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CCP’s United Front Minister Meets Future Elite Thai Leaders Trained by China

On November 23rd, a high-level Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official met with representatives of the “Thailand-China New Era Leadership Elite Training Program” in Beijing. The official, Shi Taifeng, is a CCP Politburo member and Minister of the CCP’s United Front Work Department. Shi promoted China’s ideology of the “China-Thailand Community for a Shared Future for Mankind” and the CCP’s “Belt and Road Initiative.” On the same day, Wan Lijun, Chairman of the CCP’s Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, also met with the visiting Thai delegation. Sahathai Maneechot, former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, expressed intention to strengthen close ties with the CCP’s Overseas Chinese Affairs Office and to collaborate on the CCP’s “Community of Shared Future for Mankind.”

The “Thailand-China New Era Leadership Training Program” started as early as 2018, initiated by the Chinese Association in Thailand. It is held several times a year, with high-ranking figures from Thailand’s political, military, business, and academic sectors participating.

At the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China in September of this year, China’s Premier Li Qiang announced the “Ten Thousand People Training and Seminar Program,” in which China will train 10,000 talents for ASEAN countries in the fields of governance, anti-corruption, and green development.

Sources:
1. Epoch Times, November 25, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/11/25/n14123929.htm
2. Chinascope, September 15, 2023

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

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

Taiwan Investigates CCP Spy Network Targeting Retired Military Generals

Taiwanese authorities are investigating a case involving retired military generals implicated in espionage on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The investigation centers around suspect Zhu Kangming, who served as the secretary to Taiwanese Lieutenant General Jiang Weiguo (the brother of former Taiwanese President Jiang Jingguo). Zhu is accused of trying to help the CCP entice over 20 retired military generals to visit mainland China and accept the CCP’s hospitality.

It is reported that Zhu is a Hong Kong resident. Though he is not a retired military officer, he has connections with many important military leaders in Taiwan. From 2017 to 2023, he has continuously identified and introduced high-ranking military officers with certain specific ranks and/or in certain specific military branches, trying to persuade them to visit China or the United States for hospitality. These trips provided opportunities for the CCP’s United Front organs to contact, influence, and possibly recruit those officers, potentially convincing them to support the CCP’s “peaceful reunification” and “one country, two systems” ideologies.

Source: United Daily News, November 11, 2023
https://udn.com/news/story/7321/7567270

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

CCP Hires “Fans” to Stage Warm Welcome for Xi Jinping in San Francisco

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is known for faking things. Whenever its leader visits a country, the Chinese embassies or consulates arrange for Chinese students and other people to stage “voluntary” welcome scenes at the airport or on the street, meant to look like “grassroots” support for the VIP.

Online information shows that such a welcome was put on when Xi Jinping came to San Francisco for the APEC meeting on November 15. An online screenshot revealed that the leader of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) at the University of Southern California (USC) notified the association’s cadres:

“[I] Just received a notice from the Chinese Consulate at Los Angeles, next week from the 13th to the 17th, Xi Jinping will visit the United States. Students from USC CSSA are invited to go to San Francisco to welcome him. Since it is inappropriate to publicize the schedule, we currently only know the following:

  • Students who sign up will all ride a bus to SF.
  • For everyone’s safety, you are not allowed to arrange your own trip or engage in independent activities.
  • All travel expenses and accommodation for food and board are covered.
  • If you want to participate, please contact me before 4:00! Once you sign up, you cannot withdraw.”

On November 16th, a posting on social media platform X showed that some students complained about not getting what the CCP promised earlier (Note: the Chinese consulate usually brings people from multiple places, so this may not come from the USC CSSA):

“1. The Chinese embassy claimed there would be free meals, but only some people received them, and most ordinary students did not.
2. There was a promise of a $400 subsidy per person, but in the end the CSSA told students it will be only $100.
3. Students who expressed desire to withdraw from the participation were directly warned that it would be recorded in their files in China, making them unable to join the communist party or take civil service exams in the future.”

Source: Epoch Times, November 16, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/11/16/n14117681.htm

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

German Media: CCP’s Harassing Dissidents in Germany

German Media outlet Der Tagesspiegel (Daily Mirror) reported that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has extended its psychological terror tactics into Germany, targeting overseas dissidents. The report says that the CCP employs tactics such as tracking, hacking email accounts, silencing with hush money, and sending threatening emails with “bloody corpse photos.” For example, two Chinese state actors followed a Hong Kong activist when he went to have lunch with some German congresspeople, taking pictures of them openly so that they would know they were being followed. Another dissident reported that someone opened a porn account with her name on the social media platform X, leading male strangers to ring her doorbell almost every day; she also received rape threats and death threats. Another dissident received several dozen threatening calls in one day, and a scholar received threatening emails with photos of blood-stained corpses.

Source: Epoch Times, November 10, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/11/10/n14114056.htm

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

In China, Conversations in Taxis Are Monitored

A netizen recently shared an experience on a social media platform in China regarding a Beijing taxi ride — there was a notice posted in the taxi indicating that all conversations would  be recorded. The notice included a line of text saying “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is good” (probably as a reminder to the passengers not to criticize the CCP).

This incident sparked discussions among internet users. Some mentioned that taxis in many cities are conducting full-trip video recording. Some cited instances where verbal altercations between passenger and driver led to later driver reprimands.

In September 2018, Didi, China’s largest ride-hailing car servicer, announced that it would implement “safety reforms” under government pressure. China’s Ministry of Transportation led a joint investigation into Didi involving 10 departments of the government, including the CCP Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Public Security. Soon after, Didi began rolling out full-trip recording functionality for its ride-hailing service.

Source: Aboluo, November 11, 2023
https://www.aboluowang.com/2023/1111/1976870.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Social Stability

Xi Jinping Received Representatives of “Fengqiao-Style Work”

{Editor’s note: The “Fengqiao experience” was a Mao-era practice from the 1960’s. It refers to a practice from China’s Cultural Revolution where masses of citizens would monitor and “reform” those who are labeled as class enemies. In the town of Fengqiao, Zhejiang Province, CCP cadres relied on grassroots mobilization of masses to “reform reactionary elements,” a practice which Mao promoted for nationwide adoption. Xi Jinping has been making efforts to revive this practice [1]}

The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission has selected 104 work units nationwide as the role model for applying the “Fengqiao-Style Work Method.” On November 6, Xi Jinping met with representatives of the selected units at the People’s Great Hall in Beijing. He encouraged them to continue their efforts, adhere to and develop the “Fengqiao Experience” in the new era, and make greater contributions to advancing a safer China.

Aboluo commented that the meeting conveyed significant importance with attendees of all the key figures in China’s political and security apparatus: Cai Qi (member of CCP Politburo Standing Committee and real power holder second only to Xi Jinping), Li Xi (Party Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection), Chen Wenqing (Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission), Wang Xiaohong (State Council member and Minister of Public Security), Wu Zhenglong (Secretary-General of the State Council), Zhang Jun (President of the Supreme People’s Court), and Ying Yong (Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate).

Sources:
1. Chinascope, September 28, 2023
http://chinascope.org/archives/33305
2. People’s Daily, November 7, 2023
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2023-11/07/nw.D110000renmrb_20231107_1-01.htm
3. Aboluo, November 7, 2023
https://www.aboluowang.com/2023/1107/1974826.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Government/Politics

Chinese Automakers to Produce Cars in Mexico

Chinese automakers are eyeing the American car market, making substantial investments in Mexico so that they can take advantage of geopolitical and trade agreement benefits. Since China faces high tariffs and restrictions on exporting cars to the U.S., Mexico’s strategic location and the USMCA trade agreement have made the country a favorable location for Chinese companies to produce electric vehicles (EVs) for export to the U.S.

Beijing’s strong support for China’s domestic electric vehicle industry, along with the prominence of Chinese company CATL as the world’s largest lithium battery producer, has positioned China as a major player in the EV market. Chinese automakers, such as JAC and Giant Motors, have already been assembling cars in Mexico for several years. Recently, Chinese companies Chery and Foton also began setting up factories in Mexico.

Source: Voice of America, November 1, 2023
https://www.voachinese.com/a/focusing-on-the-us-ev-market-chinese-companies-invest-heavily-in-mexico-20231031/7335006.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

Opinion: Chinese Youth Have No Opinions, They Just Follow CCTV Ideology

A a post on Chinese website Zhihu argued that Chinese youth do not have opinions of their own; their opinions are solely based on what the Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece China Central Television (CCTV) has taught them. The posting was removed by internet censors. The following translation is based on a copy of the post published to Twitter:

In the Russia-Ukraine War, why do most Chinese people support Russia? In the Israel-Hamas conflict, why do most support Hamas? In pandemic control, why did most people support the zero-COVID approach? The conclusion is the same in all cases: most people are “the New Youth” or “the CCTV Youth.” They believe whatever is said on CCTV. In reality, they don’t [really] support Russia, Palestine, or the zero-COVID approach; they’re simply supporting the CCTV’s news broadcast.

[Back in 2022] these people supported the zero-COVID policy and even had a full-scale online fight against those who suggested alternatives such as “coexistence with the virus.” But when CCTV announced that zero-COVID controls would be lifted and society would open up, what happened? Nothing! The zero-COVID policy supporters held no protests, they did not argue in favor of the policy, and they did not have any inclination to fight for it. There was no resistance at all. Those people did not dare to have an opinion [different from what was on CCTV]. So, in reality, China does not have pro-Russia camp, a pro-Hamas camp, or a zero-COVID camp; these positions are all temporary. The only dominant camp is the “CCTV Youth” camp.

Source: Twitter @zhanglifan, October 22, 2023

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend