China in a united fashion, instead of each country acting in its own way.

In view of China’s efforts to participate in important infrastructure projects in Europe, Maas warned that one should not be too naive. He said, of course, people should see that “China is also pursuing its strategic interests through economic policies.”

Maas’s remarks are a warning regarding China’s telecom giant Huawei’s participation in 5G construction. He may also be critical of Italy. Following some smaller EU economies, Rome announced that it will reach a framework agreement with China on the Belt and Road Initiative. Through this project, China hopes to open up trade routes to Europe and Africa. Rome, on the other hand, hopes to promote China’s investment in ports such as Genoa and Taranto.  Several EU countries criticized Rome’s move.

Source: Radio France International, March 18, 2019
http://rfi.my/3pHG.T

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

CNA: Strengthening the Promotion of Marxism on College Campuses Seems to Be Effective

Since a commemorative meeting of the 200th anniversary of Marx was held in May 2018, the Chinese Communist Party has been increasing the promotion of Marxism among college students in China. The Central News Agency reported that, according to an article that China Youth Daily published, at the recent Second Session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference that was concluded on March 13, the Chinese National Committee published a survey report. The survey participants were university leaders, teachers, and students from 24 universities and colleges in Hunan and Hubei provinces. The article said that the survey results found that, among some young students, there has been a “significant improvement in the atmosphere of promoting Marxism.” The study results also showed that the propaganda campaign has “greatly promoted the spread of Marxism.” The teachers in the ideological and political class at the university felt a more “professional sense of honor,” that “the spring of ideological politics is coming,” that “the teachers of the ideological and political class were feeling a greater and greater sense of accomplishment, and that they could work and live in a more dignified way.” According to the survey, 83.4 percent of the students affirmed the effect of the Young Marxist Training Project that the party initiated in 2007. About 32 to 36 percent of the students surveyed said that they discuss Marxist theory with family and friends, or participate in Marxist academic societies and reading clubs. The report also said that there has been an increased exposure of the Communist Youth League on WeChat, B station, Zhihu, fasthand, vibrato, QQ, and other social media platforms, promoting the connection of Marxist theory with the youth so as to “motivate young students, make classrooms more lively and improve the quality of teaching.”

Source: Central News Agency, March 14, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201903140092.aspx

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Global Times: U.S. Acting Defense Secretary Banking on the “China Threat”

Global Times recently reported that anti-China U.S. acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan was once again singing the old-fashioned song of the “China Threat.” In his U.S. Senate hearing speech, Shanahan used four pages out of his 20-page report to address the “threat” from China, in terms of nuclear growth, space advances, and military investments. Apparently, many of these were just Mr. Shanahan’s personal imagination with absolutely no supporting material. In fact the Pentagon just submitted another increased defense budget, which is a continuation of the past three years. Even the U.S. media have been saying he was just looking for justification for more money. Thus China and Russia suddenly became scapegoats again. It would be a lot better if the U.S. government officials could look into win-win situations rather than creating new enemies.

Source: Global Times, March 16, 2019
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2019-03/14553799.html?agt=15422

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Apple Data Center in China’s Ulanqab Breaks Ground

The Apple (Ulanqab) Data Center Project held a groundbreaking ceremony on March 15 in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The data center is Apple’s first data center in northern China and will use 100 percent renewable energy. In February 2018, Ulanqab City and Apple held a ceremony for the signing of a cooperation agreement of the iCloud China North Data Center Project. The project is scheduled to be completed and put into operation in 2020.

The Chinese government believes that, in the future, Ulanqab will take advantage of the data center to promote the penetration of big data into a number of fields, and deeply integrate with various industries to form a big data and cloud computing ecology.

Source: China News Service, March 16, 2019
http://www.chinanews.com/cj/2019/03-16/8781614.shtml

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China to Pilot Facial Recognition Payment System in Shenzhen Subway

Radio France Internationale reported that, according to an article in the South China Morning Post, the Futian Metro Station in Shenzhen plans to introduce a facial recognition payment system. The pilot version of the facial recognition payment system to be operated at the Futian Station is a system in which passengers can pay for their transportation expenses through their personal account when they scan their faces on a large screen. The launch date of the system has not been disclosed. The advantage of the facial recognition system is that people can travel on the subway efficiently during the rush commuting hours. The number of people that take the Shenzhen Metro is five million per day. The facial recognition system has been put into use in all corners of Chinese society except the subway system. Radio France Internationale also quoted Pressecitron, a French media which stated that there may be technical problems in the event of a twin or body double. In addition, people’s daily routes are being recorded which causes concerns over security issues and the breach of personal information.

Source: Radio France Internationale, March 16, 2019
http://rfi.my/3ose.T

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Epoch Times: Chengdu Middle School Staged Press Conference to Cover up School Cafeteria Scandal

Epoch Times reported on a recent disclosure that the cafeteria at the Seventh Middle School in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, served moldy and rotten food to the students, causing many students to feel sick. Some even had severe bleeding when they had a bowel movement. The school denied the allegation. The Police blocked any parents who went to the school to appeal and kept them from entering the school. On the day prior to the joint investigation team press conference the school was to hold, a photo showed that 30 buses carrying police were sitting on Phoenix North Street outside of the school. Another video showed that on the day of the press conference, the school only let those who pretended to be the parents into the conference while the real parents were blocked from entering the conference. During the conference, the school officials announced that the photos of the moldy and rotten food posted on the social media were fabricated. Three parents who were accused of “spreading rumors” were arrested. Meanwhile the board members of the middle school fired the principal of the school. The official website of Chengdu Municipal posted a number of photos on the school’s Weibo account showing the students “happily returned back to school and resumed their normal classes.” People posted comments below the picture saying the school officials staged the photos and they should feel ashamed.

The Epoch Times article also reported that a video that the parents uploaded showed that the police blocked a parent from leaving home to take her sick child to the hospital. Another parent said she was not allowed to go to the hospital of her choice and could only go to the hospital that the school had designated. Some parents contacted nearby private schools hoping to transfer their children there, but they were told no. They suspected that the authorities had already exerted pressure on those private schools.

Source: Epoch Times, March 17, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/3/17/n11120040.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Duowei: The Strategic Path of Chinese Renminbi Internationalization behind the Planning of the Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Great Bay Area

On February 21, the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Great Gulf District Development Planning Outline was held in Hong Kong. From the attendance of officials, the level of the meeting was quite high. Lin Nianxiu, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission of China; Lin Zhengyue, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Ma Xingrui, Governor of Guangdong Province; and Chui Sai, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, delivered speeches. On February 19, the official website of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) had published a low-profile article entitled, “Thoughts on the Internationalization of Renminbi (RMB) and the Convertibility of Capital Accounts.” The author was the International Division of the PBOC. The article explained why China wants to promote the internationalization of the RMB. According to the official website of the PBOC, the International Division is responsible for business dealings and cooperation with financial organizations in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and other central banks. Taken together with the contents of the meeting and the “Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Great Gulf District Development Plan” that the State Council of China just released on February 18, which repeatedly mentioned the opening up and cross-border use of the RMB, the Chinese monetary authorities’ strategic path for the internationalization of the RMB is becoming clear.

Liang Haiming, Dean of the Silk Road Zhigu Research Institute, said, in an interview with China’s official media, Securities Daily, that, in the context of the development of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and the Macao Great Bay Area, the financial system carries an important historical mission. The Great Bay Area has to increase its efforts in exploring financial innovation, especially in cross-border business and RMB internationalization, as the bond that connects China with the world. The high-profile attendance at the meeting also reflects the Chinese government’s emphasis on the planning for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Great Bay Area and its “frontier position” for the internationalization of RMB.

Source: Duowei News, February 21, 2019
http://economics.dwnews.com/news/2019-02-21/60119513.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Qiushi Publishes Xi Jinping’ Article on Media Integration

Qiushi, The Chinese Communist Party’s flagship publication published an article that Xi Jinping wrote, titled, “Accelerate the Development of Media Integration and Build a Communication Pattern for Omnimedia.”

The article emphasized that it is an imperative issue to promote media integration and build the Omnimedia. It asked that the products of the information revolution be used to enlarge and strengthen the CCP’s official media.

The article proposed to build a batch of “influential and competitive” new mainstream media. The mainstream media are said to give priority to a mobile platform and should firmly occupy the “commanding heights” of public opinion to give ideological guidance. The article suggested using artificial intelligence in gathering news and in production, distribution, reception, and feedback.

Source: People’s Daily, March 16, 2019
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2019-03/16/nw.D110000renmrb_20190316_7-04.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics