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Li Qiang Announced China’s Leadership Training Programs for ASEAN Countries

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, speaking at the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, unveiled China’s initiatives to train future leaders for ASEAN nations.

Li stated, “Fourthly, we will work together to expand humanistic exchanges. China is willing to work with ASEAN to continue to build a solid foundation of public opinion in our relations, implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and take next year’s co-hosting of the China-ASEAN Year of Humanistic Exchanges as an opportunity to further strengthen exchanges in the areas of culture, tourism, training, and youth, so as to continue to deepen the blending of civilizations and people-to-people exchanges. In the next three years, China will build 10 “China-ASEAN Modern Craftsman Institute” in ASEAN countries, continue to carry out the “Bridge of the Future” China-ASEAN Youth Leaders Training Program, and launch the “Ten Thousand People Training and Seminar Program,” to train 10,000 talents for ASEAN countries in the fields of governance, anti-corruption, and green development.”

Source: China’s Foreign Ministry website, September 7, 2023
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/chn/gxh/tyb/gdxw/202309/t20230907_11139468.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Chinese Singer Accusing Ukraine for Killing Its Own People

Chinese singer Wang Fang blamed Ukraine for killing its own people, creating episode number two after her visit to the Mariupol Opera House in Ukraine, where she sang the Russian patriotic song “Katyusha.” The actions of Wang and the group she was with, known as the “Chinese self-media delegation,” drew strong criticism from the Ukrainian government and the international community, since Russia bombed the Opera House, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, including many children.

Upon returning to Moscow, the four people from the group held a press conference. Wang said, “When I saw that the Ukrainian Nazis were killing the children in the Donbass, a wave of anger went through me, so I decided to come to the Donbass to help the children.” Her husband, Zhou Xiaoping, an internet writer known for promoting communist and leftist ideologies, placed blame on Ukraine rather than Russia for the destruction of the theater. He also echoed Russian propaganda by asserting that Russia was protecting the local population from NATO attacks.

Source: China News Center, September 11, 2023

王芳、周小平接受俄罗斯媒体采访，声称马里乌波尔歌剧院是北约轰炸的

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Think Tanker: Traditional Economic Stimulus Ineffective in China’s New Normal

Cai Fang (蔡昉), Chief Expert of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ National High-end Think Tank, delivered a speech on September 3, highlighting that China’s economy has transitioned into a new normal, rendering traditional stimulus approaches obsolete.

Cai identified three key characteristics of China’s new economic landscape from both macro and micro perspectives:

  1. A rapidly declining population and a significant decrease in its labor force.
  2. Weak consumer demand, exacerbated by demographic aging.
  3. Mounting pressures in labor market, including labor shortages and the need to align the workforce’s skills with evolving industry demands.

Cai proposed three strategic policy directions:

  1. Promote a Competitive Environment: Encourage the removal of less competitive companies to stimulate innovation and enhance productivity.
  2. Rethink Traditional Macroeconomic Stimulus: Recognize that traditional stimulus measures no longer align with today’s economic landscape. For example, previous approaches emphasized infrastructure spending, which does not address the job-seeking preferences of today’s youth, who seek opportunities in the service sector rather than construction.
  3. Advance structural Reforms: Prioritize reforms such as the overhaul of the Hukou (household registration) system to incentivize urban-bound rural residents to increase their spending in urban areas.

Source: 21st Century Business Herald,  September 3, 2023
https://www.21jingji.com/article/20230903/herald/0c1fef010ce245062614214b69e74d02.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Economy/Resources Government/Politics

700,000 Chinese Villages Owe 900 Billion Yuan in Debt

China Newsweek Magazine published an article stating that “small villages with big debts” have become a problem that cannot be ignored. A survey by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Development found that, as of the first half of 2019, China’s 700,000 administrative villages have accumulated a total of 900 billion yuan (US$123 billion) in debt. Average debt has reached 1.3 million yuan per village.

Source: China Newsweekly, September 8, 2023
http://www.heb.chinanews.com.cn/zgxwzk/20230908438999.shtml

Briefings | | |   @CS Economy/Resources Government/Politics

Chinese Scholar: China Is Facing The Worst External Environment in 40 Years

Wang Wen, Executive Director of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, published an article stating that China is facing the worst external environment in 40 years.

Wang listed three points regarding the international environment:

  1. China’s annual and quarterly economic growth rate became lower than that of the United States, which has not been seen for more than four decades.
  2. There are signs that production and supply chains are moving out of China, also not seen for more than four decades.
  3. The United States has coordinated a political consensus and comprehensive action among Western countries regarding the “China threat,” also not seen for more than four decades.

Wang gave a few strategic prescriptions for easing China’s situation (a nice way of implying that the authorities have made strategically poor decisions):

  1. Reflect on the long-term, difficult, and complex nature of the rise (of China) as a great power. {Editor’s Notes: The author is suggesting that China has not reached the great power that it wants to achieve; it still needs time to continue building up its power.}
  2. Objectively face the basic fact that the U.S., though it will decline, has not yet declined too much.
  3. Objectively face the basic fact that China, though it will surpass the U.S., has not yet surpassed it.
  4. Chinese society needs to mentally prepare for the worst and most dire scenarios to occur.

Source: Sohu, August 27, 2023
https://www.sohu.com/a/715303788_120094090

Briefings | | |   @CS Government/Politics US-China Relations

CCP Publishes Textbooks on “Xi Jinping Thought”

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is known for brainwashing the public, especially young people, with communist ideology and lies. Recently, PRC media outlet Xinhua reported that the CCP Central Propaganda Department, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, created a textbook titled “Introduction to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era.” The textbook will be distributed nationwide, effective immediately.

Xinhua said the text book is designed to “further promote Xi Jinping Thought in teaching materials, in classrooms, and in (student’s) minds.”

Source: Xinhua, August 28, 2023
https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202308/content_6900617.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Government/Politics

For “Humanitarian Reasons,” China Doesn’t Block Philippine Resupply of Grounded Warship in Disputed Waters

On August 7, China blocked two Philippine supply vessels from unloading supplies at the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. China blocked the supply vessels by firing water cannons at them. The vessels were supposed to deliver supplies to soldiers stationed on a Philippine warship BRP Sierra Madra that has been grounded at the atoll since 1999. Both China and the Philippines claim sovereignty over the Spratly Island area where the Second Thomas Shoal is located.

On August 22, the Philippines sent resupply ships to the shoal again. This time, China didn’t stop them.

Following the event, Xinhua published a statement by the Spokesman of Chinese Coast Guard Bureau: “On August 22, two Philippine supply vessels and two [Philippine] marine police vessels entered the waters adjacent to the Second Thomas Island in the Spratly Islands area without the permission from the Chinese Government. In accordance with the law, the Chinese Marine Police gave the Philippine vessels a stern warning, followed them throughout their entire journey, and effectively restrained them. At the same time, in view of the fact that the Philippine vessels were not carrying large-scale building materials, the Chinese Marine Police made a temporary special arrangement for humanitarian reasons, allowing the Philippine vessels to transport food and other living necessities to the military vessels stranded on the beach. China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and their adjacent waters, including the Second Thomas Island. China firmly opposes the Philippines using the excuse of “resupply” to deliver illegal building materials to the illegally-grounded warship. The Chinese Maritime Police will continue to protect China’s rights and carry out law-enforcement activities in the waters under China’s jurisdiction in accordance with the law.”

Source: Xinhua, August 22, 2023
http://www.news.cn/world/2023-08/22/c_1129816942.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend