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Briefings - 390. page

African Swine Fever Hit Chongqing and Has Spread through 14 Chinese Provinces

According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced on November 4 that a case of African swine fever broke out in a farm in Xingyi Town in China’s southwestern city of Chongqing. That pushed the number of provinces plagued by the epidemic to 14. The Chongqing farm reportedly has 309 pigs, among which three have died from the disease.

Although there were two cases of African swine fever in Shanxi Province in Northern China, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced on November 3 that another outbreak had been detected in Yangqu County of Shanxi. The involved Shanxi farmer is raising 47 pigs; 25 have been diagnosed with the disease and 7 have died.

Although China has taken many measures, the ever increasing number of confirmed cases shows that the epidemic has not been effectively contained. Outbreaks have been detected in 14 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions: Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Henan, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Tianjin, Shanxi, Yunnan, Hunan, Guizhou and Chongqing.

African swine fever has an acute death rate of 100 percent. Although it will not infect humans, there is no vaccine to prevent it. Infected or dead pigs can only be culled, buried or treated with chemicals so as to prevent the spread of the virus.

Source: Central News Agency, November 4, 2018
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201811040125.aspx

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

A Large Amount of Gold Is Flowing into China

Taiwanese online news site Tech News recently reported that multiple wealth management providers have been recommending to nearly all of their wealthy Chinese clients to stock up on gold. According to Swiss Customs data, in September, Switzerland imported 223.3 tons of gold and exported 118 tons. Both were peak points in the past two years. Most of the Swiss gold that was imported (around 70 percent) was from London and New York. The destinations for Swiss exports were mainly in Asia. India is one of the largest gold consumers; its September gold imports decreased by 115 tons. Unexpectedly, exports to Hong Kong alone increased from 3.3 tons to 28.7 tons. China and Hong Kong together saw that gold imports increased by 160 tons. Typically, gold stays in London and New York for banks to trade among themselves. However, this time physical gold has been flowing out and has never circled back.

Source: Tech News, October 30, 2018
https:// technews.tw/2018/10/30/china-rich-people-gold/

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China Finance Online: CCP Politburo Met to Discuss Strategy to Stabilize the Economy

China Finance Online, China’s only online financial information service listed on NASDAQ, recently reported that the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party met on October 31 to focus on the strategy for stabilizing the economy. The meeting reviewed the macro-economy for the past three quarters and confirmed an increase in the downward pressure, especially relating to long-term risks. The meeting also analyzed the primary cause of the current economic challenges and identified the “deep changes” that are occurring “externally.” As for the next steps, the meeting also specified the focal points for immediate action. These will include a new mention of “capital market reform” in addition to stabilizing the job market, the financial market, foreign trade, foreign investments, government investments and market expectations. Interestingly, the meeting did not mention de-leveraging policy, and did not mention real estate market adjustments. Experts expressed their belief that the meeting is an important and timely meeting, which acknowledged the significant pressure and “external changes,” and pointed in the direction of a market-oriented action list.

Source: China Finance Online, November 1, 2018
http://finance.jrj.com.cn/2018/11/01064925289316.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Sputnik: Russia to Finalize Digital Media Cooperation Plan with China by Summer of 2019

Sputnik reported that, during the 4th Russian-Chinese Media Forum, Alexey Volin, the Deputy Minister of Russia’s Digital Development, Communications and Mass Communication, told the reporter that the Russian side hopes to develop a digital media cooperation plan with China before the summer of 2019. The plan will include about 20 areas of cooperation: jointly organized forums, online conferences, exchanges of content distributed in the digital environment, the production of technical equipment, the development of on-line service software, and conducting collaboration between television and radio. This program aims to find answers for new media in a global digital environment.

Source: Sputnik, November 4, 2018
http://sputniknews.cn/russia_china_relations/201811041026737195/

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China News: China Postal Services Banned Pork in Packages

China News recently reported that the China Postal Services just announce a ban on mailing pork in postal packages. This is part of the national plan to control the African swine fever, which is spreading widely across China. The announcement also included detailed organizational and human resource level accountabilities throughout the Postal Service’s management structure as well as the Communist Party structure. The Postal Service is also coordinating with other government branches like public safety, market monitoring and administration, inspection and quarantine, as well as customs. The plan is also to ban any pork import channels from suspicious African areas. All postal branches are required to establish emergency procedures with dedicated personnel. Emergency exercises are strengthened and should join the local governments’ overall exercises. Two-way communications mechanisms have also been standardized and set in place. All branches are stocking up on necessary supplies that the exercises and real-life emergency handling require.

Source: China News, November 2, 2018
http://http//www.chinanews.com/gn/2018/11-02/8666891.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Zhejiang Provincial Committee National Security Council Office launched an “Anti-Spy Publicity Week”

The Paper reported that, in order to promote anti-espionage security awareness among the general public, the Zhejiang Provincial Committee National Security Council Office launched an “Anti-Spy Publicity Week” from November 1 to 7 in 11 cities. In Hangzhou City, there are billboard posters in Railway stations and mini-cartoons in city buses and subways stations. Wenzhou City organized an online anti-spy knowledge contest with cash awards. Zhoushan City hosted anti-spy education seminars for college freshman and exchange students from Taiwan. Five people received cash awards between 5,000 to 100,000 yuan (US$726 to US$14,512) from the provincial Department of National Security for submitting tips. The article claims that there has been a higher occurrence of spying activities in Zhejiang Province in recent years. In addition to key departments such as the party, the government, and the military, the general public with certain secrets and confidentiality conditions have also become the targets of foreign intelligence spy agencies. According to the article, the purpose of the Anti-Spy Publicity Week was to use various forms of publicity and education to promote anti-espionage security awareness, especially among the leading cadres at all levels and among key personnel in key positions in different departments and localities.

Source: The Paper, November 2, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2592546

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

RFA: Australian Think Tank Published Report on How Chinese Students or Scholars Steal Military Technology from the West

Radio Free Asia  (RFA) reported that on October 30, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), an Australian think tank, published a report titled, “Picking flowers, making honey.” The report criticized China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for sponsoring Chinese students or scholars to study in the west so they would be able to steal military technology. The report stated that, since 2007, the PLA has sponsored more than 2,500 military scientists and engineers to study abroad and has developed relationships with researchers and institutions across the globe including in such countries as the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. These people often pose as students or scholars in a collaboration project to collect military technology. They hide their military background, and it is difficult for Western countries to understand or learn about their relationship with the Chinese military. These people usually do not directly contact the military personnel in the host country. The research cooperation projects they participate in are usually concentrated in the fields of emerging technology or military and civil science, such as quantum physics, signal processing, cryptography, navigation technology, artificial intelligence, etc. They secretly collect relevant technology. Meanwhile in the past five years, the number of research reports that Chinese military researchers and British and American scientists have published has been more than the number of research reports that  scholars from any other country have published. The report also pointed out that, since the Western academic environment is open, it is very difficult to prevent the CCP military personnel from stealing key technologies at the academic level. When many scholars of the Chinese military participate in scientific and technological research projects in Western countries, they often bring research funding as well.

A former Chinese Army Naval Intelligence Officer told RFA that major universities in mainland China have national defense students. These students have to sign confidential contracts with the military after they enter the university. Many scientific and technical personnel in the military are national defense graduates.

China’s official media Huanqiu condemned the report making the accusation that the report is “the western forces’ going to new heights to smear China’s image.” The report quoted one Chinese diplomatic scholar who claimed that Australia has followed in the footsteps of the U.S. in its China policy and actively cooperated with Trump’s statement that China’s development is based on stealing Western technology. This approach has not been good for Australia.

Source:
1. Radio Free Asia, October 31, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/report-10312018093328.html
2. Australian Strategic Policy Institute, October 30, 2018
https://www.aspi.org.au/report/picking-flowers-making-honey
3. Huanqiu, October 30, 2018
http://hqtime.huanqiu.com/article/a-XDIVXC5A79CF363246A988

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Corrupt Officials Ran Away with Money; Depositors Made a Run on the Bank

Zigong Bank is a privately run bank in Zigong, Sichuan Province. People made a run on the bank after news spread on the Internet that the three executives of Zigong Bank fled with money they had embezzled. Many people in Zigong rushed to the bank to withdraw money.

The news of the run on Zigong Bank spread widely on the Internet. After only 20 minutes, the authorities ordered the information to be deleted, but the people had already flocked to the bank’s branches to withdraw funds. Rumors were that the bank did not have enough reserves to pay for the withdrawals.

The local government issued a notice denying the rumors and claimed that Zigong Bank is functioning normally. The police later claimed to have arrested a 31-year-old netizen.

Source: Radio France International, November 3, 2018
http://rfi.my/3I47.T

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources