Geo-Strategic Trend - 121. page

On October 8, China’s official Xinhua News Agency published a commentary titled, “Chris Patten, a Synonym for Being Unreasonable, Hypocritical, Paranoid, Cold-blooded, and Shameless.” Chris Patten was the last Governor of Hong Kong from July 19, 1992, until the end of British administration over the territory on June 30, 1997. The Xinhua article is supposedly a response to Patten’s recent comments on the Hong Kong’s mask ban. The following are some excerpts from the Xinhua commentary.

“However, some Western politicians deliberately turned a blind eye and deliberately reversed black and white. For their own ulterior political conspiracy, they ignored the legal principles, social justice, and humanity, and defended the violence and the violent mobs. The “last-generation governor,” who has been unwilling to be neglected, is one of the “best examples.” He recently claimed that the Hong Kong SAR Government’s face mask ban is a “crazy” move and has turned himself into the synonym for being unreasonable, hypocritical, paranoia, cold-blooded, and shameless.”

“Patten has completely ignored the atrocities committed in Hong Kong and completely ignored the serious threats to the safety of the public in Hong Kong. He described the mob as a “people” and called the SAR government’s righteous action of formulating the anti-mask ban to end the violence and protect the people as being “absolutely crazy.” Of course, anyone who has the least bit of rationality can clearly see that what this person said from beginning to the end is baseless and confuses right and wrong. Like those thugs, this person is a cold-blooded madman who is the enemy of the peace of Hong Kong, the well-being of the Hong Kong people, and justice and humanity.”

“Chris Patten publicly beautified the violence, exonerated the violent members, and reserved black and white in order to attack the SAR government and the Chinese government. These unreasonable, shameless, and fallacious comments about Hong Kong only once again show its ugly political character, and once again fully expose the rudeness, barbarism, and vicious motivation of the Western anti-China forces.”

Source: Xinhua, October 8, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2019-10/08/c_1125076481.htm

McMaster University, a reputable university in Canada, recently disqualified the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) from having an official club status. The reasons were that it interfered with the freedom of speech of the students on campus and that it has a close connection with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Rukiye Turdush, a Uyghuer activist, was invited to attend an event on February 11 at McMaster University that was related to Xinjiang’s “Re-education Camps.” Some unhappy Chinese students yelled loudly at the event and were suspected of swearing.

As Deutsche Welle reported, the WeChat screenshots that anonymous students provided showed that the Chinese students had been in contact with the Chinese Embassy regarding Turdush’s participation in the campus event. The Chinese Embassy asked the students to report on the situation and on the attendees, and hoped that the students would bring the case to the university. The CSSA subsequently issued an open letter opposing the university’s invitation given to Turdush to give a speech, criticizing it as a “ridiculous anti-China speech.” The letter charged Turdush with “publicly promoting East Turkistan separatist activities, promoting national hatred, and attacking the Chinese government.” After the Student Representative Assembly (SRA) at McMaster University, conducted an investigation, it decided that the behavior of the CSSA was in violation of the rules. On the 28th, the SRA voted to disqualify the CSSA as an official club.

Before the vote, Simranjeet Singh, one of the members of SRA, said that many students stood up to express their concerns about the CSSA. He said, “Although we do not have the ability to change what is happening in China, we have the ability to protect students at McMaster University.” After it loses its status, the CSSA will lose the funds that the Student Union allocated to it, the privileges of booking school classrooms, and the channels for publicity and promotion.

Source: Central News Agency, September 30, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201909300144.aspx

On September 26, Wang Yi, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister, said that China will make an all-out effort to “do whatever our African brothers expect from us and whatever is in their interests.” Wang made these remarks at the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of China and the Security Council of African Member States at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Wang stated that China stands firmly with its African brothers, whether from the past, present, or future. The world today faces unprecedented and major changes that have occurred in the past 100 years. The most important change is the rapid growth of a large number of developing countries such as China and Africa. Wang Yi said that, when China regained its seat in the United Nations, it relied on African brothers and developing countries. African countries are China’s most important and most trusted partners and have been since the first day that China joined the U.N. Security Council.

Wang said reflecting Africa’s appeals, addressing its concerns and safeguarding its interests have become the focus of China’s work in the U.N. Security Council.

Wang further said that China will make an all-out effort to “do whatever the African brothers expect from us and whatever is in their interests.”

Source: Xinhua, September 27, 2019

http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2019-09/27/c_1125045797.htm

On September 20, at the opening ceremony for the launch of Ruzibazi hydropower station project located in Burundi’s Rumonge province  the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, said that the project will expand the cooperation between Burundi and China and enhance the level of bilateral relations.

The hydropower station project is China’s largest aid project in Burundi. It was Sinohydro Bureau 14 Co. Ltd. that undertook the project.  It will be a hydropower station, with an installed capacity of 15 megawatts, over the Ruzibazi River, about 43 km south of Bujumbura, the economic capital of Burundi.

In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, Burundi’s Energy Minister, Come Manirakiza, said that the Ruzibazi hydropower station will constitute a large proportion of capacity of the country’s total installed power stations and is very important for the future development of Burundi.

According to Li Changlin, the Chinese ambassador to Burundi, in addition to the hydropower project, China has also implemented a number of aid projects in agriculture, education, and public health.

Source: Xinhua, September 21, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2019-09/21/c_1125022509.htm

Xinhua recently reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. Saudi Arabia is China’s “comprehensive strategic partner” and a key partner of the One Belt One Road Initiative. Saudi Arabia firmly supported China’s “One China” policy on the issue of Taiwan. King Salman provided more information on the recent attack against Saudi Arabia’s oil refineries. Xi Jinping strongly condemned this attack and the damage it caused to the region and the international energy market. Xi called for a fair investigation and asked all parties to remain calm to avoid an escalation of the crisis.

Source: Xinhua, September 20, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/leaders/2019-09/20/c_1125021138.htm

According to German TV 2, Germany’s Business Daily and other media reports, unfair competition from China has caused huge losses for Germany’s online merchants. According to the statistics of the German Industry Association, the loss in the electronic products industry alone is as high as five billion euros (US$5.51 billion) each year. Gero Furchheim, chairman of German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association (BEVH), told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, “This has caused tremendous losses to Germany and has cost thousands of jobs.” Since China’s cargo transportation surged three years ago, Deutsche Post DHL has estimated that it has lost 120 million euros (US$132 million dollars). The value of China’s sale of electrical appliances to German private homes alone is estimated to exceed 1 billion euros (US$1.1 billion) per year.

The postage for goods sent from China is very low. The U.S. and other developed countries hope to solve this problem during a special meeting in Geneva that the Universal Postal Union will hold on September 24 where they will raise China’s postage. Meanwhile White House trade adviser Navarro will lead a delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, next week, demanding reforms to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) which has been around for 145 years. The U.S. could withdraw from the UPU as early as October 17, if the negotiation fails.

Source: Radio Free Internationale, September 22, 2019
http://www.rfi.fr/tw/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B/20190922-%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E4%BD%8E%E9%83%B5%E8%B2%BB%E5%B0%8E%E8%87%B4%E5%BE%B7%E5%9C%8B%E7%B6%B2%E5%95%86%E6%90%8D%E5%A4%B150%E5%84%84%E6%AD%90%E5%85%83