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Geo-Strategic Trend - 152. page

People’s Daily: Japanese and U.S. Military Aircrafts Spied on China’s Air Combat Capabilities

People’s Daily recently reported that Chinese Air Force aircraft encountered close interference from Japanese aircraft as they flew over the Miyako Strait during routine open-sea exercises. Two Japanese F-15 fighter jets launched jamming decoys against the Chinese aircraft. Another eight Japanese F-15 fighter jets as well as two U.S. electronic warfare aircraft covered the two Japanese fighters. Chinese military experts expressed the belief that Japan and the United States were jointly spying on China’s air combat capabilities. In response to China’s complaint, the Japanese Ministry of Defense refused to admit the launching of the decoys and called the Chinese description of the situation “unreal.” According to reports that the Taiwanese media published, the Japanese did mobilize ten F-15 fighters and the U.S. deployed one EP-3 and one RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft.

Source: People’s Daily, December 14, 2016
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2016/1214/c1011-28947065.html

RFA: China Has Become the Largest Fake Product Source for Canada’s Online Market

Radio Free Asia (RFA) recently reported that statistics showed China is now the largest source of counterfeit products for Canada’s online market. The International Anti-Counterfeit Coalition called for stopping the fake products at their origin. With the increasing popularity of online shopping, the counterfeits are being delivered via small express mail packages rather than traditional wholesale shipments, which significantly worsens the situation for Canadian law enforcement. According to lawyers who specialize in anti-counterfeiting cases, around 80 percent of the counterfeits are from China, although more and more manufacturers are moving to places like Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The International Anti-Counterfeit Coalition is working with the supply-chain level Chinese platform vendors such as Alibaba and Taobao to stop counterfeit transactions within 24 hours of receiving complaints.

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 7, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/jingmao/zw-12072016111140.html

The Global Times Editorials on North Korea’s Nuclear Issue

Over a period of time, Global Times has written a number of editorials which show a consistent response to the North Korea nuclear issue. The following are representative of that viewpoint:

• 社评:新制裁压向朝鲜,突破僵局不取决中国 11-30-2016
Breaking the Deadlock of North Korea Nuclear Issue Does Not Depend on China
• 社评:韩美日与朝鲜若要对撞,中国拦不住 09-20-2016
If Korea, U.S. and Japan collide with North Korea, China Can Not Stop
• 社评:朝鲜核试“中国应负责”是歪理邪说 09-12-2016
“That China Should Take Responsibility” for North Korea’s Nuclear Test Is Nonsense
• 社评:朝鲜核弹搅局够,战略威慑差得远 09-09-2016
North Korea’s Nuclear Test Can Achieve the Effect of Making Trouble But Is Far Away from Strategic Deterrence
• 社评:朝鲜提炼核武钚,请美韩多着着急吧 08-19-2016
North Korea Refines Plutonium for Nuclear Weapons; The U.S. and Korea Should Worry
• 社评:给制裁朝鲜获得成功留些时间 03-11-2016
Leave Extra Time for the Sanctions against North Korea to Succeed

Source: Global Times, March 11-November 30, 2016

Hong Kong Ranked Number One in Human Freedom Index Report

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that Hong Kong once again ranked at the top the list in the newly released Human Freedom Index Report. The Canadian Fraser Institute also ranked Taiwan number 26 in the same 2016 report. This is the sixth consecutive year Hong Kong won this honor. The ranking is based on personal freedom and economic freedom, under which there are tens of sub-categories for detailed evaluation. China ranked 141 in the Index, very close to the bottom three: Iran (157), Yemen (157) and Syria (159). The Report reflected the research that Fraser conducted; it publishes the freedom study results annually. The report also indicated that the freedom level is heavily related to the democratic system the country/region has. In its comment on Hong Kong’s ranking, the institute pointed out that the index may be lowered if the Mainland breaks the “One Nation, Two Systems” structure. The United States is ranked at 23 in the Report.

Source: Sina, November 29, 2016
http://dailynews.sina.com/gb/news/int/cna/20161129/21497627878.html

BBC Chinese: Hong Kong Cardinal Warned about Formal Relationship between the Vatican and China

BBC Chinese recently reported that former Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen warned on the news of the potential establishment of a formal diplomatic relationship between the Vatican and China. Zen expressed his concern that, if such an agreement were to be reached, the Vatican might be considered to be “betraying Jesus Christ.” Zen said The Pope might be misled by the experience of the communists persecuted in Latin America. It would be a bit “childish” to understand the Chinese communists the same way, since the Chinese Communist Party has killed a large number of innocent people during its short history. Chinese Catholics are only allowed to join government-approved churches and sermons to the public are banned. The Chinese government-appointed “official” bishops don’t truly preach the gospel. Instead they have the hidden agenda of ensuring the church members obey the communist authorities. Zen expressed that those at the Vatican who crafted the agreement with the Chinese communists lacked first-hand experience and did not truly understand how the Chinese government controls the official churches like “puppets.”

Source: BBC Chinese, November 28, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/press_review/2016/11/161128_press_review

Global Times: The U.S. May Have Lost Hope Counting on Indian Aircraft Carriers

Global Times recently reported that, after visiting India’s first domestically constructed Vikrant-class aircraft carrier, top U.S. Naval engineers may have lost hope in expecting India’s cooperation to contain the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean. To the surprise of the Americans, the supposedly combat-ready carrier, launched three years ago, may take up to another ten years to obtain real battleground operational capabilities. The Americans found the Indian carrier doesn’t even have a small-scale missile system for self-defense. The Pentagon was very much concerned that India insisted on producing aircraft carriers entirely on its own, which significantly delayed the combat readiness of the ship. According to India’s own audit report released in September, the first India-made carrier suffered significant flaws in both design and construction quality, such as the aircraft launch system and the air conditioning system, due to the shipbuilder’s lack of experience. The three-billion-dollar project has been delayed for five years now. The Indian-made Tejas fighter jets suffered a troublesome record in practice on and off the deck, while Russian jets had absolutely no issue in using the same deck. The U.S. experts expressed their belief that the first Indian carrier can only operate within the range of India’s land-based air force coverage. However, the United States confirmed its willingness to continue its cooperation with the Indian Navy but will put its the faith in India’s second domestically built carrier.

Source: Global Times, December 2, 2016
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2016-12/9761091.html

Singapore Media Unhappy about the New Port Construction Deal between China and Malaysia

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that, last month, the China Electric Power Construction Group and the Malaysian government jointly held a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the Melaka Gateway construction project. Melaka Gateway is expected to be a deep water port located on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula south of Kuala Lumpur. The plan is to make this new port city, composed of three islands, the “Number One Port at the Strait of Malacca.” The Strait is one of the most critical military and commercial pathways in the world. However, Singapore media have been criticizing the new port plan ever since the idea was announced. As the key holder of the Strait of Malacca, Singapore questioned the usefulness of having another nearby port city. Given the increasingly more military activities China held jointly with Malaysia, as well as China’s 99-year operational lease of the new port Melaka Gateway, Singapore expressed its doubts about China’s real purpose in helping to build the port. Recently, Singapore has been siding with the United States on containing China’s expansion in the region.

Source: Sina, November 21, 2016
http://finance.sina.com/bg/economy/sinacn/20161121/00191524973.html

China News: Italian Police Conducted a Large-Scale Search Involving Immigration Cases

China News recently reported that the police in Prato, a city in central Italy at the foot of Monte Retaia, conducted a massive search operation that involved immigration cases. It resulted in 15 arrests, with 83 people under further investigation. The immigration cases mainly involved documents that had been forged for Chinese immigrants. Prato is one of the cities with the highest number of Chinese immigrants in Europe. According to official records, the total population of Prato is 180,000, 16,000 of whom are Chinese immigrants. Locals, however, widely believe that the Chinese population is actually 50,000. Prato has devloped a very large garment industry and is one of the cities in Europe that is enjoying rapid economic growth. According to the Italian authorities, over 400 policemen were devoted to this recent operation aimed at cracking down on organized crime. Chinese President Xi Jinping made a short stop in Italy one day later.

On November 16, 2016 local time, President Xi Jinping met on Sardinia Island in Italy with Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

Source: China News, November 17, 2016
http://www.chinanews.com/hr/2016/11-17/8066071.shtml