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China Continues Active Investment in “Belt and Road” Countries

On November 15, the spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said at a press briefing that China is continuing active investment cooperation with the countries along the “Belt and Road.” In the first ten months of this year, China made new additional investments in 55 countries along the “Belt and Road,” totaling US$11.9 billion, or a 6.4 percent growth on a year-over-year basis. The total contractual value of newly signed projects in the countries along the “Belt and Road” was US$80.91 billion, accounting for 48.1 percent of the total in the same period; the accomplished turnover of the new projects was US$65.33 billion, or 53.7 percent of the total.

In the first ten months of the year, Chinese investors conducted non-financial direct investment of US$89.57 billion in 4,905 overseas enterprises in 155 countries and regions, registering a year-on-year increase of 3.8 percent.

Source: Chinese Ministry of Commerce, November 15, 2018
http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/xwfbh/20181115.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Statements about Political Performance Review of College Entrance Examination Candidates Caused Uproar among Netizens

BBC reported that statements that college entrance examination candidates would be subjected to a political performance review have caused an uproar among netizens. On November 6, the Chongqing Party Committee’s “Chongqing Daily” published a report titled, “Registration for the Chongqing 2019 General College Entrance Examination Starts on November 7th; a Political Performance Review Is an Important Reference for the College Entrance Examination.” The report quoted the Chongqing Education Examination Institute as saying that the political performance review is one of the requirements for the 2019 college entrance examination. The results will be reflected in the comprehensive review of the candidate’s qualifications. Unqualified political conduct mainly includes “opposition to the four basic principles, poor moral quality, and illegal criminal conduct.” Those who fail the review will not be admitted to the university. After many mainstream media in China reported on this issue, the report caused an uproar on the social platform. Many netizens criticized that the “political performance review” is “turning back the wheel of history.”

In the early morning on November 9, the Chongqing Education Examinations Institute issued a statement on its official website to apologize, saying that it is not accurate to identify the “Ideological and Political Morality Assessment” as a “political performance review.” The examination institute also stated that the content of the “Ideological and Political Morality Assessment” for candidates in the 2019 Chongqing College Entrance Examination has not changed.

On November 12, a Duowei News article reported that following the announcement from the Chongqing Education Examinations Institute, the Fujian Education Examinations Institute had also issued a notice on November 9 stating that it will conduct an “Ideological and Political Morality Assessment” for candidates in the college entrance examination and make a comprehensive appraisal of the candidates’ political attitudes and moral character.” The notice specifically stated that candidates who made statements against the basic principles established in the Constitution or who participated in cult organizations would not be allowed to participate in the college entrance examination.

An online post titled, “Political performance review of your uncle” “政审你大爷” strongly criticized the practice of the college entrance examination. The post stated, “Many policies in this country are ridiculous.” “When collecting taxes, they never feel that our moral quality is bad and that there is no need for our dirty money, but when it’s time for our children’s college entrance exam, they dislike our children for their improper moral quality and don’t let them participate in the college entrance exams.” This post has since been deleted.

Source:
1. BBC Chinese, November 9, 2018 https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-46134585
2. Duowei News, November 12, 2018, http://news.dwnews.com/china/news/2018-11-12/60097529.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

A University in Guangxi Is Inspecting Every Student and Faculty Member’s Phone and PC

Guilin University of Electronic Technology (GUET), a university in China’s southwest Guangxi Province, recently took a rare action unseen in the past few decades. For half a month, GUET has been inspecting the illegal audio and video files on more than 40,000 students and faculty members’ phones, personal computers, and removable hard disks, with no stone unturned. The university acknowledged this operation and claimed that the instructions came from the higher level authorities. All the schools were simply following the orders.

On November 13, a Radio Free Asia reporter obtained the No. 77 document, which GUET had issued. The document stated that domestic and foreign hostile forces were spreading illegal audio and visual materials through the Internet and mobile phones. Therefore, the university arranged this operation to strike the spread of audio and video programs involving violence, terrorism, reactionary contents, and pornography.

The operation began on November 7 and will end on November 23; it will target all faculty members and students. The scope of devices includes mobile phones, computers, mobile hard drives, and USB flash drives. The requirement is to complete coverage without missing a single person. After the inspection, subordinate units and colleges must submit written summaries, which the main leader must sign and affix with the official seal, and then hand them over to the school’s security unit.

It is the first time in the past 20 years that a public notice has been issued to conduct a large-scale computer inspection.

A staff member of the school confirmed that it was indeed the case. The staff said that the instructions came from the upper level and each school would release its own method of implementation.

In addition, the police can monitor the audios and videos. If illegal files are found and are found to be serious, the police will handle them or the Domestic Security Protection Bureau, a branch of Ministry of Public Security dealing with dissidents and activists will do so.

GUET is a university under the joint jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense; and the Guangxi Provincial government. It is also tasked with training technical personnel for the military.

Source: Radio Free Asia, November 13, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/examination-11132018075349.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Communist Party Branch Invades Hong Kong Institutions of Higher Education

Apple Daily reported that an article circulating on the Internet commented that, in October, groups of Chinese judges who are studying for the master’s and a doctoral degree at the City University of Hong Kong not only set up a temporary party branch but also held a branch meeting. However, the official website of the China National Judges College, which first disclosed this significant information, was suspected of having deleted the posting after the incident caused a dispute. According to a number of Hong Kong media reports, the party branch office held a meeting on the afternoon of October 20. Thirty-nine party members and 11 non-party members participated in the meeting.

According to the CCP constitution, units with more than three Communist Party members must establish party branches. In recent years, the CCP has been advocating “setting up party branches while away from China.” Voice of America reported earlier that, on November 4, 2017, seven visiting scholars established a branch of the Communist Party of China at the University of California in Davis, but the organization was dissolved only two weeks later because it was in violation of U.S. law.

Source: Apple Daily, November 13, 2018
https://tw.appledaily.com/new/realtime/20181113/1465860/

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Lecture of British Dissident Writer in Hong Kong Was Cancelled

The independent Chinese PEN member and Chinese dissident writer Ma Jian was scheduled to give lectures that were to be held in Hong Kong on Saturday November 10. The lectures were cancelled due to unknown reasons. Radio Free Asia reported that this is similar to the experience of the Chinese political cartoonist Ba Ducao, whose solo exhibition in Hong Kong got cancelled earlier.

Ma Jian was scheduled to attend two lectures on Saturday at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival held at Hong Kong’s Grand Pavilion, but he said on a social networking site on Wednesday that “due to unknown reasons” the two literary exchanges were cancelled. He also said that if the event address was changed, he would inform the participants, provided that he was not missing.

According to a Deutsche Welle report, the Hong Kong Grand Assembly explained that they do not want to see the big hall become a platform for any individual to promote their political interests, but will help the organizers to find a more suitable venue. Some in the general public expressed the belief that this was another public event cancelled for politically sensitive reasons.

Ma Jian was originally prepared, during the lectures, to publicize his new book, “The Chinese Dream.” This book is in response to the “Chinese Dream” that Xi Jinping proposed. The work describes “a country facing materialism and violent history.” The British Penguin Press evaluated the book as “creating a biting satire on totalitarianism.”

Many of Ma Jian’s works have been banned in the mainland, including the novel “Beijing Coma” which explores the background of the June 4th Tiananmen Square incident. His work has been translated into more than twenty languages and have been published worldwide. In 2011, the Chinese government also banned Ma Jian from entering the country.

Earlier this month, the Chinese political cartoonist Badiucao (巴丢草)’s first international solo exhibition “Gongle” was also cancelled because the organizers claimed that the Beijing authorities threatened them.

Source: Radio Free Asia, November 8, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/kejiaowen/hc-11082018094703.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

PLA Daily: Army to Transition into the Type Oriented toward a “Proactive Strategy”

On November 12, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily, the official voice of the Chinese military, published an opinion article titled, “Promoting the Transition of an Army into the Type Oriented toward a ‘Proactive Strategy.’”

“For a long time, the army has grown with the background of ‘active defense’ warfare, carrying out a ‘shield’ style of build-up and readiness. That is, the army has only passively responded when the enemy entered the country. This type of army is looking at the borders of the territory; its combat guideline is ‘defending the country and fighting against aggression.’ As history enters into the 21st century, the form of warfare is undergoing accelerated and profound changes. The development of the army must be based on the country’s strategic needs. It should have the courage to become the ‘backbone’ of information warfare and take the initiative to transition into the type that has a ‘proactive strategy.’”

“This strategy means planning and designing. It means to take the initiative, instead of relying on external forces, to make strategic plans and calculations. The army that has a ‘proactive strategy’ is in line with the trend of the evolution of the world’s military. It focuses on national strategic needs, works for the goal of ‘protecting its territory and its interests,’ proactively designs land warfare, and actively plans the development of a powerful modern new-type army.”

“Such an army has distinct characteristics: a strong sense of crisis, … a vast and broad strategic vision, … and a forward-looking land warfare design.”

Source: People’s Liberation Army Daily, November 12, 2018
http://www.81.cn/theory/2018-11/12/content_9341890.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

RFA: Silicon Valley Said No to Wuzhen

Radio Free Asia (RFA) recently reported that the Fifth World Internet Conference was held in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province, starting on November 7. Other than the CEO of Qualcomm, a U.S. chip maker, who attended the Conference and delivered a speech, no high-ranking officers from Silicon Valley showed up. Apparently, this was due to the trade war between China and the U.S. In fact, many of these companies were very upset about China’s continuous dishonest behavior, such as stealing intellectual property from them. This is one of the main triggering causes of the trade war. Some experts expressed the belief that it’s ironic for China, a country that blocks billions of netizens from freely accessing international websites, to host the international Internet conference year after year. Bill Xia, the President of a U.S. internet freedom product (Freegate) company, commented in an RFA interview that China has been hiding behind the ridiculous excuse of “internet sovereignty” to hammer freedom of speech and to apply tight controls over its own citizens.

Source: RFA Chinese, November 8, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/nu-11082018094230.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Information/Technology US-China Relations

The Canton Fair Showed a 30 Percent Decline in Exports to the U.S.

Sofreight, a Chinese national logistics and shipping information site, recently reported that, when the 124th Canton Fair (also known as the China Import and Export Fair) closed, it showed a decline of over 30 percent, to US$279 million, in the level of exports to the United States. Also, in addition to the decline of U.S. buyer attendance, the attendance of buyers from other major economies also saw a significant decline. Compared to last year, European Union buyers declined by 3.93 percent, the U.S. buyers declined by 4.07 percent, and Hong Kong declined by 6.34 percent. The Canton Fair has historically been the primary barometer to measure China’s international trade health. The export level reflected in the Fair was in line with what was demonstrated in the recent Chinese export PMI numbers. In October, the Chinese export orders index under its PMI score reached the lowest point since 2016. According to a Fair internal survey conducted by the Zhejiang Province delegation among their own 4,690 companies that participated in the Canton Fair, over 60 percent of the companies have 10 percent or more revenue dependency on exports to the U.S. Around 15 percent of companies have over 80 percent dependency on U.S. exports. Around 66 percent of the companies surveyed expected an export decline of 10 percent or more.

Source: Sofreight, November 9, 2018
http://www.sofreight.com/news_28534.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources US-China Relations