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People’s Daily: China Has Improved Relations With These Countries in 2023

People’s Daily reported that China has elevated its relationship with the following countries in 2023:

  • All Weather Partnerships: Venezuela, Ethiopia
  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships: Turkmenistan, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Solomon Islands, Georgia, Zambia, Timor-Leste, Uraguy, Vietnam
  • Comprehensive and High-Quality Forward-Looking Partnerships: Singapore
  • Strategic Partnership: Pakistan, Benin, Syria, Columbia, Nicaragua

Source: People’s Daily, December 21, 2023
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2023/1221/c1001-40144239.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

People’s Daily Addresses Heavy Mobile Phone Usage in Armed Police

People’s Daily ran a report on heavy mobile phone usage within the armed police unit in Hengshui City, Hebei Province. The piece, titled “Exploring ‘Proper Usage’ of Mobile Phones in Military Camps,” covered efforts to direct soldiers who spend a lot of time watching short entertaining videos or playing video games on their cell phones. Several stories were reported about inspiring soldiers to use their time well in furthering the communist party’s goals.

The Political Instructor of an armed police company noticed that soldiers’ mobile phone usage was heavy, with members of the company watching short videos, playing games, or consuming news. The instructor showed the soldiers several “meaningful” and “inspiring” videos that appeared on his own video feed, e.g. a video titled “Why did the 38th Army of the Volunteer Army become the ‘Best Army’?” (the “Volunteer Army” refers to Chinese forces deployed against US and UN forces during the Korean War) and “Explaining the Ins and Outs of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” The instructor contrasted these videos with the pop-entertainment videos appearing on the soldiers’ own video feeds, saying that only such “meaningful” and “inspiring” content could leave a deep impression in their minds. Soldiers thus started to watch such genres of video that the instructor recommended.

In another military unit, a soldier shared a picture of his camp life and forgot to blur out the face of his commanding officer (which was considered to be leaking a military secret). Seeing the soldier’s affinity for posting on social media, the commanding officer encouraged the soldier to create reports for the military unit on social media so as to cultivate a “positive” image for the unit.

Source: People’s Daily, December 21, 2023
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2023/1221/c1011-40143905.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics Information/Technology

Wang Huning’s Directive: Manipulate Taiwan’s Election Through Fragmented Grassroots Infiltration

Top Chinese government official Wang Huning reportedly held a meeting in Beijing in early December to coordinate efforts to intervene in Taiwan’s upcoming presidential election, which is scheduled for January 13, 2024. A number of different Chinese government departments and agencies were reportedly assigned specific tasks with the aim of subtly influencing Taiwan’s presidential election without attracting international scrutiny. Agencies with representatives attending the meeting include the CCP’s Department of Propaganda, the Department of Taiwan Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of National Security, and the CCP’s United Front Work Department.

The key strategy of China’s cognitive warfare against Taiwan has been to present voters with a “choice between war and peace.” Although Xi Jinping recently stated in public that China does not have plans to attack Taiwan in 2027 or 2035, Beijing still wants Taiwanese voters to feel that there is a threat of war if Taiwan refuses to peacefully integrate with Mainland China.

Beijing’s layered, multi-channel information campaign aims to manipulate Taiwanese public opinion while avoiding the most overt forms of interference that could provoke international condemnation.

The shift from overt influence strategies of the past to a more subtle, distributed approach may reflect China’s current economic weakness, which limits its ability to spend large amounts of money on influence campaigns. Beijing’s continued efforts to influence the politics of Taiwan despite current economic headwinds demonstrates the importance that China places on its Taiwan unification objective.

One specific tactic employed by Beijing is to offer visits or discounted tours in China for Taiwanese representatives from the media, businesses, and government. Local officials are taken on exchanges and given discounted tours with the hope that Beijing can win influence and change these representatives’ perceptions and voting behavior. Other tactics includes using China’s propaganda departments to amplify Beijing’s criticisms of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, as well as distorting media reports coming out of Taiwan before disseminating them through Chinese social media to sway public opinion.

Taiwan has implemented safeguards against electoral interference, and analysts say that China’s influence / incentives may have limited impact on voting behavior. However, the high-level coordination led by a senior Chinese leader demonstrates the priority Beijing places on covertly intervening in the Taiwanese democratic process to serve its political agenda of asserting control over the island.

Source: Voice of America, December 8, 2023
https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-keeps-interfering-in-taiwan-s-elections-ignoring-biden-s-warnings-20231208/7389984.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: China’s New Drilling Ship Can Reach 11km Depth at Sea

On December 18, China conducted the inaugural trial voyage of its first domestically designed and constructed ocean drilling ship, “The Dream.” According to Xinhua News Agency, the ship has a total displacement of approximately 33,000 tons, a length of 179.8 meters, and a beam of 32.8 meters. The Dream has a cruising range of 15,000 nautical miles.

According to the Xinhua article, The Dream is capable of self sustaining on the open ocean for 120 days, and it is capable of drilling at sea to a depth of 11,000 meters. “The Dream will provide important equipment support for ocean energy resource exploration and mining … to ensure national energy security.”

Source: Xinhua, December 19, 2023
http://www.gd.xinhuanet.com/20231219/a3e549ebc8c64aec9efab0b031ead55d/c.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline Transmitted 20 Billion Cubic Meters of Gas in 2023

China Oil and Gas Pipeline Network Corporation announced that, as of early December, the China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline has transmitted over 20 billion cubic meters this year, reaching a historical high. It has transmitted over 50 billion cubic meters of gas since its inception on December 2, 2019.

The China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline is the third long-distance cross-border pipeline supplying natural gas into China, following the Central Asian pipeline and the China-Myanmar pipeline. China’s portion of the pipeline starts from Heihe City in Heilongjiang Province and extends south to Shanghai, with a total length of 5,111 kilometers.

Source: Xinhua, December 15, 2023
http://www.news.cn/energy/20231215/2b453f6a1bcc4699abb398bd35a45acc/c.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

People’s Daily Claims U.S. Spends $1.5 Billion to Train Journalists to Write Negative Reports about China

People’s Daily quoted European scholar Jan Oberg stating that the U.S. has spent $1.5 billion to train Western journalists to write negative reports about China. Oberg said that the U.S. Congress passed a bill to spend such money five years ago.

Oberg claimed, “Now, those of us who have been to China or live here as Westerners see the complexity and vastness of China and can understand it from China’s perspective, resulting in different opinions. However, some Americans are different; they urgently need ‘enemies.'”

Oberg also stated that he did not see any threat to the U.S. in China’s foreign policy. He mentioned that China has not sailed warships off the coast of California or Florida; instead, it is the West that has “surrounded” China with naval vessels.

The article did not provide detailed information about who Oberg is.

Source: People’s Daily, December 19, 2023
http://world.people.com.cn/n1/2023/1219/c1002-40142558.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China’s State Council: Directive on Merging Domestic Trade and International Trade Together

China’s economy faces a shrinking market, both in terms of exports and on the domestic front. China’s State Council General Office issued a notice on “Several Measures to Accelerate the Merging of Domestic Trade and International Trade Together” on December 11, 2023, with the intention of allowing companies that are facing hard times in their primary market to seek opportunity in the other market.

The notice mentioned policies such as consolidating the domestic and international trade standards; advancing the uniformity of domestic and international trade products in production line, standards, and quality; supporting foreign trade enterprises in expanding the domestic market; supporting domestic trade enterprises in expanding the international market, etc.

Source: China government website, December 11, 2023
https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/202312/content_6919596.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Government/Politics

Chinese Money Flows into Gold

Gold demand in China continues to rise, supporting high international gold prices. Chinese spot prices have exceeded international benchmarks since August 2023. Reasons for the high demand from China include economic concerns like the Chinese real estate slump and devaluation of the yuan, as well as global instability resulting from deteriorating Chinese foreign relations and wars abroad.

Chinese demand for gold reach 789 tons in 2022, making up 20% of global demand. Increasing purchases by Chinese individuals are lifting prices. Gold ETF holdings are up 27% since the end of 2022 as investors seek stability.

China’s economy is showing signs of slowdown. Both the manufacturing and property sectors are struggling, and heavy corporate debts are threatening operations. The yuan hit 15-year lows against the US dollar in September 2023, sparking speculation that China has limited gold imports to defend its currency.

Chinese investors distrust the yuan amid uncertainty, buying gold as a “stateless currency” and inquiring about offshore real estate, e.g. Japanese properties. Inquiries from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to one Japanese real estate agency rose 40% between January and November of 2023.

Ongoing gold inflows and foreign property investment reflect persistent economic unease. But with policy stimulus now improbable, the poor outlook on growth may remain until issues around housing, the yuan, and debt show improvement. For the foreseeable future, Chinese demand for gold looks set to keep international prices elevated.

Source: Nikkei, December 15, 2023
https://zh.cn.nikkei.com/china/ceconomy/54310-2023-12-15-08-38-33.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources