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Chinese Government Spokesperson Defends Possible Further Chinese Trade Barriers Against Taiwan

Chinese state media outlet People’s Daily recently reported on comments made by a government spokesperson on the topic of measures that Beijing has taken to restrict trade with Taiwan. The below is from the People’s Daily report:

At the regular press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council (mainland China) on October 16th, a reporter asked: “The Ministry of Commerce recently announced that it would consider taking further measures based on the conclusions of the investigation into trade barriers with Taiwan. The Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council stated that ‘the mainland is using economic and trade relations as a political weapon to coerce Taiwan into complying with its political demands.’ What is your response to this?”

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, responded that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in Taiwan have long unilaterally restricted a large number of products from the mainland, harming the interests of relevant industries and enterprises in the mainland. Since the final conclusions of the investigation into Taiwan’s trade barriers were released, the DPP authorities have not taken any actual steps to lift trade restrictions on the mainland. Instead, they have intensified efforts to obstruct normal economic and trade exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, harming the interests of mainland enterprises and the well-being of the people. The further measures being considered, based on the conclusions of the investigation into Taiwan’s trade barriers, are necessary actions in response to the DPP authorities’ obstinate and unrepentant behavior.

Chen Binhua further noted that the DPP authorities and “Taiwan independence” forces often label the mainland’s policies benefiting Taiwan as “United Front actions.” He emphasized that the united front has always been an important strategy of the Chinese Communist Party to win hearts and gather strength. In the new era, the CCP’s main task of the united front is to uphold broad unity and solidarity, continuously consolidate and develop the most extensive patriotic united front.

Source: People’s Daily, October 16, 2024
http://tw.people.com.cn/n1/2024/1016/c14657-40340652.html

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China Strengthens Cultural Ties with Indonesia’s Muslims to Change Their Views on Xinjiang

Via its program of “cultural exchange and collaboration,” Beijing has made progress in reshaping the view of Indonesia’s Muslims on Xinjiang .

China has established free Chinese language courses at the Istiqlal Mosque in Indonesia, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. In addition, the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta invited staff at the mosque to visit Xinjiang last year. The Chinese government covered all their expenses, including airfare and accommodation, and arranged and accompanied them for all visits. This trip gave the staff a completely different perspective on Xinjiang: In their view, Xinjiang has developed much better than what the media reports, and China has granted religious freedom to the people of Xinjiang.

In 2018, Muhammadiyah and the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), two of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organizations, publicly condemned China’s actions against the Xinjiang Uyghurs and demanded an explanation from the Chinese government. In recent years, China has actively worked with these two organizations to gain their trust. In October 2022, Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, voted against having a debate on Xinjiang’s human rights issues at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Source: VOA, October 16, 2024
https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-cultural-outreach-to-muslims-in-indonesia/7823041.html

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

Israeli Politicians Attended ROC’s National Day Celebration But Not the PRC’s

YNET, the electronic newspaper of Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s largest media group, published an article titled: “A paragon for Taiwan, a sting for China: this is how the war affected Israel’s perception towards the two rivals.”

Itamar Eichner, a senior Israeli diplomatic correspondent, wrote the article. He discussed that when Republic of China (Taiwan) hosted its National Day reception at the Taipei Representative Office in Israel this year, hundreds of guests attended, including eight cross-party members of the Knesset from the ruling Likud party, the opposition Yesh Atid party, and the National Unity party, as well as five mayors of major cities. On the contrary, when the People’s Republic of China (PRC) hosted its National Day reception at the Chinese Embassy two weeks ago, only Uri Makleb, Deputy Minister of Transportation of Israel, attended as a representative from Israel; no elected members of the Knesset attended. There were only 70 guests in total.

The report analyzes the reasons. Since the Hamas terror attack on Israel, China (PRC) has completely ignored Israel’s concerns. On the one hand, China has aligned itself with the so-called “Axis of Evil,” including Iran, by continuously condemning Israel’s efforts to rescue hostages in Gaza, and on the other hand, it disregarded Israel’s request for China to assist in rescuing Israeli hostages with partial Chinese ancestry. Meanwhile, Taiwan has consistently supported Israel in its resistance against Hamas since the war began, standing firm in its shared values with Israel.

Source: Central News Agency, December 13, 2024
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aopl/202410130137.aspx

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Leaked Document Exposes CCP United Front Network in Germany

Twenty-one investigative journalists from ten countries recently published a secret document containing the names of hundreds of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) agents operating in multiple countries. The original source was said to be a list of supporters of the CCP’s United Front Works provided by a person in mainland China. German television channel RTL investigated the section of the document related to Germany.

An NTV reporter contacted a Chinese informant in Germany who confirmed that the people on the list are contacts of the CCP’s United Front Works. “(The United Front) is a very large network. These people are responsible for promoting the CCP’s propaganda. They also try to influence city councils and other government institutions. This is how (the CCP) wants them to influence local politics in Germany.”

These United Front contacts are not traditional spies. Instead, they are more like “influence agents.” In other words, they are people in the West who create a favorable environment for the CCP, control Chinese communities, or suppress critics.

These “overseas Chinese” on the list hold either Chinese passports or have been naturalized as German citizens. The CCP has even targeted the descendants of Chinese immigrants. There are 60 million people in the Chinese diaspora globally.

For example, Mei Weiping (梅维平) is on the list. He is involved in the alumni network of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and has served as the head of a subsidiary of the Beiersdorf Group. In China, he organized cooperation with a university, passing the company’s knowledge to China. He attended the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an event related to the United Front. He has been invited to watch the military parades multiple times as a guest of honor and praised the CCP’s military strength.

One influencer on the list, Liu Yuanhua (刘元华), has more than 400,000 followers on German Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Photos show her posing with Baden-Württemberg’s Governor Winfried Kretschmann, Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir, and Stuttgart’s Finance Minister Danyal Bayaz.

Another person on the list, Kwong Weisen (邝伟森), head of the Hamburg Chinese Overseas Association, also has close connections with top federal political figures. This restaurant owner has a photo with then Hamburg’s First Mayor Henning Voscherau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has visited the restaurant multiple times.

Source: Epoch Times, October 9, 2024
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/10/9/n14347471.htm

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

China’s Current Economic Challenges Far Exceed Those of 2008

A commentator discussed the difference between China’s current economic predicament and the situation back in 2008. In 2008, China was able to issue 4 trillion yuan (US$ 570 billion) to pump up the economy. This time, however, Beijing may not be able to regenerate the same result as the current situation is far worse than before.

He gave the following example:

  1. In 2008, China’s GDP was about 30 trillion yuan. By 2023, its GDP reached 126 trillion yuan, a fourfold increase, making rescue efforts much more difficult.
  2. In 2008, M2 (money supply) was 47.5 trillion yuan. By the end of 2023, M2 had exceeded 300 trillion yuan, more than six times that of 2008, leaving very little room for further monetary expansion.
  3. In 2008, the household debt ratio was less than 18 percent; it is 65 percent in 2024.
  4. At the end of 2008, local government debt was around 5 trillion yuan (roughly balanced); by 2023, the outstanding balance of local government debt was 40.74 trillion yuan.
  5. At the end of 2008, the national debt balance was about 5.33 trillion yuan, with 854.9 billion yuan in national debt issued that year. By the end of 2023, the national debt balance had reached 30.03 trillion yuan, with 11.14 trillion yuan of national debt issued over the year.

Source: Epoch Times, October 10, 2024
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/10/9/n14347115.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Economy/Resources

Economist on China’s Real Estate Problem

Lu Ting, Chief Economist for China at Japanese Nomura Securities, delivered a speech at the 2024 Tsinghua Wudaokou Chief Economist Forum on September 28. Lu pointed out that the most significant pressure on China’s economy comes from the real estate sector and “ensuring housing delivery” is at the core of resolving the issue.

He explained that in China, real estate operates on a pre-sale system – people buy and pay (including mortgage payments) before the property is built and delivered to them. This is more akin to a futures market than a spot market. Many people propose policies to address extra houses being built but not sold. However, the real issue is not the extra houses being built, but that too many have been sold without being completed.

Using data from real estate builder Country Garden, Lu noted that the company has approximately 36,000 completed but unsold houses, 730,000 houses sold but still under construction, and 350,000 houses currently being built but not sold yet, reflecting a ratio of about “1:20:10.”

Lu estimates that the government needs over 3 trillion yuan (US$ 426 billion) to address the issue of “ensuring housing delivery.”

Source: Net Ease, September 28, 2024
https://www.163.com/dy/article/JD6DHME005568W0A.html

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Malaysian Sultan Thanks China for Its Organ Transplant Diplomacy

On September 20, Ibrahim, the Sultan of Malaysia, visited China and met with Xi Jinping in Beijing. Malaysia’s most influential Chinese-language media, Sin Chew Daily, reported that Ibrahim expressed gratitude to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for arranging a liver transplant for his son Tunku Abdul Jalil, the Johor prince, during his visit to China for medical treatment. Ibrahim noted that Beijing had granted special exemptions to his son, who was a foreigner.

According to Malaysian media, Tunku Abdul Jalil was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2014 and successfully received a liver transplant at the First Hospital Affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou in November of that year. However, he succumbed to cancer recurrence in December 2015, at the age of 25.

Another Malaysian Chinese-language media outlet reported that Ibrahim shed tears while discussing his son.

After the news of Ibrahim’s thanks to the CCP spread on overseas Chinese social media, netizens questioned, “Where did the liver come from?” Comments criticized the CCP’s organ transplant diplomacy, alleging that it takes organs from the poor (resulting in  loss of life) to “gift” foreign dignitaries in exchange for political benefits.

Source: Epoch Times, September 24, 2024
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/9/24/n14337110.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend

Financial Shortfall in China’s “Stability Maintenance” Budget: Bottom-Rung Stability Agents Facing Wage Delays

According to a social media report, the government of the Hanjiang District in Putian City, Fujian Province, has not paid grid workers their salaries for six months, and it has recently ceased deposits of workers’ social security contributions as well.

“Grid workers” (网格员) are the lowest level of stability maintenance forces in China. The term “grid worker” or “grid administrator” refers to individuals responsible for managing various subdivisions of neighborhoods within Chinese communities. They are tasked with collecting information on residents, promoting government policies, mediating conflicts, and other miscellaneous tasks. Recently, work conducted by grid workers in China has gone hand-in-hand with collection of big data use of artificial intelligence by the Chinese government. Grid workers played a significant role in enforcing the government’s COVID control measures by conducting inspections, information reporting, health monitoring, and monitoring of “key individuals.” China’s grid workers have been referred to as the ‘capillaries’ and ‘nerve endings’ of the Communist Party’s governance system, and “the most direct embodiment of Xi Jinping’s concept of ‘fine-tuned social management.'”

The social media post regarding the current grid worker budget shortfall in Putian City also revealed that Hanjiang District has around 700 to 800 grid workers, with a monthly salary of 2,200 yuan. A state-controlled media outlet confirmed the report: “on the morning of August 23, the district government coordinated and indeed issued one month’s salary to all grid workers who were owed wages, and efforts are being made to resolve the remaining wage arrears.” Similar issues of delayed wages to grid workers and social workers are reported in Linyi, Shandong. A Radio Free Asia report on this subject commented that “such a confirmation by Chinese state-run media is a rare occurrence.”

The reports indicate that Beijing is running short of stability maintenance funds.

According to 2020 census data, there is approximately one grid worker for every 600 citizens in the Hanjiang District. The ratio of grid workers to citizens is similar in Shenzhen.

Source: Radio Free Asia, August 26, 2024
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/jj-china-internet-control-08262024103632.html

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